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School Views: Celebrating the first semester

Thursday marks the last day of the first half of the 2024-25 school year, with many students and staff eagerly eyeing the winter break. The first-semester milestone is a good time to look back and celebrate the amazing things our students have accomplished.

From the classroom to the stage, to the courts and fields of athletic competition, our youth have racked up more than a few accomplishments. We’re fortunate to have many noteworthy items, and I will do my best to mention as many as possible.

Before getting to our numerous student accomplishments, I want to celebrate Eagle County School District as a whole. We’ve seen exciting capital improvements come to fruition up and down the valley. These projects have been made possible by the bond initiative we put on last year’s ballot, so thank you to all who voted to support us.



Those funds have gone toward safety and security improvements at every school, renovations and expansion at the Edwards Early Learning Center, breaking ground on the Gypsum Early Learning Center and workforce housing project, various infrastructure improvements at Maloit Park that will result in another much-needed workforce housing project, exciting updates and improvements to athletic fields at both Battle Mountain and Eagle Valley high schools, and a new fully accessible playground at Red Hill Elementary School.

We also saw the installation of a new solar array at Brush Creek Elementary School in partnership with Walking Mountains Science Center, The Palmer Fund, Active Energy Solar Inc., and the town of Eagle. The panels will power the school’s greenhouse electrical system.

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Our high schools had a terrific fall athletic season. The Battle Mountain boys soccer team made its fourth semifinal match in a row. This is an amazing accomplishment, and team accolades for the season included one player being named to the All-American team, so a special shoutout to senior Daniel Sanchez. The seniors on the team have had quite the run throughout their tenure.

Speaking of running, we are never short on “fast” here. Members of the Eagle Valley and Battle Mountain cross-country teams competed at the Nike Southwest Regional championship, with many turning out personal bests in the process. That race was after Eagle Valley High School put up a program-best fourth-place finish at the state meet. The Battle Mountain girls finished second in their division.

Fall 2024 was also a great season for our local volleyball teams. The Battle Mountain teams came hot out of the gates winning their first 20 matches and ending the season with a state tournament appearance and a final record of 23-3. At the opposite end of the valley, Eagle Valley volleyball had a terrific season as well, finishing second on the Western Slope behind only Battle Mountain, comprising a league record of 8-4. 

The Devils football team put together a successful season and had a great three-game winning streak toward the end of the season, which I’m confident they’ll be able to use to continue to build the program next year. 

Our girls softball team at Eagle Valley recorded its best season in over a decade on the diamond and made a return to the state tournament. Finally, our athletes from Vail Ski & Snowboard Academy and Eagle Valley competed at the state mountain biking championships finishing one-two out of the field of 42 teams. 

Congrats to all of our students who competed. Your accolades are well-earned. 

I’m also incredibly proud of our theater performances. They’re always so well done. This year, Battle Mountain performed “Romeo and Juliet” while Eagle Valley students demonstrated their talents in the humorous “One Stoplight Town.” I’d be remiss to not also mention Homestake Peak School’s performance of the musical “Peter Pan Jr.” and Gypsum Creek Middle School’s “Alice in Wonderland.” Berry Creek and Eagle Valley middle schools both showed off their talents with winter concerts performed by their bands.

And a huge shoutout to three of our high schools for being named to the AP School Honor Roll. Eagle Valley High School, Battle Mountain High School, and Vail Ski & Snowboard Academy have all earned Bronze, Gold, and Platinum statuses, respectively. Eagle Valley was also recognized with the AP Access Award, which honors schools that demonstrate a clear and effective commitment to equitable access to advanced coursework. 

Across the district, we’ve seen an extremely successful rollout of our cell phone policy. While not loved by all, the majority of the feedback I have gotten is that it has helped to improve the learning environment of our students.

Finally, I’d like to recognize our community. Earlier this year, we were all victimized by a series of swatting incidents that were meant to scare us and have us living in fear. They were initially successful in that endeavor, but we came together and rose above the fear. With the support of various community partners and local law enforcement, we handled the threats and came out the other side stronger. I’m proud of our community for helping us do that, and I’m proud to call Eagle County my home.  

Over the next few weeks, whatever you find yourself doing, whether work or play, be sure to look around and take a moment to soak in your surroundings. The holidays are a great time to be in Eagle County, and I encourage you to not take that for granted. I look forward to seeing all our students and staff in 2025.

Philip Qualman is the superintendent of Eagle County School District. Email him at philip.qualman@eagleschools.net.


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