Dear Students,

You are my greatest concern. I brood about you nightly and wake with worries. It’s hard to have work-life boundaries when you are a teacher. My job does not start at 8:25 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m. More time is warranted to meet your needs. 

You need safe spaces and culturally-responsive lessons. You deserve hands-on learning experiences with real-world authenticity. By law, many of you need specialized activities to ensure equitable access to knowledge. 

As your teacher, I do so much more than my contractual obligations. I keep you calm during lockdown drills, meet with you when you experience a mental health crisis, help you navigate the age of social media, and support your executive functioning journey.

What other job allows you to be a content expert, instructional coach, behavioral interventionist, and civil rights specialist?

I do my job for you and never let my financial instability affect my classroom relationships. I have taught in Routt County for thirty years, and my family earns far below the median household income. I do not eat at restaurants or take vacations. I work each summer. 

This May, the Steamboat Springs Educational Association is trying (as they do annually) to negotiate a salary package that reflects the real cost of living and teaching in Steamboat. 

I will always put my most positive foot forward for you. Yet I also sincerely hope the community and school district understand the financial panic my colleagues and I so masterfully disguise.

Sincerely,

Cindy Ruzicka, Steamboat Springs Middle School