Home

• Email
• Post a comment
• Print
• 

Steamboat Springs — Colleen Poole's voice is now louder.

Recently appointed as a board member to the Colorado League of Charter Schools, Poole will help set, implement and guide policy for charter schools throughout Colorado.

Poole is the head of school at the North Routt Community Charter School.

"It was a really big deal to me," Poole said. "I felt it was a privilege for someone to ask me to be on that board. I feel like I will be able to provide expertise and help (board members) further their charter school cause."

There are an estimated 120 charter schools in Colorado, including large schools in the Front Range and smaller schools in North Routt, Carbondale and the Vail area. An estimated 44,420 students are enrolled in Colorado's charter schools.

Poole will be the voice for smaller, rural charter schools, a responsibility she does not take lightly.

"I think I can bring a perspective from a small school and what all these policies mean at our level because a lot of schools on the Front Range are huge with 400 or 500 kids, and this school may never be larger than 100 or 70," she said.

The Board of Colorado League of Charter Schools meets monthly. Members interpret policies, advocate on behalf of charter schools, visit existing charter schools for evaluative measures and provide support for new charter schools.

Poole came to the North Routt charter school three years ago after resigning as principal at Hayden Middle School.

The North Routt Community Charter School didn't have a steady enrollment, and the Steamboat Springs School District, which the charter school operates in agreement with, implemented certain criteria for the charter school to meet in order to continue operating.

With Poole's guidance, enrollment has increased as has academic achievement in North Routt. Poole is hopeful her experiences in Clark can help the state.

She believes her presence on the Board of Colorado League of Charter Schools validates the North Routt Community Charter School's accomplishments.

"It affirms they recognize this charter school as a successful charter school," Poole said.