Park Elementary Home

Habits of a Mindful Scholar
students riding bikes at bike rodeo

About Us

We are a diverse crew of mindful learners who contribute to making the world a better place. We engage in productive problem solving by being inclusive and kind, taking responsibility for our own actions, persevering through adversity, and embracing curiosity and wonder.
Indigenous Girl at Park Elementary
Where we’re located
Durango School District map
students listen to book reading

Mission

The mission of Park Elementary School is to lead and engage students to reach their potential in a global society by providing a positive, nurturing and challenging environment where children children succeed cognitively, socially, and emotionally through shared responsibility of school, family and community. 

School & District News

Spring Break is March 16-20

Spring Break is March 16-20

Spring Break is Monday, March 16, through Friday, March 20. All schools will be closed. Normal class schedules will resume on Monday, March 23. Enjoy your holiday!
A middle school student at an outdoor learning garden holds a tray full of salad

7th graders dig into science at SOIL

Thanks to its growing middle school curriculum and field trip offerings, DSD's SOIL Outdoor Learning Lab recently hosted all 7th graders from Miller Middle School and Escalante Middle School to learn about the cycling of matter.
Two smiling adults and two laughing child with a small dog

Parenting series: March 2026 classes + newsletter on body image

Need help in supporting your child's well-being? We are offering FREE live webinars on Monday-Thursday evenings throughout the school year, and you can always watch previously recorded classes on your own time by visiting the Cook Center's full content library.
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Principal Marie Voss-Patterson

Principal's Message

The Park culture embraces learning through mindful schools practices and character development. The school also sets high expectations for all students, through an understanding that students learn differently and at different rates. Through these actions, students can affirm the worth and diversity of the school community, which is respectful, supportive and trusting.
 
Marie Voss-Patterson
Principal

Events

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Engineer Mountain

Quality of Life

Durango is a beautiful place to live and work. It is located at 6,512 feet elevation in Southwest Colorado near the Four Corners region. Families who live here enjoy a historic steam train, ski resort, rivers, vibrant downtown, bike trails, sky-high “fourteener” mountains, and four distinct seasons with an average of 266 sunny days per year. We welcome new families and new staff members, and we offer excellent benefits and competitive salaries. 
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Accessibility Statement

It is the goal of Durango School District that the information on this website be accessible to individuals with visual, hearing, or cognitive disabilities. Good faith efforts are being made to ensure that our website complies with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.
 
Most pages on our site are available in HTML format, which can be read by screen readers. Some documents are in Adobe PDF format, requiring Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded for free from the Adobe website. Additionally, some documents are in Google Docs and Google Forms. Most modern browsers and screen readers can access Google-based documents. More information about Google web products accessibility can be found on the Google Accessibility website.
 
To ensure accessibility for everyone in our community, including those with disabilities, Durango School District is taking the following steps:
 
* We are actively identifying and addressing accessibility barriers across our websites and digital platforms.
* We request accessibility documentation (such as VPATs – Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates) from vendors whose digital tools or content are used on our websites.
* We work with vendors and service providers to ensure they are taking steps toward full compliance with WCAG and Section 504 requirements.
* We are committed to ongoing staff training and continuous website improvement.
* We regularly review our digital content to align with the Colorado Digital Accessibility Act (C.R.S. 24-34-104) and the latest applicable standards.
 
If you are unable to access any page or document on our site, please contact us at [email protected]. Include the webpage or document URL, your name, email address, and phone number. We will provide the information in an alternative format and work to resolve the issue. Alternatively, you may call the district's main information line at (970) 247-5411 and ask to speak with someone in the Communications Department. Include the location of the webpage/document, your name, email address, and phone number so we can provide the information in another format, and address the issue.

Learn more about the district's accessibility compliance plan and progress reports.