Four candidates are competing for two open seats on the Steamboat Springs School District Board of Education this November, as Board President Katy Lee and Vice President Chresta Brinkman are barred by term limits from seeking re-election. 

Both Lee and Brinkman won re-election in 2021 — Lee was first elected in 2017, Brinkman in 2019 — and have each served multiple terms and will be succeeded by fresh leadership.

Candidates Lauren Rennolds, AJ Summers, Kim Lemmer and Jane Toothaker each spoke with the Steamboat Pilot & Today to discuss how their respective backgrounds and experience prepare them to address the various challenges facing the district. 

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Lauren Rennolds: Protecting kids’ futures and educational transparency

Rennolds, a software professional and mother to a 20-month-old, said her motivation to run comes from a deep desire to secure a positive future not only for her child but for the entire community’s youth, as well as the impact teachers had on her own life. 

“I really care about his future — he’ll be entering the school system at some point — and the future of his peers,” said Rennolds, who has broad experience working with children, from teaching preschool to mentoring through Big Brothers Big Sisters. 

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She identified affordable housing as a critical issue for the district’s ability to retain staff. 

“Steamboat needs to be affordable,” she said. “It really just takes a big thought process and a lot of community involvement.”

Rennolds is also a strong advocate for increased transparency and parental involvement in students’ education. She prioritizes parental rights in areas such as sex education, arguing that content needs to be clearly communicated to and approved by parents.

“I think the type of content that students are exposed to needs to be very clear to the parents. There needs to be a lot more transparency in what’s being taught, and really more focused on the fundamentals of education,” she said.

School safety is another top concern for Rennolds, especially in light of the federal lawsuit currently facing the district. She supports expanding school resource officers and mental health initiatives to create safer environments where families feel confident sending their children. 

Regarding the contentious potential sale of the Whistler property, Rennolds said she is not yet sufficiently informed to comment but acknowledged public opposition.

Looking ahead five years, she hopes to see a greater focus on parental rights, vocational training initiatives and tangible progress on affordable housing solutions.

AJ Summers: Parental insight and championing student mental health

With three children in the district, Summers enters the race with a strong parent perspective alongside professional expertise as an engineer and city planning commissioner. 

“I’m running for school board because I want to build safe schools where every student feels welcome, every educator is empowered and every family is heard,” he said. 

As a current member of the city’s Planning Commission, a flag football coach, and a board member for both the Cub Scouts and the Boy Scouts, Summers, who works as a partner at Landmark Consultants, boasts a range of ties to the community. 

“I kind of have my hands full, but I’m kind of in the middle of all of it,” he said, “so I thought it would be a good fit.”

A key component of Summers’ platform focuses on “the mental health crisis plaguing ski towns” like Steamboat, exacerbated by bullying and social exclusion. 

“We all know a family or two that’s moved out of town due to bullying or a family that’s struggling with it,” he said. “We need to strengthen initiatives of mental health support, and we all need to hold ourselves accountable to prevent more tragedies.” 

“Students shouldn’t be getting bullied or called names on the bus or in school or at school-sanctioned events, and 
I want to try to help put a stop to that,” he added. 

Summers also underscored the need to ensure teachers have sufficient professional development opportunities and that cost-of-living issues are addressed to retain educators.

“The cost of living can be quite prohibitive,” he said, “but my experience as a planning commissioner, as an engineer, and a land surveyor fits it nicely with that piece.”

Summers said he hopes that in five years, every child will have the resources to thrive, educators will be supported and retained, and the community will be working together to reduce its mental health struggles. 

Kim Lemmer: Bringing data-driven decision making to school governance

Lemmer, who grew up attending public schools and has two daughters, a niece and nephew in the district, brings both scientific expertise and firsthand teaching experience to her candidacy. 

“As an engaged, community-minded parent, and with my professional background as a research scientist with a PhD in molecular biology, I think that I have some valuable skills to bring to the board,” said Lemmer, who referred to herself as an “analytical thinker.”

“In my professional life, I make evidence-based decisions based on many different inputs, including large data sets, while considering many perspectives,” she said, connecting her decisionmaking skills to her capabilities as a potential board member. “I’m experienced at looking at the big picture and identifying pathways with the best chance of success for the greatest impact.”

She also spent a year as a classroom teacher at Steamboat Mountain School. While she did not pursue an education career, she noted that the experience taught her how difficult the practice of teaching is and the importance of supporting teachers for district success. 

Lemmer acknowledged teacher recruitment and retention as pressing challenges, noting that the high cost of living and an upcoming wave of teacher retirements make affordable housing a top concern.

Mental health also remains a key focus, as does policy development for an evolving technological landscape — particularly regarding the use of artificial intelligence in schools.

Regarding the controversial Whistler property, Lemmer noted the district’s shift to building teacher housing at Sleeping Giant and explained that financing those plans might necessitate selling Whistler. She emphasized safeguarding community interests while maintaining district financial stability.

In five years, Lemmer envisions rising student achievement and mental health indicators, strong teacher satisfaction, and graduates succeeding in diverse postsecondary paths. 

Jane Toothaker: Veteran educator with high standards for success

With more than 45 years in public education, including roles as a teacher, principal, special education director, Board of Cooperative Education Services Executive Director and consultant for the Colorado Department of Education, Toothaker brings seasoned expertise to the race. 

Having lived in Steamboat since 1980, with involvement in the Rotary Club, Girl Scouts and 4-H, she has deep roots in the community and broad experience in educational leadership.

“I’m dedicated to providing quality education and resources for our community,” said Toothaker. “I’ll strive to ensure every student has access to the tools they need to succeed, and I think it’s important for me to step up and support our Steamboat Springs School District.” 

Toothaker’s campaign centers on maintaining the district’s high academic standards, especially in literacy and math, and promoting inclusive learning. She stressed supporting high-quality teaching staff as essential for student success, recognizing affordable housing as critical for attracting and retaining educators.

She advocates for “closing the achievement gap” through an updated strategic plan with goals like low dropout rates, high graduation rates, and sustained parent and community engagement. Toothaker supports sustainable funding, including continuation of sales tax revenues dedicated to education.

She described services for “special populations” as “near and dear to (her) heart,” underscoring the need for adequate support for English language learners, special education students and other hard-to-reach groups. 

“These are important, but they also can be expensive, but we also need to provide that continued focus on individualized instruction and classroom support that these students need,” she said. 

Regarding the sale of Whistler property, Toothaker said she prefers to hear more from district leadership before forming an opinion. 

Election day is Nov. 4. To contact the candidates or learn more about their campaigns, see the following: 

• Lauren Rennolds: LaurenRennoldsSB25@gmail.com
• AJ Summers: asmmrs@gmail.com
• Kim Lemmer: Kim.Lemmer@gmail.com
• Jane Toothaker: JaneToothaker@gmail.com, Jane4SchoolBoard.com