SUPERINTENDENT

district in one of its most tumultuous times

However, if you don’t understand why, you don’t understand outgoing Clear Creek County Schools Superintendent Karen Quanbeck.

“It was on one of the doors going out to the playground a few days after Valentine’s Day. I am speculating it was because one of our littlest learners perhaps had too much candy?”

“Ms. Q,” as she likes to be known, had the unusual opportunity to work in an o ce alongside students inside Carlson Elementary School. It allowed her to interact with students and see “signs” of what she likes to call “the daily life of our kids.”

In a stressful job, it made her laugh.

“It just reminds you why you do this,” she said.

Quanbeck will leave as superintendent of the Clear Creek School e Mountain Youth Network is one example.

District this fall.

In its search for a new superintendent, the Clear Creek County school board will follow recommendations from Norman Ridder with McPherson & Jacobson, the consulting rm it hired to guide the search. e same rm helped the district hire Quanbeck four years ago.

Continuing momentum, Quanbeck said, will be crucial for the district and its next superintendent.

“Direction is de ned, but we’re not there yet,” she said, pointing to several partnerships the district has formed aimed at expeditionary learning.

“Kids must be academically strong but it has to be interesting,” she said. It’s community partners, she added, that can contribute so much more to the learning process than a classroom can.

Quanbeck points to the rst full year of the four-day school week as a success for several reasons.

According to the district, COMPASS Day is Clear Creek’s fth day of school, with engaging activities that ignite student interests and enhance learning.

Clear Creek has a four-day school week providing low to no-cost enrichment/recreation experiences on COMPASS Day (Fridays).

Quanbeck said the four-day week can keep kids more engaged with the learning process without the additional time in the classroom. It also helps with the serious issue of recruitment and retention of teachers and sta .

“It’s an attractive incentive for current and future employees,” she said. e struggle to nd and maintain quali ed sta will be an ongoing issue for the next superintendent, she added.

Changes are coming for the district Capital and bond construction will continue throughout the district with one notable change on the way.

Opened in 1939, Carlson Elementary will close its doors to students next year. Students will spend one more school year at the current location then classrooms will be transferred to what the district refers to as Building 103. e former Clear Creek middle school is located up Highway 103.

It is unclear what will happen to the existing building after its planned sale, according to the district.

An early childhood learning program and performing arts center will also be located in Building 103. e future name will be determined by community members and stakeholders.

Quanbeck will become the vice president of statewide partnerships for the Colorado Education Initiative, an organization the district has been working with as it has transformed its education model for students at all grade levels.

It’s been a di cult decision, Quanbeck said, but ultimately she hopes to use her experience and innovation from the Clear Creek school district to in uence schools across the State of Colorado.