Deann Bucher 

Website: deannbucher.com

Age: 61

Years in director district: 21 years

Education: Master’s degree in information and learning technologies from the University of Colorado Denver, Colorado Certificate of Education from the University of Colorado Boulder, bachelor’s degree in music at the University of Denver.

Professional background: Working at Fusion Academy Boulder County. Retired from BVSD after 27 years, serving both as a teacher and at the Education Center. Worked mainly at Monarch High, but also worked at Angevine Middle and Broomfield High.

Political/community experience: Participated in several organizations dedicated to advancing LGBTQ rights. Presented equity and diversity training in many settings,  worked with the Boulder Latino History Project and is a member of the NAACP.

The Trump administration is working to end targeted support for students of color and protections for transgender and immigrant students. Would you advocate for the district to continue supporting these student groups, and if so, in what ways?

The changes that will limit access to post-secondary experiences for our young people of color, women or for first-generation college attendees will be devastating. The limitations on funding from federal sources will bring risks to the mental health of our students. Setting high expectations for all will come with a lack of equitable access. Additionally, I am truly afraid for the mental and physical health of our LGBTQia+ students who are being used as scapegoats in the culture war.  I would expect BVSD to go the distance to protect legal and privacy rights.

Declining enrollment and constricted state budgets are creating a budget crunch for school districts. Where would you cut Boulder Valley’s budget, if necessary?

One problem that will need to be addressed is the discussion of closing schools. I am a strong advocate for neighborhood schools and recognize their importance in uniting neighborhoods and fostering belonging. The difficult decision to cut/close a school could come when the programs available to students begin to be reduced, making the school a less-than-optimal option. For example, if not enough students are enrolled in SAAC, drama or any supplemental teacher-provided programs, the quality of the school declines. We want our students to have excellent and equitable opportunities. As a board, we need to evaluate when, or if, the tipping point is reached, and sacrifices are necessary.

What’s the most important issue facing the district, and how would you address it?

In the long term, BVSD will experience these disruptive changes amid a nationwide teacher shortage. Some other local districts are using foresight to recruit and retain teachers.  While BVSD has had the luxury of drawing teachers to our workforce, the future is uncertain. Let’s see BVSD create programs that would anticipate the shortage. We cannot expect our staff members to pick up the slack and teach extraordinarily large classes when schools are currently running on donated time by dedicated professionals. We are also witnessing teacher burnout due to the high job demands. We must take care of our teachers.