Stuff by Laurel Smith

  • Locations: News Published

    My Pandemic Pod

    Text and photos by Laurel Smith

    I left teaching to become a photojournalist almost four years ago and I didn’t look back. I never expected to return to it and I certainly did not expect to fall in love with being a teacher all over again.

    When the pandemic hit,… read more →

  • Locations: News Published

    A rough return to in-person learning

    On Oct. 26, Roaring Fork School District (RFSD) fourth through eighth graders stepped out into 11 inches of snow and walked to their school bus stops for the first time since March 13. 

    The storm that brought several road closures and blackouts throughout Roaring Fork Valleyread more →

  • Locations: News Published

    Farm to Table brings money to CRES

    The Baiardo family moved to Carbondale in July and began planning a way to continue a family tradition of using cooking to support their kids’ schools. Jonathan organized a dinner selling tickets to teachers and other parents through a silent auction at the annual Ladles of Love fundraisingread more →

  • Locations: News Published

    Schooled in a barn

    Updated Sept. 17, 2020

    On Sept. 16, Roaring Fork School District hit the brakes on their plan to resume in-person learning for K-3 students citing the recent uptick in COVID cases. The increase in cases moves Garfield County from a level one to a level tworead more →

  • Locations: Columns Published

    Can we ask schools to do the impossible?

    When I was a second grade teacher I set my watch’s second hand to match the clock in my classroom. 

    Every day, at 30 seconds past 9:28, my students split off into six different rooms to receive their small group reading instruction. As my students left,read more →

  • Locations: News Published

    Our Town: Yarely Valasco connects cultures

    The Sopris Sun is conducting a series of interviews with folks you may not have seen in the paper before — a sort of introduction to your neighbors. This week we caught up with Yarely Valasco, a first generation American who was born in Aspen and just graduated…… read more →
  • Locations: Opinion Published

    To the class of 2020: I hope we are not forgotten

    After four years, last Friday I graduated from Colorado Mountain College with my A.A.S. in professional photography. It has been a long journey starting with taking night classes while still teaching elementary school fulltime and ending with one final Zoom critique at my kitchen table. 

    Iread more →

  • Published

    Sunlight is closed

    Sunlight Mountain announces it is closed to all activates including uphill travel Skiers, snowboarders and uphill hikers fill Sunlight’s parking lot yesterday. Sunlight announced today that they will be closed to all uphill traffic in accordance to Colorado and Garfield County public health recommendations. Local and state health officials recommend… read more →

  • Locations: News Published

    Almost homeless

    The growing almost homeless population is a dire situation in the area according to Lynn Kirchner, real-estate agent at Amore Reality and volunteer with the non-profit organization Carbondale Homeless Assistance (CHA). “The recommendation for sustainable and healthy living is one to two years’ worth of savings. The situation is… read more →