Woods for school board

In this era of hyper partisanship and deep divides, it is hard at times to be anything but pessimistic about the direction we seem to be going.

The reality is that for us to progress as a country and as a community, it is imperative that we work together and find ways to tackle tough, divisive topics thoughtfully and deliberately.

That does not mean we have to compromise on every topic, as in many cases the solution is clear, but we do need to take time and listen to opposing views before moving forward. This does not happens when an elected body has a majority that acts in lock step and totally disregards any opposing viewpoint.

One of the most glaring examples of an issue that has been pushed forward without collecting information and charging forward while ignoring any opposing viewpoint has been the reintroduction of wolves into Colorado. Ignore for a moment that nature was slowly drawing wolves back into our state —a fact which was ignored and ignored by those wanting to move far more aggressively.

Further compounding that situation has been the antagonistic approach that the wolf reintroduction cabal have taken toward the livestock growing community.

The result of that steamroller approach has been to make the return of wolves to our state far more controversial than it needed to be.

Turning now to our local community, we see an opportunity to make sure that our school board has a diverse set of views and is willing to act diligently and deliberately to arrive at decisions.

With the above in mind, we both believe that Vicki Woods is the right person at the right time to join our school board.

Vicki’s a bright, thoughtful and engaging leader who has a history of gathering facts and pulling people together to solve problems. As the principal at Orchard Avenue Elementary, Vicki’s leadership ability was on full display as she arrived at a time where the performance of Orchard Avenue Elementary had slipped and the culture was toxic according to many.

Vicki was able to engage with families, students and teachers to rebuild a positive, collaborative culture reversing the downward trend in student achievement.

The result was that Orchard Avenue Elementary was a high performing school throughout her tenure there.

Perhaps most poignantly was how she dealt with the topics of wolves and their reintroduction in Colorado. As part of the problem-based learning module, engaging students to tackle real-world problems with the professional skills every employer seeks in the workforce, she invited Janie to serve as an industry reference regarding the reintroduction of wolves.

Mind you one might assume that the view from a livestock producer might not be the most politically correct one. Both pro- and anti-wolf presentations of the issue were heard by the students. Under Vicki’s leadership, I was astonished by the third-grade students’ ability to think critically, communicate effectively, and ask thoughtful questions about how our industry might be impacted by the issue they were presented with. I had no idea that such young students could collaborate, solve problems creatively, and develop actionable solutions for real challenges. That experience reflects Vicki’s vision and leadership — her belief that schools must move beyond traditional instruction to teaching practices that spark curiosity, promote problem-solving, and equip students with the skills they need for future jobs and a successful life.

Vicki is recognized among community agencies as a leader in creating innovative partnerships that address current, local issues. She understands that effective partnerships not only benefit students but also strengthen community organizations and contribute to the district’s long-term success. Vicki has facilitated partnerships with real impact — improving graduation outcomes and providing meaningful support to the school staff who do the day-to-day work with students.

Vicki is the change in board leadership that is needed — someone who not only has a proven track record of strong leadership, but who is committed to working thoughtfully and deliberately.

Someone who will take time and gather facts and information, listen to all sides and then make a decision. Someone who can disagree without being disagreeable and when the decision is made will move on. Someone who understands the role of a board member and is willing to drive the change that our district needs to move forward. In short Vicki Woods is the right person to join our school board.

Tim Foster is the former president of Colorado Mesa University and Janie Van Winkle is a local rancher who heads Agri-West, an economic development initiative of the Economic Development Administration.