Community college to introduce new dean
Southwest Colorado Community College recently announced the selection of Four Corners native Tonya Nelson as executive dean.
The public can meet Nelson at two receptions:
From 4 to 6 p.m. Monday in the Commons Area on the West Campus, 33057 U.S. Highway 160, between Cortez and Mancos.
From 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday on the East Campus in the Learning Center, 701 Camino del Rio.
The community, employees and students are invited to attend the receptions. Light refreshments will be provided.
Nelson comes to the college from San Juan Community College in Farmington, where she was the director of quality improvement and the Career Center.
Nelson was at San Juan Community College for nine years and has a master’s in business administration and health-care management. She has served as the health services director at Monterey Peninsula Unified School District in California and the program manager at the Mohave County Health Department in Arizona.
For more information, visit www.EnrollSouthwest.org, call 247-2929 or 564-6200.
Destination Imagination meeting set for Monday
San Juan Board of Cooperative Educational Services will host several meetings about Destination Imagination for parents, students, teachers and community volunteers. The next meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Durango School District 9-R Administration Building in the board room, 201 E. 12th St.
Destination Imagination is a program for students in kindergarten to 12th grade that fosters creative problem solving, teamwork, critical and divergent thinking skills, experimentation and presentation skills.
The program challenges students to tackle problems across multiple areas of interest, including architecture, art, theater, music, engineering, physics, mathematics and more.
For more information, call Sheila Weahkee at 764-7550 or email sweahkee@sjboces.org.
Early childhood council offers training series
The Early Childhood Council of La Plata County will offer trainings that focus on the social emotional development of young children.
These trainings will discuss classroom management, imbedded learning opportunities and problem solving as well as tools and resource to help address challenging behaviors and the social emotional needs of children from birth to 8 years of age.
These trainings will take place from 1 to 4 p.m.:
“Toxic Stress and the Impact on Brain Development in Young Children” on Nov. 17.
“Reducing Challenging Behavior by Clarifying Expectations, Rules and Routines” on Dec. 15.
“Thoughtful Transitions: Reduce Traffic Jams and Challenges” on Jan. 19.
“Problem Solving with Preschoolers” on Feb. 23.
“Monitoring Development of Young Children in a Coordinated System of Care” on March 22.
The cost is $10 per session or $40 for all five sessions. The registration deadline is Nov. 6.
To register, call Heather Hawk at 247-0760, email heatherh@ecclaplata.org or visit www.ecclaplata.org.
Durango High School offers driver’s ed course
Durango High School will be offering a driver’s education course beginning Nov. 23.
For more information, call Tim Cunningham at 375-1230.
Sunnyside holiday carnival to benefit reading program
The 32nd annual Sunnyside Elementary Halloween Carnival and Silent Auction will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 30.
Admission is a book or baked good per family. Game tickets will be sold at the door for 25 cents each. Activities will include: haunted house, book walk, Plinko, bingo, bouncy house and more.
Food and desserts will be for sale. A silent auction will include seven gift baskets.
All proceeds will go directly to Sunnyside’s reading and computing programs.
For more information, call 259-5249.
Fort Lewis Elementary to host carnival Saturday
Fort Lewis Elementary School will host a Halloween Carnival on Saturday.
Dinner will begin at 5:30 p.m., and the carnival will start at 6 p.m.
Durango High reschedules event with principal
Durango High School’s November “Conversation with the Principal” has been rescheduled to Nov. 11.
The time has changed to from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.
DHS winter sports red cards are due
Red cards are due Nov. 6 for students who want to participate in winter sports.
Paperwork and fees need to be turned into the Activities Office.
Pumpkin Patch party set for Park Elementary
The annual fall Pumpkin Patch at Park Elementary School will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday and the school’s Parent/Teacher Organization is seeking volunteers.
There are several volunteer opportunities.
For more information, call the school at 247-3718.
Park Elementary School to honor Veterans Day
Park Elementary School will host a musical performance in honor of Veterans Day from 8:45 to 9:15 a.m. Nov. 11.
The school also is preparing a banner to present to the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Durango.
For more information, call the school at 247-3718.
The Liberty School to raise money at annual auction
The Liberty School, a private school serving children who are dyslexic or gifted as well as those who are twice exceptional announces its seventh-annual silent auction and fundraising dinner.
This year’s event will feature a trivia contest with Ted Holteen, games and prizes. Also, well-known locals will be inducted into the Dyslexic Hall of Fame.
The event will be held at 6 p.m. Nov. 14 at the DoubleTree Hotel, 501 Camino del Rio. Onsite child care will be available with dinner provided for a small fee.
Tickets are $75 and are available at www.thelibertyschool.org or by calling 385-4834.
Animas High School announces events
Animas High School announces these events:
AHS Student-Led Conferences will take place from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Wednesday. The conferences are required for all ninth- through 11th-grade families. Students are expected to be in professional dress.
All juniors will take the PSAT during school Oct. 28.
Ally Johnson’s 10th-grade humanities classes will present “The Danger of a Single Story” authors’ reading, from 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 28 at the Steaming Bean Coffee Co., 915 Main Ave. Students will share excerpts from their original historical fiction, which examines the legacy of imperialism in Africa.
Sara Price’s ninth-grade humanities students will exhibit handcrafted identity masks and essays they have written about how they have been socialized to become who they are from 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Durango Public Library, 1900 East Third Ave.
In conjunction with their mini-project on cellular biology, Tina Hott’s students will cohost a blood drive with United Blood Services from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 28 in the AHS Commons. To make an appointment, visit http://bit.ly/1M2cBO6.
There will be no classes Oct. 30 because staff members will be doing professional development work.
For more information, visit www.animashighschool.com.
Herald Staff
