During this stretch of the school year we often take a breath and reflect on all the things we are thankful for in the world. The fall of 2018-2019 has proven to be one for the books as we have seen our students excel in the classroom, on the fields and courts, and on the stage. We will see more of this for sure heading into the winter season proving our well-supported and well-rounded arts programs provide opportunities for all.
This is also a time that can be high stress in families as the intense winter season in a resort community will add to the obligations and pull people in different directions. We have had a push for supporting our mental health needs with students this year. We have increased our counselor staff and have begun to change our programming to better align our services to our curricular needs. I would like to thank the Telluride Education Foundation for continued support of their film series and parent education as we continue to see those events grow.
As we return after the holiday break, we will begin our ski PE program, a great Telluride tradition, supported by Telluride Ski and Golf and Telluride Sports. Late February and early March will mark the beginning of the state assessment window. While these tests take away from our direct instruction, they do allow us to show the rest of the world the quality of the student experience we foster here in the box canyon. We gauge and change our programming according to these results, and they do play an important role in our system. As a parent you will see how your student performs on summative measures, and as a community it allows us to show the outcome of the investment we believe every student deserves in public education.
Lastly, I want to thank the staff, community and parents that worked on the 4A ballot initiative in November. The Telluride School District voters approved the remainder of override dollars available at the local level. We still have work to do at the state level and this year we will be “defending the fort” to hang on to what we have raised locally. The Joint Budget Committee (JBC) is looking to equalize some districts on the backs of districts with supportive populations. This will be a new twist to try and focus the lawmakers on the real issue –funding at the basic level.
Please take time to embrace the holiday season and enjoy your loved ones!
Mike Gass, Superintendent