We at the Ouray School have been working hard to improve the education our students receive. Administrative changes have infused a new enthusiasm and direction for the school. New curricula and the training required for their implementation are paying dividends in standardized test scores. A new emphasis has been placed on vocational training for those who choose not to attend college.

Your School Board has created committees to study facilities, salaries, benefits, extra-curricular programs, and the challenges faced in 21st Century Learning. Cooperation in this endeavor by school staff and the public has entailed many volunteer hours and produced tangible results.

The culmination of this process is the recently adopted Strategic Plan. This comprehensive plan, available for viewing at the school web site (http://ouray.k12.co.us) and at the Ouray Public Library, provides the detailed path we will follow to further improve our school. Throughout this period of evolution, we will expand upon the myriad programs and activities that have always made our school unique.

The last five years have had a profound effect on our community. Rapid escalation of real estate prices and a steady increase in the cost of living have threatened our traditional way of life. These factors played a large part in the Board’s decision to adopt a higher salary schedule for our staff. The specter of a transient teaching corps and inherent lack of continuity in the educational process was too much to ignore. The Board realized that static, or even declining, enrollment would result in budget difficulties at some point in the future. This realization has prompted us to seek a long-term solution to this situation.

The solution we propose is a mil levy override to provide a fixed dollar amount, adjusted only by a standard inflation index. The requested amount of $155,000 (or 2.5 mils) will address salaries, facilities and educational improvements in one comprehensive package.

One mil of the 2.5 mils will provide ongoing support for salaries. The remaining 1.5 mils will be dedicated to implementation of the Strategic Plan, which includes a small-scale facility expansion and updating, curriculum improvement, educational enhancements, and all associated factors.

In the coming weeks we will provide the specifics of our plan through newspaper articles and community meetings. We look forward to your participation in this process and thank you all for your support of Ouray School.