Hamner: What we did this summer

A summer highlight for Colorado's school and district administrators is the annual Colorado Association of School Executives Convention held every summer in Breckenridge. At the convention, a special award was given to Mary Wickersham whose leadership within the Building Excellent Schools Today initiative has leveraged income from school trust lands in Colorado to repair and build schools in school districts throughout Colorado that are not able to raise public funds for this purpose.

In her remarks while accepting the award in front of an audience of more than one thousand public education leaders throughout the state, Ms. Wickersham noted our beautiful Summit High School facility that all convention attendees drove past while making their way to Breckenridge and used our high school as the standard that all high school students in Colorado ought to have regardless of where they live. While filling me with great pride in what we are able to offer Summit County students, I was also filled with deep appreciation of our citizens who have continued to support this high standard for school buildings throughout our school district in which our students thrive as learners.

Since many of our schools are tucked away from the main Summit County thoroughfares, our residents may not know that even with schools closed for the summer, a lot is going on, in and around our schools!

Summit School District celebrate its Top 10 facilities improvements

The Summit Education Center has gone through the ultimate recycle — almost every piece of furniture, hardware, door, shelf or panel has been claimed by another school or community organization to be used in a new way for a new purpose.

Vigilant about student safety, the promises made during the 2007 mill levy campaign have delivered significant safety improvements at many Summit Schools. A creatively designed transportation circulation route at Summit Middle School ensures that students and buses won't collide and better parking and lighting protects all of our visitors at Dillon Valley Elementary School and Frisco Elementary School. The District has also installed new fire alarm systems throughout all of the schools. The local fire departments have been very complimentary of this initiative by the District.

We work hard and play hard — now Summit Cove Elementary School students will find themselves in a brilliant new playground complete with safer and healthy play equipment and drainage — no swamps and lakes to wade through to get to the slide! Completely improved parking, drainage, and a new sledding hill, too.

Dripping and leaking roofs are repaired. Old, tired and deteriorated roofs have been replaced at Dillon Valley Elementary, Summit Middle School, Transportation and Central Administration Office. Repairs have been made at all other schools.

A new kitchen at Summit Middle School with upgraded appliances and better design means safer food preparation, delivery and service.

A hearty congratulations to everyone who has worked so hard for the new Summit High School synthetic turf field! The project is on schedule and due to be completed by the beginning of September. Summit High School students will benefit by missing less academic learning in the classroom by hosting more games here at home — go Tigers!

Frisco Elementary School was the first, and now staff and students will be protected, because visitors will not be able to gain access to Summit High School, Dillon Valley Elementary School, Upper Blue Elementary School, Silverthorne Elementary School, or Breckenridge Elementary School without receiving security clearance through a locked vestibule by mid-September.

We are so proud of our staff and students. Now we are improving the curb appeal of many school buildings so we can be proud of our facilities, too! Just watch for our newly designed landscaping and irrigation at Summit Cove Elementary, Summit High School and Summit Middle School.

At the very end of the school year, Summit High School and Summit Middle School upgraded and installed their entire school camera security system. Technology improvements ensure that school administration and law enforcement has complete visual access to the entire building in case of any unforeseen emergency. Front entry security cameras were also added at all of the Elementary Schools and Central Administration.

Summit School District Transportation — all of those big yellow school buses — won't be driving through the mud and winter slush anymore as they begin and end their day. Newly paved parking lots at the Transportation and Facilities Departments mean more efficient travel for all.

We would be happy to provide more information and even a tour of the work under way for anyone interested in this exciting work-in-progress that is setting the stage for the opening of another successful school year to our students on Aug. 24!

Dr. Millie Hamner can be reached at mhamner@summit.k12.co.us