Durango school board to meet Tuesday

The Durango School District 9-R School Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 9-R board room in the administration building.

All are welcome. A copy of the proposed agenda can be found at www.boarddocs.com/co/dsd/Board.nsf/Public by 5 p.m. today.

DHS, Miller students will be off Feb. 10

Durango High School and Miller Middle School teachers will participate in a two-day International Baccalaureate training in preparation for the new teaching methodology to be used at both schools during the 2012-13 academic year.

Because of the number of teachers who will participate, DHS and Miller students will not attend school Feb. 10.

Student activities available during break

The Durango School District 9-R has partnered with local agencies to form “The Community Coalition for Kids” to provide low-cost activities for students during winter break, Feb. 20-24.

Plans will include swimming, music, art, 4-H activities, cultural enrichment, ice skating, gymnastics and Girl Scout programs.

Activities will be held at the Durango Community Recreation Center, Boys & Girls Club and the La Plata County Extension Building. A complete activity schedule may be found on the 9-R, Boys & Girls Club, and Durango Parks and Recreation Center websites.

A limited amount of financial assistance is available in part because of funding from BP.

Parents to meet for DHS registration

Parents of current eighth- and ninth-grade students are encouraged to attend a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the Durango High School Auditorium to learn about the course-registration process for the 2012-13 school year.

Speech, debate team to host tournament

Durango High School Speech and Debate earned second place as a team at the Palisade High School Speech and Debate Tournament.

The team will host the Colorado High School Activities Association Regional Tournament to qualify students to compete at the state level Feb. 24 and 25. Previous volunteers are invited to judge the tournament.

The meet will begin at 2 p.m. Feb. 24 to 25. CHSAA pays volunteers per round they judge. Judges will have the opportunity to donate the money to any team. Judges training will be held at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 23 at Durango High School.

To volunteer, email Darlene Clayton at dclayton@durango.k12.co.us.

Health Education Expo scheduled for Feb. 15

The fourth annual Health Education Expo at Durango High School will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon Feb. 15.

Community members, as well as students and 9-R staff members, are invited to participate in a variety of presentations by local experts in their fields.

The Health and Wellness Committee has invited local experts from The Garden Project, Durango Fire & Rescue Authority, Sexual Assault Services Organization, Lasso Tobacco Coalition and more.

Escalante announces upcoming events

Escalante Middle School will host these events:

The Parent Organization will host a Parent Education Night with deputy Mike Latham from the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the school’s media center. Latham will discuss issues facing middle school students. A light dinner will be served.

Orchestra students will perform at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 8. Performances will include students in grades six to eight.

Band and choir students will perform at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 15. Performances will include students in grades six to eight.

Applications available for music program

Applications for Conservatory Music in the Mountains are being accepted through June 3.

The conservatory summer music program will run from July 8 to 29 at Fort Lewis College and provides both educational and performance opportunities for young artists.

String and piano students study with faculty and members of the Music in the Mountains Festival orchestra. Some scholarships are available to assist with tuition. The deadline to apply for scholarships is April 20.

Applications are available at www.newconservatory.org/dreamweaver/pdf/CMITM2012WebBrochureInteractive.pdf.

For more information, call Angie Beach at 385-6820 or email abeach@musicinthemountains.com.

Crow Canyon offers program for teachers

This summer, Crow Canyon Archaeological Center will host a National Endowment for the Humanities program for educators.

The course is called “Bridging Cultures: Diversity and Unity in the Pueblo World” and will focus on archaeology and Pueblo Indian history. It also will feature prominent Pueblo Indian scholars and archaeologists. The teachers receive a $2,500 stipend to cover their costs. Six course credits are available through Colorado School of Mines. The application deadline is March 1.

For more information, visit www.crowcanyon.org.

Free books available to schools, projects

The Literacy Empowerment Foundation, a nonprofit organization, invites schools or other literacy projects to apply for free books for Read Across America Day.

Resources are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Orders must be received by Feb. 18.

For more information, visit www.lefbooks.org.

Health-career program accepting applications

The Southwestern Colorado Area Health Education Center is accepting applications for the 2012 Summer Health Careers Institute.

The program, which will run from July 8 to 14, is designed to encourage high school students with any interest or ability in math and science to pursue health careers.

The program will provide students with the tools they need to make intelligent educational choices. Students will explore various health professions, tour health-care facilities, discuss career options with professors and health practitioners and shadow a health professional.

Applicants must be 16 as of June 1 to participate. No students 18 or older at the time of the program will be accepted. The deadline for applications is April 6.

For applications and more information, visit www.swcahec.org.

Energy Council offers scholarship

The La Plata County Energy Council Inc. is offering a $1,000 scholarship to graduating high school seniors from La Plata County in the spring of 2012.

The Aulbert Memorial Scholarship is for students who have a parent working in the natural gas industry or related service company – the company is an Energy Council member.

Applications for the scholarships are available through high school counselors or by visiting www.energycouncil.org, click on “Scholarships & Grants” and download the file.

Interested students also can call the Energy Council at 382-6686 and leave a message with name, address and phone number and an application will be mailed. Students also can leave an email address.

LPEA plans to host scholarship open houses

The deadline for high school seniors to apply for scholarships and awards available through La Plata Electric Association is March 1.

Applications are available at www.lpea.coop.

To assist with the application process, the cooperative will host two open houses: the first from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. 8 at the Upper Pine River Fire Protection District’s Administrative Offices, 515 Sower Drive in Bayfield; and the second from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Ruby Sisson Library, 811 San Juan Drive in Pagosa Springs.

LPEA staff members will be available to answer questions. Copies of all applications will be available. No RSVP is required.

For more information and to download applications, visit the website, call Jeannie Bennett at 382- 3505 or email jbennett@lpea.coop.

Informational sessions set for adult learners

Fort Lewis College will host free informational sessions from 6 to 7 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month in Program Room 3 at the Durango Public Library, 1900 East Third Ave.

Sessions will cover opportunities for adult learners at FLC and explain how to enroll and apply for financial aid. Sessions are free and open to the public.

For more information, call 247-7670.

FLC offers continuing education classes

Fort Lewis College Continuing Education Program will offer these classes:

“Basic Digital Photography” with Paul Boyer will be held Saturday. Course topics will include understanding how cameras work, selecting camera settings, getting the best image quality, downloading images from the camera to the computer, organizing photos on the computer and examining the various possibilities for presenting images. The cost is $54 for one class.

“Be Your Own Architect” with Mark Sullivan will be held Thursday evenings from Thursday to March 15. Knowledge of the basics of the process, including graphic representation of an original idea and familiarity with structure and materials will be the goal of the class. The cost is $119 for six classes.

Advance registration is required. For more information, call 247-7385 or visit www.fortlewis.edu/ContinuingEd.

Virtual academy to hold informational session

Colorado Virtual Academy will hold its Early Elementary Round-up from 10 to 11 a.m. Feb. 17 at Steaming Bean Coffee Co., 915 Main Ave.

Academy kindergarten teacher Sara Tippie will explain the educational options the academy offers.

For more information, visit www.k12.com/cova/event-type/early-elementary-roundup-explore-grades-k%E2%80%933.

Herald Staff