WES News

Big celebrations are in order at Wamsley Elementary School. Our Wildcats have officially soared to green!

The School Performance Framework (SPF), often thought of as the state’s “report card” for schools, measures how much students are learning and growing each year. Schools can earn ratings ranging from Turnaround (red) to Performance with Distinction (blue), and this year, Wamsley Elementary proudly reached the Green Performance level!

The Garfield Re-2 School Board held its regular meeting on Wednesday, June 25 at the district office. Thank you all who came to the meeting!

We began the evening by celebrating the outstanding accomplishments of our high school spring sports athletes. Heather Grumley and Lisa Pierce shared heartfelt and enthusiastic reports on the incredible success of our student-athletes. This meeting also marked their final presentation before retiring. We extend our deepest gratitude to both Heather and Lisa for their years of dedicated service to our students, schools, and community. We will miss you both! 

The Garfield Re-2 School Board celebrated outgoing Board President Britton Fletchall at their June 25, 225 school board meeting and declared a vacancy in Director District A.

Fletchall submitted a letter of resignation on June 18 and shared that his decision is rooted in the growth of his business, which now requires more travel and extended time away from the area.

“Serving has never been a burden, but a true motivator,” he explained. “While I value the ability to participate remotely, I believe this level of board service is most effective when done in person.”

If you hand Aaron Hermiller a 1,000-piece jigsaw, he’ll dive right in—because for this self-described “puzzle nerd,” he enjoys seeing every piece click into place. Beginning July 1, 2025 (pending Board approval on May 14), Hermiller will bring his talents for solving complex challenges to a brand-new puzzle: guiding the students and staff of Graham Mesa Elementary to even higher levels of success.

Mr. Hermiller will take the reins from the current Principal, Brian Sprenger, who resigned earlier this year.

Currently a fourth-grade teacher and instructional coach at Wamsley Elementary, Hermiller has spent 11 years in Garfield Re-2 in a variety of roles, including classroom teacher and academic coach. He holds a Bachelor of Science from Ohio State University, a Master of Science in Education from the University of Findlay, and his Principal Certification is from Western Colorado University.

RIFLE, CO - The Garfield Re-2 School District is pleased to announce that Kirk Banghart will serve as the next Superintendent beginning July 1, 2025. His contract was unanimously approved at the April 9, 2025, School Board meeting. Mr. Banghart will take over for current Superintendent Heather Grumley, who is retiring at the end of the school year after five years in the superintendent role and over 30 years in the Garfield Re-2 School District.

Mr. Banghart brings a passion for continuous improvement, a deep respect for the great work happening in Garfield Re-2, and a commitment to listening and learning from the community. His contract will officially begin July 1, 2025, and he will begin spending time in Garfield Re-2 a few days a month, specifically to support critical hiring decisions and get to know the staff of the District. 

Wamsley Elementary first graders brought a busload of holiday cheer to the Hotel Colorado when they visited just before Thanksgiving break. These tiny tree trimmers helped the Hotel Colorado staff fill the halls with Christmas spirit. 

Armed with handmade ornaments resembling tiny, colorful ski hats, glittered pine cones, and clay-crafted snowflakes and candy canes, these holiday helpers transformed two of the hotel’s iconic Christmas trees into dazzling displays of warmth and community spirit. Their thoughtful contributions now sparkle among the more than 60 decorated trees and boughs of holly that fill the hotel, as they have for over 130 years. 

Garfield Re-2 Superintendent Heather Grumley has informed the Garfield Re-2 School Board of her intent to retire at the end of the 2024-25 school year.

Grumley will continue as Superintendent through June 30, 2025.

Every day in school is critical. 

As a four-day school week, if a Garfield Re-2 student misses just two days a month, that is about 30 hours of math instruction and 60 hours of English Language Arts instruction that they are missing. 

“We know that the best indicator of student success is having a great teacher in front of students. We want all of our students in class if they are healthy,” said Assistant Superintendent Lisa Pierce, who facilitated the concerted effort by the District to support improved attendance.