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When the students’ art came off the walls in Aspen Elementary School last month, Director of Facilities Joe Waneka took one look at the chipped, dull walls, and grimaced. 

“We have to repaint,” he said. “This is no good.”

The paint job wasn’t originally on the punch list of the work for this summer, but Waneka had saved money on some other scheduled projects and directed the savings toward the paint. 

"We have world-class teachers,” he said. “We must have world-class facilities."

No one knows how to stretch the dollars more than Waneka. Installing an energy-efficient boiler, for example, earned the district a $33,000 rebate from Black Hills Energy.

Waneka also turned the district on to co-op purchasing entities such as OMINIA partners and E&I Cooperative Services, which contract with leading national suppliers to deliver volume discounts and streamline the procurement process. The savings allows Waneka to do more with the voter-approved bond money earmarked for long, overdue maintenance. "We have got to work smart," Waneka said.

Summer Work

Crews are pulling up old carpet, tearing out old floors, getting up in the ceilings to install new heating systems, painting classrooms and upgrading storm drains, walks and ramps.

Citing one of the district's five pillars of its Strategic Plan, Waneka said,"we must be good stewards of our resources."

When crews tear out sod to get to the underground pipes, the sod is replanted in other areas throughout the district. 

When the carpet is ripped up in the elementary school classrooms, it will get recycled back to the manufacturer. ASD has partnered with Interface carpet on their ReEntry program, which recycles vinyl backed carpet to eliminate the need to dispose in the local landfill. Through the program, ASD joins other organizations in diverting millions of pounds of used (or post-consumer) carpet from landfills.

"Our landfill is filling up," Waneka said. "We need to do our part in being good stewards of resources and help take away some of the burden on our landfill."

As the crews ripped up the ceilings in classrooms to install a new custom heating system, Waneka wanted to take advantage of the work. In the future, if the district would like to add a cooling system, crews would not have to rip up the ceilings but simply connect HVAC to the chiller plant.

"We had this opportunity to plan ahead and we are taking it," he said.

One of the most visible upgrades will be at the football field. A chain link fence that marked the entrance from the AMS parking lot down to the field has been removed and will be replaced. 

"This is the front door to our athletics program - we have this beautiful field and we really need to have a welcoming entrance," Waneka said.

In addition, crews are addressing ADA concerns, which includes parking and ramp access to the field spectator stands.

As Waneka walks the campus, talking with his team and with contractors, he smiles. 

“I am excited for the teachers and students to have a refreshed learning space that is conducive to the great work they are all doing,” he said.

Current construction rundown:

AES:

• Renovations are actively taking place with fresh paint and carpet throughout the classrooms. 

• The Fan Coil Units (FCUs) replacements are underway, staggering pod by pod throughout the summer. 

• Continued efforts of deep cleaning and community utilization of the remaining space during the construction continues. 

AMS:

• Front walk and handicap parking have been removed. Necessary earth grading, storm drains and new walks are being installed. 

• The upper corridors are being patched, painted and finished with new carpet. Continued efforts on the main and lower level will continue in the upcoming weeks. 

• The Maker's Space is being renovated with new case work and countertops. 

• The new transaction window at the front office is scheduled for the end of the month with the needed drawer and reception countertop to be installed.

• Asphalt removal for the athletic field ramp and new walks are underway. Continued restriction of field use during construction.  

AHS:

• The roofing and skylights replacements have started, continued efforts will progress throughout the summer.

• The commons and corridor flooring is being replaced, starting at the south entrance working clockwise throughout the main floor throughout the month and followed by second floor commencing early July. 

• Continued efforts of deep cleaning and community utilization of the remaining space during the construction continues.

Representatives from Black Hills Energy presented Aspen School District officials with a rebate check for its commitment to energy-saving upgrades.

In February, ASD installed a new high efficiency natural gas boiler. The installation qualified ASD for the Black Hills Energy Small Business Direct Install Program, which is designed to help businesses be more energy efficient. 

ASD’s participation in the program earned it a $33,342 rebate – funds that will fuel its energy efficient program, said Facilities Director Joe Waneka.

That rebate amount is equal to several months of energy costs.

“We will take this seed money and put it toward more energy efficient products which will then qualify us for more rebates,” he said. “It’s a triple win - we save money because the new boiler is energy efficient; we use the savings for additional energy efficiency products; and the savings goes to the bottom line to be used for classroom programs."

The new 6 million BTU boiler has a 92 percent efficiency rate, compared to the previous boiler which was running at 65 percent efficiency. Black Hills’ program has a catalog of measures that qualify for rebates including HVAC, weather stripping, pipe insulation and boiler replacement.

“This program falls in line with our Strategic Plan and our commitment to being good stewards of our resources,” said Dave Baugh, ASD Superintendent. “We’re saving energy; we’re saving money. It’s a great program and shows that our facilities team is dedicated to creating a safe, healthy and sustainable work environment for our students and staff.”

Did you know that the average age a child gets a smartphone is 10 years old and that they spend between 6 to 9 hours a day on media?

That's according to the Wait Until 8th organization, founded by Texas mom Brooke Shannon, which encourages parents to take the Wait Until 8th pledge – a pledge that empowers parents to rally together to delay giving children a smartphone until at least 8th grade.

Shannon works with parents and communities across the country to help families establish a healthy relationship with technology. She launched the Wait Until 8th campaign and pledge in 2017.

Shannon recently visited Aspen Elementary School (AES) to talk with parents about kids and phones. The AES Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) picked up the charge. The PTO is encouraging parents to take the pledge and "let kids be kids a little longer."

The PTO believes these devices are quickly changing childhood for kids. Playing outdoors, spending time with friends, reading books and hanging out with family is happening a lot less to make room for hours of snap chatting, Instagramming, and catching up on You Tube.

For those reasons, the PTO invited families to take the “Wait Until 8th” pledge. And they are. More than 130 AES families have taken the pledge. By banding together, there is a decrease in the pressure felt by kids and parents alike over the kids having a smartphone.

The PTO knows that parents often feel powerless in this uphill battle and need community support to help delay the ever-evolving presence of the smartphone in the classroom, social arena and family dinner table.

A pledge becomes "active" once 10 or more families from a grade at a school sign. AES has more than 20 pledges in each grade. The organizers designed the pledge this way so parents don't have to fear "what if I am the only parent that signs this in my kid's grade." The pledge only kicks in once at least 10 families from each grade make the pledge.

To learn more, visit www.waituntil8th.org. More than 55,000 families from all 50 states have said yes to waiting for the smartphone.

Will you join AES? Childhood is too short to waste on a smartphone.

READ THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT HERE.

The Aspen School District Board of Education unanimously approved a three-year Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Aspen Education Association at a special meeting Wednesday, May 29.

The approved agreement is effective July 1, 2024.

ASD administrators and members of the AEA worked for months on the agreement that includes hundreds of edits, changes and improvements that reflect a shared commitment to fostering a positive and supportive learning environment for all students while also ensuring fair and equitable working conditions for our dedicated educators.

Throughout the negotiation process, both parties demonstrated unwavering dedication to the well-being and success of our students.

The agreement encompasses various aspects aimed at enhancing the educational experience within the district. The collective bargaining agreement reflects a shared commitment to fostering a positive and supportive working environment for ASD educators while also ensuring accountability, transparency and equity in our policies and practices. Through collaborative dialogue and mutual respect, the teams have worked together to identify areas of improvement and implement meaningful changes that will benefit both teachers and students alike.

Key highlights of the agreement include:
1. Competitive Compensation: The teams reached an agreement on fair and competitive compensation packages for teachers, acknowledging the invaluable contributions they make to the lives of ASD students. The teams also agreed to increased compensation for work outside the contract day. The updated salary schedule includes an average of 4-6% increases.

2. Collective Bargaining Agreement: the teams reached a settlement on a renegotiation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement for an additional three years, until June, 2027.

Included key items are: 

• International Teaching Leave;
• Protections for due process and just cause;
• Academic freedom to protect teaching staff; 
• Policy integrations, including displacement and transfers;
• Updates to leave, including exemption leave and annual leave buy-back.

3. Employee Benefits: Health Insurance, an increased Wellness Benefit, a continuation of the commuter benefit and staff bus, and relocation assistance.

The team is confident that the renegotiated collective bargaining agreement will serve as a foundation for ongoing innovation and excellence within the ASD school district. By working together in partnership and solidarity, ASD can create a learning environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive and succeed.

Moving forward, the administration and the AEA remain committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, transparency and mutual respect within the school community. Together, they will continue to strive towards excellence in education and to create a learning environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive.

Members of the Negotiations Team for the Aspen School District are Dave Baugh, Superintendent; Tharyn Mulberry, Assistant Superintendent, Superintendent-Elect; Stacey Weiss, Board of Education;  Mary Rodino, Assistant Superintendent of Business and Operations; Amy Littlejohn, Director of Human Resources; and Reghan Mahaffey, Director of Transportation

Members of the Negotiations Team for the Aspen Education Association are Stephanie Nixon, President; Marnie White, Vice-President; Eric Hansen, SkiCountry Uniserv; Josh Anderson, R. Andy Farmer, Ada Friedman, Alex McQuillan and Laura Swenson.

BOE HOSTS RETREAT

The board met for a day-long retreat Wednesday to lay out expectations and goals for the new Superintendent, Tharyn Mulberry.

The board discussed the communication expectations with the Superintendent going into the next school year. Mulberry takes the reins July 1, 2024.

"These are important conversations to have to set us up for success," said Mulberry, who worked with the board at the retreat.

The board, with Mulberry and under the direction of a consultant, laid out how they would discuss policy, the scope of the Superintendent's role and how they district would move forward with the Strategic Plan and operational goals.