January 5th, 2025
Focus on the Fabulous- Year in Review
Happy New Year, Vikings! As we step into 2025, let’s take a moment to celebrate some of the accomplishments of the past year. Together, we have had many successes- our students, staff, and community exemplify #VikingPride.
Core Belief #1: Our purpose is to increase academic achievement for ALL our students!
Student success is at the heart of everything we do. In 2024, we made significant strides in academic achievement. We saw positive movement at each level on student achievement as measured on the state assessments. Haskin Elementary scored 45% in the Improvement Category, the second-highest rating and an improvement of 1.4 points from last year. Skoglund Middle School is also rated in the Improvement category and showed positive movement in achievement. Skoglund students did exceptionally well in science. CHS saw the most improvement and went from a total score of 45.9% to 50.3%. There was an improvement in achievement and growth at the high school.
Athletic Highlights
Our Viking athletes shone brightly:
Wrestling: Placed 6th as a team at the state competition. Individual honors went to Aaron Valadez, Jordan Duran, Andre Meraz, Giselle Meraz, Jesus Valadez, and Martin Palma.
Basketball: The Lady Vikings made their 8th regional playoff appearance in 9 years.
Volleyball: Secured a winning season, building on prior success.
Cross Country: Competed at the National Competition, showcasing some of our young talent.
Memorable Experiences and Community Connections
Students participated in college visits, career fairs, knowledge bowls, spelling bees, fun and educational field trips, and leadership events.
Haskin recognized “Super Students” weekly, celebrating achievements big and small.
Viking Café treated staff to meals and fun throughout the year.
The Certified Nursing Program celebrated its second year, with seven students earning certificates.
Our music program continues strengthening with new instruments, quality instruction, and a new sound system.
We partnered with the town to secure the GOCO Grant
Construction and ribbon cutting of new football field and track
Viking Swag Bags delivered to community partners
Infant Daycare Room opened to provide affordable childcare for our staff
District Accomplishments
2024 was marked by collaboration and progress. I had the privilege of serving on the School Finance Task Force, where I testified in support of SB 24-1448 and advocated for long-term, equitable funding in public education. These efforts culminated in the passage of SB 24-1448—a significant victory for public school funding. I am hopeful these strides will be reflected in the Governor’s Budget. As a district, we have prioritized supporting our staff. Over the past three years, we’ve implemented salary increases totaling 30%, including a 7% increase for the 2023-24 school year. Additionally, the district recognized the collective contributions of our staff by awarding $1,000 in District Ownership Incentives last year. We continue to invest in our team’s professional growth through the Tuition Incentive Program, which has helped many staff members earn advanced degrees and certifications. These initiatives reflect our unwavering commitment to staff development and our students' success.
District Ownership Plan: Launched in March, focusing on Curriculum and Instruction, Multi-Tiered System of Supports, Post-Secondary and Workforce Readiness, Recruitment and Retention
Staff Support: On-going professional development focused on staff needs, staff appreciation events throughout the year, staff mentor program, peer coaching
Enrollment Growth: While many districts saw declines, Center’s enrollment increased by 22 students, totaling 628 PK-12.
Core Belief #2: With our support, ALL students can achieve at high levels and be successful in life.
The PICS team built strong family connections, meeting weekly to ensure all families feel welcomed and supported.
SPED held a successful family night to strengthen relationships and provide resources.
ACCESS testing showed solid growth among secondary students, reflecting the district's effective multilingual programming.
2024 had its share of challenges, but the positives far outweighed them. Here’s to a fantastic 2025—let’s continue striving for excellence! #VikingStrong
Focus on Our Fabulous Athletes
Our Viking basketball teams have started the New Year on the right foot. Both the Varsity boys and girls teams won their games against Rocky Ford on Saturday. The Boys’ C Team also won!
Fast Forward
Calendar Dates
Monday, January 6th- No Students, Staff PD @ ASU, Haskin Data Day in the afternoon
Tuesday, January 7th- Beginning of the second semester- 3rd quarter, SLV BOCES Cabinet Meeting
Wednesday, January 8th- Rural Alliance Advocacy, SLV Superintendent PLC, Construction Meeting
Thursday, January 9th- Weekly Construction Meeting- Spencer Architects
Friday, January 10th- January CSFP Advisory Meeting
Saturday, January 11th- CHS Wrestling @ Pagosa Springs, CHS Basketball vs. South Park