Kristin Schmidt, Choice Programming Coordinator, and Castle View Grad has Deep Roots in DCSD
Kristin’s DCSD journey began as a kindergarten student at Sedalia Elementary. She liked it there so much that decades later she sent her five children to Sedalia Elementary!
As a student, Kristin remembers loving school and favorite traditions, like field day, holiday sing-alongs, talent shows, Halloween functions, and school programs. Her kids also enjoyed these functions that were attended by past and future families, not just current families.
Kristin reflects on the school’s physical changes. “When I was there, it was half its current size and the gym has since doubled in size. But the amazing views from the playground remain!” she says. Sedalia Elementary is one of the longest continuously operating schools in Colorado.
After Kristin’s fifth-grade year at Sedalia Elementary, her family moved to Castle Rock. Kristin missed her sixth-grade year and finished elementary school at South Ridge Elementary. Kristin remembers it was a big adjustment coming from a small rural school to a more ‘urban’ setting. “To me, it felt like moving to L.A.! That’s how different the culture was. A big part of that was that I was sad to leave such a tight-knit community,” she says. That experience aids her in her role as choice programming coordinator, helping families enroll their children in schools throughout DCSD.
Just as Kristin’s family moved from Sedalia to Castle Rock when she was young, Kristin and her husband also moved when their older children were attending Sedalia; however, they decided that their kids would stay enrolled at Sedalia Elementary. “There was never a doubt in our minds that we would keep them all there when we moved to Castle Rock. Our kids were thriving, making good choices, and we loved the connections they had already made,” says Kristin. For a decade Kristin and her husband transported their children to and from school!
In our transient world, it’s rare that parents and their kids have attended the same schools. “As a parent, I felt lucky to have my children attend the same school I did. Sedalia was, and still is, a fantastic community. There weren’t that many differences between when I was there and when my kids attended Sedalia, and that’s what I loved about it. The small community, much slower pace, and teachers and staff played an active part in my children’s lives and continued to support them throughout the years. We still send Christmas cards to Mrs. Johnson, my kids’ second-grade teacher. And Mrs. Rooney was a student teacher when my oldest was in Kindergarten and she’s now in her 23rd year at Sedalia," she continued.
Ironically, Kristin’s daughter married the son of the SSN (Significant Support Needs) teacher who has been at Sedalia for 19 years. And another daughter is a SSN teacher at Castle View High School. Kristin’s husband, Hans, was a member of Highlands Ranch High School’s first graduating class and he has coached football for Castle View High School for many years. Kristin will celebrate her 10th year with DCSD in August 2023. Talk about a DCSD family affair!