Latest News from
Durango School District 9-R
 Miller
Middle School PE teachers get "pied"
Miller Middle School PE teachers Amy
Raso, Kim Seitz, and Ed Simons challenged students
to get as many "Pacers" as they could during
a fitness test. A Pacer test is a school board accessed
fitness test that is performed by each student in the
district. The test is a measure of the cardio-respiratory
capacity. If the class got at least 890 Pacers, they
earned a free day. The boy and girl from each class
with the most pacers got to throw a pie at the teacher!
See photos here.
. .
 Animas
Valley students participate in field day
Students at Animas Valley Elementary
School participated in their Field Day on Wednesday.
Students took a break from the classroom and stretched
their legs during a field day held at the school. Field
day activities included a game of "duck-duck-goose," a
pie toss and a huge jumping castle. See photos here.
. .
Escalante
teacher named Colorado History Teacher of the Year
The
Colorado History Day has named John Hise, an eighth-grade
social studies teacher at Escalante Middle School,
as the Colorado History Teacher of the Year.
Hise
was nominated for the History Teacher of the Year by
one of his students, Ciara Smith. In a letter of recommendation
to support the student’s nomination, Principal
Amy Kendziorski said Hise’s “personal style
includes an enthusiasm that is contagious for all students
regardless of their ethnic background, socioeconomic
status, or intellectual ability.”
The
award criteria included the development and use of
creative teaching methods that interest students in
history and help them make exciting discoveries about
the past, and an exemplary commitment to helping students
develop their interests in history and recognizing
their achievements. Read more.
. .
9-R donates old cell phones to Southwest Safehouse
Durango
School District 9-R will donate nearly 100 old cell
phones to The Southwest Safehouse for women and children
to use while at the shelter.
The
school district recently switched cell phone carriers
from Alltel to Verizon. The result of the crossover
left the district with close to 100 cell phones, phone
chargers, and accessories in good condition, an estimated
value of $10,000.
“We
wanted the phones to go to someone that can use them
and benefit from having the phones. Most cell phones
can still call 911 even if the phone doesn’t
have a service plan,” said Angel Hawkey, 9-R’s
technology administrative assistant.
The
Southwest Safehouse provides comprehensive residential
services to women and children survivors of domestic
violence. It is the only residential domestic violence
shelter serving Southwest Colorado. For more information,
contact Angel Hawkey at 247-5411, ext. 1449.
9-R board approves contract with Dr. Keith Owen
The Durango School District 9-R Board of
Education has approved a contract with Dr. Keith Owen
to hire him as the district’s next superintendent.
“The board is thrilled to have Dr.
Owen join our community and school district. We believe
he will be a great addition and complement our superb
existing staff,” said board President Floyd Patterson.
Dr. Owen was the top candidate to emerge
after a nine-month selection process that involved a
14-member committee made up of board members and school/community
representatives. The board extended an offer of employment
to the Pueblo School District No. 60 chief academic officer
Tuesday, April 22. The board accepted the contract with
Owen after more than two weeks of contract negotiations
between attorneys.
Dr. Owen was selected for the superintendent
position based on his ability to meet the criteria established
during the community meetings last fall. He has demonstrated
extensive strategic planning experience, educational
leadership experience in the positions that he held in
Pueblo, and has had success in closing achievement gaps,
curriculum alignment, and Professional Learning Communities.
Read more.
. .
DFEE honors outstanding employees during annual appreciation
celebration
Seven staff members were honored as the
2008 Durango Foundation of Educational Excellence “Outstanding
9-R Employees of the Year” at the annual recognition
reception held Thursday, May 1, at Pat Murphy Motors.
DFEE honored one elementary, middle school, high school
teacher, and four staff members every year.
This year’s award-winners include
Escalante’s Special Education Instructional Aids
Joyce Watt and Janet Wallace, Transportation Bus Technician
Daniel Blythe, Riverview Counselor Katie Pytte, Durango
High School Math teacher Matt Hoaglin, Escalante Social
Studies teacher John Hise, and Needham GT teacher Nicki
Masseion. Read more.
. .
Needham students slime
Principal Pete Harter with "dog
drool"
 Students
at Needham Elementary School who
met their reading goal and reached Nome, Alaska, by
reading the required minutes "slimed" Principal
Pete Harter with dog drool (egg whites and water) today,
Friday, March 21. This year’s read-a-thon theme, “I-Did-A-Read,” was
based on the Iditarod Dog Sled Race. Students followed
the journey from Anchorage to Nome, Alaska and raised
more than $13,000 for the school. See more photos here.
. .
9-R Board finalizes re-opened superintendent selection
process, will have community search committee
The Durango School District 9-R Board
of Education will have a community/school search committee
to assist them in choosing the next superintendent
of 9-R.
The committee will consist of the seven
board members and seven additional community/school
representatives that will include a community member,
a parent, teacher, support staff member, principal,
central office administrator, and the board’s
Durango High School Student Council representative.
Read more.
. .
DHS will make up lost time from snow days
Durango High School students will have
to make up 560 minutes of class time to make up time
lost after the district canceled school twice because
of snow.
Beginning Monday, March 31, DHS students
will stay in school 15 minutes later on Monday through
Thursdays, and 10 minutes later on Fridays. The final
exam schedule on the last day of school, Thursday,
May 22, will also be modified with an additional 75
minute period added to the day. School will be dismissed
at 3:45 p.m. Monday through Thursdays, and at 2:55
p.m. on Fridays. The bus schedule will not be altered
by the change.
Colorado state law requires high school
students to have at least 1,056 hours of student/teacher
contact time during the school year. The current 2007-08
DHS calendar has 1,058 hours of contact time, two hours
more than the state requires. However, with both snow
days – the first on Monday, Jan. 28, and the
second occurring on Monday, Feb. 4 – the high
school fell 560 minutes, or more than 9 hours, short
of meeting the state requirement.
Durango Academy will have adjustments
made within the school day to make up the lost time.
Elementary and middle schools will continue on their
current schedules through the end of the school year. For
more information, contact Mike Freeburn, DHS assistant
principal, at 259-1630, ext. 2318 or Jenny Roper at
Durango Academy at 259-0203.
Second-grade teacher hired as Animas Valley principal
A Florida Mesa second-grade teacher has been nominated
to become the next principal at Animas Valley Elementary
School.
Lisa Schuba, a second-grade teacher at Florida Mesa
Elementary School, was the top candidate to emerge from
a selection process that involved a 13-member committee
of Animas Valley parents and staff. Her proposed appointment
will be forwarded to the Board of Education for its approval
on the consent agenda at its April 8 meeting.
Schuba
will fill the current principal vacancy beginning Aug.
1. Former Animas Valley Principal Judy Wilkie transferred
to Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary at the beginning of the
school year. Kathy Deaderick and Curtis Johnson have
served as interim principals while the search committee
interviewed candidates. Read more. . .
Professional Learning Communities,
early release on Fridays to continue in 2008-09
Durango School District 9-R will continue Friday early
release for students next year to give teachers time
during the school day to work in Professional Learning
Communities, announced Superintendent Mary Barter this
week.
“Teachers
are using their PLC time wisely to improve curriculum
and instructional practices,” Barter
said. “Anecdotal evidence from surveys and teacher
comments indicates that the work is having a positive
impact on student learning. The extra time we’ve
provided teachers for PLC work is worth continuing."
Read more. . .
District places enrollment moratorium on Durango Academy
Durango School
District 9-R has placed an enrollment moratorium on
Durango Academy for Fall 2008 to give administrators
and teachers time “to conduct the research and
do the work that needs to be done before we initiate
a new academic program,” said Superintendent Mary
Barter today.
“I
think it’s fair to say that we tried
to change too much too soon to create a new program that
would serve the students enrolled in the former Excel
Charter School,” she said. “It was like trying
to change the engine on a flying airplane, and we couldn’t
do it. It’s time to land, regroup, and take a more
thoughtful approach to serving the needs of these students."
Read more. . .
District pulls beef off school menu
Durango
School District 9-R cafeterias stopped serving beef
from Westland/Hallmark beef suppliers more than two
weeks ago, after the U.S. Department of Agriculture
issued a hold on Jan. 30, and on Sunday a recall, on
beef from the California-based supplier of federal
food and nutrition programs. The company has been accused
of animal mistreatment. Hallmark Meat Packing and distributor
Westland Meat Company supply beef to federal food and
nutrition programs, including school lunches.
“Providing safe food for Durango’s school children is our number
one priority,”said Krista Garand, director of Student Nutrition Services. “As
soon as we learned about the hold, we stopped using the beef.”
When the USDA places food products on hold, it indicates that it has no safety
concerns at that time, said Garand. Now the district will dispose of all
Westland Meat Company products as a result of the Feb. 17 recall. The recall
is a Class II decision and indicates that the food may have had “a
remote probability of adverse health consequences,”according to USDA
guidelines.
The district is conducting an inventory of its beef products to determine
the value of the product to be destroyed. The USDA will replace the destroyed
beef. Read more. . .
Posted:
February 22, 2008
Schools remain safest havens for kids
School
shootings, bomb threats, lockdowns –the media
attention these incidents receive heighten everyone’s
concern about school safety. Nevertheless, national
statistics indicate that public schools remain among
the safest locations for children during the day,.
Read more about the district's efforts to ensure that
your students are safe in school in the superintendent's monthly
column . . .
Posted:
February 22, 2008
District asks families to re-apply for open
enrollment
to reduce overcrowding
Durango
School District 9-R families who enroll their students
in schools outside their designated attendance areas
will be required to re-apply for their open-enrollment
status for Fall 2008.
The
district sent nearly 500 letters to families this week
alerting them to a long-standing district regulation
that requires families to re-apply for open enrollment
at their school of choice every year. During the past
few years, however, many families have failed to re-apply
but students have stayed at their schools of choice.
As a result, several in-town elementary schools have
exceeded their enrollment caps and have become overcrowded,
said Director of Student Achievement Priscilla Huston.
“It’s
easy to see how that happens,”she said. “Families
become part of the school community and develop an
expectation that their students can stay the next year.
Many of our families are unaware that they must re-apply
every year to enroll in a school outside their attendance
area." Read more about the requirements for Fall 2008 here
. . .
Posted:
February 22, 2008
Annual CSAP tests begin next week with third-grade
reading;
rest of testing schedule to continue in March
The
annual cycle of state tests that measure how well students
are meeting state standards begins with the third-grade
CSAP reading tests on Feb. 20-21.
Reading,
writing, math, and science tests will be administered
to students in third through 10th grades beginning
March 10 and running through March 19.
Each
year, Colorado school districts are required to test
students in reading, writing, math, and science using
standardized tests that measure how well students are
learning and how well the schools are teaching students.
The tests are comprehensive in nature and measure a
student’s knowledge and skills in the content
area as well as a student’s critical-thinking
abilities. Durango School District 9-R uses the tests
to evaluate what each child knows and needs to learn
in comparison with state standards; to evaluate what
groups of students know and need to learn; and to evaluate
what and how well schools are teaching students what
they need to learn.
Test
results also are used to provide teachers with a snapshot
of their students’skill levels when they enter
a new grade next fall.
Families
can help prepare their students for their tests by
providing them with good nutrition, plenty of water,
plenty of sleep, and exercise. Families can also help
by promoting a “can-do”attitude in their
students, encouraging students to try their best and
to take the tests seriously without becoming overly
anxious about test scores; and using humor to ease
tensions.
Families
also can become familiar with the tests themselves
by trying a few sample CSAP questions in reading and
math. Test samples, parent tips, a complete testing
schedule for each school, and more information about
the district’s CSAP administration may be found
on the district’s Web site at http://www.durangoschools.org/pio/news2007_08/2008csaptests.shtml
Posted:
February 22, 2008
Animas Valley teacher experiences teaching in Costa Rica
Micki Rhodes, a first-grade teacher at
Animas Valley, is spending her 18th year with Durango
School District
9-R on sabbatical leave as a literacy coach and art teacher
at Monteverde Friends School in the mountains of Costa
Rica. She’s living two miles from the pristine
old-growth rainforest Monteverde Biological Reserve,
and she recently shared some of her photos with her Animas
Valley students.
Rhodes’ home
is located next to the Children’s
Eternal Rainforest, a large tract of land that was purchased
with donations from thousands of elementary school students
from around the world, including Durango School District
9-R’s Riverview Elementary School. She teaches
art and is a literacy coach at the Friends School, a
multicultural, bilingual Quaker school. Read more.
. . See photos here. . .
Posted: January 25, 2008
Superintendent
finalists to meet community Jan. 22-24
The
three finalists for the next superintendent of Durango
School District 9-R will visit Durango next week for
a series of interviews with school district and community
constituents. Each candidate also will meet in an open
forum with interested community members during a community
reception and question-and-answer session scheduled
from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday,
Jan. 22-24, in the Miller Middle School Auditorium.
Board
of Education members will provide forum participants
with a comment sheet to gather community impressions
about the candidates. “We are committed to reading
all the comment sheets prior to making our final decision,” said
Board President Floyd Patterson. “We hope to
make the selection of our next superintendent at our
Jan. 29 board meeting." Read more about their
interview schedules here
. . .
Posted: January 18, 2008
DHS pre-registration schedule set for next fall’s
freshmen
Durango
High School will begin pre-registration activities
for next fall’s ninth-graders beginning in February.
Although the following schedule focuses on Durango
School District 9-R’s two middle schools, private-school
students and families are invited to attend parent
meetings or to make an appointment with DHS counselors
to prepare for enrollment. See the pre-registration
schedule here
. . .
Posted: January 18, 2008
Tickets must be purchased in advance for DHS basketball
games against Cortez
All
tickets for Durango High School girls and boys basketball
games against Cortez on Thursday, Jan. 31, must be
purchased in advance. Tickets will be pre-sold to the
public from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 29,
from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30, and from
8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Thursday Jan. 31, in the DHS activities
office. Read more about ticket purchases here
. . .
Posted: January 18, 2008
DFEE says “Thanks to you: 24 Years of Accomplishment” with
celebration
The
Durango Foundation for Educational Excellence (DFEE)
will host a special celebration “Thanks To You:
24 Years of Accomplishment,” to thank all DFEE
supporters from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 14, at
the DoubleTree Hotel Ballroom. Supporters of DFEE are
invited to enjoy wonderful food, jazz music by Jeff
Solon, and learn more about the ways Durango’s
education foundation is supporting local students with
community donations. The DoubleTree Hotel, First National
Bank, and Advertising Innovations will sponsor the
event. For more information, contact Sandra Smith at
385-1491 or e-mail dfee@durango.k12.co.us
Posted: January 11, 2008
P.E. classes take advantage of recent snow
Physical Education classes at Fort Lewis Mesa and Sunnyside
Elementary Schools took advantage of the recent snow
fall by cross-country skiing around the schools. Follow
this link to view photos of Sunnyside students courtesy
of School Resource Officer Mike Latham here. . .
Posted:
January 11, 2008
Facilities crew logs
more than 85 hours of overtime for snow removal
When
the snow began to pile up last weekend, Durango School
District 9-R’s nine-man Facilities and Maintenance
crew flew into action to plow parking lots, stop roof
leaks, check on heating, and respond to cranky fire
alarms.
Director
Joe Sargent estimated his crew spent 85 hours of overtime
on Saturday and Sunday to ensure that district buildings
were safe and to clear parking lots as best they could
to keep them from becoming ice-skating rinks. With
seven plow trucks, one sand truck, and 12 buildings,
keeping up with the snow was a challenge, he said.
“We
didn’t get much sleep last weekend,” he
added.
On
top of that, several members of the crew also battled
deep snow and power outages at home after ending their
shifts.
When
schools opened on Monday, the battle continued with
crews responding to roof leaks, restarting boilers,
and cooling computer distribution rooms that were too
hot.
So,
when the snow flies, and you’re cozy in your
bed, think about the Facilities and Maintenance crews
out working overnight to ensure that our schools are
ready for students and staff the next morning.
Posted:
January 11, 2008
January is National Mentoring Month
Big
Brothers Big Sisters of La Plata County celebrates
National Mentoring Month by inviting YOU to become
a mentor. BBBS provides Study Buddies for the district's
Study Connection program. View a video public service
announcement by clicking on this link.
. .
Parents support DHS efforts to strengthen student-teacher
relationships
District
parents earlier this month said they supported Durango
High School efforts to ensure that students are enrolled
with the same teacher for those courses that extend
over two or more trimesters. And, they said, they believed
student achievement would improve if a small group
of teachers worked with the same students over one
or more years in high school.
The
quality of student-teacher relationships were among
several issues that parents raised during a series
of nine meetings that Durango High School administrators
and teachers hosted in November and December to explain
proposed changes to the high school’s academic
structure, DHS Principal Diane Lashinsky told the Board
of Education on Tuesday.
Teachers
can become “critical friends and coaches” to
their students when they spend more than 12 weeks of
a single trimester in a learning partnership. Strong
student-teacher relationships are critical to student
achievement, she said.
Spending
more time with students and building strong and meaningful
relationships topped the list of principles that Durango
High School adopted to guide the work that teachers
and administrators have undertaken to improve student
achievement. Read more
. . .
Posted:
December 14, 2007
Superintendent search firm to interview 11 candidates;
board to update public at Dec. 18 coffee
 Hazard,
Young, Attea & Associates, the superintendent head-hunting
firm that the Board of Education hired earlier this
fall, will interview 11 of 44 applicants who submitted
résumés online to become the next superintendnet
of Durango School District 9-R. Incumbent Superintendent
Mary Barter will retire in June 2008, when her contract
ends.
In
a report to his fellow board members, Jeff Schell said
that applicants have applied from throughout the United
States and from school districts both large and small.
HYA will recommend five or six candidates for board
interviews, and when the board narrows the field to
two or three candidates, the public will be involved.
Board
members on Tuesday did not have a clear plan for public
involvement in the search process and appointed a two-member
subcommittee to present the board with a draft proposal
prior to its Tuesday, Dec. 18, community coffee. The
coffee begins at 7 p.m. at the Durango Recreation Center.
Board members will briefly summarize the superintendent
search to date with the remainder of the time open
for discussion on any topic participants wish to raise.
Contact
the Public Information Office at 247-5411, ext. 1440,
for more information.
Posted:
December 14, 2007
Durango, Ignacio reduce school bus emissions,
provide cleaner air for students with EPA grant
 Durango
and Ignacio school children who ride school buses now
will breathe cleaner air thanks to a $127,000 grant
from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The
Durango and Ignacio school districts received the joint
grant earlier this year to retrofit a total of 26 buses
with engine heaters, EPA-approved closed crankcase
filtration units, and diesel oxidation catalyst mufflers.
That’s the technical way of saying that buses
will have equipment installed to reduce total emissions
from diesel fuel combustion. The Durango 9-R Transportation
Department will retrofit 21 of the district’s
buses and five from Ignacio. The buses were purchased
between 1991 and 2003. Read more
. . .
Posted:
December 7, 2007
Property tax rate
to increase slightly over 2007; board to certify mill levies
at Tuesday's meeting
The
property tax rate for Durango School District 9-R will
increase by .633 mills for 2007 -- or about $18 more
next year for a house with a market value of $350,000.
Although the Colorado Legislature voted to freeze property
tax rates for per-pupil operating revenues in 2007,
other mill levies will increase to offset the drop
in the district's total assessed valuation. The assessed
valuation dropped from $2.1 billion in 2006 to $1.9
billion in 2007.
Mill
levies that are not affected by the rate freeze include
the $2.4 million override from 2002 and the capital
bond fund mill levy that pays for principal and interest
on the bonds the district sold to finance construction
in the district. Because the district collects a fixed
amount of revenue for these budget items, it must raise
the mill levy when its assessed property values decline.
Commercial and residential property values increased
over the last year, but the value of natural gas production
dropped by 18 percent, according to the La Plata County
Assessor's Office.
The
board is expected to approve the 2007 mill levy at
its regular board meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. on Tuesday,
Dec. 11, in the board room. A complete agenda may be
found online at www.durangoschools.org. Click on the
Board of Education link, then Agendas.
Posted:
December 7, 2007
New IT Director selected to succeed long-time
tech guru Howie DiBlasi
James
Torres has been selected as Durango School District
9-R’s next director of Information Technology. Torres
will succeed long-time Director Howie DiBlasi, who
retires at the end of January. DiBlasi joined the district
in 1994 – right when the Internet revolution
was starting. He was instrumental in helping to change
the school district’s use of technology from
a paper, pencil, and textbook culture to hands-on,
project-based learning, and from "computer" lessons
that taught kids how to type to "computer" lessons
that teaches kids how to hunt for information on the
Internet and use technology to communicate what they've
learned. DiBlasi will become a consultant for November
Learning headed by internationally renowned 21st-century-learning
advocate Alan November.
Torres
joined Durango School District 9-R as a technology
support specialist in October 2006 after leaving Verint
Video Systems when the Durango-based company chose
to relocate to Denver. At Verint, he managed and supervised
the company’s Client Support Division for customers
and supported the senior management team. Torres
also has experience in public education. He served
as a client services technician for the Albuquerque
Public Schools for four years, where he worked with
schools to provide hardware, software, and networking
systems; taught professional development programs for
teachers and staff; and identified new technologies
for instruction. Torres
also worked for the Albuquerque Publishing Company
as a former staff accountant and as the lead accountant
for Diagnostek, Inc. He
has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and English
from Denver University and certification in a number
of phone and database applications.
He
will assume his new responsibilities Feb. 1. He may
be reached at jtorres@durango.k12.co.us.
Posted:
December 7, 2007
Superintendent leadership
profile reveals community’s
perceptions
about district’s strengths and weaknesses
Durango
School District 9-R enjoys a great deal of community
support, said two consultants who conducted interviews
and collected questionnaires from 225 district residents
in October to develop a leadership profile for the
district’s next superintendent. But the district
faces some challenges, too, including renewal of the
level of trust between the superintendent, Board of
Education and the community; a clarification of roles
between the Board of Education and the superintendent;
and, low teacher salaries. Read more . . .
Posted:
November 30, 2007
Be prepared for winter weather – snow rarely closes
school
This
is Colorado. We live at the foot of the Rocky Mountains.
Snow falls in winter, covering roads, blocking driveways,
and making it darn more difficult to get to school
or work on time. But snow on the ground doesn’t
necessarily mean we close school. Look at it this way:
if we can make it to the ski area for first tracks,
we can make it to work or school.
Durango School District 9-R RARELY closes school because of snowy weather.
School buses are equipped with automatic drop-down chains to navigate snowy
roads, and drivers receive extensive training for winter driving conditions.
In addition, Director of Transportation Sharon Duncan is on the road by 4
a.m. when it snows to check conditions personally and to contact the Colorado
Department of Transportation and the La Plata County Road and Bridge Department
for road reports.
So when it snows, check out these strategies to get to school and work on
time here
. . .
Posted:
November 27, 2007
New school-based health center an immediate success
Durango
High School’s school-based health center opened
Oct. 1, and health officials say it's been an "unqualified
success since Minute 1." Learn more about the
services the new health center offers and its philosophy
of service to students by downloading and watching
this video here
. . .
Posted:
November 19, 2007
DHS to share proposals for changing high school to smaller
learning communities;
initiative represents more than two years of work by
high school staff
Durango
High School’s Committee for Strategic Change
will hold several parent meetings at Durango School
District 9-R’s elementary and middle schools
to discuss the reorganization of DHS. At each meeting
a CSC member, DHS administrator, parent and student
will be available to answer questions and address options
explored thus far to reorganize Durango High School
into smaller learning communities.
The
meeting schedule follows:
- Fort
Lewis Mesa -- 6 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 26
- Riverview
Elementary School -- 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 27
- Animas
Valley Elementary School -- 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov.
27
- Sunnyside
Elementary -- 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 28
- Needham
Elementary School -- 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 28
- Florida
Mesa Elementary School -- 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov.
29
- Park
Elementary School -- 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 3
- Escalante
Middle School -- 8:15 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 6
- A
final meeting to discuss the elementary and middle
school meeting will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on
Monday, Dec. 10, at DHS.
Durango
High School staff want to serve their student even
more effectively than they’re serving them now,
and one way may be to restructure the school into smaller
learning communities, said DHS Principal Diane Lashinsky.
The
Committee for Strategic Change and several subcommittees
have been working for more than two years on an initiative
to improve school climate and academic programs so
that students and faculty feel more connected to their
high school learning community. When students feel
more connected with their teachers and peers, they’re
more likely to attend school and become more invested
in their own learning. And when students are invested
in their own learning, their performance improves.
One
way to give students more opportunities to develop
relationships with their teachers and connections with
their peers is to create smaller learning communities
where students learn with the same teachers and the
same students during their four years in high school.
For
more information, contact Lashinsky at 259-1630, ext.
2303, or see a summary of the proposals here
. . .
Posted:
November 17, 2007
 "Be
There" Day generates hundreds of smiles
Parents
and family members throughout the district joined their
kids for Thanksgiving Dinner as part of Durango School
District 9-R's "Be There" Day on Nov. 15
and 16. “Be There” is a national multimedia,
research-based campaign developed by Voss & Associates
of Sarasota, Fla. Durango School District 9-R is participating
in the campaign, because it wants to inspire parents
to make ordinary moments extraordinary by connecting
with their children during the daily routines of life.
The annual Thanksgiving Dinner at each school was an
opportunity for parents to "Begin the Habit" of
being there in little ways for their children. When
families turn an every-day task into a teachable moment,
kids learn that living is all about learning, and they’ll
be more prepared to learn when they come to the classroom.
To see the smiles and laughter that a turkey dinner
and Be There Day generated, download our video here
. . .
Posted:
November 17, 2007
Park students practice reading with Reader's Theater
Fifth-graders
in Jamie Aupperle’s class performed Reader’s
Theater on Thursday, Nov. 15, at Park Elementary School.
Reader’s Theater is used for building reading
fluency and oral reading with articulation and expression.
Characters are depicted through the reader’s
voice -- like a radio play -- rather than by acting
on stage. For more information, contact Jamie Aupperle
at 247-3718. See photos from the event here
. . .
Posted:
November 17, 2007
Board seats new members, elects officers
Five
Durango School District 9-R board members -- three
of them new -- were sworn into office on Tuesday, Nov.
13, at the board's regular meeting. Incumbents Floyd
Patterson and Tammy Capdevielle returned to serve Districts
B and E, respectively. Also sworn into office were
newcomers Dave Farkas, serving District D and succeeding
Mark Seiter; Padraig Lynch, who succeeds Bruce Anderson
in District A; and Wendy Rice, who represents District
G, the seat held by Cindy Brevik for eight years. Brevik
could not run for election because of term limitations.
Board
members also elected board officers, keeping Patterson
as president, Melissa Youssef as vice president, and
Jeff Schell as board treasurer. The only newcomer to
the executive team is Capdevielle, who will serve as
the board secretary. You can contact board members here
. . .
Posted:
November 17, 2007
Wellness initiatives
From
opening a school-based health center to reviewing the
district's health curriculum, the School Health-Community
Advisory Council has accomplished quite a bit during
the past few months. See an update with this brief,
one-page newsletter here
. . .
Posted:
November 17, 2007
District's liability insurance carrier returns $38,000
in premiums to district
Representatives
with the Colorado School District Self-Insurance Pool
on Tuesday presented the Durango School District 9-R
Board of Education with a check for $38,000 for lowering
the cost of insurance claims as a result of the district's
safety and risk management programs. The self-insurance
pool is a consortium of school districts that funds
its own liability and workmen's compensation insurance.
If the total cost of claims is lower than the total
amount of premiums that the district pays, it receives
a rebate. Last year, the district's risk-management
and school safety programs, headed by Kathy Morris,
saved the district $38,000.
Posted:
November 17, 2007
District
encourages families to "Be There" for their
kids
Durango
School District 9-R will launch a new parent involvement
campaign during the annual Thanksgiving Lunch program on
Nov. 15-16 to support schools’ efforts to involve
families in their students’ educations.
The
campaign is called “Be There,” and school
district hopes to inspire families to “Begin the
New Habit” of being there for their kids by attending
their school’s annual Thanksgiving celebration
next week. Each year, the Student Nutrition Services
Department and school kitchen staff prepare a traditional
Thanksgiving meal for students and family members. This
year, schools will make an extra effort during Thanksgiving
lunch to recognize parents and family members who are
involved in their children’s lives at Thanksgiving – and
throughout the year. Read more
. . .
Posted:
November 9, 2007
Durango High School exploring small-school models; decision
expected this month
Durango
High School wants to serve its students even better
than it’s serving them now, and one way may be
to restructure the school into smaller learning communities,
DHS Principal Diane Lashinsky told the Durango School
District 9-R Board of Education on Tuesday during her
update on the work completed thus far by the school’s
Committee for Strategic Change.
And
if all goes as planned, Durango High School faculty
could make a decision by Thanksgiving about whether
to restructure the school and how, she said. Read more
about the proposed restructuring plans here
. . .
Posted:
November 2, 2007
Board accepts charter school’s withdrawal of district
application, forwards district comments to CSI
The
Durango School District 9-R Board of Education on Tuesday
voted to accept Animas High School’s withdrawal
of its charter application for a 440-student school
with the district. It also will forward staff review
of the charter application to the Colorado Charter
School Institute and a summary report prepared by FLC
President Emeritus and former 9-R board member Joel
Jones, who was hired to oversee and summarize public
review of the district charter application. See links
to district review of charter application here
. . .
Posted:
November 2, 2007
Believe in a Better Colorado offers hope for public education
by Mary F. Barter, Ph.D.
Recent
stories in The Durango Herald about superintendent
and teacher salaries have pointed to one of the growing
challenges we face as a school district and state:
state law and our state tax system severely limit our
ability to raise additional revenue to improve teacher
salaries. And unless we find a better solution to funding
our schools, we will be unable to prepare our students – the
future citizens of Colorado – with the skills
they’ll need to be successful in the 21st century.
That’s
why the Colorado Association of School Boards, the
Colorado Association of School Executives, and the
Colorado Education Association have formed an unprecedented
alliance to educte our members, our communities, and
our elected officials about the need to adopt a new
tax system to fund public services that are critical
to our state’s future. The alliance is called “Believe
in a Better Colorado,” and through our efforts,
we hope to spark a public outcry to make Colorado a
better state. Read more
. . .
Posted:
November 2, 2007
Future inventors strut their stuff
Mary
Anderson patented the windshield wiper in 1905; Willis
Carrier invented air conditioning; Earle Dickson invented
the Band-aid in 1920; and Robert Ledley invented the
diagnostic X-Ray systems known as CAT-scans. Every
day new inventions to solve every day problems or ease
every day life are invented, some more clever than
others. Escalante Middle School’s cafeteria was
filled with creative inventors at the 2007 District
9-R Invention Convention competition. Future inventors
from Durango School District 9-R elementary and middle
schools proudly displayed their creations on Monday,
Oct. 29, hoping that their invention would be the next
best thing since sliced bread.
See
and hear the students talk about their inventions in
this video.
. .
Posted:
November 2, 2007
Calcium: Does a skeleton good
On
a day where children are usually bombarded with candy,
sugar, and treats, second-grade teacher Lisa Schuba used
Halloween to teach her Florida Mesa Elementary students
the importance of healthy bones by throwing a skeleton
party. The calcium-themed party served only calcium-rich
food items, and life-sized skeleton models taught students
how they can strengthen their bones for a healthier life-style.
See photos and hear students here.
. .
Posted: November 2, 2007
See a report on Colorado's top children's books by Park
Elementary students
Park
Elementary fifth-graders prepared this PhotoStory report,
complete with drawings, music, and narration, on Colorado's
top children's books. Review the report here
. . .
Posted:
November 2, 2007
Facts about MRSA
Recent
news about the dangers of the MRSA staph infection
have prompted our Health Services Department to provide
staff with some common-sense suggestions about how
schools can take preventive steps toward reducing the
possibility of infection. Their recommended precautions
are much the same actions we routinely take to reduce
the spread of influenza and colds in our buildings.
While we don't want to minimize the danger of MRSA, the likelihood of its
spread to our students or staff can be effectively controlled by good disease-prevention
techniques. See the FAQs on
the Human Resources Web site. Reducing absences and keeping kids in school
to learn remains our primary purpose!
Posted:
November 2, 2007
 Elwood
inspires Fort Lewis fourth-graders to believe in their
dreams
He
can’t hear, see, walk or talk, but a little boy
named Elwood taught students in Mrs. McCue’s
fifth-grade class at Fort Lewis Elementary big lessons
about life last week. Learn more about this amazing
little boy in this online video documentary
. . .
Posted:
November 2, 2007
Two 9-R teachers go weightless
Two
teachers from Durango School District 9-R defied the
laws of gravity as they floated about an aircraft in
Colorado Springs last weekend. Durango High School
math teacher Catherine Eagen and Miller Middle School
math and geography teacher Diana Speegle experienced
weightless flights and will share their experiences
with their students as part of the Northrop Grumman
Foundation Weightless Flights of Discovery program.
Read more
. . .
Posted:
November 2, 2007
Superintendent leadership profile meetings start Monday
Public
meetings to gather comments about the leadership characteristics
that the new superintendent should embody will be held
by the Board of Education's search consultants with
the national firm Hazard, Young, Atea and Associates.
Rick O’Connell, former superintendent of Douglas
County Schools, and Ellen Bartlett, former human resources
director for Douglas, will be facilitators. Here are
the list of meetings:
-
Monday,
Oct. 29 -- 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Miller Middle
School Library
-
Tuesday,
Oct. 30 -- 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. in the Windom Room
at the Durango Recreation Center
-
Tuesday,
Oct. 30 -- 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Windom Room
at the Durango Recreation Center
Download
the profile questionnaire here
. . .
Posted:
November 2, 2007
School board meeting Oct. 30
The
Durango School District 9-R Board of Education will
meet at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 30, in the Central
Administration Board Room at 201 East 12th Street.
Retired Fort Lewis College President Joel M. Jones
will present his summary report on the district's analysis
of Animas High School. The board is expected to accept
the charter school supporters' withdrawal of their
application for a district charter. For a board agenda
visit the district Web site at www.durangoschools.org or
contact Kristy Rodri at 247-5411, ext. 1448. See also
the district's Web site on the application process here
. . .
Posted:
November 2, 2007
Elementary school parent/teacher conferences Nov. 6
and 15
All
Elementary Schools in Durango School District 9-R
will have fall parent/teacher conferences on Tuesday,
Nov. 6 and Thursday, Nov. 15:
-
Animas
Valley Elementary School’s parent/teacher
conferences will be from 3 to 7 p.m. For more
information, contact Nancy Bray at 247-0124
-
Florida
Mesa Elementary School’s parent/teacher
conferences will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Teachers
will send parents a conference note for parents
to schedule a time. For more information, contact
Anita Lopez at 247-4250, ext. 3302
-
Fort
Lewis Mesa Elementary’s parent/teacher
conferences will be from 3 to 7 p.m. For more
information, contact Sue Ullom at 588-3331.
-
Needham
Elementary School parent/teacher conferences
will be from 4 to 8 p.m. For questions or concerns
regarding your conference time, contact Tana
Sparks or Joan Ehat at 247-4791.
-
Park
Elementary School parent-teacher conferences
will be from 3:30 to 7:00 p.m. Child care will
be provided. For more information, contact Janice
Coleman, Park PIE coordinator at 247-3718, ext.
3505.
-
Riverview
Elementary School parent/teacher conferences
will be from 3:15 to 7 p.m. Parents may call
Mary Logan or Cherish Trammell at 247-3862 with
questions or concerns.
-
Sunnyside
Elementary School parent/teacher conferences will
be from 3 to 7 p.m. For more information, contact
your child’s classroom teacher, or Patty
Haneman at 259-5249, ext. 370
Posted:
November 2, 2007
DHS winter sports first day of practice dates
Durango
High School winter sports, including boys and girls
basketball, wrestling, and girls swimming, will begin
on the following dates and times: wrestling, 9 to
11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 10, in the wrestling room;
girls swimming, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov.
12, at the Fort Lewis College pool; boys basketball,
4-7 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 10, in the main gym at the
high school; and girls basketball, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.,
Saturday Nov. 10, in the main gym at the high school.
Students must return all required paperwork to the
Activities Office no later than Friday, Nov. 9, to
obtain a red card to give to their coaches to be
able to try out or start practice. The Activities
Office will not be open on Saturday, Nov. 10. For
more information, contact Deawne Maddox at 259-1630,
ext. 2302.
Posted:
November 2, 2007
FFA asks students to "buckle up" to honor deceased
State Trooper Mark Dold
The
Durango High School Future Farmers of America chapter
will encourage teens to pledge to wear their seat belts
while driving to honor State Trooper Mark Dold, who
recently lost his life in a motorcycle accident. FFA
members will ask teens to take a pledge to wear their
seat belts when they bring their cars to a car wash
FFA is sponsoring to raise funds for the Dold family.
The car wash and pledge drive will be from 9 a.m. to
4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20, in the DHS parking lot.
Dold
was a member of the Southwest Colorado Coalition of
Occupant Protection. While off duty, he spoke to many
teen groups about the importance of using seat belts
while driving. The Colorado Department of Transportation
will provide a pledge banner for students to sign as
a promise to buckle their seat belt every time they
drive.
In
Colorado, teens wear seat belts much less frequently
than the rest of the population. Last year in Colorado,
71 teenagers were killed in motor vehicle crashes,
and 50 of them had not used their seat belts. As part
of an educational outreach program for teenagers, the
goal of the seat belt pledge is to increase seat belt
use and awareness among young Coloradoans ages 16-20.
When teens pledge to buckle up every time they get
behind the wheel, they will receive a memorial bracelet
in honor of the 50 unbuckled teens who lost their lives
last year.
Those
who would like to donate to the family but cannot attend
the car wash may call FFA advisor Robert Ortiz at 259-1630,
ext. 2125.
Posted:
November 2, 2007
What is the new School-Based Health Center at Durango
High School?
The
new School-Based Health Center (SBHC) offers a practical
and inexpensive approach for providing preventive and
primary health care services to students during school
hours. The center serves students who are under-insured
and uninsured, are without transportation to health
care providers, or those with family members unable
to take time off from work to take their children to
doctors during the school day. The SBHC is an extension
of public health in the community and is an integrated
part of the healthy schools initiative occurring throughout
Durango School District 9-R. Read more about the new
health center through our FAQs developed from your
questions here
. . .
Posted:
November 2, 2007
Animas Valley and Park elementary school searches for
new principals begin
The
search for Animas Valley and Park elementary school
principals will begin this fall. If you're interested
in participating on a search committee or wish to provide
comment on the type of leadership characteristics the
new principals should embody, check out the following
Web sites:
Director
of Human Resources Michael Brennan will meet with Park
Parents from 3 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 30, at the
school, to discuss the search process. Incumbent Principal
Marcie Denham will retire at the end of the 2007-08
school year.
Former
Animas Valley Principal Judy Wilkie transferred to
Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary this fall. Kathy Deadrick,
Animas Valley's very first principal, is serving as
interim principal this fall. Contact Brennan at
247-5411, ext. 1439, for more information.
Posted:
November 2, 2007
Search ads to be in Education Week, AASA and CASE Web
sites
A
preliminary ad soliciting applications for Durango
School District 9-R's next superintendent will appear
in the Oc. 31 and Nov. 14 editions of Education
Week and on the Web sites of the American Association
of School Administrators and the Colorado Association
of School Executives.
The
AASA is the national professional organization representing
more than 17,000 superintendents in the United States,
Canada, and Mexico. CASE is the professional organization
for all Colorado administrators, including superintendents,
assistant superintendents, directors and others who
provide administrative services for school districts.
See
a copy of the ad here
. . .
Posted:
November 2, 2007
Goold to fill in as business director while district
begins search
Durango
resident Gary Goold, a Certified Public Accountant
and accounting consultant, will serve as interim
director of business services while Durango School
District 9-R conducts a formal search for a permanent
appointment to the position.
Superintendent
Mary Barter announced Goold’s appointment this
week. He will work about 20 to 30 hours per week through
March 1, overseeing the district’s financial
and business operations, while Barter begins a search
for a successor to Assistant Superintendent of Business
Services Diane Doney, who resigned this month after
nine years with the district. Doney will join the burgeoning
Douglas County School District on Oct. 31 as its executive
director | 
