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SteamboatToday.com •

North Routt charter school lunch service delayed as Steamboat district faces staffing shortage

The Steamboat Springs School District can no longer fulfill a commitment announced earlier this year to provide school lunches for North Routt Community Charter School due to short staffing and the district’s inability to attract qualified applicants, states an early August email sent from NRCCS Head of School Bill Gallagher to North Routt parents. 


Marquez Elem, the charter school’s interim head prior to Gallagher’s hiring in April, told the newspaper in the spring that the school had secure...
SteamboatToday.com •

New Steamboat Springs superintendent Kristin Drury outlines vision for district

As the Steamboat Springs School District opens its 2026-27 school year, new Superintendent Kristin Drury says her focus is straightforward: ensuring every student has the opportunity to thrive.


In an interview earlier this month, Drury gave the newspaper a picture of her life and career before Steamboat, her first impressions as a new full-time community resident and her vision for the district. 


Drury settled in Steamboat earlier this summer as she transitioned into her superintendent res...
SteamboatToday.com •

Leading through change: Superintendent Celine Wicks reflects on her tenure

As she prepares to step away from a career in public education, Steamboat Springs School District Superintendent Celine Wicks leaves behind a tenure defined by collaboration, growth and navigating some of the most challenging years in modern schooling.


Wicks announced her retirement in late October, passing the torch this summer to incoming superintendent and veteran Douglas County educator Kristin Drury.


Wicks joined the district seven years ago as principal of Strawberry Park Elementary,...
SteamboatToday.com •

Meet the new head of school at North Routt Community Charter

William Gallagher says his life has been shaped by people who opened doors for him, and now he wants to do the same for students at North Routt Community Charter School.


The new head of school, who recently began his tenure in North Routt, brings with him an unusual résumé: 28 years in the U.S. Army, leadership posts in higher education on multiple continents, and a career built around helping young people find opportunity. 


But Gallagher, who sat down for an interview with the Steamboat P...
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Hayden School District recommends 7% overall compensation increase for teachers and staff

The Hayden School District has recommended compensation increases for teachers and staff as part of its preliminary 2026-27 budget, continuing a multi-year effort to improve pay amid rising living costs in the Yampa Valley. 


The recommendation includes a 4.63% base salary increase for certified staff, along with funding for step and lane advancements. Combined, those changes would result in an overall compensation increase of about 7% for teachers and other district employees, wrote Superinte...
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Steamboat Springs School District, teachers union reach tentative bargaining agreement

The Steamboat Springs School District and the Steamboat Springs Education Association have reached a tentative agreement that advances compensation and workplace protections for educators, while highlighting ongoing concerns about funding and staff retention.


The agreement, announced following bargaining negotiations over April and May, includes full funding for both horizontal and vertical salary steps for licensed staff and specialized service providers, ensuring teachers are compensated fo...
SteamboatToday.com •

Group calls on Steamboat Springs School District to reduce screen time for K-3 students

A group of local parents are advocating to the Steamboat Springs School District for the mitigation of screen time for young students, citing concerns with the negative impacts of technology use on children still in early development. 


At the district’s board of education meeting on Monday, May 18, two parents representing a recently organized moment called Parents Against Unnecessary Screen Time in Education, or PAUSE, spoke about the urgent need for action to reduce technology in the classr...
SteamboatToday.com •

North Routt Community Charter School taps William Gallagher for head of school

North Routt Community Charter School has selected William Gallagher as its permanent head of school effective May 1, pending acceptance of a formal offer, according to announcement released by Interim Head of School Marquez Elem.


Gallagher, who brings over 40 years of experience in public services, most recently served as director of enrollment at The American University of Iraq in Baghdad, where he oversaw enrollment efforts across nine colleges and led initiatives that contributed to a 72%...
SteamboatToday.com •

Steamboat Springs School District taps Kristin Drury for superintendent

The Steamboat Springs School District has selected longtime Douglas County educator Kristin Drury as its next superintendent, pending acceptance of a formal contract, according to a statement released on Wednesday. 


Drury currently serves as executive director of schools in the Douglas County School District in Colorado, where she oversees about 16,000 students across 19 schools in the Parker region. In that role, she has led initiatives to strengthen student achievement, sustain academic gro...
SteamboatToday.com •

Head of North Routt charter school calls for ‘reset’ after months of turmoil

North Routt Community Charter School’s new interim head stood before a crowd of parents, staff and students at a community meeting on Jan. 9 and delivered a blunt message: The school’s recent drama has hurt kids, drained enrollment and fueled negative press, but its academic record remains stellar. Now it’s time to “hit the reset button.”


Marquez Elem, who started as interim head of school on Dec. 31, spent an hour laying out his background, the school’s strengths and a road map forward while...
SteamboatToday.com •

Steamboat school board taps national search firm to lead superintendent search

The Steamboat Springs School Board voted 3-2 on Jan. 12 to hire McPherson & Jacobson LLC to lead its next superintendent search, choosing the national firm after a debate over cost, timing and previous board member experience with firms that submitted proposals.  


The decision sets in motion the recruitment process for a new superintendent expected to begin July 1, following Superintendent Celine Wicks’ announcement in October that she would be retiring at the end of the 2025-26 academic year...
SteamboatToday.com •

North Routt Community Charter School parents escalate dispute over head of school’s firing with legal demand letter to board

A pair of North Routt parents have taken their fight over the firing of head of school Dan Kohler to a new level, serving the North Routt Community Charter School board with a formal legal demand that accuses the board of violating state law, its own bylaws and its charter contract with the Steamboat Springs School District. 


The letter, sent Dec. 1 on behalf of School Accountability Committee members Liz Kirt and Aylin Lewallen, gives the board seven days to take “immediate governance correc...
SteamboatToday.com •

Steamboat City Council officially approves Whistler Park acquisition

The Steamboat Springs City Council has officially approved the city’s purchase of the Whistler Park parcel owned by the Steamboat Springs School District, seeking to maintain the park as a vital community space amid increasing demands for parkland, and competing priorities such as housing and infrastructure.


Council’s unanimous approval of the second ordinance reading on Tuesday night marks a significant milestone in an often contentious back-and-forth since last year between city leaders, di...
SteamboatToday.com •

Community members question North Routt Community Charter School Board’s actions in head of school’s firing

The conversation around the firing of Head of School Dan Kohler from North Routt Community Charter School shifted this week from one about the reasons leading to Kohler’s termination to discussion about the school board properly following policy and procedure.


At Monday night’s board meeting, three community members — Elizabeth Kirt, Aylin Lewallen and Sierra Fallon, the first two of which are members of the School Accountability Committee — spoke during the public comment period on a litany...
SteamboatToday.com •

North Routt Community Charter School staff, parents demand answers in wake of head of school’s dismissal

The tension and uncertainty swirling around North Routt Community Charter School intensified Monday as staff, parents and community members gathered for a pivotal board meeting following the controversial termination of Head of School Dan Kohler. 


The emotional forum brought forth pleas for transparency, reform and renewed trust, as voices from the NRCCS community pressed board members to confront governance, accountability and leadership challenges head-on.


At last week’s community meetin...
SteamboatToday.com •

North Routt Community Charter School board faces community backlash over firing of Head of School

The termination of North Routt Community Charter School Head of School Dan Kohler has raised concerns and frustration throughout North Routt, with parents, staff and local residents objecting to both the rationale behind Kohler’s removal and how it was handled.


The NRCCS Board of Education notified the community via email on Tuesday, Nov. 4 that Kohler was being dismissed. The email invited stakeholders to a public meeting the following afternoon to address questions and concerns.


Kohler p...
SteamboatToday.com •

School district housing survey presented for Sleeping Giant parcel

The Steamboat Springs School District is making progress on a $10 million workforce housing project near Sleeping Giant School, aiming to provide affordable rental units for staff who spend disproportionately large amounts of their income on housing.


After issuing a request for proposals earlier this year, a nine-member committee selected Rural Homes, a nonprofit developer led by Paul Major, to develop the district-owned parcel into an approximately $10 million workforce housing project for s...
SteamboatToday.com •

District honors departing board of education members Lee and Brinkman for dedicated leadership

Outgoing Steamboat Springs Board of Education members Katy Lee and Chresta Brinkman were honored for their dedicated service during the board’s business meeting on Monday, marking the end of their tenures with the district.


Superintendent Celine Wicks opened the recognition by highlighting the significant contributions of Lee, who has served as board president since 2017, and Brinkman, who has served since 2019 (most recently as vice president), praising both for years of steady and thoughtfu...
SteamboatToday.com •

Teacher retention, curriculum and administration support drive discussion at school board candidate forum

Teacher attraction and retention, workforce housing, academic curriculum and support of the current school district administration headlined the discussion among board of education candidates at Wednesday evening’s forum at Bud Werner Memorial Library. 


Hosted by the Steamboat Pilot & Today and sponsored by Altitude Realtors, the event offered an opportunity for community members to hear from candidates for four City Council seats and two school board openings. 


Questions were posed by Cra...
SteamboatToday.com •

Steamboat Springs Board of Education officially authorizes sale of Whistler parcel, aiming to sell to the city

The Steamboat Springs Board of Education voted unanimously Monday to authorize the sale of its valuable Whistler Park property, positioning the city of Steamboat Springs as the likely buyer.


The school district cited a recent $3.6 million appraisal and months of community feedback as driving factors behind the decision, with officials stating that the sale could help advance local housing projects while preserving Whistler Park as public green space for residents and visitors.


The 9.2-acre...
SteamboatToday.com •

South Routt School District partners with developer to secure housing for staff

The South Routt School District has partnered with developer John Eastman of HappyLane LCA to provide dedicated housing for district employees, aiming to address challenges in recruiting and retaining quality staff linked to limited local housing options, according to a statement released Wednesday. 


The innovative agreement secures two full housing units — a two-bedroom and a one-bedroom — and access to a flexible studio unit that can serve as a standalone home or be combined with other unit...
SteamboatToday.com •

Four candidates vie to fill two open seats on Steamboat Springs School Board

Four candidates are competing for two open seats on the Steamboat Springs School District Board of Education this November, as Board President Katy Lee and Vice President Chresta Brinkman are barred by term limits from seeking re-election. 


Both Lee and Brinkman won re-election in 2021 — Lee was first elected in 2017, Brinkman in 2019 — and have each served multiple terms and will be succeeded by fresh leadership.


Candidates Lauren Rennolds, AJ Summers, Kim Lemmer and Jane Toothaker each s...
SteamboatToday.com •

School district advances 22-unit housing project on Sleeping Giant parcel; eyes sale of Whistler property

The Steamboat Springs School District took a significant step forward on two housing fronts last week: moving toward a 22-unit affordable workforce housing project at its Sleeping Giant parcel and opening the door to selling its Whistler Park property, potentially to the city for parkland.


At the Aug. 11 school board business meeting, Superintendent Celine Wicks outlined the district’s strategy to directly address staff housing shortages while also clarifying the future of landholdings that h...
SteamboatToday.com •

School board approves substantial compensation package for district employees

After weeks of back-and-forth negotiations, the Steamboat Springs Board of Education unanimously approved a new staff compensation package for the 2025-26 school year on Monday night, marking a significant investment in staff pay and a renewed commitment to attracting and retaining educators in one of Colorado’s most expensive communities.


The agreement, which followed a series of financial and policy discussions between district negotiation representatives and the Steamboat Springs Education...
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