Author – The Durango Herald

Parents being urged to weigh in on proposals for new graduation requirements

Our work to modify graduation requirements has been mentioned in the past, but I want to update you on our progress. We are fortunate to have a board that has taken this seriously to ensure ...

DATE: Oct 11, 2016 | CATEGORY: Durango School News

School security practices designed to ensure student safety

Last month, The Durango Herald reported on upgrades to the safety and security practices within the district. It can be disconcerting to recognize that the challenges of society a...

DATE: Sep 13, 2016 | CATEGORY: Durango School News

Durango School District needs mill levy increase to invest in kids

Another year is upon us, and I’m happy to share that great things are once again in store for our students in Durango. We’ve worked hard to keep budget cuts as far away from our...

DATE: Aug 22, 2016 | CATEGORY: Durango School News

Durango School District to overhaul graduation requirements

This spring our Board of Education will adopt a new set of graduation guidelines that will greatly shift the process of earning a high school diploma. When most of us went to scho...

DATE: May 10, 2016 | CATEGORY: Durango School News

Robust dialogue can make our schools better

As I wrap up my 31st year in public education, I’m reflecting on where we have come as an institution. Growing up, it was clear that education was key to one’s future success. Get...

DATE: Apr 12, 2016 | CATEGORY: Durango School News

District working hard to solve budget puzzle

The news has been inundated with stories about the financial status of the district and its desire to engage the community. While the school board certainly has opportunities to ...

DATE: Mar 8, 2016 | CATEGORY: Durango School News

Social media harms real talk about 9-R budget

When I grew up, there were no cellphones, no texting, no Internet, no blogs and no way to publicly respond to articles in the paper without writing a letter. People communicated ...

DATE: Feb 9, 2016 | CATEGORY: Durango School News

District invites you to talks about budget

At some point, I look forward to addressing the community about the plethora of resources that exist in the district and gaining insight on ways we can best invest them in our students, our ...

DATE: Jan 12, 2016 | CATEGORY: Durango School News

District wants your help with funding issues

On many occasions, we have discussed the challenging financial situations that school districts across our state face as a result of state fiscal challenges. Durango 9-R remains...

DATE: Dec 1, 2015 | CATEGORY: Durango School News

School district needs to hire support staff

On a number of occasions, we’ve discussed the difficulty we have had in filling support staff positions in the district. Despite competitive salaries, excellent benefits and a st...

DATE: Nov 3, 2015 | CATEGORY: Durango School News

Athletics add key elements to student growth

As I shared last month, our district has been reflecting on ways to further support the development of our students beyond academics. While academic achievement is a key focus, ...

DATE: Oct 6, 2015 | CATEGORY: Durango School News

Character key to successful education

We’ve started the school year with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. As I’ve often shared, the work our staff is engaged in is so much more than simply having kids enjoy school. W...

DATE: Sep 8, 2015 | CATEGORY: Durango School News