Jan 14, 2025
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — All teachers, staff, and students at Jenkins Middle School will be temporarily relocated to different buildings following the closure of Jenkins effective on Friday, Jan. 17. On Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 3:30 p.m., Colorado Springs School District 11 (D11) and the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) released a joint statement on the middle school's closure, along with what is being done in the interim. Both D11 and CSFD also hosted a media briefing on Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 p.m., which can be watched in full using the video player above. "We chose not to communicate to our families until we got to a place where we were much closer to that decision," said D11 Superintendent Michael Gaal. "And that communication went out [Monday], we sent a letter out to our community as we entered into this final week." According to the press release, the temporary closure follows fire safety and structural concerns within the building, which D11 and CSFD have been monitoring for the past few years. "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," the statement read. CSFD and D11 explained that while several efforts have been made to minimize and remediate the issues, the building has continued to shift. "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." On Dec. 18, 2024, during CSFD's annual fire inspection, crews determined that the condition of Jenkins Middle School had reached a critical point and required immediate attention. CSFD then notified the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD) along with the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control (DFPC) and on Dec. 23, the fire department requested that D11 obtain a fire protection and structural engineering firm so that it could conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the building's systems. According to the district, it has been working closely with Jensen Hughes, and while its assessment is ongoing, the engineering firm has identified "significant concerns." "Based on these findings, and after further consultation with the Fire Department [Tuesday] morning, it was determined that in the interest of everyone’s safety, the building should be evacuated while we continue to address these critical issues," D11 wrote. During the temporary closure, students will be relocated to another D11 school. According to the district, grade levels will be kept together and teachers will also move with their students to the new buildings. "We understand that this decision is disruptive and challenging for families, students, and staff," expressed Gaal. "However, safety and education remain our highest priorities. The district has identified a pathway to allocate the necessary capital funds to this project immediately and intends to do everything possible to prioritize these repairs and upgrades so that the Jenkins community can return to their building as swiftly as is safe." D11 said additional details including specific relocation plans, schedules, transportation, and support services will be shared with families as soon as possible. There will also be a community meeting at Doherty High School, located at 4515 Barnes Road, on Tuesday at 6 p.m. "...representatives from the district, CSFD, DFPC, and Jenkins Middle School leadership will be available to answer questions, provide updates, and hear feedback," according to the press release. Additional community meetings will be held on Thursday, Jan. 16, and Wednesday, Jan. 22, also at Doherty High School beginning at 6 p.m. "CSFD and District 11 remain united in addressing these challenges collaboratively and transparently to ensure the safety and well-being of students, staff, and the Jenkins community," a final statement in the press release read. 
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