Serving the community since 1866
WEEK OF MAY 25, 2023
VOLUME 157 | ISSUE 23
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Takeaways from Rain fails to dampen Golden High School commencement Jeffco K-8 and middle school enrollment BY YESENIA ROBLES CHALKBEAT COLORADO
reminded me of the man who was so important to the city of Golden, to the School of Mines, and to Golden High School,” Golden High School Principal Brian Conroy said. “And when I first became principal and our very first graduation was in the pouring rain, he pulled me aside and said, ‘The rain is just washing high
Jeffco school leaders have said identifying middle schools to close will be more complicated than it was with elementary schools. That’s a daunting challenge for a district that voted to close 16 elementary schools last fall. Leaders plan to recommend to the school board in August which schools to close, and to redraw some attendance boundaries and redesignate feeder schools in summer 2024. A look at enrollment, school spending, campus utilization levels, and family poverty gives a glance at some of the data that may inform Jeffco’s decisions. The district’s work has been spurred by years of declining enrollment. Even though the number of residents in Jeffco increased over two decades, the population of school-age children decreased by 29,918 from 2000 to 2020. Fewer children are being born. According to the district, 2020 marked the lowest number of births recorded in 15 years. The district has not yet identified the criteria to determine which middle and K-8 schools to close or consolidate. In one exception, district leaders have told the Arvada K-8 school community that
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Golden High School’s Class of 2023 marches onto the field as the school’s 149th commencement gets underway at Marv Kay Stadium. A variety of expressions and emotions could be seen across the faces of almost 300 graduating seniors, many of whom will go PHOTO BY DEBORAH GRIGSBY on to pursue advanced education. BY DEBORAH GRIGSBY DGRIGSBY@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
As high school graduations are underway across the Denver metro area, tradition will most certainly be on the agenda. And for Golden High School, Colorado’s oldest continuously operating high school, rain has become a perennial guest. However, in spite of wet, gloomy
skies, 292 beaming seniors proudly walked across the stage May 19 at Alumni Field at Marv Kay Stadium to receive their diplomas as friends, family and loved ones watched on, huddled together beneath umbrellas and plastic rain ponchos. “I’m sitting here listening to the speeches this morning, and I’m looking up and seeing the Marv Kay from Marv Kay Stadium, it sort of
VOICES: 14 | LIFE: 16 | CALENDAR: 19 | SPORTS: 32
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