May 24, 2012

LOOK INSIDE:

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Water crisis?

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Rodeo update

the

Sun

Sopris Carbondale’s

weekly, non-profit newspaper

Volume 4, Number 15 | May 24, 2012

Roaring Fork High School industrial arts teacher Larry Black (left) and Principal Cliff Colia (right) check out each other’s framed photographs that were presented to them at a retirement assembly on May 22. Colia, the school’s principal since 2008, is profiled in this week’s Sopris Sun. Next week the Sun profiles Mr. Black. Photo by Jane Bachrach

Cliff Colia: A joy for teaching, learning, doing

By Debbie Bruell Sopris Sun Correspondent

A

lmost anyone who has worked with Roaring Fork High School Principal Dr. Cliff Colia has a story to share about his endless energy and zany enthusiasm. Stories abound of him unexpectedly bursting out in song; showing up in a Superman outfit to cheer on the volleyball team; dressing up as Dorothy from the“Wizard of Oz;”or dancing with the eighth grade class at their camping trip while balancing a ghetto-blaster on his shoulders,

insisting that everyone stay up dancing late into the night.

“He’s the ultimate people person,” said RFHS teacher Wendy Boland.

Beneath the crazy stories lies a consistent theme about Colia: his incredible dedication, appreciation, encouragement and love for his students. Colia, who announced his retirement last month, has had a profound impact on the lives he’s touched as an administrator in the RE-1 Roaring Fork School District the past 24 years, with stints that included serving as principal at Carbondale Middle School.

Widespread admiration Roaring Fork High School Assistant Principal Barbara Mason told the Sun, “Cliff is the only person I know who truly thinks the best of everyone.”

Colia focuses most of his people-person energy on his students. Nicki Zugschwerdt, who worked with Colia for 15 years, noted, “He always remembered all the kids’ names no matter how long ago they attended the middle school.” Carbondale Middle School teacher Denise Reynolds told the Sun,“He always found time to talk with kids about their

passions as well as their academic needs.”

Finding people to comment about Colia is probably the easiest duty any journalist could hope to pull. Here are a few more comments: Laura Kirk, a parent, recalls the “awe-inspiring” experience of listening to Colia provide feedback to Carbondale Community School students as they presented their final portfolios. She was struck by his ability to connect with each child and his insight into each child’s unique approach to learning, despite the fact that he had just met these students.

SENSE OF TEAM page 3

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Carbondale Commentary The views and opinions expressed on the Commentary page do not necessarily reflect those of The Sopris Sun. The Sopris Sun invites all members of the community to submit letters to the editor or guest columns. For more information, e-mail editor Lynn Burton at news@soprissun.com, or call 510-3003.

Educators take note

By Denise Moss Arnie Duncan, take note! And while you’re at it, demand the Colorado Department of Education pay close attention to Carbondale’s secret weapon for academic excellence since 1994. Leaving no child behind has nothing to do with federal standardized tests, “closing the gap” rhetoric, scripted lesson plans or stifling micro-management.

Leaving no child behind has everything to do with creating an academic environment full of positive innovations for students, excellent teachers and involved parents. It’s about education being integral to a community, learning environments that evolve, and knowing each child in a school. It’s about having Cliff Colia for a principal.

I walked into Carbondale Middle School at 8 a.m. for an obscure task I can no longer remember, back when one or the other of my kids was a student there. All parents can certainly agree that middle school students are representative of the emergence of pre-pubescent hormones and the resulting moody noise and eye rolling that accompanies it.

Perhaps I failed to drink enough coffee that morning, but I was shaken into the awareness of what a cheerful place this school was. Students were smiling and excited to be at school. They were chatty and friendly and carried brightness in their eyes, not the telltale boredom a pre-teen is so expert at relaying. Yes, many classrooms lacked windows and the cafeteria ceiling leaked. Yes, the building felt dated and too many kids were crammed in the office at one time to tell Rita or Nicki some imperative news. But it also had Cliff on the intercom, yelling “Good Moooooorning, Wolverines!!!!!” with a Southern-tinged giddiness that made me feel like I was in Disneyland. I never forgot the gratefulness I felt at that moment for our principal. I knew it was his energy that had created this learning Mecca.

The RE-1 school district made the grave error of trying to silently oust Cliff some years back. The rally to save his job was unprecedented in our district. An entire town stood up, from local community organizations, to parents, to shopkeepers, to school employees, to the Valley Journal editorial staff.

Hand-painted signs appeared on fences reiterating the editorial’s words, “Students are happy. Parents are happy. Teachers are happy. What’s the problem?”

Strangers began to network tirelessly and hundreds of signatures supporting Cliff made their way to the school board meeting. Two hundred people filled the boardroom that night, giving Cliff a 15-minute standing ovation while the board members kept their eyes on the floor in shame.

We were fueled by the power of heart that had spread from one person who had profoundly influenced our children’s lives. One person, who never asked anyone to fight for him, and who didn’t need to ask, taught us what a school, and a community, should look like, act like, and sound like.

So listen up, you school boards and superintendents and Powers That Be! If you want to truly understand what makes a public school work, really work, for students, teachers and parents, study the methods of the man who gave Carbondale a principal’s guidance and leadership for 18 years.

Throw out your cloned image of what a principal should be. Or better yet, just clone Cliff Colia. He gave us heart, and for that, a generation of families is eternally grateful.

The Sopris Sun encourages commentaries on local issues from our readers.

Remember: Keep your commentary local and keep it to 700 words, then dispatch it to news@soprissun.com or P.O. Box 399, Carbondale, CO 81623. Don’t forget to tell us your name, phone number, where you live and any other pertinent information about yourself.

Letters

The Sopris Sun welcomes your letters, limited to no more than 400 words. Letters exceeding that length may be edited or returned for revisions. Include your name and residence (for publication) and a contact email and phone number. Submit letters via email to letters@soprissun.com or via snail mail to P.O. Box 399, Carbondale, CO 81623. The deadline to submit letters to the editor is 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

Town needs your help Dear Editor: The town of Carbondale needs some help from you. This appeal is for an early summer flower-planting project at the entrance to our downtown; just a few good flower lovers are needed.

Three years ago the town did not have enough reserves to afford purchasing flow2 • THE SOPRIS SUN • MAY 24, 2012

ers to plant in about 20 large pots around Main Street and along Colorado Avenue.

The Downtown Preservation Association, now the Carbondale Business Coalition, asked for citizens help to adopt one of these pots and to purchase their own plants as a gift to their community and for the pleasure of our summer visitors. These flowers have

lasted in good shape up to Potato Day in the fall (please note that these large pots are reserved by our council for planting in by these volunteers only). Thank you “Green Thumb Ladies” and our own local nurseries for your wonderful support. Thanks also to Tony Coia and the town for supplying water to these flowers all summer long.

Now, this is a call for help from new volunteers to help plant the town’s own purchased flowers in these long dormant and blah, barren flower bulb-outs at the entrance to downtown. Hooray progress.

Maybe towards the end of May or early June, weather conditions depending, these areas will be resurfaced, new sprinkler heads attached, those winter evergreens pulled out of the pots and transplanted elsewhere, all these expenses for upgrades and purchase of new plants are made possible by you who shop locally and are supporting your town’s small businesses and have given our town an increase in sales tax revenues recently that allows our council to then support budgeting for this kind of community beautification project. Thank you Carbondale and please continue this wonderful support.

The plan here is for volunteers to meet on Main Street when the conditions and timing are right, to take these town purchased flowers and to put them into the ground where these bulb-outs are located along Main Street from the Subway (sandwich) to around the corner just east of White House pizza. You volunteers are then asked to follow up with minimal weeding (say every three to four weeks throughout the summer). Remember that small signs will identify individual volunteers.

No volunteers will need to do any watering all summer long – such a deal!

So, would you like to be a part of this fun and rewarding summer outdoor project?

Adopt a spot on our Main Street and help beautify your downtown main entrance this summer.

Call now. Operators are waiting for your call at 379-9096.

Chris Chacos Carbondale

Vote Gardner, Palmer, Bertuglia Dear Editor: This week you have a rare chance to do something high leverage on climate change and your energy future by voting in the Holy Cross elections. This election is important because it marks the departure of the board’s most experienced member, Tom Turnbull.

Tom cares deeply about Holy Cross and deserves huge thanks for his leadership over more than 30 years. For the sake of continuity and stability, he also deserves to be replaced with someone who has similar experience. Happily, that person is running, and his name is Bob Gardner.

Bob worked for Holy Cross for 30 years and was a seminal part of developing their energy efficiency and clean-energy program.

I’ve known Bob for many years and have enormous respect for him as a person, for his knowledge of utility operations and for his support for clean energy solutions. I’m

also going to vote for Adam Palmer, a thoughtful and engaged incumbent with a strong background in applied energy efficiency as the green code official in Eagle County; and for Kristen Bertuglia, a new face in these elections but one with a broad experience in business and energy, and an interest in helping to prepare Holy Cross for a new future where carbon emissions cost money and efficiency plays a key supply role. Please vote for Bob, Adam and Kristen to help Holy Cross continue its outstanding work as one of the country’s most reliable, cost effective, and environmentally responsible rural Co-ops. You need to mail in your ballot by June 4.

Auden Schendler Basalt

Thanks to Tom Dear Editor: On behalf of the Crawford family, I want to thank Tom Turnbull for his longtime service to the Holy Cross Energy board of directors. Throughout his time on the board, Tom maintained a logical and common sense approach to providing local electric service. He always put the Holy Cross cooperative, its employees and all of us, the members, first.

Tom, you’re irreplaceable to this board; your level-headed contributions to Holy Cross will be missed by many of us in the valley. My grandfather, Floyd Crawford, always spoke highly of you.

Robert Hubbell El Jebel

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970-510-3003 www.soprissun.com Visit us on facebook.com Send us your comments: feedback@soprissun.com The Sopris Sun is an LLC organized under the 501c3 non-profit structure of the Roaring Fork Community Development Corporation.

“Sense of team” abounds at RFHS Carbondale Middle School teacher Michael Logan noted Colia’s constant presence in the school: “He was always where he was needed most.”Colia would also show up at sports events all over the state to cheer on his students, and in moments of victory he was usually found at the very bottom of the pile of celebrating players.”

Colia’s ability to connect with and support others extends to his staff as well. “Cliff has believed in me as a teacher even more than I believed in myself,” said RFHS teacher Lindsay Hentschel. “When I was hesitant or uncertain he gave me the courage to step out and try new ideas.”

Reynolds agreed, “If a teacher thought they had an idea for a worthwhile field trip, he not only stood by us and encouraged us to get kids out of the building, he offered to drive the bus.”

Many teachers noted their appreciation of how much time Colia spent in classrooms, observing them applying their craft and providing specific feedback to help them continuously improve. “He never once came into my classroom without leaving me feeling more inspired and capable afterwards,” said Hentschel.

Keeping up As demographics at CMS changed, Colia spent years learning Spanish to ensure that he could build strong connections with Latino parents. His focus on relationships has impacted the entire climate of his schools.

“The culture of RFHS is a beautiful thing to witness: nurturing, motivating, safe, community-driven with a real sense of family.

Cliff Colia jokes with Roaring Fork High School senior Kenia Pinela during a recent program in the school’s auditoria. Teachers and students say that Colia isn’t the kind of principal who spends the whole day in his office. Photo by Jane Bachrach That culture is a direct reflection of Cliff’s leadership style and value system,” said Kirk.

As Logan told the Sun, “Cliff somehow managed to be the catalyst for people liking each other and trusting each other among every segment of the community: students, teachers, parents. These relationships created a sense of team that was bigger than the sum of its parts.”

Job in jeopardy In the spring of 2003, during Colia’s 10th year as principal of Carbondale Middle School, the school district superintendent announced he was considering the possibility of re-assigning Colia to another school, to either a teaching position or another administrative position. Because it was personnel issue, state statue prevented the superintendent from revealing the reasons for Colia’s possible removal as CMS principal.

Not surprisingly, the community rose up in Colia’s defense. Signs hand-painted on bed sheets were hung up around the middle school parking lot proclaiming the community’s support for Colia, opposing his possible re-assignment and questioning district leadership as a whole.

A letter to the editor signed by the entire CMS staff voiced their support for Colia, not-

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Colia entered the RFHS auditoria on Tuesday expecting a safe driving assembly but soon learned he was one of the guests of honor. Photo by Jane Bachrach

continued om page 1

Early Deadline for

In observance of Memorial Day on Monday, May 28, the ad reservation deadline for the Thursday, May 31 issue is 12p.m. Friday, May 25.

ing that a recent anonymous survey found that 100 percent of the school’s teachers indicated strong support for Colia.

After a great deal of networking, petitionsigning and letters to the editor, about 200 people gathered at a public meeting to rally in Colia’s defense, giving him a standing ovation while he humbly sat by.

In the end, the superintendent recommended to the school board that Colia continue as Carbondale Middle School principal.

Louisiana to Colorado Colia was born in Shreveport, Louisiana.

As part of an Air Force family he moved around a great deal, but considers Louisiana to be his original home.

Colia received his bachelor’s degree in education/social science from Louisiana Tech University in 1975. Over the next nine years he earned master’s degrees in education, business management and social work.

During these years he also worked as a teacher and director of educational programs in a halfway house and a juvenile corrections institution in Louisiana.

In 1986 Colia moved to Colorado to work as special education director and teacher at Mountain BOCES (Board of Cooperative Educational Services) in Glenwood Springs.

Colia began his career in the Roaring Fork School District in 1988 as assistant principal at Glenwood Springs High School. In 1993 he transferred to Carbondale Middle School where he served as principal for 15 years.

Since 2008 Colia has served as principal of Roaring Fork High School.

During his years as an RFSD administrator Colia has continued to work as a teacher as well. He has taught Spanish, science and reading at CMS; reading and business at RFHS; ELL, business, reading and sociology at Colorado Mountain College; and graduate-level courses in education and English Language Learner (ELL) and reading/writing at the University of Colorado and the University of Northern Colorado.

In addition to teaching countless reading courses, Colia has made reading a major focus of his work as an administrator, developing strong independent reading programs at both CMS and RFHS. Colia is an avid reader himself and has shared that passion with both students and staff, helping to get them hooked on reading as a key to lifelong learning.

In 2001 Colia earned a PhD in educational leadership and innovation, writing a dissertation titled “Organizational Culture and Effectiveness.”

COLIA RETIRES page 12

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Cop Shop The following events are drawn from incident reports of the C’dale Police Dept.

MONDAY May 14 • The number of verbal warnings given to bicyclists at the North Face skateboard park for not wearing a helmet: 1.

MONDAY May 14 • The number of verbal warnings issued for trafďŹ c violations between 9:54 and 10:29 p.m.: 3.

MONDAY May 14 • The number of evergreen trees ofďŹ cers found in the middle of the road at Fourth and Main on Monday night: 1.

MONDAY May 14 • The number of evergreen trees ofďŹ cers returned to a nearby planter after ofďŹ cers found it at Fourth and Main Street on Friday night: 1.

TUESDAY May 15 • The number of vehicles, motor homes or boats/trailers red tagged for being stored or abandoned on public property: 4.

Roaring Fork High School presented nine students with Distinguished Scholar awards at ceremonies on May 21. To earn the award, students must have taken a foreign language through level three or higher and fulďŹ lled at least two of the following achievements: a minimum 3.75 grade point average, a 24 or above on the ACT and/or successfully completing two or more college level courses. From left to right are Andrea Caruso (counselor), Sam Carpenter, Thomas Cerise, Paola Santiago, Julia Williams, Hailey Reynolds, Teddy Benge, Nilsine Peterson and Elizabeth Ritchie (not shown is Will Tempest). Photo by Lynn Burton

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Town anticipates dry summer; don’t panic

By Lynn Burton Sopris Sun Staff Writer Carbondale trustees and administrators anticipate the driest summer since the drought year of 2002 but don’t worry. Carbondale owns rights to 250-acre-feet of water at Ruedi Reservoir east of Basalt.

Carbondale could experience “back-toback-to-back droughts” and the town would “still be OK,” thanks to that Ruedi water, town attorney Mark Hamilton said at Tuesday night’s board of trustees meeting.

Water was a main topic at the meeting as utilities director Mark O’Meara briefed the trustees on possible actions town manager Jay Harrington might authorize this summer.

The town code calls for three stages to encourage conservation: through outside irrigation practices, declaring a water shortage and then a water crisis. At a crisis level, the town can prohibit the use of the municipal domestic water system for lawn, garden and landscape watering; restaurants can be required to serve patrons with disposable plates, glasses and utensils.

Carbondale’s three main water sources are from Nettle Creek at the base of Mount Sopris, and the Roaring Fork and Crystal well fields.

O’Meara said the Carbondale Environmental Board discussed water conservation ideas this week.

In other action from Tuesday night’s meeting: In a unanimous vote, the trustees ap-

proved a special use permit that allows a substance abuse group home for women at 246 Garfield. Several neighbors spoke against the application with concerns ranging from a possible parking shortage to cigarette smoke wafting from the property.

Early in the discussion, Hamilton said that state and federal law mandates that municipalities make “reasonable accommodations” for such homes. The home will have seven beds for women 18 and older, said applicant Kathleen Haley of the non-profit group Aspire Recovery for Women.

The trustees voted 6-1 to amend the building code to allow new homes more than 5,000 square feet to participate in an approved off-site solar energy program (such as the Clean Energy Collective) rather than install an on-site solar electric system.

The amendment’s original wording called for homeowners who buy off-site solar energy to purchase 25 percent more kw’s than required for an on-site system. Trustees changed the requirement to a 1:1 ratio.

Trustee Pam Zentmyer voted against the amendment.

Carbondale Economic Development Group representatives Lani Kitching and Chris Chacos briefed the trustees on the group’s current status and future plans.

The trustees didn’t give ECD specific direction and both sides indicated a work session on the town’s future involvement should be scheduled.

The Garfield County Library District up-

Could this treatment for Parkinson’s Disease and Essential Tremor improve the quality of your life?

Deep Brain Stimulation, a proven effective surgery for movement disorders, is now available in Glenwood Springs. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, DBS can relieve tremors, rigidity, stiffness, slowed movement and difficulty walking.

Previously only available regionally in Salt Lake City and Denver, this state-of-the-art treatment is now being performed at Valley View Hospital by Neurosurgeon Claudio A. Feler, M.D.

Scenes such as this could take a hiatus this summer if Carbondale declares a water crisis.

The environmental board is expected to make formal recommendations on conserving water later this summer. Photo by Lynn Burton dated the trustees on its plans to build a new library at the intersection of Third Street and Sopris Avenue. The main issue is how to make the 13,000-square-foot building as energy efficient as is economically possible.

Building team member Dan Richardson said that an evaporative cooling system is “back on the table” after the team originally indicated the district would use a more conventional air conditioning system. When asked

by trustee Allyn Harvey why the library needs air conditioning (which the existing Gordon Cooper does not have), county library director Amelia Shelley pointed out the building will contain numerous computers that produce heat, and that employees do a fair amount of moving around shelving books and such.

Trustees granted special event liquor licenses to KDNK and the chamber of commerce.

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Scuttlebutt

Send your scuttlebutt to news@SoprisSun.com.

Big day approaches

ter, which sponsored the event (name of team, company/organization, type of rack): • First place – Innovation, Greenline Architects, ski as structure; • Second place – Simplicity, Aloha Mountain Cyclery, modified delta rack; • Third place – Poetry, CRMS, cart bike; • Fourth place – DIY, Kevin Passmore, reused frames and such; • Fifth place – Spirit, Gear Exchange, couch bike.

Just a reminder to parents, family and everyone else – graduation festivities are slated for Roaring Fork and Basalt high schools at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. respectively on June 2. Bridges High School graduation ceremonies are slated for June 1.

And while we’re at it, the last day of school for non-graduating non-seniors is June 7 (it’s a half day).

Highway 133 update Someone called The Sopris Sun last week, wanting to know if there were going to be additional left-turn signals on the traffic light on Highway 133 near the RFTA park-and-ride lot.

Here’s the answer that CDOT spokeswoman Nancy Shanks gave:“RFTA installed one new signal pole at the intersection of SH 133 and Village Road in order to improve the turning radius for the right turn movements. The plans do not show any changes to the signal heads or phasing for left turns at this intersection, so the existing left-turn movements and signals from SH 133 to Village Road will be the same as they were before.”

There you go.

RE-1 grabs ex-CRMS teacher The RE-1 School District last week hired former Colorado Rocky Mountain School teacher Dr. Robert Stein as its new superintendent, according to a press release.

Stein, 52, taught at Colorado Rocky Mountain School in the late 1980s. He graduated from Denver’s Manual High School in 1978 and holds a doctorate from Harvard, a master’s degree from Stanford and a bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College. Oh, yea. He’s also fluent in Spanish. The job pays $155,000 per, plus an allowance for a car, up to $300 a month for gas and $100 cell phone allowance.

On a related notes, the RE-1 school district hired David Schmid as the next principal at Basalt High School. Schmid has been interim principal at Aspen High School since January and was Colorado High School Principal of the Year at Steamboat Springs. RE-1 Assistant Superintendent Brad Ray

Congrats to Daisie Congratulations to Crystal River Elementary School’s Daisie Fogelson for snagging a $4,527 grant from Century Link. The grant will be used for increasing access to technology for student learning, according to a press release.

Way to go, Taila YouthEntity program participants Libby Claassen (3rd grade, Sopris Elementary School), Brooke Knutson (5th grade, Sopris Elementary School) and Lily Meadows and Katie Birzon (7th grade, Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork) developed a new fragrance and a limited edition candle for YouthEntity, manufactured by Rosy Rings of Denver. The team will sell their limited edition candle to raise money for YouthEntity to support other real-world experiences for local youth like this one. To schedule a sales presentation to your community group, contact Kirsten at Kirsten@YouthEntity.org. Photo by Lara Claassen announced last week he is stepping down to accept the position of assistant superintendent in the RE-2 school district, which includes New Castle, Silt and Rifle.

Crazy bikes The Sopris Sun isn’t exactly sure about the ins and outs of the Bonedale Bike Week bike cargo design competition, but here are the winners as provided by the folks at Land+Shel-

Roaring Fork High School sophomore Taila Howe qualifed in long-jump for the state 3A track meet last week in Lakewood. Her best jump was 15-5 1/2 feet, good for 14th place. See you next year, Taila.

Thanks to the wind Carbondale tree observers say last Friday night’s high winds blew off most of the remaining elm tree seeds, clearing the way for property owners to get out their brooms and clear the way.

First Friday poll Earlier in the month, The Sopris Sun asked readers whether Main Street should be closed for First Friday each month during the summer. The results are: 67 percent said “yes,” 23 percent “no,” 7 percent “other,” 3 percent “undecided.”

They say it’s your birthday Birthday greetings go out to: Patti Hall and Tom Mercer (May 24), Charlie Cooke (May 25), Sue Hopper (May 26), Richard Glassier (May 27), and Louis Meyer, Dorie Hunt, Alex Salvidrez and Joan Lamont (May 28).

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Get the Facts About the Airport Master Plan Pitkin County and Airport Director Jim Elwood Invite You To Take a “Behind the Scenes” Airport Tour Call 429-2852 to make arrangements

Some Facts to Consider about Airport Parking and Transportation There are approximately 950 parking spaces at the airport.

The current recommendation is to increase total capacity by 350 parking spaces to meet projected demand by 2017.

We need to provide enough parking spaces to avoid an overflow into the Airport Business Center and North 40 neighborhoods.

Parking development would be phased in to coincide with demand and will incorporate both a reduced parking garage and surface parking.

Airport users originate all the way from Rifle to Aspen.

Photos by Jon Robson If Carbondale is the center of the universe then Sopris Park was the center-of-allcenters last Sunday evening (May 20) when folks gathered to share food, strum guitars and take part in a meditation circle to celebrate the annular solar eclipse. “It was awesome,” said Jon Robson, who pointed his camera west to shoot these photos. Viewers who chanced it with dark glasses said the multi-colored “ring of fire” was the coolest thing they’d ever seen. Others commented on warped shadows the eclipse created.

The airport is working to strike an acceptable balance between serving our community values of limiting automobile usage and meeting the needs of airport users.

Aspen/Pitkin County Airport It’s your Airport.

Be a part of the plan.

To learn more about the Airport Master Plan go to www.aspenairportplanning.com.

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THE SOPRIS SUN • MAY 24, 2012 • 7

Community Calendar

To list your event, email information to news@soprissun.com. Deadline is 5 p.m. Saturday. Events take place in Carbondale unless noted. For up-to-the-minute valley-wide event listings, check out the Community Calendar online at soprissun.com. View and submit events online at soprissun.com/calendar.

THURSDAY May 24

LIVE MUSIC • Carbondale’s very own five-member Starletts kick of the 2012 Music on the Mountain at Glenwood Caverns and Adventure Park from 6 to 10 p.m. Bring at least one can of food and you get a free tram ride to the park. Info: 945-4228.

TRIVIA NIGHT • Carbondale Beer Works’ Trivia Night benefits Wind Walkers equine therapy services. The thinking and shouting start at 7:30 p.m. Carbondale Beer Works is located at 647 Main St. Info: 704-1216.

LIVE MUSIC • Rivers restaurant in Glenwood Springs presents Acoustic Mayhem from 9 p.m. to midnight.

There’s no cover.

LADIES NIGHT • Independence Run & Hike hosts its third annual Ladies Night featuring fashions and a talk by Christy Mahon from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. It’s free and the first 50 ladies receive a goody bag.

Independence Run & Hike is located in La Fontana Plaza on Highway 133.

DAVI NIKENT FILM • Davi Nikent presents the documentary film “I Am” at the Third Street Center at 7 p.m. A $10 donation is requested. Info: 618-5879.

ROTARY • Roaring Fork Rotary meets at Mi Casita every Thursday at noon.

FRIDAY May 25 MOVIES • The Crystal Theatre presents “Hunger Games” (PG-13) at 7:30 p.m. on May 25-31 and “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” (PG-13) at 5:15 p.m. on May 26-28.

“Hunger Games” is set in the future and revolves around a televised competition of teenagers battling to the death.“Salmon Fish-

SATURDAY May 26 LIVE MUSIC • White House pizza presents Ananda Bank (local talent with blues, rock and folk influences). Info: 704-9400.

SUNDAY May 27 ing in the Yemen” is a story of a British fisheries expert who is enlisted to help realize a sheik’s vision of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert.”

LIVE MUSIC • Carbondale Beer Works on Main Street presents Hell Roaring String Band at 8 p.m. There’s no cover.

MOTET RETURNS • The Motet returns to Carbondale help PAC3 celebrate its first birthday. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Info: pac3.com.

LIVE MUSIC • Steve’s Guitars in the Dinkel Building presents music every Friday night.

JAN GARRETT APPEARS • A Spiritual Center presents Jan Garrett at 10 a.m. A Spiritual Center is located at the Third Street Center. In June Estaryia Venus gives a workshop.

MONDAY May 28 MEMORIAL DAY • American Legion Post 100 holds Memorial Day ceremonies at the Highway 133 bridge and at White Hill Cemetery. Info: 963-2381.

WEDNESDAY May 30 SALOMON TOUR • Independence Run & Hike in La Fontana Plaza hosts the Salomon Trail Tour from 1 to 6 p.m. Salomon

representatives will arrive in a 28-foot mobile show room and more than 200 demo trail shoes will be available for trying out.

At 5:30 p.m. there will be a talk by local running legend Zeke Tiernan.

ROTARY • The Rotary Club of Carbondale meets at the Carbondale Firehouse on Highway 133 Wednesdays at 7 a.m. Info: 927-0641.

Further Out

THURSDAY May 31 WETLANDS BIRDING • Roaring Fork Conservancy and Roaring Fork Audubon go birding at the Maroon Creek Wetlands Open Space in Aspen from 7 to 8:30 a.m.

Info: 927-1289.

FRIDAY June 1 NEW ART • The Carbondale Public Arts Commission unveils its 2012 Art aRound Town exhibit with a walking tour featuring the 12 participating sculptors. The tour starts on Main Street at 5:30 p.m.

Save the date SATURDAY June 2 BROMBERG PLAYS • As part of its Bread and Brew festival June 1-2, PAC3 in the Third Street Center presents guitar icon David Bromberg. Singer Jerry Jeff Walker once said Bromberg “... is the reason man created stringed instruments.” Info: pac3.com.

CALENDAR page 9

TECHNICIANS & INSTALLERS

8 • THE SOPRIS SUN • MAY 24, 2012

Community Calendar

from page 8

Ongoing CCAH SHOW • The Carbondale Council on Arts and Humanities presents photographs created by young artists 8-19 yeas old. The show’s title is “Good, Bad and Beautifulâ€? and is part of the Child’s Eye curriculum created by George Stranahan, Sheri Gaynor, Sue Drinker and Karen Lanier. CCAH’s R2 Gallery is located in the Third Street Center. Info: 963-1680.

GROUP RUN • Independence Run & Hike stages an all-abilities run Saturdays at 8 a.m.

Info: 704-0909.

REDSTONE CASTLE • The Redstone Castle is now open for summer tours. Daily tours are at 1:30 p.m. and tickets are available at the Crystal Club, Redstone General Store and Tiffany of Redstone. For details, call 963-9656

or go to redstonecastle.us.

AAM • The Aspen Art Museum presents “The Residue of Memoryâ€? and “Full Participationâ€?

by Berlin-based artist Simon Denny through July 15. Admission is free.

ZUMBA • Paola Valenti gives Zumba Blast classes at 1014 Grand Ave. in Glenwood Springs Tuesdays and Thursdays. Info: 945-8822.

MAYOR’S COFFEE HOUR • Chat with Carbondale Mayor Stacey Bernot on Tuesdays from 7 to 8 a.m. at the Village Smithy, located at 26 S. Third St. CCC • The Carbondale Clay Center at the east end of Main Street presents its kid’s show through June 1.

Hold the presses Soccer club stages exhibition game The Carbondale Soccer Club stages a co-ed exhibition game between coaches and U18 players at Carbondale Middle School on May 25. The game starts at 6:30 p.m. “There are bound to be ďŹ reworks as the masters will not want to lose to our young apprentices,â€? said one coach.

Tickets at the gate are $5 for 18 and under, $10 for adults, $25 for families. Kids under three are free. The concession stand will be open, BBQ will be available and there will be a rafe and half-time entertainment.

Choosing a college Carolyn Williams of Colorado Educational Consulting presents “Creating a Great College List� in the Third Street Center Board Room from 7 to 8 p.m. on May 30. For details, call 970274-6298.

Libraries closed GarďŹ eld County libraries will be closed on Memorial Day (May 28).

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One of the tasks in last week’s Bonedale Bike Week scavenger hunt was to take a picture of Sopris the Mountain. This photo also includes Sopris the Hat, which was produced in limited quantities by Jim Field a few years ago and is ably worn by Bob Schultz. Judges gave the Best Photo prize to this one. Photo by Patrick Johnson

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SOCCER CLUB! Friday, May 25th

Carbondale Soccer Club

Carbondale Middle School Soccer Field!

Coaching Staff XI vs U18 XI Fundraiser Match

Gates open: 6 p.m.

Kick Off starts: 6:30 p.m.

Carbondale Middle School Soccer Field

Tickets: $5 U18’s / $7 Adult / $20 Family Family Ticket (2 Adults, 2 Children) At the gate: $5 U18’s / $10 Adult $25 Family Ticket

A Co-ed team of coaches will take on a Co-ed U18 team, and there are bound to be fireworks as the masters will not want to lose to their young apprentices.

*3 years and younger go free! **Each ticket includes free raffle ticket ***Tickets available from Team Managers and contacts below!

For more info contact: Sam Pearson: 720-217-8673 sampearson89@hotmail.co.uk

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Carbondale SC invites you to come to the biggest exhibition game of the century!!!

Sara Maas: 970-618-5282 sbmaas@msn.com Crista Barlow: 970-274-9299 barlow1319@comcast.net

The event will include something for everyone: • BBQ • Raffle • Concession Stand • 1st Prize - One free place • Merchandise Stand on a Challenger Sports • Half Time Entertainment Soccer Camp!

Like us on FACEBOOK Carbondale Soccer Club

THE SOPRIS SUN • MAY 24, 2012 • 9

Community Briefs Rodeo sponsorships available A limited number of sponsorships are available for Carbondale Wild West Rodeo. Sponsors receive a banner at the weekly rodeo that will be seen by thousands. For details, call Dave Wiemer at 618-6824 or Mike Kennedy at 379-3907

American Legion rounds up yard sale items American Legion Post 100 is taking items for its yard sale, slated for June 9. Proceeds beneďŹ t Roaring Fork Valley veterans. Donations will be accepted until 5 p.m. on June 8. Just take them to the American Legion on Colorado Boulevard.

Individual tables are also available for $20.

For details, call Molly Swanton at 963-3161.

Swimming pool opens The John Fleet memorial swimming pool opens for the season with an expanded schedule on May 26. For details, call 963-4092.

Marble Hub opens for season The Marble Hub opens for the season on May 25. The Hub, located in the old Marble City State Bank building at 105 W. Main St., will be open 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. seven days a week.

The Hub serves as a community gathering place and visitor information center with WiFi, indoor telephone and AED machine. “Thanks you Ron Leach and Pitkin County,â€? said Hub director Charlotte Graham. “The Hub is THE place to go to ďŹ nd out what is happening in Marble.â€?

Graham said the Hub has been redesigned downstairs to feature local authors, artisans, crafters and “creators of.� “The Attic, our consignment shop upstairs,� has all new inventory, too,� Graham continued.

On the food front, the Marble Hub offers a “breakfast-to-

10 • THE SOPRIS SUN • MAY 24, 2012

Students from Ross Montessori charter school (shown here) and the Waldorf School on the Roaring Fork recently helped clean up between the Rio Grande Trail and County Road 100 from Snowmass Drive to Catherine Bridge as part of RFTA’s Adopt-a-Trail program. Other groups helping with the clean up this spring were: Girl Scouts of Glenwood Springs, Colorado Mountain Express, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, the Recyclers and Carbondale Community School. Courtesy photo go� menu and includes homemade tortilla breakfast burritos from the Marble Charter School kitchen, hot/cold cereal cups, organic yogurt and fresh fruit, baked goodies from the Red-

stone General Store and other refreshments. Also new: the Hub features ice cream novelties and of course its “famousâ€? pourover service of locally-roasted DeďŹ ant Bean coffee.

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Wild West rodeo returns for 10th season on June 7 Sopris Sun Staff Report The Carbondale Wild West rodeo returns for its 10th season Thursdays from June 7 through Aug. 23, according to a press release.

New to the all-volunteer Carbondale Wild West rodeo board of directors is Tom Harrington. “It is a pleasure to join the board and my goal as a board member is to first help with our fund-raising and operations. I joined the board because this rodeo provides the perfect mix of entertainment and competition – it is a unique event in the valley.”

“Tom has strong ties to Carbondale and to our western heritage as a full-time ranch manager and rodeo consultant,” said rodeo

board spokeswoman Kathy Small.

Board vice-president Dave Weimer said that sponsorships play a big part in the overall success of the rodeo. “Even though we are volunteers, there are expenses associated with the rodeo. We hire professional livestock contractors, judges and timers.

Our sponsorships cover us when we have rainouts with zero gate receipts and 100 percent of the expenses. In addition, the sponsorships have helped us contribute to the upkeep of the rodeo grounds for all to enjoy, including events such as gymkhana.”

For details on sponsorships, call 6186824 or 379-3907.

The Rodeo Royalty will once again be featured in the Grand Entry at each per-

formance. The 2012 royalty is comprised of Emily Clinco, Mackenzie Small, Maxine Harris and Tori Davis.

For the sixth year in a row, a celebration for breast cancer survivors, titled “Tough Enough to Wear Pink,” will be held in conjunction with the Valley View Hospital Foundation on July 19.

To help kick off the season, the rodeo teams with the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce for First Friday on June 1.

Among the attractions: a mechanical bull for folks to hop on. The rodeo is bringing in Doc Holiday and Kid Curry impersonators to perform a western gunfight on Main Street. Free roping lessons will also be offered.

Other special events include Hawaiian Night on Aug. 16. The ever-popular cowhide races and rescue races will alternate throughout the season beginning with cowhide races on June 7.

Discount admission tickets are available for sale at the Roaring Fork Valley Co-op on Highway 133. Each advance purchase ticket is also a coupon for a 20 percent discount on tack, boots and apparel at the Co-op.

Volunteers make the rodeo happen and there are still some slots available. For details call 379-0809.

The Carbondale Wild West rodeo takes place at the Gus Darien roping arena on County Road 100 east of Carbondale.

Shopping | Dining | Culture | Recreation

VISIT BASALT & EL JEBEL At the confluence of Frying Pan and Roaring Fork Rivers Photo by Lynn Burton

THURSDAY MAY 24 RIVERSIDE GRILL, BASALT • SALSA NIGHT has returned, every Thursday Night from 8:30 to 11:30 pm. Be here early for free casual instruction

by Tere and Ricardo Hernandez. (formerly Jimmy’s Salsa DJ’s and local Salsa Dance instructors.) They will begin every Salsa Night with free instruction from 8:30 to 9:00. All are welcome.

SUNDAY MAY 27 FOR THOSE WHO SERVE: LOCALLY, NATIONALLY, GLOBALLY • A special 9:30 a.m. service. Basalt Community United Methodist Church, 0167 Holland Hills Road, in compassionate Basalt. “For Those Who Serve — Locally, Globally, Nationally” will include recognition of selfless serv-

ice and a community potluck brunch following worship. Everyone — and especially those who have offered themselves in this type of lifework — is invited.

SUNDAY MAY 27 PIG ROAST AT THE MID-VALLEY TAVERN • Join us for a lively PIG-FEST with delicious food, local musicians slight of hand, beer, fun kids’ stuff and more. For more info and menu go to http://downvalleytavern.com/pigroast.php

MONDAY MAY 28 WYLIE COMMUNITY ART CENTER, SUMMER ART CAMP SIGN-UP KIDS, BASALT • Registration in progress for Sculpture and Photography Art Camp with Lois Devine and Catherine

Adams beginning June 11-14 for ages 7-11 (6 year olds with special approval). Registration is required.

Figurative sculpture class of dragons and fairies with Devine in the mornings and photographing Basalt with Adams in the afternoons. Cost is $185 plus $25 for art supplies. Members receive 10 percent off. Go to wylyarts.org to register. 99 Midland Ave. Basalt.

970-510-5121 to reserve your spot. 1460 E. Valley Road Basalt. www.pfcolorado.com

TUESDAY MAY 29

WEDNESDAY MAY 30

6 WEEKS TO A HEALTHIER YOU, BASALT • Tuesday nights, 5:30 PM - 06:30 PM, with Dietitian/Nutritionist Susan Drake. Includes 6 Nutrition and Behavior Modification Classes, individualized plans and goal setting, 1 personal training session, 3 months food logging/behavior modification website access, biometric testing and much more! Call

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FRYING PAN ANGLERS: FLY TYING CLASS, BASALT • Fly Tying Class offered by Frying Pan Anglers. Tuesdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Cost: $10.

Sign up at Frying Pan Anglers in downtown Basalt or call 927-3441.

BASALT REGIONAL LIBRARY STORY TIME • You are invited to bring the little ones for story time at the Basalt Library in Downtown Basalt.

0-5 year olds! Please arrive on time.

To list your Basalt/El Jebel event, email information basaltthrift@live.com by Friday.

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East Valley Rd: Traffic calming begins May 22 Pitkin County Paving Emma Road

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Colia retires continued om page 3 Building organizations Throughout his years of earning various degrees, Colia spent a total of 12 years researching effective organizations. He continues to believe in his core finding – that the key to effective organizations lies in carefully listening and being responsive to the customers.

The “customers� for Colia are the students, parents and teachers in his schools. “Parents know a lot about their kids and we need to listen. Kids know a lot about themselves and we need to listen. We need to spend more time finding out what turns them on rather than ramming a national norm down their throats,� he said.

Colia also emphasizes the need to listen to and trust in teachers’ professional judgment and expertise. He explains that careful listening and responsiveness will lead to “customer satisfaction.� “Kids are satisfied if they get a relevant education – if we tap into their passions and teach things that matter to them. Parents are satisfied if they feel that their kids are prepared for life after school. Teachers are satisfied if they can focus on the kids and teach things that teachers know are relevant and important.� “Of course,� Colia admits, “sometimes there are unreasonable customer expectations, and you have to work with those. But we all want the same thing for kids – a challenging, relevant education that prepares kids for life after high school.�

Colia talks proudly of the challenging and engaging programs at RFHS, such as math classes that build loafing sheds for horses, business classes that sell ice cream, a green-

house/agricultural program and a Shakespeare festival. “If you focus on kids first, and really listen to and trust in kids, parents and teachers, then scores will follow.� To prove his point he notes that RFHS had the highest Reading/Writing growth scores in the district for ninth and 10th grades in last year’s CSAP. Colia has three main goals for the graduates of RFHS: “First, that they appreciate the power of a good education. Second, that they understand that a high school diploma is just the beginning.

It qualifies them to go on and do what they should do to make this a better world. Third, that they have the fundamental skills to do that – not just in math and reading, but in human interaction, in thinking, in an understanding that they need to try to make the world a better place.�

“Every single kid in our schools has something unique and exciting about them that you can’t help but get sucked into.....I look at a student and say, ‘OK, where could this kid be in 10 years and what am I going to do to help him get there?’�

Staying energized Colia told the Sun that what has inspired him all these years are the students and the teachers: “Every single kid in our schools has something unique and exciting about them that you can’t help but get sucked into... . I look at a student and say, ‘OK, where could this kid be in 10 years and what am I going to do to help him get there?’�

Colia also notes, “It’s exciting to come to a school where the teachers really are tuned into kids and dig the kids... . It’s also fun to think, ‘Here’s a teacher with all these great skills, how can I help that teacher really make the most of those skills?’�

According to Colia, the biggest challenges of his years as principal have been the “reports, meetings, deadlines that sap

Service Directory

Several years ago when he was Carbondale Middle School principal, Colia went the Superman-route to cheer on the volleyball team. Courtesy photo your strength.� “Fortunately,� Colia remarks, “I have an innate problem with deadlines and meetings.

It’s a nice functional match between my strengths and weaknesses and my priorities.�

Colia clearly loves his job: “Working every day with these incredible students, teachers, parents‌ it’s like this incredibly tasty gumbo.

They all bring their different flavors and they mix together‌ so tasty that I can’t get enough of it. My main worry about retiring is what am I going to do without all this great stuff?�

So why is Colia retiring? He says he is “not burnt out in the least.� He plans to remain very involved in RFHS and to continue teaching some college-level courses. However, Colia explains that as principal he hasn’t been able to focus as much time and energy on his family as he would like to do. “I drive a dirt road to get home every day.

The inside of my windshield gets incredibly dirty and dusty, but I haven’t had time to clean it in three years. I’m going to take care of my family and clean my windshield.�

Hentschel sums up why Colia will be

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12 • THE SOPRIS SUN • MAY 24, 2012

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Hearing will be held before the Carbondale Planning and Zoning Commission for the purpose of amending Chapter 19 of the Carbondale Municipal Code. The purpose of the amendments is to reference the Town of Carbondale Historic Preservation Design Guidelines.

Said Public Hearing will be held at the Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 14, 2012.

Copies of the proposed application are on file in the Planning Department office, Town Hall, 511 Colorado Avenue, Carbondale, CO and may be examined by interested persons during regular working hours, Monday through Friday.

Janet Buck Town Planner

Published in The Sopris Sun on May 24, 2012.

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missed by so many: “Dr. Cliff Colia knows quite a lot about education and literacy and leadership, but what he lives and breathes is the basic tenet of teaching: Students don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.�

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR for Carbondale nonproďŹ t, part time. Be part of our exciting museums, programs, tourism and events. Are you enthusiastic? Creative?

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THE TOWN OF CARBONDALE is taking applications for the position of Administrative Technician in the Building and Planning Department. To apply and for job speciďŹ cs, please visit the town Web site at www.carbondalegov.org and click on the “Employmentâ€? tab. *Credit card payment information should be emailed to unclassiďŹ eds@soprissun.com or call 948-6563. Checks may be dropped off at our ofďŹ ce at the Third Street Center or mailed to P.O. Box 399, Carbondale, CO 81623. Call 618-9112 for more info.