About 150 alumni, former staff and board members, current staff and students and their families gathered at Southwest Open School on Friday, May 6 to commemorate the school’s 30th anniversary with a documentary premiere, a catered barbecue and live music.
In her welcoming address, SWOS director Jennifer Chappell remarked that although the school “may have started out as a couple trailers on the edge of Cortez” in 1986, it has long since become an important part of the community. SWOS Charter Board President Uriah Hubbard — a 2001 SWOS graduate — congratulated the school for helping “a lot of kids like me” who “fall through the cracks.”
A highlight of the evening was the premiere of an informational video about SWOS. It was standing room only in the four classrooms where viewers got a first look at the 10-minute documentary. The video features comments and memories from former directors and staff members, as well as alumni, staff and students. It can be seen on YouTube on the Southwest Open School channel.
Attendees had the opportunity to tour the campus, which has grown from two buildings to 10, including the trailer that housed the school’s first classroom. Student tour guides showed visitors some newer campus features, like the School Based Health Clinic built in 2014. Also on the tour was the permaculture garden — featuring an outdoor classroom — established last year. This month, the garden has been expanded to include a heritage apple orchard and classroom pergola.
Attendees enjoyed a barbecue meal, peach cobbler and much reminiscing throughout the evening. The band Wake Up Laughing performed to an appreciative crowd.
SWOS is a public charter high school located in Cortez. It was created in 1986 by the Southwest Board of Cooperative Services. After reorganization in 1998, SWOS became a charter school with Montezuma-Cortez School District RE-1 serving as its authorizing agent. To learn more about SWOS, visit the website at southwestopenschool.org, follow the SWOS Facebook page, or call the office to arrange a visit.