School districts in bigger, noisier cities often envy the reputation that Cherry Creek School District has built over the years. Serving more than 53,000 students in 108 square miles of the Denver metro area, with 70 schools, eight municipalities, and a faculty with more than 79 percent advanced degrees, it has been the type of district that other districts covertly compare themselves to for the majority of its existence. It still has that reputation. However, it has suffered greatly, and the events of the last few months raise issues that are not adequately addressed by a press release regarding budget accountability.
The issues became apparent when Denver7 According to investigations, the district has a “toxic” culture, according to several insiders. The events that followed happened swiftly. Chris Smith, the superintendent, resigned. Then, while an investigation into claims of insubordination was underway, Tony Poole, the assistant superintendent of special populations, was put on administrative leave. Then came the budget announcement, which included $23 million in cuts and the elimination of 159 full-time positions for the 2026–2027 school year. Special education (51 positions, $4.2 million) and gifted and talented programs (37 positions, $3.7 million) suffered the most from the cuts. counselors. paraprofessionals. health liaisons. the individuals who are most directly related to students.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| District Name | Cherry Creek School District #5 (Cherry Creek Public Schools) |
| Location | Greenwood Village / Arapahoe County, Colorado |
| Headquarters | 4610 S. Ulster St., Suite 1001, Denver, CO 80237 |
| Admissions Office | 5416 S. Riviera Way, Aurora, CO 80015 |
| Main Phone | 303-773-1184 |
| Student Enrollment | ~53,000+ students |
| Area Served | 108 square miles across eight municipalities in the Denver metro area |
| Schools in District | 70 schools |
| Minority Enrollment | 50% |
| Students on Free/Reduced Lunch | 26% |
| Faculty with Advanced Degrees | 79%+ |
| 2026–2027 Budget Cuts | 159 jobs eliminated; $23 million in total expense reductions |
| Former Superintendent | Chris Smith (resigned following investigative reporting) |
| Interim Superintendent | Jennifer Perry |
| Assistant Superintendent on Leave | Tony Poole — separation includes ~$191,964+ lump sum plus continued salary |
| Teachers Union | Cherry Creek Education Association (President: Carlye Holladay) |
The number of speakers at the Board of Education meeting in April was about twenty, which is by no means a large number, but the caliber of their remarks was impressive. “We are met with decisions that make us feel undervalued, unheard and unsafe,” a woman who identified as both a parent and a staff member bluntly stated to the board. The president of the Cherry Creek Education Association, Carlye Holladay, put the general annoyance into words that resonated: teachers and support personnel didn’t overspend, she contended. They persevered through a pandemic and years of having to do more with less, and now they’re dealing with unintended consequences.
The district’s defense of the cuts is based on a well-known claim: there are actual budget deficits, state funding for districts is still insufficient to cover actual costs, and the objective has been to safeguard classrooms wherever feasible. The district’s official statement highlighted that staff salaries and benefits account for nearly 90% of the district’s budget, and interim superintendent Jennifer Perry stated at the board meeting that the cuts were essential for the district’s long-term stability. The amount spent on central office personnel is just 3.8%. These are not insignificant figures. Additionally, the district anticipates receiving an additional $5.3 million in state funding in 2026; however, officials were cautious to point out that state support still falls well short of the true costs of providing high-quality education in 2026.
The Tony Poole situation is more difficult to reconcile. After continuing on paid leave, Poole, whose department—special populations—is one of the most directly impacted by the cuts, will retire at the end of June. His pay is $19,345 per month. In addition, he gets a lump sum payment of $187,925.29 for accumulated leave plus an extra $4,039.11. Particularly in a community already experiencing the strain of unstable leadership, the total payout while counselors and paraprofessionals are losing their jobs is the kind of contrast that tends to harden into resentment.
Not because Cherry Creek is particularly troubled, but rather because it isn’t, it’s difficult to ignore the gravity of what’s going on here. Colorado school districts are dealing with the same structural discrepancy between state funding and actual school operating expenses. It just so happens that Cherry Creek is doing it in public, with a superintendent who has resigned, a community that has shown up to express concerns about safety, and a budget document that contains more line items than most board meetings would want to discuss. The Hungarian teachers visiting Independence Elementary, the Bobby G Awards nominations, and the STEM ice cream classes at Polton Elementary are all still going on. The district is still in operation. However, Cherry Creek can no longer discreetly respond to the question of how much it costs and who pays for it.
