District finalizes 2008-09 academic calendar

Durango School District 9-R finalized the academic calendar this week to reflect early release days, professional development days, holidays and the first days of school. Students at Durango High School will go back to school on Tuesday, Aug. 19, with ninth-grade students participating in a freshman orientation in the morning and 10th, 11th, and 12th-graders starting school after lunch. All elementary and middle schools students will start school on Wednesday, Aug. 20. See the 2008-09 calendar at www.durangoschools.org

DHS Graduation ceremony May 24

The Durango High School Class of 2008 will graduate at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 24, on the DHS football field. DHS recommends arriving by 6:25 p.m. The high school parking lot will be reserved for grandparents and those who have difficulty walking. Needham, Miller, and Riverview parking lots are within walking distance for those in good health. Reserved handicapped spaces are closest to the building and in the north parking lot. Baccalaureate will be at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 23, in the DHS gym. The community is invited to celebrate with the graduating class as they look back on their four years at Durango High School. For more information or questions regarding parking, contact Robert Logan at 259-1630, ext. 2209.

DFEE needs volunteers

The Durango Foundation for Educational Excellence (DFEE) needs volunteers starting in July as it expands and strengthens the organization. DFEE offers volunteer opportunities include office and computer work, take home mailings, and fundraising. Volunteers choose their area of interest and contribute in ways that they most enjoy.

Paid internships for high school students are also available. Students must qualify as low-income in order to fill the paid internship position. DFEE will also support college student internships for academic credit. For more information contact Sandra Smith at 385-1481.            

Animas Valley Nature Trail clean-up

Volunteers are needed to help the school community at Animas Valley Elementary to clean up the Nature Trail around the school beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 27. Bring a sack lunch, sunscreen, gloves, rakes, shovels etc. For additional information contact Renae Muller at 247-0124.

Animas Valley hosts kindergarten graduation May 20

Animas Valley Elementary School will host the kindergarten graduation on Tuesday, May 20, at Animas valley. Susan Hitti’s class will graduate at 9 a.m. and Debra Pavek’s class will graduate at 10:30 a.m. For more information, call Nancy Bray at 247-0124.

Fort Lewis Mesa hosts end of the year family picnic

Fort Lewis Elementary School will host a “End of the Year Picnic” from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, at the San Juan Basin Research Center (at the Old Fort Lewis library). All Fort Lewis Mesa families are welcome to attend. For more information, call Sue Ullom at 588-3331, ext. 3800.

Fifth-grade talent show at Animas Valley May 21

Fifth-graders at Animas Valley Elementary School will host a talent show at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 21, in the Animas Valley gym. For more information, contact Nancy Bray at 247-0124.

DFEE announces 2008-09 funding

The Durango Foundation for Educational Excellence will provide more than $61,000 in funding for several programs in Durango School District 9-R during the 2008-09 school year.

DFEE funded programs for 2008-09 will include Social Emotional Learning Program, a pilot program at Park and Florida Mesa Elementary Schools that provides curriculum to help students gain self-awareness, develop skills to manage emotions, interact compassionately with other and handle challenging situations; the expansion of the MESA program, an after school program that encourages math, science, and engineering achievement for young women and minority students; Weather Bug Science Program; Equine Assisted Therapy for Escalante Middle School students; High School Leadership La Plata Summer Program; Peer Math Tutoring at Durango High School; and Character Building Programs district-wide.

The DFEE funding decisions are based on teacher and staff proposals that reflect crucial educational needs of 9-R students. The programs that are chosen, fall outside the possibility of receiving funding from the school district and would otherwise be unavailable to students. For more information, contact Sandra Smith at 385-1491.

FOR SUNDAY:

Escalante student awarded Youth Fellowship from Southwestern Association for Indian Arts

Ruthie Edd, an eighth-grader at Escalante Middle School, was recently awarded a Youth Fellowship to further her artistic career from the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts.  Ruthie will receive a $500 cash award at a ceremony on Thursday, June 5 in Santa Fe.  She will display and sell her artwork at the annual Santa Fe Indian Market in August.  Ruthie and her sister, Sierra Edd, have sold their artwork at the Santa Fe Indian Market since 2000. For more information, contact Esther Belin at 259-1630, ext. 2014.

Escalante student awarded full scholarship to attend Archaeology Camp at Crow Canyon

Sierra Edd, a sixth-grader at Escalante Middle School, was selected for a full scholarship to attend a week long middle school archaeology camp in June at the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center. The students will study the history of the Anasazi who lived in the Mesa Verde region and will work with a team of professional archaeologists to excavate a site, learn to sort and identify artifacts in a research laboratory. For more information, contact Esther Belin at 259-1630, ext. 2014.

Escalante choir, band, orchestra places at the Music In The Parks Festival

Escalante Middle School’s concert choir, concert band, and advanced orchestra participated in the Music In The Parks Festival on May 10, in Denver. The Concert Choir placed second in its division, the advanced orchestra placed first with excellent scores in its division, and the concert band received excellent scores. The music students and staff thank everyone for their financial support during their fund-raiser that allowed the music department to participate in the event. For more information, call Evelyn Black at 247-9490, ext. 2812 or William LaShell at 247-9490, ext. 2834.

Park announces citizenship and academic awards for April

Park Elementary School recognized the following students for Citizenship and Academics during the month of April. They are: Sam Coleman, Savannah Paviglianiti, Nova Roberts, Ty Martinez, Paris Cutler, Javier Quezada, Kai Caldwell, Foster Burdick, Gabe Vasquez, Ryland Roulson, Tessa Maixner, Krissy Hoffert, Kaylee Personeus, Blaze Sawyer, Parker Norvell, Miles Rivera, Nolan Reed, Bree Canaday, Dennis Costello, Senora Robinson, Vanessa Begay, Mrs. Cash's entire preschool class, Owen Kraft, Cassie Merkel, Reilly McGuire, Jasmine Madril, William Brako-Settles, Damian Martinez, Hailley Benjamin and Ryan Stollsteimer.

Animas Valley’s Huskies of the Week

Animas Valley Elementary School honored students for being “helpful” as the Huskies of the Week. They are: kindergartner Clara Wolf; first-graders McKenzie Hoffman, Lindsey Welton, and Jason Clark; second-grader Chance Guffey; third-graders Annabella Schocklee and Allison Naylor; fourth-grader Sam Aber; and fifth-graders Brianna Foreman and Tate Dyer.  For more information, contact Barbara Frontella at 247-0124, ext. 3404.

DHS academic, activity and athletic awards

Durango High School recently celebrated the accomplishments of the 2008 senior class for academic activity and athletic awards and scholarships. Scholarship money awarded to DHS 2008 graduating seniors totaled more than $2 million. Seniors recognized for academic scholarships include Sterling Abbe, Jacob Adams, Taylor  Anderson, Terra Anderson, Maggie Arbeeny, Catlin Barrett, James Bisogno, Marie Bonds, Justin Boren, Jessica Branson, Graham Brookie, John  Christensen, Kyle Christian-Dold, Nathaniel Clancy, Mackenzie Close, Robin Cole, Laura Creech, Richelle Curry, Molly Davids, John  Dea, Gabriel Dezendorf, James Dickson, Corey Finney, Adam Fontana, Brandie Frascht, Nicholas Ganevsky, Michelle Ghun, Kate Gillis, Brittany Gockel, Derek Goff, Bandy  Gomar, Gyana Gomar, Matthew Green, Katie  Greer, Haley Hamilton, Jedidiah Hanson, Peter Harmon, Loren Hernandez, Catlin Hickey, Casey Hilmes, Kim Hollingsworth, Emily Horvath, Haiyun Hu, Alex Huss, Grady James, Jesse  Jankowski, Kendra Johnson, Sarah Kauer, Kendra Kendra, Sonny Ketchum, Dylan Kinney, Mackenzie Kitson, Heather Knibbs, Benjamin Kraushaar, Jordan Krider, Katie  Larsen, Larissa LaShell, John  Lavengood, Geoffrey Lewis, Joshua Lloyd, Kayla Lund-Jensen, Connie Mahan, Steve Maslak, Rudolph Mattheis-Brown, Katrina May, Molly May, Kaela Maynes, Katie  McLean, Lacey Meador, Clay Miera, Megan Moomey, Jeremy Moss, Jamie Nelson, Amy Newman, Caitlin  Nichols, Collyn O'Brien, James Olinger, RJ Parke, Alyssa Paylor, Jessica Petersen, Bryce Phillips, Blair Pooler, Ricky Rathjen, Christoper Raulston, Michelle Renza, Ivan Riegel, Sarah Robison, Kyra Rogers, Nicholas Salter, Rachael Sauer, Carly Sheldon, Evan Smith, Jameson Smith, Samantha Smith, Charles Snyder, Hayden Stanes, Matthew Stilwell, Emily Swisher, Chas Tabone, Hazel Talamante, Correeen Talley, Page Taylor, Ashleigh Ter Maat, David Tesche, Ian Thomas, Aline Tissonnier, Scott Titus, Jessica  Troxel, Megan Wallace, Ethan Wanger, Alexandra Wheeler, Moonwalker Williams, Jessica Wilson, Amber Wojcik, and Carly Wyman.

Seniors that were recognized for activity and athletic accomplishments include Jessica Wilson, Geoff Lewis, Travis Rogers, Rhett Breed, Chas Tabone, Kaela Maynes, Colton Cherry, Haley Hamilton, Will Hunsaker, Jessica Wilson, RJ Parke, Mollie Davids, Dylan Kinney, Jami Cagle, Andrew Ehat, Amanda Peterson, Colton Cherry, Katie McLean, RJ Parke, Maggie Arbeeny, Hannah Turner, John Christensen, Charles Snyder, and Jesse Jankowski.

Seniors that were recognized for Active Scholars for CHSAA sponsored activities and sports include Adam Fontana, Nicholas Ganevsky, Kimberly Hollingsworth, Emily Horvath, Larissa LaShell, Molly May, Amy Newman, Rachael Sauer, Samantha Smith, Taylor Anderson, Erin Casey, Mackenzie Close, Mollie Davids, Cory Finney, Amanda Fox-Hamer, Caitlin Gardner, Kate Gillis, Haley Hamilton, Kendra Johnson, Natsumi Kitagawa, Mackenzie Kitson, John Lavengood, Lindsey Lewis, Rudolph Mattheis-Brown, Kaela Maynes, Michael Nargi, Bryce Phillips, Carly Sheldon, Erin Shepard, Jameson Smith, Matthew Stilwell, Jazmin Stoner,  Chas Tabone, Moonwalker Williams, Joseph Wise, Amber Wojcik, Jacob Adams, Graham Brookie,  Jesse Jankowski, Kathryn McLean, Jamie Nelson, RJ Parke, and Hayden Stanes.