The dedication of a performing arts stage at 1-year-old Colvin Run Elementary School in June marked more than just the passage of time, according to school officials. It also signals the end of the controversy that developed when some Great Falls residents were apprehensive about switching their children to the new school.
The opening of Colvin Run Elementary School means that there are now three elementary schools that area students attend. Great Falls Elementary is located in the heart of Great Falls and offers a popular Japanese immersion program. Forestville Elementary is an established school that offers numerous gifted and talented programs and has an involved parent teacher organization. Colvin Run also offers GT programs and as a new facility has modern amenities and technology built into the school.
Colvin Run Elementary is located in Vienna, across Route 7, which delineates Great Falls from Vienna. The student body is pulled from both areas. “This is a very vibrant school, not only for the basic education but for the partnership between the parents and the administrators. It’s used by the community for meetings and things, which has brought the community together,” said PTA president Jan Pascoe.
More than 700 children attended Colvin Run Elementary School in its inaugural year. The brand-new school has yet to show the scuffs and scrapes that hundreds of children can impart to a building. It’s a modern and clean facility that is decorated in muted tones.
School principal Dr. Sandy Furick said, “Even though we are proud of the bricks and mortar, we’re most proud of the kids.” Pascoe summed her feelings up saying, “It feels like it’s so much more mature than it is. I hope we continue each year to look at it from a fresh perspective like we did.”