Sandra Smyser, the Superintendent of Eagle County Schools brings invaluable expertise, knowledge and passion to the educational realm and the board of the Youth Foundation. Sandra is committed to fostering strong ties for our children by connecting the school community with the multitude of local resources that exist. She’s been a superintendent for nine years in different districts in California and Colorado and has been a principal, assistant superintendent and bilingual special-education teacher. She earned her doctorate in special education in 1995 from the University of California, Riverside.
“She’s an experienced superintendent, and she’s been successful in every place she’s been,” John Pacheco former superintendent said of Sandra when she accepted her position last summer.
Aside from being highly qualified, Sandra truly understands the challenges the school district is facing and has good ideas on how to tackle them. For instance, one of the biggest problems in Eagle County is the achievement gap between English-speaking students and their Spanish-speaking peers — an issue that the Youth Foundation is collectively working with the Eagle County School District to address and something Sandra has experience addressing as well. Sandra seems to be someone who will listen, learn how the district and its complicated pay system work, and show quiet, strong leadership, both as a district administrator and as a dedicated board member to the Youth Foundation. “I see so much potential here,” Sandra said. “I'm looking forward to being here.” The Youth Foundation is eager to have the expertise of Sandra and her commitment to the children of our community.