Cimarron Elementary began operation on October 1, 1979.  It was Elementary No. 23 for the Cherry Creek School District, which now has 40 elementary schools.  The one square mile area was removed from the Mission Viejo attendance area.  It was bordered by Buckley Road on the west, Hampden Avenue on the north, Tower Road on the east, and Quincy Avenue on the south.

Students, staff members, and parents were involved in the selection of the name for Elementary No. 23.  A letter was sent to each family in the community asking for name suggestions.  The suggestions were narrowed down to six names, which were presented to the parent community for a vote.  The top three names of Tumbleweed, Cimarron and Summer Valley Elementary were then submitted to the Board of Education who made the final selection of Cimarron.

Because of the rapid growth in the area, Cimarron was placed on a year-round, four-track calendar.  It was the school district’s fourth elementary school to utilize that calendar.  Students began the school year in July of 1979 at Arrowhead Elementary and then transferred to the new building in the beginning of October.

Cimarron remained on the year-round calendar for approximately 10 years.  With expansion of the building and the addition of other elementary schools to the area, Cimarron was able to change to a traditional school year calendar.  Enrollment peaked with a high of approximately 850 students. Cimarron's student population is currently 500 students.