75 Years: Then, Now and Beyond

As a graduate of Thornton High School’s Class of 1985, I can’t wait to celebrate 75th Years of success in Adams 12 Five Star Schools during the 2025-2026 school year. It’s incredible to think of the impact our schools have had on the lives of tens of thousands of students over the course of nearly eight decades. 

#FiveStarProud

Here’s just a glimpse of what our students, staff and community are celebrating these days: 

• 1,081 industry certifications earned by 262 graduating seniors through FutureForward, the district’s career and technical education program. 
• Seven schools earned academic performance awards from the state.
• Social studies teacher Michelle Pearson was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame Class of 2025. 
• Our families report the strongest school climate ever, according to our annual Family-School Relationships Survey. 

Investing in our Learning Environments 

During the upcoming school year, students, staff and families will see some of the first investments funded through the 2024 voter-approved bond. Construction workers have spent the past eight weeks working at project sites throughout the district. Crews have collectively spent thousands of hours shoveling asphalt, laying roofing, running fiber optic cabling, installing playground equipment and more

We’re also in the design phase for future bond work, including the rebuilding of Thornton High School and Career and Technical Education classrooms at our middle and K-8 schools. You can learn more about the bond on our district website. 

We need your support for our next step

We are so grateful for our community’s support for our voter-approved bond last year. Bonds are a type of funding that school districts can use to build new schools and update existing buildings. As we anticipate another challenging funding year, we are exploring the possibility of asking voters to approve a mill-levy override (MLO) in November. MLOs are used for ongoing operating expenses such as safety and security, salaries, and instructional programming. Currently, Adams 12 Five Star Schools ranks 14th out of 15th place in MLO funding compared to nearby school districts.

A mill-levy override would allow our district to generate additional local funding to meet critical needs that directly support students, educators and school communities. Specifically, this funding would help us:

• Expand meaningful programming for students
• Strengthen school safety and security across all campuses
• Offer competitive wages to attract and retain highly-effective educators and support staff

Your partnership and support is essential as we strive to ensure that our students have access to the resources, support, and opportunities they need to thrive.

Thank you for your continued support. I look forward to another great year in The Five Star District!

Sincerely, 

Chris Gdowski
Superintendent