(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Colorado Springs School District 11 (D11) released the final report detailing the structural inspection of Jenkins Middle School that was performed after the school was closed due to fire safety and structural concerns.
According to the report, the building was inspected for issues with the structure, fire safety, utilities and energy systems, and the soils where the building was located.
The structural building inspection found several areas of Jenkins Middle School to have structural damage believed to be due to the foundation of the building. The report recommends fixing several areas of the building, including the replacement of a wall.
The sixth-grade wing of the building, along with the cafeteria, offices, and faculty lounge, was found to have negligible structural damage, and no remediation was required for those areas.
The fire safety inspection found several fire doors had gaps outside of acceptable tolerances, and passive fire protection appeared to have been damaged independent of the structural damage. The report does state these are normal for publicly occupied buildings, and it was recommended that the issues be fixed as soon as reasonably achievable.
The inspection of the utility systems found that some gas lines within the school were affected by the structural changes. There was no indication of undue stress or damage to the affected gas lines. The report recommended that if further visible displacement happens before the building is repaired, another inspection of the gas lines should occur.
The soils in the area of the building were found to have an increase in moisture content and density after Jenkins Middle School was constructed. While the report states this is normal, the wetting of the soil likely exacerbated the issues with the building.
Read the full report in the document below.
On March 5, Superintendent Michael Gaal sent an update to families that sixth graders could return to Jenkins Middle School as early as August 2025. Seventh and eighth graders would have to wait longer as those areas of the building required additional planning and design. The Superintendent said D11 hopes to have an update on seventh and eighth graders’ return before spring break
