IB Primary Years Programme School
Central Elementary is an IB Primary Years Programme School and part of the St. Vrain Valley School District. Our school offers preschool through fifth grade.
Our Mission
The mission of the Central Elementary School Community is to develop knowledgeable, caring and open-minded individuals who engage in inquiry-based learning experiences that promote intercultural understanding and respect in order to become contributing citizens in a global society.
Central’s Rich History
The town of Longmont was founded by the Chicago-Colorado Colony in 1871. The town’s first school, Colony School House, was located on the west side of Main Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. The building was 24 by 40 feet, and was to be used as a school building until “other suitable facilities” could be found.
Enrollment increased, and in 1878 the school board contracted to add an east wing to the original building. In 1881 a middle wing was added, expanding the capacity of Central School to six rooms. The final section was built in 1908.
The school attendance at Central Elementary grew to 362 pupils in 1936 and remained near this figure until the addition of the Intermediate building in 1950. Enrollment peaked in 1969-70 when 791 students attended Central. The rated capacity at that time was 667 students. Today the enrollment stands around 400 students. Additional programs and remodeling reduced the capacity from its earlier figure.
Discussions were lively when recommendations were made to phase out the original structure. The ability for Central to remain in operation until the present is due to its solid construction. Sixteen inch thick brick walls and stone stairways are features that have allowed it to survive while more recent schools have been razed.
On September 14, 1976, Central School was designated as a Longmont Historic Landmark. More remodeling was done in that year, putting a library in the basement of the Intermediate building. The school remained essentially untouched until 1991. Old Central and the Intermediate building were connected by a new media center and computer lab, an elevator was added, and improvements were made to both buildings.
