THE DURANGO INSTITUTE, located in the mountains of Durango, Colorado, was established in 2001 to provide a forum of workshops, consultants, resources, and networking that actively address the co-curricular programs, issues, and challenges confronting our schools and our students.

Small, interactive workshops related to program development and strategic planning are held in Durango with a 4 to 1 school to consultant ratio.  Participants have an opportunity to learn from each other under the guidance of experienced professionals who understand the real life of schools.  These workshops are designed to give you real working time to develop and evaluate important co-curricular programs in your school.

The Durango Institute also offers excellent school-site consultation   in the following co-curricular areas:

Residential Life
Human Development Programming
Student and Faculty Support
Leadership Training
Diversity and Multicultural Issues
Emergency and Crisis Response
Service Learning 

This consulting includes faculty in-service training, student, faculty, and parent presentations, as well as onsite evaluation and strategic planning.  We are also able to work with you to provide community and program specific surveys that will give you confidential, candid information as you evaluate and strengthen your co-curricular programs.

The Durango Institute Press publishes books and papers related to the co-curricular areas of school life including the best selling guide Building A Residential Curriculum by Carol W. Hotchkiss and Ed Kowalchick.  Please contact us if you have a paper or program that you believe would be a valuable addition to our library.

The Durango Institute was founded in 2001 by Carol W. Hotchkiss and Edward M.  Kowalchick.  We strive to run the Institute and all of our work in a way that would make Ed proud.

Durango Institute Mission Statement

We believe that all schools must first and always teach students to grow as ethical and whole individuals that will actively create personal, political, and global communities of integrity and engagement.