This summer, the City of Steamboat Springs published the results of a
community survey
. While the survey questions focused primarily on attitudes about City services, some information relating to attitudes about K-12 education were also captured. Based on the published report, when evaluating the quality of 24 different community characteristics, eight in 10 residents gave positive assessments of K-12 education. More specifically, 85% of residents rated the quality of education in Steamboat Springs as either "good" or "excellent"; only recreation opportunities and amenities were rated more highly.
We were proud to see education receive such positive ratings in this summer's survey, and prouder still to see that sentiment translate yesterday into an affirmative vote for issues 3C and 3D: the seven-year, $12.9-million bond and the ongoing mill levy. With the generous support of our taxpayers, the district will be able to make basic improvements to our facilities (roof replacements, HVAC for Steamboat Middle School, and renovations to Gardner Field) and promptly address deferred maintenance and future capital construction maintenance projects.
We are thankful, both for the votes that were cast and for the support articulated for our schools by a number of organizations and individuals, through editorials and letters to the editor. Today, we are celebrating the value our community places on safety, student success, transparency, and longevity in the Steamboat Springs School District. That said, we are not taking the taxpayers' generosity for granted.
We know we need to do more to engage the community in our district's efforts and activities, if we are to tackle looming issues like growing enrollment, overcrowding, larger class sizes, and a lack of space for expanding specials like art, music, physical education, and athletics. The Community Committee for Education started this work and has been instrumental in identifying issues in-and-beyond those represented in the November ballot issues. Over the next two years, we will continue to explore the Committee's ideas as we create a long-term and comprehensive infrastructure plan that is tied to our strategic plan. We will conduct these efforts with the help of a series of advisory committees made up of students, teachers, building administrators, parents, and community members. Click the button below to find out more, including how to apply to serve on an advisory committee.
