Mountain Middle School has been awarded the John Irwin School of Excellence Award for the fourth year in a row, and earned Colorado’s highest accreditation rating – Performance with Distinction – for the 10th time.
The John Irwin award is given by the Colorado Department of Education to schools that demonstrate exceptional academic achievement over time by receiving an “exceeds expectations” rating in math, science and English language arts on the academic achievement indicator of the School Performance Framework.
“This yearly accomplishment is a testament to the collective hard work, dedication, and collaboration of our students, teachers, staff, and families,” Mountain Executive Director Shane Voss said in a news release on the accomplishment.
Mountain Middle is a public charter school serving students in fourth through eighth grade. Enrollment is determined by a lottery system, ensuring the school’s total student population never exceeds 300. The school also offers a kindergarten through eighth grade homeschool program.
The school demonstrated notable academic success throughout 2025, Voss said.
Fourth through fifth grade students scored in the top 3% in mathematics and the top 9% in English Language Arts in the state, with sixth through eighth grade students touting scores in the top 9% of mathematics and the top 3% for English language arts.
The school also received an “Exceeds State Expectations” rating on every academic achievement indicator of the Colorado School Performance Framework for the fourth consecutive year.
According to Voss, the school’s minority, special education and free and reduced lunch-eligible student populations “consistently outperform the general populations of most districts.”
Several other schools in La Plata County, including the Southwest Colorado eSchool and Durango School District’s Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary School, also received John Irwin awards.
“We are honored to receive this recognition again and remain steadfast in our commitment to provide high-quality school choice in Durango by continuing to empower students with the skills and knowledge necessary to lead inspiring and purposeful lives,” Voss said in the release.
epond@durangoherald.com
