In Vail… Parents Get to Choose
Long before I became superintendent, I was a Vail dad. Like many of you, my wife and I moved to Vail when our girls were young because we wanted them to be a part of high quality schools that truly cared about them and would help them learn, grow and thrive.
I had been working in the district for several years at that point, but we lived in town when our girls were born. As they got closer to school age, we wrestled with the decision of where they would go to school. We had choices near our home, but they were between neighborhood public schools and charter schools that weren’t highly rated. We also considered sending them to a private school which had a good reputation but was expensive, and frankly beyond its reputation, we simply had no way of measuring the quality of education they provided.
We knew the quality of schools in Vail, as they are publicly available to anyone. We believed deeply in the mission of the district to, “provide parents with safe nurturing school communities where their children can obtain a quality education”. So, in spite of the fact that we loved our neighborhood, we packed up and moved to Vail.
That decision made over twenty years ago proved to be one of the best decisions we made as parents. Our girls thrived in Vail schools. They are much better adults today because of the education, experiences, and love that they received from countless adults while attending school.
Today, parents have more choices than ever about where and how to educate their children. It’s a critically important choice that parents wrestle with, just as we did all those years ago.
In Vail, we work really hard to ensure that parents have high quality choices in a variety of school settings where children can thrive. We understand that children are different, and no single school model can meet the needs of every child.
As parents, my wife and I experienced firsthand award-winning teachers and programs, exceptional leadership, and above all, schools that cared deeply for children. What drives me most as superintendent, is ensuring that those same conditions are available to every family today in our district, just like they were available to our family.
A Unique Approach to Education
Choosing a school isn’t about finding “the best” one, because all of our schools are high-quality choices. It’s about finding the right fit for each child. This choice is the cornerstone of our philosophy—empowering parents to select the environment where their child will thrive. In Vail, we believe that parents know their children best, and we have intentionally built our school system from the ground up to offer this flexibility.
We understand that every child is different. Even siblings often have unique interests, talents, and needs, which flourish in different environments. That’s why Vail offers a variety of schools—so every family can find an education setting that best fits their needs.
We intentionally have different types and sizes of schools, from small elementary and K-8 schools to large, comprehensive high schools. Programming at each school is reflective of the culture and focus of that respective school. Yet, one thing remains constant across all schools – they each offer high quality education and programs delivered by caring adults.
You can learn more about each school at our district website: www.vailschooldistrict.orgor simply call Amy Castle, our Enrollment Concierge, at (520) 879-3982 and she can help you through the process of choosing a school that will best fit your child’s needs.
We Seek to be Your 1st Choice for Education
This month, Vail will host Kindergarten Enrollment Nights at each of our schools. These events give parents the opportunity to explore and choose the best fit for their incoming kindergartner. Whether the right school is the one just down the street or another option within the district, one thing is certain: in Vail, every school is a high-quality choice.
By John Carruth
Vail School Superintendent
