Durango Big Picture High School (3571)
150 TECH CENTER DR
DURANGO, CO 81301
Alternative Education Campus (AEC).
89
Total Students Served
Grade 9 - Grade 12
School District:
Durango 9-R (1520)
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School Profile
About Durango Big Picture High School (3571)
A MESSAGE FROM:
Durango Big Picture High School
2025-2026
Durango Big Picture High School is a part of the Big Picture Learning Network, a large, international network of schools started in 1995 in the United States. There are now around 65 schools in the U.S. and more than 100 schools worldwide. The Durango school has about 90 students, each developing personalized learning plans that include independent projects, content-specific experiences, and comprehensive internships each year. Each Big Picture student is paired with an advisor in the school and…
a mentor in the community. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Big Picture students spend time with their mentors in local businesses pursuing internships and gaining real-world experience that they will connect to personal, social, and academic growth. MISSION The mission of Durango Big Picture High School is to empower students to use their interests and passions to drive their learning through real-world application and experiences in order to reach their personal, social, and academic goals. VISION Big Picture Learning exemplifies the concept of ?One-Student-at-a-Time?. This statement recognizes that every student brings their unique abilities, interests, needs, circumstances, and context into school and into their learning. At Durango Big Picture High School, each student is part of an advisory, a learning community, led by a supportive advisor who guides students to identify their needs and interests which are in turn formed into negotiated learning plans and goals that make learning personal, engaging, and relevant. A student-driven curriculum is developed around real-world experiences, relevant competencies, and standards-driven learning targets. The student is the curriculum and the school is the community. All students are challenged to pursue their interests and are supported by a community of educators, professionals, and family members. Big Picture Learning supports the concept of ?leaving-to-learn? which enables the powerful learning that occurs when students leave their school as part of the school program to expand and deepen their learning, to get exposure to new ideas, people and opportunities, and to learn through their interests in the best places where those interests are happening - in real-world settings and workplaces in relationship with adults. ''We know that learning happens best when interests, relationships, and practice are woven together. People learn more quickly, more deeply, more comprehensively, and more meaningfully when they are pursuing their interests with skilled people who know them and let them practice, play, make mistakes, start over again, ask more questions, test things out and then show what they can do.'' ? Elliot Washer BPL?s relational rather than transactional approach to youth helps them learn about who they are and how they can best contribute. Freed from the confines of linear systems, Big Picture Learning expands possibilities and inspires communities of aliveness for all ages. HISTORY Durango Big Picture High School began its first year on August 24, 2009, as one of Durango School District 9-R?s educational options for high school students. We went on to graduate our first class in May of 2012. Our unique high school follows the Big Picture Learning model, which is centered on individual student growth through community-based internships and a student-centered curriculum. Durango Big Picture High School is a public, four-year Colorado Department of Education accredited high school with an enrollment of approximately 90 students. We have a student-to-teacher ratio of no more than nineteen students to one advisor. The 10 Distinguishers of Big Picture Learning Several elements distinguish BPHS from others: ONE STUDENT AT A TIME - The entire learning experience is personalized to each student?s interests, talents, and needs. Personalization expands beyond mere academic work and involves looking at each student holistically. ADVISORY STRUCTURE - Advisory is the core organizational and relational structure of a Big Picture Learning school, its heart, and soul, often described as a ''second family'' by students. Students stay with an advisor and a group of fellow classmates for four years, building close personal relationships that last a lifetime. LEARNING THROUGH INTERESTS AND INTERNSHIPS (LTIs) - Real-world learning is best accomplished in the real world. Big Picture students intern--often twice a week for an entire school day--with experts in their field of interest, completing authentic projects and gaining experience and exposure to how their interests intersect with the real world. PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT - Parents are welcome and valued members of the school community and play a proactive role in their children?s learning, collaborating in the planning and assessment of student work. They use their assets to support the work of the school, and often play an integral role in building relationships with potential LTI mentors. SCHOOL CULTURE - In Big Picture schools, there is palpable trust, respect, and equality between and among students and adults. Students take leadership roles in the school, and teamwork defines the adult culture. Student voice is valued in the school decision-making process, and visitors are struck by the ease with which students interact with adults. AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT - Students are assessed not by tests but by public displays of learning that track growth and progress in the student?s area of interest. Assessment criteria are individualized to the student and the real-world standards of a project. Students present multiple exhibitions annually and discuss their learning growth with staff, parents, peers, and mentors. SCHOOL ORGANIZATION - Schools are organized around a culture of collaboration and communication. They are not bound by the structures of buildings, schedules, bells, or calendars. There is an interdependence between school and community. LEADERSHIP - Leadership is shared and spread between a strong, visionary principal; a dedicated, responsible team of advisors and other staff; and students. The community functions as a democracy. A pervasive sense of shared ownership drives a positive culture dedicated to ongoing improvement. POST-SECONDARY PLANNING - Students develop plans that contribute to their future success--be it through college, trades, schools, travel, the military, or the workforce. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT - Regular advisor development is conducted at each school by principals, other school staff, and BPL staff and coaches. A Big Picture School is a community of lifelong learners who embrace continuous improvement.
Final 2025 Performance Rating
Average SAT & PSAT Scores
SAT Grade 11:
- -PSAT Grade 10:
839PSAT Grade 9:
778School Year: 2024-2025
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