On Tuesday, the Cherry Creek School Board said it will dig into allegations that a “toxic” workplace culture has taken hold in the district, centering on the relationship between Superintendent Chris Smith and Chief Human Resources Officer Brenda Smith. Board President Anne Egan read a brief statement before trustees went into executive session for the superintendent’s mid-year review, saying the board will examine a 2022 memo about a possible conflict of interest, freeze all district-administration travel for six months, and “make changes as required” ahead of its next meeting on Feb. 6.
According to Denver7, the move came on the heels of a Denver7 Investigates series in which dozens of current and former employees described a climate where complaints felt stuck because the superintendent and the HR director are married. Denver7 reported that some staff signed an eight-page letter alleging retaliation and unprofessional conduct, and that outside reviewers recommended leadership coaching while noting a strong perception of impropriety across the district.
Federal scrutiny and earlier complaints
This is not the first time outside authorities have scrutinized Cherry Creek. The U.S. Department of Justice announced a settlement with the district in May 2024 that requires improvements to language-access services for parents. Separately, earlier reporting by The Gazette detailed multiple federal inquiries into discrimination and harassment at the district, underscoring a pattern of outside oversight and long-running staff concerns that predate the latest reporting.
What the board said and immediate steps
Egan told trustees the board will review the 2022 memo as part of its evaluation of Superintendent Smith and will "make changes as required." In the same breath, the board imposed a six-month freeze on district-administration travel and declined to take questions after issuing the statement. Denver7 reported that Smith went into executive session and then left via a side door without speaking to reporters. Trustees said the pause on travel is meant to give them time to gather facts and consider next steps.
Why staff and parents are watching
Employees who spoke to news outlets described a workplace where anonymous letters and quiet, off-the-books interviews felt necessary because of fear of retaliation, and at least one multi-page principal’s letter prompted an outside investigation that flagged unprofessional conduct. Those findings, coupled with previous federal attention, have many families and staff pressing the board for clearer conflict-of-interest rules and safer ways to lodge complaints.
What’s next
The board says it will review the 2022 memo and report back at its Feb. 6 meeting. After that, trustees could adopt policy changes, request further investigations, or take administrative actions. Meeting locations, agendas, and recordings are posted on the district’s Board of Education page for families who want to follow the process. For now, staff and parents are watching closely to see whether this review ends with quick procedural fixes or a longer reckoning for one of Colorado’s largest school systems.
