Aya Pelkum Donahue and Alex Jaffe, Nederland. Rick Elertson has been the principal of Nederland’s secondary school since 2019, but in June, he will be leaving to take over as principal of Steamboat Springs High School. Although this position is his dream come true, Elertson has only good things to say about his time at Nederland Middle-Senior High School.

“The students, staff, and community have been wonderful to my family and me. I will miss the journey I have taken with our deeply committed parents on the PTA, the school and district-level committee work, the student organizations, and the incredible relationships that I have been so lucky to form with so many students, staff, and parents. You ask me what I will miss the most? Well, I will miss everything!”

The students, parents, and staff of Ned will miss Elertson as well. During his four years as principal, he has accomplished many things, not the least of which was helping the school navigate the pandemic. He also helped vastly increase the Advanced Placement track in the core curriculum. Now there is plentiful opportunity for students to take college-credit courses in high school. Setting them up for success in advanced courses, he has helped develop multiple classes to accommodate the different learning speeds of each student. For example, currently a single grade can have as many as three math levels. With some middle schoolers participating in high school classes, this also strengthens the connections between middle and high, one of Elertson’s original goals.

Elertson has also continued to nurture Nederland’s personalized approach, which he feels is only possible in a small school. Thanks to this approach, many students feel that they have become friends with the teachers and staff, which benefits both the school atmosphere and learning environment.

Elertson’s commitment to the Nederland students was demonstrated by his willingness to forge a path during the pandemic that was unique among BVSD schools. While most schools rotated students through an online/in-person schedule, Elertson arranged a program that allowed each family to decide if they needed an in-person learning environment to succeed.

In addition, he helped develop a unique Career and Technical Education (CTE) program that will allow for students to apply their learning to careers in the real world, providing five educational pathways (Engineering/Construction, Outdoor Leadership, Resource Conservation/Environmental Science, Computer Science, and Business/Entrepreneurship). CTE students will earn industry certificates, learn job specific skills, and participate in internships.

Elertson says, “It won’t be long and our CTE programs in Nederland will also be offered as concurrent enrollment through Red Rocks and Front Range Community Colleges. Our students will take these amazing CTE classes and have the ability to earn college credit for them at the same time.”

Elertson hopes that the school will continue to bond throughout different levels, reach compromises among parents, students and staff, and form connections with the rest of the Ned community. The combination of middle and high school students gives any principal a unique perspective. As Elertson explains it, in his lighthearted way: “... as middle schoolers, they love to tell me they can beat me in everything, and as high schoolers they often prove it!”

“I am so sad to see Mr.Elertson go, he has been such a huge part of my time at Nederland Middle Senior High, from when I was in middle school to now as a high school student. I will miss the pizza Fridays that have brought me so much closer to my classmates, and the overall joy, and fun he brings to the school. Every time I see him in the hallways he never fails to make everyone feel welcome and puts a smile on our faces. He makes jokes all the time, and it is always a laugh when he comes on the morning announcements, he is always so energetic and fun. I will never forget how he cheers our volleyball team on even though we are losing, and tells us to ‘play hard Panthers’, he always puts a smile on me and my peers’ faces, and we will all truly be sad to see him go.” ~ Freshman, Alex Jaffe

“I think of Mr. Elertson not only as my kind-hearted principal, but as a friend. I think many other students agree; over the years, Elertson seems to have made a special impact with each individual student. Whether it’s by helping a sixth-grader out with their locker on the very first day of school, or by inviting a group of students to a random pizza party in his office, he manages to make every student feel recognized. Steamboat will love to have him as principal, and we will all miss the bright humor he adds to each day.” ~ 8th grader, Aya Pelkum Donahue