Karen Brown’s transition from the small, supportive town of Grand Lake, Colorado, to the bustling campus of the University of Colorado Boulder could have been overwhelming. But with the encouragement of her parents and a strong educational foundation, she thrived, shaping her belief in the transformative power of quality education and community support.

Our Board of Directors plays an important role in our work to engage students and empower educators across the Boulder Valley School District. Four new Board Members – Bob Gaddis, Dr. Bianca Gallegos, Emily Mears and David Stewart – will support this work and further our mission.

Globalization and the COVID-19 pandemic triggered a new world of work that has only been exacerbated by AI, gig work and technological leaps. To succeed, students need flexible skills that will allow them to shift and grow in an ever-changing economy. Experts say in order to succeed, students need to start thinking about the world of work far earlier than previous generations. This is why we provide students access to an after-school program, the Career Readiness Academy, that embraces this fluid approach to career preparation. This year the program will be offered to 10th graders at Boulder High, Broomfield High and Centaurus High, and parts of the curriculum will also be available to students at Arapahoe Ridge.

Born and raised in Washington, Georgia—a small town of about 5,000 people—Impact on Education board member Ann Cooper grew up facing the challenges of poverty, a segregated school system and limited opportunities. Thanks to the encouragement of several teachers, but two particular ones, Ann defied the odds, traveled the world, grew a successful business and has become a passionate advocate for quality public education for all students.

As Kindergarten begins this week, children across the Boulder Valley School District are embarking on an exciting new adventure. For many, especially those from low-income or marginalized families, this transition marks their first exposure to a formal learning environment. Through our Kinder Bridge program, we’re providing these young learners with the targeted support they need to start their school journey with confidence.

As we welcome students back to schools this week, we’re taking a look back at the incredible impact we made together last year. With your support we helped thousands of students across the Boulder Valley School District, and we’ll continue to provide them resources and opportunities for success during this new academic year.

During the pandemic, the Monarch High School library sat unused. Books sat dusty and uncatalogued and, perhaps more importantly, went out of date. Things got worse when the Marshall Fire struck—the Monarch community was disproportionally affected, and many books that students checked out were lost in the fire. As schools resumed in-person learning, Katherine Croasdale set to work fixing the library.

Boulder High School graduate Adriana Aguirre, a recipient of the Earl & Barbara Bolton scholarship, represents the future of nursing with her big dreams of diversifying the industry and providing culturally competent care to her patients.

As homeowners in our community see their property values and tax bills increase, many may assume the additional funds are flowing into our public schools. They’re not wrong – but increases in local property taxes don’t equate to increases in funding for the Boulder Valley School District. The reality of how school funding works is more complex.