When you think about boxing, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe it is the boxing gloves and hand wraps. Maybe it is bright lights and a boxing ring. Maybe it is full of aggression, throwing punches at an opponent until someone wins.   

Whatever thought comes to mind first, the non-contact boxing club at Poudre School District's Boltz Middle School is not just students putting on gloves and hitting things. Their motto is: Think before you speak, breathe before you act.

Currently, Poudre School District has identified 7% more students experiencing some form of homelessness or housing insecurity as compared to the same time last year.

Starting in the 2023-24 school year, students at all Poudre School District schools will check out of the cafeteria line with a quick tap of a finger. 

$9.7M federal grant to address the need for more mental health professionals in schools

Poudre School District, in collaboration with the Master of Social Work Program (MSW) at Colorado State University, will launch a one-of-a-kind program this fall that seeks to tackle two major issues: a need for more mental health professionals in schools and a lack of graduates to keep up with demand.

Poudre School District is testing out new technology in four schools this spring with a goal of making it quicker and easier to buy school meals.

PSD will evaluate a biometric finger-scanning pilot program between mid-April and May 25 to see if it makes the meal-purchasing process more efficient at Linton and Dunn elementary, Kinard middle, and Rocky Mountain High schools. Faster checkout times would help PSD to better implement the voter-approved free school meal program, which could yield an increase in meals served. 

Poudre School District and the U.S. Army are hoping to launch a new Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps Program that will be open to all PSD high schoolers. The aim is to start the program, better known as Junior ROTC or JROTC, in August 2023 at Poudre High School in northwest Fort Collins.  

Poudre School District is proud to be among three school districts, selected by the Colorado Department of Education, to participate in a four-year, grant-funded initiative called Project AWARE (Advancing Wellness and Resiliency in Education).  

In the 2021-22 school year, Poudre School District identified 1,312 students pre-k through 12th-grade, or 4% of our student population, who experienced some form of homelessness and qualified for McKinney-Vento services. 

Colorado youth will have continued access to free therapy sessions through the I Matter program thanks to an additional $6 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding following the passage of House Bill 22-1243. The program, which launched in October 2021, provides accessible, confidential and non-judgmental behavioral health services to any Colorado youth.