🍽️ Now Hiring: Part-Time Kitchen Assistant
Vilas School District is accepting applications for a Part-Time Kitchen Assistant position. If you’re passionate about preparing nutritious meals and making a difference in the lives of students, we’d love to hear from you! Open until filled, equal opportunity employer. Please reach out to the district for an application and questions.
📍 Position open until filled
📞 Contact: Abby Pettinger
📱 719-523-6738
📧 abby@vilask12.org
❄️ Weather Delay Notice – Monday, January 26 ❄️
Due to weather conditions, Vilas School will be on a late start on Monday, 1/26.
🕘 School will begin at 9:40 AM
🥣 No breakfast will be served
🚌 Buses will run as scheduled
Due to weather conditions, Vilas School will be on a late start on Monday, 1/26.
🕘 School will begin at 9:40 AM
🥣 No breakfast will be served
🚌 Buses will run as scheduled
Thank you to State School Board of Education members, Kathy Gebhardt and Kathy Plomer, for visiting rural districts in Southeast Colorado!
We appreciated the opportunity to share how individualized student education and innovative programming in small rural districts lead to strong, above-average outcomes for students. Thank you for supporting the amazing work happening in our rural schools—we look forward to the next visit!
💙 Thank You, Vilas School Board Members 💙
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our Vilas School Board members for their continued dedication, leadership, and service to our students, staff, and community.
John Wittler, Bill Brooks, Dennis Thompson, Rebecca Schroder, and Vance Alfrey.
Serving on a school board takes time, thoughtful decision-making, and a deep commitment to doing what’s best for kids—often behind the scenes and outside of regular work hours. Our board members help guide the vision of our district, support innovative opportunities for students.
We are grateful for your willingness to serve, your thoughtful questions, and your steady leadership. Thank you for all you do to support Vilas School and the students we serve. 💙🤍
We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to our Vilas School Board members for their continued dedication, leadership, and service to our students, staff, and community.
John Wittler, Bill Brooks, Dennis Thompson, Rebecca Schroder, and Vance Alfrey.
Serving on a school board takes time, thoughtful decision-making, and a deep commitment to doing what’s best for kids—often behind the scenes and outside of regular work hours. Our board members help guide the vision of our district, support innovative opportunities for students.
We are grateful for your willingness to serve, your thoughtful questions, and your steady leadership. Thank you for all you do to support Vilas School and the students we serve. 💙🤍
Join us for South Baca vs Walsh In Walsh on Monday, January 19, 2026 for some basketball! Here are the links to watch the games on! SaddleRock Sports Network
Lady’s link:
https://www.youtube.com/live/M1TSnOnnP1Y?si=joOrEa7bP1N3cxuL
Men’s Link:
https://www.youtube.com/live/VAYAiRywE0w?si=5sR680vCGIynAhAR
🌱🎉 Exciting News! 🎉🌱
Vilas School District is proud to be a recipient of the Harvest of Innovation Grant! This grant supports a student-led, multi-district Farm-to-School network, where students grow, research, and share local food through school meals, community markets, and inter-district “Harvest Swaps.” We’re excited to expand hands-on learning, student leadership, and access to fresh, local foods for our community.
Vilas School District is proud to be a recipient of the Harvest of Innovation Grant! This grant supports a student-led, multi-district Farm-to-School network, where students grow, research, and share local food through school meals, community markets, and inter-district “Harvest Swaps.” We’re excited to expand hands-on learning, student leadership, and access to fresh, local foods for our community.
📊 Celebrating Strong Outcomes at Vilas! 🎓
We’re excited to share that Vilas School District continues to show a positive graduation trend, with a graduation rate consistently above 90%—well above the state average.
This data highlights the impact of our rural district’s commitment to individualized and whole-child education. We are proud of our students’ increased engagement, determination, and success—Vilas Grit in action. 🎓💪
We’re excited to share that Vilas School District continues to show a positive graduation trend, with a graduation rate consistently above 90%—well above the state average.
This data highlights the impact of our rural district’s commitment to individualized and whole-child education. We are proud of our students’ increased engagement, determination, and success—Vilas Grit in action. 🎓💪
🌱 Food Production has been busy! 🌱
Students have been learning through hydroponics, experimenting with building their own systems, and testing them with strawberries 🍓—and we’d definitely call it a success! They’ve also been hard at work preparing the garden for spring planting. Hands-on learning at its best!
Students have been learning through hydroponics, experimenting with building their own systems, and testing them with strawberries 🍓—and we’d definitely call it a success! They’ve also been hard at work preparing the garden for spring planting. Hands-on learning at its best!
📅 Important Schedule Updates – Please Read 📅
We have a few upcoming schedule updates to share:
🔹 January 30
• Junior High Knowledge Bowl hosted in the morning
• Science Fair Expo | 12:30–1:30 PM
Parents and community members are invited to visit with students about their projects
• Parent-Teacher Conferences | 1:30–3:30 PM
If you are unable to attend during this time, please call the school to schedule an alternate meeting with teachers
🔹 February 27
• Parent-Teacher Conferences will NOT be held
• This day will be our Homecoming and Parents Night
• More information about these activities will be shared soon
Thank you for your flexibility and continued support of our students and staff!
We have a few upcoming schedule updates to share:
🔹 January 30
• Junior High Knowledge Bowl hosted in the morning
• Science Fair Expo | 12:30–1:30 PM
Parents and community members are invited to visit with students about their projects
• Parent-Teacher Conferences | 1:30–3:30 PM
If you are unable to attend during this time, please call the school to schedule an alternate meeting with teachers
🔹 February 27
• Parent-Teacher Conferences will NOT be held
• This day will be our Homecoming and Parents Night
• More information about these activities will be shared soon
Thank you for your flexibility and continued support of our students and staff!
🎉 Congratulations to Eliana Gutierrez! 🎉
Eliana has been selected to receive the DAR Good Citizen Award from the Daughters of the American Revolution, recognizing her for embodying dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism in her school, home, and community. A well-deserved recognition!
Eliana has been selected to receive the DAR Good Citizen Award from the Daughters of the American Revolution, recognizing her for embodying dependability, service, leadership, and patriotism in her school, home, and community. A well-deserved recognition!
Congratulations to our students on the Principal’s List and Superintendent’s List!
We’re proud of your hard work and dedication—keep it up! 🎉📚
We’re proud of your hard work and dedication—keep it up! 🎉📚
🍳🥪 January Breakfast & Lunch Menus
Check out what’s cooking in the cafeteria this month!
Check out what’s cooking in the cafeteria this month!
🎄🎅🎁📅❄️✨
🎉📚 We are ending the semester with celebrations!
Congratulations to our students for their hard work and commitment:
⭐ Landen Pettinger – Elementary Positive Attendance
⭐ Anabelle Pettinger – JH/HS Positive Attendance
⭐ JJ Sullivan – Elementary Grit Award
⭐ Christian Bear – JH/HS AR Reading & IXL Award
⭐ Billy Beecham – Elementary IXL Award
⭐ Osman Yanes – JH/HS Grit Award
Congratulations to our students for their hard work and commitment:
⭐ Landen Pettinger – Elementary Positive Attendance
⭐ Anabelle Pettinger – JH/HS Positive Attendance
⭐ JJ Sullivan – Elementary Grit Award
⭐ Christian Bear – JH/HS AR Reading & IXL Award
⭐ Billy Beecham – Elementary IXL Award
⭐ Osman Yanes – JH/HS Grit Award
❄️📚 Our 4th and 5th graders celebrated reaching their AR reading goals with a Winter Fun Day! Way to go for putting in the hard work and making reading a priority. We’re so proud of you!
🌱 Innovation at its finest! Students in our Food Production Pathway have built a homemade hydroponics.🍓
🎄🎬 We’ve been busy enjoying the season! From our Christmas theatre production to Christmas at Capital Theatre, students had a wonderful time.
Thank you to Baca County Foods for helping our elementary students learn about behind-the-scenes jobs and experiences!
📢📢Here are the links for today's games in Pritchett stating at 4pm. South Baca Patriots VS Las Animas Trojans! Join us live on SaddleRock Sports Network
Girls' Link:
https://www.youtube.com/live/00Ff8r1fbsE?si=0vp4xAHvHcpTZzqU
Boys' Link:
https://www.youtube.com/live/jbCiodPt-nU?si=CumVm6kW-bYKPCz8
This week, students from Vilas Leadership Team traveled to the CASB (Colorado Association for School Boards) Conference for an experience rooted in service, student voice, and leadership.
Students chose to lean into service learning, creating warm fleece blankets to donate to Children’s Hospital and hospice—a project they designed and led themselves.
The following day was presentation day, where we shared the Post-Secondary and Workforce Readiness (PWR) work happening in our district. Our students confidently answered questions about their experiences and the impact these opportunities have had on them.
Anabelle, who serves on the student Colorado Gifted & Talented Board, present to school board members on person anecdotes and ideas for change. Additionally, student artwork by Brielle Bond and Delainey Thompson was featured in the conference art exhibits.
Through presenting, networking, and attending sessions alongside education leaders from across Colorado, our students and district leaders gained invaluable real-world experience. Moments like these show the power of student voice.
🎄 Join us this Thursday for our Christmas Program!
We’ve heard Santa might be making a special stop with goodies for the kids!
Dinner starts at 5:30-6:45pm
Program starts at 7pm
We’ve heard Santa might be making a special stop with goodies for the kids!
Dinner starts at 5:30-6:45pm
Program starts at 7pm
