The School District 49 board of education has narrowed its search to five candidates to fill its vacancy.

Carter Bullion, Candice Lehmann, Bob Felice, Jack Ryan and Holly Bombria all gathered at the campus that’s home to D-49’s Springs Studio for Academic Excellence and Pikes Peak Early College schools on Thursday to answer questions prepared by the district’s board members, students and superintendent.

The special meeting came after the resignation of board member Deb Schmidt in February.

Questions ranged from the state of the district following the COVID-19 pandemic, its current strengths and areas for growth, parental roles and rights in their students’ education, and their thoughts on board decisions in recent years.

Recent decisions that garnered the most responses were the board’s actions surrounding the fiscal crisis declared earlier this year and the district policy regarding sex-based facility use.

Policy JBAA was adopted by the board in September 2025 to establish guidelines separating the district’s toilet, locker room and shower facilities between students of opposite sexes, regardless of their chosen gender identity.

Bombria, a mother of three D-49 graduates, opposed policy JBAA’s initial passage, while she and Lehmann, a retired 10-year resident in the district, both supported its repeal since it is illegal and unenforceable under current Colorado law.

Felice, a longtime D-49 educator whose roles have included principal at both Falcon Middle School and Vista Ridge High school and superintendent of the district’s Power Zone, supported the board’s declaration of fiscal exigency, believing the district got ahead of the situation.

He added that he disagreed with policy JBAA, both its adoption and suspension, since he believed there were bigger priorities for the board to focus on.

Ryan, a retired Army sergeant major and parent to current and future Bennett Ranch Elementary students, disagreed with the staff cuts following the fiscal crisis decision, but also approved of other cost-efficient decisions from the district like consolidating Falcon Elementary School with the Bennett Ranch campus.

Bullion, the current director of finance and administration for the Woodmen Hills Metropolitan District, disagreed with how the district communicated the recent fiscal emergency to employees, stating that earlier, clearer messaging that aligned with a long-term strategy would have preserved trust.

Also, the father of four children attending the D-49 charter school Liberty Tree Academy, said he supported the board’s decision to approve a one-year conditional renewal of their charter contract to help facilitate better cooperation between parties. He said this decision led to dramatic improvements in the school’s leadership and performance.

All candidates agreed that students’ parents need to be notified and involved in every situation involving children at their schools while prioritizing the voices of students, staff and parents above their own before making board decisions.

D-49’s board will reconvene Monday for a follow-up special meeting, when members will deliberate and likely make their appointment. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the district’s Creekside Success Center. The appointee will be sworn in the following Wednesday, prior to the scheduled work session.

The special meeting can be viewed in its entirety on the D-49 board of education’s YouTube page.