In schools, January and February feel like the longest months of the year. The freshness of the fall has faded. Spring break feels far away. June might as well be 12 months from now. We joke that we’ve arrived at the “45th day of January,” or perhaps the “6th week of February.” These months test the endurance of students and staff. But, this is also the time of the year when students and staff are at their best.

Despite the challenges, January and February are the heart of the school year. For our kindergarten and elementary school students, routines are well established. The skills we worked on in the fall have built the foundation for challenging new material. In our middle schools, students are digging into content, testing the resilience of middle school friendships, and beginning to identify subject areas that truly interest them. Our high school students haven’t yet caught spring fever, nor have our seniors felt the full weight of “senioritis.” They are still engaged, still leading in their classrooms and communities. Seniors are planning ahead for career and college opportunities, but still very much committed to their coursework. They are working hard to maintain grades, finish strong, and meet requirements for an on time May graduation deadline.

Across all our classrooms, curricular pacing is tight. We are up to speed, working at a sharp tempo; our teachers are conscious of time. Students are challenged to stay engaged, alert, and present. Our teachers encourage them, “Stay with me, you can do this.” 

Just past the halfway point, our teachers have analyzed student mid-year assessments and know the strengths, gaps, and challenges they need to focus on to keep student growth accelerating and student achievement on target. Our academic intervention services, designed to address student gaps, are ever more focused. These are the months when we truly see educators’ expertise and professionalism shine. They are in the thick of it with curriculum and content. They know where and when to nudge, push, cheer, challenge, and pause. That big project or paper they’ve been talking about all year has finally begun. 

Operational teams are also working at maximum capacity. They navigate challenges of weather (transportation delays, power outages, snow covered parking lots, leaky roofs) with flexibility, resilience, and teamwork. Student and family support teams wrap around kids and families in need of additional help during these months that challenge everyone’s mental wellbeing. Partners continue to add value and fill gaps; their staff and volunteers are firmly integrated in our school communities.  

School culture is thriving. BHS students are performing plays they’ve written and directed. The RFHS Student Equity Club is representing rural Colorado at a state-wide diversity conference. Members of GSHS choir will perform in the Colorado All-State Choir Festival next week in Denver. And Bridges High School students leveled up their commitment to attendance and engagement with mid-year shifts in their open/closed campus schedule and Reconnect classes. Winter athletes, including speech and debate teams, are preparing for state competitions. Students from across our K-8 schools are exploring our wintery landscape on snowshoes or skis with science classes and community partners.

Our elementary family literacy nights, art shows, and choir performances are playing to packed houses. Parents and families are attending coffee chats with school counselors, district community forums on drug prevention, and school fundraisers to support a variety of activities. 

District leadership teams are beginning work on 24/25 school budgets and we’ve kicked off the 24/25 hiring season. In the next few weeks we’ll begin to welcome families of the class of 2037 when we launch kindergarten registration. The 2024-2029 Roaring Fork Schools Strategic Plan is nearing completion and will be ready to publish this spring.

Our Board of Education has welcomed new members with a host of projects including ongoing strategic plan support, a superintendent evaluation and hiring process, mission-driven policy adoptions, and they are heading into budget season. 

But students feel January and February more acutely than anyone. These aren’t months of awards and celebrations. This isn’t time to pause and reflect on how far we’ve come. These are months of big work. These are the months when encouragement, support, sleep, attendance, and routine matter. This is the time when our students need to hear, “You can do hard things,” and be surrounded by adults who truly believe they can. And as adults, we need to ensure students have the resources, time, and support to do their best work. 

Community members, if you see our students, staff or teachers out and about, this would be a great time to cheer them on. When you see our students juggling coursework and also bagging groceries; when you see our staff squeezing in time to run, ski, or attend a basketball game; if you see our crews clearing snow from parking lots at 2am, or notice the bus driver trying to stay warm on chilly mornings, thank them. If you notice families with young children exhausted, tired from “You can do it!” pep talks, homework help, and attending events, tell them to hang in there. Tell them they’ve got this. 

Even though it’s hard, even though January and February last forever, we’ll make it. In the Roaring Fork Schools, this is when we’re at our best.

Dr. Anna Cole is interim superintendent for Roaring School District. She is also the RFSD Chief of Student & Family Services.