Zac Opps

Zac Opps, a district parent and a longtime Powell teacher turned educational researcher, has once again thrown his hat in the ring for a seat on the Park County School District 1 school board.

Opps taught robotics, computer science and engineering classes and worked as an instructional facilitator for 17 years, 14 of those at Powell High School and Powell Middle School. He now works as an educational researcher where he looks at how K-12 education can be more relevant. 

“I think I've really had good fortune of seeing a lot of different perspectives in schools, a lot of things that are effective and some things that maybe aren't as effective,” Opps said of his time in education. “And I feel like as a board member, there's a lot of value in being able to look at an issue from a multitude of perspectives and lenses and thinking about how it will impact different stakeholders.”

Finding what works best for students is what matters most in the end, Opps said. 

He first campaigned for a board seat in 2022 and is running again because “over time I’ve better come to see the importance and the value of the board’s role in cultivating the right environment for school success,” he said adding “I think that it’s really, really important work and is key to success for Powell schools and that’s certainly something I want to be a part of.”

For Opps, the most important issue specific to the district is preparing students for a world that is quickly changing. The district needs to hone in on what skillsets students will need to be successful in the 21st century, he said.

“Everything has been turned on its head, you know, really quickly with the dramatic changes that happened in the last few years,” Opps said. “AI is just suddenly great at all kinds of things that require a college degree, but it can't perform any of the work that skilled tradespeople do, so it’s just created so many boarding opportunities for graduates that are prepared to enter those kinds of careers.”

What might these changes mean for teachers and students?

“I really think it's time for us to reevaluate what school should look like in this coming age of automation,” Opps said. 

Overall, Opps praised the high-performing district and said since moving to Powell he and his family have been nothing but impressed.

“One thing I would say that really stands out is the level of individualized care and attention that every student receives inside and outside the classroom,” Opps said. “I feel like our students are known and cared for, and that there are people who advocate for them, regardless of what their interests, abilities, backgrounds are, and that certainly doesn't happen everywhere.”