Dr. David Baugh will be at the helm of Aspen School District as the new superintendent starting July 1st, and is bringing a lifelong love of learning and collaboration to the district. Baugh will be moving to the valley from Pennsylvania, where he previously worked as a superintendent in the Centennial School District and was the recipient of the 2020 Pennsylvania Superintendent of the Year.
Baugh began his career in education in upstate New York, working as a Special Education teacher. He then continued to move up in the education world, driven by his desire to continue learning, until this curiosity landed him a position as a superintendent. Baugh’s interest in working in the mountains was sparked when he volunteered for the World Cup in Beaver Creek. When the superintendent position opened in Aspen, Baugh’s desire to experience working in a mountain town drove him to apply. Baugh’s spirit of inquiry is what propels him.
“I love learning. I’m a voracious reader, and I’m always trying to learn to do things better,” commented Baugh in an interview over Google Hangouts on April 17th.
Whenever a seemingly educational opportunity arises, Baugh makes sure he is there. From working in the lunchroom serving food to students, to shoveling snow on campus during snow days, and now distributing food to families during the COVID-19 outbreak, Baugh has been hands-on in almost all aspects of his former district’s functions.
“It’s very much a ‘roll up the sleeves and go to work’ job, and so you learn a lot from everything, even the lunchroom,” Baugh said.
Baugh has been hands-on in many school districts over the years, allowing him the opportunity to work with a variety of people and create a positive impact in their lives. The accomplishments he cherishes the most are connections with students.
“Lots of little things like [helping students] end up making a career where you’re just proud of helping people,” Baugh mentioned.
Looking forward to the 2020-2021 school year in Aspen, Baugh feels that ASD will have a strong start, no matter if it is online or in-person. He is excited to start promoting current opportunities for students, as well as working to create new ones.
“There’s a lot of opportunities [in Aspen], and if I take half of this opportunity and half of that opportunity and combine the two, we could have a whole new opportunity,” Baugh mused in the interview.
Baugh heavily encourages inviting him to school events and wants to be involved in the school community, working with Pre-K to12th grade.
“Don’t be shy; if you’ve got something, you think I should know, shoot me an email or drop by. I like to be open, visible, and accessible,” Baugh shared.
Hobbies of Baugh include alpine and nordic skiing, as well as pottery. He has a love for teaching ceramics and philosophy but would love to help out as a substitute teacher in any area. He is excited to begin working as well as exploring the mountains in Aspen.
“I am super proud to be the superintendent of Aspen,” Baugh said. “Just about [helping out with] anything anywhere would be a lot of fun.”