About Durango School District 9-R

The mission of Durango School District 9-R, an innovative educational system committed to excellence, is to ensure each student develops the skills and attributes for lifelong learning and has the ability to compete and contribute in the global community, by guaranteeing equitable educational opportunities in a safe and healthy environment.

We strive to create a learning environment where all students own their learning, act on their learning, and impact their community.  Learners must be actively engaged, and we are dedicated to personalizing learning based on each student’s strengths and needs. Our role as a school district is to provide learning opportunities where students develop their critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication skills. A personalized, competency-based approach to teaching and learning the standards and a community of collaborative learning will prepare students for post-secondary success.

Core Beliefs

• With our help and support, ALL students can meet or exceed grade-level expectations and become successful contributing citizens.
• We purposely engage all students in quality instruction in every environment.
• We create a positive environment for all that inspires commitment to the mission and vision of the district. We, as professionals in 9-R, seek to continue to grow and develop our ability to deliver a quality product and service to our students, their families, our colleagues, and our community.

Beliefs About Learning

• All students can learn to proficiency or above.
• Learning is a constant process fostered by a growth mindset.
• Students own their learning through voice and choice.
• Learning motivates learning.
• Students must have a clear understanding of their learning goals.
• To achieve academic success, learning, assessment, and instruction must be aligned and driven by standards.

Guiding Principles

• All learning expectations are clearly and consistently communicated to students and families, including long-term expectations (such as graduation requirements), short-term expectations (such as the specific learning objectives for a course or other learning experience), and general expectations (such as the performance levels used in the school’s grading and reporting system).
• Student achievement is evaluated against common learning standards and performance expectations that are consistently applied to all students regardless of whether they are enrolled in traditional courses or pursuing alternative learning pathways.
• All forms of assessment are standards-based and criterion-referenced, and success is defined by the achievement of expected standards, not relative measures of performance or student-to-student comparisons.
• Formative assessments measure learning progress during the instructional process, and formative assessment results are used to inform instructional adjustments, teaching practices, and academic support.
• Summative assessments evaluate learning achievement, and summative-assessment results record a student’s level of proficiency at a specific point in time.
• Academic progress and achievement are monitored and reported separately from work habits, character traits, and behaviors such as attendance and class participation, which are also monitored and reported.
• Academic grades communicate learning progress and achievement to students and families, and grades are used to facilitate and improve the learning process.
• Students are given multiple opportunities to improve their work when they fail to meet expected standards.
• Students can demonstrate learning progress and achievement in multiple ways through differentiated assessments, personalized-learning options, or alternative learning pathways.
• Students are given opportunities to make important decisions about their learning, which includes contributing to the design of learning experiences and learning pathways.