Briefs: School District

By Kendra Walker

Nichols honored for health policy leadership

Gunnison Watershed School District superintendent Dr. Leslie Nichols was awarded the inaugural School Health Leadership Award by the Cairn Guidance organization. The award recognizes education leaders who prioritize the health and well-being of student and staff health, working on health equity within their districts though policy, programs, curriculum, practices, hiring techniques and evaluations.  

“Leslie’s passion, guidance and support of health education has been evident in our work with the district over the past two years,” said Cairn Guidance director Jessica Lawrence. “Leslie Nichols’s genuine support of the health and well-being of the Gunnison Watershed School District has provided your students with opportunities to become proficient in health education. Her dedication to comprehensive health education policy and support has not gone unnoticed.”

Three more bus drivers

The school district has hired three more bus drivers to help serve needed routes in Gunnison.

Facilities update

—Synthetic turf vs. natural grass? Usery also said the team held its first user group regarding updating the school field spaces, including the CBCS field, discussing the pros and cons of synthetic turf versus natural grass. The base scope is to go with a native seed turf surface, but synthetic turf is currently in the project’s list of alternatives. Usery said that the team would like to do more research over the next couple months and circle back with user groups in order to consider the best solution for the district. 

Board member Mandy Roberts has previously brought up her concern that the district is considering synthetic turf for the project, advocating for community health and safety. “I will never go for synthetic turf. It’s not a good product to use,” she said in a meeting earlier this summer, noting that research shows it can lead to cancer. “I care about children’s health.”

—Budget: The school district’s owner’s representative for the facilities expansion and improvements project, Artaic Group, is in the process of collecting final guaranteed maximum prices (GMP) for the project. Artaic’s John Usery told the school board that the team is preparing a full program budget update and will present numbers at the October 7 board meeting. 

—Roundabout: Usery gave a shout-out to the town of Crested Butte for the $15 million grant the community received from the Department of Transportation for improvements on Highway 135, which includes the school entrance intersection at Hwy. 135 and Red Lady Avenue. Approximately $2.2 million is allocated toward the proposed roundabout for that intersection. 

“This has a very positive impact on our budget for our project and now this grant will be picking up a good portion of what we had budgeted,” said Usery. “We will have more firm numbers in about a month. We are so appreciative of the town and our collaboration with them.”

—Construction: Usery said the schedule is still on track and they are close to obtaining final building permits within the next month. The phase 1 playground at CBCS is open and construction on site will continue throughout the school year. “We will continue to update the public with new renderings and plans,” he said.