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.

What's next:
Durango School District 9-R is committed to further building our capacity in meeting the unique social and emotional needs facing our students. Throughout the 2018-2019 school year, staff will be working hard to develop effective and impactful systems of student support. Key components of this work will include a focus on creating positive and innovative school cultures, the implementation of Positive Behavior Intervention and Support systems (PBIS), and the integration of collaborative interventions with critical community partners. Positive school culture plays a critical role in allowing for an environment in which students are able to feel connected and invested in themselves, their learning and their success.

We will be working toward developing authentic ways in which students can access social and emotional learning opportunities and supports. PBIS provides a framework that addresses both the overall school culture through learning and prevention practices and the development of a continuum of interventions to meet individual needs. 9-R will work closely with community agencies and partners to build an effective intervention system that allows us to better support all Durango students, removing barriers and providing every opportunity for personalized success.

The school district has committed significant resources to this important work with several new positions across the school district specifically designed to address social/emotional barriers to learning. We are committed to serving the whole child at 9-R through a comprehensive approach that better meets the needs of every student who walks through our doors each morning.