My mother needs more of my support, and I want to be closer to her during this season of her life. It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever made, because serving this community has been the greatest privilege of my career.
First, I want to say thank you. To our families: thank you for your trust, your support, and your partnership. You have shared your children with us every day, and you have stood behind our schools in ways that have truly changed what is possible. To our students: thank you for your curiosity, your courage, and your kindness. You are the reason we do this work, and you have inspired me more than you will ever know.
What we have built together
As I look back, I am so proud of what our students, families, staff, and community have accomplished together:
- Student Success. Together, we moved our district to the top 11% on state assessments. That is a testament to our hardworking students, our dedicated staff, and families who believe in them.
- A community that believes in its schools. In 2024, you passed our bond by the largest margin in the state. Thank you. That vote said loud and clear that Durango values its children and their future.
- Schools worthy of our students. Thanks to both bonds, students are learning in spaces built for the future:
- A new Miller Middle School
- The Impact Career Innovation Center
- A new home for Big Picture High School
- Three Springs Elementary School
- Repairs, upgrades, and new furniture in every single school
- Workforce housing that helps us attract and keep great teachers and staff for your children
- Students and families feel the difference. Our student and parent survey results have improved, and our staff report better teaching and learning conditions than ever. When adults feel supported, students thrive.
- Our Portrait of a Graduate. Created with more than 6,800 community members, our six competencies (Empathetic Collaborator, Resilient Risk-Taker, Creative Problem-Solver, Agile Thinker, Confident Communicator, and Courageous Leader) guide learning from kindergarten through graduation. Students build portfolios, reflect on their growth, and present capstones in grades 2, 5, 8, and 11.
- Finding purpose through Ikigai. We have helped students discover what they love, what they are good at, what the world needs, and how they can contribute, so they leave us ready for a life of purpose.
- Learning beyond the classroom walls. Our SOIL Outdoor Learning Lab and Ignite Mobile Learning Lab, as well as focus on Project-Based Learning and Maker Spaces in every school have brought hands-on, real-world learning to students across our district.
- Pathways to the future. Through the upcoming ICON Workforce Development Center and our partnership with Bayfield and Ignacio, we are building career opportunities that will serve students across our region for years to come. This just builds upon the career-connected learning that has dramatically expanded across our schools.
- Every child, everywhere. Our relationships with our diverse families, our entire community, and our commitment to rural education reflect who we are: a district that serves every child, wherever they live.
- A new strategic plan. Our 2026-2030 Strategic Plan sets a clear and ambitious direction for the years ahead.
- A better place to work and learn. Our Teaching and Learning Conditions Colorado (TLCC) results have increased, and our student perception and parent survey results tell the same story: our students, families, and staff feel the difference you are making.
- National recognition. Our work across numerous areas has earned national recognition, an honor that belongs to all of you.
Looking ahead
The Board of Education has begun planning the search for our next superintendent. The Board is strongly committed to continuity, and to keeping our district on the successful path we have built together. Your children's learning, their schools, and the programs they love will continue moving forward.
As for me, I will treat the rest of this year just like any other. I will give 100% and more every day, keep our priorities moving forward, and do everything I can to make sure our next superintendent is set up for success.
There will be time ahead for proper goodbyes. For now, please know how grateful I am for each of you, and how proud I am of what we have built together for the students of Durango.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Karen Cheser, Ed.D.
Superintendent
Durango School District