Mancos School District RE-6A has announced that one of its teachers has been selected to serve on Colorado Education Commissioner Susana Córdova's teacher cabinet.
According to the acceptance email received by Mancos teacher Nicole Gregerson, teachers in the cabinet will join “a group of educators from across the state to contribute your voices, perspectives and feedback on state-level issues.”
Gregerson has been part of the Mancos school district since 2006. Though she works as a kindergarten teacher, she has also worked as a first grade, third grade and multiage kindergarten/first grade teacher in the district.
She shared that she hopes to give a voice to rural schools in the state, and that was one of the things that made her wish to join the cabinet.
“Rural schools often face unique challenges, such as limited resources, fewer educational opportunities and difficulties in attracting and retaining qualified staff. Giving a voice to these schools can help advocate for more equitable funding and policies that support their specific needs,” Gregerson told The Journal.
Rural schools, despite their often limited resources, are making their mark on students, and Gregerson said she hopes to showcase this.
“As I step into this new role, I am committed to amplifying the voices of all rural schools,” Gregerson said. “My passion lies in showcasing the remarkable dedication of our teachers and staff, as well as the outstanding achievements of our students, all of which are accomplished despite limited resources.”
Córdova, visited the Mancos school district last spring. After her trip, she told Superintendent Todd Cordrey that she’d like to see someone from the district be part of the cabinet.
“She was able to go in a lot of our classrooms and really see firsthand the high level of instruction that our teachers deliver our students,” Cordrey said. “When it came time where there became a vacancy on her teacher cabinet, the commissioner of education reached out to me and said that she’d really like to see someone in your region or in, ideally, in your district, who could be a voice for your school district in your region and for small, rural education.”
Members of the cabinet serve a two-year term, and Gregerson will be part of the cabinet until October 2027. Emma Garrett-Nelson, chief communications officer for the Colorado Department of Education, shared that the cabinet now has representation “from every geographic area and district type in our state.”
“It is a great honor to be selected for this cabinet. I am eager to represent the unique needs and perspectives of rural Southwest Colorado school districts, ensuring their voices are heard and their challenges are addressed at the state level,” Gregerson said. “I am very humbled to be chosen and hope to make my voice heard at the state level.”
Cordrey said that Gregerson would represent the community and region well.
“Nicole is excited to be able to provide meaningful advice to the commissioner of education and provide insights on what it means to be a teacher in a smaller community,” Gregerson said. “She’s a master teacher. She’s incredibly talented, and she’s been with the district as one of our kindergarten teachers for well over a decade.”
The next two meetings of the cabinet will take place on Feb. 28 and May 2 in Denver.
