49 Voices: A D49 Podcast

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In Colorado’s competitive school choice environment, understanding family and student perspectives is essential. D49 goes straight to the source, inviting high school students to sit on the Student Board of Representatives and provide deep insights that help guide decisions about culture, programs, and priorities. Much more than a focus group or traditional student council association, the SBOR creates a formal role for students in district governance, putting them in the same room with district leadership and on the school board dais with the D49 Board of Education. Get to know the SBOR, what they’ve accomplished, and get a sense of what leaders in D49 have learned: when students are invited into the conversation, they do more than speak. They help shape the system designed to serve them.

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The pinnacle of D49’s strategic big rocks is launching successful students. We can do that by making sure our campuses and facilities are safe and secure – in fact, you hear us drive home “the safety of our students, staff and guests is non-negotiable.” D49’s commitment to safety and security is led by a team of professionals with a combined 90 years of experience who proactively partner with local law enforcement and first responders to ensure everyone finds safe environments every time they arrive at a D49 school or building. It is an around-the-clock promise to everyone we serve – especially those who make the best choice, their choice.  

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Welcome to our first episode of season five! We’re kicking off the new year with some updates on what’s changing in 2026. First up, we’re deploying our latest two-schools-in-one building setup. Special guest Brian Smith will dive into how the Falcon Zone will make the most of this temporary move and why it’s a primary piece of some big-picture planning.  

We had to make some tough calls to stabilize our budget as last year came to a close. In this episode, we’ll get into how those changes are going and celebrate the incredible spirit of our staff who keep showing up for our students, year after year. 

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As school year 2025-26 comes to a close, 49 Voices is taking a moment to tip our hat to D49’s schools of distinction. 13 campuses in our portfolio of exceptional educational choices met the criteria to achieve distinction status in D49 by earning 74 points or higher on their annual School Performance Framework (SPF) as reported by the Colorado Department of Education.  

Now in our second year of recognizing schools that make the grade in overall academic scores, achievement, and growth, we invite you to revisit the Super Set episodes from Season 3 of 49 Voices, in which we unpack how the inaugural class of schools of distinction accelerated their performance. 

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The Pikes Peak region in southern Colorado is home to School District 49 and a host of well-known military installations including Peterson Space Force Base, The United States Air Force Academy and Fort Carson Army post. It is D49’s distinct pleasure to serve those who serve our nation. 

This episode drops in April, the Month of the Military Child. We’re going all in on how D49 steps up for those who stand in the gap and why we want our military families to know they’re in the district that is the best choice to learn, work and lead.  

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For our first episode of our fourth season of 49 Voices, we invite you to listen in on a vibrant discussion about partnerships and potential. School District 49 spotlighted both themes during our second State of the District Event which we called School Connect. 

Superintendent and 49 Voices host Peter Hilts invited a four-member panel of leaders from a cross section of local enterprises to School Connect to talk about why investing time and support into local schools translates into sustaining a thriving community.

In this episode, Mr. Hilts introduces his panel of guests as together they dig into the ways they’re connecting with schools and investing in the future of the Pikes Peak region. 

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We conclude the Super Set by exploring the D49 blended education model, that finds its origins--and lasting home-- at The Campus, home of Pikes Peak Early College and Springs Studio of Academic Excellence. Come along with us as D49 Superintendent Peter Hilts dives into the PPEC approach with Nathan Pearsall, PPEC principal. We’ll learn how a campus balances in-person and online learning and why students who choose PPEC can graduate high school with a diploma – and a degree.

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In this episode of the Super Set, D49 Superintendent Peter Hilts visits with Cassi MacArthur, principal of Remington Elementary School. We’ll dig into the RES strategy for success – unpacking how a data driven approach connects learners with instruction that’s just right for them while leaders work hard to build joy and fun into the culture of learning. 

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Applied learning is the approach at Patriot High School, one of D49’s non-traditional campuses. In this episode, we meet Principal Ryan Bailey and teacher Lisa Banegas, who, along with a team of dedicated leaders and educators, are reinvigorating confidence and a growth mindset among their students. D49 has a place for every learner, and PHS proves it every day. 

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In this episode of the Super Set, Superintendent Peter Hilts visits with Woodmen Hills Elementary School Principal Bethany Stegman, who breaks down how a back to the basics approach, paired with a personalized learning strategy proved to be a powerful combination for Woodmen Hills