Explore Campus Expansion PK-8
Project Timeline
Scope of Work
In August, the Board of Education approved the selection of JHL Constructors and Hord | Coplan | Macht Architects (HCM) to serve as the design and construction team for the new school facility to house Explore Primary.
The JHL/HCM team designed and built the current Explore building on time and on budget. The building has performed well since its opening, and we are excited to continue our partnership with JHL/HCM. This project is made possible by generous community support of Mapleton’s 2022 Mill Levy override, aimed at addressing important improvements and renovations to the district’s “Final Four” buildings. Explore Primary will replace Preschool on Poze, which is currently housed in one of the oldest buildings in the district.
Project Details
Location:
10310 York St., Thornton, 80229
Opens:
August 2027
Serves:
Grades PreK-1
Project Budget:
$36M
Design and Construction Teams:
JHL Constructors and
Hord | Coplan | Macht Architects (HCM)
Construction Updates
Explore Primary - Thrusday, Feb. 12, 2026
On Wednesday, Feb. 11, Mapleton friends and families gathered in front of the steel frame of the new Explore Primary building for the Topping Out ceremony, a major construction milestone!
During the celebration, the final structural beam was lifted into place, marking the completion of the building’s frame. As part of the long‑standing construction tradition, a small tree was attached to the beam to symbolize growth and bring good luck for the future.
Students and staff from Explore PK-8 and Preschool on Poze had the chance to sign the beam and a banner before crews raised it into place. The signed beam and banner will be sealed inside the building forever, as a lasting reminder of the people who helped make this project possible and the students who got to watch this new school take shape.
The new Explore Primary School building was made possible by the community-supported mill levy approved in 2022. JHL Constructors and Hord Coplan Macht, the same teams behind the design and construction of Explore PK–8, are partnering with Mapleton Public Schools to bring this vision to life. The result is a 45,000-square-foot facility thoughtfully designed to support our community’s youngest learners. The building will open in August 2027 and serve students in preschool through first grade.
The current Explore building will undergo a thoughtful renovation to serve students in grades 2–8. Together, these two facilities are designed to grow alongside the community, supporting students from their very first steps in school through their middle years.
Explore Primary - Monday, Oct. 9, 2025
Students from Preschool on Poze had a special opportunity to leave their mark on a banner that will be raised alongside the highest structural beam of the new Explore Primary during this afternoon’s Topping Out ceremony.
A Topping Out ceremony is a long‑standing construction tradition that celebrates placing the final and tallest beam in a structure. It marks a major milestone in the project and symbolizes the progress and teamwork that make the new building possible. Everyone is welcome to attend!
Explore Primary opening August 2027
The new Explore Primary School building was made possible through the community-supported mill levy passed in 2022. JHL Constructors and Hord Coplan Macht, the same teams behind the design and construction of Explore PK–8, are once again partnering with Mapleton Public Schools to bring this vision to life. The result is a 45,000-square-foot facility thoughtfully designed to support our community’s youngest learners.
Explore Primary - Monday, Oct. 9, 2025
Yesterday, Mapleton families and staff gathered to celebrate an exciting milestone — the groundbreaking for Explore Primary, the second of Mapleton’s “Final Four” school rebuilds made possible by our community’s support of the 2022 mill levy.
Explore Primary will welcome preschool through first-grade students in one of Mapleton’s fastest-growing neighborhoods, expanding the Explore campus and creating new opportunities for our youngest learners. The existing Explore building will be remodeled to serve grades 3–8, ensuring that every student can continue to grow and thrive within the Explore community.
Every detail of the new Explore Primary will honor the rich farming and ranching heritage of the land it stands on — a tribute to the area’s deep roots and bright future.
A heartfelt thank-you to Hord Coplan Macht, JHL Constructors, and Accenture for your partnership, creativity, and collaboration — and to the entire Mapleton community for investing in our schools, our students, and our future.
Explore Primary - Monday, May 5, 2025
Interior colors and design plans for the new Explore Primary (PK–1) building were the focus of an exciting recent meeting between Mapleton, JHL Constructors, and HCM Architects.
Explore Primary will feature a warm, welcoming environment with a Scandinavian-inspired design, including pastel colors, lighter wood tones, muted carpets, and polished concrete floors. In a nod to the site's rich farmland history, playful barnyard animal elements will be featured throughout the building.
Designed with our youngest learners in mind, the building will also include dedicated spaces for a library, music and gym classes, and a café. Explore Primary is the second project in Mapleton’s “Final Four” capital improvement program, approved by voters in 2022. York International School and Achieve Academy are next on the list—stay tuned for more updates as construction moves forward!
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Preschool on Poze, originally Clayton Intermediate School, is home to a thriving early learning setting. Unfortunately, as one of Mapleton’s oldest buildings – constructed in 1960 and designed for 5th and 6th graders – the structure leaves much to be desired for the district’s youngest learners. Using funds from the 2016 bond, the building received a very modest renovation two years ago. Mapleton’s long-term facilities plan includes opening a new early learning center in the district, potentially near the new Explore PreK-8 on 104th Avenue and York Street.
Since opening, Explore PreK-8 has been at capacity at almost every grade level, and more families are interested in attending Explore every school year. The design and construction teams that helped establish the vision of the Explore PreK-8 site, Hord Coplan Macht and JHL, have put together a design that changes the current Explore building into a 3rd-8th grade school, expanding enrollment opportunities for those grade levels. Next to Explore, Mapleton is considering building a PreK-2 school, offering expanded access to early learning and creating a “campus-like” environment for families.