After eight years of service on the Cherry Creek School District Board of Education, Janice McDonald delivered remarks during her final board meeting on October 9, 2023, to show her appreciation for the opportunity to serve her community.
“In retrospect, I have been afforded the opportunity to serve eight years. An opportunity that I haven’t taken for granted. I truly believe to whom much has been given, much is required,” McDonald said. “I have been committed. When my five children came through the district I wanted the best for them, now
my grandchildren. I want the best for them as well, but beyond my personal desires, I have truly wanted the best for all students.”
Her parting advice was to, “Let the agenda always support what’s best for the children in 
every deliberation.”
McDonald’s fellow board members offered remarks in honor of her service and paid tribute to her unwavering focus on the children and her well-known and often-asked line, “How are the
children?”
In reflecting on her eight years of service, McDonald noted that she is most proud of the opening of the Cherry Creek Innovation Campus and Traverse Academy, a first-of-its-kind mental health facility for students. She believes the district has evolved for the better during her time on the board and continues to live up to its longstanding legacy of excellence for all students.
McDonald has a long history in the Cherry Creek School District, City of Aurora, and surrounding communities.
In 1975, McDonald and her husband moved to Aurora when their children began their K12
education at Eastridge Elementary School and then Ponderosa Elementary School. All five of their children attended Cherry Creek Schools, moving up through Prairie Middle School and Overland High School, and all of them went on to earn their college degrees. She has been married to Rev. McDonald for 56 years and together they have nineteen grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, fourteen of whom also attended Cherry Creek Schools. Two are current students at Cherokee Trail High School. Several of their children have also returned to the district to work in various capacities such as attendance clerk, coach, and paraprofessional.
Over the years, McDonald dedicated much of her time and energy to giving back to children and her community. She earned her associate degree in early childhood education from the Community College of Denver and a bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Pheonix. Early in her career, McDonald worked for Head Start, which provides early education programming for qualified families at no cost. As her children went through the Cherry Creek School system, McDonald became a regular volunteer and a staple in the schools. At Ponderosa, she served as the vice president and president of the PTCO and 
represented the school on Parents’ Council. She also served on the School Accountability Committee at Prairie Middle School as well as starting several multi-cultural programs at the school. Each month, she would offer a presentation to students about diverse cultures, countries, and industries. She also developed a student-adult mentoring program specifically geared toward young African American students. Janice continues to serve Ponderosa as a volunteer for Panthers with a Purpose, a mentorship group for young Black girls.
Prior to volunteering in the schools, McDonald volunteered for Colorado Mental Health and served on the Aurora Mental Health board in the 1980s. As part of that contribution, she would visit schools and help teach the Teaching Early Adolescents New Skills (TEANS) program which helped adolescents learn how to cope and manage their emotions. McDonald also taught preschool through the City of Aurora’s Parks and Recreation Department for four years. Following her service to the City of Aurora, McDonald became a paraprofessional for the Smoky Hill High School I-Team for three years before going on to work as a community liaison at Prairie Middle School. She served in that role for 21 years before officially retiring from the district.
In November 2015, McDonald was elected to the Cherry Creek School Board of Education as the first African American woman to serve in that role. As the representative for District B, she prioritized strengthening community involvement and focused on closing the achievement gap for all students. With her vast personal and professional experience in the district, she wanted to give back to a community that she believed had served her children and family well.
Two weeks after being elected, McDonald was diagnosed with breast cancer. In thinking back on that period, she said, “When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, my first thought was, ‘God why would you allow me to win my election and then give me this?’ However, it was a blessing in disguise because the opportunity of being on the board gave me another focus.”
McDonald has committed countless hours to several other community organizations 
including the Cherry Creek School District Resiliency Team and Speakers Bureau, the Aurora Key Community Response Team, and the City of Aurora Human Relations Commission for more than 15 years, which she chaired at one point. McDonald is also a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. In addition, McDonald is incredibly involved in the Odom Memorial Church of God and Christ where her husband has served as the pastor for more than 40 years. She continues to serve as president of the International Young Women’s Christian Council for the church’s denomination which covers the entire U.S. and fifty-seven countries.
“The thing that gave me courage, focus, and principle was my faith,” McDonald said.
During a retirement recognition for McDonald on October 27, Superintendent Christopher Smith acknowledged and celebrated her many years of service to the community. “Ms. McDonald has been an incredible public servant and a positive force in our community for decades. Her service on and off the Board of Education has been invaluable and impacted the lives of many students, staff, families, and community members. Her contributions to our organization and our broader community will always be remembered,” Smith said.
