About our mascot and the Eagle’s Nest

The Southern Ute Indian Montessori Academy in currently in its 20th year with a few staff members still working at SUIMA since the first day the school opened its doors to students. While the staff may have grown and changed, the curriculum has not. SUIMA follows the Montessori method that was chosen before the ground was broken. 

When the school began, we had no vision for school colors or a mascot. Instead, it came from the students. A handful of the upper elementary students several years ago started questioning why SUIMA didn’t have a mascot. With that inquiry, the students were tasked with the responsibly to choose a mascot and school colors. After research and surveying of students and staff, the school colors chosen were green and black and the mascot chosen was an eagle. Hence the title for this article: The Eagle’s Nest. 

Here are a few facts about our mascot.

• The bald eagle is the only eagle unique to North America
• The eagles’ scientific name (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), signifies a sea (halo) eagle (aeetos) with a white (leukos) head.
• About half of the world’s 70,000 bald eagles live in Alaska.
• The bald eagle was chosen June 20, 1782 as the emblem of the United States of America, because of its long life, great strength and majestic looks.
• During the 1970s, bald eagles were seriously endangered.
• On June 28, 2007 the Department of Interior took the American Bald Eagle off the Federal List of Endangered and Threatened species.
• There are 1273 schools in our nation that claim the eagle as their school mascot; 64 colleges also have eagles as mascots. 

Just like eagles, the SUIMA students show strength and power. It is a great time to be a SUIMA Eagle. 

SUIMA Staff spotlight

For this article, we are going to spotlight staff member Judi Cole. 

Judi joined the Southern Ute Indian Montessori Academy in 2004 as one of our reading specialists. She came to us from Bromley East Charter School in Brighton, Colo. 

When Judi is not working with students, she can be found in the wilderness – camping, hiking and taking beautiful pictures. 

Judi shares time with her family, which consists of her son, a daughter-in-law and two grandkids in Wyoming along with her daughter in New York.

When asked what the best part of working at SUIMA is, Judi responded “I love the students and their families. I have loved learning about the culture, and I love interacting with the staff.” 

Her advice to all students, whether at our school or another school is to Be Curious – Explore – Discover – and READ! 

Thank you, Judi Cole, for being part of the SUIMA family.