BOE Meeting Summary

Free Community Event: Mountain in My Mind Film Screening

We are proud to partner with Reaching Everyone Preventing Suicide (REPS) for a special community event:

• When: October 29 at 5:00 p.m.

• Cost: Free & open to the public (optional donations support REPS’ suicide prevention efforts and local counseling services).

Mountain in My Mind is an ongoing documentary film series highlighting mental health, depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention within mountain and ski communities. Join us for an important conversation focused on reducing stigma and supporting one another.

A huge thank you to the "9 to 5" play crew for generously sharing their stage and space with us during a busy production schedule!

Panorama Student Wellness Survey

Throughout October, all students in grades 3–12 will participate in the Panorama Student Wellness Survey. This survey elevates student voices, helping us better understand their experiences, identify areas where extra support is needed, and continuously improve district resources so every student can thrive.

Reminder: Professional Development Day

Our staff will spend the day engaged in professional learning to enhance support for SSSD students:

• Date: October 19, 2026

• Morning: Principal-led site trainings

• Afternoon: District-wide professional development

Student Leadership and S.P.A.R.K. Culture

The Soda Creek Elementary spotlight opened with a student-led showcase of school spirit and community leadership. Fifth-grade student leaders Joplin Copeland and Vivian Smith shared how their committee brings the school’s mission to life through initiatives like the Paw Store—where students redeem rewards earned by demonstrating S.P.A.R.K. guidelines—alongside spirit days and outreach efforts, such as food and clothing drives for Lift Up of Routt County. Anchored in the core values of Strive, Persevere, Accountable, Respect, and Kind, the school reinforces positive behavior through regular assemblies honoring students who embody these traits as well as those achieving perfect attendance. Demonstrating student engagement further, Nik Durkee and JJ Moline presented on the Thursday morning Chess Club, which invites third through fifth graders to learn the game and build cross-grade friendships.

School Community Celebrations and Staff Excellence
Community engagement continues across the school calendar with events such as Family Literacy Nights, Friday Fitness, and the Fun Run, alongside upcoming activities like STEM Night, a Veterans Day Assembly, an Executive Functioning Presentation, and the Turkey Trot. Outstanding faculty leadership was also highlighted with the recognition of Erin Early as the 2026–2027 SHAPE Colorado PE Teacher of the Year, honoring her high-energy pedagogy, structured physical education curriculum, and district-wide collaboration.

BASE Camp: Fostering Independence and Inclusion

Amanda Gordon presented on the BASE Camp autism center program, which is structured around four core pillars: Belonging, Autonomy, Skills, and Expression. Grounded in the concept that predictability leads to student understanding, the highly structured classroom focuses primarily on building student independence and lessening adult intervention while supporting full inclusion as students attend general specials, lunch, and recess.

Academic Achievement and UIP Strategic Focus

Closing out the presentation, Darcy Walters reported on the School Performance Framework, noting Soda Creek’s score of 75.3 and its status as a District of Distinction for meeting expectations in both academic achievement and academic growth. Looking ahead to the 2026/2027 school year, the Unified Improvement Plan (UIP) will prioritize academic growth through K–5 writing alignment to boost CMAS-ELA written expression scores and READ Act benchmark goals, while simultaneously strengthening school culture through systematic climate data collection and Tier 1 SEL practices.

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