Charter school looks for fresh start after sex scandal

BRIGHTON – Danny Sanchez loves his school. However, he hated the times last year when all people would talk about was the teacher who had an affair with a student. She also was the principal's wife.

"I work at a doctor's office and I would have patients tell me, 'Oh, you go to that school,'" said Sanchez, a senior. "We want to start off on a new foot. We want to have a new reputation. We want to have a nice reputation."

Last October, Carrie McCandless, a teacher at the Brighton Charter School, took students on a retreat near Estes Park. During the trip, she admitted that she gave alcohol to a 17-year-old student, Tommy Clay, which then led to mutual sexual fondling. The story made national news with Clay appearing on The Today Show. In June, McCandless pleaded guilty to several charges including illegal sexual contact. She served 45 days in jail.

Principal Chris McCandless, Carrie McCandless' husband, ended up resigning after also enduring a serious illness in his family. Charter Board President Dave Mundy Sr. also stepped down after he was charged with tampering with a witness and failure to report sexual abuse. Police say he tried to cover it all up.

"We did go through a lot last year," said Sanchez.

This year is different. The school now has a new name, Brighton Collegiate High School. It has a new principal, a new philosophy called the "middle college" approach. Plus, students and staff have a new $8.3 million facility to finally give them a building of their own.

"Since we have this building, we can actually create this new vision and this new direction and move forward," said Anthony Matthews, acting principal.

Matthews says everyone is ready to put the problems behind them.

"I think for most students, it's really easy to put it behind just because we are a new school and we can start over," said Tori Lundeen, a junior.

The new building provides sports teams with their own gym, and their own fields, while helping students forge their own identity. The facility allows teachers to employ the "middle college" approach.

"The middle college philosophy is basically designed to try to give all students the opportunity to be able to take college classes," said Dave Lange, middle college administrator.

The school's transformation began a long time ago under the guidance of former principal, Chris McCandless. Students and staff say it is a shame he cannot enjoy the fruits of his labor.

"I believe he has done more to help create who we are today than any individual at this school," said Lange.

"It stinks that he didn't get to experience it," said Sanchez. "That's the thing that kind of frustrates the students the most because a lot of people didn't get to see the real Mr. McCandless."

Now, they will all work on showing off the real Brighton Collegiate High School. Friday, the building was officially dedicated.

"It's just really important to me that I have a new facility, new building," said Sanchez. "It's just a great way, a new way to start."