D49 Board of Education Members
Contact all board members
Phone: (719)495-1128
Board Members Simultaneously: allboardofeducation@d49.org
Director District 1
Holly Withers, Vice President
November 2025 - November 29
Phone: (719)491-4334
Email: holly.withers@d49.org
Director District 2
Deb Schmidt
November 2023 - RESIGNED November 24, 2026
Email: deb.schmidt@d49.org
Director District 3
Marie La Vere-Wright, President
November 2023 - November 2027
Phone: 719-671-5414
Email: marie.laverewright@d49.org
Director District 4
Lori Thompson, Secretary
November 2025 - November 29
Phone: 719-671-5422
Email: lori.thompson@d49.org
Director District 5
Mike Heil, Treasurer
November 2023 - November 2027
Phone: 719-453-5598
Email: mike.heil@d49.org
Overview
The District 49 Board of Education works to advance excellence in public education through effective leadership by locally elected directors. The Board of Education is comprised of five directors that represent five specific areas of the school district. See which director district your home is in on the interactive map, below.
The Colorado Association of School Boards was established in 1940 to provide a structure through which school board members could unite in their efforts to promote the interests and welfare of Colorado’s 178 school districts. CASB represents and advocates for more than 1,000 school board members and superintendents statewide to groups both within and outside the K–12 education community. CASB provides services, information and training programs to support school board members as they govern their local districts. Membership benefits and solutions are designed to enhance school board effectiveness and help board members increase their knowledge, boost their efficiency and connect with their communities.
Director Districts
District 49 provides educational opportunities in more than 133 square miles of suburban and rural areas, from Colorado Springs to the Falcon area of El Paso County. In November 2015, the district's electorate approved an option to ensure local representation. The approved ballot measure changed the school district's plan of representation from five at-large seats to five director districts.
During an election, only voters who reside within the boundaries of a director district are eligible to cast a vote for that district's candidate, so voters may choose who will best represent their area. The number of board directors will never exceed five, and each area of the district's community will have an opportunity to elect a director for a four-year term.
In February 2023, the direct districts were updated to satisfy D49’s statutory obligation to establish districts that are compact, congruent, and as equivalent in population as possible.
Either search for a residence on the map, or input the street address and click on the lot.
Meeting Information
Board of Education Meetings begin at 6:30 p.m., on the second Thursday of each month. Board of Education Work Sessions/Special Meetings are scheduled for the fourth Wednesday of the month unless otherwise noted.
Meeting Packets:
Starting November D49 will officially transfer to our new boarddocs platform Diligent Community - a modern, user-friendly board management platform that improves access to:
- Meeting agendas & minutes
- Board policies & committee documents
- Live streamed and recorded board meetings
- Online request to speak during public comment
This transition enhances transparency, community engagement, and ease of access for everyone in our district.
Feel free to visit our new public site and explore the features: District 49 Diligent Community
Once again we will still use Boarddocs until November
BoardDocs Link: https://go.boarddocs.
