Illustrations courtesy of AndersonMasonDale
This year our community has been hard at work preparing to welcome a number of new schools to the district, and one opening soon now has its official name.
Coal Creek P-8, located at 801 N. Tempe St. in Aurora, will open in August 2026 in the new Horizon Uptown development. The APS Board of Education recently approved the school’s name, attendance area and mascot — Pronghorns — during its regular business meeting.
During a busy fall semester, staff, students and community members voted on several name and mascot options. After thoughtful consideration, Coal Creek rose to the top due to its connection to the one-room schoolhouse in Coal Creek and the nearby Coal Creek Arena.
It will feature a unique floorplan with three floors and an abundance of windows to allow for natural light throughout the structure. Students will be able to take advantage of exploratory labs on each floor along with two art rooms and two music rooms (vocal and instrumental). The school will also feature a full-size gym and a robust athletics program for middle school students.
Situated in northeastern Aurora, the new school will replace the nearby Clyde Miller P-8 building, which first opened in 1981 as an elementary school and later transitioned to a P-8. Current Clyde Miller students and families are finishing up their final semester in anticipation of transferring to the new school next fall.