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Board backs North Routt charter school's $800,000 community schoolyard grant application
Summary
The Steamboat Springs School District Board unanimously adopted Resolution 2026-03-01 to support North Routt Community Charter School's application to the Colorado Department of Local Affairs for a community schoolyard grant; the charter school said the project could cost about $800,000 and offered up to $100,000 of its reserves to strengthen the application. The board clarified it will not commit district funds.
The Steamboat Springs School District Board of Education voted unanimously March 16 to adopt Resolution 2026-03-01 supporting North Routt Community Charter School's application for a Department of Local Affairs community schoolyard grant.
Marquis Elam, leader of North Routt Community Charter School, told the board the grant would fund major playground and site improvements and said the project's estimated cost is "upward of about $800,000." He said the charter school is prepared to use up to $100,000 of its reserves to make the application more competitive.
"The grant is upward of about $800,000," Elam said, urging the board's favorable consideration. Board members expressed support during discussion and clarified the district's role would be to provide a supporting resolution and technical assistance with the application process, not direct financial contributions from district coffers.
Board President Kevin Callahan moved adoption of Resolution 2026-03-01; Lara seconded the motion. Deb Genesta called the roll; the vote recorded affirmative responses from Callahan, Laura, Leah, Kim and Jane, and the resolution passed.
Board members asked for clarity that the district would not be asked to fund the project. In response, Elam and others confirmed the charter intends to use its own funds for any local match and that the district's vote was a statement of support for the application.
The board did not set implementation actions beyond the supporting resolution; any future district role or requests for funding would require separate board action.
The immediate next step is submission of the DOLA application by North Routt Community Charter School; the resolution and the board's support were recorded in the meeting minutes.
