Welcome, 2024 Rural Superintendent Academy Fellows! 

Twenty-One Colorado School and District Leaders Selected to Join RSA 

The fourth cohort of the Rural Superintendent Academy (RSA) launched the week of July 15, welcoming 21 new and experienced superintendents and district and school leaders focused on building system leadership capacity and collaborative relationships across the state.

Made possible with support from the Boettcher Foundation, RSA is a leadership development opportunity led by Colorado Education Initiative (CEI) to advance approaches that improve rural school district leadership, while fostering peer-to-peer relationships among participants.

This new cohort represents rural leaders from Adams 14, Calhan, Cañon City, Centennial-San Luis, Clear Creek, Cotopaxi, Greeley, Hayden, Holly, Lake County, Lewis-Palmer, Monte Vista, Montrose, Park County, Pueblo, Rangely, Strasburg, Summit County, and Trinidad school districts; and the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind.

RSA Fellows expand their leadership expertise by learning how to create conditions for excellence in district governance, community leadership, and district operational capacity. RSA supports participants in building adaptive and responsive relationships among students and families, communities, school boards, and staff as they collectively work toward the goal of long-term success and sustainability for their districts and communities.

Special congratulations to RSA Fellows Kate Bartlett of Lake County School District, Joe Hermosillo of Adams County School District 14, and Tera Spangler of the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind who have been selected to receive 2024 Dr. Cile Chavez Fellowships. This year, the Boettcher Foundation is awarding three RSA participants The Dr. Cile Chavez Fellowship to inspire diverse, underrepresented education leaders to join RSA and bring their unique perspectives to the helm of Colorado districts, including through financial assistance to support costs related to their participation.

Thirty-nine fellows have completed RSA in three previous cohorts, including 26 who currently serve as effective superintendents in rural Colorado school districts. These past RSA members have established the RSA Alumni Network and awarded Peder Hansen (Summit County) with its first Alumni Fellowship.

“We have no doubt this group of 21 emerging system leaders will make previous RSA Fellows proud as they work to enhance their leadership skills and contribute to the outstanding collegial network CEI and the Boettcher Foundation have created through this amazing program.” 
– George Welsh, Senior Partner, CEI

CEI will begin accepting applications for RSA Cohort 5 in spring 2025. 

• Anthony Asmus, Assistant Superintendent of Secondary and K-8, Greeley-Evans School District 6, Greely, Colorado 
• Kate Bartlett, Superintendent of Schools, Lake County School District, Leadville, Colorado
• Kelle Bongard, Superintendent of Schools, Strasburg School District 31J, Strasburg, Colorado
• Dr. Stacie Datteri, Superintendent of Schools, Lewis-Palmer School District 38, Monument, Colorado
• Gabe Futrell, Superintendent Designee, Monte Vista School District, Monte Vista, Colorado
• Joe Garcia, Superintendent of Schools, Centennial School District R-1, San Luis, Colorado 
• Peder Hansen, Teacher Librarian, District Lead for Library Sciences, Summit School District, Frisco, Colorado
• Dr. Jistine Harrison, Superintendent of Schools, Park County School District RE-2, Fairplay, Colorado
• Sarah Hepworth, Principal, Rangely School District RE-4, Rangely, Colorado
• Joseph Hermocillo, Federal Programs Director, Adams County School District 14, Commerce City, Colorado
• Dr. Tom Meyer, Superintendent of Schools, Clear Creek School District, Idaho Springs, Colorado
• Donovan Mitchell, Superintendent of Schools, Calhan School District RJ-1, Calhan, Colorado
• Garrett Olguin, Principal, Cañon City School District RE-1, Cañon City, Colorado
• Eric Owen, Superintendent of Schools, Hayden School District RE-1, Hayden, Colorado
• Deana Pachelli, Principal, Trinidad School District 1, Trinidad, Colorado 
• Timothy Renn, Director of Special Services, Cañon City School District RE-1, Cañon City, Colorado
• Shelbie Schenck, Superintendent of Schools, Holly School District RE-3, Holly, Colorado
• Julie Shue, Alternative School Administrator, Pueblo School District 60, Pueblo, Colorado
• Tera Spangler, Superintendent of Schools, Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind, Colorado Springs, Colorado 
• Dr. Carrie Stephenson, Superintendent of Schools, Montrose County School District RE-1J, Montrose, Colorado 
• Thomas Vail, Superintendent of Schools, Cotopaxi School District RE-3, Cotopaxi, Colorado 

Learn more about the 2024 RSA Cohort here.