Poudre School District is pleased to announce Dennis Rastatter as the district’s new executive director of the Integrated Services Department.
The Integrated Services Department oversees the special education and related services needs for students with disabilities identified under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Part of this department’s work is to provide staffing and programming guidance to building-level teams who support students with disabilities.
Rastatter has been with PSD since August 2021 and initially worked as one of the department’s assistant directors of Integrated Services. He oversaw programming in Fort Collins High School feeder schools in that position before stepping into the role of interim director of the Integrated Services Department for the 2022-23 school year. Now as the new executive director, he will work with district and state-level leadership on improving services for students with disabilities.
“It's about building relationships with community, with staff out in buildings," said Rastatter. “We're looking at the needs across the district and working to address some of the needs that currently exist.”
Rastatter started his career as a middle school resource teacher in Pennsylvania and moved to Colorado to teach at Greeley West High School in 1998. Since then, he has worked for about 20 years as a special education administrator, including as Boulder Valley School District’s executive director of Special Education from 2017 to 2021 before joining PSD.
He earned his bachelor's degree in special education from The Pennsylvania State University; a Master of Arts in Special Education from the University of Northern Colorado; and was part of UNC’s director of special education administrative licensure program.
Rastatter has always had a passion for helping people with disabilities. In his new position, he is most excited about having the opportunity to be a part of and help lead conversations about what PSD can do as a district-wide system to support students with disabilities.
“It's about continuing to work to help break down barriers that might exist either within our own system or out in the communities to support people with disabilities to be able to access what they need so they can have a meaningful, productive life just like everyone else.”
Rastatter has two sons. An avid outdoorsman, he enjoys hiking, golfing and spending time with his three elderly dogs.