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Dunn Elementary School

Fort Collins, CO 80521

Phone: (970) 488-4825
Fax: (970) 488-4827
District: Poudre R-1 School District

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public • Grades KG,1,2,3,4,5 • 392 students

Dunn Elementary School, a public school located in Fort Collins, CO, serves grades K-5 in the Poudre R-1 School District.It has received a GreatSchools Rating of 8 out of 10, based on a variety of school quality measures.

Dunn Elementary School is a public school located in Fort Collins, CO. 392 students attend Dunn Elementary School.

School Ratings

Category	Rating	Details
Test Scores	9/10	The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) data from Colorado Department of Education.
Student Growth	6/10	The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2025 Student Growth - CO CMAS - Cohort-referenced data from Colorado Department of Education, and using 2025 Student Growth - CO PSAT/SAT - Cohort-referenced data from Colorado Department of Education.

Posted: March 5, 2026

I love Dunn Elementary. I have a very fond sentiment of the school dating back to my college days when I was a volunteer there and fell in love with the IB Program. Now that my daughter is old enough for school, it was no question that we were going to choice her into Dunn. The school community is warm and welcoming, the teachers I have interacted with are fantastic, and the principal makes extraordinary efforts to garner community feedback and be accessible. I love that my daughter has classmates that are culturally, linguistically, racially, and neuro- diverse, and yet they still form a kind community of learners. I think you'd be hard-pressed to find that anywhere else in PSD.

Posted: March 5, 2026

Posted: November 10, 2025

WE LOVE DUNN. My daughter is in 3rd grade, and I'm already finding myself feeling nostalgic about her elementary days. Nearly every day when I pick her up and ask her how her day was, her answer is an enthusiastic "great!" and it does my heart good.

I knew about Dunn's great reputation when my husband and I were kids in PSD, and it was our sincere hope that our daughter would get in. The multicultural diversity, the goal of fostering globally-minded and well-rounded humans, and the wealth of built-in after-school enrichment opportunities have been huge for us.

We love the community; globally-minded, thoughtful, and engaged. We love Mrs. Himlie and her enthusiasm, her level of engagement, and the culture of respect that she promotes by example. We love the easy access from our house -- the parade of students walking and biking to school each morning and the feeling that it's a neighborhood school, even though so many of us choice in. I'm incredibly grateful for Dunn.

Posted: November 10, 2025

Posted: January 23, 2025

I cannot say enough good things about our time at Dunn Elementary. The staff is INCREDIBLE, the learning environment is very supportive and there is a lot of diversity thanks to the proximity to the university. Both of my kids have gone through their elementary years at Dunn and I feel they are very prepared for their future and on going education. 10/10 recommend this school.

Posted: January 23, 2025

Posted: January 21, 2025

We started at a neighborhood school that was quite far from Dunn, and we kept hearing amazing things about the school from friends. We moved our son in 2nd grade and have now sent three children to this school. As a teacher, I am very particular about my children's education, and this is genuinely the best elementary school I have experienced. I was seeking a school that fosters an excitement for learning, has a lot of diversity (racial, economic, ability, etc.) that reflects the real world, and that differentiates to challenge all of the learners in the classroom. Dunn does all of these things. The principal and vice principal are so passionate about their jobs and know all of the children by name. The teachers treat my children as if they were their own. There's an overarching school emphasis of "belonging," and every child is treated as if they were special and important. They have over a dozen after-school activities and offer so many opportunities to get kids excited about learning. Further, there are many evening events like the international film festival, unity night, the school carnival, etc. This school is incredibly special, and the families are such a tight-knit community.

Posted: January 2, 2025

I am a parent of two kids who have attended Dunn - kindergarten through 5th grade. I cannot speak more highly about the teachers, administrators, and support services here. I have trusted this school implicitly with my kids emotional and physical safety throughout the years, including during the COVID shutdown. It is an incredibly supportive and caring community, of which I feel so lucky to have been a part of.

Posted: January 2, 2025

Dunn Elementary is an absolutely wonderful school. Both my kids attended K-5 there and our family cant say enough positive things-we are so lucky we got in as its a highly sought after school. We loved the IB curriculum-its one of the things that makes Dunn so special. They dont just teach about IB, they live it. Dunns location in Fort Collins sets it up for all sorts of one-of-a-kind experiences: 27 languages are spoken in the homes of Dunn families making it a truly international and culturally rich experience. My daughters best friend is from Sweden and my sons best friend is from India! Being next to Colorado State University creates unique opportunities for field trips and hands on exploration. Dunn has some of the most seasoned teachers meaning people come to work at Dunn and they dont want to leave the Dunn family. Dunns principal truly loves her job and thats evident through the small details and personal attention she gives every student and family-not a day goes by where you dont see her outside greeting families before and after school or inviting families into the building to recognize individual students achieving IB traits and celebrating the variety of worldwide cultures at Dunn. We are so grateful our kids were Dunn Dolphins in their foundation formative elementary years.

Posted: January 2, 2025

Posted: March 25, 2024

I grew up in Fort Collins and have many positive things to say about the Poudre School District as a whole. However, even as an elementary-age kid I was aware of Dunn's excellent reputation. Nearly 30 years later, my husband and I returned to Fort Collins to start a family and were thrilled when our daughter's school of choice application was accepted. She became a proud Dunn Dolphin and we have been thrilled with the school and its community.

For a city (and a region) with very little diversity, it's notable that nearly a quarter of the student body is non-White and 50+ students were born outside the US. Thanks to its proximity to CSU, the children of international professors have a great outlet in Dunn. This shared home also engenders a community of inclusivity, rather than the isolation of being "token" representatives of their home countries. Dunn strives to be equitable, diverse, and inclusive, and the entire student body benefits from this multicultural mix.

For generations, Dunn has maintained the stellar reputation I picked up on as a child. It continues to be a thriving school with full enrollment, a multicultural student population, dedicated leadership, an abundance of extracurricular opportunities, and a uniquely inclusive support system for autistic and international students. The number of students who actively choice-in to Dunn is three times the average rate for PSD. I can say from personal experience that the school's excellent reputation is deserved. Dunn is beloved by students and parents alike, and with good reason.

On a personal note, I love seeing the "bike parade" of kids and parents flocking to Dunn every morning from the surrounding neighborhoods. I cried on the last day of Kindergarten because my daughter's first year -- and her incredibly passionate teacher -- had been so impactful. I also feel incredibly lucky that my daughter has Japanese Club, Fleet Feet running club, Wild Roots art enrichment (and nearly a dozen other after-school opportunities) right at her fingertips. This is a great age to try everything -- and to be exposed to diverse ways of thinking. Overall, Dunn provides an environment in which kids can feel supported, challenge themselves, and thrive.

We love Dunn and we aren't alone.

Posted: March 25, 2024

Posted: August 23, 2017

We are starting 3rd grade at Dunn and have been completely impressed with their balanced approach to teaching. The teachers here have instilled a love of learning in our child and continue to nurture her curiosity and unique attributes.

Posted: August 23, 2017

Posted: August 8, 2017

Great school for my son to attend!

Posted: March 24, 2016

Dunn is a great school with very special teachers that go above and beyond for their students

Posted: August 3, 2014

Lots of ethnic diversity, considering FoCo is 93% Caucasian. The Principal is attentive, responsive, and cares very much for the students. We've only had experience with one teacher so far, and we've had a good results. Tons of parental involvement, which is a great thing.

Posted: July 11, 2010

To say Dunn has very little ethnic and socioeconomic diversity is clearly a misrepresentation by an a parent who is angry about the closing of Moore. Dunn has students from close to forty different countries and while there are some very affluent students, there is greater socioeconomic diversity than in most of the elementary schools in Fort Collins. Dunn is certainly not without its flaws, but overall, it is an outstanding environment for children to learn and grow.

Posted: May 26, 2010

Dunn is a great school for children who fit in, but doesn't cultivate an environment that celebrates difference (diversity, yes, but not difference).

Posted: September 14, 2007

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Dunn Elementary School

Fort Collins, CO 80521

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