There is a new face in charge at Ignacio High School.
Ignacio School District announced Monday that Alisha Gullion will take over as principal at the beginning of the 2024-25 school year. The position is currently held by Barbara Fjerstad, who will retire at the end of the school year.
Fjerstad spent three years as the high school’s principal and before that three years as Ignacio Elementary School’s principal. She spent 24 years working in the district combined.
“There's much that can be said about Barb, but she has been dedicated to the school district and to the community for the last 24 years,” said Ignacio School District Superintendent Chris deKay. “She always has the best interest of the students at heart.”
Gullion was one of eight candidates who applied for the position. She currently serves as a language arts teacher at the high school and has served as a coach for the women’s soccer team.
Gullion’s commitment to fostering a positive learning environment, promoting academic excellence, and supporting the development of students were among the reasons Guillon was chosen for the position, deKay said.
“She takes on her leadership roles within the building, as a teacher, very seriously,” he said. “She spent the last year getting her principal certification and working with the high school principal. She knows the students and she knows the community.”
Finding a candidate who had an understanding of the of the Ignacio community was important to the district.
The district has spent the last three years implementing its strategic plan. The plan includes enhancing academic achievement, and creating better staff development, retention, culture and climate, among others.
According to Public School Review, Ignacio schools are in the bottom 50% of all Colorado schools, with math and reading proficiency coming in several percentage points below the state average. But lower test scores have been a recurring trend with school districts across Southwest Colorado since the COVID-19 pandemic.
For Gullion, maintaining consistency is her main goal.
“The high school staff has done a lot of incredible work over the last few years to really increase academic achievement, and to help prepare students for whatever they pursue after high school,” Gullion said. “I'm just looking forward to helping them to continue that work.”
Gullion said her strength is teacher mentoring. She has worked with many Ignacio High School teachers throughout her time with the high school.
She said her experience will help with teacher retention, something many districts across the state have struggled with in recent years. And her time as a teacher will help her transition into that role, she said.
“I really think that this has provided me with invaluable insights into the strengths of our students, as well as the opportunities for the areas that we can grow in,” Gullion said. “It's allowed me to get to know the students, the families and to become a part of this community.”
From the district’s perspective, it was important to hire a long-term solution at the principal position, deKay said.
“I think every team needs some seasoned veterans and a fresh face,” he said. “I think that way you build a strong team, because you get new ideas as well as some ideas that we know will work from some of the veteran administrators.”
tbrown@durangoherald.com
