Kristen (Kirsten) Drury stresses PLCs, science‑of‑reading adoption and relationships in Steamboat interview

Kristen (spelled both ‘Kristen’ and ‘Kirsten’ in the transcript) Drury told the board she seeks a superintendent role where her skills and relationships align with district needs and that a smaller district like Steamboat offers opportunity for impact. Drury said she spent 34 years with Douglas County and emphasized that relationships and being visible in schools are central to her approach.

She described direct actions to improve student outcomes: defining what PLC conversations should sound like, monitoring those conversations, providing models and accountability, and scaling early‑literacy work. She said her district saw measurable gains (she cited multiple campuses earning distinguished growth recognition) after tightening PLC practice and adopting a district reading series tied to the science of reading, coupled with monitoring and teacher observation.

Drury emphasized building principal capacity through leader profiles, regular principal walkthroughs and coaching, and aligning building plans to district priorities. On special populations, including gifted and ELL students, she said PLCs are a vehicle to target subpopulations and ensure differentiation; she also described system changes to reduce reliance on seclusion and expand de‑escalation training (CPI).

On recruitment and retention in high cost areas, Drury pointed to district supports such as induction, a guaranteed and viable induction system, and partnerships to address housing; she said community‑level solutions and tightened induction can improve retention.