As a day custodian at Needham Elementary School for most of this first two-plus months of school, it's been part of my responsibility to help maintain the grounds. As many may know, our grounds serve as school playground during school hours and a city park during off hours.

This is the case at several schools in the 9-R school district. And of course, being Durango – an exceptionally pet-friendly town (with road and mountain bikes playing a close second) – we have an abundance of dogs running, chasing and playing here after hours and on weekends.

I wanted to take the time to give out a well-deserved “kudos” to the Needham neighborhood pet owners. Other than the occasional dog-eared Frisbee or skinned tennis ball, there is very rarely any evidence that this is as much a dog park as a people park.

While I can't speak to our other dual-purpose campuses, which I have little doubt are much the same, for our kids and myself, I'd like to thank you for being so conscious of the responsibilities of having a pet as part of your family.

(You may have discerned the minimal use of the common canine noun usage in this letter. This is out of respect for, and to be honest, well-deserved fear of our feline family member.)

Tim Noack

Durango