Wednesday, November 18, 2009

For Immediate Release









To the Animas High School Community,

It is with great sadness that I inform our school community of a
horrific tragedy that occurred earlier this week. Many of you
may know Jason Hotchkiss, Director of Durango’s Four River Institute
and the father of one of our ninth grade students. Jason's wonderful
wife, Cassandra, was killed in a car accident on Monday night. In the car
with her were three of Jason and Cassandra’s five children. All three children were airlifted from Durango to Denver on Monday evening and remain in very serious condition.

Our school community will be rallying in support of the family and we
plan on sending cards, gifts and well wishes from the school up to
Denver the end of this week. Condolence cards for Jason and his family
can be sent directly to:

Jason Hotchkiss
1718 Mariposa Drive
Durango, CO 81301

With such a crazy week here at school (Exhibition, Retrospective et
al), our advisory groups took time out yesterday to check in with
students about this incident. These discussions led to some amazing
dialogue concerning grief and loss. As always, in addition to our
faculty advisors, AHS has professional counseling contacts we can
employ should any student express the desire or need to further
process this tragedy. Please direct any and all questions or concerns
related to this incident to our Head of School.

Thanks again to everyone who has already shared their condolences with the
school and we have and will continue to pass on your well wishes to
Jason, his 9th grader (not involved in the accident) and his family.
Cassandra was a wonderful mother, a wonderful wife, and a wonderful human being,
and she will be dearly missed by everyone who ever made her acquaintance. Please continue to keep the entire family in your thoughts and prayers.

Respectfully,

Michael Ackerman