The Ignacio School District and the Southern Ute Education Department celebrated the beginning of a new school year, Wednesday, Aug. 25 — Thursday, Aug. 26. The Ignacio Elementary and Middle Schools hosted a “Back 2 School and Meet-Your-Teacher Party” that featured music, a bounce house, food trucks, a snow cone station and more. The party also featured multiple information booths for families to check out. The Southern Ute Education Department hosted a teacher appreciation breakfast before the Southern Ute Indian Montessori Academy hosted their Open House. The breakfast was for all education, school district and academy staff to attend. SUIMA’s Open House event gave families the opportunity to meet the teachers, explore campus and visit the classrooms. After the last year of online and distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students and teachers were eager to meet face to face and prepare for the 2021-2022 school year.