Durango one of ‘Best Small Towns in America’

Article published Apr 19, 2012 in the Durango Herald

Durango one of ‘Best Small Towns in America’

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Durango has been recognized for its great outdoor recreation, the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic and even the Ore House’s New York strip steak. Now we’re being recognized for something else: our culture.

Durango was No. 6 on Smithsonian Magazine’s ‘The 20 Best Small Towns in America’ list.

The magazine created its list by searching for towns with populations less than 25,000 that have a high concentrations of museums, historic sites, art galleries and “other cultural assets common to big cities.”

“We think any best place worth traveling to should have one quality above others: culture,” the magazine said in its description of the list.

The Western feel of Durango helped it land the No. 6 spot, along with the Henry Strater Theatre, the Music in the Mountains festival and the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

This isn’t the first time Durango has been placed on a “best of” list. Last year, Durango also received these accolades: Top 10 Western Towns, True West Magazine; Top 200 Towns, Outdoor Life; Best Places to Live, Men’s Journal; Top Micropolitan Area in the U.S., Policom Corp.; Award of Merit to the La Plata County Historical Society, American Association for State and Local History; and Life Is Better Here, Outside magazine.

Herald Staff

Durango High School principal resigns

Article published Apr 19, 2012 in the Durango Herald

Durango High School principal resigns

Lashinksy: School might benefit from different type of leadership

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By Emery Cowan

Durango School District 9-R is beginning the search for a new head of Durango High School after current principal Diane Lashinsky resigned earlier this week.

The 9-R Board of Education approved Lashinksy’s resignation late Tuesday night.

In a conversation with interim superintendent Bill Esterbrook, Lashinsky said she realized a different type of leadership might be beneficial to DHS considering the current needs and goals of the school, Esterbrook said.

 

The district declined to provide a copy of the letter of resignation Lashinsky submitted to the district citing an exemption to the open-records law for personnel files.

Thomas Kelley, a Denver media lawyer who represents The DurangoHerald, disagreed with the district’s decision, saying resignation letters are subject to the state’s Open Records Act, and case law supports that position.

Esterbrook declined to say whether he was surprised by Lashinksy’s announcement to leave the district.

“She has worked very hard and established a lot of good things,” he said. “She has the school on the brink of something really special.”

The district is committed to continuing the school’s work on small learning communities, he said. The school-within-a-school model groups ninth- and 10th-graders into different pods that share a common set of teachers in core subject areas. The school is preparing to introduce a new version of the small learning communities this fall.

Lashinsky was hired at the high school in 2007 and led the school’s transition to the small learning communities, which started in 2008.

“When I came to Durango High School, I was challenged to lead the school to make the change from a comprehensive high school to personalized learning environments,” Lashinsky wrote in an email to the Herald. “This is what I’m good at, and I feel successful in our accomplishments.”

Enrollment at DHS has been declining for much of Lashinsky’s tenure at the high school. Since 2008, it has fallen by about 400 students. District administrators attribute part of the loss to the opening of Animas High School, a public charter, in 2009. Animas has an enrollment of about 180 students.

A survey given last year to all district educators provided insight into teachers’ working environment at the high school and elsewhere. Survey results showed that only 36 percent of DHS teachers agreed that faculty and leadership have a shared vision, the second-lowest among the district’s schools.

Teachers’ responses to this statement at DHS and elsewhere in the district “is the most alarming problem highlighted by this survey,” Elizabeth Collins, president of the district’s teachers union, wrote in her report of the data.

Daniel Snowberger, who is in contract negotiations to become the district’s next superintendent, will visit Durango on Friday to meet with the high school’s staff and to discuss finding a replacement for Lashinsky.

Similar to recent principal searches at Sunnyside and Park elementary schools, a committee of parents and school staff will serve in an advisory role while reviewing DHS principal candidates.

Lashinksy’s resignation will be effective June 26. She wrote in an email that she will complete her doctorate this summer at the University of Washington and has no other specific career plans.

ecowan@durangoherald.com

AHS Weekly Update- Week of April 16th, 2012

I hope this email finds you rested and re-charged after a well-deserved Spring Break. Please take a moment to review the following updates:

AHS Students Sweep Library Writing Competition
Upcoming Events
PAC Updates

AHS Students Sweep Library Writing Competition

For a second year, AHS students have acquitted themselves well in the Durango Public Library Writing Contest. The following students placed:

First Place Poetry: Martina Pansze
2nd Place Poetry: Shannon Etz
Honorable Mention Poetry: Lacey Meek

2nd Place Short Story: Lacey Meek

Congratulations to all of our talented students at Animas High School!

Upcoming Events

Denver College Fair Spring Road Trip
As a follow up to our successful visit to the annual Western Slope College Fair, AHS is excited to sponsor a trip to the yearly Denver College Fair occurring this Sunday at Denver University. Students and staff will depart via charter bus from AHS at 9 AM this Saturday. The groupwill travel to Denver, spend the night in town, tour DU Sunday morning and attending the college fair Sunday afternoon. The group will return to AHS late Sunday evening so that we can be ready for a big day at school Monday.Students interested in joining the trip should sign up with the Head of School. Students will receive a detailed schedule for the trip this Wednesday.

Water Quality Conference
A number of AHS Chemistry students will be heading up to Silverton on April 26th for a regional water quality conference. Interested students should see Steve Smith for details.

Girls to Women Conference
A group of students from AHS will be participating in the annual Girls to Women conference next Tuesday, April 24th at the La Plata County Fairgrounds. Questions should be forwarded to Rachael Sands

ACT for Juniors
On Tuesday, April 24th, AHS 11th graders will be taking the state sponsored ACT. The test will be administered to students during the school day.

2011-12 Yearbooks
School Yearbooks for the 2011-12 school year have arrived and they are awesome! Students wishing to purchase a yearbook will receive directions from Yearbook Staff in Advisory! Questions? Please see Ms. Roxy or any of the student editors.

PAC Update

Sports Sale This Saturday!
If you have any used sports gear that you can donate for our upcoming sports sale, please bring it by the school this week during school hours. Our Sports Sale is Saturday, April 21 from 10-3 at the Boys and Girls Club.

Coffee Fundraiser Continues
The juniors will sell Desert Sun Coffee from April 20-27. They will receive the packets on Friday, April 20. Please encourage them to sell to raise money for our school.





Animas High School Values:

Rigorous academics, where all students are prepared for college success
Culture of excellence, where students are held to high expectations
Strong faculty-student relationships, where students are well known
Engaging learning, where students see the relevance of their education

No Stranger to the Classroom, US Senator Michael Bennet Visits Animas High School

For Immediate Release:

No Stranger to the Classroom, US Senator Michael Bennet Visits Animas High School

Animas High School students received a special visit from Senator Michael Bennet Wednesday morning at the school’s campus in Durango, CO. The Senator spent time touring the campus and learning more about Animas High’s rigorous college prep program, project-based learning and the school’s exemplary culture of excellence. No stranger to the high school classroom, the former superintendent of Denver Public Schools jumped into the mix and participated in both Humanities and Physics classes. Senator Bennet also spent time with student ambassadors who shared with him the reasons why they chose to attend Animas High School.

Animas High School is a public charter school of choice serving 181 students from throughout Southwestern Colorado. The school opened in 2009 and currently serves students in the 9^th, 10^th and 11^th grades. Animas High School will achieve full enrollment and graduate its first class in 2013. In 2011, Animas High School was named among the top 8 percent of all Colorado public schools and received the John Irwin Schools of Excellence Award, which recognizes schools for high achievement on statewide assessments. For more information about Animas High School, please visit www.animashighschool.com

US Senator Michael Bennet takes time Wednesday morning to join 10^th grade Humanities Students at Animas High School as they work on peer critiques. Photo Courtesy of Animas High School

AHS Weekly Update- Week of Aril 2nd, 2012

Please Take a Moment to Review These Important Updates:

Senatorial Visit to AHS

Junior College Night

Fashion Guide Free Friday

All School Advisory Day

Spring Break Starts Friday

PAC Update

AHS Enrollment Continues

April Calendar of Events

Senatorial Visit to AHS

AHS is honored to welcome US Senator Michael Bennet to campus on Wednesday, April 4^th. Animas High School’s success has been well profiled this year and we are excited to show off our school to one of our state’s key leaders. Senator Bennet will take time to meet with students, staff and administration, tour our campus and observe classes.

Junior College Night

Please join the AHS College Counseling Dept. this Thursday, April 5 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at AHS. 11th graders and their families are strongly encouraged to attend this evening meeting.

Fashion Guide Free Friday

Team AHS: Molly Black, Brittney Smith, Aitor Barrantes, and Nano Rodd have shaved their heads and raised over $300 dollars for St. Baldricks, an organization that is dedicated to raising money for childhood cancer research. Other than the U.S. Government, St. Baldricks provides the most funding for childhood cancer research in America. They raise awareness for the cause by holding an event worldwide each March; where people sign up to shave their heads to stand in solidarity with children with cancer.

To celebrate Team AHS and as a result of their successful efforts, Head of School Michael Ackerman has declared Friday, Aril 6^th a FASHION GUIDE FREE FRIDAY! This means students are permitted to wear items to school that are usually prohibited under the school’s Fashion Guide. So break out your hats, flip-flops, athletic wear and pajama bottoms (really, pajama bottoms?), it’s time to celebrate! Note- Student dress may not violate school rules related to clothing bearing offensive messages, profanity or inappropriate pictures or symbols. No excessive skin and no gum! The school reserves the right to remediate any questionable fashion choices. Please enjoy this privilege responsibly!

All School Advisory Day

Animas High School students can expect a full, final day of programming before spring break. This Friday, students will participate in advisory activities, all school culture building efforts and a trip to FLC for a private showing of the Imaginary Invalid and to view our 9^th graders final animation projects on the big screen. This is one school day not to be missed!

FLC Theatre Department - The Imaginary Invalid

Written by Molière Directed by Guest Artist Rima Miller

The privileged Argan is a homebound hypochondriac with every disease imaginable. Surrounded by lurking quacks who are only too happy to (mis)treat him; a money-grubbing wife and two headstrong daughters, Argan is miserable. Molière’s 17th century comedy gets an alternative approach re-imagined by Guest Artist/Director Rima Miller. Created with original music and requisite bawdiness you will love this satirical exploration. Warning: Excessive laughter may be hazardous to your health.

Spring Break Starts Friday

It’s finally here! Wishing all of our students and their families an incredibly fun and safe Spring Break vacation. School will be closed next week with campus re-opening on Monday, April 16^th at 7 AM

PAC Update

AHS’s Spring Coffee Fundraiser is in full swing! Please consider supporting AHS through your purchase of Desert Sun Coffee. Juniors will sell coffee from April 20^th through the 27^th and the whole school (all grades) gets one more chance to sell from April 27^th to May 4^th. Thank you for your continued support of Animas High School!

Animas High’s Second Annual Sports Sale-Saturday, April 21st from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club. Donations of sporting equipment are currently being accepted at the school’s Main Office during school hours.

The next Parent Advisory Committee Meeting will take place Monday, April 16 12:30 p.m. at AHS

AHS Enrollment Continues

Enrollment for the 2012-13 school year continues at Animas High School. Students and families looking to enroll at AHS should visit www.animashighschool.com and complete an online intent to enroll form. There is currently a waiting list for next year's freshman class. Enrollment will remain open until next fall. AHS is also accepting enrollments for a limited number of openings in our 10th and 11th grade classes.

April Calendar of Events

For your convenience, please find AHS’s April Calendar of Events here: http://animashighschool.blogspot.com/2012/04/blog-post.html

April Calendar of Events