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3 to be interviewed for vacant Summit school board seat

Interviews slated for May 13 public meeting, term to begin May 27

The Summit School District Board of Education will interview three candidates for a vacant school board seat at its May 13 public meeting.

The school board will interview applicants Johanna Kugler, Phyllis Raynor and Lisa Webster. The district said in an April 26 memo to the school board that the three represent the only applicants qualified for the position due to the requirement to be a registered voter for at least one year within the district. Seven people applied.

In her letter of interest submitted to the board Kugler — a Dillon Valley resident and mother of three Dillon Valley Elementary students — said her experience and expertise in early-childhood education would benefit the board.



Kugler currently works as a school consultant, coach and office manager for Open Arms Preschool & Childcare in Farmers Corner. She has worked in early-childhood education in the county since 2007, including six years as executive director of the Lake Dillon Preschool and Early Learning Center.

“My strengths and skill set are around systems thinking in early childhood,” Kugler wrote in a letter of interest. “I work within relationships and see the big picture for the betterment within the field. I am not afraid of change and hard work, and I do like to see results and change come to fruition.”



Webster is a Breckenridge resident and 20-year U.S. Air Force officer who currently serves on the district’s finance committee.

She previously served on the board of education as treasurer from 2015 to 2019, and she said that because of the short length of this appointment — from the end of May to November’s election — the board needs someone “who has the ability to get on board at a quick pace.”

Webster said she could help educate community members interested in serving on the school board ahead of the November election. Webster also pointed to her familiarity with the school budget ahead of coming annual budgetary deadlines as well as her involvement in state educational legislative initiatives and forums.

Raynor, a Dillon resident, wrote in her letter to the board that she has taught preschool, elementary, middle and high school students for nearly six decades. That includes time spent as the head of a middle school special education department in Maryland.

Raynor said she moved to Summit County after retiring from teaching in 2005 and has served as a volunteer for adaptive skiing at the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center and Keystone Adaptive Center. Raynor said she is interested in helping with concerns surrounding special education.

The board will vote on their choice of candidate following interviews. If the board does not act, the president of the board will make the appointment. The selected candidate will be sworn in at the May 27 meeting.

The successful candidate will succeed board member Virginia “Gini” Bradley, who resigned from her position in March.


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