Jenkins Middle School fully reopened after shutdown, partial reopening in 2025

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Jenkins Middle School is fully reopened and welcomed students back Wednesday after being shut down in January of 2025.

According to officials, the school was shut down in January of 2025 after the fire department found major structural issues during an inspection. At the time, officials said the Colorado Springs Fire Department had been monitoring the building for the past few years, and it had experienced "cracking and physical separation of walls and floors."

In March of 2025, the school announced plans to reopen as early as August of that year. At the time, students were split between Russell Middle School and Doherty High School.

When the school did reopen in August of 2025, it was only part of the campus. Only 6th and 7th graders were brought back to Jenkins Middle School, while 8th graders stayed at Doherty High School, according to officials.

Part of the problem on the campus might have been that it was built too close to a nearby creek, which may have caused issues with the building settling, according to officials.

Now, a year later, the entire school is back open. The District 11 Superintendent, Michael Gaal, says the district decided last year that they wanted to completely close, rather than putting temporary fixes.

"We made the decision a year and a half ago that said, 'No more Band-Aids, no more micro openings, no more repainting hallways," Superintendent Gaal said. "We are open, we are safe and we are ready for the next 75 years right here."

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