Jeffco’s chief messenger to exit next month

For the second time this school year, a top-ranking Jeffco Public Schools official is leaving the district.

Chief Communications Officer Lynn Setzer’s last day will be Nov. 5. Then, she’ll join the Mapleton Public Schools in Adams County for a similar role.

“I’ve had eight great years in Jeffco but this is a wonderful opportunity,” Setzer said in an email to Chalkbeat. “I will miss the many friends and colleagues I’ve come to know and cherish, but I won’t be going very far.  I wish only the very best for Jeffco’s talented staff and students.”

As Jeffco’s chief communications officer, Setzer oversaw both internal and external communication on behalf of the school district.

Prior to joining Jeffco, Setzer was a public relations specialist for Porter Adventist Hospital and a reporter and anchor for Denver’s ABC affiliate, KMGH.

News of Setzer’s exit comes after Jeffco’s Chief Financial Officer Lorie Gillis left earlier this month.

Critics of the suburban county’s school board are likely to latch on to Setzer’s departure and consider it more evidence of theory that the board’s majority, who were elected almost one year ago, is taking the district down a dangerous path.

In fact, a new website has been created to track the stories of employees and families who are leaving the district.

According to the agenda-driven website, nearly 600 Jeffco employees submitted their resignation or retirement in September. Most of those employees were teachers. The website complied its information based on regular human relations department reports provided to the school board. But it’s unclear whether the employees’ departures were immediate or whether the board’s conservative majority had anything to do with their decisions.