Colorado Springs School District 11’s Jenkins Middle School will close this week due to structural concerns with the building. Students and staff will be relocated to Doherty High School and Russell Middle School, and school for students at Jenkins, Doherty and Russell will resume on Jan. 23.
“Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) and Colorado Springs School District 11 have been closely monitoring the building structure and fire protection systems at Jenkins Middle School for the past few years,” read a press release from the City of Colorado Springs. “The building has experienced cracking and physical separation of walls and floors, which have progressively worsened, creating openings and penetrations into different fire areas, fire doors, and exit corridors. Working in partnership with CSFD and responding to annual inspections, the district has made diligent efforts to minimize and remediate these issues; however, the building has continued to shift, causing previous repairs to fail. This movement has compromised fire protection systems in ways that do not meet the International Fire Code and have rendered the building unsafe for occupation. During the annual fire inspection conducted by CSFD on Dec. 18, 2024, it was determined that the building’s condition had reached a critical point requiring immediate attention. In response, CSFD notified the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department and the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC), which oversees public school building standards statewide. On Dec. 23, CSFD formally requested that the district engage a fire protection and structural engineering firm to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the building’s systems.”
This is not a decision anyone wanted to make. – D11 Superintendent Michael Gaal
D11 Superintendent Michael Gaal addressed concerns in a Jan. 14 letter to parents. “This is not a decision anyone wanted to make, and we deeply regret the disruption it will cause to our school community,” he said. “However, this is a preventative and necessary action to ensure the safety of everyone in the Jenkins community – our students, staff and visitors. Safety has always been and will always remain our highest priority, and we are taking this step to address these concerns before any potential risks arise. We know this news will bring frustration, worry and even sadness. Jenkins is more than just a building – it’s a community. While this situation presents challenges, we are committed to supporting every student and family through this transition and ensuring continuity in learning.”
Gaal also noted that district will host the last of three community meetings on Wednesday Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. at Doherty High School in the Auditorium. Representatives from Colorado Springs School District 11, the Colorado Springs Fire Department, the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control will be available to answer questions. Relocation and operational updates will be available on the Jenkins Middle School website (Jenkins.D11.org).
