Academy District 20

Thomas Gregory Superintendent 2016-2023 I often say there is no place I would rather be than in Academy District 20 (ASD20), and after spending 35 years of my career here, I can honestly say this is the best school district in Colorado! Throughout the last year we experienced many successes. We implemented a strategic plan focused on people, relationships and quality education for all students. Simultaneously we earned the Accredited with Distinction designation from The Colorado Department of Education for the 14th consecutive year. Only four districts in the state have been awarded this honor since its inception, and ASD20 is one of those districts. Additionally, nearly 80% of our third graders scored at or above reading grade level, and 95% of our students graduated.

ASD20 is a community that values education. We believe education is a partnership between the family and school and students learn best when families and teachers are engaged and support learning.

Although I am retiring at the end of this school year, I am confident this district is poised to meet the needs of upcoming generations of students. The future is bright for ASD20!

Cheyenne Mountain School District 12

David Peak Since 1872, our beloved district has educated multiple generations of children and helped them to grow into wellrounded young adults, prepared to succeed in an ever-changing world. This tradition of excellence continues 150 years later, as our students excel in academics, the arts, and athletics. In fact, despite the lingering challenges of the pandemic during the first semester of the 2021-22 school year, we were still able to keep the vast majority of our students and staff at school for in-person learning. This, along with our parents unwavering support, afforded our educators, support staff, and coaches the opportunity to make great strides with our students who, in turn, achieved numerous academic accolades, recognitions in the arts, and athletic championships.

This year, we will continue to focus our efforts on improved teaching and learning, mental health wellness for students and staff, and future learning opportunities for our students, including our technology initiatives, college and career pathways, and other professional career internships as we strive to develop well-prepared graduates. We will also continue to enhance the safety and security of our campuses, open our doors to our cherished parents and volunteers, as well as increase our community engagement through our new website and app.— excerpt shared from an Aug. 5, 2022 message from Peak

Colorado Springs School District 11

Michael Gaal Superintendent 2022-present The Colorado Springs School District 11 has provided excellent education to students in the heart of the city for over 150 years. As we look to the future, we are working to make D-11 No. 1 in growth and achievement with initiatives such as expanding free preschool to the Mitchell Promise, where D-11 will provide a 100% tuition match from Pikes Peak State College for qualifying graduates enrolled in a two-year post-graduation college program. D-11 is investing in the future of Colorado Springs!

Cripple Creek-victor School District RE-1

Miriam Mondragon Superintendent 2020-present CC-V is surrounded by both beauty and industry. Our low enrollment allows for small class sizes and strong school-family relationships. But don’t let our small size fool you. CC-V has been on the forefront of many of the leading initiatives in education today from social-emotional learning to the science of reading. We are fortunate to have been awarded multiple grants equaling millions of dollars for our students. While grant money doesn’t last forever, it has allowed us to hire additional instructional staff, support staff, nursing and mental health professionals, and bolster our Career and Technical Education Program. Our Culinary Arts Program, even in its infancy, has catered multiple school and community-level events. Our Building Trades Mini-factory, to be completed in spring 2023, will house our Building Trades Program in which our students will complete 1-2 affordable homes that will be placed in our community. All our CTE programs offer hands-on experience and industry-recognized licenses and certifications. We embrace a “Cradle to Career” philosophy, which is strengthened by our newly opened Adult Education and Career Center, where adults in our community can come to learn, garner resources and pursue or grow their careers!

School District 49

Peter Hilts Chief Education Officer 2013-present District 49 covers eastern Colorado Springs and unincorporated areas of El Paso County. As the fastest-growing district in Colorado, our enrollment of nearly 28,000 students is largest in El Paso County and 10thlargest in Colorado. D-49’s 24 schools are organized into four autonomous zones through which we offer individualized choices to meet the needs of all students. Our vision and mission is to be The Best Choice to Learn, Work, and Lead. That is why we offer a robust portfolio of neighborhood, specialized, and charter schools. With industry leading options like ALLIES, a school serving students with dyslexia and Power Technical Early College, a school that frames all learning in the context of skilled trades, D-49 attracts more choice students than any other district in the Pikes Peak region. D-49 also operates the largest concurrent enrollment program in the region and saves families millions of dollars in tuition every year. As we continue to grow and lead the Pikes Peak region, District 49 will expand and improve educational choices for families all across Colorado Springs.

Edison School District 54JT

Dave Eastin Superintendent 2006-present Edison SD 54JT is a small rural school district located 18 miles south of Yoder. In our middle school, we are teaching STEAM and Science Fair. Our CTE programs are turning school buses into tiny homes, our teacher-tostudent ratio is 4 to 1 throughout the school. We have a climate that is safe and conducive to the best education. This is how we at Edison SD set ourselves apart. Our students are getting real world skills in a classroom setting that gives them amazing access to oneon-one instruction.

Ellicott School District 22

Christopher Smith Superintendent 2018-present Ellicott is a rural school district approximately 17 miles east of Colorado Springs. The district serves approximately 1,000 students in its 220-squaremile boundary. The district has 180 employees. The community has a small-town feel — but with

city challenges. This will continue to become more of a reality as the district tries to accommodate the growth that is occurring along the Colorado 94 corridor. The district offers education programs for children from preschool through 12th grade on a centralized campus.

Fountain-fort Carson School District 8

Keith Owen Superintendent 2015-present Fountain-fort Carson School District 8 is located just south of Colorado Springs and educates the communities of the town of Fountain and the Fort Carson Army installation. FFC8 has approximately 8,100 students enrolled in our district, from preschool through 12th grades. The district is honored to serve the families of soldiers who serve our country, with approximately 70% of our students being military or federally connected. The district understands the challenges faced by military families and has academic, social, emotional and extracurricular programs in place to support them throughout their journey with us. FFC8 highly values our staff, investing not only in nearly top pay for all positions, but also in staff professional development and wellbeing. The district is committed to safety, partnering with law enforcement to have at least one school resource officer in every K-12 school and also investing in physical safety measurements for every campus. In FFC8, Today’s Mission is focused on student and staff achievement and growth.

Harrison School District 2

Wendy Birhanzel Superintendent 2018-present Harrison School District 2 is a community school district serving southeast Colorado Springs. Within our 19 square miles, we educate 13,000 students and have over 55 languages spoken. We pride ourselves in our diversity and see it as a strength. We believe in a wide range of school choices with neighborhood and K-8 schools, charter systems, a home school, an online school and International Baccalaureate schools. Our diverse student groups outperform their like peers in other school districts. Our community passed a $180 million bond leading to 20 building renovations, two major expansions and one new school. We are proud to offer free breakfast and lunch, free before and afterschool care, free school supplies, free tutoring, free college courses and free sports and music. We plan to continue work on our strategic plan focusing on classroom, culture and community to ensure highquality learning experiences for all students. We have plans for upgraded technology labs, a new stadium at Sierra High School, new CTE programming and classrooms for media and health care, and additional elementaryschool sports.

Lewis-palmer School District 38

K.C. Somers Superintendent 2019-present Lewis-palmer School District 38 is guided by its comprehensive strategic plan, grounded in our mission of serving every student, every day. We are committed to partnering with our families, community members and educators that aspire to prepare our students to be successful learners, productive citizens and caring contributors to society. We seek to develop each student’s talent in a safe, nurturing environment and to inspire a lifelong love of learning through our six strategic priorities of Safe and Welcoming Schools, Academic Excellence, Valuing

Our People, Fiscal Stewardship, Operations and Facility Planning, and Building Relationships through Communication. Through this work, District 38 remains a district of distinction and is one of just four districts throughout Colorado to earn Accreditation With Distinction designations every year since 2009. We strive for academic excellence, growth and ultimately, support for each and every student as they grow as individuals on a number of paths, including pursuing college, a trade, military service and much more. At the end of the day, D-38 elevates each and every student!

Manitou Springs School District 14

Elizabeth Domangue Superintendent 2019-present We offer a “smalltown” educational environment, and we are driven by our core values of Relationships, Deep Learning, and Opportunity as we serve our children and our communities. The District Performance Framework for the 2021-22 school year is higher than the pre-pandemic year (2019), with all schools accredited with performance status, with a 96% graduation rate. Ute Pass Elementary School moving from improvement (49%) to performance (69%) status. Students have unique experiences that are provided by our exceptional educators (e.g., new math resource K-8, experiential field trips, environmental education, Advanced Placement and Concurrent Enrollment courses, arts education, athletics, activities, Connect14, and so much more). We started the school year with all licensed positions filled with high quality educators when many districts across the county, state, and nation have numerous vacancies. Our high school students started to build a home through the Careers in Construction Colorado program. Take a drive through the high school to see the progress the students are making. The development of a comprehensive master facility plan, and we received a BEST grant for safety and security enhancements and roof replacements at MSES and UPES. This work will be completed during summer 2023.

Widefield School District 3

Kevin Duren Superintendent 2021-present Innovation is at the heart of Widefield School District 3 ( WSD3). We strive to prepare our students today for the world of tomorrow giving them the skills and competencies they need for success in an ever-changing global environment. We offer cuttingedge and engaging curricula in the areas of biotechnology, engineering and computer science, in addition to the more traditional academic courses. Our district is also deeply committed to the performing arts. Music, theater and art are major components of our educational program, and our students and professionals perform to the delight of the audience. We’re particularly proud of our military community. We provide specialized programs to supplement the education of our military students and their families. Our graduates are renowned for achieving industrylevel certifications. Students are not only capable of putting their newly acquired knowledge and skills to work, but also of acquiring certification in a variety of industries. This sets them apart from their peers as employers recognize that WSD3 students are well trained and ready for the workforce. As we continue to grow as a school district, so does our innovation. In partnership with our community, we will continue to pursue what’s next and best for our students.