Let Me Introduce Myself!

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Vision

Our vision is to connect students with a safe place to come together to explore, learn and discover the power of community.

Value

We value the collaboration of all students, as it provides the atmosphere to gain the skills necessary to grow independently into a positive, contributing member of society.

What We Stand For

Our values determine how and why we treat kids like people

Purpose

Our purpose is to provide quality educational and real life experiences through everyday adventures, exploration and discovery inside and outside of the classroom. When outside, we bike or walk; utilizing our towns River Trail system, safe pedestrian walkways and many miles of single track trails.

Belief

We believe that consistent, positive peer and adult relationships cultivate a safe learning atmosphere where children desire to explore, learn and grow.

Our Staff

Who we are

Vivienne McIntyre

Owner/Director

Mrs. Vivienne is the heart and soul behind the scenes. She works tirelessly to ensure that Nifty Nanny is the best summer camp you send your kids too! Her passion and drive stems from her homeschool experience as an elementary student, at home with her 4 sisters. She launched Nifty Nanny in 2014 after nannying for many families in Durango, CO over her college career. After graduating in the fall of 2014, she took her Elementary Education degree and worked for 9R School District, while building her business. After two years, she was ready to step out on her own and make her dreams happen. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with any question or to schedule a meet and greet.

Connect

Savannah Bergman

Lead Coach

Miss Savannah has lived in Durango for the past nine years and is currently studying nursing at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. She loves working with kids and getting to be a part of their learning and growth. This is her fourth summer with Nifty Nanny and she is excited about all of the picnics, river time, and adventures. She can't wait to meet our campers!

Jerry Dorsey

Coach

Mr. Jerry, a geophysicist who relocated to Durango with his family in January 2022 to pursue a better quality of life, brings a wealth of diverse experiences to his role as a summer counselor at Nifty Nanny. With a passion for exploration, he has traveled to numerous countries worldwide, including a thrilling journey on an icebreaker through the fabled Northwest Passage in the Arctic Ocean. A nature enthusiast, Mr. Jerry immerses himself in the beauty of nature. He embraces an active lifestyle with leisurely walks along the picturesque Animas River trail, invigorating hikes, trail running, skateboarding, biking, and paddle boarding. His love for family, nature, and companionship is further fueled by spending quality time with his wife, eight-year-old son, and three dogs. Mr. Jerry joins Nifty Nanny with genuine enthusiasm, eager to serve the families of the Durango community. With a deep-seated passion for igniting curiosity, fostering growth, and creating lasting memories, Mr. Jerry is dedicated to providing a safe, fun, and positive environment for children to thrive in. He is excited to embark on a summer adventure with kids, creating a one-of-a-kind and enriching experience that promises to be both enjoyable and educational.

Colleen Wilcox

Coach

Known as Miss Colleen during the school year, is Mom to a soon-to-be-first grader. She and her son Jackson love to spend most of the warm seasons adventuring outside. Formerly an elementary teacher, she has been a preschool teacher the past few years, but her new focus is getting her credentials to be a nature-based programs coach for teachers and administrators.

Where We Came From

This is the Nifty Nanny Story

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Founded in the Fall of 2014 with the vision to continue to provide the best child care for the families of Durango, Mrs. Vivienne has dedicated herself completely to seeing her passion flourish in the community. Mrs. Vivienne had been babysitting for multiple families in Durango since 2011, while putting herself through the Education program at Fort Lewis College, when she graduated in the Spring of 2014 she began to realize that the demand for her care, quality and attention to detail was becoming more than just a part time gig. Being a rule follower, she followed societies rules to get a job with her degree right after college and began working for the Durango School District in the Fall of 2014 as a full time substitute/school aid for any school that said yes to her daily availability. In addition to her new full time position in the field of work she believed she wanted to peruse, she continued to babysit and grow her Summer program. In the Summer of 2013 she officially applied for a child care license, again knowing that while she enjoyed the side gig of taking care of families, she understood the professionalism, legal implications and seriousness of what she was creating.

While she continued to juggle being a business owner, child care owner and full time School District employee, Mrs. Vivienne took another full time position during the 2015-2016 school year. It was during this second and last year of teaching, that Mrs. Vivienne realized her values of caring for families did not align with in a public school classroom. She left the classroom in the Spring of 2016 with the intention of focusing on her values of caring for the families of the Durango community 100% as Nifty Nanny.

The Spring of 2017 she moved into her very own classroom at the Smiley Building, a huge upgrade from a storage closet. The Fall of 2017 brought more big opportunities, as her partnership with The Juniper School was founded during her first year of saying "yes". As her dreams began to unfold in front of her, she continued to work hard to bring her passion, values and vision to life.

During these pandemic years, Mrs. Vivienne has done all she can to continue programming for the families of Durango. With many ups and downs, twists and turns, as so many have also experience, she has closed her classroom in the Smiley Building and plans to operate remotely.

Summer Camps are operated remotely and Campers meet at a local Durango Park every morning with their bikes, ready to ride! They spend the entire summer riding bikes around beautiful Durango, Colorado via the Animas River Trail. Camp Leaders are equipped with large cargo bikes to carry group gear, emergency gear and personal gear. Everyone loves Summer Break and we are honored to spend it with your child!