Mesa County Valley School District 51

Grand Junction, CO - The District 51 School Board of Education unanimously voted to extend the contract of Superintendent Dr. Brian Hill for an additional five years, through June 2030.

Grand Junction, CO - District 51 earned a graduation rate of 81.2%, the highest rate for District 51 in the last 17 years.

New Emerson’s incoming kindergartners are selected through a lottery process. All parents who are interested in having their child attend New Emerson will need to complete the registration process for the lottery no later than December 21.

Grand Junction, CO - In response to the incident at Rim Rock Elementary on Friday morning, the Fruita Police Department and District 51 wish to provide clarification to address concerns within the community and dispel rumors and misinformation.

Grand Junction, CO - On Tuesday, November 14, School District 51 will be hosting a reception prior to the Board of Education Business Meeting to celebrate the invaluable contributions of our outgoing board members.

Grand Junction, CO - D51 STEM is proud to sponsor the largest FIRST Lego League Challenge Tournament in the state, happening this weekend. The tournament, which will welcome more than 400 4th-8th grade students, offers an exhilarating experience for students passionate about hands-on STEM education.

Grand Junction, CO - Each time Burlington Stores opens a new branch, they celebrate by adopting and funding local classrooms in their new store community. District 51 is excited to announce that Burlington Stores, a national discount retailer, has donated $5,000 to Dual Immersion Academy, through its partnership with the national non-profit organization AdoptAClassroom.org.

Grand Junction, CO - The Annual Valley of the Bands Extravaganza returns for its 27th consecutive year on September 12, 2023, starting at 7:30 p.m.

Grand Junction, CO - The Colorado Department of Education has released School Performance Frameworks, essentially serving as the state's “report card” for individual schools, and District 51 is proud to announce a notable improvement in our District Performance Framework scores across many of our schools.

Grand Junction, CO - The Colorado Department of Education has released the Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) scores this week for mathematics and English Language Arts. District 51 is proud to announce progress in student proficiency and early literacy initiatives across our district.

Grand Junction, CO - As the new school year begins, Mesa County Valley School District 51, Grand Junction Police Department, Fruita Police Department, Palisade Police Department, and the Mesa County Sheriff’s Office continues their collaborative effort to ensure the safety and security of students and staff both on and around school premises.

Grand Junction, CO - District 51, in partnership with Townsquare Media, is thrilled to announce another incredibly successful "Unstuff" the Bus event, which was held on Tuesday, August 1.

Grand Junction, CO - Nearly 12,000 students, educators, and volunteers headed to Atlanta, Georgia for the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Leadership Conference at the end of June. The annual event brought together middle school and high school students for competitive events with cash prizes, learning workshops, and career development opportunities.

Grand Junction, CO - Annual Stuff the Bus School Supply Drive Returns to Mesa Mall. If you have new school supplies to contribute for local children, simply drop them off in the white activity bus located in Clock Court at Mesa Mall. The donation drive will run from Monday, July 10 through Monday, July 31.

Grand Junction, CO - Today kicked off another summer of fueling successful learning for students. The Lunch Lizard, School District 51's mobile summer food program, will commence its ninth summer of service, running from Monday through Thursday each week (excluding the week of the 4th of July) until July 27th.

Grand Junction, CO - The four marching bands of District 51 cordially invite the public to attend the 26th annual Grand Valley Marching Band Extravaganza Sept. 13 at Stocker Stadium. The event will begin at 7:30 p.m., and admission is free.

Grand Junction, CO - Mesa County Valley School District 51 (D51) proudly recognizes the achievements of 206 students who earned AP Scholar Awards during the 2021-2022 school year. Every fall, the AP Program recognizes high school students who have demonstrated outstanding college-level achievement through their performance on multiple AP Exams.

Grand Junction, CO - Grand Junction High School will host a Workforce Development Day on Sept. 20th for all of its students. It will be a full day of Career Exploration with a focus on employability skills, career planning, and academy alignment.

Grand Junction, CO - Engaging stakeholders is a key part of Superintendent Brian Hill’s 100 Day Plan. In September, Dr. Hill will be hosting a Listening Tour with stops around the district to hear comments and answer questions from residents of D51. The sessions will take place at a variety of times, days of the week, and locations to reach as many people as possible.

Grand Junction, CO - Interested in learning more about District 51? Apply today for the 2022-23 Leadership D51 program. The application is available at d51schools.org.

Starting Aug. 22nd, schools will administer a brief Panorama survey to all students in grades 3-12. Questions are focused on students’ sense of wellbeing. We care very much about our young people and want to ensure they all feel safe and supported. The survey should take no more than 10-15 minutes and is a fast and efficient way to ensure we can hear the voices of all students in each school.

Superintendent's 100 Day Plan

Grand Junction, CO - Want to work for School District 51? Come to the Career Fair between 9 a.m. and noon on Saturday, Aug. 6, at R-5 High School, 455 N. 22nd St.

Grand Junction, CO - While free, pandemic-era school breakfast and lunch programming for all has come to an end this year in most schools, Chipeta, Clifton, Dos Rios, Nisley and Rocky Mountain Elementary Schools will participate in a Universal Breakfast Program for the 2022-23 school year. That means all students at those five schools can eat breakfast at school free of charge.

Clifton, CO - Students will be welcomed back to school in style this year at Rocky Mt. Elementary School, 3260 D ½ Road.

Grand Junction, CO – Members of the media are invited to join District 51 staff and local Rotary Club members at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, for the annual Rotary Club School Supply Donation pickup event. Supplies will be loaded into cars outside of the Garden Center on the east end of the Wal-Mart at 2881 North Ave and delivered to schools across the Grand Valley.

Grand Junction, CO - Parents, teachers, students, and community members are invited to look at potential D51 curriculum at open houses Aug. 12, 15, and 19. Attendees will have the opportunity to review two sets of curriculum materials under consideration to replace D51’s current elementary school literacy materials.

Back to School Nights for the 2022-23 school year

Hours of operations for D51 schools.

Members of the media are invited to join D51 Superintendent Dr. Brian Hill and other D51 leaders while visiting D51 schools on the first Monday and Tuesday of the 2022-23 school year!

Grand Junction, CO – The annual Stuff the Bus school supply donation drive sponsored by Townsquare Media begins Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at Mesa Mall!

Grand Junction, CO - With the USDA ending free school meals for any student regardless of household income, it’s more important than ever that families apply for free or reduced-price school meals if they meet income eligibility requirements to ensure that no child goes hungry.

Grand Junction, CO - In honor of the Independence Day holiday, all D51 offices will be closed Friday, July 1, through Monday, July 4.

Grand Junction, CO - Members of the D51 community are invited to join D51 School Board members for an Evening Conversation with the Board at 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, 2022, in the Harry Butler Board Room, 455 N. 22nd St.

Grand Junction, CO - District 51 students earned more than 8,000 college credits from Colorado Mesa University or Western Colorado Community College in 2021-22, according to final data for the past school year.

Grand Junction, CO - D51 staff have all moved out of the Hawthorne Building at 410 Hill Ave., but some very special artwork hanging on the walls at Hawthorne is still looking for a new home.

Grand Junction, CO - The annual D51 Book Giveaway is back, and this time there’s a weekend option to accommodate more patrons.

Grand Junction, CO - School District 51’s mobile summer food program, the Lunch Lizard, returns for its eighth summer of service on June 6. The program will run Monday through Thursday each week through July 28, with the exception of a break the week of July 4-7.

Grand Junction, CO - Community members, students, families, educators, and members of the media are invited to join Mesa County Valley School District 51 leaders for a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the official start of construction on the new Grand Junction High School. The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 1, near the current GJHS baseball field.

A final message from Superintendent Sirko

Graduations, Lunch Lizard, State of our Schools, and employee celebrations.

Teacher Appreciation Week, Panorama survey, plant sales, graduations, and student celebrations.

Palisade, CO - Palisade High School students released a school of 250 fish they've been raising all school year in their fish hatchery the afternoon of Wednesday, May 4, at the Riverbend Park boat launch in Palisade.

Superintendent Scholars, Salute to Staff, Seal of Biliteracy, Senior Walks, Teacher Appreciation Week, Orbeez and Airsoft guns, EduClimber update, D51 Special Olympics Track and Field Meet, Panorama survey, and graduation ceremonies.

Grand Junction, CO - Several District 51 elementary schools are joining in the tradition of Senior Walks this year! See the list below to find your Senior Walk.

Grand Junction, CO - Two ceremonies for our District 51 Seal of Biliteracy-earners are coming up April 28 and May 5!

​Grand Junction, CO - Two District 51 high schools will be hosting plant sales on Saturday, May 7, 2022.

Grand Junction, CO - Mesa County Valley School District 51 celebrated its employees at the first Salute to Staff event since 2019 on Monday, April 25, 2022, at the Grand Junction Convention Center.

Grand Junction, CO – Mesa County Valley School District 51 was proud to honor a record number of Superintendent Scholars today Monday, April 25, 2022! This year, we celebrated 184 students who have earned the title of Superintendent Scholar by obtaining a cumulative grade point average of at least 4.0 throughout high school.

High school start date, Board Coffee, data issue, and celebrations!

Grand Junction, CO - Several Future Business Leaders of America students from across District 51 qualified for the National FBLA Conference at the 2022 FBLA State Leadership Conference April 18-20 in Aurora. The national conference will take place June 29-July 2 in Chicago.

Grand Junction, CO - The next Board Coffee will start at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 30, in the cafeteria at East Middle School, 830 Gunnison Ave.

Middle School Career Fair, White Iced, Music Performance Festival, D51 Special Olympics Track Meet, and more!

Grand Junction, CO - The annual track and field meet hosted by Special Olympics Colorado and Mesa County Valley School District 51 will take place Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at Stocker Stadium.

Grand Junction, CO - Mesa County Valley School District 51, in cooperation with Colorado Mesa University, will host its 97th annual Colorado West Invitational Music Performance Festival April 21-23, 2022.

Grand Junction, CO - The Middle School Career Fair is back and happening from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, April 18, at Colorado Mesa University!

Grand Junction, CO - When seventh-graders Beckett Carlton and Alec Pierce participated in the D51 Design Challenge at the end of March, they had no idea that the idea they presented - installing water bottle filling stations at their school - would come to fruition so quickly.

Graduation, scholarships, events, and more.

Grand Junction, CO - We are pleased to announce Mrs. Jennifer Marsh as the next Chief Academic Officer for School District 51, beginning July 1, 2022.

Palisade, CO - Palisade High School senior Sophia Feghali is one of just 50 students in the state of Colorado to be named a 2022 Boettcher Scholarship recipient!

Palisade, CO - Palisade High School's Abigail Dickenson has been named a 2022 Daniels Fund Scholarship recipient!

Testing, accolades, and more!

Grand Junction, CO - The Hi Fives Robotics Team #4944 is headed to the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Robotics Championship April 20-23 in Houston!

Fruita, CO - Rim Rock Elementary School unveiled its new mural on Monday, March 28!

Grand Junction, CO - Broadway Elementary School students and staff raised $1,745 for a donation to Roice-Hurst Humane Society in honor of a service dog who used to visit the school. To celebrate exceeding their fundraising goal of $1300, students got to "pie" their teachers and Principal Westbrook during a school assembly Friday, March 18!

Grand Junction, CO - A dozen D51 students submitted entries for our inaugural Rube Goldberg competition! A Rube Goldberg machine is a feat of engineering and an entertaining visual delight that relies on a chain reaction to complete a final task. The winners of this year's contest - along with links to videos of their contraptions - are listed below.

Recognitions, Kindergarten information, Panorama survey, and more!

Grand Junction, CO - As a reward for meeting their Read-a-Thon goals, Pomona Elementary School students got to watch teachers participate in an ice cream-eating contest and see Principal Bil Pfaffendorf get turned into a human ice cream sundae at an assembly on March 16!

Grand Junction, CO - We are pleased to announce Mr. Clint Garcia as the next Chief Operations Officer for School District 51 beginning July 1, 2022.

Grand Junction, CO - The Grand Junction High School Academic Team just added another trophy to their collection, placing first in Class 4A at the State Knowledge Bowl Championship!

Palisade, CO - Students at Taylor Elementary School has a brand new way to dispense excitement about reading! The school hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony on Tuesday, March 15, for their book vending machine, made possible by Palisade Rotary and Altrusa.

Grand Junction, CO - Mesa County Valley School District 51 is excited to welcome the Class of 2035 this fall! Kindergarten students will start school on Friday, Aug. 12, 2022, while all other grades will start the 2022-23 school year on Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022.

Grand Junction, CO - The next Board Coffee will start at 9 a.m. on Saturday, April 2, at Grand Mesa Middle School, 585 31 1/2 Road.

Student celebrations, Warrior Wellness Center, SWAP Youth Job Fair, and upcoming no-school days.

Grand Junction, CO - The School to Work Alliance Program, or SWAP, will present a Youth Job Fair & Community Resources Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 10, 2022, at the Career Center, 2935 North Ave.

Weather delays, playoffs, superintendent contract, and more.

Grand Junction, CO - Thanks to a $250,000 grant from the Colorado Health Foundation, Dual Immersion Academy will be improving its outdoor spaces and play areas this summer to benefit students and the local community!

Grand Junction, CO - On Feb. 16, the entire student body at Dual Immersion Academy came together to pose for a photo proudly wearing their new school shirts to celebrate Kindness Day. Emblazoned on the brightly colored T-shirts were a heart, a bobcat (the school mascot), and the words Viva DIA, Be Kind, Se Amable!

The loss of a colleague, KIC Week, State of our Schools, clubs, and sports playoffs.

Grand Junction, CO - The next Board Coffee will start at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 12, at Monument Ridge Elementary School at 1501 K 4/10 Road in Fruita.

Chromebooks grant, spelling bee, preschool enrollment, and more!

Grand Junction, CO - School District 51 is now accepting preschool applications for the 2022-23 school year! Applications and ASQ developmental screening paperwork can be picked up and dropped off between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Hawthorne Building, 410 Hill Ave. A birth certificate and immunization records are required as well.

Grand Junction, CO - National School Counseling Week is this week, Feb. 7-11, 2022!

Covid update, Adopted 2022-23 Calendar

COVID update, bond executive committee members, and more.

School of Choice, legal counsel, subs, student fee waivers, White Iced, and lot of celebrations!

Grand Junction, CO - The next Board Coffee will start at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12, in the commons area at Orchard Mesa Middle School, 2736 C Road.

COVID update, graduation rate, bond executive committee, MLK Day, and more!

It’s not every day that you get to watch your son’s University football team play in a bowl game, but that happened this year for two of District 51’s employees. Director of Curriculum & Learning Design, Jen Marsh, and Director of Career & College Readiness, Cheri Taylor both had sons in a bowl game this year. And it just so happened to be the same bowl game! Max Marsh (Kansas State) and Kole Taylor (LSU) both played in the Texas Bowl this year. But the connection runs even deeper than their mom’s working for D51.

Grand Junction, CO — New Emerson STEAM School is set to break ground on a new, STEAM-themed community playground in May thanks to a $190,495 from the Colorado Health Foundation!

Grand Junction, CO - School District 51’s four-year graduation rate continued to climb year-over-year for the second consecutive year in 2021, according to data released today, Jan. 11, by the Colorado Department of Education.

COVID-19 protocols, School of Choice, Board Coffees, curriculum adoption open houses, CHS logo change, and more

Grand Junction, CO - Central High School students and staff got their first glimpse of the school's new logo at a special assembly in the school gym on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022.

Grand Junction, CO - When temperatures drop, snowflakes fall, and ice is in the forecast, it does not take long for the questions to start flooding in – can we have a Snow Day tomorrow? If we have a delay, should I go to my first period class or a later class? What about after school programs? Here are some answers to common questions about delays, early dismissals, and cancelations.