The impending first round of school choice is fast approaching. If you are feeling a bit stressed about the new enrollment process or have questions now is the time to seek some clarity. Be sure to attend one of the two information sessions being offered by Get Smart Schools to get the answers you need before completing the choice application–deadline is January 31, 2012. Please read the information below…

Click here to read a recent article from the Denver Post regarding the new choice process. It should answer some of your questions especially ones relating to your neighborhood school.

This is your last chance to hear from the DPS school board candidates! Please come to this forum to learn more about them. This is a critical election so be sure to vote! Ballots are due November 1, 2011. Please read the information below regarding this important event. 

(Submitted by Get Smart Schools and A+ Denver)

Dear Voters,

Here’s another way to get invested in education! Come meet Denver’s mayoral candidates and learn more about their vision regarding public education. To learn more about the forum and how to register, see below.

Wondering where the Denver mayoral candidates stand on public schools? Find out Tuesday, March 15 at the Mayoral Candidate Forum on Public Education, hosted by Get Smart Schools, Education Reform Now and our partners.

Please join us for a discussion with confirmed mayoral candidates Carol Boigon, Michael Hancock, Doug Linkhart, James Mejia, Chris Romer, and Theresa Spahn to hear their priorities for Denver’s public schools. FOX31 political reporter, Eli Stokols, and Cynthia Hessin from Rocky Mountain PBS will moderate the conversation.

Denver Mayoral Candidate Forum on Public Education

Tuesday, March 15

5:30 to 7:00 p.m.

East High School

1600 City Park Esplanade, Denver

Add to my calendar

Click here to register

If you have any questions, please contact Liz Platz at Get Smart Schools at (720) 287-5059 x14

or platz@getsmartschools.org.

We hope to see you there!

Be sure to come see the highly anticipated film documentary, The Lottery (see media kit here: LOTTERYPressPacket_021710 ), next Tuesday, June 8th at Harkins Northfield Theater. The documentary features four families from the Bronx and Harlem who are hoping to win “the lottery,” obtaining a spot for their child in the Harlem Success Academy (a charter school), one of New York’s most successful schools. The film focuses on the education reform movement and why public education can be transformed to help every child succeed, no matter race or socioeconomic standing. If you are interested in the topic of education, charter schools or school reform, this film would be very beneficial to watch.

A panel discussion will take place after the movie. Panelists include  Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien, Speaker of the House Terrance Carroll, Denver School Board President Nate Easley, and Denver School of Science and Technology CEO Bill Kurtz. The panel will be moderated by Education Reform Now’s Van Schoales.

Did you know that when it comes to finding the right school for your child, you do have a choice? How do you find information about the choices that are available to you? How do you evaluate the quality of a school? How will you know if a certain school will meet the needs of your child? What are your rights as a parent? How do you apply to schools of choice? Come get the answers to these questions and more!

On January 20, 9News and Get Smart Schools will co-host a parent information evening from 6:00 to 8:00pm at Manual High School, 1700 East 28th Avenue. Speakers will answer all of your questions about public school choice in Colorado.

Food and child care will be provided and we will have representatives from many schools available before and after the event to tell you about the programs they offer. The event is free to attend and open to the first 200 respondents. RSVP today by emailing smartpeople@getsmartschools.org or calling us at 303-825-6246 x337 (Sari)

About the event

Nelson Garcia, 9News’ Education Reporter, will be moderating a lively panel discussion. Nelson came to 9News for WCCO-TV in Minneapolis where he spent five years. He worked the last three as their Education Reporter. Prior to his time in the “Great White North,” Nelson worked at WIS-TV in Columbia, South Carolina. Nelson also worked in Terre Haute, Indiana and at KOMU-TV in another Columbia — this time in Missouri. Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, Nelson attended CU for two years before getting his degree in

journalism at the University of Missouri.

Panelists will include:

Colorado State Senator Mike Johnston

After graduating from college, Johnston taught at a rural high school in Greenville, Mississippi for two years as part of the Teach for America program; he wrote the book In the Deep Heart’ s Core about his experiences. He then earned a master’s degree in education policy from Harvard University. While at Harvard, Johnston worked with Al Goreeducation advisor John Schnur; with Schnur and others, he helped found New Leaders for New Schools, an organization dedicated to training and recruiting leaders for urban schools. After graduating from Harvard, Johnston went on to earn a law degree from Yale, and began advising political candidates on education policy. After founding and leading the Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts, Johnston joined the campaign of U.S. Senator Barack Obama as an advisory on education issues. In 2009, Johnston won a seat in the Colorado State Legislature. Johnston, his wife, Courtney, and their two children live in the Stapleton neighborhood of Denver.

Denver School Board President Nate Easley

Easley, Ph.D., is a 1983 graduate of Montbello High School. After graduating from Montbello, Dr. Easley obtained his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Colorado State University in history and student affairs, respectively, and his doctorate from American University in education. His graduate research focuses on issues related to college access and retention of disadvantaged, ethnically diverse students. Dr. Easley began his professional career working directly with at-risk high school students—including a group at Montbello— and has gone on to work at state, national and international levels to strengthen educational opportunities for low-income and first-generation students.

Manual High School Principal Rob Stein

graduate of Middlebury College, Stanford University, and Harvard University, Stein has taught in the US and in Columbia, and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Denver and the University of Colorado. Stein is the former Head of School at Graland Country Day School, and was Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain School for Expeditionary Learning from 1996 to 2001. Stein founded the Boettcher Teachers Program and is actively involved in the community. A Denver native, Stein now lives here with his wife Mariah Dickson and two children.

Piton Foundation Program Officer Van Schoales

Van Schoales is the education program officer at the Piton Foundation where he oversees a portfolio of investments on state policy, district reform and new school development. He has previously been a high school science teacher, principal and school non-profit leader working as an education reform advocate. Van has launched or help start a number of non-profits including the Odyssey Charter School, Bay Area Coalition of Equitable (formerly Essential) Schools, Denver School of Science and Technology, A + Denver,

EdNewsColorado and Get Smart Schools.

Address: Piton Foundation | 370 17th St. | Suite 5300 | Denver, CO 80202 smartpeople@getsmartschools.org | 303.825.6246 x 312 www.getsmartschools.org

Next Wednesday, January 20th, 9News along with Get Smart Schools will co-host a free event for parents interested in learning more about public school choice in Colorado (K-12). The event will take place at Manual High School in Denver from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Please read the invite below, tell your friends, and be sure to RSVP as soon as possible.

Did you know that when it comes to finding the right school for your child, you do have a choice? How do you find information about the choices that are available to you? How do you evaluate the quality of a school? How will you know if a certain school will meet the needs of your child? What are your rights as a parent? How do you apply to schools of choice? Come get the answers to these questions and more!

On January 20, 9News and Get Smart Schools will co-host a parent information evening from 6:00 to 8:00pm at Manual High School, 1700 East 28th Avenue. Speakers will answer all of your questions about public school choice in Colorado.

Food and child care will be provided and we will have representatives from many schools available before and after the event to tell you about the programs they offer. The event is free to attend and open to the first 200 respondents. RSVP today by emailing smartpeople@getsmartschools.org or calling us at 303-825-6246 x337 (Sari)

About the event

Nelson Garcia, 9News’ Education Reporter, will be moderating a lively panel discussion. Nelson came to 9News for WCCO-TV in Minneapolis where he spent five years. He worked the last three as their Education Reporter. Prior to his time in the “Great White North,” Nelson worked at WIS-TV in Columbia, South Carolina. Nelson also worked in Terre Haute, Indiana and at KOMU-TV in another Columbia — this time in Missouri. Originally from the suburbs of Chicago, Nelson attended CU for two years before getting his degree in

journalism at the University of Missouri.

Panelists will include:

Colorado State Senator Mike Johnston

After graduating from college, Johnston taught at a rural high school in Greenville, Mississippi for two years as part of the Teach for America program; he wrote the book In the Deep Heart’ s Core about his experiences. He then earned a master’s degree in education policy from Harvard University. While at Harvard, Johnston worked with Al Goreeducation advisor John Schnur; with Schnur and others, he helped found New Leaders for New Schools, an organization dedicated to training and recruiting leaders for urban schools. After graduating from Harvard, Johnston went on to earn a law degree from Yale, and began advising political candidates on education policy. After founding and leading the Mapleton Expeditionary School of the Arts, Johnston joined the campaign of U.S. Senator Barack Obama as an advisory on education issues. In 2009, Johnston won a seat in the Colorado State Legislature. Johnston, his wife, Courtney, and their two children live in the Stapleton neighborhood of Denver.

Denver School Board President Nate Easley

Easley, Ph.D., is a 1983 graduate of Montbello High School. After graduating from Montbello, Dr. Easley obtained his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Colorado State University in history and student affairs, respectively, and his doctorate from American University in education. His graduate research focuses on issues related to college access and retention of disadvantaged, ethnically diverse students. Dr. Easley began his professional career working directly with at-risk high school students—including a group at Montbello— and has gone on to work at state, national and international levels to strengthen educational opportunities for low-income and first-generation students.

Manual High School Principal Rob Stein

graduate of Middlebury College, Stanford University, and Harvard University, Stein has taught in the US and in Columbia, and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Denver and the University of Colorado. Stein is the former Head of School at Graland Country Day School, and was Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain School for Expeditionary Learning from 1996 to 2001. Stein founded the Boettcher Teachers Program and is actively involved in the community. A Denver native, Stein now lives here with his wife Mariah Dickson and two children.

Piton Foundation Program Officer Van Schoales

Van Schoales is the education program officer at the Piton Foundation where he oversees a portfolio of investments on state policy, district reform and new school development. He has previously been a high school science teacher, principal and school non-profit leader working as an education reform advocate. Van has launched or help start a number of non-profits including the Odyssey Charter School, Bay Area Coalition of Equitable (formerly Essential) Schools, Denver School of Science and Technology, A + Denver,

EdNewsColorado and Get Smart Schools.

Address: Piton Foundation | 370 17th St. | Suite 5300 | Denver, CO 80202 smartpeople@getsmartschools.org | 303.825.6246 x 312 www.getsmartschools.org