Aspen School Board appoints new president

The Aspen School Board welcomed new members, appointed a new board president, and honored resigning members on Wednesday afternoon, making official the Nov. 4 school board election results.

The school board welcomed freelance journalist and former teacher Elizabeth Stewart-Severy, who they appointed as board secretary, as well as designer and entrepreneur William Gilmore. Former Aspen School Board President Christa Gieszl was reelected to the team but will take on a new role as vice president. She swapped positions with former Vice President Sarah Daniels, who was appointed as the board’s next president. Cassie Harrelson will continue her role on the board as treasurer.

Resigning from the board are Suzy Zimet, who reached her term limit after two, back-to-back, four-year terms, and School Board Secretary Stacey Weiss, who chose to step away after a single term.

Both Gieszl and Aspen School District Superintendent Tharyn Mulberry thanked Zimet and Weiss for their service to the board. 

Addressing Zimet first, Gieszl expressed her deep gratitude for eight years of service.

“I appreciate your meticulous attention to detail, rigorously reviewing each presentation and addressing corrections down to the grammar to ensure that we’re the highest functioning board possible,” she said.

She emphasized Zimet’s passion for academics as a powerful driving force. 

“Your unwavering focus on this objective has led to substantial improvements in our goals, reflected in our raising scores and meaningful changes for our students,” she added. 

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Gieszl then complemented Weiss on her service as a board member.

“You’ve always come prepared, participated fully, and offered perspectives that have been greatly appreciated,” she said. “I particularly admire how you thoroughly think through matters before speaking, and when you do your well articulated points are always on target.”

She thanked Weiss for her dedication to ASD children and for focusing on “the whole child” as well as on academic achievement. 

“Thank you so much for exceptional service to our school,” she added. 

Weiss and Zimet delivered remarks of their own, expressing their gratitude toward those they worked with. 

“I have to say, it’s helped a lot to be part of a high functioning team,” Weiss said. “It’s been very collaborative and collegial, and I never thought when I ran for this office and got elected that I would end up making some really wonderful friends.” 

She thanked the support the board has received from the administrative team and school staff and added that she and Zimet are leaving things in good hands with the two new members of the board. 

“And I would just like to say that it is so very gratifying to leave the district in such incredibly good shape financially and academically,” Zimet added. “And on that note, I think it’s time for me to retire.”