On Tuesday, April 2, Colorado Department of Education Commissioner Susana Cordova visited the Mancos RE-6 School District and spent time with district staff and students.
Superintendent Todd Cordrey shared that the district had invited Cordova, who is a former superintendent herself, to visit the district and see the district’s successes.
“It was a really good visit. It was really incredible,” Cordrey said.
Cordova’s visit coincided with the district’s walkabout instructional days, which is when the district’s teachers visit other teachers’ classrooms to observe how other teachers are instructing their students.
“Susana Cordova had the opportunity to also go into classrooms, watch teacher instruction and see how well they’re doing teaching kids and with the specific skills we’re working on,” Cordrey said. “It is differentiation of instruction based on student voice and choice.”
Cordrey explained that in this style of teaching method, teachers structure a lesson so that their students are fully engaged and able to make decisions during the learning process.
Following the period shadowing classrooms, Cordrey said they had the opportunity to hear from her about her thoughts on the classes and district before they met with Montezuma-Cortez Superintendent Tom Burris, representatives from San Juan BOCES and other Montezuma County educational leaders.
The education leaders shared an 1½-hour lunch meeting where they talked about “the challenges and successes we’re having here.”
“It was really powerful,” Cordrey said.
They spoke with Cordova about what rural districts are in need of, which Cordrey said Cordova said she would take back to the CDE to help meet the needs of remote school districts.
“She was really open to hearing our feedback. She was very responsive,” Cordrey said.
Cordova also shared her vision and goals for the CDE and their strategic plan that will be finished in June, sharing “how that will positively impact” the districts.
“It was a very productive meeting. We built relationships, and partnerships were developed,” Cordrey said. “We felt really heard and understood in the process.”
Despite the successful lunch meeting, Cordrey shared that the highlight of Cordova’s visit was three Mancos students giving Cordova a tour of the district.
“They shared with her our history and that we’re the oldest operating high school in the state, as well as about the BEST grant that allowed us to do our extensive $25 million renovation and improvement of our facilities,” Cordrey said. “Then also just so many of the unique things about our campus like the time capsule we have, and it was a really good opportunity for her to really connect with our students.”
Cordrey added that Cordova and the students greatly enjoyed one another’s company.
“The educator in her just came out and the students were fully engaged and they were enjoying each other’s company and really learning from each other,” Cordrey said. “She was asking them about where they plan to go (after high school) and how their educational experience has been, and they had a great conversation. I was just in the background watching them and it was really an endearing time.”
The visit allowed the district to showcase the work they’re doing for students in the county.
“I’m very proud of the quality of professionals we have in the school district, and I wanted her to see that firsthand,” Cordrey said. “I’m very proud of our student outcomes as a result of our incredible staff, and I felt like it was important for her to see that, especially from our remote, rural school district.”
Cordrey said he hopes the district can continue to host school education leaders like Cordova.
“We definitely will continue to show off Mancos school district to state and national officials so that they can understand that good work we’re doing, number one, and also that it is important that the locus of control be at the local level, so that we can have the greatest impact,” Cordrey said.
