Superintendent's Office

Welcome to the 2025-26 school year.  We were able to retain a great deal of our amazing staff and recruit some phenomenal people in the midst of a nationwide teacher and school staff shortage.  Our directors and principals worked tirelessly to recruit staff, manage class scheduling changes, and prepare their buildings for the new school year.  We are so excited to begin the 25-26 school year.

 

This summer was spent preparing for the new student information system, ALMA, which will replace Infinite Campus.  ALMA will be more user friendly for our families, their students, and our staff.  The transition was not without glitches as we were transitioning information from our Bennett Tiger students that attended twenty years ago.  We worked alongside our staff, districtwide administrative team, and our DAC to look at the fee schedule policy/regulation that had not been changed since 2014.  It was originally on the list of polices to look over in 2018 and when COVID hit was put on the back burner.  With the costs of goods, utilities, vehicle maintenance, and labor in our school district's budget, we had to look at increasing the fee schedule.  For example: basketball referees in 2014 for a team of two charged 56.00 a piece to ref a game.  This year it costs 95.00 a piece plus mileage for a three-man team to ref a varsity game.  In 2014 the cost of art pencils was 10.19; this year the same pencils cost 28.42.  BHS continues to expanded on their CTE offerings of Wildfire Science, Emergency Medical Response, Emergency Medical Tech, Construction Trades, Welding, Certified Nursing Assistant, and Digital Media.  BHS offers an alternative school setting/credit recovery program for our students that need a flexible school setting to complete high school.  Nineteen students took advantage of that program last year and graduated from high school.  BHS also offers a language lab which provides many foreign language options for our students at various skill levels.  Our amazing music department worked with both middle and high school principals to compartmentalize vocal, theater, and band offerings.  In addition to entrepreneurship, robotics, and engineering, middle school students will have the opportunity to participate in graphic design, coding, marketing, storm chasing/meteorology, web design, and JR. DECA.  Middle school sports practice is offered partially during the school day and continues into after school.   Our preschool enrollment is continuing to grow with 91 preschool students enrolled this year when school began.   The preschool classes are located in the primary school.  We continue to partner with The Sierra School of East Central BOCES at Bennett Schools. The school is designed for students with varying disabilities and offers three program options.  There are two behavior-focused options (one for K-2 and the other for 3-5) and one functional communication classroom.  

 

Mr. Nick Ophaug has moved from the assistant principal position to Operations Manager where he oversees transportation, facilities, safety, and career and technical education.  Ms. Ramie Dillingham has moved from the position of administrative assistant to the superintendent and HR Clerk to Human Resources Manager and Accounts Payable.  Sam Cavendar has moved from the district facilities lead to the District Safety Officer and part time maintenance tech.  Please welcome Matt Crater as Director of Technology; he replaced Jeff Bain who retired from the District after 20 plus years in that position.  Also extend a warm welcome to Mr. Ben Price as Director of Food Service who replaced Amy Kirkwood who served over 20 years in various capacities with the District.   District offices are located at 805 Washington Way.  Offices are open from 7am to 5pm.  

 

 This school year marks my 34th year in education in Colorado Schools, and although much change has occurred throughout, one mindset remains constant—our students and their achievement and wellbeing matter most. 

 

Speaking with honesty, thinking with sincerity, and acting with integrity continues to be emphasized and modeled as we strive to mentor these qualities in our students’ character and leadership through our districtwide RCD and PBIS Programs.  This is the eighth year of using Responsibility Centered Discipline with our secondary students, and the sixth year of using the Positive Behavior Intervention Supports Program with our elementary students.  

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out via email, phone, or visiting us in person.  Please remember that all visitors to the school district must present their ID and check in with our office staff.  As always, we value input because it makes us stronger and more accountable to our stakeholders. It is truly an honor to work for Bennett School District. Thank you for the opportunity to educate your child.

 

Robin Purdy

Superintendent of Schools