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Week of October 20, 2022
JEFFERSON COUNTY, COLORADO
A publication of
INSIDE: VOICES: PAGE 12 | LIFE: PAGE 14 | CALENDAR: PAGE 17 | SPORTS: PAGE 24
VOLUME 18 | ISSUE 18
Jeffco Board Arvada Fire Protection District opens Station 9 in Candelas of Education
hears updates on possible school closures BY ANDREW FRAIELI AFRAIELI@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The scene at Arvada Fire’s Station 9 on opening day.
12,000-foot facility Arvada’s first new station since 1979; set to serve city’s northwest area BY RYLEE DUNN RDUNN@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
Residents of Candelas and west Arvada have a new safeguard against the brush fires that have been threatening the area. The Arvada Fire Protection District opened its newest fire station, Station 9, on Oct. 8. The 12,000-foot station is located at 9276 Wilkerson Court — near Highway 72 and Candelas Parkway — and will serve Candelas and the northwest corner of Arvada Fire’s service area. Station 9 is the first new Arvada Fire station since 1979 SEE STATION, P3
An old fire truck outside Station 9 on opening day.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ARVADA FIRE
With the Jeffco Board of Education vote on whether to consolidate elementary schools approaching on Nov. 10, the board heard another update on how closures would affect enrollment, students, staff and transportation. Lisa Relou, chief of communications and strategy for Jefferson County Public Schools, highlighted specific questions she said had come up at multiple community meetings. One is parents feeling that a decision has already been made, a sentiment made at the first Emory Elementary community meeting. “While the district’s recommendation to the board won’t be changing between now and Nov. 10, of course, every board member has a vote in this process,” said Relou. Other questions were why there was one vote rather than 16 — one for each school — which Relou said was to make the process as equitable as possible. She also said community members can make their feelings known to the board by writing to individual board members, and speaking at public comments, including on the day of the vote. On enrollment, Relou stressed that students currently enrolled, by both boundary and choice, would have a guaranteed place at their new school. Doing nothing at all would auto-enroll students to the accepting school, and through the enrollment process, parents will have support from Jeffco faculty trained in the process. “They will be a point of contact for our families. They will bridge the gap between our families and the internal enrollment system. Most importantly, they will be there to help families discuss their options,” elaborated Relou. SEE CLOSURES, P5