Green Sprouts

1/13/10- Sirko taking state post

Aspen School District Superintendent Dr. Diana Sirko is resigning her position in Aspen as of June 4 to take a position as deputy commissioner of education at the Colorado Department of Education.

In her new position, Sirko will be in charge of “curriculum and instruction” for the department, according to the Aspen School District.

“It’s very exciting for me as a lifelong member of Colorado’s educational system, to try to have an impact at the state level, to do what’s best for all kids across the entire state,” said Sirko in a prepared statement.

Mark Stevens, director of communications for the department of education, confirmed Sirko’s hiring and said Sirko will be replacing Ken Turner, who is listed on the department’s organizational chart as being deputy commissioner for “learning and results.”

The department had not issued a press release about Sirko’s appointment by the end of the day Tuesday and Dwight Jones, the state commissioner of education, was unavailable for comment.

The state’s department of education oversees many aspects of local schools, including accreditation, teacher licensing and transportation. It also administers and distributes funds from a number of state and federal sources.

“This is a top job in the department of education,” said Todd Engdahl, Capitol editor for Education News Colorado, which publishes at EdNewsColorado.org. “The department has lots of policy issues on its plate because of education reforms that have been passed in the last two legislative sessions. So there is a lot do.”

Turner, who recently resigned as deputy commissioner, had launched a public review of the state’s CSAP testing program and Engdahl expected that Sirko would be overseeing that process in her new position.

“This job has been the main policy implementation job,” Engdahl said. “And a big part of Ken Turner’s job was supervising and coordinating the Colorado Achievement Plan for Kids, which was a law passed in 2008. That’s the law that required the creation of new content standards.”

Sirko did not return two requests for an interview on Tuesday, despite the Aspen School Board having sent out a press release about her new position.

Sirko, 56, has served on numerous educational committees, worked on curriculum and instructional programs statewide and has served on a variety of professional boards, according to the district. She has led the Aspen district and its elementary, middle school and high school since 2003 after working for years in the Colorado Springs school district.

She told the Aspen Board of Education last fall that she was likely to retire from her position at the end of the 2010-2011 school year.

“I have loved my seven years in the Aspen School District,” Sirko said in her prepared statement. “It has been a true pleasure to work with our students, staff, and community.”

Sirko’s husband is Mike Sirko, who is the coach of the Aspen High School football team.

“I’m glad my husband will continue to coach at Aspen High School so I will still have the opportunity to be part of this great school district,” Sirko’s statement said.

Aspen Board of Education will begin looking for a new superintendent immediately.

“Filling Diana’s shoes will be no small task, but we’re confident the district has some exciting opportunities ahead,” said board president Charla Belinski in a statement. “The district’s staff and administrators are a cohesive and skilled team, and their professionalism leaves no doubt that we will remain in good hands throughout the transition.”

Sirko and her husband intend to remain in the Aspen area while commuting to her new office in Denver, according to the school district.

bgs@aspendailynews.com