Article Last Updated; Sunday, July 18, 2010 12:00AM
By all measures, Animas High School's inaugural year was a great success. Animas High School is a free, public charter school that opened in 2009 to our first class of 75 freshmen.
The school continues to thrive and expand. Enrollment will double next fall, when a new freshman class will join our current students who are progressing to 10th grade. AHS will add a grade each year until it offers grades nine through 12.
Excellent, experienced teachers - Cathy Eagan (math), [Dave] Heerschap (physics), Jessica McCallum (humanities), Maria Goodin (Spanish) - will join our incredible staff, growing school personnel to 16 total. We are expanding our facility and equipping all classrooms with SmartBoard technology, funded in part by the Morgridge Foundation.
Our successes demonstrate that quality choices exist for public high school in Durango. Having quality choices adds a new dimension for local families, who can now select a public high school.
With choice comes opportunity and responsibility. We believe families should make informed decisions.
With choice comes opportunity and responsibility. We believe families should make informed decisions.
So who are we? Animas' key values epitomize our approach. Animas High's rigorous, college-prep curriculum prepares all students for college.
"The teachers are supportive, but you can't be a slacker at AHS," says sophomore Hank Stowers.
"The teachers are supportive, but you can't be a slacker at AHS," says sophomore Hank Stowers.
Parents frequently share that Animas' challenging academic standards and culture of excellence have had a profound impact on their teens. Northwest Evaluation Association test results demonstrate academic growth in all content areas tested. Like all public schools, we'll receive Colorado Student Assesment Program data in August.
AHS offers an engaging education where students discover the relevance of their education. It delivers its curriculum through direct instruction and through project-based learning, which allows students to apply content in relevant, real-world ways.
Eeva Reeder, a nationally recognized educator working with AHS on integrating project design with curriculum, says, "No question, project-based learning is what the times demand. The purpose of school is no longer (just) to deliver information, but to learn to use it well and wisely to solve problems and make rational decisions. Thanks to modern research in cognitive science, it is no longer an open question how human beings learn: We grasp abstract concepts by comparing, grappling, taking apart and applying, and we retain information that is investigated and used in the context of real-world events. This is true for all learners, regardless of label, and as true for learning the most abstruse quantum physics as it is for learning to cook."
Animas High promotes a culture of excellence where all students are held to high standards. An expectation to produce quality work, articulate ideas and focus on education permeates Animas.
"Students are engaged, so they care about their schoolwork," says sophomore Alicia Whiteman.
For example, in March all students participated in a United Nations simulation, researching international issues, presenting countries' positions and brokering compromises.
Another priority at Animas High is building strong faculty-student relationships. Teachers really know each student. Low student-teacher ratios - 15 to 1 - allow teachers to foster academic and personal growth, as well as ownership and accountability toward student work.
"Having strong connections allows me to have higher academic and behavioral expectations for each student in-dividually and for my classes overall," said AHS humanities teacher John Fisher. "And it works both ways - I hold them to high standards, and they hold me accountable for delivering an engaging and exciting learning environment."
"Students are engaged, so they care about their schoolwork," says sophomore Alicia Whiteman.
For example, in March all students participated in a United Nations simulation, researching international issues, presenting countries' positions and brokering compromises.
Another priority at Animas High is building strong faculty-student relationships. Teachers really know each student. Low student-teacher ratios - 15 to 1 - allow teachers to foster academic and personal growth, as well as ownership and accountability toward student work.
"Having strong connections allows me to have higher academic and behavioral expectations for each student in-dividually and for my classes overall," said AHS humanities teacher John Fisher. "And it works both ways - I hold them to high standards, and they hold me accountable for delivering an engaging and exciting learning environment."
With good quality high school choices, how should families evaluate their options?
First, discuss your goals for high school. What is your top priority: academics, social interactions or specific programs? Is your student college bound? How well does each school prepare students for college or post-secondary success?
Second, define your great school. How engaging and challenging is the curriculum? How will the school culture help your student thrive, personally and academically? Are small class sizes important? What options are available for participating in sports or extracurricular activities?
Third, visit the schools. Don't rely on hearsay; go see for yourself. Find out how each school operates. Do students seem engaged in learning? Ask lots of questions of students, parents, teachers and administrators. Ask students about their teachers. What do you observe about student-teacher interactions? How responsive are administrators to situations such as changing schedules or teachers? How valued are student and parent opinions and feedback?
First, discuss your goals for high school. What is your top priority: academics, social interactions or specific programs? Is your student college bound? How well does each school prepare students for college or post-secondary success?
Second, define your great school. How engaging and challenging is the curriculum? How will the school culture help your student thrive, personally and academically? Are small class sizes important? What options are available for participating in sports or extracurricular activities?
Third, visit the schools. Don't rely on hearsay; go see for yourself. Find out how each school operates. Do students seem engaged in learning? Ask lots of questions of students, parents, teachers and administrators. Ask students about their teachers. What do you observe about student-teacher interactions? How responsive are administrators to situations such as changing schedules or teachers? How valued are student and parent opinions and feedback?
We're excited to build on our inaugural success. Choice is good. AHS is proud to be a strong, viable part of the educational landscape in Southwest Colorado.
Michael Ackerman is the Head of School for Animas High School. He can be reached at 247-2474 or atmailto:Michael@AnimasHighSchool.com. 
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