How do you register a new student in Durango School District 9-R?
Online, in about four steps. The district's new family registration page lays out the order:
1. Find your school of residence. Put your street address into the district's School Boundary Map. The school it shows is the one you request. 2. Gather two documents: your child's immunization records and proof of residency. You can also bring paper copies to the school. 3. Fill out the online application in Infinite Campus. The school reviews it. 4. Watch your email. The district sends a message each time the application moves forward, so use an address you check.
After approval you may still need to visit the school to finish. The email tells you who to call for an appointment.
No computer at home? The district's registration page for returning families says each school has a kiosk for new and existing families. Call or stop by the school to set up a time. The district office, if you need it, is at 281 Sawyer Drive, Suite 100.
When does registration open?
For 2026-27 it opened February 2, 2026. The district asks families to register as soon as they can, to make sure the right access and resources are ready at the school. Its page lists only the 2026-27 date so far. Check it again in winter. Families already in the district use the Infinite Campus Parent Portal instead of the new-family form.
What if you move here in the middle of the year? The district's pages don't spell out a mid-year process. Call the school for your address and ask.
What does kindergarten enrollment need?
Kindergarten? Your child must be 5 on or before September 1, and the classes are full-day and free. Last spring the district offered two extras:
- Kinder Curious (March 25): parents sat in on a kindergarten day at every elementary school.
- Kindergarten screenings: 45 minutes each, with ideas for practice at home. They ran April 20 at the Durango Public Library, and April 22 and May 2 at Needham Elementary.
At the open houses, bring proof of residency, a birth certificate and immunization records. Watch the district site for next spring's dates.
How does preschool enrollment work?
Through the state first. Colorado's Universal Preschool program pays for 15 hours a week for children who are 4 by September 1. The district says to apply on the state site and choose your neighborhood school as your first choice. Our Durango schools guide has the 2026-27 match dates. For preschool help, the district lists 970-247-5411, extension 1468.
Can your child attend a different school?
Maybe, through open enrollment. The window for 2027-28 opens April 1, 2027 at 8 a.m. The district's open enrollment page gives this timeline:
- May 1: priority deadline.
- June 2: families hear back, at the latest. Incoming kindergarten decisions come by August 14.
- June 30: last day to appeal a denial in writing.
Live inside district boundaries? Then two principals have to say yes, the one at your current school and the one at the school you want. Space decides. Kids from a school's own attendance area come first. And you can't register at the new school until the request is approved.
The 2026-27 window closed October 1.
Which schools does the district run?
The elementary schools are Animas Valley, Riverview, Needham, Park, Florida Mesa, Sunnyside and Fort Lewis Mesa, plus The Juniper School. The middle schools are Miller and Escalante. High schools are Durango High and Durango Big Picture, and the list ends with Shared School. All of this comes from the district's Our Schools page. Our answer on high schools in Durango covers the high school side. College plans live in colleges in Durango.