Psd board - ozlem gurkan

PSD Board of Education - Ozlem Gurkan

District: F | Term: 2026–2027 (appointed) | Email: TBD

District F covers the southeast region of the district — not 80521. Appointed to fill the vacancy left by PSD Board - Conor Duffy, who resigned effective July 1, 2026. Serves until a director is elected at the November 2027 biennial school election.

2026-08-14

Appointed to District F. PSD's Meet the Board page lists her as "Dr. Ozlem Gurkan, Director — District F, Term 2026-2027." Applications closed 4:30 PM Aug 3; the six remaining directors interviewed applicants before voting. The Aug 11 board meeting is the likely appointment date — no agenda, minutes, or announcement has been published to confirm it.
Nothing else public yet. No district news post, no press coverage, no bio on the PSD site, no board email. Background, professional history, and how she voted at any meeting are all unknown.
To fill in: the Aug 11 recording on PSD Video on Demand, or boe@psdschools.org / (970) 490-3609.
First meeting she'd sit for as a seated director: Aug 25, 5:30 PM, 2407 Laporte Ave.

Sources:
- Meet the Board — psdschools.org
- PSD Board of Education Seeking Qualified Applicants to Fill Vacant Seat — psdschools.org (July 20, 2026)

2026-09-24

First recorded vote since the August appointment. Gurkan voted with the 5-2 majority on Sept 22 to formally oppose Proposition 134, the November ballot measure requiring school sports teams be designated male, female, or coed with students assigned by sex at birth.
- For: Zamora, Spain, Havelda, Baise, Gurkan. Against: Schoenbauer, Ziegler — objecting to the Board taking group positions on divisive political questions.
- Resolution grounds: unfunded implementation responsibilities, administrative workload, legal exposure, compliance costs. Effective Jan 1, 2027 if passed.
- The Coloradoan's account lists Gurkan among the seven sitting members, which independently confirms the District F appointment that PSD never announced.
Closure recommendation confirmed for Oct 13 per PSD's committee page. Vote expected Oct 27; effective 2027-28.

Sources:
- Poudre school board formally opposes transgender sports measure — Coloradoan (Kelly Lyell), Sept 23
- PSD Comprehensive Long-Range Planning Committee

2026-10-14

After the Oct 12 Timnath listening session was cut short, she and Schoenbauer met the speakers who didn't get to talk at a nearby McDonald's, about 15 people. Detail in PSD Board - Jessica Zamora.

Sources:
- Timnath community questions Poudre school board about closure plans — Coloradoan via Yahoo (Oct 13)

2026-10-15

Oct 13 closure presentation: asked how a school's culture carries over to a receiving school without a guarantee its teachers go with it. Detail in PSD Board - Jessica Zamora.

Sources:
- Questions remain after PSD board meeting on school closures — Coloradoan via Yahoo (Oct 14)

2026-10-21

Oct 20 special meeting: opposes closing all three mountain elementaries (Stove Prairie, Red Feather Lakes, Livermore); bus rides up to an hour each way. Rural schools shouldn't be treated like urban ones; asked the Board to work with mountain communities on alternatives. Asked whether special-needs program staff could be guaranteed to follow students (answer: no, though likely).
Vote still listed for Tue Oct 27. Speaker sign-up closes 5 PM Mon Oct 26. boe@psdschools.org.

Sources:
- Live updates: PSD board resuming discussion on school closures — Coloradoan via Yahoo (Oct 20–21)

2026-10-23

With Havelda, asked staff to model closing Red Feather Lakes and Stove Prairie but keeping Livermore open. Removals happen by separate amendment votes before the final vote on Oct 27.
Speaker form: surveymonkey.com/r/BOEOct27, closes 5 PM Mon Oct 26. boe@psdschools.org.

Sources:
- PSD board set to vote on school closures, with amendments possible — Coloradoan via Yahoo (Oct 22)