Is Rocky Mountain Elementary School a good school?

Rocky Mountain Elementary School ranks in the bottom 6.3% of Colorado elementary schools.

How many students attend Rocky Mountain Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 416 students attended Rocky Mountain Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Rocky Mountain Elementary School?

Students at Rocky Mountain Elementary School are 56% White, 39% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Rocky Mountain Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Rocky Mountain Elementary School usually go on to attend: Middle : Mount Garfield Middle School High : Palisade High School

Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Summary:

Rocky Mountain Elementary School is a public elementary school in Clifton, Colorado, serving grades PK-5 with 469 students. The school is part of the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51, which is ranked 52 out of 116 school districts in Colorado and has a 3-star rating.

Despite being part of a moderately-ranked district, Rocky Mountain Elementary consistently ranks in the bottom 10-15% of Colorado elementary schools, with a 0-star rating in recent years. The school's proficiency rates in CMAS tests are significantly lower than the district and state averages across all grades and subjects, particularly in 5th grade science where only 12% of students are proficient or better, compared to the district's 34.3% and the state's 37.9%. The school also has a higher percentage of Hispanic students (39.02%) and students from low socioeconomic backgrounds (74.84% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch) compared to the district and state.

Nearby schools like Mesa View Elementary, Nisley Elementary, and Chatfield Elementary generally perform better than Rocky Mountain Elementary on academic measures, with higher proficiency rates and higher statewide rankings. These schools also have lower percentages of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, suggesting that the high percentage of such students at Rocky Mountain Elementary may be a contributing factor to the school's lower academic performance.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

3260 D1/2 Road
Clifton, CO 81520-8820

(970) 254-4900

District: Mesa County Valley School District No. 51

SchoolDigger Rank:
884^th of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,008

Students who attend Rocky Mountain Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Mount Garfield Middle School
High:	Palisade High School

Student/teacher ratio: 13.2

Number of students: 416

Racial breakdown:

White:

56.0%

Hispanic:

38.7%

Two or more races:

4.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 85.6%

See top rated Colorado elementary schools

Compare Rocky Mountain Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Rocky Mountain Elementary School ranks worse than 93.7% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks 26^th among 27 ranked elementary schools in the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 10.01. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (56%), Hispanic (38.7%), two or more races (4.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 85.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the highest percentage in the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Rocky Mountain Elementary School is 13.2, which is the 3^rd best among 27 elementary schools in the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51. (See more...)

Compare Rocky Mountain Elementary School employs 31.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Rocky Mountain Elementary School is $14,008. 18 elementary schools in the Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Rocky Mountain Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Rocky Mountain Elementary School 884^th of 943 Colorado public elementary schools. (See Rocky Mountain Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

White students:

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51:

SchoolDigger ranks Mesa County Valley School District No. 51 52^nd of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Rocky Mountain Elementary School.

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Rank History for Rocky Mountain Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2004	14.23	707^th	808	12.5%
2005	20.37	680^th	823	17.4%
2006	20.34	682^nd	829	17.7%
2007	9.01	788^th	852	7.5%
2008	9.20	779^th	849	8.2%
2009	6.98	822^nd	872	5.7%
2010	6.62	874^th	925	5.5%
2011	7.78	872^nd	935	6.7%
2012	12.65	824^th	935	11.9%
2013	15.65	819^th	954	14.2%
2014	17.93	805^th	962	16.3%
2015	16.73	799^th	938	14.8%
2016	14.97	796^th	914	12.9%
2017	14.54	809^th	929	12.9%
2018	13.37	830^th	917	9.5%
2019	14.46	848^th	965	12.1%
2021	12.27	666^th	710	6.2%
2022	12.39	842^nd	921	8.6%
2023	12.39	849^th	933	9.0%
2024	10.01	884^th	943	6.3%

See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	24.11	230^th	265	13.2%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2022	7.04	585^th	595	1.7%
2023	7.56	627^th	642	2.3%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2019	18.20	633^rd	764	17.1%
2022	16.19	506^th	594	14.8%
2023	9.61	619^th	649	4.6%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CO State Percentile
2019	5.99	589^th	596	1.2%
2023	3.44	522^nd	525	0.6%
2024	1.47	539^th	539	0.0%

See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Colorado Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a teacher
Tuesday, May 10, 2011

The teachers are incredibly motivated and full of energy. Great things are happening at Rocky Mountain! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Rocky Mountain Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
1999	372	6	8	94	4	n/a	n/a	484
2000	407	11	6	110	12	n/a	n/a	546
2001	389	6	6	105	11	n/a	n/a	517
2002	311	4	5	104	1	n/a	n/a	425
2003	311	4	5	104	1	n/a	n/a	425
2004	320	5	4	119	12	n/a	n/a	460
2005	295	8	1	121	15	n/a	n/a	440
2006	294	9	0	142	16	n/a	n/a	461
2007	324	13	3	173	11	n/a	n/a	524
2008	345	8	4	192	21	n/a	n/a	570
2009	333	9	4	215	18	n/a	n/a	579
2010	328	14	2	228	21	n/a	n/a	593
2011	282	7	4	247	12	2	19	573
2012	286	5	3	212	8	0	20	534
2013	289	4	2	209	6	0	21	531
2014	302	1	1	217	6	1	19	547
2015	277	0	0	202	4	1	12	496
2016	273	0	1	222	2	1	19	518
2017	269	3	2	216	3	0	18	511
2018	244	0	2	209	6	0	9	470
2019	241	1	0	191	5	0	13	451
2020	261	5	0	188	6	0	14	474
2021	246	0	1	187	0	0	12	446
2022	243	2	0	183	2	0	13	443
2023	262	1	0	183	2	0	21	469
2024	233	2	0	161	2	0	18	416

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	484	28.3	17.1	51.7
2000	546	35.4	15.4	65
2001	517	31.5	16.4	64.4
2002	425	34.0	12.5	69.6
2003	425	34.0	12.5	69.6
2004	460	33.3	13.8	73.3
2005	440	33.7	13.1	76.1
2006	461	35.4	13.0	69.8
2007	524	35.6	14.7	65.6
2008	570	37.3	15.3	75.1
2009	579	36.9	15.7	73.7
2010	593	37.3	15.8	80.9
2011	573	45.0	12.7	76.4
2012	534	38.5	13.8	80
2013	531	37.2	14.2	80.8
2014	547	35.6	15.3	82.8
2015	496	35.0	14.1	69.4
2016	518	34.0	15.2	88.4
2017	511	31.7	16.0	83.4
2018	470	31.0	15.1	81.7
2019	451	31.4	14.3	82.5
2020	474	29.7	15.9	76.4
2021	446	28.8	15.4	84.3
2022	443	28.8	15.3	77.7
2023	469	30.6	15.2	74.8
2024	416	31.5	13.2	85.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	484	28.3	17.1	51.7
2000	546	35.4	15.4	65
2001	517	31.5	16.4	64.4
2002	425	34.0	12.5	69.6
2003	425	34.0	12.5	69.6
2004	460	33.3	13.8	73.3
2005	440	33.7	13.1	76.1
2006	461	35.4	13.0	69.8
2007	524	35.6	14.7	65.6
2008	570	37.3	15.3	75.1
2009	579	36.9	15.7	73.7
2010	593	37.3	15.8	80.9
2011	573	45.0	12.7	76.4
2012	534	38.5	13.8	80
2013	531	37.2	14.2	80.8
2014	547	35.6	15.3	82.8
2015	496	35.0	14.1	69.4
2016	518	34.0	15.2	88.4
2017	511	31.7	16.0	83.4
2018	470	31.0	15.1	81.7
2019	451	31.4	14.3	82.5
2020	474	29.7	15.9	76.4
2021	446	28.8	15.4	84.3
2022	443	28.8	15.3	77.7
2023	469	30.6	15.2	74.8
2024	416	31.5	13.2	85.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Year	Total Expenditures Per Pupil
2019	$12,207
2020	$13,776
2021	$12,968
2022	$13,314
2023	$14,008

Data source: Colorado Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Rocky Mountain Elementary School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 848^th of 965 Elementary schools	Ranks 849^th of 933 Elementary schools	3.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Rocky Mountain Elementary School)	21.2	18.3	2.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	32.9	37.4	4.5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	41.3	39.9	1.4%
3rd Grade Math (Rocky Mountain Elementary School)	12.1	19.7	7.6%
3rd Grade Math (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	31.8	38.3	6.5%
3rd Grade Math (Colorado)	41	40.4	0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Rocky Mountain Elementary School)	33.8	25	8.8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	42	39.6	2.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48	43.8	4.2%
4th Grade Math (Rocky Mountain Elementary School)	10.4	11.3	0.9%
4th Grade Math (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	22.9	28.4	5.5%
4th Grade Math (Colorado)	33.6	32.7	0.9%
5th Grade Science (Rocky Mountain Elementary School)	13.6	12.7	0.9%
5th Grade Science (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	28	32.1	4.1%
5th Grade Science (Colorado)	35.9	33.9	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Rocky Mountain Elementary School)	30.3	22.2	8.1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	41.1	46.7	5.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)	48.4	47.8	0.6%
5th Grade Math (Rocky Mountain Elementary School)	18.2	11.1	7.1%
5th Grade Math (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	23.5	36.4	12.9%
5th Grade Math (Colorado)	35.7	36.5	0.8%
All Grades English Language Arts (Rocky Mountain Elementary School)	28.7	22.2	6.5%
All Grades English Language Arts (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	36	39.2	3.2%
All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)	45.8	43.7	2.1%
All Grades Math (Rocky Mountain Elementary School)	13.4	13.7	0.3%
All Grades Math (Mesa County Valley School District No. 51)	24.4	29.1	4.7%
All Grades Math (Colorado)	34.7	32.9	1.8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	451	469	4%
African American	1	1
American Indian	5	2	60%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	191	183	4.2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	241	262	8.7%
Two or More Races	13	21	61.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	82.5%	74.8%	7.6%

Schools Near Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				CMAS English Language Arts (2024)							CMAS Math (2024)						CMAS Science (2024)		Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	CMAS English Language Arts 3rd Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 4th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 5th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 6th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 7th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts 8th Grade	CMAS English Language Arts All Grades	CMAS Math 3rd Grade	CMAS Math 4th Grade	CMAS Math 5th Grade	CMAS Math 7th Grade	CMAS Math 8th Grade	CMAS Math All Grades	CMAS Science 5th Grade	CMAS Science 8th Grade	Total
Rocky Mountain Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3260 D1/2 Road	Clifton	81520	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-4900	416	32	13.2	85.6%	233 (56.0%)	2 (0.5%)	161 (38.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (4.3%)	10	884^th of 943 public elementary schools	6.3%		12.4	849^th of 933 public elementary schools	9.0%	35	15.6	22.6	16.0				17.7	16.7	10.7	13.5			13.8	12.0		$14,008
Chatfield Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3188 D1/2 Road	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-4930	372	22	16.6	69.4%	246 (66.1%)	3 (0.8%)	104 (28.0%)	2 (0.5%)	6 (1.6%)	1 (0.3%)	10 (2.7%)	45.7	482^nd of 943 public elementary schools	48.9%		54.3	397^th of 933 public elementary schools	57.4%	85	50.0	45.1	31.7				43.2	55.6	32.0	24.4			38.6	17.5		$14,026
Clifton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3276 F Road	Clifton	81520	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-4760	375	22	17.1	84.3%	232 (61.9%)	3 (0.8%)	131 (34.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	6 (1.6%)	9.3	897^th of 943 public elementary schools	4.9%		8.4	902^nd of 933 public elementary schools	3.3%	5	15.8	13.3	12.8				14.0	10.2	14.8	17.0			13.8	12.8		$15,227
Ascent Classical Academy of Grand Junction	Public, Charter	K-8	545 31 Road	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	State Charter School Institute	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(720) 541-9809	285	19	14.8		213 (74.7%)	1 (0.4%)	51 (17.9%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.0%)	27.4	646^th of 943 public elementary schools	31.5%					(n/a)	33.3	20.8	29.2	43.5	30.8	57.1	35.2	34.8		20.0	23.1	35.0	22.0	25.0	42.9
Pear Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	432 30 1/4 Road	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-5960	437	31	14.3	76.4%	279 (63.8%)	0 (0.0%)	145 (33.2%)	5 (1.1%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.9%)	22.9	698^th of 943 public elementary schools	26.0%		16.6	779^th of 933 public elementary schools	16.5%	81	23.9	24.3	37.5				28.0	32.4	20.0	21.4			24.7	21.8		$14,572
Thunder Mountain Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3063 F1/2 Road	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-5870	441	29	15.4	60.3%	287 (65.1%)	4 (0.9%)	124 (28.1%)	8 (1.8%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.7%)	14 (3.2%)	18	768^th of 943 public elementary schools	18.6%		19.6	739^th of 933 public elementary schools	20.8%	29	18.5	21.2	34.5				24.3	22.7	16.7	19.0			19.5	24.6		$13,865
Fruitvale Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	585 30 Road	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-5930	376	30	12.5	73.1%	240 (63.8%)	1 (0.3%)	120 (31.9%)	5 (1.3%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	7 (1.9%)	24.7	679^th of 943 public elementary schools	28.0%		18.1	762^nd of 933 public elementary schools	18.3%	83	30.2	23.4	31.3				28.7	26.9	33.3	23.4			27.4	20.6		$14,805
Career Center Preschool	Public	PK	2935 North Avenue	Grand Junction	81504	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	No	(970) 254-5100	31	0	93.9		17 (54.8%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (38.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.2%)	1 (3.2%)								(n/a)																$30,279
Mesa View Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2967 B Road	Grand Junction	81503	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-7970	364	22	16.3	56.6%	271 (74.5%)	2 (0.5%)	71 (19.5%)	6 (1.6%)	4 (1.1%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (2.5%)	56.2	396^th of 943 public elementary schools	58.0%		54.6	393^rd of 933 public elementary schools	57.9%	3	42.1	44.9	52.0				46.2	49.1	34.7	46.0			43.6	38.8		$14,640
Nisley Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	543 28-3/4 Road	Grand Junction	81501	Mesa County	Mesa County Valley School District No. 51	No	No	No	Yes	(970) 254-5900	350	23	14.9	84.6%	185 (52.9%)	5 (1.4%)	128 (36.6%)	2 (0.6%)	9 (2.6%)	1 (0.3%)	20 (5.7%)	10.1	879^th of 943 public elementary schools	6.8%		14	828^th of 933 public elementary schools	11.3%	51	16.7	20.0	26.3				21.0			10.0			10.7	8.3		$15,295

Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Rocky Mountain Elementary School:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Mesa County Valley School District No. 51:

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Rank History for all students at Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Rank History for Female students at Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Rank History for Male students at Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Rank History for White students at Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Student/Teacher Ratio Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Impact of COVID-19 on Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Rocky Mountain Elementary School

Frequently Asked Questions about Rocky Mountain Elementary School

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