Values Friendly Learning Excellent Teachers Community Florida Mesa Elementary School Principal: Vanessa Giddings Assistant Principal: Shannon Morris 216 Highway 172 Durango, CO 81303 (970)247-4250 floridamesa.durangoschools.org What Parents Say About Our School “We love Florida Mesa and all that it offers. Thank you for caring for my son and providing him with excellent teaching strategies.” “Teachers and staff know everyone by name. Florida Mesa has a very pleasant and familiar environment.” “The teachers have built a strong school community, and have built relationships with one another. I like that Florida Mesa is constantly looking for ways to improve.” “Florida Mesa is an excellent school. I have always felt welcome and valued as a parent, and my children have enjoyed their time there.” “The teachers have been excellent and really care about the children and their success.” “I like the staff. I appreciate how they work together and make our school function like a well oiled machine. It is so nice to have a principal and assistant principal that work so well together.” What Students Say About Our School “I love how the teachers at Florida Mesa are nice, loving, kind, and take care of their students.” -5th grade student “It’s great how our teachers come up with fun, cool learning for us each year.” -5th grade student “This is the best year of school I’ve ever had!” -2nd grade student “I love being a Mustang!” -1st grade student “Florida Mesa is a school where everyone can learn!” -2nd grade student “At Florida Mesa, all the principals and teachers are super nice.” -1st grade student
“We love Florida Mesa and all that it offers. Thank you for caring for my son and providing him with excellent teaching strategies.”
“Teachers and staff know everyone by name. Florida Mesa has a very pleasant and familiar environment.”
“The teachers have built a strong school community, and have built relationships with one another. I like that Florida Mesa is constantly looking for ways to improve.”
“Florida Mesa is an excellent school. I have always felt welcome and valued as a parent, and my children have enjoyed their time there.”
“The teachers have been excellent and really care about the children and their success.”
“I like the staff. I appreciate how they work together and make our school function like a well oiled machine. It is so nice to have a principal and assistant principal that work so well together.”
What Students SayAbout Our School
“I love how the teachers at Florida Mesa are nice, loving, kind, and take care of their students.” -5th grade student
“It’s great how our teachers come up with fun, cool learning for us each year.”
-5th grade student
“This is the best year of school I’ve ever had!” -2nd grade student
“I love being a Mustang!” -1st grade student
“Florida Mesa is a school where everyone can learn!” -2nd grade student
“At Florida Mesa, all the principals and teachers are super nice.”
-1st grade student
Staff Core BeliefsWe, the staff of Florida Mesa Elementary, believe:• Building relationships with students, families,
and colleagues creates a foundation for a positive learning environment.
• All of our students can meet high expectations through focused engagement, rigorous academics, and well developed instructional practices.
• Educating the whole child is vital in developing internationally-minded individuals.
• Supporting, encouraging, and communicating will allow us to achieve our common goals.
Distinguishing Characteristics• Dedicated and caring teachers helping all children
• A community school with active parent support
• Many after school learning opportunities including orchestra, art club, nature club, robotics club, and Girls on the Run
• A positive school community that strives to reach out to others
• A high amount of students and staff are children and grand children of Florida Mesa Alums
• School programs promote healthy eating habits and exercise
• On-going reading and math incentives keep students improving skills in and out of school
• Best playground in the district as rated by 1st and 2nd graders
• Large classrooms with small class size
Interdisciplinary Units of InquiryStudents Pre-K through 5th grade learn through units of study that include standards from multiple subject areas. Students make connections with grade level skills and universal concepts such as different perspectives, reflection and responsibility.
Florida Mesa is a thriving school community that serves approximately 370 students preschool through fifth grade. The staff is highly committed to supporting all students reach their maximum potential. The academic programming provided to each learner is specifically tailored to individual student needs. The staff uses common formative assessments authentically to inform their instructional approaches. All students receive instruction in the general classroom setting and participate in differentiated literacy and math groups based on their particular learning strengths and needs. Students engage in personal goal setting and monitor their own progress in order to understand their own present levels compared with the grade level expectations. This allows students to take ownership in the learning process and is highly motivating to each student.
About Our School
R.I.D.E. Mustang ProgramFlorida Mesa has developed a robust positive behavior, intervention and support program, which focuses on the core values of being safe, responsible, and respectful in all areas of our school community. Students work as a team and as individuals to be acknowledged through our R.I.D.E the Mustang program. Specific behaviors are taught to students and they are recognized for meeting and exceeding our expectations surrounding these behaviors.
r.i.d.e. the Mustang
: Represent mustang spirit by… r
: Interacting Respectfully I
: Demonstrating Responsibility D
: Ensuring Safety E
Our MissionThe mission of Florida Mesa Elementary, an innovative learning community, committed to integrity and educational rigor, is to inspire, and develop compassionate, open-minded inquirers, who actively contribute to a better world, by guaranteeing equitable opportunities in a safe, healthy and diverse environment.
