September 1, 2021
Jenny gets the crowd ready for her Hiking XBlock, which will take advantage of our beautiful local trails
9th grader Cassidy Hayden shows off her Country Line Dancing moves with Alumna Saige Fogherty, who will co-teach XBlock with Christine
Dear Ospreys and Families,

One of the ways we work to support physical and mental health at AHS is through our XBlock program, which provides opportunities to exercise in partnerships with community-based organizations such as Chapman Hill, Durango Rock Lounge, Durango Rec Center, The Good Fight, Alpine Aerial Acrobatics, Durango Gymnastics and more. XBlock meets once a week, on Wednesday afternoons for about 90 minutes (see bell schedule here). These classes contribute to our Culture of Excellence as students play alongside teachers and students in other grade levels who share similar interests. Today at our NEST Meeting, staff presented 1st quarter XBlock options. 

Please click here to view this quarter's XBlock classes.

Students: indicate your TOP THREE XBlock choices by completing this form.

Students will have time in core classes on Friday to complete this online form if they don't do it before then.

  • XBlock classes begin next Wednesday, 9/8 and 1st quarter XBlock classes meet 6 times, through 10/20, with no meeting on 10/13.

  • Many of the XBlock classes are free, while some require a fee. If the cost of XBlock provides a financial hardship for you, please reach out to our Director of Finance for scholarship information: christine.imming@animashighschool.com.

  • Most of our XBlock classes take place off campus and students are released from their XBlock location at the end of the day; we do not provide transportation back to campus from off-campus locations. The off-campus XBlocks travel to their locations from AHS by bus. Students are allowed to drive themselves from campus to XBlock locations but may not transport other students (with the exception of siblings). The Hub Bus runs from AHS to DHS on Wednesdays for those who remain on or return to campus. 

  • XBlock is graded on a pass/fail basis determined by participation, and in order to receive credit, students must attend a minimum of 70% of the classes in a quarter. This includes both excused and unexcused absences. For 1st quarter 2021, that means students must miss no more than two classes in order to receive credit. Please make every effort not to schedule appointments during XBlock.

  • Students are required to complete three years of XBlock to graduate from AHS, even if they are participating in team sports. This is the equivalent of 1.5 credits. All 9th, 10th and 11th grade students are required to take XBlock; most seniors have already completed this requirement, but they are welcome to attend XBlock as helpers for staff. For those who participate in organized sports, we offer Athlete Study Hall as an XBlock option.

While we do not require physical exams for our students, we strongly encourage yearly wellness checks and establishment of care with a primary care physician. Pediatric Partners has a main campus at Horse Gulch and a school-based health center at Durango High School. Appointments for both locations can be made by calling (9700 375-0100. AHS students are welcome and a sliding scale is used the School Based Health Center; access to care is open to all regardless of ability to pay. Another option in town is Pediatric Associates of Durango at (970) 259-7337. For help for families in determining eligibility for Medicaid or CHP, La Plata Family Centers Coalition at (970) 385-4747) is a good starting point. There are also several other practices in town that care for those under 18 years old. 

As always, please reach out with questions!
Upcoming AHS Events

Senior and Family College Information Night: Thurs. 9/2, 5:30-7pm at AHS

Labor Day (no classes): Mon. 9/6

Parent/Guardian Orientation: Tues. 9/7, 5:30-6:30pm at AHS

XBlock Classes Begin: Wed. 9/8

1st Semester Add/Drop Period Ends: Thurs. 9/9

Board of Directors Meeting: Thurs. 9/16, 5:30-7:30pm at AHS

Back to School Social: Fri. 9/24, 5-7pm

Professional Development Day (no classes): Mon. 9/27
Beautiful drone footage from above the building site at Fort Lewis College where our future home is being built!
Animas High School prepares all students for college and postsecondary success by creating critical thinkers and engaged citizens through an innovative, student-centered, project-based curriculum. We accomplish this through:
Rigorous academics, where all students are prepared for college success
Culture of excellence, where students are held to high expectations
Strong student-faculty relationships, where students are well known.
Engaging learning, where students see the relevance in their education