Growth and Decline
School Consolidation in Highlands Ranch
At its April 22, 2025, meeting, the Douglas County School District Board of Education unanimously approved school pairing recommendations for six Highlands Ranch elementary schools beginning with the 2026-2027 school year.
On December 16, 2025, the Board unanimously approved the new names, colors and mascots for the paired schools:
Media Coverage of School Naming
The Highlands Ranch Herald published a story about the schools' new names, and included comments from school leaders.
Future Uses of Closing Schools
Posted December 18, 2025
After a lot of conversation with and surveying of our neighbors at Heritage and Saddle Ranch Elementary Schools, we know that they are most interested in maintaining regular District use of the buildings and upkeep. They are also interested in normal traffic along with the availability of the playgrounds and the building for community gatherings and events.
These interests are very much in line with the commitments we have made to our closing-school communities over the last couple of years. We will keep those commitments.
To that end, once it closes as an elementary school, the Heritage Elementary School building will house Cloverleaf Enrichment School, our home-school enrichment programming which currently operates in leased space in Castle Rock. Heritage is closer than Saddle Ranch for many of our Cloverleaf families and staff via Monarch Blvd. It is also closer to Interstate 25, which provides a competitive edge for keeping and attracting new families who may want to join the program.
In addition, once it closes, Saddle Ranch Elementary School will house our Child Find and Bridge Programs located in Highlands Ranch. These are complementary programs that are typically housed together. Because our Child Find services in Highlands Ranch are currently located in Eldorado Elementary, and Bridge currently occupies leased space in Highlands Ranch, the move of both to Saddle Ranch, which is about 5 minutes closer to Eldorado and otherwise linked via the pairing, makes sense.
These great communities, the room and amenities these buildings will provide, and the stability that comes with leaving leased space will greatly benefit our kids. Our communities will also be proud of what comes next and how we manage traffic and building availability, among other things.
These changes will take effect in SY 26-27. We will conduct follow-up meetings for the programs in each building so members of our community can ask questions – those notices have already been sent to the affected communities. The dates and times are:
- Wednesday, January 7 | 5:30 p.m. | Heritage Elementary
- Thursday, January 8 | 5:30 p.m. | Saddle Ranch Elementary
Please note that we will work with our Acres Green community on their building’s transition in February and March 2026. Given the need for additional construction at Acres Green, new programming will start there in SY 27-28.
If you have any questions about the future of these buildings or about the DCSD Growth & Decline process please visit dcsdk12.org or contact Steve Colella, DCSD’s Chief of Staff.
Prior Community Meetings Regarding Future Use of Buildings
Community Meeting - Future Use of Heritage Elementary Building
Wednesday, November 12
Heritage Elementary School, Highlands Ranch
Slideshow Presentation from Meeting
Community Meeting - Future Use of Saddle Ranch Elementary Building
Thursday, November 13
Saddle Ranch Elementary School, Highlands Ranch
Slideshow Presentation from Meeting
A Community Meeting for the Acres Green Community will be scheduled in the near future.
Archived Resources
Staffing Protocol
For more than a year, Superintendent Kane has let everyone know that any affected staff member will have a place in DCSD.
Policies
In February 2025, the Board of Education unanimously approved Policy FCB - Closure, Consolidation, and/or Relocation. Here is the approved policy as well as the approved document for implementation processes and procedures: