October 8, 2004
Bonds Refunded, $7.3 Million Saved
Chief Financial Officer Velma Rose this week reported the successful refunding of $84.3 million of outstanding bonds, originally issued in January 1999.
Combined with the refunding in May of $44.5 million in outstanding bonds, originally authorized by voters in 1990, the combined savings to the district’s Bond Redemption Fund – and to taxpayers – is $7.3 million.
The district’s current bond ratings are Aa3 from Moody’s and A+ from Standard & Poor’s. "The ratings we have received are considered excellent for an urban school district," said Rose.
2004-2005 Budget Amended
As required by state law, the Board of Education this week approved an amended $571.4 million general fund budget, including the 1998 and 2003 mill levy funds.
A total of $6.1 million in adjustments were made between the budget adopted in June and the new version, due primarily to $6.1 million of unexpended balances from the prior year that were added to current year school and program budgets. Chief Financial Officer Velma Rose said this increase would have been greater if not for a $1.4 million reduction in anticipated motor vehicle tax revenues, due to current revenue trends.
Among many changes that netted to zero, other expense adjustments dealt with more unemployment claims than expected ($635,000) and tuition not covered by per pupil operating funds for students placed in non-district facilities ($657,000).
Early Education Task Force Takes Shape
To more clearly define the district’s role in pre-kindergarten education, the Board of Education this week considered a resolution to create a Task Force on Early Education and School Readiness.
"If we’re going to make progress as a district in closing the achievement gap, one of the greatest things we can do is make sure we don’t have such a wide gap when kids enter kindergarten," said Board member Bruce Hoyt. "We are excited to create a DPS task force on early education and school readiness"
The resolution cites the district’s history of partnering with the City of Denver to provide early childhood education and seeks to further define a vision for preparing children to enter kindergarten.
"The city has taken major steps forward in recognizing the importance of early education," said Cheryl Caldwell, DPS director of Early Education.
The citizens of Denver already have demonstrated their support for early education, designating $3.5 million to expand full-day kindergarten and preschool programs.
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper has established the Mayor’s Leadership Team on Early Childhood Education and the Early Childhood Education Commission to identify priorities and resources for early education for the city as a whole.
National and district research has demonstrated that children who have quality pre-kindergarten education and care have greater later school success, fewer grade retentions, fewer referrals to special education and are less likely to drop out of school.
The DPS task force would recommend to the Board by June 2005 effective policies and partnerships to guide efforts to establish quality experiences for children from birth to age four.
2004-2005 Priorities Discussed
District staff will focus on six priorities during the 2004-2005 school year, under a motion considered by the Board of Education on Thursday and set to be agreed upon later this month. They are:
- Recruit, support, and retain high quality teachers, administrators, and other district employees for all levels at DPS.
- Continue implementation of Denver’s Literacy and Mathematics Programs and begin to establish consistency in curricula across the district in other subject areas and grade levels.
- Develop a plan to expand choice and begin implementation with the goals of increasing achievement and satisfaction and growing district enrollment.
- Develop a plan to reform and restructure secondary schools to improve student achievement, closing the gap, and increase the graduation rate.
- Improve the performance and image of the district through a responsive, customer-oriented, user friendly organizational culture.
- Provide a safe and secure learning environment for all students and staff.
Public Comment Changes Approved
The Board of Education this week approved changes to its public comment sessions that are held on the first Thursday of each month.
"We encourage citizen involvement and participation in issues related to schools," said Board member Bruce Hoyt.
The Board agreed in August to consider changes in conducting its public hearings and since then has taken into account feedback on proposed changes.
The new policy sets the monthly public comment start time for 6 p.m. on the first Board meeting of each month. Speakers must sign up through the Board office by 5 p.m. the day before the meeting (rather than the day of) by calling 720-423-3210.
Each speaker still will have three minutes to speak, but groups of four or more people speaking on the same topic will have 10 minutes collectively rather than 15 minutes. Also new is the Board’s capacity to prioritize speakers based on issues directly related to student achievement, budget policy or matters currently under consideration by the Board. The policy also gives the Board the right to limit the total time of each public comment session to 90 minutes if necessary.
Tobacco Tax Initiative Supported
A resolution approved by the Board of Education supports the passage of state Ballot Question 35, which would increase taxes on the sale of cigarettes throughout Colorado.
The resolution cited a series of facts about premature death for people who smoke, the number of teens in Colorado (10,000) who become regular smokers every year, and the number of Coloradoans (700,000) who lack access to basic health care.
"The facts in (the resolution) are alarming and, quite frankly, scary for the students in Denver Public Schools," said Board member Michelle Moss, who introduced the resolution and encouraged a "yes" vote at the ballot on Nov. 2.
The ballot question, if approved, would raise the tax by $.64 per pack of cigarettes.
New DPS Phone Numbers
DPS telephone and fax numbers will begin changing after hours on Friday, Oct. 8 starting with the Administration Building, Department of Technology Services and CEC Middle College of Denver.
The conversions are the first in a series of changes through most of 2005 during which school and department telephone and fax numbers will change.
The changes will bring DPS into compliance with legislative requirements that all telephones have individual 10-digit numbers so they can be tracked by 911 operators. The $310 million bond approved by voters in November 2003 included $251,000 to upgrade the more than 20,000 individual telephone lines that are part of the district’s 12-year-old system.
All school telephone and fax numbers will be online from this link as they are updated:
http://www.dpsk12.org/schoollist.
For central administration phone numbers, contact the main switchboard at 720-423-3200 (effective Oct. 11).
New Recruiting and Diversity Coordinator
As of this week, DPS has a new Recruitment and Diversity Coordinator – Lissette Estepa. Her essential duty is to improve and lead efforts to recruit and retain high-quality teachers and administrators.
Prior to her new position, Lissette was a human resources generalist for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit serving Colorado and five other states. Lissette also has served as a bilingual (ELA-S) teacher in DPS and St. Paul, Minnesota, and has worked in the corporate world for McKesson Information Solutions in Louisville, Colorado.
Lissette earned her undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras and her teaching credentials at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. She has a master’s degree in Human Resources from Colorado State University.
Donna Wittrock, Who "Dreams Big," Retires
The Board of Education and Superintendent Jerry Wartgow lauded the exemplary career of Donna Wittrock, who retired this month after 28 years in the Food Services department, including 13 years as Executive Director.
Donna started in the department as an hourly worker and worked her way to the top spot. "She is the American dream come true," said Board member Elaine Gantz Berman.
Barbara Belmont, Executive Director of the School Nutrition Association, attended the meeting to praise Donna for her year-long term as President of the national group.
"She dreams big, so I was pretty busy last year," said Belmont, who listed a series of stunning accomplishments, including outstanding fiscal management.
"It’s been my pleasure to work in DPS and to be involved in such a world-class school district," said Wittrock.
Management Changes Approved
Among business conducted this week by the Board of Education was the approval of these appointments:
- Nicole Veltze as Northeast Assistant Area Superintendent (formerly Cole Middle School principal)
- Janice Spearman as Southeast Assistant Area Superintendent (formerly Columbine Elementary School principal)
Cole Middle School assistant principal Jennifer Barton was appointed interim principal for the balance of the 2004-2005 school year. Slavens K-8 School assistant principal Stephen Wera was appointed as interim principal at Columbine Elementary School.
Schenck Elementary School Teacher Receives National Recognition, $25,000 Award
Schenck Elementary School teacher Diane Palmer was surprised during a school-wide assembly this week with a $25,000 Milken National Educator Award from the Milken Family Foundation.
Palmer is one of only two recipients this year in Colorado and joins the ranks of 74 Colorado teachers and 2,077 teachers nationwide who have received the award since 1987.
"This award is representative of the thousands of qualified teachers in Denver," Foundation Chairman Lowell Milken told students at the assembly.
The awards provide recognition and unrestricted $25,000 each to exceptional elementary and secondary school teachers, principals and other specialists who are furthering excellence in the nation’s schools.
Unlike most teaching awards, these awards have no formal nomination or application process. Instead, educators are recommended for this prestigious honor without their knowledge by a blue-ribbon panel appointed by each state’s department of education.