Dolores Schools Open Kindergarten Registration, Invite Community to Sign New High School Beam

Families planning to enroll a child in kindergarten for the 2026-27 school year have one walk-in window: Thursday, April 23, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Little Bear Gym on the Dolores Elementary campus. Both in-district and out-of-district families are welcome, with teachers available to meet prospective students and campus tours offered throughout the event.

Come prepared with a birth certificate, current immunization records, and proof of residency such as a utility bill or rental agreement. Questions before the event can go to district registrar Lezlie Dibsie at 970-882-7255, ext. 2040, or by email at ldibsie@dolores.k12.co.us.

The registration date arrives as the district's BEST (Building Excellent Schools Today) construction project visibly transforms the campus. The $29 million effort, backed by a 2023 community bond and a BEST grant awarded in December 2024, remains on schedule with vertical construction underway and walls rising on the new high school. General contractor Jaynes Corporation has revised drop-off and pick-up routes to account for the active construction zone. Elementary students continue using the playground entrance and Elementary building as usual, while secondary students reach their buildings through alternate entry points detailed on a map posted at the district's website.

Beginning Monday, April 13, community members can leave a permanent mark on the project. Students, staff, and the public are invited throughout that week to sign a steel beam that will be installed in the new commons area.

Teachers are shaping the building's character beyond the beam. Dolores instructors in art, welding, and wood shop are collaborating with project architects on custom "Dolores screens," building elements that will feature local stories and student work. Superintendent Alesa Reed highlighted those contributions in the district's newsletter, crediting teachers for helping define what the new building will look and feel like. Occupancy is targeted for late 2026.

April's testing calendar adds another layer of scheduling for families. Elementary students in grades 3 through 5 are mid-CMAS (Colorado Measures of Academic Success), which benchmarks English language arts and math performance against state academic standards. The first window, April 6-8, has closed; the second runs April 13-15. Middle school CMAS testing for grades 6-8 follows on April 14-15, with eighth-graders having already completed their science portion on April 7. High school juniors sat for the CMAS science exam on April 8.

On April 15, students in grades 9 through 11 take the PSAT or SAT, measuring college readiness in math and reading. The district has set a 95% attendance target across the testing period to help ensure every student completes their exams without gaps. Families with April travel or appointments should check the testing calendar before locking in dates.

After the main testing windows close, elementary and middle school students will complete NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association) assessments in late April and early May. Where CMAS measures mastery of state standards at a single point in time, NWEA tracks individual student growth and gives teachers a clearer picture of where additional support is needed heading into the next school year.