Something happened this week that was unexpected for me. It gave me hope and inspired me. The 10 candidates running for Boulder Valley School District’s Board of Education were invited to a Candidate’s Forum. They all came to Nederland for the forum.
The fact that they all came surprised me. It showed a level of care for our schools that I did not expect from people who want to be on the Board.
Have students, staff, and parents in Nederland schools felt ignored by the BVSD Board and District administration? The answer to that is a resounding yes. The parents in attendance made that message very clear to the candidates. Has there been some improvement in recent years? Yes, there has been.
The candidates seemed to really listen. We can not get away from the fact that they do want our votes. However, they seemed genuinely interested in the questions asked by the youth and concerned by the comments made by the parents. Because the mountain schools do face different challenges and needs compared to the schools “down the hill,” the questions and comments were ones the candidates were not used to hearing.
As a parent with kids in Nederland schools, I want the Board and district as a whole to see all four of the BVSD mountain schools with a new lens and narrative that says “we are ready and willing to listen to the communities.”
BVSD Board and Administration: please, pay attention to the treasures on the other side of the canyons. Show our kids and staff equity for the schools and environments we live in.
I was inspired by the ideas that the candidates brought with them. I was inspired by the other parents who were present and made comments. I was inspired by the community members who took the time to be present, to learn about the candidates for the benefit of our local schools, for our kids.
If you have kids in school or not, you have an impact on the local schools. You decide if that is a positive or negative impact. In a small community it does not take much to do something positive.
I’ll be blunt, Nederland community: we can do more to positively support the schools. Trunk-or-Treat at the elementary school is fun! The spring musical is fantastic every year. Support prom and after-prom so the kids have a safe place to go. Help a kid pay for music lessons. Watch a sporting event – they are free.
When the district sees how much the community supports the schools, they will be more inspired and driven to do more for the kids and for the schools. The community has to work together to create the best learning environments possible.
As always, The Mountain-Ear is YOUR community source for news. We welcome your thoughtful letters, stories, phone calls, and emails. We cover the news YOU want to read, in the communities you love. Peak to Peak.
Reach us at info@themountainear.com or by phone at 303-810-5409.
