Center Consolidated School District 26JT

Center Consolidated School District is now accepting applications for the 2026-27 School Year.

At tonight’s Annual Spring Band Concert, Superintendent Carrie was congratulated on her upcoming retirement, and the High School Band performed “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond in her honor.

Official State Qualifiers!! 4x100 - Becklynn Bogner, Maya Swanson, Landry Neufeld, Oceana Garcia 4x200- Becklynn Bogner, Landry Neufeld, Oceana Garcia, Alyciana Lujan 300m Hurdles- Becklynn Bogner Discus- Emiliana Valdez Congrats and Go Vikings

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2026

Center Consolidated School District Board of Education
Names Benjamin Dutton Sole Finalist for Superintendent

CENTER, Colorado — At a special Board meeting on May 7, 2026, the Center Consolidated School District Board of Education named Benjamin Dutton as the sole finalist for Superintendent of Schools following a comprehensive national search conducted in partnership with Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates and the Colorado Association of School Boards.

The Board’s decision follows a thorough and thoughtful process that included stakeholder engagement, community input, candidate screening, finalist interviews, and on-site district visits. Each step was designed to identify the leader best prepared to serve the Center community and guide the district into its next chapter.

The superintendent search reflected the Board’s commitment to transparency, stakeholder voice, and careful decision-making. Throughout the process, the Board gathered input from staff, families, students, and community members through surveys, focus groups, and public engagement opportunities. That feedback helped shape the district’s leadership profile and informed the Board’s evaluation of candidates throughout the search.

Dutton brings nearly 20 years of experience as an educational leader, including service as a secondary principal, rural Colorado superintendent, and university administrator. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration from the University of Nebraska and Colorado State University, respectively, as well as a master’s degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University. He is licensed to teach vocational business in Arizona and holds K–12 principal and administrator licenses in Colorado.

Dutton currently serves as Rural Prosperity Lead Educator in the University of Nebraska system, where he leads regional initiatives focused on workforce readiness, strategic planning, entrepreneurship, and community vitality. Throughout his career, he has worked to connect schools with the broader community and expand opportunities for students both in and beyond the classroom.

Dutton is a relationship-first leader who believes trust and communication are the foundation of successful schools. He enjoys getting to know people, listening to their stories, and working collaboratively to move organizations forward. He is especially passionate about helping districts create meaningful pathways for students beyond high school while continuing to strengthen day-to-day classroom learning.

Having spent much of his life in rural communities, Dutton values the role schools play as the heart of the community. He and his wife, Janet, both speak Spanish and value living in multicultural communities, recognizing the important role culture and community play in student success. Outside of work, Dutton and his family enjoy hiking, camping, and exploring the outdoors. He is excited about the opportunity to become part of the Center community.

Ben Dutton said, “I am honored and excited to join the Center community. Throughout this process, I was impressed by the pride, resilience, and strong sense of family that exists throughout the district and community. It is clear that Center cares deeply about its students and their future. I look forward to building strong relationships, listening and learning from the community, and working together to provide outstanding opportunities for every student.”

“Benjamin Dutton emerged from this process as a leader of strong character, deep experience, and clear commitment to students, staff, and community. The Board is confident he has the leadership qualities, values, and vision needed to serve Center Consolidated School District well,” Kimberlee Duran, Board President.

The Board of Education thanks the staff, students, families, community members, and search consultants who contributed their time, perspectives, and support throughout this important process. Their engagement played a vital role in helping the Board identify the leadership qualities, priorities, and experiences most important to the future of Center Consolidated School District.

Additional information regarding the superintendent search process is available on the Center Consolidated School District website.

https://aptg.co/r_pqfV

We had another exciting week at Center Schools. Check it out @ www.center-of-focus.com.

May 2026 Newsletter - Skoglund Middle & Center High School
English: https://app.smore.com/n/cpyhv
Spanish: https://app.smore.com/n/2dkbv

📢 AD's Corner: Spring Season Wrap-Up & State Bound! Welcome Back, Viking Nation! What a way to close out the spring! The energy across our athletic programs over the last few weeks has been nothing short of electric. We are seeing the grit, resilience, and hard work that we’ve been building all year long finally come to fruition. 👟 Track & Field: Alert! Alert! 🚨 Our track team is officially awesome! We competed at the **Last Chance** track meet in Monte Vista over the weekend, and the results were spectacular: * **Girls:** MEET CHAMPIONS! * **Boys:** 6th Place. We saw so many PRs (Personal Records) and state-placing marks during the meet. While we are bursting with pride, we are waiting for the official word from CHSAA before we announce our state qualifiers. We should know for sure by midday tomorrow, so **STAY TUNED!** I am so incredibly proud of this entire team. For such a young group, the growth we’ve seen over the last three months of hard work is inspiring. * **Uniform Note:** If you are not competing at State, please turn your jersey in to the athletic office ASAP! * **Parents:** We will have a full practice plan and the State Track itinerary ready tomorrow. 🏟️ Triple D Track Meet Success A huge special thanks to everyone who helped with the **Triple D Track Meet on May 5**. Even with a last-minute scramble to find a timer, we made it happen! It was a beautiful day of competition, and bringing a state-qualifying meet back to our community was truly special. Big shout out to **Coach Vigil** for essentially setting the entire event up. ⚾ Baseball: Ending on a High Note **High School:** Our Vikings finished the season on fire with a **4-game winning streak**, including series sweeps against Trinidad and South Park! It was a long, tough season, and seeing them finish on such a positive note was fantastic. Special thanks to **Coach Noriega and Coach Salazar** for their dedication and hard work. **Middle School:** Against all odds, our MS team finished with a consolation championship that felt like a movie script! With only 8 players and facing a massive deficit, they fought back to win on a **stolen home base** in the bottom of the 8th inning! Huge shout out to **Coach Z and Coach Martinez** on a successful season. 🎓 A Tribute to Our Seniors To our graduating seniors: Thank you. For the last four years, you have been the heartbeat of Viking Athletics. You have shown up through the wins, the losses, the injuries, and the coaching changes, always representing Center with pride. You have laid the foundation for the younger athletes behind you, and your dedication to the blue and white will not be forgotten. Once a Viking, always a Viking! 🏐 🏈 Looking Ahead to Fall The grit and resilience I've seen lately make it easy to hit the ground running for the fall. Volleyball: I have big expectations following last year’s regional appearance. We are even hosting an 8-team tournament on August 29! Football: We are gearing up for a fresh start with a new coaching staff and a new look as we move to 8-man football. Coach Z is already working with the boys, and the future looks incredibly bright. Fall schedules will be out soon! 🗓️ Important Dates * **May 14–16:** State Track @ JEFFCO * **May 21:** HS Athletic Banquet (6:00 PM) * **May 21:** Last day for Seniors * **May 28:** Last day of school! * **May 30:** Graduation 🌟 The AD's Closing Thought With the hiring of a new superintendent, I want to take a personal moment to express my deepest gratitude to Mrs. Zimmerman. Carrie, thank you for giving a guy from Aguilar the opportunity to join the Viking Family and for trusting me to serve as your Athletic Director. From the moment I stepped foot on campus, you welcomed me with open arms and unwavering support. Your belief in my vision for this department has meant more to me than you know, and it has been a true honor and a pleasure to work under your leadership. Viking Nation is certainly going to miss you, and we wish you nothing but the very best in your next chapter. Have a great week, everybody! GO VIKINGS!! I leave you with two quotes this week: "Wise man says forgiveness is devine, but never pay full price for late pizza!"— *Michaelangelo the Ninja Turtle* "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." — *Winston Churchill* -Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose!- Adam Sperandio Athletic Director Center School District

Happy National Nurses Week to two of the best! Wendy Murillo and Taylor Hacsi are an important part of our Viking Family. They work hard to keep kids and staff safe and healthy! We heart them. xo

SAVE THE DATE
Haskin Elementary
5th Grade Continuation
When: Thursday, May 21, 2026
Time: 2:00 PM
Where: Auditorium

SAVE THE DATE
Haskin Elementary
Kindergarten Graduation
When: Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM
Where: Auditorium

Meet the Superintendent Finalists!

The Center Consolidated School District invites you to meet the finalists for the Superintendent position. Join us for an evening to learn more about Benjamin Dutton, Andrew Hawkins, and Roxanne Vigil as they share their vision for our school district. We look forward to your feedback on each candidate and hope to see you there.

Thursday, May 7, 2026
6:15 -8:30 pm • Building X, Room 105
Your voice matters - be a part of the conversation!
More details: https://aptg.co/nhxHV9

Here’s to another great week at Center Schools!
This week, we proudly celebrate our incredible teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week. We are fortunate to have a dedicated and talented instructional team in our district.

They truly are the best of the best, and we are grateful for all they do!

Learn more about the great things happening in our district at: www.center-of-focus.comH

Don't forget to join us for the Saguache County Resource Fair this Saturday, starting at 10:00 am at the Mountain Valley Football field in Saguache! We will have food, entertainment, great family resources, and fun for all! Transportation will be provided from Center Schools starting at 10:00 am and running every hour until 2:00 pm. Don't miss out!

Center Schools would like to recognize each member of our transportation department on National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day! Thanks to Miriam Gonzalez, Tony Garcia, Randy Martinez, Debra Lujan, Arnold Lujan, Robin James, Dulce Gonzalez, Mike and Carol Phillips, and Joann Clutter! You are the best team around. Thanks for keeping our kids safe and for keeping the wheels on the bus going round and round!

Center Schools Families/ Centro Escuelas Familias,

We conducted a **DRILL Fire DRILL** today. Students and staff did a great job.
Go Vikings!

Hoy realizamos un **simulacro de incendio**. Los estudiantes y el personal hicieron un gran trabajo.
¡Vamos, Vikings!

The boys HS baseball game against North Fork originally scheduled for 4/18 has been moved to 4/30 and will be played in Gunnison at 1pm and 3pm

Due to lack of players, the middle school baseball game scheduled for today against Centauri has been cancelled. There will not be a makeup.

Center Consolidated School District Board of Education Selects Superintendent Finalists

The Center Consolidated School District 26JT has selected three finalists in its search for the next District Superintendent: Benjamin Dutton, Andrew Hawkins, and Roxanne Vigil.

As part of the selection process, the three finalists will spend a day in the district on Thursday, May 7. The day will include tours of the schools and community, and time to meet with staff and students. Parents, families, and community members will also have an opportunity to meet the candidates in a public session in the evening.

All interested district employees, families, parents, and community members are invited to attend the sessions, which will be held on May 7, from 6:15-8:30 p.m. in the new Building X, Room 105. Each finalist will introduce themselves and answer questions during their individual 45-minute session. A representative from the search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA) will be present for the evening as well.

All Center School District staff, students, parents, and community members will have the opportunity to share their feedback with the Board throughout these days using an online form, accessible via a provided link and QR code. The Board values and appreciates everyone’s input as it informs this important decision. Final interviews with each candidate will be conducted by the Board on the evening of May 7, with deliberations following the interviews. The Board intends to name the next Center Consolidated School District superintendent on the evening of May 7, 2026 following their deliberations.

Below are details on each of the finalists:
https://aptg.co/nhxHV9

Center Schools had another fantastic week- Prom, published student authors, strong parent involvement, and fabulous opportunities for our students- thanks to our amazing staff!

Take a moment to check it out at www.center-of-focus.com. Have a great last week of April!