FORT COLLINS, Colo. - In a press conference Friday evening, Poudre School District (PSD) Brian Kingsley announced a recommendation by the district's Comprehensive Planning Committee (CPC) to close nine schools and consolidate two others by the start of the 2027-2028 school year.
The affected schools are as follows:
- Beattie Elementary School will close and students within the neighborhood boundary will be assigned to Lopez Elementary School and Bennett Elementary School.
- Irish Elementary School will close and students within the neighborhood boundary will be assigned to Cache la Poudre Elementary School and Bauder Elementary School. A specific cohort of English language learners from Irish will be assigned to Harris Elementary School.
- Johnson Elementary School will close and within the neighborhood boundary will be assigned to Olander Elementary School and McGraw Elementary School.
- Putnam Elementary School will close and students within the neighborhood boundary will be assigned to Dunn Elementary School and Tavelli Elementary School.
- Stove Prairie, Red Feather, and Livermore Elementary Schools (the Mountain Schools) will close and students within the neighborhood boundaries of each school will be assigned to Cache la Poudre Elementary School.
- Timnath Elementary School will close and students within the neighborhood boundary will be assigned to Linton Elementary School and Bamford Elementary School. A boundary change will also be implemented for Bacon Elementary School.
- Blevins Middle School will close and students within the neighborhood boundary will be assigned to Webber Middle School and Lincoln Middle School.
- Centennial High School and Poudre Community Academy will consolidate to form a new school.
The CPC, which is made up of 25 people including parents, faculty and staff, will submit their recommended plan to the Board of Education during the October 13 meeting, with a final vote coming on October 27.
On October 12, 14, 15, and 19, the Board of Ed will hold listening sessions to discuss the proposed closure list and community members can ask questions.
The specific details for those sessions are:
- Monday, Oct. 12, Timnath Middle-High School auditorium, 4700 E. Prospect Road, Fort Collins
- Wednesday, Oct. 14, Rocky Mountain High School media center, 1300 W. Swallow Road, Fort Collins
- Thursday, Oct. 15, Poudre High School event center, 201 S. Impala Drive, Fort Collins
- Monday, Oct. 19, Fort Collins High School theater, 3400 Lambkin Way, Fort Collins
In a note sent to families and in addressing the media, Superintendent Kingsley outlined that, despite PSD continuously performing well, fewer children are being born in the community, the cost of living is too high, and fewer families are living in the area, and they expect that trend to continue.
"We believe that we can be even better, we can do more, and do it better in fewer schools, because we can concentrate our resources and make sure every student has access to everything that they deserve," Kingsley told the media.
Kingsley outlining a message for students:
"While the school building that you attend may change for next school year, I can assure you that the sense of belonging that you feel in your school will not," Kingsley said.
As well as a message for teachers.
"We have already been consolidating for years," Kingsley outlined. "We've been consolidating people, cutting millions of dollars from our budget, and eliminating hundreds of positions. Every year that we have protected buildings, we have done it by asking teachers and staff to do more with less, that is not a sustainable way to support the people who teach our students."
Denver7's Tyler Melito spoke with parents like Lauren Chiarelli, who has three kids enrolled at PSD.
"I can see why some schools might need to consolidate, and if it makes sense for budgeting and coordinating buses, because I've seen buses with like three kids on it-that doesn't make sense to me," Chiarelli detailed.
But she expressed worry about students and faculty.
"Some kids have a plan in place like an IEP, and so the schools are really familiar with those kids and how to work with them, and so to put them in a whole new school, that that would be a big impact," Chiarelli told Melito. "The employment for staff. What would that look like? I mean, they are already seemingly just undervalued."
Melito asked Kingsley about the consolidations could mean for teachers, specifically if layoffs are to be expected.
"We know with fewer students, there will be fewer staff members, but we believe that having fewer schools with more vibrant resources, the positions moving forward will be more stable," Kingsley responded.
Kingsley noted that the schools were chosen in part for several factors.
"So some of those identification criteria is built on enrollment trends and enrollment projections," Kingsley detailed. "It's based upon how much the building is actually being utilized. It's also based on the building condition."
More information can be found here.
