Animas Valley Elementary

Animas Valley Elementary Our restorative culture approaches people and situations with kindness and compassion. Our teachers and staff welcome you and your student(s) to our community.

Dynamic teaching techniques and sincere dedication to meeting the needs of each student describe the atmosphere in which your child will learn. Our vision is to guide learners as we develop the tools and mindsets to continually seek and understand the world and ourselves. Learners will demonstrate confidence, compassion and value diversity. Everyone will leave our school with the ability to apply,

transfer and reflect on concepts because we are motivated to ask questions and discover solutions. Comment Policy:
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๐Ÿ””The Tradition Lives On! ๐Ÿ””Today was an incredibly special day at AVE as our amazing 5th graders took part in one of our ...
05/22/2026

๐Ÿ””The Tradition Lives On! ๐Ÿ””

Today was an incredibly special day at AVE as our amazing 5th graders took part in one of our favorite long-standing traditions: Ringing the Bell! ๐ŸŽ“โœจ

Every year, our departing 5th graders ring the bell at the front of the school to officially celebrate completing their time at AVE and to mark the end of their elementary school journey.

We are so incredibly proud of the hard work, leadership, and kindness this group has shown during their years with us. While we are sad to see them go, we know they are ready for the next big adventure!

Miller Middle School you are getting an absolutely amazing cohort of incoming 6th graders! ๐Ÿ’™๐Ÿพ

๐Ÿฅšโœˆ๏ธ THE EGGS HAVE LANDED! โœˆ๏ธ๐ŸฅšOur amazing 3rd graders put on their engineering hats and came up with some creative and in...
05/22/2026

๐Ÿฅšโœˆ๏ธ THE EGGS HAVE LANDED! โœˆ๏ธ๐Ÿฅš

Our amazing 3rd graders put on their engineering hats and came up with some creative and inventive designs to protect their fragile cargo. From parachutes and bubble wrap to elaborate sponge fortresses, the ingenuity was off the charts! ๐Ÿš€โœจ

A shoutout to our brave admin team and Mr. Michael, who look forward to climbing up onto the roof every year to do the honors. Thank you for being such good sports and tossing those eggs with style! ๐Ÿซ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿผ

We are thrilled to report that many of our eggstronauts survived the plunge completely intact!

All the worldโ€™s a stageโ€ฆ and our 4th and 5th graders completely owned it today! ๐ŸŒŽ๐ŸŽญA huge congratulations to our 4th and ...
05/21/2026

All the worldโ€™s a stageโ€ฆ and our 4th and 5th graders completely owned it today! ๐ŸŒŽ๐ŸŽญ

A huge congratulations to our 4th and 5th graders on their amazing Shakespeare performances today! This end of the year tradition is always such a special transition for them and they put in so much hard to make it happen. Bravo, cast! โœจ

Cap, gown, and a whole lot of personality! ๐ŸŽ“๐ŸพWe had the absolute best day celebrating these little grads.  From the ador...
05/21/2026

Cap, gown, and a whole lot of personality! ๐ŸŽ“๐Ÿพ

We had the absolute best day celebrating these little grads. From the adorable songs to hearing all those big dreams for what they want to be when they grow up, it was pure magic. โœจ

Class of 2038, we are so, so proud of you! Watch out first grade, here they come! ๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿ’™๐Ÿพ

From tiny tots to the Class of 2026! ๐ŸŽ“โœจWe had the absolute honor of welcoming back our former students today for their S...
05/20/2026

From tiny tots to the Class of 2026! ๐ŸŽ“โœจ

We had the absolute honor of welcoming back our former students today for their Senior Walk. Seeing them walk the halls in their caps and gowns was a beautiful reminder of why we do what we do.

We are so proud of everything youโ€™ve accomplished, and we wish you nothing but the best as you take on your next big adventure. Congratulations, graduates! ๐ŸŽ‰๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ๐Ÿพ

โœจ Perfect Attendance Superstars! โœจJoin us in giving a massive round of applause to these 2 students for achieving PERFEC...
05/19/2026

โœจ Perfect Attendance Superstars! โœจ

Join us in giving a massive round of applause to these 2 students for achieving PERFECT ATTENDANCE for the entire school year! ๐Ÿ†๐ŸŽ‰

Showing up every single day ready to learn takes incredible dedication and we are so proud of you both!

๐Ÿ’™Thank you, Families!

An achievement like this is a true team effort. To the families of our superstar students: thank you for your unwavering support and everything you do behind the scenes to make education a priority. We deeply appreciate your partnership!

Letโ€™s hear it for our AVE attendance champions! ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ

โญ๏ธ STAR Student Spotlight โญ๏ธItโ€™s time for one of the favorite traditions! We are thrilled to honor our newest 5th Grade ...
05/19/2026

โญ๏ธ STAR Student Spotlight โญ๏ธ

Itโ€™s time for one of the favorite traditions! We are thrilled to honor our newest 5th Grade Star Student! ๐ŸŽ“โœจ

This award celebrates a student who has shown incredible growth. But just as importantly, they are recognized for their deep kindness and positive impact that have on our school community every day! ๐Ÿ’™๐Ÿ“š

AVE is so lucky to have you! Please join us in the comments below to celebrate and congratulate this amazing 5th grader! ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿผ๐ŸŽ‰

๐Ÿ”ฅ It's Trailblazing Tuesday! ๐Ÿ”ฅ At Animas Valley Elementary School, students are turning ideas into solutions โ€“ one 3D la...
05/13/2026

๐Ÿ”ฅ It's Trailblazing Tuesday! ๐Ÿ”ฅ At Animas Valley Elementary School, students are turning ideas into solutions โ€“ one 3D layer at a time.

During the May 5 Principalsโ€™ Meeting, learners across grade levels showcased how STEM can connect creativity, critical thinking, and purpose. Guided by STEM teacher and librarian Emily Stone, students used a 3D printer to bring their thinking to life through hands-on, student-driven projects.

๐Ÿ› ๏ธ So whatโ€™s โ€œtinkeringโ€ in education? Itโ€™s the art of experimenting โ€“ trying, failing, adjusting, and trying again. Itโ€™s where curiosity leads the way, and mistakes are part of the process, not the end of it.

Hereโ€™s what that looked like in action:
๐ŸŒง๏ธ Students studied natural disasters, then designed and tested ways to reduce the impact of mudslides.
๐ŸชดThey noticed that plant labels in the school's greenhouse often faded over time, so they made colorful and durable tags.
๐Ÿ• Others explored nonprofits and created 3D logos to support causes like animal welfare and kindness in the community.

โ€œThis is our third year of building STEM at AVE,โ€ said Principal Michol Brammer. โ€œWe are slowly building up to something really exciting, with cross-curricular opportunities in library, social studies, and STEM. We have seen a huge increase in problem-solving skills because students have the confidence to be creative.โ€ ๐ŸŒŽ



We are looking forward to our Bike Rodeo!๐Ÿพ๐Ÿšด๐Ÿšดโ€โ™€๏ธ
05/12/2026

We are looking forward to our Bike Rodeo!
๐Ÿพ๐Ÿšด๐Ÿšดโ€โ™€๏ธ

โฐ Tonight: The DSD Board of Education will meet for a Special Meeting/Work Session tonight, May 12, at 5:30 p.m. at Anim...
05/12/2026

โฐ Tonight: The DSD Board of Education will meet for a Special Meeting/Work Session tonight, May 12, at 5:30 p.m. at Animas Valley Elementary School (373 Hermosa Meadows Road). The public is welcome. The Board does not allow public comment at Work Sessions, and the meetings are not livestreamed.

On the agenda for this evening:
โœ… Animas Valley Elementary's PoG showcase
โœ… 2024 Investing in Our Schools Bond update
โœ… Student Board Member project presentation
โœ… Sunnyside school consolidation decision

View the full agenda and presentations here: https://ow.ly/9BGc50YYm83

Address

373 Hermosa Meadows Road
Durango, CO
81301

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