On March 16, the District 51 Board of Education approved a resolution to move forward with forming a committee to
address declining enrollment at the elementary school level. The committee will make a recommendation to
Superintendent Dr. Hill no later than September 19, 2023.
The committee is specifically charged to:
- Continue the work already started
- Review data already presented
- Acquire additional data, if necessary
- Study all options, including the benefits, and ramifications of closing elementary schools
- Better educate the community on the issues surrounding the enrollment declines and the effects enrollment decline has on the District
- Develop recommendations to address declining student enrollment
Superintendent Dr. Hill, along with District 51 leaders, will facilitate the committee meetings. Committee members (28
in total) were invited to serve based on a variety of criteria. The committee is comprised of elementary teachers
serving on the Superintendent Teacher Advisory Group, elementary principals who serve on the Superintendent Principal
Advisory Group, family members from the District Accountability Committee and District Special Education Advisory
Committee, community members from D51 Strategic Plan Priority Area Action Teams, community members and district staff
from the District Minority Advisory Committee, members of entities in the community that the District collaborates with
such as the City of Grand Junction, the City of Fruita, Mesa County, Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce, and Grand
Junction Economic Partnership, two members from the District 51 Board of Education, members from the D51 Senior
Leadership Team, and the D51 Department of Communications.
The group will meet twice a month in four-hour sessions through September in order to work together to develop a final
recommendation, by the September 19, 2023 timeline.
Community Open Houses
In reponse to the ongoing challenge of declining enrollment at the elementary school level, our district remains committed to fostering collaboration amoung our staff, students, families, and the community.
Superintendent Dr. Hill conducted three open houses that were dedicated to engaging with the community and providing education regarding declining enrollment in our district. Two of the open houses were conducted in person on June 29 and July 12, and the third took place virtually on July 5.
These open houses provided valuable opportunities for our families, staff, and broader Grand Valley community to engage in meaningful discussions and gain insight into the goals and responsibilities of the Elementary Declining Enrollment Committee.
For those that were unable to attend any of these meetings, you can access the recorded session by clicking here. Additionally, the presentation slides have been attached for your reference. We believe our community plays a crucial role in resolving this issue and "Creating a Sustainable D51" for future generations. Thank you for being engaged and supportive partners with D51.
Elementary Declining Enrollment Open House Slide Deck