Tod Lokey has returned to his childhood playground.

The 43-year-old was hired as superintendent and high school principal of Ouray School in May amidst COVID-19 closures across the state and country and officially took on the role last month, for the most part working alone in the empty building.

“What a privilege to live and work in this little valley,” he said, enjoying the view outside his second-floor office window.

Lokey graduated from Montrose High School in 1995 and made the San ...