Snow and Holiday Season Settling In

Snowy days and snow days, how does Durango School District 9-R make the call? And where should parents, guardians, and community members check for information about school delays and closures? Fort Lewis College has received almost $7 million in grants to support indigenous teachers and teachers of color with licensing programs and multilingual education. And kick-off BID's Holiday reward season with a bang with the local tradition, Noel Night, Friday, December 6th. You are watching the "Local News Roundup," brought to you by Happy Pappy Pizza-n-Wings and Durango Gelato Coffee & Tea, I'm Sadie Smith. Ever wondered how exactly snow days are decided? For Durango School District 9-R, the process begins as early as 4:00 AM on the morning after a heavy snowfall night, with the Office of Emergency Management coordinating with CDOT, LPEA, and city and county officials to determine public safety. Between four and 5:00 AM, school staff and administrators who are traveling into schools in town report on row conditions. And by 5:30 AM, the superintendent and district safety officials will decide whether to keep schools open, have a delayed start, or if school will be canceled for the day. Any information about delays or cancellations will be distributed on the district and school websites, social media, simultaneous text, call, and email to all emergency contacts listed in Infinite Campus and local and radio and television stations. To prepare for a potential snow day, make sure to check the weather forecast regularly. If it looks like there will be a heavy snowfall overnight, prepare your vehicles driveways and access roads the night before. And plan extra time in the morning to account for winter road conditions. Make sure to have plans for your students in the event of a snow day. If your students take the bus, be aware that the buses may be delayed as drivers take extra care on roads, and make sure all students are wearing appropriate winter clothing. Check out the Snow Day FAQs at the school district's website for more information on how snow days are decided and other frequently asked questions. Fort Lewis College School of Education has received two grants totaling almost $7 million for the development of a more diverse teacher workforce and to support multilingual education. The grants will provide support for marginalized students obtaining a teaching license and foster bilingual education in both Spanish and indigenous languages. A $3.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of English Language Acquisition will fund the Project BLOOM over the next five years. One of the goals of the project is to reverse the decline of native language speakers by training educators who can aid in language revitalization efforts, especially among tribal communities. The other Grant, $3.2 million from the U.S. Office of Post-Secondary Education will help establish an initiative called Center for Educator Diversity Achievement and Responsiveness, or CEDAR. The initiative aims to prepare indigenous educators and educators of color to serve high-need students in rural charter and tribal schools. It will recruit undergraduate students into teacher license programs, provide mentorship, and support to graduates in their first year of teaching, and increase retention of educators in these communities by fostering a supportive network. Fort Lewis College will work closely with local and regional partners, including Durango School District 9-R, the Southern Ute Tribe, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and collaborations with tribal schools and districts in New Mexico with implementation of Project BLOOM and CEDAR. This winter, support your favorite local businesses, find great gifts for family and friends, and get rewarded all at the same time. Join Durango's beloved Noel Night, Friday, December 6th, for a day of activities and events starting at 10:00 AM and going all the way until 10:00 PM. With over 70 events, activities, and participating businesses, there is bound to be something for everyone. And this year, the Durango Business Improvement District's Holiday Rewards Program also kicks-off December 6th. The program provides prizes to shoppers who spend 250, 400, or $650 at participating businesses during the reward period. New this year, winners will receive a Heart of Durango Dollars gift card accepted at multiple businesses in downtown Durango and the North Main District. To participate, upload receipts of at least $25 to the entry portal when you've reached one of the goals on BID's website. The program will run until all 250 prizes have been claimed. Find full entry rules, lists of participating businesses, and more information on the website. Learn more about these and other stories online at durangolocal.news. Thank you for watching this edition of the "Local News Roundup," I'm Sadie Smith.