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New schools opening in Denver, Aurora, Douglas County, Broomfield, Thornton, Erie, more

Posted at 4:30 AM, Jul 25, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-25 06:30:53-04

Multiple school districts across the Front Range will be opening new schools this fall to keep up with our growing population.

Denver Public Schools

Denver Public Schools has four new schools opening this fall. All four are charter schools -- a high school, a middle school and two elementary schools.

  • 5280 High School. Year 1 enrollment: 114, full build: 416
  • KIPP Sunshine Peak Elementary. Year 1: 94 (ECE & K); full build: 469
  • DSST Middle School at Noel Campus. Year 1: 147;  full build 440
  • Rocky Mountain Prep Berkeley. Year 1: TBA; full build: 508

Rocky Mountain Prep Berkeley replaces the Cesar Chavez Academy that was closed due to academic performance.

JeffCo Public Schools

While JeffCo Public Schools is not opening any new schools this fall, they do have two changes:

  • Free Horizon Montessori is transitioning from a charter schools to a district innovation school. It will be the building the housed the former Pleasant View Elementary School.
  • Pennington Elementary will now be Peak Expeditionary School at Pennington. They are shifting to a new academic model, district officials said.

Douglas County School District

The Douglas County School District has two new schools opening this fall, both are charter schools:

  • Ascent Classical Academy
  • Leman Academy of Excellence

Cherry Creek School District

The Cherry Creek School District has one new school opening in August - Infinity Middle School.

About 160 sixth-graders planning to attend Infinity actually started classes last year at Sky Vista Middle School.

Interestingly, another school opening later this fall, Altitude Elementary School, will start classes at Infinity Middle School unless its campus is ready to open later this fall.

Aurora Public Schools

Aurora Public Schools is opening one new school building this fall at Mrachek Middle School. 

The old building was used last year while the new building was being constructed on the same campus.

The new school isn't quite ready, so students at Mrachek will start classes on September 10.

APS officials said the school is built to accommodate 1,000 students. Enrollment figures for this fall aren't available yet, but officials said Mrachek had 847 students last year.

Adams 12 Five Star Schools

The Adams 12 Five Star School District has a new P-8 school opening in Broomfield.

Thunder Vista P-8 has about 566 registered for classes.

District officials said as the Anthem area grows, the school is expected to handle 900 K-8 students and 128 preschool students, which is capacity.

St. Vrain Valley School District

The St. Vrain Valley School District has two schools opening this fall. One of them is close to capacity already.

The new schools are:

  • Soaring Heights PK-8 in Erie. Enrollment: 875 students; Capacity: 900
  • Grand View Elementary in Frederick. Enrollment: 250 students; Capacity: 650

The district told Denver7 that Erie is one of the fastest growing communities in the district's boundaries.

Boulder Valley School District

While there is construction at existing schools, no new schools are opening this fall, district officials said.

However, voter-passed bonds paid for work at 16 schools.

Among the projects were renovations and improvements at Broomfield High School that included the library, field house, classrooms and cafeteria.

Read more about the bond projects on a special website created by the district.

Poudre School District

The Poudre School District said it is not opening any new schools this fall.

Greeley-Evans School District 6

We are waiting for a response from the district, please check back later.

Brighton School District 27-J

The Brighton School District 27-J is opening a new school building this fall that will house the new Riverdale Ridge High School and Roger Quist Middle School, while the Middle School building is being built across the street.

"Riverdale Ridge will start with 9-10 the first year and add grades each year until the reach 9-12," school officials said. "Roger Quist will have its own wing at Riverdale Ridge, keeping middle and high students somewhat separate, housing grades 6-8."

While Roger Quist Middle School is completed in 2020, those students and staff will move across the street.

The opening of Riverdale Ridge is expected to relieve some of the overcrowding at Brighton High School and Prairie View High School.

Enrollment stats:

  • Brighton High School. Enrollment: 1812; Capacity: 1771
  • Prairie View High School. Enrollment: 1911; Capacity: 1901
  • Riverdale Ridge High School. Enrollment: 520; Capacity: 1756