La Veta School District’s vision for success is to be a model for rural education in the State of Colorado. The achievement of that vision is being undertaken by focusing on the development and use of continuous improvement processes, employing and developing a high quality faculty and support staff, designing a 21st century learning environment conducive to effective instructional practices, and promoting leadership at all levels including students, families, teachers, support staff, administrators and board governance.  

With a student population of approximately 220 students, La Veta School District is an environment that lends itself to a personalized approach focused on each student’s interests, talents and aspirations. La Veta has a highly individualized approach to achieving its mission to graduate lifelong learners and productive citizens. Our current effort is to work with each student to ensure that they are well prepared for their next steps beyond high school, whether their choices lead them to university, community college, on-the-job training or directly into the workforce. High school seniors develop personal portfolios and participate in final interviews with community members who assess their readiness to transition to their chosen post-secondary pursuits. There is explicit and intentional focus on a growth mindset, goal setting, self-awareness and reflection.

Base salary starts at $32,800 with step increases of $500 offered each year. Base salary increases each year are scheduled at approximately 2%. 

A single health insurance premium is fully covered and the district is committed to assuming increases in premium costs year over year. The current deductible is at $750. The district pursues multiple strategies to support preventative health care. As a single example, we hold a flu clinic at school each fall. 

Two weeks' paid time off can accumulate over time to a total of 40 days. Time accumulated over 40 days is paid out annually.

Students in our environment are welcome and encouraged to explore the teaching profession formally through one-to-one partnerships with current teaching staff. Additionally, we promote leadership and learning through a variety of programs, all of which contribute to the development of future teaches.

The school community has grown through attention to student interests, talents and aspirations. In recent years, teachers and students have become involved in: community-wide environmental activities designed to promote recycling and assess local water quality, an extensive dual credit program that excels in spite of small class sizes, and a movement to a fully inclusive school environment for students with exceptional needs. This spring, we formally introduced project-based learning into the master schedule and during that class students collaborate with community members and university professors to assess the active living environment around them in order to design for the future.

Additionally, we support travel and are proud to have our vocational agriculture program tour different parts of the country each spring to learn about agricultural production, while our Anatomy & Physiology class visits a cadaver lab, our junior class overnights at CSU-Ft. Collins to learn about the university experience and our outdoor living class travels to Ft. Garland to learn about how that community installed a recreation center and pool. We believe community engagement and experiential learning are at the forefront of “deeper learning,” though we continue to experience challenges presented by living through a paradigm shift in education. We aspire to be innovative and forward thinking, but understand that bringing all stakeholders along in that process will take time, attention and positive energy.