Editorial: Choosing to Send Our Daughters to Lumberg Elementary

When our family moved to Edgewater, one of the first things we researched was the local schools. We wanted the best education for our daughters. The ratings for the school in our neighborhood, Lumberg Elementary, were not strong, but we met with the principal and dug deeper. A majority of the students in our local schools experience poverty, and this impacts the local school ratings. After enrolling our daughters, we have realized that the school is full of great teachers and administrators who care deeply about the kids in their classrooms. We have not regretted choosing Lumberg, and we love the diversity and ability to walk our girls to school each morning.

Over the last few years, we have seen more and more neighborhood families choose to send their children to Lumberg. This year one of our neighbors chose to enroll their kindergartener at Lumberg and we walked to school on the first day together. In the past few years, we have seen the school district invest more resources in identifying and challenging gifted students. This helps all kids at Lumberg. After a decade or more, we once again have a PTA at Lumberg to support teachers and encourage community in the school. Edgewater Elementary is experiencing the same momentum with new programs and a PTA.

One of the important parts of a thriving community is excellent neighborhood schools. Choosing where to send our children for school is a very personal decision based on the needs of our children. Edgewater’s schools are not a fit for every child. Our hope is that more Edgewater families will consider sending their children to Edgewater Elementary and Lumberg Elementary. Imagine the impact on our community if our kids attended our neighborhood high school, Jefferson. There was a time when our Edgewater schools were truly neighborhood schools and the community was connected to them. What if we regained that sense of neighborhood schools again?

So as you think about where to send your kindergartner next fall, consider our neighborhood schools. Look beyond the school grades online and set up an appointment with the principal at Lumberg or Edgewater. Ask to talk to parents who send their children to these schools. Read as much as you can about Edgewater and Lumberg.

Let’s reconnect with Lumberg, Edgewater and Jefferson and make these schools great for all kids, including our own children.

Joel Newton

Joel has been a resident of Edgewater, Colorado with his family since 2012. He is the Executive Director of local education nonprofit Edgewater Collective and Editor of the Edgewater Echo.