When the global coronavirus pandemic closed our schools in March, Dr. Jackie Kapushion was an instrumental partner in organizing resources and developing systemic processes that would lead our district forward in a time of crisis. Throughout the pandemic, she has been the key nexus of communication between the district leadership team and our school administrators, and also championed community support initiatives including the operation of two community resource centers, the utilization of our Mobile Lab to distribute thousands of books and STEM activities across our 411 square miles. Additionally,  she was instrumental in the development of learning models for synchronous online and hybrid instruction, and in working with our technology department to ensure each child had access to an iPad and internet connectivity.
Dr. Kapushion makes every person feel valued and spends an immeasurable amount of time connecting with our teachers, staff, students, business partners, and other community members to not only build strong personal connections, but to best understand how our robust public education system can continue to support our community and advance excellence for our students.
During the start of the pandemic, she intentionally rotated teams in and out of the district to ensure they were paying attention to their personal well-being. An example of this was her support and role in advancing an all-staff walking podcast to start this academic year – an event that shared a unified vision with all staff that also allowed for social distancing and the opportunity for our community to safely exercise in the outdoors with colleagues.
Dr. Kapushion is one of the strongest educational leaders I have ever had the privilege to work with.
—Don Haddad
Superintendent, St. Vrain Valley Schools