BOE Meeting Summary

Kristi Bertron, SSSD's Student Data Technician for Exceptional Student Services and Medicaid Coordinator, was honored at tonight’s Board of Education meeting as a Colorado Association of School Business Officials (CASBO) Summit Award winner!

Her award-winning Medicaid Reimbursement Initiative brings in a projected $180,000 annually to the district—funding a Bilingual Family Liaison, an additional school nurse, and mental health resources! Plus, a $1,000 donation is being gifted to a local school or foundation.

Thank you, Kristi, for your incredible dedication to our students and community!

Professional Development Day (Sept. 18)

SSSD staff will participate in a District Professional Development Day on Friday, September 18. School buildings will direct morning sessions, followed by district-led development in the afternoon. The agenda includes 90 minutes of dedicated, uninterrupted planning time for staff.

Exceptional AP Exam Results at SSHS

Steamboat Springs High School earned outstanding Advanced Placement (AP) results for the 2025–2026 school year:

• 88% of students taking AP exams scored a 3 or higher.

• Participation expanded significantly, with 42 additional students taking exams and 100 more total exams administered compared to last year.
  
  

Student Assemblies: THC & Adolescent Brain Health (Sept. 25)

Laura Stack from Johnny’s Ambassadors will present to SSHS students (grades 9–12) and 8th-grade students at Sleeping Giant School. Key topics include:

• The biological impact of THC on developing adolescent brains.

• Links between substance use and mental health (anxiety, depression, psychosis).

• Real-life stories and practical tools for healthy decision-making.

Parent Resource: A link to an on-demand video presentation will be sent to all district parents to help guide home conversations.

Grow Your Own Grant Update

Now in its second year, the Grow Your Own Grant supports staff pursuing education for hard-to-fill positions and teaching certifications. The August application cycle yielded 30 total applicants across South Routt, Hayden, Steamboat Springs, NRCCS, and Montessori schools. 23 SSSD staff members were awarded scholarship funds and will be notified in the coming weeks.

Homecoming Week Celebrations

Homecoming festivities are underway across the district. Main events include:

• Parade: Thursday, Sept. 17 at 2:30 PM

• Tailgate BBQ: Friday, Sept. 18 at 5:00 PM (SSHS Front Lawn)

• Football Game: Friday, Sept. 18 at 7:00 PM vs. Grand Junction Central

• Homecoming Dance: Saturday, Sept. 19

At Monday's Board of Education meeting, Dr. Tim Ridder, SSSD's Director of Teaching and Learning, presented the Steamboat Springs School District's preliminary 2026 District Performance Framework (DPF) results. Overall, SSSD earned the state's highest rating—Accredited with Distinction—with a total score of 77.9%, up from 75.3% in 2025.

State frameworks evaluate schools on two distinct measures: Academic Achievement (current grade-level test scores) and Academic Growth (year-over-year progress compared to academic peers across Colorado). Here is how our schools performed across both areas:

Elementary Schools (Accredited with Distinction – 76.4%)

• Highlights: All students achieved top-tier grade-level test scores ("Exceeds" Achievement) in Math and Science. Additionally, Students with Disabilities demonstrated outstanding year-over-year progress, earning "Exceeds" in Growth for both ELA and Math.

• Focus Areas: Raising baseline test scores (Achievement) in ELA for Multilingual Learners and Students with Disabilities to help them reach overall grade-level targets.

  
  

Middle Schools (Accredited with Distinction – 81.1%)

• Highlights: All-student grade-level scores ("Exceeds" Achievement) reached top marks across ELA, Math, and Science. English Language Proficiency progress also earned an "Exceeds" Growth rating.

• Focus Areas: Supporting overall grade-level test scores (Achievement) in ELA for Students with Disabilities and in Science for Multilingual Learners.

  
  

High School (Accredited with Distinction – 74.7%)

• Highlights: PSAT Reading, Writing, and Math achievement rated "Exceeds" overall. Postsecondary readiness reached 81.4%, supported by a 96.2% 6-year graduation rate and a rising matriculation rate (74.9%).

• Focus Areas: Boosting year-over-year progress (Growth) in PSAT/SAT Math for all students, while expanding graduation and academic achievement supports for Multilingual Learners.

  
  

Moving Forward

To maintain high achievement and accelerate growth across all student groups, SSSD is actively taking key strategic actions:

• Literacy & Curriculum: Deepening Science of Reading practices, expanding writing coaching through STRIVE, and implementing new 4–8 ELA curricula.

• Student Supports: Strengthening Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS) and using Panorama tracking to deliver targeted interventions.

• Staff Growth: Launching needs-based professional development pathways and data-driven PLC practices.

At last night's meeting, BOE members unanimously passed a resolution in support of Amendment 87, the Income Tax Fairness Act.

As a reminder, all BOE meetings are livestreamed and available to watch on our website. This does not include workshops or executive sessions.