Roaring Fork High School (RFHS) is welcoming its biggest freshman class ever this year — 132 students and counting as high schoolers entered their second week. With such a large class, it could be easy to get lost in the shuffle between middle school and high school. But a unique ninth grade orientation program that […]
Education
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CMC trustees approve $94.3 million budget
The Colorado Mountain College (CMC) board of trustees approved a $94.3 million budget for the fiscal year 2024-25 at their June 25 meeting in Breckenridge, according to college spokesman Brian Barker. General Fund personnel costs are the biggest budget item at $67.5 million, followed by services, other, phone and supplies, travel and training, supplies, rental […]
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SoL Theatre wows audiences with ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’
On Aug. 15, youth theater company SoL Theatre premiered “Jesus Christ Superstar” at Thunder River Theatre (TRTC) — the second show in their summer stock season. The theater was practically full and the cast was met with a standing ovation at the end of the final number. Despite a COVID scare which resulted in the […]
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Striking a chord with local youth: Rock and Roll Academy Aspen builds more than musical skills
Rock and Roll Academy Aspen (RRAA) began as an inspired idea in Telluride and found its home in Aspen in 2010. The program, founded by Russell Cattaneo after seeing Mark Galbo’s original concept in Telluride, has become a staple in the Roaring Fork Valley’s musical education scene. Kriss Harrison, RRAA’s executive director who took over […]
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From law enforcement to education
After nearly a decade in law enforcement, Dustin Gehring found himself at a crossroads. “At the time, I was married, we had kids growing up and the long hours were not congruent with having a family,” he recalled. The demanding nature of the job began to clash with his personal life, prompting a pivotal decision […]
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Carbondale schools reaffirm commitment to music education amid challenges
Chris Bank, the in-school director for Jazz Aspen Snowmass (JAS), has stepped in to fill a critical gap in Carbondale’s music education for the 2024-25 school year. He acknowledges that Carbondale school’s music programming is pivotal, stating, “I am now hopefully the one-year person until they can get it back on track.” In response to […]
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Rams Report: Fall sports preview
Team leadership is a big focus for the Roaring Fork High School football team coming into the 2024 season, as the Rams look to return to the varsity ranks after a one-year hiatus to rebuild the program. Recently, 19 of the team’s upperclassmen took part in a two-day Teen Leadership Breakthrough camp, held at the […]
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Wading into the Arctic from Carbondale
For Sarah Johnson of Wild Rose Education, an environmental education program based in Carbondale, switching between the microcosm of the Roaring Fork Valley and the global scope of climate science can be perplexing. “It’s kind of incredible,” Johnson told The Sopris Sun. “I sit here in my office in the Third Street Center and I’ll […]
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Downvalley schools see early enthusiasm for hands-on learning models
Introductory-level environmental education has become a staple for Valley elementary schools. Each year, Basalt Elementary, Crystal River Elementary and Aspen Elementary welcome full-time educators from Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES). This program, which started at the Aspen schools in 1975, is a cherished facet of elementary education for many local children and adults who […]
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NO MORE HORSIN’ AROUND
…except on holidays and weekends. It’s time to put away the skateboards, saddles, scooters and other fun toys and games, and break out the paper, pens, computers and books ‘cuz summer has come to an end and the school year is starting. Summer is over and you must go to school. No time to play […]