DENVER — The Jeffco Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday in favor of closing 16 elementary schools in a consolidation move.
The proposal, which was presented to the district's school board in August, includes the following closures and consolidations:
- Alameda Emory → Lasley (Emory Center Program → Rose Stein)
- Arvada: Peck → Secrest
- Arvada: Thomson → Swanson (Thomson Center Program → Hackberry Hill if needed)
- Arvada West: Campbell → Fremont, Campbell → Vanderhoof (Campbell Center Program → Vanderhoof)
- Bear Creek: Peiffer → Kendallvue
- Dakota Ridge: Colorow → Powderhorn
- Green Mountain: Green Mountain ES → Foothills (Green Mountain Center Program → Belmar)
- Evergreen: 2024-25 Bergen Meadow K-2 → Bergen Valley will become PK-5
- Jefferson: Molholm → Lumberg
- Lakewood: Glennon Heights → Belmar (Glennon Center Program → Hutchinson)
- Pomona: Parr → Little
- Standley Lake: Sheridan Green → Ryan
- Standley Lake: Witt → Lukas
- Wheat Ridge: Vivian → Stober (Vivian Center Program → Maple Grove)
- Wheat Ridge: Wilmore Davis → Stevens
- Wheat Ridge: Kullerstrand → Prospect Valley
The move would affect around 2,500 students and 422 full-time staff, according to the district. Families would be able to choose to move to the school that the district picks for consolidation or choose a different school.
Staff at the new school will stay there, and staff working at schools that are closing will be able to interview for jobs at the new school and other schools within Jeffco Public Schools. The district says it will provide extra training and development opportunities this year to help teachers and other staff bolster their resumes at schools that have been picked to be closed.
Jeffco Public Schools cited declining enrollment as the reason for the consolidation.
Parents have been crying out for months against the closures, arguing that closing the chosen schools will disproportionately impact minority students.
Following the meeting, many parents told Denver7 they felt their efforts were in vain, saying they believe school board members had their minds made up from the beginning.
"I'm disappointed in the school district, I'm disappointed in the school board members," said one parent. "I actually personally talked to three of the five of them this week. I thought there would be a couple "no" votes. I thought we could maybe sway another one."
"We expected that this was the outcome, considering they came into it telling us in advance they've already decided. But again, that's backwards. They should have included us in this proposal in the process before they voted on it," said another parent.