Two counselors have quit amid a restructuring of the counseling center at Durango High School, Durango School District 9-R confirmed Monday.

The counseling center is “evolving” to play a dual role: Support students’ emotional and social needs and to focus on their academic goals, said Julie Popp, spokeswoman for the district.

Going forward, students will have two counselors assigned to them – one from each category – to follow them through all four years of their high school experience, she said.

“The counseling office needed to not only support the social and emotional needs and growth of students, but also the academic trajectory and the mapping and planning for their high school career to better meet their needs for post-secondary success,” Popp said.

Two of the four counselors agreed to continue under the new model and get the necessary training required under the new job description, and two did not, Popp said. She declined to say which counselors are have been “reassigned” as part of an early “separation agreement,” citing personnel reasons. Their contracts were due to expire in June.

In an email sent to students and families Monday morning, DHS Principal Leanne Garcia confirmed counselors David Blau and Sarah St. John will continue to support ninth- and 10th-graders, respectively, and all students with social and emotional needs as they arise. They will be joined by Rachel Colsman and Deb Medenwaldt, who will support juniors and seniors to finish the school year and finalize plans for next school year, she said.

That means counselors Sarah Wright and Armeda Winter are no longer serving as counselors. Efforts to reach them Monday for comment were unsuccessful.

An email sent to Winter generated an automated reply that says she agreed to take a reassignment.

shane@durangoherald.com