New Interim Superintendent for Trinidad School District #1
by David J. Santistevan Jr.
TRINIDAD — Trinidad School District #1’s new interim superintendent Bonnie Aaron is a mother, sister, wife, and someone with a positive attitude, ready to help Trinidad School District #1 move into the future with a positive outlook.
Aaron, born in Commerce City, CO, comes from a big family with two sisters, one brother, two half-brothers, six step-brothers, and four step-sisters. Aaron says she was the child caught in the middle. She attended Hudson Elementary in Weld, CO, went to Weld Central (Keensburg), and to Bell Junior High (Golden). She also went to Northglenn High School and Lakewood High School, graduating from Lakewood in 1980.
While in high school, she participated in volleyball, soccer, flag corps, and Junior Achievement where she co-hosted a Saturday morning TV show in the Denver metro area called Colorado Teen Magazine.
After graduation, she attended Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, UT, majoring in coaching from 1980-1981.
In 1981, Aaron married Joel Aaron. Both had attended Lakewood High School. They have three children, a son Jason, a daughter Tiffany, and their youngest, Levi. The new couple just happened to spend their honeymoon here in Trinidad in August of 1981. (They stayed at the 54 Motel).
Joel went to Tech School at Lowery Air Force Base in Denver after which he was transferred to Holloman AFB in Alamogordo, NM. Joel and Bonnie lived in Alamogodo from 1981 to 1993, while Bonnie went to New Mexico State University studying elementary education.
In 1993, Joel was transferred as a civilian contractor to Barksdale AFB in Shreveport, LA. Bonnie went one year to Louisiana State University (LSU), continuing to study elementary education. She then attended Central Missouri State University (know today as University of Central Missouri) where she earned her bachelor of science and master of science in education. She has also earned her doctorate of education leadership from Saint Louis University in St. Louis, MO (2009-2012).
Aaron says, “I am glad to be here. Trinidad has so much to offer and the school district has so much to offer our students. What drew me here was the great small town family feeling. I believe with student self-efficacy and a collective teacher efficacy, the students at Trinidad will continue on a successful academic trajectory.” (Self-efficacy reflects confidence in the ability to exert control over one’s own motivation, behavior, and social environment.)
Aaron worked as a teacher from 1998 to 2003 in Knob Noster, MO, and was a K-12 principal from 2003 to 2005 in Keytesville, MO. She became a superintendent at two different schools in Missouri from 2007 to 2011, then in 2011 became the Director of the Office of Special Education Compliance in Jefferson City, MO, a position she held until 2013 when she began working as the assistant superintendent of the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled, part of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in Jefferson City, MO.
Aaron ended by saying, “I am interested in what the students, parents, and teachers are willing to do to ensure success for every student. I want to serve this community and this district to the best of my ability.
“My goal is to focus on the district’s budget for this and next year. We will work on getting a Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant. If we can get it, it will help out the district with the money needed to bring the middle school up to code.
“I want to establish trust, continuity, and good relationships with our staff and students. I have visited all the buildings in the district and have tried to meet as many of our students and staff as possible. I also had the opportunity to meet some parents on the night of the meet and greet.
“Student Achivement is on the rise here at the district, and I want to keep monitoring it. The students and staff have taken pride and stepped up as part of Leader in Me, a very empowering program. I am excited to help the district continue this program. We must get students back into our district and I want to focus on all the good things our teachers, staff, students, and district have to offer.”
