By 9 a.m., the morning rush had quieted, and students at Granby Elementary were seated at their desks, focused on the day’s lesson. Even with a new school year and a nearly brand-new campus, teachers and students had quickly slipped back into the familiar rhythm of learning.

The 2025–26 academic year officially began at the elementary school on Wednesday, Aug. 27, following two “connection days” on Monday and Tuesday, during which only about a quarter of the student body attended school. Principal Kelly Martin said in a school district meeting these connection days allow kids to “ease into the school year” and give teachers the opportunity to engage with smaller groups.

This year marks most of the students’ second year attending classes at Granby Elementary’s new, larger school building. The building on W. Diamond Ave was completed before the start of the 2024-25 academic year to support the growing student body after the previous school building reached capacity.

Aside from the size difference, students said what caught their eye about the new building was its playground features. Some preferred the newer, more modern setup, while others said they missed the old wooden “castle” at their previous school.

“I really like it,” Lilah Gumnic, a second grader, said. “The tower is really high and there are bridges and swings.”

Fourth grader Cassidy Acker agreed.

“But the old playground was better,” she said. “It was much bigger, and had a tire swing.”

The two agreed that the playground’s best feature was a hidden hammock underneath the jungle gym, the playground’s centerpiece.

“Almost the entire fourth grade class can fit on this hammock,” Acker claimed.

In addition to the outdoor playground, the school features an indoor slide from the second floor down to the cafeteria. If she and her classmates are on their best behavior, Acker said the kids get to slide down it on their way to recess or lunch.

New experiences and responsibilities await

Fifth grader Raelee Martin said she was looking forward to a school year filled with outdoor activities and excursions. Soon, she said, her class would be embarking on an overnight field trip to visit Keystone Science School in Summit County, where students have the opportunity to learn from hands-on outdoor science lessons.

The three girls also expressed their enthusiasm for mountain biking, which they will practice in their P.E. classes this year in hopes of making it to a mountain biking field trip. While P.E. remained the favorite class of the group, Martin said she is also looking forward to her music class, as well as acting in the school play.

But while their favorite classes and fun-filled excursions excite them, some changes about the new year are not as compelling. Acker said as a fourth grader, her teachers reminded her that she must take on the responsibility of packing and remembering her own belongings.

Gumnic said that now that she is in second grade, she cannot rely on her parents to make sure she wakes up in time for school everyday.

“I had to get an alarm clock to wake me up because I just want to sleep,” she said.

Martin also acknowledged the responsibilities that lay ahead. Soon, she said, she would be moving up to sixth grade, graduating from elementary school.

Building tools for success

After relieving some first day jitters on the playground, the girls visited the second floor library, where librarian Tracy Petty reads to classes and helps them check out books.

“The kids are on track and enthusiastic about reading,” she said.

Among concerns about a drastic decline in post-pandemic literacy rates in Colorado children, she aims to bring the joy of reading to every student who visits her in the library. Petty also hopes to add to the new library space by painting murals on its now blank walls. Her favorite local illustrator, Michaela Cross, has already expressed interest in taking on the job.

Whatever the coming year brings, Petty said the goal remains simple: helping students feel connected and supported amidst the emotions and transitions of entering the next grade level.