CALHAN — Donovan Mitchell, the Calhan School District superintendent, is one of 21 leaders selected for the 2024 Rural Superintendent Academy (RSA).
RSA leaders meet quarterly to brainstorm ways to combat challenges unique to rural school districts. This year, the cohort includes leaders from Canon City and Lewis-Palmer school districts.
Being in a district of about 400 kids, Mitchell said it can be hard to navigate budget constraints and find ways to keep teachers.
"I think they've, they've done such a good job with what they've had, the resources they've had to work with," said Jeremy Stewart.
Stewart graduated from Calhan and moved his three girls here from Falcon a few years ago.
"I run the youth basketball program and it's all volunteer," said Stewart. "If you don't have the volunteers, you don't have the program."
Playing sports in Calhan is free for students. Something Stewart hopes can continue.
"If a parent has to choose between paying 500 or 600 dollars to let their kid play basketball or if we're going to be able to afford groceries this week," said Stewart.
Mitchell said that won't happen any time soon thanks to funding avenues outside the budget.
"Big-time grants, two of them, we were able to secure and get some resources that a year ago we were only dreaming of," said Stewart. "Grant money can help offset some of the teacher costs when it comes to salaries, providing some of the programming."
As a 3rd generation Calhan School District graduate, Mitchell said the challenge of finding and keeping staff here isn't new.
"But it has become more exaggerated and more difficult because we're competing with districts that are 20 and 30 minutes away that they can pay more," said Mitchell.
Mitchell said they lost a few teachers over the summer.
"We're going with the ebbs and flows of the community and working to provide the best product that that we can with the resources that we have," said Mitchell.
Stewart hopes the next generation stays in Calhan like he did.
"I think that just helps ensure that we're going to be able to maintain the traditions and the values that we've had in the past," said Stewart.
Mitchell said by the end of the rural superintendent academy, he also hopes to get more creative in attracting and keeping families in the district.
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