Although I no longer live in Boulder County, I grew up here, and attended Flatirons Elementary from 1992-1998. Flatirons was a formative part of my childhood. The school supported my academic and creative interests and skills, and helped me feel like part of a safe and supportive community of peers and teachers. When I was in 3rd grade and we moved to a different part of Boulder, I attended Foothills for a short time and struggled immensely. Flatirons's small size is one of its greatest strengths, and I soon returned to Flatirons (thanks to open enrollment) where I continued to thrive thanks to its smaller teacher-to-student ratio and joyful, inclusive school ethos. Closing Flatirons would be a terrible loss to the Boulder community.