Needham Elementary Home

Inspiring students to be life-long learners.
girl looking at garden bed

About Us

We are the Needham Wildcats, and proud to be a walk-able, bike-able and friendly neighborhood school! We have two preschool classrooms and three classrooms for each of the grades kindergarten through fifth.
2 girls in STEM class
Where we’re located
Durango School District map
school building

Mission

Needham Elementary School is a community committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment that fosters mutual respect and academic excellence. We challenge students to make creative, meaningful, and reflective contributions, and to succeed with integrity. Our students are inspired to be life-long learners and to become at home in the world. 

School & District News

No school on April 20 - Professional Development Day

No school for students on April 20

Monday, April 20, is a Professional Development Day for faculty and staff, and there will be no school for students. Classes will resume on Tuesday, April 21.
Bravo Award winner Amy Russell

Bravo Award winner: Amy Russell

Throughout each school year, DSD employees nominate their colleagues for Bravo Awards, an honor that recognizes faculty and staff who demonstrate Portrait of a Graduate attributes as they go above and beyond for students and the district.
Three middle school students wearing gardening gloves smile from inside a shed

Miller Green Team digs in for garden cleanup

With support from community volunteers and Green Team Advisor Molly McPherson, students on Miller Middle School's Green Team spent a recent Saturday morning weeding their school's garden beds, cleaning out the tool shed, and moving rocks in preparation for a new garden layout.
Man and woman stand holding award posters

Durango School District schools earn state recognition for student growth

Two Durango School District elementary schools are once again being recognized at the state level for their strong student growth and achievement. Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary School and Needham Elementary School have earned the 2026 Governor’s Distinguished Improvement Award from the Colorado Department of Education.
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Principal Alderton holding award

Principal's Message

Needham Elementary School is a community committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment that fosters mutual respect and academic excellence. We challenge students to make creative, meaningful, and reflective contributions, and to succeed with integrity. Our students are inspired to be life-long learners and to become at home in the world. 

Events

Kindergarten Screening

Time: 12:15 PM – 3:15 PM
Location: Durango Public Library 1900 E 3rd Ave. Durango, CO 81301

Kindergarten Screening

Time: 3:15 PM – 6:15 PM
Location: Needham Elementary School 2425 W. 3rd Ave. Durango, CO 81301
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Engineer Mountain

Quality of Life

Durango is a beautiful place to live and work. It is located at 6,512 feet elevation in Southwest Colorado near the Four Corners region. Families who live here enjoy a historic steam train, ski resort, rivers, vibrant downtown, bike trails, sky-high “fourteener” mountains, and four distinct seasons with an average of 266 sunny days per year. We welcome new families and new staff members, and we offer excellent benefits and competitive salaries. 
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Accessibility Statement

It is the goal of Durango School District that the information on this website be accessible to individuals with visual, hearing, or cognitive disabilities. Good faith efforts are being made to ensure that our website complies with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0.
 
Most pages on our site are available in HTML format, which can be read by screen readers. Some documents are in Adobe PDF format, requiring Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded for free from the Adobe website. Additionally, some documents are in Google Docs and Google Forms. Most modern browsers and screen readers can access Google-based documents. More information about Google web products accessibility can be found on the Google Accessibility website.
 
To ensure accessibility for everyone in our community, including those with disabilities, Durango School District is taking the following steps:
 
* We are actively identifying and addressing accessibility barriers across our websites and digital platforms.
* We request accessibility documentation (such as VPATs – Voluntary Product Accessibility Templates) from vendors whose digital tools or content are used on our websites.
* We work with vendors and service providers to ensure they are taking steps toward full compliance with WCAG and Section 504 requirements.
* We are committed to ongoing staff training and continuous website improvement.
* We regularly review our digital content to align with the Colorado Digital Accessibility Act (C.R.S. 24-34-104) and the latest applicable standards.
 
If you are unable to access any page or document on our site, please contact us at [email protected]. Include the webpage or document URL, your name, email address, and phone number. We will provide the information in an alternative format and work to resolve the issue. Alternatively, you may call the district's main information line at (970) 247-5411 and ask to speak with someone in the Communications Department. Include the location of the webpage/document, your name, email address, and phone number so we can provide the information in another format, and address the issue.

Learn more about the district's accessibility compliance plan and progress reports.