Steamboat Pilot & Today

As the new father of a beautiful baby girl and a person who values the pursuit of knowledge above all, finding a community with a quality education system was first and foremost.

What has changed in my family's more than 15 years in Steamboat Springs? Only the undervalued real estate. My daughter has been the benefactor of an education system consistently exceeding my expectations, which is a true testament to the dedication of all district professionals and the commitment of the community. As made evident by continued renewal of the half-cent sales tax, the residents of Steamboat Springs have consistently said, "We value education first." As stewards of this system, we, as the board of education, take conservative management of these resources very seriously.

What challenges does the future hold? First and foremost is our ability to continue to exceed expectations.

How will the education climate be affected when the employees of our district can no longer live in the community in which they are employed? How will escalating maintenance costs on aged, obsolete facilities affect the district's bottom line? These two questions are related; they affect our ability to provide a superior education to our children, and represent a complex challenge that will need the support of the entire community.

On Monday, the Steamboat Springs Board of Education will begin to address these topics both from an informational and conceptual standpoint. Community input and involvement generating thoughtful, novel, fiscally responsible solutions will be key to the success of our efforts.

We welcome the input of our fellow community members and encourage those with the necessary drive and dedication to become involved in the upcoming journey.

Tom Miller-Freutel is president of the Steamboat Springs School Board. If you would like to submit a column for publication on the Education page, please contact Mike Lawrence at 871-4203 or mlawrence@steamboatpilot.com. Columns should not exceed 600 words.