November 19, 2004

Denver School of the Arts Expansion Eyed For Byers Re-Use

Denver School of the Arts (DSA) would expand and reclaim a previous home - the Byers school at 150 S. Pearl St. - under a plan presented to the Board of Education this week.

The plan calls for sixth- and seventh-grade DSA students to be relocated to the renovated Byers facility, which would be known as the DSA South Campus. Students in grades eight through 12 would continue to be served at the current campus, 7111 Montview Blvd.

In addition, the plan calls for locating the districtís Distance Learning program at DSA South Campus. That program is currently housed at the Career Education Center but the expansion of CEC is squeezing-out Distance Learning there.

The program for DSA South Campus students would focus on exploratory arts courses, which will result in students being better prepared for the upper grades. Offerings would include a variety (up to eight) of beginning level arts courses. By eighth grade, students would begin to narrow their field of interest before choosing a studio specialty in ninth grade.

In all, DSA South Campus would accommodate about 400 students - meaning the program would serve 1,300 students across all grade levels.

Seniors, however, would play a key role in the flavor at DSA South. Seniors would apply for their own studio space at DSA South and complete their senior projects there. In addition, they would serve as mentors to sixth- and seventh-graders.

Renovation of the Byers building would be paid through funds from the November 2003 General Obligation Bond.

The Board will make a decision about the plan at the December 16 meeting.

Conversions To K-8 Proposed For Columbine, Gilpin, Mitchell and Whittier; Conversion To K-6 Proposed For Harrington

District staff this week proposed adding grades six, seven and eight to three elementary schools in northeast Denver - Columbine, Gilpin and Mitchell elementary schools - and grades seven and eight to a fourth, Whittier Elementary School.

At a fifth school, Harrington Elementary School, only grade six would be added; grades seven and eight would be added "if a plan is approved at a later date for increasing the capacity of this facility," according to the proposal, or if enrollment can be adjusted through other means so the existing facility can handle the grade-level expansion.

The new grade levels would be phased in gradually in each school, one grade level per year, starting in 2005-2006.

The plan also called for a comprehensive, district-wide approach to broader use of the K-8 model. Staff would develop a plan "to convert district elementary schools in all parts of the city to K-8 schools based on facility capacity, parent and community interest, student achievement, and opportunities for reuse of middle school facilities."

Chief Academic Officer Sally Mentor Hay said the traditional middle school model is not being abandoned. "Our clear purpose and focus is to create strong middle schools and strong K-8 schools," she said. "Our interest is to give parents some very good choices."

For the schools immediately identified for expansion, the staff proposed public meetings at each school to discuss the proposal. A January 6 Board of Education decision is being proposed.

The proposal comes on the heels of a recent resolution that reaffirmed the Board's commitment to expanding academic options for families within Denver Public Schools. It also comes as Cole Middle School - which serves students who matriculate from the five elementary schools - is being converted to a charter school under the state law that governs school accountability.

"A growing body of evidence supports the kindergarten through grade eight configuration (K-8) as a positive environment for high impacted middle grade students...Results indicate that on both a national and local level, K-8's are generating improved academic and behavioral results among students.î The report noted that strong middle schools can drive achievement ìthat rivals that of the best K-8."

Student Enrollment Jumps Again

District-wide enrollment climbed by 412 this school year - to 72,901 total students.

A report released by the Department of Planning, Assessment and Research showed surges in Early Childhood Education (up 188 students) and in high school (up 392 students). Middle school enrollments were down 219 students; elementary schools were up 51 students.

The new data also show an increase in the number of Hispanic students - up from 57 percent of all students in 2003-2004 to 57.3 percent of all students in 2004-2005. White students represent 19.3 percent of the student body, black students 19.1 percent of the student body, Asian students 3.1 percent and American Indians 1.2 percent.

The K-12 membership stood at modern-day ebb of 56,550 in 1989; enrollment has been climbing steadily ever since.

2005-2006 School Calendars Presented

The DPS calendar committee this week presented drafts of the 2005-2006 calendars for the traditional and continuous-year schedules.

One proposed change is observing the Colorado Day holiday for students and staff on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving instead of in August. Schools already are closed the Wednesday before Thanksgiving; under the new plan, offices also would close. (Note that for the 2004-2005 year, the non-duty day for Colorado Day would be observed during spring break for those employees whose work year began on September 1, 2004. For the 2005-2006 year, the non-duty day for all employees would be in November.)

Similar to this year's calendars, the two drafts align as many vacation, parent conference and teacher professional development days as possible. Both allow for one parent conference day per semester and 173.5 total days of school.

If approved, the first semester on the traditional calendar would begin on Monday, August 15, 2005. The last day of school would be a half-day for students on Thursday, May 25, 2006. The calendar includes a two-day fall mini-break on Thursday and Friday, October 20 and 21 and repeats the current three-day break during Thanksgiving, two-week winter break in December and one-week spring break in March.

For continuous-year schools, the first semester would begin on Monday, July 25, 2005. The last day of school would be a half-day on Wednesday, June 7, 2006. The calendar is similar to this yearís schedule, with a two-week fall break and three-week winter and spring breaks. (Bryant-Webster K-8 School will move from the continuous-year calendar to the traditional calendar starting in fall 2005.)

Holidays include Labor Day in September; Veterans Day in November; Christmas Day in December; New Year's Day and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January; Presidents Day in February; Cesar Chavez Day in March; Memorial Day in May; and Independence Day in July.

The drafts are accessible online at http://www.dpsk12.org/calendars. The Board will hear public comment at 6 p.m. Thursday, December 2 before adopting the final calendars on Thursday, December 16. Email feedback to bernadette_rodriguez@dpsk12.org.

Brown Elementary School Proposes IB Program

The Board of Education this week considered a plan to revitalize Brown Elementary School by adding the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program school-wide starting in August 2005.

Brown Elementary School is one of 13 Denver schools selected by the Board to tap into $2.5 million annually to attract families back into neighborhood schools.

For the past seven months, the schoolís Revitalization Committee has been working with current families and families new to the area to identify an attractive educational program that ultimately would reduce the achievement gap, increase student enrollment and increase the schoolís state rating from low to average to high in a three-year period.

The IB program (for students from five to 12 years old) focuses on the development of the whole child through environments in which children learn - in the classroom and in the world outside. It offers a framework that meets childrenís academic, social, physical, emotional and cultural needs.

The program is based on student-centered inquiry and is a comprehensive approach to teaching and learning with an international curriculum that also teaches a second language (Spanish) starting in Early Childhood Education classrooms.

In its first year, Brown would train 50 to 75 percent of teachers and hire a part-time program coordinator, a full-time Spanish teacher and a principal who is a proven, strong instructional leader committed to implementing the IB program. The school also would update and expand its existing computer technology, create a science lab and expand lunchtime and after-school tutoring, homework support and activities.

Year one projected costs are $202,734, with projections for the next two consecutive years at $171,074 and $120,404 respectively.

The Board of Education is expected to make a decision about the proposal at the December 16 meeting.

Westerly Creek Elementary School To Add Sixth Grade For One Year Only

The Board of Education yesterday considered a proposal from the Collaborative School Committee at Westerly Creek Elementary School to extend to sixth grade for the 2005-2006 school year only - until the new Stapleton K-8 school opens one year later.

ìHaving the children attend another school for one year and then reassigning them back to the new Stapleton school is not conducive to the community or to the educational process,î said Patricia Lea, principal.

Sixth-grade students eligible for enrollment must reside in the school's attendance area or must currently be enrolled in fifth grade at the school. Attendance in sixth grade next year will be through the district's Choice process; transportation for sixth-graders will not be provided.

A December 16 decision is expected.

Board Notes

In other action this week, the Board of Education recognized Suzi Geimer, coordinator of the George Washington High School International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB). Geimer recently was awarded the Regional Director's Award from the International Baccalaureate Organization, which credits Geimer for playing a crucial role in getting the state of Colorado to pass legislation on IB Diploma Programme recognition.

"You have a tremendous reputation throughout the world," said Superintendent Jerry Wartgow.

The Board also approved:

A $934,247 Carl D. Perkins Grant of federal vocational funds to Denver Public Schools from the state of Colorado (by the stateís Community College and Occupational Education) to provide the services to increase academic rigor, link secondary and post-secondary programs, prepare students for in-demand occupations and invest in high-quality local programs.
The comprehensive annual financial report for the 2003-2004 financial year and the corresponding independent audit conducted by Deloitte & Touche LLP, which found no instances of noncompliance in district reporting.
A donation of 10 acres of vacant land at the Balarat Outdoor Education Center.
The transfer of land and easement at Omar D. Blair School in northeast Denver.
The transfer of land and easement at the service center as part of the construction project involving the resurfacing of a school bus parking lot.
Amendments to the retirement and benefit plan of the DPS Retirement System consistent with the Internal Revenue Code and Limitation of Benefits requirements. The changes also remove from the plan language that previously was approved in anticipation of a merger with Colorado PERA.