One on One: Deirdre Pilch, Greeley-Evans Superintendent of Schools

BizWest continues its One on One series of Q&A sessions with key decision-makers in Boulder Valley and Northern Colorado. This interview was conducted by BizWest Managing Editor Ken Amundson with Deirdre Pilch, new superintendent of schools for Weld County School District 6, which oversees Greeley and Evans schools.

BizWest: The Greeley-Evans School District recently approved a mill levy override to assist the district fund educational improvements. What is the financial impact of the tax on businesses in the district? On homeowners?

Answer: The override is levied on the annual assessed value of the property. A business or commercial property owner with property assessed at $1,000,000 will pay an additional $2,900 annually or $242 a month. A commercial or business property with an assessed value of $500,000 will pay $1,450 annually. Homeowners will be assessed at $72 annually for every $100,000 in assessed valuation. A homeowner with a home assessed at $200,000 will pay an additional $144 in property taxes, or $12 a month.

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BizWest: The messaging from the district about the tax increase said that the money would be used to improve security, transportation, academic and vocational programs and technology. Talk specifically about what is planned with regard to vocational programs and how will that impact businesses within the district.

Answer: We have several plans related to vocational education. In the district we reference this as our career pathways and post-secondary workforce readiness. The override will allow us to increase the enrollment of students in career course work at AIMS in the skilled trades areas — we will pay student tuition through our concurrent enrollment program while students are still in high school, increasing the number of students who are career ready upon graduation from high school. We will build out our career pathways programs with local business and industry to expand internship opportunities and work to build partnerships with local business and industry to develop apprenticeships. We will also expand our current career pathways at our high schools, to increase students who complete courses in skilled-trades. Specifically, we will develop and implement an advanced manufacturing program over the next several years and enhance our construction trades program.

BizWest: And how about technological advancements for the district? What specifically is planned for the classroom and what might be the impacts of that on businesses that hire your graduates?

Answer: We will be able to improve our technology infrastructure so all students and staff have reliable, quality access to the many online resources that are available for instruction and learning. We will expand our blended learning to every school in the district (this will take a few years to build out). Blended learning at the elementary level is having a significant positive impact on both mathematics and language development. We live and work in a digital age with technology in nearly every industry, if not every. We must have our students ready to work in this high tech world, and it is our intention to do so. We also know that technology is an important tool in solving complex problems, researching issues and analyzing — we have an obligation to be sure our students have a competitive edge when utilizing technology.

We plan to get our ratio of device to students to one device for every two or three students. Ideally we would get to one to one, like many of our neighboring districts. There simply isn’t the revenue to initially do that, but who knows as the cost of technology continues to decrease, we are hopeful we will be able to continue to increase student access to technology.

BizWest: What has been the pattern and what is the intent of the district with regard to using local companies to fulfill contracts that might result from the mill levy override?

Answer: We always try to go local when we can with our contracts and other purchases. We also have to be good stewards of the resources, tax dollars, we are being trusted with, so sometimes that means going out of the community due to cost and availability of, or timeliness of, services. No question additional revenue in D6 will have a positive impact on the local economy.

Question: Is there anything else you’d like to add about this topic as it affects businesses in the district?

Answer: We understand that business and commercial owners realize the greatest financial impact of a school district override due to Gallagher and the state funding requirements. We are very grateful for the support our schools and students receive from local business owners and leaders.  Many local businesses supported the Growing Great Schools Campaign and the passage of 3A. We could not have passed this without the widespread support for the measure, so I want to say thank you! We are committed to utilizing the dollars as we promised, and we see the commitment as an investment in our community’s economic well-being. We, the Greeley-Evans School District, take our responsibility to partner with local business and industry very seriously.