DCSD Notebook
Claim This Podcastby Douglas County School District
Podcast Overview
<p>Extended conversations with educators, leaders and students from <a href="https://www.dcsdk12.org">Douglas County School District</a> in Colorado -- which is the Number One public school district in the Denver area, serving 61,000 students at 92 schools. </p> <p>Through DCSD Notebook, listeners will gain a greater understanding of the people, processes and programs in Colorado's third-largest district. Once a month, this feed will also feature <a href="https://www.dcsdk12.org/parents-students/resources/parent-university">Parent University</a>.</p> <p>To learn more about what makes DCSD the Top of the Class, check out the <a href="https://www.dcsdk12.org/about/why-dcsd">Why DCSD</a> page.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
8/12/2025
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Recent Episodes
May 27, 2026
Fostering a Positive Work Climate and Culture
In the business world, company leaders set standards through mission and vision statements and by listing their values. In the education world, it’s all about setting examples and teaching what are called Norms. Here are DCSD’s norms for Culture and Climate: Presume Positive Intent Exude and Expect Optimism Address Concerns the Right Way Create a Culture of Safe Mistakes Communicate Kindly and Respectfully These five norms are the topic for this episode – our season finale as the school year comes to a close. We’re bookending the season by welcoming back our very first guest: Supt. Erin Kane. And this time we’ve got two more guests to make a great conversation about the district’s Culture and Climate Norms. Alicia Elmore is the director of our Before and After School Enterprise, or BASE, program, and Dion Killingsworth is director of Human Resources. This episode complements Episode 20 with the brilliant Jolee Jones, who talked about Organizational Development. While Supt. Kane gives us the 30,000-foot perspective of the ideals behind the norms, Alicia and Dion talk about how those are applied and lived at the department level and even person to person. Guests this episode: Erin Kane, Superintendent of Douglas County School District Alicia Elmore, Director of Before and After School Enterprise (BASE) Dion Killingsworth, Director of Human Resources Host: Jason Hackett, DCSD Director of Communications Resources: Culture and Climate Norms (on Supt. Kane’s webpage) About DCSD Excellence meets opportunity in Douglas County School District. We're not just the third-largest school district in Colorado; we're a community dedicated to helping every student discover their unique talents and reach their full potential. DCSD is the TOP-scoring district in the Denver/Metro area for the second year in a row (first time in a decade). Our graduation rate is 93.6% (the highest in the Denver/Metro area). We are one of the only districts in the country to have met or exceeded our 2019 (pre-pandemic) scores in every subject and every grade for two years in a row. The Class of 2025 earned more than $113 million in scholarships and saved over $20 million in college expenses through DCSD's concurrent enrollment partnerships. DCSD offers 90 Career and Technical Education and Concurrent Enrollment Pathways (including Trades) and is one of the leaders - nationwide - in "blurring the lines" between PK-12, higher education and industry. With 92 schools spread across the 850 square miles of our nationally renowned county, we have options galore. Whether you're looking for a comprehensive neighborhood school, a charter school with specialized curriculum, or support for students with special needs, we've got you covered. Interested in learning more? Take a look at the webpage where we answer the question Why DCSD?
May 20, 2026
How Therapy Dogs Help Students
Magic happens when therapy dogs can help school staff members reach out to students who are struggling. DCSD’s pioneering Animal Assisted Interventions team is the largest and most advanced in Colorado. With 34 therapy dogs deployed all over the school district – and more preparing to join their ranks, the AAI team continues to prove its value and brighten the days of thousands of students all over Douglas County. In this episode, we hear from three of the top innovators who established the AAI program and learn how specially trained, four-legged friends provide gentle, empathetic, tail-wagging support that keeps students in school, opening their hearts and then their minds to overcome many kinds of difficulties. Our guests explain the research that supports their work, including close ties to University of Denver experts in human-animal connections, as well as a commitment to ethical support of therapy dogs and their interactions with students. Make sure to listen all the way to the end, when you’ll hear a small sample of the many stories illustrating just how powerful a dog-to-student connection can be. These are literally life-changing relationships that allow students to succeed when they otherwise might not. Guests this episode: Ellen Kerkhoff, DCSD Mental Health Team Lead. Dani Morrison, Social Worker at Plum Creek Academy and caretaker/partner of Betty the therapy dog. Laura Wilson, DCSD Behavior Specialist for the Ponderosa High School feeder and caretaker/partner of Daphne the therapy dog. Pictured: From left, Laura Wilson with Daphne, Ellen Kerkhoff, and Dani Morrison with Betty. Host: Jason Hackett, DCSD Director of Communications Resources: DCSD Animal Assisted Interventions University of Denver - Institute for Human-Animal Connection Follow Betty on Instagram: @therapydog.betty Follow Daphne on Instagram: @therapydog.daphne About DCSD Excellence meets opportunity in Douglas County School District. We're not just the third-largest school district in Colorado; we're a community dedicated to helping every student discover their unique talents and reach their full potential. DCSD is the TOP-scoring district in the Denver/Metro area for the second year in a row (first time in a decade). Our graduation rate is 93.6% (the highest in the Denver/Metro area). We are one of the only districts in the country to have met or exceeded our 2019 (pre-pandemic) scores in every subject and every grade for two years in a row. The Class of 2025 earned more than $113 million in scholarships and saved over $20 million in college expenses through DCSD's concurrent enrollment partnerships. DCSD offers 90 Career and Technical Education and Concurrent Enrollment Pathways (including Trades) and is one of the leaders - nationwide - in "blurring the lines" between PK-12, higher education and industry. With 92 schools spread across the 850 square miles of our nationally renowned county, we have options galore. Whether you're looking for a comprehensive neighborhood school, a charter school with specialized curriculum, or support for students with special needs, we've got you covered. Interested in learning more? Take a look at the webpage where we answer the question Why DCSD?
May 6, 2026
Standout Seniors at State of DCSD
Supt. Erin Kane’s State of DCSD address on Monday, May 4, 2026, featured a Q&A panel with six outstanding seniors who represent a range of academic pursuits, goals and even the types of schools they attended. The students shared their future plans, how DCSD helped prepare them for those next steps, and how they have grown as people during their time in Douglas County Schools. Supt. Kane’s full presentation was live-streamed and recorded on the DCSD YouTube channel. She also shared points of pride, numerous examples of how the district is stewarding taxpayer funds, and her vision for the district’s future in preparing students for a rapidly changing world. Guests this episode: Jessie Ramsey, Ponderosa High School Haden Hart, Highlands Ranch High School Ashley Schumacher, Eagle Academy Roman Perez, VALE Jake McClintock, eDCSD Piper Hannon, Castle View High School Host: Erin Kane, Superintendent of Schools, DCSD About DCSD Excellence meets opportunity in Douglas County School District. We're not just the third-largest school district in Colorado; we're a community dedicated to helping every student discover their unique talents and reach their full potential. DCSD is the TOP-scoring district in the Denver/Metro area for the second year in a row (first time in a decade). Our graduation rate is 93.6% (the highest in the Denver/Metro area). We are one of the only districts in the country to have met or exceeded our 2019 (pre-pandemic) scores in every subject and every grade for two years in a row. The Class of 2025 earned more than $113 million in scholarships and saved over $20 million in college expenses through DCSD's concurrent enrollment partnerships. DCSD offers 90 Career and Technical Education and Concurrent Enrollment Pathways (including Trades) and is one of the leaders - nationwide - in "blurring the lines" between PK-12, higher education and industry. With 92 schools spread across the 850 square miles of our nationally renowned county, we have options galore. Whether you're looking for a comprehensive neighborhood school, a charter school with specialized curriculum, or support for students with special needs, we've got you covered. Interested in learning more? Take a look at the webpage where we answer the question Why DCSD?
31 total episodes available
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Frequently asked questions
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- What is DCSD Notebook?
<p>Extended conversations with educators, leaders and students from <a href="https://www.dcsdk12.org">Douglas County School District</a> in Colorado -- which is the Number One public school district in the Denver area, serving 61,000 students at 92 schools. </p> <p>Through DCSD Notebook, listeners will gain a greater understanding of the people, processes and programs in Colorado's third-largest district. Once a month, this feed will also feature <a href="https://www.dcsdk12.org/parents-students/resources/parent-university">Parent University</a>.</p> <p>To learn more about what makes DCSD the Top of the Class, check out the <a href="https://www.dcsdk12.org/about/why-dcsd">Why DCSD</a> page.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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