Resilient Schools: Responding to declining enrollment

The Plan

The plan closes Douglass Elementary and divides its attendance area among Coal Creek, Eisenhower and Heatherwood elementary schools. 

In addition, the proposed plan relocates High Peaks Elementary to the Douglass campus. Then, Community Montessori will relocate into High Peaks’ current location. The Community Montessori building will be closed.

How we arrived at this plan

Douglass’s resident student population is among the lowest in Boulder. Both its resident population and enrollment are below two classes/grade and are projected to stay at that level. Additionally, the Douglass attendance area is large and less densely populated than other, non-mountain attendance areas.

Relocating High Peaks, BVSD’s most in-demand focus school, to the Douglass campus will give more students, particularly those in east county, access to the focus school. It also allows the district, through relocation of another focus school, to close the Community Montessori building and reduce excess capacity in Boulder.

Additional considerations

• The ICAN program currently housed at Douglass would be relocated to Heatherwood.
• Transportation will continue to be provided based on BVSD policy, and as required by a student’s IEP.
• Preschool will continue to be offered in the area. More information about specific locations for programs will be provided by Oct. 1.
• School Age Care (SAC) will be offered at Heatherwood, Coal Creek, and Eisenhower.

The Plan
The plan closes Mesa Elementary and merges the school communities in the Bear Creek building. The attendance area boundaries for both schools will be redrawn to create a single attendance area, with addresses in the consolidated area now assigned to the Bear Creek building.

How we arrived at this plan

While many schools in the South Boulder area have been impacted by declining enrollment, Mesa is currently one of the lowest-enrolled schools, and projections show its numbers are expected to continue to decline. Additionally, Mesa, which currently uses about half of its capacity, also has the second-lowest number of resident students in its attendance area.

Bear Creek, located less than a mile away, has a larger building capacity and can house the projected enrollment of both schools in 2027-28 and beyond. 

Closing Mesa reduces excess capacity in South Boulder. Combining the attendance areas provides the resident student population for a three-round school at Bear Creek.
Bringing more students into Bear Creek will help grow and sustain the staffing, programs, and opportunities that create a high-quality student experience.

Additional Considerations

• All existing AIM and RISE programs will be housed at Bear Creek.
• Transportation will continue to be provided based on BVSD policy, and as required by a student’s IEP.
• Preschool will continue to be offered in the area. More information about specific program locations will be provided by October 1.
• School Age Care (SAC) will be offered at Bear Creek.

The Plan
The plan closes Flatirons Elementary at the end of the 2026-27 school year and that its attendance area be divided between Foothill and Whittier Elementary Schools. Addresses north of Boulder Canyon Drive would be assigned to Foothill Elementary, while addresses south of Boulder Canyon Drive would be assigned to Whittier Elementary.

How we arrived at this plan
Flatirons has the lowest enrollment of the Boulder schools, sustaining only a single class at each level and using less than half of its building’s capacity. Closing the school reduces excess capacity in Boulder. Whittier and Foothill each have the capacity to house a portion of Flatirons’ students. 

Additional considerations

• The RISE program currently at Flatirons would move to Whittier Elementary.
• To help facilitate mountain routes, Whittier Elementary’s bell schedule will need to shift 45 minutes later. Currently, it is 7:50 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. After the changes, it would be 8:35 a.m. to 3:35 p.m., which aligns with other elementary schools that serve mountain addresses. 

The Plan

The plan closes Birch Elementary and merges the Birch and Kohl school communities in the Kohl Elementary building. The attendance boundaries for both schools will be combined into a single attendance area assigned to the Kohl building. The ICAN program currently located at Birch will also move to Kohl Elementary. 

How we arrived at this proposal

Among the Broomfield elementary schools, Birch has the lowest projected enrollment and the lowest number of current and projected resident students. This is largely driven by declining birth rates in the area.

As we considered our options, our data shows that Kohl has enough capacity to house both schools’ current and future enrollment, something that the Birch building cannot accommodate. This move reduces excess capacity in the region and provides the resident student population to support a three-round school at Kohl. Additional student enrollment will help grow and sustain the staffing, programs, and opportunities that support a high-quality student experience.

Additional Considerations

• The ICAN program currently located at Birch will also move to Kohl Elementary.
• Transportation will continue to be provided based on BVSD policy and as required by a student’s IEP.
• Preschool will continue to be offered in the area. More information about specific program locations will be provided by Oct. 1.
• School Age Care (SAC) will be offered at Kohl.

The proposal

The proposal calls for grade reconfigurations at both Monarch and Eldorado PK-8 schools to create an elementary school in the Eldorado building and a middle school in the Monarch building beginning in the 2027-28 school year. 

The current Monarch and Eldorado middle-level attendance areas would combine into one attendance area for both the middle and high schools. Additionally, Monarch PK-8’s elementary attendance area would be divided among Fireside, Superior and Eldorado’s attendance areas.

How we arrived at this proposal

Following the engagement with our community and an analysis of school enrollment and choice, it was evident that the Louisville/Superior communities needed a unique plan of action focused on natural feeder areas/neighborhoods, while ensuring that schools in this area are made more sustainable for the future.

Consolidating the middle grades on the Monarch campus creates the opportunity for more robust middle school programming, as well as synergies with Monarch High School.

Currently, fewer than half of Monarch’s K-5 resident students attend Monarch and almost one third choose to attend Fireside, Superior or Eldorado. At the middle level, more Eldorado resident 6-8 grade students choose to attend Monarch than Eldorado.

The proposed move reduces excess elementary capacity and increases resident students for the receiving elementary schools and Monarch 6-8. Additional student enrollment will help grow and sustain the staffing, programs, and opportunities that create a high-quality student experience.

Additional Considerations

• The new Eldorado elementary school and Monarch middle school will continue to serve students with autism through AIM and RISE programs.
• Transportation will continue to be provided based on BVSD policy, and as required by a student’s IEP.
• Preschool will continue to be offered in the area. More information about specific locations for programs will be provided by Oct. 1.
• School Age Care (SAC) will be offered at Eldorado, Fireside, and Superior.