Colorado Springs School District 49’s board of education has filled its vacancy.

Jack Ryan was appointed to the board by a unanimous vote during a special meeting on Monday night. The decision came after a public forum where board members interviewed Ryan and four other candidates.

According to an affidavit submitted to the board, Ryan is a retired U.S. Army Sergeant Major and a Senior IT Project Manager who has lived in Peyton for the past five years. He has one son currently attending Bennett Ranch Elementary School in the district and another slated to begin kindergarten there next fall.

“Throughout my military career, I was a ‘cradle-to-grave’ program manager, meaning I stayed with projects from inception to completion,” Ryan wrote in his affidavit. “I am devoted to serving D49 for many years to come to ensure our strategic goals, such as cultural health and academic excellence, are not just words on a page but lived realities for our students.”

During the board interview, Ryan said that, if appointed, he would prioritize community engagment by being visible and approachable in district schools, closing communication gaps and ensuring that the community knows how their feedback shapes board decisions.

Ahead of their vote, individual board members revealed their two finalists and why they chose them. While different directors favored different candidates for various reasons, Ryan was the only consensus finalist.

They specifically pointed to Ryan’s position as a parent to children attending the district’s public schools, his approach to leadership and problem-solving, and his community involvement as a Little League coach and with local scouts and his local parent-teacher association.

“He just seems to have more of a resume of: he wants to give back to the community,” said board director Holly Withers.

Following former board director Deb Schmidt’s resignation in late February, the board held a special meeting to declare a vacancy and began accepting applications. Six applicants were later interviewed during a public meeting held on Thursday. Colorado statute dictates that a local board of education fill a vacancy within 60 days of its declaration.

Ryan will be officially sworn in to the board at the beginning of a work session scheduled for Wednesday and serve the remainder of Schmidt’s term, which runs through November 2027.