Silver Spruce Elementary Opening in Fall 2026

School logos for Acres Green Elementary and Fox Creek Elementary with a plus sign in between them.

On December 16, 2025, the DCSD Board of Education unanimously approved the new name of Silver Spruce Elementary School when Acres Green Elementary and Fox Creek Elementary merge beginning in the fall of 2026.

Address (Current Fox Creek Elementary School): 6585 Collegiate Drive, Highlands Ranch, 80130
Phone (Current Fox Creek Elementary School): 303-387-7000
Principals: Fox Creek Elementary Principal Cheryl Fullmer and Acres Green Elementary Principal Kirsten Sola will serve as co-principals in the 2026-2027 school year.
Mascot: Moose
School Colors: Silver, Blue and Green
Renderings of the building upgrades

Student Programming Plans

Ensure the sustainability of full-time Specials teachers to support a well-rounded curriculum and expand Specials programming (e.g., STEM, instrumental music) based on community input and student needs.
Maintain consistent student support services, including academic intervention and mental health resources.
Integrate Significant Support Needs (SSN) programming to support students from both schools (FCE is an award-winning Significant Support Needs model program site).
Increase Special Education, English Language Development (ELD), and Gifted and Talented (GT) programming to better serve all students.
Expand preschool programming from one to two classrooms to meet early childhood education demands.
Before and After School Programming (BASE) will continue to be available.
Fox Creek Elementary is currently an Expeditionary Learning (EL®) school; the newly paired community can evaluate specialized programming moving forward.

Traffic and Transportation

Normally, DCSD families who live within one mile of their assigned neighborhood school are not eligible to access school bus transportation. This is called the “walk zone” and it exists because of the sheer size of the school district and DCSD's limited transportation resources.
For the 2026-2027 school year, DCSD is making exceptions to bus policy for families who will attend Silver Spruce Elementary. The hope is this will provide families with additional transportation options, should they need them, during this upcoming transitional year.
On Feb. 18, families were sent this email with more details, including the need to RSVP for bus service by May 1, and a map of the walk zone.

Boundary Adjustment

Millstone community (currently 14 students) will be reassigned from Fox Creek Elementary to Wildcat Mountain Elementary. Current Fox Creek families have the option to stay at Fox Creek or move to Wildcat Mountain.
Carriage Club community (currently 9 students) will be reassigned from Acres Green Elementary to Eagle Ridge Elementary. Current Acres Green Elementary families in these areas will have the option to move to Fox Creek or enroll in Eagle Ridge.
When Elementary 50 (RidgeGate) opens, more significant boundary adjustments will be made.
Families living within a specific area west of I-25, north of Lincoln Ave, east of Lone Tree Pkwy and Yosemite, and south of C-470 received the following letter dated March 5, 2026, regarding boundary reassignment and options for families:
- Espanol
  
  ACTION REQUIRED: DCSD School Reassignment Notification and Next Steps
  
  March 5, 2026
  
  Dear Acres Green Elementary Family:
  
  As a reminder, effective next school year, your assigned neighborhood elementary school will be Eagle Ridge Elementary instead of Silver Spruce Elementary (the Acres Green/Fox Creek consolidated school). View the email notification about this boundary change which was sent on February 17, 2026.
  
  We hope you have had a chance to review the email from last month, speak with a representative from the school district, and/or attend a community meeting related to this school boundary adjustment to get your questions answered. If you were not able to attend a community meeting, watch the recording of the meeting from February 24.
  
  The assigned neighborhood elementary school for households located within the area outlined in black on the map below will be Eagle Ridge Elementary School starting in the 2026-2027 school year.
  
  NEXT STEPS
  Step #1 - Complete an Intent to Remain/Enroll Form by May 1, 2026
  Your student is guaranteed a seat at either Silver Spruce Elementary School or Eagle Ridge Elementary School for the remainder of the grades served at these schools.
  
  If you have made your decision, please be sure to let us know whether your child/ren will be attending Eagle Ridge Elementary or Silver Spruce Elementary (formerly Acres Green/Fox Creek) for the 2026-2027 school year. You can do this by completing the Intent to Remain/Enroll Form to secure your student’s spot. Please complete this form as soon as possible (no later than May 1, 2026) to ensure your student is enrolled at the proper location for the 2026-2027 school year.
  
  Step #2 - Register for School Bus Transportation (if applicable)
  
  If attending Eagle Ridge Elementary
  
  For those households choosing to attend Eagle Ridge Elementary School, school bus transportation will be provided (if needed) in the 2026-2027 school year and beyond. Families choosing to attend Eagle Ridge Elementary will be able to register for bus service through the Engage Parent Portal once your Intent to Remain/Enroll Form has been completed and submitted.
  
  If attending Silver Spruce Elementary
  For those households choosing to attend Silver Spruce Elementary School, please be aware that school bus transportation to Silver Spruce Elementary School will be provided for the 2026-2027 year only. This school bus stop will be located at the former Acres Green Elementary School campus. If you wish to utilize bus service next year, please complete the Registration for School Bus Transportation to Silver Spruce Elementary Form.
  
  ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
  We realize this is a big decision and that your family may need some time to explore the options. Here are some additional resources to help in making this important decision for your student(s).
  
  School Tours
  Eagle Ridge Elementary School and Silver Spruce Elementary School staff are ready and available to show your family all that these schools have to offer.
  
  - To schedule a tour of Eagle Ridge Elementary School please reach out to Kellie Ritter, Eagle Ridge Elementary’s Registrar at kritter1@dcsdk12.org, or at 303-387-7075.
  
  - To schedule a tour of Silver Spruce Elementary School (currently named Fox Creek Elementary School) call 303-387-7001.
  
  If you wish to discuss this boundary change further, feel free to contact our Chief Operations Officer Jackie Millet at jmillet@dcsdk12.org or 720-618-6029.
  
  Sincerely,
  Douglas County School District

Consolidation Process Archive

September 23, 2025, Community Meeting

October 21, 2025, Community Meeting

February 24, 2026, Virtual Meeting

Timeline

August-September 2025

Building leaders will choose members for family and staff transition teams for each of their buildings.
- Building leaders and members of these teams will work on “connect” events and other special events (e.g., anniversaries) throughout the school year.
- These transition groups will work closely with our School Accountability Committees (SACs), Parent Teacher Organizations (PTOs), and families throughout this school year.
After working with building leaders, school district staff will finalize the receiving school building’s physical changes and timelines. These will be communicated to families and staff through September.
- Please note: Any physical changes made to each receiving school building are designed to be flexible so they can accommodate any programming decided upon by the new schools.

September-October 2025

Family survey regarding transportation and other school pairing needs.
Updates to the Board of Education and Superintendent Committees (October BoE meeting).
Engagement with neighbors and program families regarding DCSD’s use of the closing buildings during and after the 2026-2027 school year. This will take place through November 2025.
DCSD begins the process of collaborating with staff, families and community members regarding paired school names, mascots, colors, and programming. This will continue through November 2025.
Any new center based locations for SY 26-27 and beyond will be communicated to families

November 2025

Staff recommendation to the Board of Education regarding DCSD use of closing school facilities.
Ahead of priority hiring beginning February 16, 2026, communication to staff regarding priority hiring processes, along with FAQs and opportunities for school visits and virtual meetings to address staff questions.
Any new pre-school locations for SY 26-27 and beyond will be communicated to families.
Communication to 5th and 6th grade families regarding middle school for SY 26-27.
Communication to families regarding programs that will be offered at each of the paired schools.

December 2025

January-February 2026

March - July 2026

District continues work with staff on new positions (if needed), to include Q&A sessions.
Hold various staff, family, and student get-togethers to build connections.
Closing and receiving school events will be planned for May, leading into the critical summer months of June and July for moving staff belongings and finalizing preparations for successful school openings in August 2026.

2024-25 Acres Green - Fox Creek Consolidation information

Future Use of Acres Green Elementary School

The Acres Green Elementary building needs work done to its roof, which likely last through SY 26-27. No new programming will move in until after this work is completed. We will reach out to our community next school year to discuss status, programming options, etc.

In the meantime, the grounds and building will be maintained by DCSD and accessible as it is now to our community. There may be construction-related restrictions.

Acres Green Elementary will have a bus stop next year, and the district has expanded transportation eligibility for next school year.

If you have any questions, please contact Steve Colella, DCSD Chief of Staff.