Every month the school district strives to compile updates and information for families and the community regarding the impacts of COVID-19 in schools. We are grateful for the continued support of our mitigation efforts, which have allowed schools to remain open. Thank you to all our students, staff and families for their perseverance and diligence.

Thank you, again, for entrusting your amazing children with us. I have been so impressed with their engagement in school, your support, and how everyone is rebounding from the impact of the pandemic. Also, thank you for continuing to support our COVID mitigation strategies. Because of masking we have been able to keep our quarantines and cases low and have been able to keep our schools open, which we know is critically important.  Increasing vaccinations to include the ability for 5-11-year-olds to obtain the vaccination soon should also go a long way in decreasing cases and reducing mitigation strategies. We will provide information on vaccination clinics as soon as we receive more information.

The Durango 9-R Board of Education unequivocally condemns any form of hate speech and will not allow hostile acts to distract from our efforts to foster vibrant, safe, and inclusive environments for all 9-R students, families, and staff. Hate speech has no place in our community, and it is incumbent upon all of us to speak out against antisemitism, racism, and bigotry, wherever and whenever it arises. We are all committed to utilizing our powers, policies, actions, and laws to pursue inclusion, equity, and respect for all.

We continually monitor our student and system results to ensure that we are on track to realize this mission. At 9-R, we believe every student deserves to have a solid academic foundation that opens the window of opportunity for any career in which they are interested. They also deserve to have experiences that help them understand their talents, interests, and possible future career options.

Josephine Valencia has worked in the cleaning industry all of her life. For the past eight years she’s been with the Durango School District 9-R. She’s been the Custodian at Animas Valley Elementary School for five years.

Steve Lee has been driving buses and trucks for a long time. What initially drew him to drive a school bus for the Durango School District 9-R was the hours and benefits. The shifts are typically two hours in the morning and three in the afternoon, which also happens to be enough to earn full benefits, and give him time to run his business during the day.

Dear Durango School District 9-R community,

We hope you are enjoying a wonderful summer. We look forward to the new school year, which begins August 24. Here are updates regarding our COVID-related health protocols for the 2021-22 school year.

Thank you to the many of you who participated in our various feedback sessions regarding the recommendations from health authorities regarding COVID-19 mitigation strategies in school.

In response to community feedback, the district has updated details on options to rebuild Miller Middle School on site. Please review these options carefully and provide any additional feedback via the current survey, or by participating in the August 5th feedback session via zoom.