Kenny Teitler, the current District A representative for the Roaring Fork School District Board of Education, will not run for reelection in November, he told the Post Independent on Thursday morning.

The announcement came just hours after the first regularly scheduled board meeting of the 2025-26 school year.

Teitler said the choice followed months of difficult deliberation.

“It was a really hard decision to come by,” he said. “I feel very honored by the opportunity and job I was able to do. I got to work with an outstanding group of people — everyone from the teachers and staff to the board.”

Teitler said he will miss many aspects of the role but feels the board is in a strong position for the next representative.

“The board is made up of really thoughtful, selfless and inspiring individuals,” he said. “Giving that up, and not being a part of that great team of board members and not being able to work with the great staff throughout the district makes it hard to walk away.

“I was a teacher in our district for 28 years, and I felt myself missing education after retiring six years ago. Being on the school board helped me fill that gap. Now, after four years on the board, I feel like I’ve been able to work on some of the areas I’ve been most passionate about and I feel like I have wrapped up my educational career. I feel like now is the time to pursue other passions of mine.”

Elected in 2021 with nearly 75% of the vote, Teitler campaigned on his longtime experience in the district and a desire to better serve second-language and Latino students while addressing achievement gaps.

“Some of the work that has been done during my years on the board, including policies around diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and culturally and linguistically diverse education, were done to remove obstacles and provide equitable opportunities for all children,” Teitler said.

As of Thursday afternoon, Jodi Barr had filed the only application for the District A seat. Barr submitted her candidacy paperwork Tuesday.

“I feel comfortable that the district, led by Dr. Cole, is in good hands,” Teitler said. “She is a forward-thinking superintendent, a person who leads with integrity, vision, empathy and a collaborative approach.”

District A extends south of Highway 82 and east of Highway 133, reaching as far as Woody Creek. An interactive map of district boundaries is available at rfschools.com.

Applications for open board seats close at 3:30 p.m. Friday. Completed petitions must be submitted in person to Designated Election Official Jonathan Landon by 3:30 p.m. Aug. 29 at the district office, 400 Sopris Ave., Carbondale.

Petitions may be obtained by contacting Landon via email at jlandon@rfschools.com or (970) 384-6009. Spanish speakers can contact Cristina Vargas at cvargas@rfschools.com or (970) 384-6026.