Come November, you might be paying more in property taxes. In early June, Roaring Fork School District (RFSD) officials announced a proposal to enact a mill levy override in order to combat a plethora of issues facing its schools. These include high employee turnover, heightened salary and benefits competition from neighboring districts and unfilled positions. […]
Education
Posted inEducation
Age-Friendly Carbondale wants you to prepare for wildfires
The best part of the Age-Friendly Carbondale (AFC) booth at July’s First Friday was the Wheel of Fortune. Modeled after the TV show’s giant spinning wheel, this one was a petite, blue, yellow, red and green handmade version. Instead of winning money, contestants won items to stock a “go bag,” like a flashlight, first aid […]
Posted inNews
Aspen High graduate brings her art piece, ‘Independence,’ to the U.S. Capitol
Elizabeth Foster was the recent winner of the 2026 Congressional Art Competition for Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District. Colorado has eight congressional districts, and the 3rd District, the state’s largest by geographic area, includes Pitkin and Garfield counties, among others. In this competition, high school students compete for the opportunity to have their artwork selected by […]
Posted inEducation
Summit 54’s summer learning program celebrates 15 years
What began as an effort to address the “summer slide” that students often experience between school years marks its 15th anniversary this summer, with many a full circle success story to tell. Like that of Karen Munez, who attended Summit 54’s Summer Advantage program at Crystal River Elementary School (CRES) in Carbondale and now works […]
Posted inEnvironment
Wild for Good seeks permanent protections for western Colorado lands
Defiende Nuestra Tierra, a Latino outreach program through Wilderness Workshop, partnered with EcoFlight to highlight the Wild for Good initiative, a campaign focused on advancing lasting protections for landscapes in western Colorado. During a recent aerial tour organized by EcoFlight, a nonprofit organization that takes people on educational flights to help communities and organizations better […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Summer heats up with Carbondale Arts
Summer in Carbondale is guaranteed to bring community-fueled fun and creativity to all ages — thanks in large part to Carbondale Arts! Mountain Fair and First Friday continue to be at the core of their summer work, but this beloved organization is in motion and serving our community all summer long. Whether you’re looking for […]
Posted inEducation
Riverview School sends along inaugural class of dual-language students
An important milestone was reached at Riverview School last week when it bid adieu to its very first class of kindergarteners and sent them off to high school. For most of this year’s eighth-grade class, the June 2 promotion ceremony was the fruit of nine years of labor as dual-language students at the unique K-8 […]
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Feet in the grass, backs in the wind
Thirty-eight seniors walked across the grass, some in bare feet, at Colorado Rocky Mountain School on June 6, donning the proverbial (in this case) cap and throwing flowers in the air once they were announced as 2026 graduates. Congratulations, Oysters! The time to break free of your shell has come. Photos by Renee Ramge
Posted inEducation
Schools honor longtime retiring bus driver brothers
They’re his “bus kids” for life, whether they’re still in school today or the parent or grandparent he drove around 40-some years ago. That’s how longtime Roaring Fork School District bus driver and former Carbondale Police Chief Gene Schilling thinks of all the students he’s driven to and from school, sporting events and field trips. […]
Posted inLocal Government
3 Rs opt-out rates ‘remain low’
One to 5% of students in all Roaring Fork School District (RFSD) grade levels are not participating in sexual education courses, newly released data shows. RFSD Superintendent Dr. Anna Cole told district officials last Wednesday that this average opt-out rate, gathered from a district-wide survey conducted in response to calls for strengthened information transparency and […]