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Welcome to Issue #3 of “A View of the Summit,” which is meant to inform the larger Summit County community about the Summit School District’s academic and financial work. Please reach-out to me any time you have questions and/or concerns.
Academics
We believe students learn best when they see how their learning connects to their lives, while mastering the skills required by Colorado Academic Standards https://www.cde.state.co.us/
Here's what this looks like:
- Students work on real-world problems that matter to them
- Teachers connect Colorado Academic Standards to our local community and students' experiences
- Learning includes discussion, hands-on activities, and student collaboration
For example, in a science class studying environmental systems (part of Colorado's science standards), students might:
- Analyze water quality in local streams
- Work with classmates to design solutions to real environmental challenges
- Connect with local experts and organizations
When learning feels relevant while meeting state standards, students are more motivated to tackle challenging work. They're not just memorizing facts - they're developing required skills in ways that connect to the real world.
We're seeing this approach work. When students understand why their learning matters and how it connects to their lives, they're more engaged and achieve better results on both classroom and state assessments.
Want to see engaging learning in action? Ask your child about a time their learning connected to something they care about, or talk with their teacher about how they make state standards relevant for students.
Finances/Budget
At this week’s meeting, the Summit School District Board of Education received an update on our District student enrollment and demographics. This helps our Board see trends and ask strategic questions about the impact these data will have on our work. They are also good for you to know.
According to the October 2024 Count data, Summit School District's total enrollment (PK-12) stands at 3,475 students, representing a 2.7% decrease from the previous year. Based on Full Time Equivalency and averaging in the School Finance Formula, the final funded count for 2024-25 will be 3,432.3 students.
The district's demographic composition shows that 53.5% of students are Caucasian, 41.4% as Hispanic, and 5.1% as other ethnicities. Approximately 37.9% of students are classified as at-risk (qualifying for free or reduced lunch), marking a 3.3% decrease from the previous year. The English Language Learner (ELL) population comprises 27.4% of the student body, a slight increase of 0.52% from the prior year, with 24.8% of ELL students having limited or no English proficiency.
State funding is adjusted mid-year based on the final funded count. This will result in $151,079 less funding than was planned in the 2024-25 Adopted budget.
My best,
Tony Byrd, EdD
Superintendent