PSD Proposes:
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Zoning changes to Timnath, Bethke, and Bamford
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Closing/Rezoning Timnath Middle School
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PSD proposes closing
Timnath Middle School
The Long-Range Planning Committee's Scenario C pulls Middle School students out of TMHS, effectively closing Timnath’s only Middle School and sending our 6th-8th graders to Fort Collins. The building would remain open, but as high school only.
Scenario B rezones the student population north of Mulberry to Lincoln Middle School.
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Why do we think they are proposing these scenarios?
Closing TMS benefits PSD because of student-based budgeting and size factor adjustments. Basically, schools are funded based on the number of student they have enrolled. However, it is harder for schools with low enrollment to fund fixed costs (costs that are the same regardless of how many students you have). PSD gives small schools a Size Factor Adjustment.
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Timnath Middle School was designed as a small school and received a size factor adjustment of $551,743 for October 2023 enrollment.
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TMHS estimated Size Factor Adjustment for 2024 is approx. $230,000 less due to increased enrollment. ​
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Preston middle school is at 46% capacity according to PSD published data and received a Size Factor Adjustment of $356.772 for Oct 2023 enrollment.
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PSD will save the Size Factor Adjustment for both Timnath and Preston if they redistribute our students to Fort Collins. This is financially beneficial, but not logically beneficial for our students.
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Data source CompiledData_Steering Committee Sheet (dated Mar 2024)
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Scenario B seems to be an effort to ease the crowding at Timnath Middle High School without closing the middle school entirely.
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Community thoughts so far
TMHS is right sized for now and for future development. Removing Bamford ES as a feeder school (in every PSD scenario) provides room for future growth but further reductions in enrollment will hurt the school.
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Scenario C relieves pressure at TMHS, but divides Timnath students into three different middle schools in Fort Collins. In addition to sending students out of the community, it also sends some of our most at-risk kids to a school that already has a high at-risk population. The way the Scenario B and C boundaries are drawn are not equitable for all students.
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Justification
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Middle Schoolers are roughly 40% of the student population, without them the school will not have enough students to provide sufficient budget to operate as a high school.​
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Timnath Middle High has 80+ choice students currently enrolled; the school is not at capacity when you only consider neighborhood enrollment.
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The perception the community has that TMHS is overfull is skewed by the choice students who will phase out over the next several years.
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Timnath neighborhood students should not get rezoned out of Timnath schools because of choice students who, in some cases, come from other districts and counties.
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New choice students have not been accepted since the first enrollment in 2022-2023 school year.
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According to the Long-Range Planning Committee’s projected data on their website, by the 26/27 school year TMHS enrollment will peak and then begin falling.
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Much of the development around Bamford has been townhome and smaller family units. These units did not increase enrollment as significantly as forecasted. The impact of future development in Timnath effecting both Timnath ES and Bethke ES could be overstated. This factor could reduce 5yr enrollment forecasts for all our schools.
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Timnath students were rezoned less than 2 years ago when we opened TMHS and Bamford ES. They also lived through covid school disruptions. Student health must be considered, this would be the 3rd major disruption to these student's education within PSD.
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PSD Proposes Rezoning
Timnath and Bethke
Elementary Schools
All 3 PSD proposed scenarios list rebalancing enrollment between Timnath, Bethke, and Bamford elementary schools.
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Why do we think they are proposing this rebalancing of elementary school enrollment?
Bethke ES and Bamford ES have room to incorporate additional students and alleviate the over-crowding at Timnath ES. Capacity Data taken from the Map of PSD Current Capacity and Utilization. Size Factor Adjustment numbers taken from the CompiledData_Steering Committee Sheet.
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Timnath ES is overfull:
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110% capacity
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3 sections per grade
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Size adjustment factor: 4%, $91,787 (small school will always receive this even at capacity)
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Bethke ES has room to absorb more students:
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82% capacity
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Grades vary between 3 and 4 sections
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Size adjustment factor: 0%, $13,583
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Bamford ES has seen lower than expected enrollment​
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43% capacity​
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Grades/section unknown
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Size adjustment factor: 8%, $146,709
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Additionally, student-based budgeting and size factor adjustments create a financial incentive for PSD to move students to Bamford ES. PSD schools are funded based on the number of student they have enrolled. It is harder for schools with low enrollment to fund fixed costs (costs that are the same regardless of how many students you have). PSD gives small schools a Size Factor Adjustment. By redistributing elementary students south, the district will presumably save a significant portion of the $146,709 (23/24 funding) Bamford receives for Size Factor Adjustment. This is financially beneficial for PSD, but not logically beneficial for our students.
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Community thoughts so far
As a community we want to present a united voice. Your personal opinions may vary; however representatives from Timnath ES, Bethke ES, and TMHS collaborated on the following messaging for our community. If you agree, please use your voice to tell the Long-Range Planning Committee and Board of Education the following:
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Every student currently zoned for Timnath ES or Bethke ES should remain zoned at one of those 2 schools.
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All Timnath ES and Bethke ES students should feed Timnath Middle High School.
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Guarantee enrollment to Timnath Middle High School for students currently enrolled at either Timnath ES and Bethke ES.
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Justification​
According to the Long-Range Planning Committee’s 5 year projected enrollment data on their website:
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Timnath ES enrollment will decline slightly and Bethke ES enrollment will increase slightly for the next 4 years.
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PSD data itself shows declining enrollment essentially balancing with future developments across Timnath ES and Bethke ES for at least the next 4 years for which they have projected data.
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Other data provided by the Long-Range Planning Committee on their CompiledData_SteeringCommitee_Updated3.8.24.pdf shows:
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Timnath ES
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Current Utilization 100%​
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2027/2028 Utilization 102%
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Bethke ES​
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Current Utilization 82%​
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2027/2028 Utilization 93%
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On the CompiledData_Steering Committee Sheet Bethke ES enrollment was at 633 in 2017, if Bethke ES absorbed all Timnath ES overflow, Bethke ES would still not have returned to 633 students by 2027.
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The current Timnath ES utilization varies from 110% to 100% between the published Map of Current Capacity and Utilization (dated Feb 2024) and the CompiledData_Steering Committee Sheet (dated Mar 2024). This contradiction between data sources provided by the Long Range Planning Committee should at least warrant re-investigation prior to decision making on potentially flawed data.
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Much of the development around Bamford ES has been townhome and smaller family units. These units did not increase enrollment as significantly as forecasted. The impact of future development in Timnath effecting both Timnath ES and Bethke ES could also be overstated. This factor could reduce 5yr enrollment forecasts for all our schools.
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Timnath families lived through rezoning disruptions less than 2 years ago when we opened TMHS and Bamford ES. We have also lived through covid school disruptions. Student health must be considered.
What Can You Do to Help?
Ensure your Voice is Heard
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The Long-range Planning Committee Listening Sessions are over, but there is still opportunity to have your voice heard.
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As soon as possible:
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Read the Long-Range Planning Committee website to understand what is being proposed.
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Read messaging on this site from community members.
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Decide what you think PSD should do and how you want to voice your opinion.
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Before May 14th: Review the updated scenarios and maps from the Facilities Planning Steering Committee
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May 14th:
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Attend or watch the May 14th BOE mtg to see the Long-Range Planning Committee present their updated scenarios
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Contact the Long-Range Planning Committee to voice your opinion on the updated scenarios before the May 28th BOE mtg
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Before May 19th:
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Complete the NEW survey for the updates scenarios D-F.
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May 28th:
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Attend or watch the May 28th BOE mtg to see the Long-Range Planning Committee present their final recommendations
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Email the BOE to voice your opinion on the final recommendations
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It has been recommended to email each member individually instead of a mass email to all
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June 4th:
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Attend the last BOE listening session just prior to the 6/11 final vote
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6/4 5:30-10PM @ Fort Collins High School Auditorium
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This is our last opportunity to have our voice be heard. We MUST show up for Timnath schools.
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June 11th:
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Attend or watch the BOE mtg to see the Long-Range Planning Committee present their final recommendations and hear the BOE final vote
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Help Spread the Word to Neighbors and Friends
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Our goal is to spread the word about what is happening while allowing room for each individual to draw their own conclusions and express their own feelings about what actions should be taken by the district.
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In that time we need help spreading the word. Please:
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Repost action reminders and situation updates on your local neighborhoods Facebook and Next Door pages, as well as any other social media you use.
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Hang paper-based flyers at community centers or other allowed locations within your neighborhood. (Please remove the flyers after 6/11).
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Actively spread the word via text messages, emails, and casual conversations with neighbors.
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Email savetimnathschools@gmail.com to sign up to receive email reminders for key activities.
Important Links
Consolidation in the News
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Coloradoan Reporter Kelly Lyell has been covering the PSD Consolidations from the beginning. Find his reporting here. https://www.coloradoan.com/staff/4406636002/kelly-lyell/
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KUNC reporter Rea Solomon has also been covering the consolidations. See her reporting here. https://www.kunc.org/people/rae-solomon
PSD Long-Range Planning Committee Links
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Long-Range Planning Committee Website lists all published information regarding proposed changes including source data, proposed boundary change maps, decision process dates and events.
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Long-Range Planning Committee Survey - 2nd Survey is open and due May 19th
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Contacts for Long-Range Planning Committee and BOE
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It has been recommended to email each member individually instead of a mass email to all.
Link to current scenarios D-F and associated maps
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Links to outdated original 4 proposed scenarios and boundary maps.
All scenarios affect the East and West side of town. Only maps affecting Timnath are linked here. See PSD website for all scenarios and maps.
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Flyers for printing
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QR Code for this website to copy and pass along to friends and neighbors.
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This information has been compiled for you by a collective of 4 parents with children at Timnath ES, Bethke ES, and Timnath Middle High School who are working to ensure every Timnath resident is aware of the proposed changes to our community. Although our opinions have undoubtedly flavored our work, we made every effort to remain factual and let the community make their own decisions about what the district should do. Our suggested messaging is intended to lend a unified voice to Timnath, but only if it aligns with your own opinions. Thank you for taking the time to read this information. These changes will impact us all.