Board Recognition Month - Cherokee Trail High School

Thank you Board of Education members!
Jim O’Brien wasn’t fully prepared for the time commitment that came along with his new role as
a member of the Cherry Creek Board of Education.
When O’Brien joined the board seven years ago, he’d already built an extensive professional
résumé as a telecommunications executive and nonprofit manager. What’s more, he’d played
the part of active and engaged volunteer at the Cherry Creek schools where his two sons
attended.
But all of that experience didn't fully prepare O’Brien for the work that was to come. Taking on
the mantle of school board member meant accepting a different level of responsibility, one that
included up to 25 hours of work in a typical week.
"To be an effective board member, you have to have the time to prepare for board meetings,
you have to have the time to visit schools and you have to have the time to interface with district
leadership members," O'Brien said. "There's so much to learn. Having been on the school board
for almost eight years, I learn something new every day. You have to do your homework.”
O’Brien isn’t the only board member who boasts that level of dedication. The Cherry Creek
School District Board of Education comprises five dedicated public servants who work tirelessly
for the sake of more than 54,000 students. January is School Board Recognition Month, and the
district is proud to acknowledge the work of board members Karen Fisher, Claudine McDonald
Jim O’Brien, Randy Perlis and David Willman.
These unpaid volunteers work hundreds of hours a week for a simple goal: to ensure that every
student in the Cherry Creek School District receives the best education possible. That means
that every student in every building has access to an education that properly prepares them for
success in college, the military, the workplace and the larger realm of society as a whole.
“How fortunate we are to have these selfless volunteers leading our district,” said Cherry Creek
Superintendent Harry Bull. “They give generously of their time to thoroughly study and carefully
consider many challenging and complex issues. Every decision they make is based on what is
in the best interest of our students.”
That effort involves a high level of expertise. The Cherry Creek School District is home to more
than 54,000 students. The board oversees the efficient management of a public entity with more
than 9,000 part-time and full-time employees. They successfully oversee an annual general
fund budget of more than $400 million. All of that work comes on top of the countless hours
spent interacting firsthand with students, teachers, district administrators, parents and other
community members. That direct communication comes during the countless school visits,
special events and sporting events that take place throughout the year.
It’s all worth it for the Cherry Creek board members, who see their rewards in the success of
every student. For example, board member Claudine McDonald insists on attending every
graduation ceremony at every one of the district's high schools year after year. Standing on the
stage and distributing diplomas gets to the very heart of the job for McDonald, a longtime Aurora
resident with deep community ties.
"We get to hand over diploma covers, shake the students' hands, give them a hug and say,
'Congratulations, you did it,'" she said. "That's what we're working for."
Each board member represents one of the district’s five director districts, but they are elected
‘at-large’ to four-year terms by registered voters via a non-partisan ballot.
Board of Education meetings are generally held at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of the month
at one of the Cherry Creek schools. Contact information for the Board of Education is 720-5544300 or [email protected].
Jim O’Brien
Director District A
Cherry Hills Village Elementary
Dry Creek Elementary
Greenwood Elementary
Heritage Elementary
Holly Ridge Primary/Holly Hills Elementary
Homestead Elementary
Walnut Hills Elementary
Willow Creek Elementary
Campus Middle School
West Middle School
Cherry Creek High School
Claudine McDonald
Director District B
Eastridge Community Elementary
Highline Community Elementary
Polton Community Elementary
Ponderosa Elementary
Village East Elementary
Challenge School
Prairie Middle School
Overland High School
David Willman
Director District C
Arrowhead Elementary
Cimarron Elementary
Independence Elementary
Indian Ridge Elementary
Meadow Point Elementary
Mission Viejo Elementary
Peakview Elementary
Summit Elementary
Trails West Elementary
Horizon Middle School
Laredo Middle School
Smoky Hill High School
Randy Perlis
Director District D
Antelope Ridge Elementary
Aspen Crossing Elementary
Buffalo Trail Elementary
Canyon Creek Elementary
Coyote Hills Elementary
Dakota Valley Elementary
Sunrise Elementary
Timberline Elementary
Fox Ridge Middle School
Liberty Middle School
Sky Vista Middle School
Thunder Ridge Middle School
Cherokee Trail High School
Eaglecrest High School
Karen Fisher
Director District E
Belleview Elementary
Cherry Creek Academy
Cottonwood Creek Elementary
Creekside Elementary
Fox Hollow Elementary
High Plains Elementary
Red Hawk Ridge Elem
Rolling Hills Elementary
Sagebrush Elementary
Falcon Creek Middle School
Grandview High School

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