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Monday 7:30am - 4:30pm Tuesday 7:30am - 4:30pm Wednesday 7:30am - 4:30pm Thursday 7:30am - 4:30pm Friday 7:30am - 4:30pm

27J Schools, 18551 E. 160th Avenue, Brighton, CO (2026)

05/29/2026

This is Innovations & Options senior Marta T’s Class of 2026 Journey:

Sometimes, the true measure of a successful journey comes down to just simply not giving up. And, more than anything, that might define Marta’s high school experience.

There were times when it would have been easy to give up. In her early years of high school, she admits she struggled with motivation as she barely went to classes. Even as she finally approached her graduation at Innovations & Options, her mother’s cancer diagnosis was a new personal obstacle that could have stood in her way.

“At one moment, I thought of dropping out because of my personal life,” Marta said. “My whole senior year was a struggle because I was going back and forth [between] school and my life. But at the end, I was like, ‘oh, you know what? It's worth it.’ So I would stay. And now I'm going to my dream college.”

She’s quick to point out that she didn’t do it alone. The supportive environment of Innovations & Options teachers and staff helped her stay on the right path. She specifically pointed to counselor Lindsay Fletcher.

“She was amazing,” Marta said. “She helped me through the whole process and, as well as all the teachers, they were amazing. They helped me as well.”

As she prepares to graduate, she is still weighing a couple of college options - Metropolitan State University of Denver or University of Colorado Boulder. What isn’t up for debate is an interest in pursuing mechanical engineering as she always had a passion for hands-on activities.

When she thinks back to offering advice to her freshman self? What would she say? It’s rooted in the same determination that got her to graduation. “To keep going, to go to my classes,” Marta said. “Freshman year was really hard, especially because I didn't go to school or anything. But just to keep going because it did work out.”

05/28/2026

This is Prairie View High School senior Kehinde O’s Class of 2026 Journey:

For Kehinde, high school came with challenges he never expected. During his freshman year, he experienced a seizure at basketball practice. Over the next four years, he had several more seizures happen at school, moments that were frightening and difficult to navigate while still balancing classes, sports, and everyday life as a teen.

Kehinde also faced struggles in the classroom. After a difficult sophomore year left him discouraged academically, he decided he wanted more for himself. He earned straight A’s and became a varsity basketball player during his junior year.

“But after that I came back better,” Kehinde shared. “And it was a blessing to make it this far.”

Through those moments, Kehinde found support in teachers and mentors at Prairie View who helped him during some of the hardest days of high school, especially after seizures happened on campus. He also credits his older brother Francis and his mom for inspiring him to keep working toward a better future.

With graduation right around the corner, Kehinde sees this milestone as proof of everything he fought through to get here.

“The beauty is in the journey of how I got here and made it to graduation,” he said. “I love every part of it, the pain and the struggles, because I’m here today.”

After graduation, Kehinde plans to attend Colorado State University to study finance while continuing to work toward his dream of owning a business and creating financial freedom for his family.

Looking back, Kehinde hopes younger students remember to trust themselves, stay true to who they are, and leave high school with no regrets.

05/27/2026

This is Riverdale Ridge High School senior Isla R’s Class of 2026 Journey:

From the outside, Isla’s high school journey looks full of achievement. She balanced varsity basketball, cross country, dance, clubs, leadership programs, and rigorous academics while ranking in the top 10% of her graduating class. This fall, she’ll attend UC San Diego to study molecular and cellular biology on her path toward medical school.

But for Isla, one of the hardest parts of high school was learning how to believe in herself when other people did not.

As someone with big ambitions and clear goals, Isla said she often felt judged and criticized for dreaming too big. Over time, she realized that not everyone around her would support the future she saw for herself. Some friendships became difficult to hold onto, and learning to walk away from those relationships that no longer encouraged her growth became one of the biggest challenges she faced.

“I think the biggest struggle is learning to be okay with yourself,” Isla shared. “Sometimes people aren’t meant to be in your life, and they’re there to be used as a lesson to continue to grow.”

Through those experiences, Isla became more confident in who she is and what she wants. She credits much of that strength to her mom, whose perseverance and sacrifices continue to inspire the way Isla approaches her own future.

Now, with graduation being just five days away, Isla sees this next chapter as an opportunity to step outside the world she has always known and continue chasing the goals she once worried were “too big.”

“I know who I am, and I know who I want to be,” Isla said. “I’m going to continue to chase my goals even if the people around me don’t think I’m capable of achieving them.”

For Isla, graduation is not just the end of high school. It is proof that believing in yourself can take you further than the doubts of others, and her own, ever could.

05/26/2026

This is Brighton High senior Mabel G’s Class of 2026 Journey:

It’s easy to assume that most of a high school student’s time and effort is taken up by all the things that come with school–grades, friends, sports, tests. But for Mabel and students like her, a medical condition can shift that balance and make the path to graduation a steeper climb.

Mabel has a condition called familial spastic paraplegia. “It's a long name, but it's weakness and tightness in the legs..so that's definitely made things more challenging.”

Describing her high school career as “up and down”, Mabel moved to 27J Online Academy briefly in her sophomore year before returning to Brighton High, all the while working through similar seesawing with her grades. Helping her through each challenge: a support network of family, friends and teachers.

“My mom has the same [condition], so she’s taught me a lot of how to be, how to push through it and still be strong…Even though it’s harder for me than everybody else, [I’ve been] able to break through those obstacles.”

On her friends and close circle: “They treat me like normal, you know, like they don't see anything different, and I really appreciate that.”

When it comes to the teachers who’ve been the biggest supporters on her path to graduation, Mabel shouted out Mr. Coger, Ms. Hurd, and Mr. Menninger.

“Having those teachers in my life has been really important. I don't think I would have passed their classes if they weren't as supportive as they are.”

After high school, Mabel plans to attend Metropolitan State University of Denver, to study forensic psychology, citing a love for true crime and psychology.

When asked what advice she would give to her freshman self: “Even though there's some days it's like you don't want to go–”I just want to stay home”...Just go, because it's worth it, and it'll be easier than it is right now trying to catch up and everything. So just get it all done to begin with, and then you'll have a good rest of the few years.”

05/22/2026

This is Prairie View High School senior Amari G’s Class of 2026 Journey:

For Amari, high school has been shaped by both achievement and grief. After her dad passed away in middle school, she entered high school carrying a loss that would continue to follow her throughout the next four years. During that time, she experienced five more deaths in her family and personal life while also helping support her mom through the weight of it all.

There were moments when the grief became overwhelming. Still, Amari kept showing up. She stayed involved, pushed herself academically, and found strength in the people around her. Her close group of friends became a constant source of comfort, while teachers helped her stay on track during some of the hardest moments of her high school journey.

Now, ranked ninth in her graduating class, Amari sees graduation as something deeply personal. For her, this milestone represents not only her hard work, but the people she carries with her every day, especially her dad and grandpa, who never had the chance to graduate themselves. “So much of what I do is for them,” Amari shared. “I hope that I’m making them proud.”

After graduation, Amari will attend University of Colorado Boulder on a full-ride scholarship to study communications, a passion she discovered while interning with our 27J Schools Communications Department for three semesters.

Looking back on her journey, Amari hopes younger students remember one thing: "There's going to be a lot of obstacles thrown in your path, but don’t do the bare minimum. Believe in yourself.”

05/21/2026

2027+ MAPS FOR MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOLS BOUNDARIES RELEASED

27J Schools has finalized new middle and high school boundaries, effective beginning in the 2027-2028 school year.

The approval of the new boundaries follows a year-long community engagement process where more than 360 parents and community members participated in feedback sessions to shape new boundary details. New attendance boundaries are needed because of the planned fall 2027 opening of two new schools - Talon Ridge Middle School (Thornton) and Rocky Vista High School (Commerce City).
The new boundaries will take effect starting in the fall of 2027.

While the approved boundary maps are now available, the district is still finalizing the online tools and policies to help families better understand the boundaries, their implementation and options for selecting a school other than the school now assigned by geographic location.

This information will be shared with families later this year prior to the start of 2027-2028 Open Enrollment - Choice of Schools on Dec. 1, 2026.

Please note: the Attendance Boundary Locator found on the district website has not been updated to reflect 2027-2028 boundary changes.

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Brighton High School, SD27J, Overland Trail Middle School, Prairie View Middle School, Prairie View High School, Quist Middle School, Riverdale Ridge High School, Otho E Stuart Middle School, Vikan Middle School

05/20/2026

This is Riverdale Ridge High School senior Giovanni G's Class of 2026 Journey:

Giovanni's high school experience got off to a solid start his freshman year, as he earned A's and B's in his classes. But all that changed after a devastating turn of events during his sophomore year.

"Sophomore year my dad passed away and it shook me. Having that person taken away from me, it was a lot because he gave me all the advice and made me become the man I am today," Giovanni shared. "The first couple months I managed to keep my grades up, but I didn't have the same motivation or confidence. A piece of me was gone."

It wasn't until his junior year that Giovanni says he finally found himself. During this time, the bond between him and his mom, who he calls his superhero, deepened. Giovanni also credits his teachers with showing him how much he was loved.

"Mr. Robles, he was there after my dad passed," said Giovanni. "My car started breaking down and I told him about the situation. He and all the teachers were going to raise money to help me buy the new part for my car. Even though teachers are going through so much themselves, it really shows they see us as their own kids," he shared.

Now, as Giovanni prepares to get his diploma, he takes pride in the fact that he's following through on his father's dream for him to graduate and attend University of Colorado Boulder.

"That was his vision and I'm following that path. I'm about to go to CU Boulder with a scholarship," he said. "It just really proves that if you put your mind to it and don't listen to the haters, you can really be successful."

Giovanni already has plans to take his higher education a step further by attending dental school through University of Colorado Denver once he completes his prerequisites at CU Boulder.

"I want to be an orthodontist," he said. "I love helping people. One way I know I can help people is with their teeth and build their confidence with their smile."

05/19/2026

This is Brighton High senior Parker R’s Class of 2026 Journey:

Just two weeks into his freshman year, Parker’s life changed when he was diagnosed with cancer. What followed were years away from school, difficult days, and learning how quickly life can shift.

Through it all, Parker kept fighting. Even during the hardest moments, he held onto the mindset that life is short and every day matters. That perspective shaped the way he moved through high school and the person he wanted to become.

Parker credits much of his strength to the people who stood beside him the entire way, especially his mom. From every appointment to every late night, she never left his side. His friends also remained a constant source of support, staying with him from the day he was diagnosed through what will now be graduation day.

Now, after spending much of high school in and out of the classroom, Parker is preparing to walk across the stage, something that once may have felt uncertain. For him, graduation represents perseverance and how far he has come.

“I think being diagnosed with cancer two weeks into my freshman year really showed me how life could get at hard times,” Parker shared. “It showed me to push through it and to be a better person than I was the day before.”

Parker has been cancer free since January of 2025, but has screenings, every few months.

After graduation, Parker plans to spend the next year training and getting stronger with hopes of playing football at the college level. Even after losing strength during treatment, his love for the game never disappeared.

Looking back, Parker has a message for his freshman self and for anyone facing difficult moments of their own: “I know some things seem super hard right now and that it can get really bad at times, but we made it through it.”

05/18/2026

This is Prairie View High senior Sahar E’s Class of 2026 Journey:

Few members of the Class of 2026 have charted a longer physical distance to graduation than Prairie View High senior Sahar E. What started roughly 7,300 miles away in Afghanistan will soon culminate 43 miles up the road at Blue FCU Arena in Loveland, Colo.

Sahar came to the U.S. with her family as a fourth-grader. Young, unable to speak the language and frequently the subject of bullying, she called her elementary school experience “a nightmare.”

The turning point came in middle school as she gradually became less shy and found confidence as a leader. It was showcased in an eighth grade continuation speech.

“It made my parents really, really proud, because it wasn't just me having a hard time in the United States. So was my mom, so was my siblings,” Sahar said. “We were all having a hard time, and my mom said that she was really, really proud of me because I held onto a piece of my culture, because I studied my language, and she was really proud of me.”

That doesn’t mean Sahar didn’t still face challenges when she came to Prairie View. Feeling like an outsider and experiencing racism were common. But she also found opportunities to thrive through supportive teachers, friends and activities such as student government. And, in them, she found herself.

“I'm always gonna be proud of who I am,” she said. “I don't think I did anything wrong. This is me, this is my culture, this is my religion, and everybody has a say in their own thing, and I'm not gonna let somebody else influence who I am.”

She will head to Metropolitan State University of Denver after graduation with a goal of possibly becoming a lawyer but leaving the door open to other passions, including pursuing an entrepreneurial spirit passed down through her family.

As she looks ahead to graduation, she thinks about her mother and father and the sacrifices they made for her. Even though she has already had two older siblings graduate, this moment is still a tribute to them.

“I don't need to prove to my parents that I'm perfect or anything like that, but one of the biggest things with me is I always want them to be proud and be happy,” she said. “I feel like they sacrificed so much. Especially my mom, because of the situation back in Afghanistan, she couldn't finish her education, nor could my dad, and me finishing high school and me continuing on into college, I feel like that's just a snippet of them.”

05/18/2026

It was a soggy morning for the 27J Transportation Department’s first hiring fair for the 2026-2027 school year but that didn’t dampen the enthusiasm for first-year bus driver Ramon Menindez to tell potential applicants about the opportunity to start a new career as a bus driver.

Ramon left behind a 26-year career as a commercial truck driver to join 27J Schools. His goal was to find a job closer to home after so many years on the road alone. He didn’t expect school bus driving to become such a fulfilling change.

“This is my first year here and I’ve really come to enjoy it because the kids make your day,” he said. “If you’re having a bad day, a sad day and the kids are happy to see you, that just turns your whole day around.”

So, in addition to finding a flexible, well-paying job that keeps him closer to his own family, he found a new work family.

“Don’t miss out on what 27J has to offer, the perks, the family,” Ramon said. “We are truly a family. We watch out for each other. We cover each other’s route when needed and we make sure we get the job done. Every day is not the same. It’s pretty cool.”

Couldn’t make it today? A second hiring fair will take place from 9 a.m. to noon, on a hopefully sunnier, Monday, June 8 at the district’s North Transportation Terminal, 88 N. 40th Ave., Brighton, CO.

27J Schools

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Monday	7:30am - 4:30pm
Tuesday	7:30am - 4:30pm
Wednesday	7:30am - 4:30pm
Thursday	7:30am - 4:30pm
Friday	7:30am - 4:30pm