After a three-month search that included several community engagement meetings and a collection of candidate interviews, Roaring Fork School District announced their superintendent finalist last night. RFSD board member Lindsay DeFrates said this of Dr. Anna Cole:
"I'm excited about the future of this district under Dr. Cole's leadership. I'm excited about her excitement for the position, because the days will always be long. I'm excited about her growth mindset and her willingness to not only hear, but to seek out feedback from the board, from teachers, from students, and from the community, because if that feedback stops coming, then that's when we know we have a problem.
I'm excited that she speaks the big problems out loud, no matter how impossible they seem, whether it is facing the reality of our unacceptable opportunity gap between white and Latinx students, or the unacceptable rate of teacher attrition in our district. We must use every tool at our disposal to continue to address these with urgency and persistence.
I am excited that she values the professional experience and perspective of educators and staff at all levels. And I'm excited for the opportunity to work with and support such an incredible leader to continue to provide transparency for our community and to be personally challenged to grow as well as she moves this district in our community forward."
Dr. Anna Cole currently serves as the district’s interim superintendent, and is expected to start officially by July 1st. It is unclear yet if she will utilize the home purchased this school year by the district. Dr. Cole is expected to present a new leadership plan at the board meeting in mid-April, although at this time finalization of the contract and other discussions are still ongoing.
