Poudre School District approves six school closures, spares three mountain campuses

The Poudre School District board voted to close six schools and consolidate two others, adjusting an earlier plan that targeted nine campuses. The board retained three mountain schools, including Livermore, Red Feather, and Stove Prairie Elementary, following community input. Most closures take effect on July 1, 2027, while two begin on July 1, 2028.

Beattie, Johnson, and Putnam Elementary Schools will close on July 1, 2027. Students from Beattie will move to Lopez or Bennett Elementary. Students from Johnson will go to Olander or McGraw Elementary. Students from Putnam will attend Dunn or Tavelli Elementary. Bacon Elementary will also see a boundary change on the same date.

Blevins Middle School closes on July 1, 2027, with students assigned to Webber or Lincoln Middle School. Centennial High School and Poudre Community Academy will merge into a single school on that date. The district will select the new location in early 2027. Irish Escuela Bilingüe Elementary and Timnath Elementary are scheduled to close on July 1, 2028.

Students from Irish Escuela Bilingüe will move to Cache la Poudre or Bauder Elementary. The board directed staff to create a unified Dual Language program starting in the 2028-2029 school year. Students from Timnath Elementary will be assigned to Linton or Bamford Elementary unless the town secures funding for a new building by November 2027.

Timnath Mayor Axmacher asked the board to delay the closure, citing recent growth in the town. The Timnath town council unanimously approved using at least $25,000 from the 2026 and 2027 budgets to form a joint task force. This group will include town, district, and community representatives to explore options for keeping the school open. The town will also hire an independent consultant to research and evaluate potential solutions.

Jamie Philbeck, a parent at Timnath Elementary, argued that the school is performing well and local housing growth threatens enrollment decline. Philbeck noted that 1,000 homes are planned within the school boundaries over the next three years. Philbeck questioned the logic of sending children on a 50-minute bus ride when a functioning school is nearby. Mayor Axmacher thanked the board and parents for their efforts, stating the community is just getting started.

The district acknowledged that these changes deeply affect local communities and promised more transition support in the coming months. The first School Choice application window opens on November 4 and closes on December 16. Students from closing schools will receive priority consideration for placement.