Expansion has been a prevalent theme in Castle Rock in the last two decades. From the number of people who live there to the , everything seems to be growing.
Soon, the number of educational opportunities in Castle Rock will also grow.
Officials announced in January that the Castle Rock Town Council voted to provide up to $3 million in infrastructure reimbursements to an project that will build a “Collaboration Campus” in The Meadows neighborhood.
According to the college, the $40-million campus will eventually bring two 54,000-square-foot buildings to a 14-acre site along Meadows Parkway, northeast of Castle Rock Adventist Hospital. ACC will partner with Colorado State University, the Douglas County School District , and other business and educational partners to create a place that will “create a smooth pathway from high school diploma to associate degree to bachelor degree,” according to an ACC . The first phase of construction is expected to begin in fall 2019.
“ACC is very excited to expand our presence in Castle Rock to serve the community through this very unique educational partnership,” ACC President Diana Doyle said in the release. “The Collaboration Campus will be a dynamic model for progressive educational delivery at all levels.”
In the lead up to Town Council’s vote, ACC, CSU and Douglas County Schools representatives met with local employers and focus groups. The partners decided the campus’ initial offering will be in the areas of business and entrepreneurship, health care, information technology as well as general education and workforce training. ACC currently has a campus in a shared building at 4700 Castleton Way that offers daytime and evening classes ranging from computer education to geology, said Jill Garber, ACC’s director of extension campuses.
For those focused on nurturing Castle Rock’s economy, the campus profiles as a valuable tool to both support residents and companies already in town and to attract others.
“We see this campus as part of the educational infrastructure that is needed to help existing primary employers train their workforce and help attract new primary employers by providing them with a pipeline for employment,” said Frank Gray, CEO of the .
Gray said he expects school officials will work directly with employers to offer classes that can provide immediate benefits to workers. He listed Microsoft certification programs or general ed classes on specific skills like marketing as examples.
A particularly exciting feature, in Gray’s view, is the opportunity for concurrent enrollment. Through the partnership with Colorado State, the incoming campus will provide area residents the chance to take CSU classes in The Meadows instead of Fort Collins or Pueblo. Enrollment will be more affordable too. Gray said he views the schools, municipality and business collaboration that went into shaping the campus and its early offerings as a model other communities could use at a time when the state faces significant issues .
“We have been very impressed with the enthusiasm of all of the local partners there and their willingness to invite us to participate in this exciting project,” Colorado State Provost Rick Miranda said in a statement.“We can accomplish a lot for our students and for our community together.”
Castle Rock Mayor Jennifer Green said the element of the campus she is most excited about is that it will offer programs that appeal to and benefit a wide variety of residents.
“We’re thrilled to be part of this partnership,” Green said via email. “Higher and continuing education will be available to residents of all ages — from high school students to thriving professionals, to our retirees.”