Uneven growth in southeast Aurora prompting new attendance boundaries for Altitude, Woodland elementary schools

AURORA | Growing pains in southeast Aurora are prompting Cherry Creek School District to change attendance boundary lines that would affect two elementary schools, a move that parents say will break up the community and put pedestrians’ safety at risk. 

Altitude Elementary School is overcrowded. Woodland Elementary School, which is about a mile away, has plenty of room to spare. To remedy this, the district will change the attendance boundary, meaning that starting in the 2024-25 school year, some Altitude students will have to attend Woodland. 

Altitude and Woodland elementary schools are the newest district’s newest elementary schools, built in 2018 and 2022 respectively. They were built as a response to new developments being built in the Southshore and Blackstone communities. However, development in the Overland Ranch area was delayed, and there was higher-than-expected growth in Southshore. This meant that enrollment for the two schools became uneven. 

Both schools were built to accommodate approximately 650 students, according to district spokesperson Lauren Snell. However, approximately 800 students are enrolled at Altitude Elementary School, with 866 projected to enroll next school year. At Woodland Elementary School, 479 students are enrolled, with 488 projected for next year. 

The current attendance boundary for Altitude Elementary School encompasses areas north of East Smoky Hill Parkway, east of South Powhatan Road and south of South Southshore Parkway. 

District staff members advised the Cherry Creek school board to choose “Option A” during a study session Feb. 23. It was one of three options presented to the community. However, the board will not vote on changes until their next board meeting at 7 p.m. March 11 at Sky Vista Middle School, 4500 S. Himalaya St.

Option A means that the southeastern boundary for Altitude ends at East Southshore Parkway. According to the report that was presented during the study session, this option was chosen because it was geographically closer to Woodland, and because it would affect the least amount of current Altitude students. 

However, the report also stated that parents will have to drive past Altitude on their way to Woodland, which would not reduce the traffic in the area. Multiple area parents said this could also make it difficult and unsafe for children in the area to walk to school.

Snell said she was unaware of any existing crosswalks on Smoky Hill Parkway. 

During a Feb. 12 board meeting, about a dozen parents spoke about the attendance boundary changes. Many said that this would break up their school community.

During the February study session, staff members said that current fourth-grade students at Altitude can continue to attend that school when they go into fifth grade. Their younger siblings can stay as well, but must move to Woodland when their older sibling goes to middle school. 

Both Altitude and Woodland schools feed into Fox Ridge Middle School.