Preparations underway for next year when 16 Jeffco Public Schools elementaries will close

Parents, teachers and students are reacting to a decision to close 16 schools in Jefferson County Public Schools.

The following elementary schools will not be opening back up for the next school year:

- Molholm
- Glennon Heights
- Parr
- Sheridan Green
- Witt
- Vivian
- Wilmore Davis
- Kllerstrand
- Emory
- Peck
- Thomson
- Campbell
- Peiffer
- Colorow
- Green Mountain
- Bergen Meadow K-2

The district held weeks' worth of meetings, heard hours of public comment but unfortunately came to the decision that the schools just don't have the enrollment numbers to justify the cost to keep them open.

The schools slated to close will be merged next year with schools that are nearby. For example, students from Green Mountain Elementary in Lakewood will be coming to Foothills Elementary School. As a result of that merge, enrollment will balloon from around 230 students to as many as 400. Foothills will hold open houses to make the newcomers feel at home even before they start at their new home for public education.

"We're looking for becoming a blended family between the Green Mountain Elementary School and the Foothills elementary community," Foothills Elementary School principal Josh Shapiro said, quoting a PTA member.

At Foothills Elementary School. More teachers will need to be hired, and while they're welcome to apply there's no guarantee that those teachers from Green Mountain will get jobs at Foothills.

The schools have some similarities already. They share a physical education teacher and both schools' mascots are the Falcons.