Jefferson County School Closings Today — Live Status & Delays (Colorado)
Are Jefferson County schools closed today? Check live status below — updated every 10 minutes.
Live status monitored for Jefferson County Public Schools (Jeffco).
How Jefferson County Public Schools Announces Closures and Delays
Jefferson County Public Schools (Jeffco) aims to announce school closures and two-hour delays by 5:30 AM on the day of the weather event. When a major storm is clearly forecasted — such as a blizzard watch issued the day before — Jeffco will often post the closure decision the evening prior, giving families extra time to arrange childcare before the morning rush. The official announcement appears first on the district website at jeffcopublicschools.org, and enrolled families receive a direct push notification through ParentSquare, the district’s primary family communication platform. Jeffco also notifies local TV stations — 9NEWS (KUSA), FOX31 (KDVR), and CBS Colorado (KCNC) — which post closures on their own dedicated closure-and-delay pages.
One important distinction unique to Jeffco: because the district serves communities across a wide elevation range, mountain-area schools in Evergreen, Conifer, Morrison, and Indian Hills may close or delay independently of valley schools in Lakewood, Wheat Ridge, and Arvada. Hazardous road conditions on US-285 and I-70 through the foothills can persist hours after valley roads are clear, and shaded mountain roads often hold ice well into mid-morning. Parents in foothill and mountain communities should always check Jeffco’s official announcements even when lower-elevation districts remain open. Jeffco frequently uses a two-hour delayed start rather than a full closure when morning conditions are hazardous but expected to improve — this gives road crews additional time to treat icy surfaces and allows sunlight to assist at lower elevations.
Weather Risks That Trigger Jefferson County School Closings
- Heavy snowfall and blizzard conditions: Accumulations exceeding 4–6 inches overnight, combined with wind-driven whiteout conditions on I-70 and US-285, are the most common trigger for a full Jeffco closure or two-hour delay. The district’s wide elevation range means mountain communities may receive 12–18 inches while the valley floor gets 3–5 inches from the same storm.
- Freezing rain and black ice: Even a thin glaze of ice on roads — especially on shaded mountain routes and elevated overpasses — is more dangerous for school buses than several inches of snow. Ice storms and freezing rain advisories frequently result in delays even when snow totals are minimal.
- Extreme wind chills below −10°F: When sustained wind chills drop below −10°F to −20°F, Jeffco may close district-wide to protect students waiting at outdoor bus stops, particularly in open suburban areas of the district where wind exposure is highest.
- Mountain road hazards on US-285 and I-70: The foothills corridor connecting communities like Evergreen and Conifer to the valley is prone to rapid storm intensification, rockslides, and black ice well below the snowline. Even when Denver-area roads are clear, mountain-school closures occur when Jeffco determines bus routes above 6,000 feet are unsafe.
- Rapid storm intensification during the morning commute: Colorado’s Front Range is known for storms that arrive faster than forecast. A storm that drops 2 inches by 5 AM but 6 more inches by 8 AM can prompt an emergency closure or delay even if the morning started clear. Jeffco monitors road condition reports from Jefferson County Road & Bridge through the night.
- Dense fog and severely reduced visibility: While less common than snow, dense fog advisories — particularly in lower-lying areas near Morrison and along Wadsworth Boulevard — can reduce visibility below safe thresholds for bus operations, triggering a delayed start.
Frequently Asked Questions — Jefferson County School Closings
How early does Jeffco Public Schools announce school closures?
Jefferson County Public Schools targets a 5:30 AM announcement on the day of the event, and will often post the closure or delay the prior evening when a large, predictable storm — like a forecasted blizzard — is clearly on the way. Families receive direct ParentSquare notifications, and the announcement goes live simultaneously on jeffcopublicschools.org and through local TV stations 9NEWS, FOX31, and CBS Colorado.
Do all Jeffco schools close at the same time, or can mountain schools close while valley schools stay open?
Jeffco regularly issues separate closure decisions for its mountain-community schools versus valley schools. Communities above 6,000 feet — including Evergreen, Conifer, Indian Hills, and Morrison — face road and temperature conditions that can be dramatically more hazardous than those in Lakewood, Arvada, or Wheat Ridge. During many winter events, Jeffco closes its 12 mountain schools while keeping all valley schools on a normal or delayed schedule. Always check the official Jeffco announcement to confirm the status of your specific school.
What is a two-hour delay, and how does it differ from a full closure?
A two-hour delayed start means all Jefferson County schools begin instruction two hours later than their normal start time. This is Jeffco’s most commonly used alternative to a full closure — it gives road crews extra time to plow and treat roads, and allows the morning sun to melt ice at lower elevations. After-school and extracurricular activities typically proceed as scheduled unless a separate announcement is made. Families should always verify with their individual school when activities are in question.
Which TV stations report Jefferson County school closings?
The three primary TV stations reporting Jeffco school closure information are 9NEWS (KUSA Channel 9), FOX31 Denver (KDVR), and CBS Colorado (KCNC Channel 4). All three maintain dedicated online closures-and-delays pages updated as districts submit announcements. This page monitors all three feeds automatically alongside the official Jeffco district website, giving you a consolidated view without visiting multiple sources.
Does Jeffco close for cold temperatures even without snow?
Yes — when wind chills are forecast to drop below −10°F to −20°F, Jefferson County Public Schools may close district-wide to protect students who wait at outdoor bus stops, especially in open suburban corridors of the district where wind exposure is significant. These extreme cold closures are less frequent than snow closures but have occurred during particularly severe Arctic air intrusions along Colorado’s Front Range.
How often is this page updated?
This page checks Jeffco’s official website and Denver-area TV station feeds automatically every 15 minutes under normal conditions, and every 5 minutes during active weather alerts or when a National Weather Service warning is in effect for Jefferson County. If Jeffco Schools announces a closure, two-hour delay, or early dismissal today, it will appear at the top of the live status widget above.
Jefferson County Public Schools (Jeffco) — Full School Roster
High Schools
- Alameda International Junior/Senior High School
- Arvada High School
- Arvada West High School
- Bear Creek High School
- Chatfield High School
- Columbine High School
- Conifer High School
- D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School
- Dakota Ridge High School
- Evergreen High School
- Golden High School
- Green Mountain High School
- Jefferson High School
- Lakewood High School
- Pomona High School
- Ralston Valley High School
- Standley Lake High School
- Wheat Ridge High School
- Addenbrooke Classical Academy
Middle Schools
- Bell Middle School
- Bradford K8 North
- Carmody Middle School
- Creighton Middle School
- Deer Creek Middle School
- Drake Middle School
- Dunstan Middle School
- Evergreen Middle School
- Falcon Bluffs Middle School
- Ken Caryl Middle School
- Oberon Middle School
- Swanson Middle School
- Wayne Carle Middle School
- West Jefferson Middle School
Elementary Schools
- Adams Elementary School
- Addenbrooke Classical Grammar School
- Arvada K-8
- Bear Creek K-8 School
- Belmar School of Integrated Arts
- Bergen Elementary School
- Blue Heron Elementary School
- Bradford K8 South
- Coal Creek Canyon K-8 Elementary School
- Columbine Hills Elementary School
- Coronado Elementary School
- Deane Elementary School
- Dennison Elementary School
- Devinny Elementary School
- Eldorado Elementary School
- Fairmount Elementary School
- Fish Creek Elementary School
- Fitzmorris Elementary School
- Fremont Elementary School
- Glennon Heights Elementary School
- Governor’s Ranch Elementary School
- Green Gables Elementary School
- Holm Elementary School
- Hutchinson Elementary School
- Jefferson Academy Elementary
- Kendall-Whittier Elementary School
- Kyffin Elementary School
- Leawood Elementary School
- Lukas Elementary School
- Manning Elementary School
- Maple Grove Elementary School
- Mortensen Elementary School
- Mount Carbon Elementary School
- North Arvada Middle School
- Parmalee Elementary School
- Peiffer Elementary School
- Picadilly Elementary School
- Pleasant View Elementary School
- Powderhorn Elementary School
- Prospect Valley Elementary School
- Shelton Elementary School
- Sierra Elementary School
- Slater Elementary School
- Stober Elementary School
- Stony Creek Elementary School
- Westgate Elementary School
- Wilmot Elementary School
Find Jefferson County (Jeffco) School Closings by ZIP Code
Not sure which schools are near your ZIP? Find your area below, then check the live status above.
ⓘ Jeffco covers all of Jefferson County plus part of Broomfield, spanning many cities and unincorporated communities. ZIP-level district boundaries are not available for a district this size, so ZIPs below are grouped by area and show where Jeffco schools are located, not a complete boundary.
Jefferson County Public Schools (Jeffco)
Arvada — 80002, 80003, 80004, 80005
Schools: Drake Junior High School (80002) · North Arvada Middle School (80003) · Swanson Elementary School (80003) · Arvada High School (80004) · Arvada West High School (80004) · Fremont Elementary School (80004) · Oberon Middle School (80005) · Pomona Junior/Senior High School (80005) · Ralston Valley Senior High School (80005) · Sierra Elementary School (80005)
Westminster / Broomfield Mailing Area — 80021
Schools (all 80021): Adams Elementary School · Lukas Elementary School · Standley Lake High School · Wayne Carle Middle School · Jefferson Academy Elementary
Wheat Ridge & Edgewater — 80033, 80214
Schools: Wheat Ridge High School (80033) · Prospect Valley Elementary School (80033) · Jefferson Junior/Senior High School (80214)
Lakewood — 80215, 80226, 80227, 80228, 80232, 80235
Schools: Lakewood High School (80215) · Slater Elementary School (80215) · Stober Elementary School (80215) · Belmar School of Integrated Arts (80226) · Creighton Middle School (80226) · Deane Elementary School (80226) · Dennison Elementary School (80226) · Bear Creek High School (80227) · Bear Creek K-8 School (80227) · Carmody Middle School (80227) · Green Gables Elementary School (80227) · Westgate Elementary School (80227) · Green Mountain High School (80228) · Devinny Elementary School (80228) · Dunstan Middle School (80228) · Hutchinson Elementary School (80228) · Alameda International Junior/Senior High School (80232) · D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School (80235) · Addenbrooke Classical Academy (80235) · Addenbrooke Classical Grammar School (80235)
Golden & Foothills — 80401, 80403
Schools: Golden High School (80401) · Bell Middle School (80401) · Manning Options School (80401) · Kyffin Elementary School (80401) · Maple Grove Elementary School (80401) · Shelton Elementary School (80401) · Fairmount Elementary School (80403)
Southwest Jeffco (Littleton Mailing Area) — 80123, 80127, 80128
Schools: Columbine High School (80123) · Ken Caryl Middle School (80123) · Blue Heron Elementary School (80123) · Governor’s Ranch Elementary School (80123) · Leawood Elementary School (80123) · Chatfield High School (80127) · Dakota Ridge Senior High School (80127) · Bradford K8 North (80127) · Bradford K8 South (80127) · Mount Carbon Elementary School (80127) · Powderhorn Elementary School (80127) · Falcon Bluffs Middle School (80128) · Deer Creek Middle School (80128) · Columbine Hills Elementary School (80128) · Coronado Elementary School (80128) · Mortensen Elementary School (80128) · Stony Creek Elementary School (80128)
Mountain Communities (Evergreen, Conifer, Indian Hills) — 80439, 80433, 80454
Schools: Evergreen High School (80439) · Evergreen Middle School (80439) · Bergen Elementary School (80439) · Wilmot Elementary School (80439) · Conifer Senior High School (80433) · West Jefferson Middle School (80433) · Parmalee Elementary School (80454)
ⓘ Some Jeffco schools use a different postal city than the community they sit in. For example, D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School (80235) has a Denver mailing address, Manning Options School (80401) has a Lakewood mailing address, and Jefferson Academy Elementary (80021) has a Broomfield mailing address.
⚠ ZIP overlap note: Some ZIPs above, including 80235 (Denver mailing address), 80021 (Westminster/Broomfield mailing area), and 80123, 80127 and 80128 (Littleton mailing addresses), are postal areas that may also include addresses served by neighboring districts. This has not been confirmed against a district boundary source. · If your ZIP could fall in more than one district, check each district’s status and verify directly with your school.
All ZIP codes served by Jefferson County-area school districts: 80002 · 80003 · 80004 · 80005 · 80021 · 80033 · 80123 · 80127 · 80128 · 80214 · 80215 · 80226 · 80227 · 80228 · 80232 · 80235 · 80401 · 80403 · 80433 · 80439 · 80454
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