Finalists in Woodland Park superintendent search stress healing, community ties; board moves to negotiate with top candidate in executive session

Dave Versteg of Grundmeyer Leader Services opened a public forum for finalists vying to lead Woodland Park School District RE‑2 and explained the round‑robin format for two‑minute answers.

Interim Superintendent Slocum, who has led the district for the past eight months, framed her candidacy around "healing" fractured community trust. "When I stepped into this role, I knew that our district was carrying more than financial strain. It was carrying disappointment, frustration, and the loss of trust," she said, and described listening tours, increased visibility and financial accountability as her priorities.

Eric Owen, superintendent of Hayden School District and a Woodland Park High School graduate, described student success as broader than test scores: "Student engagement, attendance, concurrent enrollment and career technical options — those are measures we need to follow," he said. Owen said he would track participation in postsecondary options and expand opportunities for students to earn college credit and industry certificates.

Chris Sully, superintendent in Meeker, urged holistic measurement and shared the panel’s interest in Colorado alternatives to the state's accountability system. "The student‑centered accountability project looks at a more holistic view — test scores, extracurricular participation, matriculation and career readiness," he said.

Other candidates echoed themes of teacher support, student growth, and hands‑on pathways to careers: concurrent enrollment, industry certificates and work‑based learning — the panel repeatedly referenced these "big three" pathways as central to postsecondary readiness.

Candidates also emphasized the advantages of a smaller district: closer adult‑student connections, vertical alignment across grades and broader chances for students to participate in multiple activities. On visibility, candidates said they would attend community events, return calls and hold listening sessions to build credibility over time.

Following the open forum, the board convened two executive sessions. The first session included interviews of finalists; the board stated no final decisions were made in that closed meeting. The board then moved under Colorado statute CRS 24‑6‑402‑413 to adjourn to a second executive session to prioritize finalists and "instruct personnel and representatives to begin contract negotiations with one finalist candidate," and the motion carried on a recorded roll call. Board members later clarified on the record that prioritization and beginning negotiations in executive session do not constitute formal action; a public vote will be required to adopt a superintendent.

The meeting ended with a roll‑call motion to adjourn. The district’s public process will next proceed to any public meeting where the board may cast a final vote to hire a superintendent.