Pueblo Community College announced on Tuesday a new partnership to share space with Durango School District 9-R in a news release.

PCC runs Southwest Colorado Community College, a satellite campus, in Durango and Mancos.

The Durango branch of SWCCC is currently housed in the Commons building, 701 Camino del Rio. After the lease expires July 1, 2018, the school will relocate to Durango High School.

“We have always had a great relationship with 9-R. … We both share a common vision of student success and collectively, we can be much more effective,” said PCC President Patty Erjavec.

Pueblo Community College will offer general education college courses, house its Gateway to College program and maintain office space at the new DHS location, according to the release. All health programs will be based at the Mancos campus, along with student and administration services.

“We hope this partnership will be permanent. There will be a dedicated wing in the high school with a separate entrance for our students. Nothing will change except we will coexist in the space and provide new technology to deliver academic programs from other PCC locations,” Erjavec said.

A more robust distance education program will be developed at DHS. The school is able to provide programming at multiple locations even if an instructor is at the main campus or elsewhere.

mrupani@durangoherald.com