COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Three new voices are now helping shape the future of Colorado Springs School District 11. This week, D11 swore in its newest board members -- Michelle Ruehl, LeAnn Baca Bartlett, and Charles Johnson.
Dr. Michelle Ruehl is a veteran, educator, and mother. She recently retired from the Air Force, but has been in education for more than two decades. Even while serving our country, Ruehl taught English as a foreign language around the world. The experience showed Ruehl just how challenging literacy can be, and she says, having her own children only furthered that passion for education. It is one reason she decided to run for D11's Board of Directors.
"I started to do research into how we could raise literacy rates and what I found was, in our own backyard, our reading and literacy rates were lower than some of the places I was teaching around the world," Ruehl said. "I saw that a board seat would be opening and I thought this would be a perfect intersection. I love kids, I love to teach, and I thought I had this mission for 20 years in the Air Force. I was very driven in what I wanted to do, but now what’s my mission?"
Ruehl also serves as a soccer coach and substitute teacher within the district, a Girl Scout leader, and works with Falcon AeroLab on STEM and aerospace education for young people. In her interactions with students, she noticed some questioning college and their ability to find employment. Ruehl now wants to find ways to include apprenticeships and internships into curriculums.
"We need to forge a workforce pathway, a pipeline for students, so that they match up to the skills needed right here for the jobs right in town," Ruehl said.
For LeAnn Baca Bartlett, D11 is more than a board seat, it is family. Her mother is a former D11 teacher, she is a former student, and is now a parent to both a current and former D11 student. Baca Bartlett hopes her firsthand experience within the district proves valuable while serving.
"I love talking with my student about their perspectives," Baca Bartlett said. "I like to listen and I do my homework and I think that can only help serving on the board."
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Baca Bartlett says the teacher perspective is also important to her. Her campaign was endorsed by the Colorado Springs Education Association.
"Within the school system, you have students, you have parents, you have teachers. It’s like a stool. You take away one piece, it just doesn’t work," Baca Bartlett said. "Those educators are face-to-face with students every day. They’re educated professionals, they care so deeply about kids and I’m always interested in hearing what teachers have to say.”
As a former D11 student, Charles Johnson says his election is a full-circle moment.
“I think it’s cool to show kids that you can be a young person and be involved in your community and show that your voice does truly matter," Johnson said.
Johnson was born and raised in Colorado Springs. He graduated from Roy J. Wasson Academic Campus at The Bijou School.
“Where can we meet that generational gap to meet in the middle to show that we can take traditional values and ideas, but also expand them to a new age of where we’re going in the next five to 10 years," Johnson said. "Because by the time I’m done, who knows where education is going to go.”
Like Baca Bartlett, Johnson is backed by the teachers union. He says collaboration will be key while serving the district, especially when it comes to supporting D11 educators.
"It's tough conversations, but it’s also giving them the opportunity to show that they’re career teachers for a reason," Johnson said. "They know what they believe in, they go back to school every year to recertify themselves, and we have to give them the opportunity just like how we give to our students."
In the short term, each new board member has their own set of goals. For Johnson, that is expanding the district's student advisory. Baca Bartlett looks forward to collaborating with current board members, gaining insight into their "wealth of information." Ruehl wants to bring more attention to the Pikes Peak Promise, a scholarship opportunity through Pikes Peak State College.
Throughout the four-year term, larger goals are also on the minds of these new members. Ruehl wants to see 70% academic growth by 2030 within the district. Baca Bartlett has her sights set on higher test scores. A major focus for Johnson will be D11's budget.
“I know we’ve had some hardship over time in our district, but I believe District 11 has great possibility," Johnson said. "We’re doing the best that we can right now, but I know we can do a lot more and I’m excited to see where we go for the next four years.”
Email Senior Reporter Meghan Glova at meghan.glova@koaa.com.
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