families sit in a powerful parent safety academy meeting in the learning center

With an emphasis on the first priority of the Lewis-Palmer School District 38 Strategic Plan, District 38 leadership unveiled a new program in the 2022-2023 School Year to help families and the community with key tips and information in the realm of safety.

Dubbed the Powerful Parent Safety Academy, families had the opportunity to attend three academy events to hear experts from both the community and the District 38 team share critical information, and their experiences, to help families with students in the Tri-Lakes Community.

At the April 17 Board of Education meeting, the series was recapped and lauded for the key conversations it surfaced, and the expertise shared with families.

“I along with my fellow board member Theresa Phillips, along with several community friends, attended the last part of the three-part series on April 3 in which we discussed consent,” Board of Education President Tiffiney Upchurch said, noting key conversations like those on consent should continue. “All three events were well attended, and I want to thank all families for engaging. I want to also thank all the experts who served on our panels.”


April 3: Consent

This event featured local expert Amber Newberry, School Resource Officer Deputy Chad Wheat, and Executive Director of Student Services Rick Frampton. The presentation centered around consent, tips for speaking to students, and a question-and-answer session.

You can watch the entire presentation here

Feb. 6: Online Safety, Drugs & Addiction

This event featured District Attorney Michael Allen, who brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to a crowd of families desiring to understand what is new in the realm of online safety for students, as well as any trends in the area of drugs and addiction in the region.

You can watch the entire presentation here.

Oct. 3: School Safety & Response Protocols

Led by Chief of Security Dennis Coates, this event centered around school safety, the protocols focused on by Lewis-Palmer School District 38, the partnerships that we have and sharing tips with families. Coates was joined by School Resource Officer Deputy Cory Adkisson, Deputy Wheat, D38 Security’s Todd Ronk and D38 Security’s Jon Hudson.

You can watch Part 1 of the presentation here (note that Part 2 is a separate video here).


“We fully intend on continuing these academies going into next year and beyond, and it is setting the stage for continuous collaboration, learning and making sure we are bringing education and awareness to our families,” Superintendent KC Somers said of the initiative.