RANGELY I In November three seats on the Rangely School Board will be up for election.
Board members Leslie Nielsen and Kurt Douglas were elected in 2011 while Joyce Key was appointed to her position in the fall of 2014.
Nielsen and Douglas will be seeking re-election to their positions while Key will be in her first official election.
Nielsen, who is currently board president, believes that the district is headed in a positive direction and hopes to keep the momentum going.
“We are trying very hard to meet the needs of our students in fulfilling our vision,” Nielsen said. “We want our students to be life-long learners and positive difference makers and, with the quality staff we have, we hope to inspire them to be just that.”
Board Vice President Douglas is also hopeful that he will retain his position on the board. Douglas says he’s just getting to the point where things really get done.
“I feel like it takes a couple years of being on the board to learn what goes on and what your job really is all about,” he said. “This, combined with the 32 years of experience that I had in public education, helps me realize how I can best help our teachers to give our students in Rangely the best education possible.”
Board member Key was appointed to the board last fall following a resignation. She hopes to be elected by the local citizens in November.
“I can bring to this board my past year of learning and service to this board, plus eight years of service on our Western Rio Blanco Metropolitan Parks and Recreation Board of Directors, and seven years of service on the Giant Step Day Care/Preschool Board of Directors,” she said. “I taught fifth grade in this school district for nine years and have taught at Colorado Northwestern Community College for more than 15 years.
“Building on this experience, I will represent my constituents to the best of my ability and work hard to see that this school district provides a quality education for our children,” Key stated in an email.
In order for other potential candidates to have their names on the ballots, they must have petitions turned into the district no later than Aug. 28.