Photo: Muralist Jill Fives, who is responsible for many set designs with the Pagosa Springs Center for the Arts, stands in the lobby of Pagosa Peak Open School. She spent the summer recreating the space with a four-season mural.
More than 120 students flooded the hallways, the atrium and a brand-new playground at Pagosa Peak Open School, as the district’s only tuition-free charter school began the school year on August 18.
The “Playground for the People” passed its final inspection August 21, allowing for students to access the space for the first time.
Students balanced on the Cliff Rider, raced down the side-by-side slides, pushed each other on the swings and dug in the sandpit.
“I really like it,” said first-grader Otis. “I can’t even choose a favorite part.”
The playground will open to the whole community on September 26 at 4pm during the Playground’s Ribbon Cutting Ceremony — to be open for public use after school hours and during summer vacation. The celebration will feature live music, games, food, and an opportunity to play in the newly renovated space.
Students also came back to a full floor and wall mural created by the Pagosa Center for the Arts set designer, Jill Fives.
“The downstairs is so beautiful,” said first-grader Malakai. The mural encompasses the four seasons and has hidden creatures, bridges, footprints and pathways. Students hop from rock to rock down the painted river, and meet under the different season trees.
The school is also expanding its after-school programming, with a drama club run by PPOS Advisor Alison Beach, and an orchestra club organized by Stillwater Music Company.
“These new programs allow for further enrichment for our students,” said School Director Emily Murphy. “Students now have opportunities to not only stay for an arts and crafts club and Forge programming, but also additional high quality programs to expand their education.”
The school has also eliminated mixed-age classrooms for grades K-6, and pulled fifth grade into their elementary model as a stand-alone classroom. While mixed-age experiences still exist through the school’s project-based learning model, single grade classrooms allow for teachers to focus on the Colorado State Standards that align with their grade level.
The school has also added four new lead teachers, expanding the number of classrooms.
“It has been wonderful to watch our newest PPOS educators teach students with love, nurture and support while creating their classroom families,” said PPOS Instructional Coach Maggie Saunders. “As an instructional coach, I hope to do the same for our teachers by helping to guide and scaffold them as they grow as educators this year.”
Families are excited for the new year, too.
“We’re so excited,” said Jessica Cox, a PPOS parent with students in second and fourth grade. “This year is bringing new adventures that the kids get to do with new and old friends. They are especially excited about all the fun they’re having on the new playground, the projects they get to work on in groups – and on their own – and all the upcoming fieldwork opportunities.”
Student programming includes a “Genius Hour” project time this year, allowing students to not only study topics classwide, but also individually. Every Friday, every student will be given time to study an area of interest of their own choosing. Genius Hour introduces students to another level of creativity, critical thinking, choice and product production as they find ways to engage in independent projects.
Pagosa Peak Open School is a free, K-8 district charter school focused on implementing a project-based learning (PBL) curriculum in a Restorative Practices environment. Spots for students are still available! To learn more about PPOS, become a donor, and to enroll your student for the 2025-26 school year, visit pagosapeakopenschool.org.
Emily Murphy is School Director at Pagosa Peak Open School, the first District-authorized charter school in Archuleta County. Prior to her appointment as School Director, Emily filled various roles at PPOS including Project-Based Learning advisor, instructional coach, and assistant director.