Being a teacher is great because it fuses human connections and relationships with discovery and imagination. Teaching is also a great career choice if you like to laugh, have fun, and be witness to the learning process as it takes shape. Teaching is demanding, but the rewards are so worth the effort and grit it takes; it's a profession that allows for profound impact.
Teaching
K-1st Grade Elementary Teacher
ELPA (English Language Proficiency Act) Coordinator
Not yet a licensed teacher? Don't worry! You can still apply for a teaching position today. Learn more about Colorado's alternative licensure pathway here.
Montrose County School District RE-1J by the numbers
400
Dedicated Teachers
6,050
Engaged Learners
$43,000
New Teacher Starting Salary
About Montrose County School District RE-1J
Centrally located on the Western Slope at the “Gateway to the Black Canyon”, Montrose County School District (MCSD) is the largest rural district in the state, as well as Colorado’s first STEM District. Serving more than 6,000 students in Montrose and Olathe, MCSD is committed to providing all students with a robust, rigorous educational experience, engaging students in critical thinking, creativity and collaborative problem-solving through relevant, real-world applications that prepare students for post-secondary opportunities and future careers.
Students, school staff and their families belong to a close-knit community of more than 40,000 people and enjoy the unique natural beauty and breathtaking landscapes that offer a wide variety of outdoor adventures and activities, whether it’s skiing Telluride, boating Blue Mesa, fishing the Uncompahgre River, hiking in the Black Canyon, hunting on Grand Mesa or enjoying the natural hot springs in Ouray. Residents of Montrose and Olathe get the benefits of a small town atmosphere with all the amenities of a larger city within the wide-open spaces of Western Colorado, where the pace of life is just a little slower and a little sweeter.
Montrose County is a unique region to live and work!
Teaching in MCSD allows opportunities for working collaboratively in an innovative community of educators, well-supported and unified by district leadership while retaining autonomy in each school.
We provide an abundance of professional development offerings ranging from innovative STEM and Problem-based learning programming, trauma-informed practices, Kagan Coaching, Capturing Kids Hearts, and many evidence-based educational training options. As a rural school district, we are a community and not just a classroom. MCSD offers the small town charm of seeing your students at the game on Friday, but also wide-open spaces to get lost on the weekends and holidays. New teachers are paired with highly-qualified mentors for induction and onboarding, providing the orientation and shared skills of standards-based instruction and classroom management.
We partner with our local education association to negotiate fair compensation under a master contract of guaranteed equity and benefits. Other partnerships include Northglenn High School’s STEM Launch and Northglenn K-8 STEM Lab, Mindspark Learning, Colorado Mesa University, grades 6-12 one-to-one iPad technology partner with Apple, and a range of other connections and agencies. Local businesses and community experts regularly work with students to solve real-world problems currently facing Montrose County.
Teacher salaries range from $43,000- $66,779 based on the 2023-24 salary schedule. Teacher education and related experience determine salaries.
Montrose County School district offers a competitive benefits package for all employees.
MCSD students have several options to explore the teaching profession. Secondary students enrolled with the Project Unify program can intern with licensed special education teachers to mentor and assist special education Significant Support Needs students, both with classroom instruction and Special Olympics activities.
Additionally, high school students may enroll in an Early Childhood Education CTE concurrent enrollment program at the Colorado Mesa University Montrose Campus, earning transcripted course credit required to become an early childhood teacher.
In the Career Opportunities Studies internship program, students interested in becoming a teacher can apply for the H.E.L.P. (Help Educate Little People) Program to partner with a licensed teacher who serves as their mentor as they gain valuable classroom experience.
Click on the link below to explore job opportunities in Montrose County School District.
