Timnath mayor urges Poudre school board to delay proposed school closure

The Poudre School Districts board of education will make its final vote this week on a plan to close nine schools and consolidate two others.

Denver7 has learned the town of Timnath is asking the district to pause the proposed closure of Timnath Elementary for at least one year.

Timnath Elementary is aged but has never been more vibrant. To stop this schools heartbeat without first exploring all viable remedies would be a failure of conscience by all involved, Timnath Mayor Robert Axmacher said in a letter to the school district.

The mayor said the town is willing to fund an independent consultant and partner with the district to explore alternatives to permanent closure.

You can read the full letter below

Provided the school board votes to pause the proposed Timnath Elementary closure for at least one year, we will immediately partner with you to stand up a task force comprised of town, district, parent, and community representatives.

The task force will be charged with identifying viable alternatives to permanent closure of the school and a clear strategy for timely implementation.

"The mayor has been super supportive throughout this whole process, showing that our school is worth fighting for, and that he is willing to keep the neighborhood school within our community. It is something that the entire community and our downtown district needs," said Timnath Elementary parent Kimberly Miller.

For Kristen Tatti, she said she felt blindsided whe she heard about her child's school being on the proposed list for school closures.

"Timnath Elementary is at 95% capacity. We are a full and vibrant school with a great culture and great test scores. We're also in one of the fastest-growing communities in Colorado. So it was very shocking," said Timnath Elementary School parent Kristen Tatti. "My request would be that they take them up on that offer, and that we could keep our our wonderful school open."

Tatti said the recommendation would split the school's students in half and send them to two different schools in different towns, with bus rides up to 50 minutes long.

"It's very concerning. They have a wonderful community and culture at Timnath Elementary. I'm just sad to hear that the kids might be separated from the great teachers and friends that they've made," Tatti said.

Tatti added that Timnath Elementary is a huge asset in the community and losing it would really hurt the town.

"It's a growing town. If this school's not here, that growth could slow down. It is certainly beyond just keeping a great school open. It is certainly in the town's best interest to keep the school open," Tatti said.

Miller told Denver7 the concern stems from how fast the town of Timnath is growing. She said there's not going to be enough space in the elementary school level to provide for all of the kids that will be coming into this area.

"Linton Elementary will not have enough room for all of the kids, and then we'll have to separate the kids again when they go to middle school. We're going to be separating them not only in their elementary school years, but then again in their middle school years, and that's a concern because we like stability for our children," Miller said.

Denver7 spoke to students who attend Timnath Elementary.

"It's like the best elementary school I've been to and I really like my school," said one student.

The town council is set to consider setting aside funding during a budget work session on Tuesday.

Denver7 reached out to the district for comment but has not heard back.

If the plan is approved, eight elementary schools and one middle school would close with Centennial High School and Poudre Community Academy consolidating into one school.

Some students would be reassigned to other schools, while others would remain within changed school boundaries.

Consolidating any of these schools does not make these distances or the barriers our children face disappear, Poudre School District parent Jenna Luna said.

The district committee, which is made up of parents, faculty, and staff, said its recommendation is aimed at addressing declining enrollment and underused school buildings with savings estimated to be around $8 million every year.

The committee said its proposal follows months of analysis, with 89% of committee members agreeing on the final recommendation to the board.

But for some families, the potential closures would mean more than a change in schools.

Stove Prairie Elementary School parent Jenna Luna said losing her kids school could force her family to reconsider whether they can continue living in the community.

There are a lot of families who cannot drive the distance, a lot of families who don't want to drive the distance, who are fearful of their kids' safety, and so they will either move out of the district or they will home school, Luna told Denver7.

Luna told Denver7 that keeping one mountain school open does not preserve access for every mountain community in PSD.

"For the families and communities whose school closes, the loss is still permanent and detrimental. Closing any of our mountain schools puts a nail in the coffin for that distinct and specific community surrounding it," Luna added.

The school board will vote on the proposed plan on Tuesday as well. If approved, the changes would take effect at the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year.

"I hope the district really partners with the mayor and agrees to make a plan and a long-term plan moving forward. Right now, it is a very short-sighted plan, and we need something to keep our kids sustainable," Miller said.