WEEK OF FEBRUARY 20, 2025
VOLUME 23 | ISSUE 11
FREE
DCSD approves policy to guide school closures District is expected to name three facilities in Highlands Ranch soon BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
The Douglas County School Board unanimously approved a policy to help guide school closures, including the planned closures of three elementary schools in Highlands Ranch in 2026. No schools in Highlands Ranch have yet been named as part of the merging of six schools into three. The district is expected to announce which schools will be recommended for consolidation in March before the formal recommendation is made to the school board in April. The board will vote on school consolidations at the April 22 meeting, and then there will be a transition year before the schools are merged for the 2026-27 school year. The approved policy for school closures outlines the community engagement process, considerations and timelines to create a standardized district process. Criteria listed in the policy include preserving the “student, staff and community cohorts as much as possible,” while accounting for traffic management, safety, walkability, building quality and limitations, maximizing school programs, enrollment and financial sustainability. Superintendent Erin Kane said the recommendations will weigh all of the criteria listed in
Ponderosa senior and Adams State University commit Elizabeth Sandy poses with coaches John Foirdalas, left, and Frankie Sanchez at her signing day COURTESY PHOTO ceremony. Sandy is one of four state qualifiers for the Mustangs eager to finish her high school career with a trophy.
Girls wrestling teams thrive in year one, send local athletes to state tournament Conifer, Ponderosa girls programs start strong with high numbers, higher goals
SEE CLOSURES, P4 BY JOHN RENFROW JRENFROW@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM
2025
VOTING STARTS
MARCH 1!
As girls wrestling continues to sweep the country as the nation’s fastest-growing high school sport, local programs are wasting no time making a splash in Colorado. Qualifiers for the state wrestling tournament at Ball Arena on Feb. 13-15 (after press deadline) were announced, and many schools are sending firsttime representatives on the big-
VOICES: 10 | LIFE: 14 | CALENDAR: 17 | PUZZLES: 19
gest high school stage. Ponderosa High School in Parker is in the first season of its girls wrestling program. In year one, a whopping 19 girls signed up for the team. After a strong season, four qualified for state. “We were kind of shocked, because, in your first year, girls wrestling is a tough sport,” Head Coach Frankie Sanchez said. “So, we figured we’d maybe have a couple of state qualifiers, but having four was pretty good. And then the two regional
champions, and then one runner-up, that was pretty exciting.” The Mustangs qualified Arianna Sanchez (regional champion), Presley Pearson (regional runner-up), Elizabeth Sandy (regional champion) and Abriella Deitz (regional third-place) to state, each representing four weight classes. To have that many sign up for the program’s first year is impressive, but maybe not that big of a surprise, Sanchez said. Until Ponderosa had its own team, in-
terested girls would wrestle for Douglas County High School. But now, the Mustangs can proudly wear their own uniforms and have adopted some wrestlers from Lutheran and Legend high schools. It’s not enough to just be happy to be there, Sanchez said. The girls are hungry as they go into the state competition. For Sandy, the Mustangs’ senior qualifier and commit SEE WRESTLING, P12
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