New Emerson School at Columbus

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51

2660 UNAWEEP AVE
GRAND JUNCTION, CO 81503

138 Students

Elementary School K - 5th

School Overview

New Emerson School at Columbus, located in Grand Junction, Colorado, is a public elementary school within the Mesa County Valley School District 51. The school is widely recognized for its unique educational approach, specifically its commitment to the **EL Education (formerly Expeditionary Learning) model**. This framework emphasizes hands-on, project-based learning, where students engage in in-depth studies of real-world topics, connecting their classroom lessons to the surrounding community and environment.

The school is defined by a culture that prioritizes character development, high-quality student work, and active citizenship. Because it follows the EL Education philosophy, New Emerson encourages students to take ownership of their learning through "expeditions"—long-term, interdisciplinary projects that culminate in public presentations. This approach is designed to foster critical thinking, collaboration, and a deep sense of academic engagement, aiming to prepare students not just for standardized testing, but for active participation in their local and global communities.

138

Total Students

9.1

Full-Time Teachers

15.2

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for New Emerson School at Columbus
Demographic	Student Count
White	114
Hispanic	14
Black	2
Asian	3
Two or More	5

White
114 (82.6%)
Hispanic
14 (10.1%)
Two or More
5 (3.6%)
Asian
3 (2.2%)
Black
2 (1.4%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51
Phone:	(970)254-6500
Grade Range:	K - 5th
Total Students:	138
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	9.1
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	15.2
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes participating without using any Provision or the CEO
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 23

Grade 1 25

Grade 2 23

Grade 3 23

Grade 4 22

Grade 5 22