Most of us still remember our favorite teachers. Maybe they sparked our curiosity, believed in us when others didn’t, or gave us the confidence to pursue a passion. As the mom of two graduates from our local public schools, I’m forever grateful for the wonderful teachers who guided and supported my daughters. If we want […]
Debbie Bruell
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Partnering up to prevent evictions
With both the national moratorium on evictions and federal aid through the CARES Act set to expire at the end of this month, tens of millions of Americans are at risk of being evicted. Here in the Roaring Fork Valley, a wide range of individuals and entities have been working collaboratively to help community members […]
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District ranks first in English Language Development
Roaring Fork School District’s English Language Development program is ranked number one among the 55 districts in the state with similar percentages of students who are in the process of learning English. Carbondale Middle School teachers Grace De La Sala and Mary Hernandez spoke with The Sopris Sun about what has made their program so […]
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School board grants superintendent emergency powers
On March 18, Governor Polis signed an executive order suspending in-person learning in all schools starting March 23, and administrators of the Roaring Fork Schools found themselves in uncharted territories, trying to figure out how to provide instruction without classrooms, serve school lunches without lunchrooms, and respond to a host of employees, such as custodians, […]
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With kindergarten fully funded, is pre-K next?
Governor Jared Polis signed legislation last May to fund full-day kindergarten in Colorado’s public schools. Many in our valley who are celebrating this new ruling are also hoping it’s just the first step toward addressing the lack of affordable and accessible early childhood education programs in our region. Prior to the passage of the State […]
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Learning to paint out loud
As a young woman who describes herself as “a very quiet person,” Tansy Zacarias seems to have surprised everyone — including herself — by leaving her mark on Carbondale with a large mural in bright, bold colors at the intersection of Eighth Street and the Rio Grande Trail. A graduating senior at Roaring Fork High […]
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Carbondale Police Department receives mental health grant
Police officers are called upon to respond to crises far outside the realm of law enforcement. They’re often the first ones on the scene when a person is overwhelmed by a mental illness or experiencing intense emotional distress. The Colorado Department of Local Affairs recently awarded the Carbondale Police Department (CPD) a $177,000 grant to […]
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Talking with your kids about sexual abuse
“That could never happen to my kids,” is precisely the attitude that makes children more vulnerable to sexual abuse, according to Meghan Hurley, the Mental Health Coordinator of River Bridge, a regional child advocacy center located in Glenwood Springs. As Hurley told about 50 parents at a presentation at the Waldorf School last month, sexual […]
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Roaring Fork School District redefining discipline
“Nobody understands me. Nobody cares about me,” is a common utterance among kids who habitually skip or are expelled from school. With a one million dollar grant providing funding for at-risk students over the next four years, the Roaring Fork Schools are committing to a new approach to discipline and conflict resolution with the hope […]
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Don’t fear the (teen) dentist
“Are you scared?” is the first question that Roaring Fork High School senior Leslia Serrano would ask each child as she ushered them out of class for a dental examination — often the first one of their lives. Serrano told The Sopris Sun that most of the kids looked up at her with “big eyes […]