June 4, 2004
District Uses "Every Penny" Of New $6.5 Million To Boost Elementary Arts And Music
Elementary schools will expand their arts and music programs next year as part of the $20 million mill levy approved by voters in November. A portion of the new money – $6.5 million – is for boosting instruction in visual arts, vocal music, instrumental music, drama and dance.
"Every penny of the $6.5 million that the voters voted for is going to elementary arts education in Denver Public Schools," said Superintendent Jerry Wartgow. "Arts instruction for each elementary student will expand next year…Not a single school will have less arts and music instruction next year."
Wartgow addressed attendees at a Board meeting this week about recent confusion that the mill levy funding might not be spent on elementary arts and music programs as promised to voters. The confusion stemmed from schools having discretion about how to spend general fund dollars from the district – not how to spend new mill levy dollars approved by voters for arts and music programs.
District-wide budget cuts to balance the district’s 2004-2005 budget and enrollment declines at some schools translated to fewer dollars going to elementary schools from the district’s general fund – not from new mill levy funds.
In fact, the district’s budget rules clearly prohibited schools from using mill levy art positions for any other purpose. Even for general fund positions, schools had to seek a waiver from their area superintendent in order to reduce general fund arts positions.
Schools were asked to cut their budgets by three percent. Once enrollment projections for next year were calculated, schools worked with their Collaborative School Committees this spring to study their individual circumstances and how to best allocate their total dollars for next year. New mill levy dollars for arts and music, however, could be used only for those programs.
To cut their budgets, some elementary schools opted to eliminate or reorganize positions that previously had been funded through general fund dollars – positions that include art, music and computer teachers and librarians.
In addition to the three percent cuts, enrollment in some elementary schools next year will decline, which means those schools will receive even fewer dollars from the district’s general fund for art, music and computer teachers and librarians. The smaller the enrollment, the fewer the dollars a school receives from the district’s general fund.
"Part of the process was giving these decisions back to the schools to determine what’s best for each school," said Superintendent Wartgow. With respect to the new funding for arts and music, "there is no cookie cutter approach to delivering the five arts disciplines…We let the Collaborative School Committees decide what their schools needed, as long as they had a plan to deliver comprehensive arts and music programs.
"If we hadn’t done the mill levy, we would have had 43 fewer arts positions next year," said Superintendent Wartgow. "There will indeed be 77 more arts and music teachers in Denver Public Schools next year than there were this year."
Businesses Step Up To Support Schools
The Board of Education this week passed a resolution commending employees of IMA of Colorado, Inc. for their genuine compassion during three years of work with the students, families and staff of Maria Mitchell Elementary School.
Over two dozen employees have volunteered 1,000 hours as tutors, mentors, chaperones for field trips and builders of the school’s new learning landscape. Employees contributed over $2,000 in cash to support the library, after-school programs and excursions and provided holiday gifts and meals in addition to untold numbers of coats, books, toiletries, clothes, toothbrushes and soap so that children were ready to participate in school.
Inspired by Mayor John Hickenlooper’s recent promise of college scholarships for every Cole Middle School student who graduates from high school, businesses like IMA of Colorado are stepping up to help students in Denver Public Schools. Here are just a few examples:
- Hogan & Hartson L.L.P., one of the region’s largest law firms, adopted Cheltenham Elementary School, promising to donate staff time to the school by tutoring and providing administrative support, mentoring students, leading school supply drives and working in the computer lab. In addition, the law firm will provide $30,000 over three years. In its first year, the funds will go to support much-needed after-school programs.
- Alex Cranberg, businessman and founder of the ACE Scholarship program, pledged recently to pay college tuition for each of the 550 students enrolled this year at Horace Mann Middle School if they graduate from high school and enroll in college. He’ll cover the equivalent of four years of tuition at Metro State College; students can apply the gift toward any college or university.
- Jim Bye, a local attorney, adopted third-grade students from Columbine Elementary School in September and challenged them to meet their personal reading goals this year. Fifteen students accepted the challenge and recently earned their reward – $200 each.
- The second annual DPS Foundation gala dinner in May – a celebration of Denver Public Schools – raised $1,268,500 for Denver students, and donations continue to pour in from individuals who were unable to attend the event. More than 1,000 DPS employees and community members turned out for the colorful celebration of district accomplishments.
New School Named For Omar D. Blair
The Board on Thursday resoundingly approved a recommendation that the new Edison K-8 charter school in Green Valley Ranch be named the Omar D. Blair School in honor of the first African-American to serve as president of the Denver Board of Education. Blair served on the Board from 1973 to 1985; he passed away on March 25.
"This is probably the one honor or recognition in our father’s lifetime that he was looking forward to," said daughter Deborah Blair.
In April, the Board passed a resolution acknowledging Blair’s "broad and extensive record of community service, his dedication to youth, and his pioneering spirit."
"He believed in excellence and high standards not only for his own children and grandchildren, but for all the children in this district," said Deborah Blair. "We hope that the building that will be dedicated in his honor this fall will be a symbol of his dedication to excellence in education and accessible education for all."
Accolades For Middle School Student Athlete
The Board of Education this week recognized outgoing Kunsmiller Middle School eighth-grader Tonya Atencio as the IKON Student Athlete of the Year.
"Tonight, I have the privilege of presenting one of Denver’s finest students and athletes – in that order," said Jon Wolfer, manager, Athletics & Student Activities.
"Out of the over 3,000 students that kept their grades up to remain academically eligible to participate this school year, five were nominated for this award."
Completing her final year at Kunsmiller Middle School with a 3.939 grade point average, Atencio plays basketball, volleyball and softball in the Denver Nuggets/Colorado Avalanche Prep League for DPS middle school students. She also is a reading tutor at a neighboring elementary school and has been honored with a Hope Scholarship, Mile High Scholar award and a Colorado Leadership award this year.
The Denver Nuggets/Colorado Avalanche Prep League has been a success since its inception in 1997. By creating a sports league (volleyball, basketball, soccer, hockey, baseball, softball and flag football) for boys and girls in 23 DPS middle schools, more than 3,000 middle school students who maintain a C average or better in each class participate in 1,560 games in the league annually. The existence of this academic requirement helps students develop good study habits and appreciate the importance of maintaining good grades in order to have the privilege of playing organized sports.
The participating middle schools are: Baker, Cole, Gove, Grant Ranch K-8, Grant, Hamilton, Henry, Hill, Horace Mann, Kepner, Kunsmiller, Lake, Martin Luther King Jr., Merrill, Moore K-8, Morey, Noel, Place, Randolph, Rishel, Skinner, Slavens K-8 and Smiley.
The League is funded primarily by grants from the Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche Community Funds, funds of the McCormick Tribune Foundation, IKON Office Solutions, and the Denver Public Schools Foundation.
Wolfer thanked IKON president Jim Weaver at Thursday’s Board meeting for the company’s support of the league and presentation of the Student Athlete of the Year award.
New charters to apply by September 20
New charter schools that could be approved by the Board of Education in December and open a year from now for the 2005-2006 school year must submit their applications to DPS by September 20 (rather than the previous October 1 deadline).
Since all charter applications are considered at one time, the new timeline will give the Board an opportunity to choose applicants that address the greatest needs within the district.
At the option of the applicants, draft charter school applications may be submitted to district staff by August 20 for initial review.
Currently Denver Public Schools offers 12 charter schools as choices for students and families. Another five will open in fall 2004 - Northeast Academy (K-5); Highline Academy (K-6); Omar D. Blair School, a K-8 Edison school in Green Valley Ranch; Denver School of Science and Technology (9-12); and Southwest Early College (9-12).
Board Notes
In other action this week, the Board of Education approved:
- Principal appointments – Ruth Frazier, Greenwood Elementary School; Joan Rademacher, Gust Elementary School; and Anne Dalton, Schmitt Elementary School. Bradford Vickers was appointed as the director of Emily Griffith Opportunity School.
- A 1.49 percent total compensation increase for members of the Denver Association of Educational Office Professionals.
- A $735,295 construction contract for remodeling Bryant-Webster K-8 School and Contemporary Learning Academy (funded through the $310 million General Obligation Bond approved by voters in November 2003).
- A $1,992,100 construction contract for remodels and upgrades to Cheltenham, Cowell and Greenlee elementary schools; Skinner Middle School; West High School; and the Yuma Street facility (funded through the $310 million General Obligation Bond approved by voters in November 2003).
- A land transfer at George Washington High School to the City and County of Denver for use as a future treescape, sidewalk and pedestrian bridge.
- The final Construction Advisory Committee report for $3,043,789 in additions and upgrades to Gust Elementary School to serve the school’s needs as it expands from 600 to 800 students. The project (funded through the $310 million bond approved by voters in November 2003) includes eight new classrooms, additional parking and a learning landscape.
- Tuition rates of $1,288 for full-time students and $644 for half-time students who reside outside of district boundaries or out of state and who enroll in DPS after October 1. Rates for non-immigrant foreign students will be $3,264 per semester. Special education services provided by DPS to students of other school districts also were set and will be billed to other school districts depending on the services provided and in whose October count the student is included.
- The awards of invitation to bid to Clark Security and Colorado Doorways, Inc. for door hardware; Boise Office Solutions, Northern Colorado Paper, Pyramid School Products and Standard Stationery Supply Company for paper; Columbine Paper and Maintenance Supply, L & N Supply Company, Northern Colorado Paper, Unisource, Universal Packaging Corporation and Waxie Sanitary Supply for paper products; and Andrews Foodservice, Donsons Distributing, Front Range Distributing, KidSmart Foodservice, Opportunity Sales, Poppy Street Foods, Stillman Wholesale, Tools for Schools and US Foodservice for frozen and refrigerated products.