Westminster Public Schools is officially hitting the reset button on its buildings. On Feb. 24, the school board signed off on a multi-year “Forward Together” plan that will close three campuses, scale back grades at several others and respond to shrinking enrollment with a slow, step-by-step overhaul. The phased rollout starts in the 2026-27 school year and runs through 2029-30, shifting some middle grades into consolidated PK-8 campuses and retiring at least one site later this decade.
Board Backs Forward Together Facilities Shakeup
During the Feb. 24 meeting, the board approved recommendations to reconfigure grade spans, merge some programs and shutter a handful of underused buildings. Under the plan, Westminster Academy of International Studies will move to Harris Park and operate there as a PK-6 international program, while seventh- and eighth-graders will head to a new Uplands Discovery Campus. Fairview and Tennyson Knolls will convert to PK-6 schools in 2027-28.
Mesa is scheduled to close for the 2028-29 school year, and the Hidden Lake site will close in 2029-30, with the Hidden Lake educational program relocating to the former Mesa building, according to a district release from Westminster Public Schools.
Enrollment Crunch And Funding Pressure
The district’s enrollment has slipped to about 7,590 students for the 2025-26 year, which in turn reduces the per-pupil funding that pays for staff and building upkeep and leaves excess capacity across multiple campuses. Statewide demographic shifts, including fewer births and housing-driven moves that change where families live, are shrinking K-12 enrollment across Colorado.
That pattern is documented in reporting by The Denver Post and state data from the Colorado Department of Education.
What Families Can Expect On The Ground
Families will see changes roll out over several years rather than overnight. Some moves begin next fall, while others phase in gradually through 2029-30. A boundary committee will decide where Mesa students are reassigned for the 2028-29 school year, and the district says existing programs will be preserved even as buildings are repurposed.
Students in the John E. Flynn program will attend Shaw Heights until a new campus opens in 2028. “Our goal is to align facilities and enrollment in a way that strengthens academic programming, preserves student opportunity and ensures sustainability for years to come,” Superintendent Dr. Jeni Gotto said in the district release via Westminster Public Schools.
Next Steps And The Bigger Colorado Picture
The board’s vote gives administrators the go-ahead to dig into detailed planning, community outreach and staff transitions, with district leaders pledging advance notice and support for affected families. WPS says it will convene boundary and community meetings and publish operational plans as the initiative moves forward through the 2029-30 school year.
The decision is part of a broader push across Colorado to right-size school systems as student counts fall, according to data from the Colorado Department of Education.
