Professional Background
Mr. Andrew Dutch lives and works in Denver, Colorado. He is an educational leader and scholar-practitioner with a proven capacity for executive leadership and organizational governance. His professional work includes leading large-scale educational initiatives, developing strategic frameworks, and navigating complex systems to support student achievement and organizational growth. As a scholar, he has contributed to state and international academic discussions through presentations that focus on translating theory into actionable strategies for enhancing learning environments. He thrives at the intersection of leadership and pedagogy, leveraging collaboration, vision, and strategic governance to advance systemic goals and ensure student success.
Currently, he is working in Thompson School District (TSD) as their Teacher on Special Assignment in the division of Learning Services. In this position, he works to reduce systemic inequities throughout the district by working with teams across the district, building administrators, and licensed educators to provide high-quality education for all students.
He holds his Bachelors Degree in Music Education (Instrumental Emphasis) from Colorado State University, his Masters Degree in Music Education from Eastern Washington University, and is currently working towards his PhD in Education and Human Development (Critical Studies Concentration) from the University of Colorado, Denver.
Prior to beginning his work at TSD, Mr. Dutch held a successful three-year tenure of teaching at Fort Collins High School (FCHS) as the Associate Director of Bands where he conducted -- alongside his mentor and colleague, Mr. David D. Miles -- the Intermediate Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Pep Band; as well as taught Music Theory/Composition, Jazz Combo, the FCHS Saxophone Choir, and History of Rock and Roll.
At FCHS, Mr. Dutch continuously worked to help the Band Program reach new heights. He has assisted in the teaching and conducting of a successful performance of the FCHS Symphonic Band at the 2022 CBA State Competition wherein the group received their first-ever Superior with Distinction Rating alongside Mr. Miles. In 2023, Mr. Dutch led the Intermediate Band (freshmen ensemble) to its first-ever CBA Regional Contest performance and received Excellent ratings — a distinction rare for the grade level. He repeated this accomplishment again in 2024 with a brand new freshmen class, scoring higher than the previous year and even more than their middle-level Concert Band. Mr Dutch has helped the program navigate challenges in enrollment brought on by the COVID-19 epidemic including revitalizing the middle school feeder system into FCHS and increasing program-wide retention.
Some of his proudest accomplishments include the facilitation and expansion of musical opportunities at FCHS including the establishment of community partnerships between the acclaimed Elizabeth Hotel and the FCHS Jazz Program alongside the creation of unorthodox community performances with the FCHS Saxophone Choir. He has also pursued numerous opportunities in educational leadership including working on various committees both within and outside the music content area at Fort Collins High School and Poudre School district, writ large.
Mr. Dutch’s main areas of research in education include power differentials within the educational system, socio-cultural and political issues impacting the educational process, and topics within and related to educational philosophies and epistemologies. He has presented at state-level, national, and international conferences on various topics including state Music Educator Association conferences in both Colorado and Washington, the National Association for Multicultural Education Conference, the American Educational Research Association Conference, the national conference for the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, and in Oslo, Norway at the International Association for Music Education Philosophy doctoral pre-conference.
Andrew's is a current student of University of Colorado Denver’s Dr. Robin Brandehoff, Dr. Courtney Donovan, and Dr. Rodney Blunck; and a former student of Colorado State University's Dr. Erik Johnson and Central Washington University's Dr. T André Feagin.
Personal Background
Growing up in the Denver Metro Area, Andrew spent much of his time commuting between Commerce City, Thornton/Broomfield, and Arvada — all the places where his family and friends resided. Andrew is a proud graduate of Thornton High School’s (THS) International Baccalaureate program in the Adams 12 Five Star School District. He was a part of the Thornton High School Trojan Band Program where he played Tenor and Alto Saxophones before becoming their saxophone section leader and then their Drum Major. In his senior year, Andrew created his own extracurricular music program at THS called the Thornton High School Wind Chamber Group. Comprised of approximately forty of his fellow band students split between two groups, Andrew arranged, rehearsed, and conducted the group at a self-funded concert on the Auraria Denver Campus King Center Concert Hall.
At Colorado State University, Andrew continued his music studies in music education and on the saxophone. He served as the President of the CSU chapter of the Collegiate National Association of Music Education as well as the CSU Marching Band’s Head Drum Major during the 2019-2020 season.
When not at work or school, Andrew is usually at home with his partner — Dr. Holly Harroun, a 2024 graduate from Colorado State University’s world-class Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program — and their 19-year old cat, Rascal. Andrew enjoys reading fantasy, sci-fi, philosophy, and education; playing all manner of video games; watching movies; and getting outside for walks and paddle boarding.
