Leaders of Riverstone Academy, promoted by supporters as “Colorado’s first public Christian school,” agreed Friday to close the school’s Pueblo County building “effective immediately” after local officials warned that the facility posed significant health and safety risks.
The abrupt decision affects roughly 30 students in kindergarten through fifth grade and follows a letter from county authorities threatening to disconnect the building’s utilities. Officials cited unresolved violations, including the absence of required fire alarms and other life-safety systems.
Quin Friberg, a local pastor who serves as Riverstone’s executive director, responded the same day, confirming that students would no longer use the building while administrators work to satisfy county requirements.
It remains uncertain whether the closure signals the end of the controversial school or simply a temporary relocation. The setback adds to months of scrutiny surrounding Riverstone, which drew statewide attention after an organizer publicly described it as a Christian school during an October meeting.
Riverstone opened quietly last summer in leased industrial space near concrete and marijuana businesses. Founders did not disclose the school’s religious affiliation in early start-up paperwork, and emails obtained by reporters indicate the project was intended to create a test case over whether public funds can support religious education. A similar Oklahoma dispute reached the U.S. Supreme Court last year but ended in a deadlock.
Although Riverstone has been receiving public funding, state education officials have warned that money could be reclaimed if an audit determines the school is ineligible. The Colorado Department of Education confirmed Friday that both the school’s authorizer — the Education reEnvisioned Board of Cooperative Educational Services (ER BOCES) — and its fiscal agent, School District 49, will undergo audits this year.
In a letter to county building officials, Friberg wrote, “Effective immediately, Riverstone Academy will not operate the building for use as a school while the administrative process continues. Students will not be present in the building for instructional purposes during this interim period.”
He added that Forging Education, the nonprofit that operates Riverstone and which he also leads, intends to appeal the closure order. Attorneys submitted that appeal on Saturday.
The building’s shutdown follows a prolonged dispute between school leaders and Pueblo County regulators over zoning, permits, and fire codes. Documents and interviews show Riverstone administrators failed to follow routine procedures for inspections and approvals, prompting the fire marshal to require checks at the facility every 30 minutes after the school became public in October.
A court hearing on Jan. 28 did not immediately force the school to vacate, but Judge Amiel Markenson allowed the county to pursue enforcement actions, including cutting utilities. County spokesperson Anthony Mestas said afterward, “The Court did not order them to cease occupancy of the building but did not bar any enforcement action by the County including utility disconnection.”
Two days later, officials issued a “Notice of imminent enforcement action,” warning they would disconnect power and water to “abate unsafe and unlawful occupancy.” The notice stressed that the building was never approved for educational use and lacked essential fire protections.
“Occupying a building not approved or inspected for Education use places children at heightened and immediate risk in the event of fire, emergency, or evacuation,” the notice said.
Mestas confirmed that utilities were not shut off Monday only because Riverstone agreed to close the building voluntarily.
As of Monday, school leaders had not explained how or where instruction would continue. Friberg did not respond to questions about alternative learning arrangements, and a staff member who answered the school phone declined to speak with reporters. The property owner, Jenna Wolfe, also could not be reached.
Friberg’s letter stated the building would be used solely for administrative, maintenance, and construction activities during the interim.
The uncertainty leaves families in limbo and intensifies debate over whether Riverstone can lawfully operate as a publicly funded religious school — a question likely to be decided through audits and potential court battles in the months ahead.
The Riverstone episode has become a flashpoint in national discussions about church-state separation and school choice. Legal experts say the case could shape how Colorado and other states interpret recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that expanded public aid to religious institutions.
For now, the immediate issue is student safety and compliance with local building codes — a hurdle the fledgling school has yet to clear.
Originally reported by Ann Schimke in Chalk Beat.
.webp)
