Stephanie Moran, who has taught at virtually every educational level, is seeking a second elected term on the School District 9-R Board of Education.
Moran has made education her career, with her time as a senior faculty member at Durango’s Education Center at the core. At Adult Ed, she has helped dozens of non-traditional students for whom a conventional high school was not a productive setting or who returned to school after an interruption to deal with life’s demands. She knows how to make a success of individuals who have experienced challenges, large and small.
Challenging Moran is Kristin Smith, a seven-year resident of Durango who has a special needs child. Smith has a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts and considered a career in radio, but found satisfaction in home health care.
As an advocate for her child, she has become familiar with the workings of the school district, and now wants to step up to do what she can for all students.
Smith praises the inclusion and services her child has received in 9-R, but said there is always room for improvement.
She feels that way about the district, and does not appear to have any particular axes to grind.
Smith would like to see teachers have a greater voice, and says there is the need for more collaboration, with the charter schools, as an example.
Smith praises Superintendent Dan Snowberger’s hard work in a challenging position but says he can be intimidating. That frustrates some people.
As to school safety, Smith says a challenge will be to reassure parents about what has been done. And, that the leadership and parents at different schools might have different expectations for safety. She is also wary of vendors who may be marketing products that may not be helpful.
Both Smith and Moran respect local law enforcement’s position on guns in schools: only law enforcement should carry them.
Moran wants to continue to improve student outcomes and appreciates the district’s move toward competency-based education, which is what you know and how to do it and not age-based. Gain a skill and move on when you are comfortable. She would also work to acquire more funding for technology classes, which she said should not have been reduced.
Both Moran and Smith voluntarily praise one another and say that they wish there was an open board seat for each.
While Smith is impressive, the Herald’s editorial board favors Stephanie Moran’s years of experience in education and her familiarity with what works and what doesn’t in education.
Moran also should be the better board member to manage Snowberger’s occasional examples of poor judgment. Most recently, the administration’s position on guns in the schools should not have been delivered as already decided, without opportunities for parent and community input.
Vote for Stephanie Moran for the 9-R School Board.
