Adams 12 Five Star Schools will close six schools at the end of the 2026-27 school year, after the school board voted 4-1 Wednesday to approve the consolidations. The schools slated to close are Centennial Elementary, North Mor Elementary, Cherry Drive Elementary, Rocky Mountain Elementary, The Studio School and Shadow Ridge Middle School. The district said the elementary schools each have fewer than 300 students and cannot provide daily special classes at their current enrollment levels. Adams 12 has lost more than 6,000 students over the past seven years. District officials have linked the decline to smaller birth cohorts that began during the Great Recession, leaving schools with more seats than students. The district argues that consolidating enrollment will allow it to direct resources toward fewer, better-supported elementary and middle school programs. When schools are too small, officials said, they may struggle to offer full-time art and physical education teachers, electives and after-school clubs. The board also approved plans to relocate and expand Hulstrom K-8 School and open a new arts magnet K-8 school in Northglenn. The district cited community interest in additional K-8 options. Before the vote, parents and other community members asked the board to reject the closures. Centennial parent Melissa Boyden questioned whether the district’s school-choice policies could draw students away from neighborhood schools and leave them vulnerable to future closure. Adams 12 is among several Front Range districts confronting enrollment declines and considering school consolidations. Denver and Jefferson County have recently closed schools, while Boulder Valley and Poudre districts are also planning closures.