Stapleton’s newest elementary school, Inspire, will open in fall 2017, not fall 2016 as originally planned. Brian Eschbacher, the DPS Director of Planning and Enrollment, said only 24 families had selected Inspire as their number one choice. Inspire Principal Marisol Enriquez said the goal is to open a new elementary school with 100 to 120 students in kindergarten through second grade.

Eschbacher said it is quite common for new schools to start small, then grow rapidly as they become popular. He cited the examples of Swigert, High Tech and Isabella Bird elementary schools.

Eschbacher said DPS’ projection of 550 kindergarten students for the Stapleton area for fall 2016 is within one percent of the actual number. However, their projection was low for south Stapleton (south of I-70) and high for north Stapleton—and there are enough seats in the five existing elementary schools serving the Stapleton area to accommodate those who had selected Inspire as their number one choice.

Principal Enriquez will continue with planning and community engagement for the new school, which will be located at the Paul Sandoval Campus in 2017 and at a new building north of 56th Ave. in 2018. Eschbacher said DPS is assessing whether a second elementary school will be needed north of 56th Ave.