WEEK OF JANUARY 23, 2025
VOLUME 23 | ISSUE 47
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School board discusses proposed closure policy Vote will take place at Jan. 28 meeting BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Before, Colorado’s court system was made up of 22 judicial districts, and the 18th district included Douglas, Arapahoe, Elbert and Lincoln counties. But the state legislature — at least partly driven by a political split in the 18th district — decided to break it up, moving Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties into the new 23rd district.
The Douglas County School Board will vote on a proposed policy for school closures later this month, following discussions of the criteria to guide the process. At the Jan. 14 meeting, the school board discussed the draft policy to guide school closures, which are planned for up to three elementary schools in Highlands Ranch in 2026. The board will vote on the policy at the Jan. 28 meeting. No specific schools have been named for closure, but the district is planning to merge between four and six schools as enrollment has been declining in the Highlands Ranch area for more than a decade. The decision of which schools to pair will be made this spring and finalized on April 22, and then there will be a transition year before the schools are merged for the 2026-27 school year. The proposed policy for school closures would prioritize preserving the “integrity of school communities,” while accounting for traffic management, safety, walkability, building quality and limitations, maximizing school programs, enrollment and financial sustainability. An online dashboard created by the district shows data for each of the 16 elementary schools in Highlands Ranch, including current and projected enrollments. Superintendent Erin Kane said community engagement and transparency are priorities of the closure process. “We want to make it as transparent and easy as possible for our public to browse the information that we have and look at scenarios,” Kane said. In addition to criteria, the policy lists considerations, which include staffing, class sizes, additional programming accommodations and accessibility to local resources such as parks and emergency services. More details about the plans for open enrollment, staffing and special education are expected to be available in early February, said Steve Colella, the district’s chief of staff. “Superintendent staff will account for both criteria and considerations once the pairings are made in April,” Colella said. Board members voiced support for the proposed policy while suggesting it include more details. School board member Valerie Thompson said she would like the policy to include more information on the dis-
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George Brauchler, the first-ever district attorney for Colorado’s new 23rd Judicial District, speaks on stage Jan. 14 at the Robert A. Christensen PHOTO BY ELLIS ARNOLD Justice Center in the Castle Rock area, where he was sworn in to office.
Ceremony marks launch of 23rd Judicial District George Brauchler is sworn in as DA
BY ELLIS ARNOLD EARNOLD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
A large crowd gathered at the justice center in Douglas County for a ceremony to mark the creation of Colorado’s first new judicial district in roughly 60 years,
a move that breaks Arapahoe County off into its own district and leaves Douglas, Elbert and Lincoln counties with their own court system. “This moment is a testament to the growth and evolution of our community, a recognition that the needs of our citizens are ever-changing and that our judicial system must evolve alongside them,” Chief Judge Ryan Stuart, of the new 23rd Judicial District, said in a news release.
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