Kim Dillivan

After two terms, Kim Dillivan, Park County School District 1’s school board chairman, wants another go-round in what he calls a great district. 

“I want to do what I can to help maintain that and to the extent I can and we can make it even better,” Dillivan said. “I love being on the board, I love working with this board.”

He added that he considers it a privilege to work with Superintendent Jay Curtis and the district's teachers and staff.

In his eight years, Dillivan said he has gathered a lot of experience through professional development and board duties. He wants to make a difference and help people, and on the board he thinks he can make a difference. 

“Learning, knowledge is huge,” Dillivan said. “I love it, and for me to be a part of that, for me to help facilitate the knowledge acquisition, the learning of our students, and how that makes them a better person, is huge, and I want to continue to do that.” 

Dillivan said Powell’s board members are serving on the board for the right reasons and all are working for the benefit of each student and supporting staff while representing the community.

“When we’re on the board, we’re not progressive, we’re not conservative, we’re not a Democrat, we’re not a Republican, we’re a trustee,” Dillivan said. 

There are several important issues on the district level, he said, highlighting school safety planning, book complaints and maintaining school funding. 

Within the next year the school safety plan will be undergoing revisions, Dillivan said, mentioning the district hired a safety auditor in September. 

“I've not seen the results yet, but we will work on a new school safety plan, you know, try to identify any gaps or any areas that we need to improve on,” Dillivan said.

Whether or not Powell schools will allow concealed carry among staff is likely to be a big issue, he said, noting lawmakers will likely be working on legislation to repeal gun free zones, adding that as a board the trustees may want to provide their opinion to lawmakers.

Dillivan also mentioned school funding as a big issue, saying the board will need to work with state lawmakers, give them the district’s priorities and “try to educate them, try to inform them.”

The district has also been receiving occasional requests for reconsiderations on books and other pieces found in school libraries following a revamped book policy two years ago.

“Occasionally there's an item or an article or book that comes up for reconsideration … so that is kind of a thing that comes up on a regular basis,” Dillivan said. 

At the PCSD1 Parents Group forum on Oct. 9 Dillivan answered questions involving guns in school, library materials and school funding. At the forum he supported board control over government control regarding concealed carry, and said that questionable material should go through the reconsideration process. In terms of funding he noted that the district is in good financial standing, and if cutbacks do come, the district would have to address that, he said. 

Overall, Dillivan is impressed with the district, student performance and activities offered. He wants district staff “to keep learning, keep being trained, keep going to professional development, keep being creative and innovative.”