Grand County school board candidates are in
Nominations for school board candidacy in Grand County closed on Aug. 29 for the regular biennial election to occur on Nov. 4, 2025. As locally elected policy makers, school board members are tasked with duties such as employing the superintendent, overseeing the school district budget and creating policies that shape the school district’s educational philosophy.
This year, the at-large West Grand School District will elect five board members and the subdivided East Grand School District will elect board members in four of its six director districts.
In West Grand, four of the five elected board members will serve a four-year term, while the fifth will serve a two-year term. Six candidates have applied and been approved to run for the four-year term:
- Bryan Klotz, incumbent, head coach of middle school track and football at West Grand Junior/Senior High School
- Fletcher Flaningan, owner of Lazy Shamrock Ranch
- Katy (Kathryn) Hanson, Breckenridge Grand Vacations
- Scott “Bud” Esquibel, Middle Park Medical Foundation Board Member
- Grover Pryor, former mayor of Kremmling
- Harold Lee Bruchez, battalion chief for Eagle River Fire Protection District
Two candidates, Taedra Hickam and Sheena Darland, will run for the two-year term position.
- Taedra Hickam, administrator at CSU Extension in Kremmling
- Sheena Darland, director of Grand County housing authority
In East Grand, the majority of candidates will run unopposed with the exception of the district 3 seat. Christian Hornbaker, who currently holds the seat and serves as the board’s secretary, will run against Karissa Gagnon. If Gagnon wins the seat, the role of secretary will be reassigned at a future public school board meeting.
The remaining candidates who are running unopposed are:
- District 2: Christopher Raines, incumbent
- District 1: Thomas Schnellinger, incumbent
- District 6: David Hickam
West Grand is an at-large district, meaning candidates can live anywhere within Grand, Eagle or Summit Counties. In East Grand, board members must live in the director district they are elected to represent.
District 1: Western boundary near U.S. Highway 125, Stillwater Ranch/Creek, U.S. Highways 34 and 40 and Pole Creek.
District 2: Fraser/Winter Park area: Pole Creek, U.S. Highway 40, Idlewild Ln., Cooper Creek, Vasquez Rd. and Rendezvous.
District 3: Northern area: Ranch Creek, County Rds 8 and 60, Lodgepole, U.S. Highway 34, Lake Granby, Colorado River and Rocky Mountain National Park.
District 4: Fraser Valley east to county line: Ranch Creek, U.S. Highway 40, Union Pacific Railroad and Winter Park neighborhoods.
District 5: Central area between U.S. Highways 34 & 40: County Rd 60, Legacy Park and Lodgepole roads.
District 6: Western boundary & north: Colorado Highway 125, Gold Run, Trail Creek, Stillwater, Lake Granby, Colorado River and Rocky Mountain National Park.
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