627 Oak Street
Salida, CO 81201
phone: 719-530-5200
website: salidaschools.com
Salida is an education community. The school district has over 1200 students preschool through 12th grade. The district has a traditional model of education, as well as an alternative middle school and high school to support parent choice.
In 2013 the district was Accredited with Distinction by the Colorado Department of Education, placing it within the top 10% of schools in the state. Again in 2014, 2015, and 2016 Salida Schools were accredited with distinction. Only 5% of the districts in the state have seen that type of sustained performance. Beyond that the district offers a wide variety of AP courses and dual-enrollment course. In regards to college preparation no district in the state has had more Boettcher scholars than Salida. Beyond that the district has been supported by the community in two bond ballot issues. All of the facilities are new and updated. The district has been successful in every attempt to secure state BEST dollars for facilities, off-setting the community’s tax load. Beyond that the district has strong music and drama programs. Beyond that the district offers a full automotive program, drafting program, woods program, and a building trades program.
The vision of being an education community is attained by the district’s commitment to defining success not as a test score but whether or not each individual student grows each year. The district is small enough that every student is personally known by staff. Parents recognize that individual commitment and the district has grown for the last four years.
The state has recognized the excellence in the schools, but the district is mostly concerned with how the local community feels about their schools. As such the crowning achievement of the district is being named the 2016 Salida Business of the Year.
