ASD Family News - March 26 | Smore Newsletters for Education

Dear ASD Community,

With deep appreciation and gratitude, I am sharing that both of our leaders at Pagosa Springs High School, Principal Sean O’Donnell and Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Chantelle Jordan, have announced that they will retire at the end of this school year. Together, they have more than 50 years working in the Archuleta School District, helping students and staff in countless ways.

Sean’s connection to Pagosa Springs High School runs deep. He began his career here 28 years ago as a math teacher. In addition to teaching, he coached football, basketball, and track, investing countless hours in mentoring students both in and out of the classroom. In 2005, he stepped into the role of Assistant Principal, and in 2013, he became Principal, where he has led the school with a student-first approach. Throughout his tenure, Sean has been committed to ensuring all students have the opportunity to achieve academically and socially. He has supported and expanded Career and Technical Education and student organizations such as HOSA, FBLA, and FFA, while working alongside staff to introduce new, high-interest electives. The impact he has had on generations of students, staff, and families is significant and lasting.

In announcing his retirement, Sean shared: "I am deeply honored to have dedicated my entire career to PSHS. The colleagues I've had the privilege of working alongside have shaped me in ways I'll carry long after I leave these halls. Visitors consistently remarked on the exceptional character of our students — and I always agreed without hesitation. The students of ASD are a testament to what this community stands for: excellence, heart, and potential. I step into the next chapter filled with immense pride and genuine optimism for the future of PSHS and every student in ASD."

Chantelle’s career with Archuleta School District spans 25 years. She began her career in education teaching 5th grade at Pagosa Springs Intermediate School, where she spent 10 years in the classroom. She then served the district in a variety of leadership roles, including Gifted and Talented Coordinator, and elementary assistant principal. For the 2021–22 school year, she stepped into the role of Assistant Principal and Athletic Director at Pagosa Springs High School. Throughout her career, Chantelle has been passionate about supporting teachers to ensure all students get what they need, bringing a student-centered and collaborative approach to her work.

“I am filled with gratitude for the administration, staff, and the incredible community that make Pagosa Springs Schools so special. But my greatest thanks go to the students—thank you for allowing me to be a part of your educational journeys. You have been my inspiration, my purpose, and the most rewarding part of it all,” Chantelle reflected.

With this announcement, we will begin a thoughtful and inclusive process to identify the next leaders of Pagosa Springs High School. Dates and details will be released after spring break. Learn about ASD’s hiring process for leaders here. As always, we will involve staff, students, and community members to ensure we find the next leadership team who will build on the strong foundation Sean and Chantelle have helped create.

Please join me in thanking both Sean and Chantelle for their decades of service, leadership, and commitment to our students and community.

With gratitude,

Rick Holt
Superintendent
Archuleta School District

Principal Sean O’Donnell announces retirement after 28-year career at PSHS.

Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Chantelle Jordan announces retirement after 25-year career at ASD

Dear Families,

As we wrap up the third quarter, I want to share some encouraging progress we’re seeing across Archuleta School District as we continue work on our strategic priorities for the 2025–26 school year:

High-Quality Instruction for All Students

Instructional Practice Agreements (Instructional Model)
Teacher Coaching
Professional Development

Grade-Level Standards and Curriculum

Curriculum Adoption and Support
Professional Learning Opportunities
Coaching and Instructional Support

Student Engagement

Student Attendance
Cell Phone Policy Implementation
Strong Learning Environments and Instructional Practices

Academically, we are seeing steady progress. Since 2021, our students have demonstrated a 13% increase in math proficiency and a 14% increase in English language arts proficiency. Additionally, SAT math proficiency increased from 32% to 47% meeting or exceeding expectations, while Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW) proficiency rose from 53% to 61.4%. These improvements reflect many of the instructional practices we have implemented and strengthened across the district, including:

Common instructional practices and shared language around teaching and learning
Ongoing coaching and feedback cycles for teachers
Research-based curriculum aligned to standards
Social-emotional supports for students
Intentional culture-building within our schools

We are also seeing encouraging improvements in student engagement and classroom learning environments. One area where we have seen a particularly noticeable change is around student engagement with the implementation of the district’s new cell phone policy. Teachers report higher levels of focus, stronger classroom engagement, and improved work completion.

Connected to this and other efforts, we are also seeing fewer classroom disruptions. Compared to last year, the district has experienced a 20% decrease in documented behavior incidents, helping create more productive learning environments for both students and teachers.

We are also seeing positive trends in student attendance. Consistent attendance remains one of the strongest predictors of student success. Our current attendance rate is 91%, a slight improvement compared to 90% last year. However, our chronic absenteeism rate remains 37%--down from nearly 40% last year–but still too many students are still missing important learning time. We encourage families to continue prioritizing consistent attendance whenever possible.

While we are encouraged by this progress, we still lag behind schools with similar populations and know there is still important work ahead. We remain committed to supporting the personal and academic successes for all of our students.

Sincerely,

Rick Holt
Superintendent
Archuleta School District 50JT

See the recent mid-year strategic board update here.

The district has submitted its application for the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) grant, a competitive state program that helps fund school construction and major facility improvements. If awarded, the grant could provide approximately $50 million in state funding, significantly reducing the amount that would need to be funded locally to support this project. BEST awards are expected to be announced in May.

If our BEST application is successful, the district would need to ask voters to consider a bond in November 2026 to provide the required local match. No decision to pursue a bond has been made at this time; that determination would be made by the Board of Education. If voters were to approve a bond in 2026, construction could begin as early as 2027, with a potential opening of the new school in fall 2029. We will continue to share updates as the process moves forward.

ASD Facilities Journey Webpage

This spring, students across the district will participate in state assessments that measure progress toward Colorado Academic Standards.

Key dates:

Pagosa Springs Middle School (PSMS):

CMAS — April 14–17 and April 21–23

Pagosa Springs High School (PSHS):
SAT — April 15
CMAS — April 16

San Juan Middle School (SJMS):
PSAT 8/9, PSAT 10, and SAT — April 14
CMAS — April 16

In addition, students at San Juan Mountain School and Pagosa Springs Middle School will participate in the Student Perception Survey.

Each school will share detailed schedules for specific grade levels.

You can help your student do their best by ensuring they get a good night’s sleep, eat breakfast, and arrive on time on testing days. Late arrivals may require a make-up session.

In accordance with School Board Policy, parents who wish to opt their child out of CMAS testing or the Student Perception Survey should contact their school principal to discuss the process and obtain the appropriate opt-out form.

House Bill 08-1021 allows Colorado schools to accelerate highly advanced gifted children under age 5 (for kindergarten) and/or under age 6 (for first grade). SJBOCES member districts offer early access to kindergarten or first grade in order to support students who may have exceptional aptitude/cognitive reasoning, academics, school readiness and motivation. The early access process is designed for highly gifted children who require academic acceleration and is not recommended for the majority of 4 or 5 year olds.

For details about the application process, contact Nisia Patalan, San Juan BOCES Gifted Education Coordinator, at npatalan@sjboces.org. Applications are due by April 1st, 2026. Applications will be reviewed by a regional Early Access team, and families will be notified of the decision on or before June 1st.

PSES Kindness March

PSES students walked through the community on Friday, March 6, carrying signs promoting kindness as part of the school’s spring community engagement project.

Middle School Wrestling Champions!

Our Pagosa Springs Middle School Wrestling Team are back-to-back San Juan Basin League Champions for both the boys and girls teams. Congratulations to our student-athletes and coaches on an incredible season!

ASD Bands Highlights

Band students recently represented Pagosa Springs at two major music events hosted by Fort Lewis College:

Middle and high school musicians participated in the Fort Lewis Honor Band in February and the Fort Lewis Jazz Festival in March, performing alongside top students from across the Four Corners region.
Several PSMS and PSHS students earned spots in prestigious honor ensembles, while the PSHS Jazz Band received “2” ratings in all categories, signifying a high-quality performance. Students will close out the season at the ASD Combined Band Concert on May 7 at 6:30 pm in the PSHS Auditorium.

Sammie Lyons, Secretary at PSES

“Sammie is one of the most amazing and wonderful humans I have ever had the pleasure of encountering. Not only is she amazing at her current position in the front office, but she was a fantastic para. Seeing her always brings a smile to my face.”

Huntur Stretton, Aide at PSES

“Huntur has been such a great addition to our aide team. She brightens up the classrooms and hallways with her smile and bubbly personality. She is so willing to do whatever is needed to help support the students she works with.”

Mat Wolford, PE Teacher at PSMS

“Mat has a great attitude and really holds students to a very high standard. He incorporates so much personal reflection into his PE class. He knows his students and pushes them to be their very best. He, himself, is a huge inspiration in his ultra running and fitness goals. He is a fantastic teacher and will be very missed next year!”

Middle school food services team

“A big thank-you to the middle school food services team! The team requested paint, picked out the colors, and took the initiative to do the painting themselves to freshen up the kitchen.”

Share Your Staff Appreciation Here!

PSHS Wrestling Coach Named National Coach of the Year Finalist

Congratulations to Pagosa Springs High School wrestling coach Dan Janowsky, who has been named a finalist for the 2026 National Coach of the Year by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association. Janowsky was nominated for this national honor by the Colorado High School Coaches Association and selected as one of eight finalists from across the country. Finalists will be recognized at the National Coach of the Year Awards Banquet during the NHSACA National Convention on July 1 in Iowa, where the national winners across 19 sports categories will be announced.

Congratulations to Coach Janowsky on this outstanding achievement and for representing Pagosa Springs so well on the national stage.

* photo courtesy of The Pagosa Springs Sun

Join us in supporting our talented students as they bring this classic to life.

Performances: April 8–11 at 7:00 PM
Special Matinee: April 11 at 2:00 PM

A total of 48 students have put in an incredible amount of work to prepare this show for our community. We hope to see you there in support of their efforts.

Thank you to everyone who has shared feedback through the District Accountability Committee (DAC) survey this year. We’ve received nearly 40 responses and have personally followed up with those who requested a direct response. We are also relaying site-specific questions and concerns to the appropriate schools. DAC will review the themes and takeaways at every meeting, and the survey will remain open for additional feedback.

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