If you’ve lived in the Four Corners for a while, you know a summer storm when you see one. Sometimes the sky turns from blue to black in minutes, and the wind hits before you can get the laundry off the line.
This year, Durango School District (DSD, formerly known as 9-R) faces a different kind of storm. The forecast includes funding reductions, culture wars and political division. In the words of our superintendent, Dr. Karen Cheser, “I won’t sugarcoat the reality we face ... But we are not ships adrift in these storms. We are anchored in purpose – deeply, firmly rooted in something far greater than any challenge we face. Our purpose is clear and unwavering: to help every single student discover and live out their Ikigai – that beautiful Japanese concept of finding one’s reason for being, where passion meets mission.”
That sense of purpose has never been more important. And in the coming year, we’ll put it to work through innovative programs, dedicated staff and a clear road map for the future.
The first day of school is Tuesday, Aug. 19, and excitement is building. As buses roll and families return to drop-off and pickup routines, we’re asking all drivers to slow down, watch for students in crosswalks and stay alert in school zones. A few extra minutes behind the wheel is a small price for safety.
This fall marks visible progress from the 2024 Investing in Our Schools Bond. Less than a year after voters approved it, we’re on the brink of announcing a major staff housing initiative. Our teams are also moving forward on the new Three Springs elementary school – set to replace Florida Mesa Elementary School in 2028 – with teachers and architects working together on its design.
Phase 2 of Miller Middle School’s renovation wrapped up over the summer with a new football field and track, a formal bus loop, a monument sign, and landscaping in progress. Inside and outside our schools, maintenance projects are modernizing systems – from water conservation upgrades to new buses and technology.
We’re now in year three of our Portrait of a Graduate initiative, which equips students with power skills that will outlast any technology shift: resilience, collaboration, creativity, communication, adaptability and leadership. This year, K-5 teachers will have new curriculum tools to make these skills more accessible, and a PoG Rockstars committee is elevating the work districtwide.
Student-driven learning will continue to shine – whether in robotics, coding, the arts or hands-on Career & Technical Education at the Impact Career Innovation Center. The district’s SOIL Outdoor Learning Lab, unique in Colorado, is expanding into middle and high school curricula. Surplus produce from its gardens will now help feed students in our cafeterias.
We’re proud to share that four of our schools – Park, Animas Valley, Needham and Fort Lewis Mesa elementaries – earned the Governor’s Distinguished Improvement Award from the Colorado Department of Education for sustained academic growth. Fort Lewis Mesa also received CDE’s John Irwin School of Excellence Award for exceptional performance in math, English Language Arts and science. These honors are a testament to what happens when educators, families and communities work together.
In late August, we’re launching a Strategic Planning Steering Committee to guide the district’s priorities for the next three years. If you’re a parent, staff member or community partner, we want your perspective. The committee will work with the Colorado Education Initiative from August to November, with the new plan launching in January 2026.
It’s easy to dwell on the clouds. But in Durango, we know that storms bring renewal. They douse wildfires, green our hillsides, fill our rivers and remind us of our resilience. As we step into this school year, we’re choosing to see hope on the horizon.
Karla Sluis is the public information officer for Durango School District. Reach her at ksluis@durangoschools.org. For more information about back-to-school details, including bell schedules, school supplies, and riding the bus, visit our Back to School Hub: https://www.durangoschools.org/apps/pages/backtoschool.
