This past Monday, Frank Reeves, superintendent of the East Grand School District, spoke to the monthly meeting of the Grand County Democratic Party. We invited him to give us an update on school issues.

He talked about how well the school system, the staff and the students have weathered this past year’s COVID epidemic as well as the fires this fall. He pointed out that the combinations of distance learning and in-person learning protected everyone, and led to only one COVID transmission. He pointed out that the measures the system used helped all feel more safe and secure to learn. The much touted “learning gap” seems to have been smaller here than expected.

Reeves told us that the school system is expecting to get an $800,000 one-time award from the current COVID relief plan. This will be used to improve the ventilation systems in school buildings so that full time, in-person school attendance will be safe. However, this one-time infusion of cash can’t be used to increase teachers’ salaries or expand buildings. He sees both those long-term actions as necessary for the county’s health.

He pointed out that every single square foot of space in every building is already being used and the number of children in Grand County is expected to increase. Hence the system is planning to request a bond issue in the elections in the fall of 2021 to county’s schools. The GCDP fully supports this goal. Reeves is a persuasive and connected advocate for the county’s future.

— Susan Newcomer, chair, Grand County Democratic Party