As school districts in Colorado prepare for the 2025-26 academic year, a freeze of $71 million in federal education funding by the U.S. Department of Education is affecting districts across the state, including in the Roaring Fork Valley. In an email, the federal government said it is holding $6.8 billion in education funding while they […]
Roaring Fork School District
Posted inNews
Roaring Fork School District libraries remain safe
The public forum has seen notable discussion about libraries in recent months. Many libraries have been navigating increased scrutiny, challenges to books available for check-out and more. Among the actual difficulties that libraries have been facing, some have also had to handle fearful rumors. Recently, those fears have extended into conversations about Roaring Fork School […]
Posted inEducation
New RFSD leaders eager to apply years of experience within district schools
This spring, the Roaring Fork School District (RFSD) is closing several chapters and opening new ones when it comes to school leadership. In March, the district announced three hires for the 2025-2026 school year: two new principals and an assistant principal. Just this week, RFSD announced another principal’s retirement. Hiring for other administrative vacancies is […]
Posted inEducation
RFSD motivated to close student literacy and participation gaps
The Roaring Fork School District (RFSD) has been striving to close literacy gaps between students whose first language is English and students who speak different languages at home. The district has established a variety of measures for assessing skills for new students as well as regular metrics for all students in order to track progress. […]
Posted inLocal Government
RFSD Report: Budget and strategic plan updates, recognition of Black History Month
A notable section of the month’s first Roaring Fork School District (RFSD) board of education meeting on Feb. 12 was Superintendent Dr. Anna Cole’s report. Her presentation focused on the district budget, with analysis of internal factors, external challenges, the revised current-year budget and the draft budget for the next school year. Internal identified factors […]
Posted inNonprofits
Aspen Hope Center expands mental health support in schools
Aspen Hope Center (AHC) continues to expand its programs that help bridge the gap in accessible mental health services through collaboration with schools to help support some of the Valley’s most vulnerable youth and individuals. AHC started in 2009 and focuses on three key aspects of mental health response: prevention, intervention and postvention. One of […]
Posted inEducation
Declining enrollment in Valley schools part of a broader trend; districts planning mitigation
Secondary education schools are experiencing a balloon effect: deflation. Enrollment hasn’t increased dramatically in recent years, but numbers were slowly growing. That is starting to change, and local school districts are preparing for what smaller student numbers will mean moving forward. The Sopris Sun spoke with Roaring Fork School District (RFSD) and Aspen School District […]
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Scuttlebutt & Calendar
Day Without ImmigrantsMany Latino-owned businesses in the area participated in a national “Day Without Immigrants” strike on Monday, Feb. 3. While most restaurants, bakeries and clothing stores participated, service work like construction appears to have been less disrupted. A flyer which circulated on social media declared, “We are essential, we are strong, we are community.” […]
Posted inColumns
Accountability builds community
The Sopris Sun has a new classroom space connected to our office here at the Third Street Center. Written on the blackboard (thanks to Contributing Editor James Steindler, also our youth journalism program lead) are the four pillars of ethical journalism: seek the truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently, be accountable. A recent […]
Posted inEducation
RFSD proceeds with cautious optimism and determination after autumn insurance pivot
In late September, news broke that the Roaring Fork School District (RFSD) was making an unexpected shift from a self-insurance health plan back to a managed health care plan, at significant cost to the district. While a shock to the public, the decision was the result of months of review on the first year of […]