The Board of Education has recommended changes for 6 schools within the Denver Public School system. The recommendations include transforming six low-performing DPS schools into successful schools, proposals for the overcrowding issues at the Stapleton schools, and proposed locations for new schools that would open for the 2010 school year. The board is expected to make their decisions at the end of this month.

Read the entire press release below:

DPS Announces Recommendations for 6 Low-Performing Schools

Denver, CO—The leadership of the Denver Public Schools today made a series of recommendations to the Board of Education for turning around low-performing schools and for locations of new schools that are scheduled to open in the fall of 2010.

“These are critically important decisions that are the result of long conversations, difficult discussions, and careful consideration,” DPS Superintendent Tom Boasberg said. “Our absolute focus is on the decisions that will create the very best opportunities and the very best schools for the children and families of Denver.”

Boasberg also pointed to the Obama Administration’s investment in a broad range of turnaround strategies as another factor in the district’s recommendations. In announcing the contribution of billions of dollars of federal support for school-turnaround efforts, President Obama last week emphasized the importance of focusing on struggling schools. The federal government will be looking at “whether a state is focused on transforming not just its high-performing schools, not just the middle-of-the-pack schools, but the lowest-performing schools,” according to the president. “There’s always excuses for why these schools can’t perform. But part of what we want is an environment in which everybody agrees—from the governor to the school superintendent, teachers, principals, and most importantly parents and students—that there’s no excuse for mediocrity. And we will take drastic steps when schools aren’t working.”

There are now unprecedented resources available, through the multibillion-dollar “Race to the Top” program, to invest in struggling schools—approximately $13 million for DPS over the next three years, if the district meets the federal school turnaround criteria.

“This is some of the toughest and most important work we do—making very difficult decisions about dramatic school changes,” Boasberg said. “I understand the sensitivity of these decisions; they have great impact on our students and families, our teachers and our school leaders. In every school in the district we have wonderfully committed and talented teachers and school leaders working to improve opportunities for our students. We must recognize that commitment and talent and at the same time be willing to recognize some of our schools over the past several years have consistently failed to demonstrate satisfactory progress with their students. To recognize the latter is not to undermine the former. Rather it is to recognize that change is sometimes needed to allow our talented educators to establish and develop the kind of school cultures, atmosphere, and structures to best meet the needs of our students.”

In making the recommendations, the district’s leadership looked at the last four years of student growth data on the School Performance Framework. The six schools—three district-run schools and three charters—evaluated for turnaround strategies have each demonstrated student growth far below district averages over these last four years. The three district-run schools—Philips, Greenlee, and Lake—were the bottom-three performing schools out of the 130 schools on the district’s SPF rankings this year. The three charter schools—Northeast Academy, Skyland, and PS 1—are the three lowest-performing charter schools on the SPF.

Additionally, teams from the Colorado Department of Education performed an intensive diagnostic review on each of the schools. These qualitative diagnostics involve a week-long visit and conversations with school administrators, teachers, staff, students and parents and an evaluation of three areas: Academic Performance, Learning Environment, and Organizational Effectiveness. In each of these six schools, the CDE diagnostics emphasized significant shortcomings in each of these three major areas.

“It is essential that we engage the entire community in a discussion of the issues surrounding these decisions. Our strategies include turning around our lowest-performing schools in order to ensure that all of our students, in every neighborhood of the city, are graduating from our high schools prepared for college or career,” Boasberg added. “We have listened to the parents, students, teachers, and community members, beginning with regional meetings last spring and continuing this fall. We deeply appreciate their input and their commitment to our schools, and we believe these are the actions that will bring about the best outcomes for our students. We will continue to work with parents and the entire community going forward on these recommendations and more broadly on strategies to improve the performance of struggling schools elsewhere in district. ”

The Board of Education will hear public comment on these recommendations and those made last week at its Nov. 16 and Nov. 19 meetings, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. The Board is expected to vote on all of the recommendations at its Nov. 30 meeting.

DPS November 9 Recommendations: A Regional Summary

Far Northeast

Proposed Turnaround of Northeast Academy, Charter School—The district has recommended an intensive school transformation initiative, including a comprehensive reorganization of the school’s academic program, in consultation and partnership with an education-management organization.

Proposed Co-Locations of SOAR, DSST, Multiple-Pathway Center at new Green Valley Ranch E-12 Campus

SOAR (charter school): Grades K-5 (over time); would serve 428 students at capacity; will provide a holistic educational approach with rigorous academic instruction and an extended school day; replication of FLI Academy in Harlem, NY—a proven model that has a school-wide proficiency rate of 85% in English language arts and 84% in math; plans to start with about 230 kindergarten through second-grade students in fall of 2010.

Northeast

Proposed Replacement of Philips Elementary School—The district has recommended that Philips be closed and replaced in fall of 2010 with Odyssey Charter School, which currently resides in Westerly Creek Elementary School. Philips’ neighborhood students in grades K-4, would be offered seats at Stapleton schools (Roberts or Westerly Creek) or Park Hill for the 2010-2011 school year. Students who currently choice-in to Philips would return to their home school or choice to other district schools. The Autistic Special Education Center Programs would be re-located to Stapleton schools. Transportation would be provided according to district transportation policy. Boundary changes would be necessary for all students living in the Philips attendance area.

Proposed Closure of Skyland Charter School—The district has recommended that Skyland be closed and its charter contract be non-renewed. The majority of students live in the attendance areas of Manual, East, George Washington and outside the district. Better-performing options are available for those students in these high schools, as well as in Colorado High School Charter and Community Challenge School.

Proposed Solutions to Stapleton Overcrowding—Rapid growth in student demand requires provision of additional capacity; near and mid-term solutions were developed with strong community input and civic leadership, with a focus on high quality schools that reflect the diversity of the Stapleton ring community; relocation of Odyssey Charter School, construction of third elementary school, temporary ECE center in Westerly Creek facility, and boundary change with Philips would address capacity concerns for near and mid–term.

Proposed location of Denver Language School at former Whiteman—The charter school would serve about 470 K-8 students at full capacity and offer full immersion in Mandarin and Spanish; would open with about 200 K-2 students in fall of 2010.

Southeast

Proposed location of Denver Green School at former Fallis—The Performance School would serve about 550 E-8 students at capacity; will implement a flexible, student-centered, standards-based curriculum that will emphasize hands-on and project-based learning with an emphasis on environmental sustainability; would open in fall of 2010 with about 240 preschool-2 and 6th-grade students.

Northwest

Proposed Turnaround/Restart of Greenlee Elementary School—The district has recommended that Greenlee change from a ECE-8 school to a ECE-5 school and that a comprehensive literacy program be implemented for the 2010-2011 school year. Students currently in ECE through grade four would be able to continue at Greenlee next year without disruption. Students currently in grades five, six and seven would be offered seats at Manny Martinez Charter School, which will become a boundary school, or Dora Moore.

Proposed Turnaround of Lake Middle School and Co-Location with West Denver Prep #3—The district has recommended that:

Lake continue as the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (IBMYP) at Lake International School;
Students currently in grades six and seven be able to continue at the Lake International School in a combined IBMYP 7th and 8th Grade Academy next year without disruption;
The incoming Lake sixth grade class be part of an IBMYP 6th Grade Academy program; and
The Lake facility become a shared campus with West Denver Prep School #3, which would begin operating with sixth grade students in the 2010-2011 school year.

The Lake facility’s capacity is 1000 students, which provides plenty of space for both schools to thrive and grow. As part of this recommendation, Lake’s boundary for the incoming class of 6th-graders in the 2010-2011 school year would be changed. WDP is a charter school that provides a college-preparatory focus, rigorous middle grades education of high standards, structure, and accountability; it is a replication of a proven school model—the only middle school rated as “Distinguished” on the SPF and the only “Distinguished” school with more than 50% of its enrollment eligible for free/reduced-priced meals. The school will serve about 300 6-8 students at capacity. A new boundary would be phased-in starting in the 2010-11 school year for incoming 6th-grade students who live in the Lake attendance area. The Board of Education in June unanimously approved West Denver Prep #3 and #4 for a 2010 opening, with approval specifying that both schools be located in Northwest Denver.

Proposed Location of West Denver Prep #4 at Emerson Street facility—Another replication of the successful charter school at the building that currently houses the Emerson Street alternative school. If approved, the Emerson and P.R.E.P. alternative-education programs would be consolidated into one facility located at P.R.E.P.; each program would continue to offer the same educational and social services previously offered. WDP would have an attendance boundary and serve about 300 6-8 students at full capacity.

Proposed one-year renewal of PS 1 Charter School and replacement through the new-school RFP process—The district has recommended that because this school serves a significant population of students with special needs who lack a strong array of other educational options, the Board grant PS 1 a one-year renewal and replace the school through the RFP process with a new school that can serve the existing students in the fall of 2011.

School: Stedman Elementary

Website: http://stedman.dpsk12.org/

Type: DPS-Public

Tours: Call ahead to schedule a tour. Best times available to tour are in the mornings from 9:15-11 or the afternoons from 1:30-3:00.

Main Phone: 303.322.7781

Principal: Deborah Johnson-Graham

Location: 2940 Dexter Street, Denver, CO 80207—(north) Park Hill neighborhood

Hours: 8:45 AM-3:45 PM (early release day every other Friday)

Grades: ECE-5^th Grade

Average Class Size: There are approximately 350 students that attend this school. Class size is 25 students or less on average. There is a half-day ECE program for 3 year olds and a half-day and full day ECE for four year olds. It is one of the eight DPS schools that offer Advanced Kindergarten. There is one Advanced K class.

Before/After Care: After school programs are offered to students in various grade levels at different times throughout the school year (e.g. golf, a science club through the Museum of Nature and Science, etc). An after school tutoring program is available for students (M-Th).

Facilities/Playground: The playground is wonderful; everything has had a facelift!  It gives me hope for the school my children attend. The equipment is new, bright, and colorful. The organized play areas on the black top have colorful paint for hopscotch, four-square, and other games.  There was another spacious black top with several basketball nets. Also, there’s a grassy area for organized play and a small community garden that is maintained by the staff, children, and parents at Stedman.

Special & Core Programs: A half-day ECE program for three year olds is offered. It also has a half-day and full day ECE program for four year olds. There is one Advanced Kindergarten classroom at this school.

A strong after school tutoring program is offered to the students. They have to qualify for the Free & Reduced Lunch Program (close to 90% of the students do) and be recommended by their classroom teacher in order to participate. The program runs after school Monday-Thursday by paid teachers. There is even tutoring on Saturdays! Last year approximately eighty children participated. The students spend half their time on a computer working on literacy software called Lexia, the remaining time is spent with a teacher on specific academic needs. The tutoring is for strengthening both reading and mathematic skills. I wonder if this program has contributed to the recent rise in test scores?

Stedman has several partnerships within the community including the Mobile Health Clinic that visits once a month to provide their services to families, Walmart donates items for various events and projects throughout the year, and the community garden which is tended to by students, staff, and parents.

Impressions: Thus far, most of the school profiles we’ve completed have been written about the schools that everyone has been talking about for one reason or another. Today, I visited a school that hasn’t received much buzz with the exception of the recognition it received on the first official day of school this year. Stedman Elementary School, was recognized for its academic growth (one of the best in Colorado).  Students have made tremendous, double digit gains in math, reading, and writing.

Stedman Elementary is located in the northern historic Park Hill neighborhood of Denver. It’s a beautiful old brick building. I didn’t even know it existed until recently when I drove through Park Hill looking for Satchel’s Market. It caught my eye because of the beautifully updated playground. I am always pleasantly surprised to find these old schools in Denver to be so bright and inviting once inside. This was the case at Stedman. The hallways were neat and full of light. Artwork was sporadically hung on the walls. The school has two levels so it was easy to find my way around. I joined a small tour already in progress.  The other two women were interested in the Advanced Kindergarten classroom.

A family liaison escorted us around the building. I love the idea of a family liaison. He was laid-back and the tour was very informal, yet informative. A large part of his job is communicating to the Spanish speaking population at Stedman, running family events at the school, leading tours for parents, and oh yes, he’s the half time computer teacher as well. He’s worked at the school for five years and has recently seen some new, positive changes. Some of these include more teacher retention the last couple of years, an expanding student population (some students and teachers came from nearby Hallett when it closed), and a fairly new, very involved principal. Diversity is welcomed and celebrated at Stedman. The majority of the student population is comprised of African-American and Hispanic students.

Many of the classrooms I visited were cheerful and cozy. I couldn’t help but notice the class size that seemed smaller than many of the DPS schools I’ve toured. Staff seemed friendly and many invited us into their classrooms to take a closer look. The computer lab was smaller in size than others I’ve visited but complete with new Dell computers. The new computers along with several SMART boards, were paid for by the recent technology bond. I visited a few classrooms where the SMART boards were being used. They remind me of a more advanced overhead projector. The SMART boards are basically interactive whiteboards (connected to a computer and digital projector) that help engage students with various learning styles. They are interactive and engaging to children. I haven’t seen many of these and thought it was a great learning tool for the students. The library next door to the computer lab was quite small, however many brand new books filled its shelves thanks to a recent grant they received. The librarian is also the part-time gifted and talented teacher. The auditorium looked a bit dated. I don’t remember seeing any chairs in this room, just carpet, which makes me wonder now if the children sit on the floor for school assemblies. The music teacher also conducts music class in the auditorium due to space issues. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, there is no art program at this school. Because of this, they do try to provide enrichment programs in art after school.

Their character education program is taught and reinforced constantly through monthly school wide assemblies. Many of the teachers that day were wearing tee shirts with the “RAPPS” logo. School spirit was all around us and it was contagious. And speaking of teachers, not long ago a third grade teacher received a teacher of the year award for her outstanding work facilitating and running the tutoring program after school. How lucky for the students at Stedman!

This year Stedman is trying out a new school wide enrichment program on the early release days that occur every other Friday. The children meet in small groups across grade levels to learn further about a topic of interest. All teachers participate and facilitate the learning. I mean all adults participate in this program, including the janitor who runs an art class and the computer teacher, a guitar class. I loved the idea of all staff partaking in this project, not just the classroom teachers. This is what community and collaboration is all about! It sounds like a promising program where children take an active role in the learning.

The school’s achievements should be applauded but there is still work to be done. Stedman students still perform below the 50% proficiency mark in all subjects of the Colorado Student Assessment Program. However, school officials are hopeful and optimistic that change is on its way in this small school that has deep roots within the Park Hill community. I can see why people have so much hope for a school like Stedman where change is on the way!

To hear directly from Stedman Principal Deborah Johnson-Graham, click here!

We welcome your comments and impressions on your experience with Stedman Elementary.

School: PARK HILL ELEMENTARY

Website: http://parkhill.dpsk12.org/

Type: Public-DPS

Tours: Tours take place in the fall. Currently, tours are given each Wednesday at 9am (through December). Be sure to check the website or call the school to reserve a spot.

Main Phone: (303) 322-1811

Principal: Tonda Potts

Location: 5050 E.19^th Avenue, Denver, CO, 80220-Park Hill neighborhood

Hours: 8:15 AM-3:00 PM

Grades: ECE-5^th grade (2 full day Kindergarten classrooms, 1 half day K classroom)

Average Class Size: Approximately 500 students attend Park Hill. This school has an average class size of 25 students per classroom. Many paraprofessionals were seen in the classrooms too.

Before/After Care: Kaleidoscope Corner (before and after school) After school extensions such as Destination Imagination, Chess Club, Junior Great Books are also offered.

Facilities/Playground: The ECE and Kindergartners have their own playground separate from the rest of the school. They also have their own drop-off and pick-up area as well. The playground for the rest of the students (1^st-5^th graders) is located in the back of the building. I saw two separate areas designated with playground equipment for the students. One area had updated equipment while the other looked very dated. There was a blacktop area and a large, grassy field for organized play. An urban garden also can be found on the school grounds.

Special & Core Programs: Park Hill hosts ICOMM (Intensive Communication Center program). It’s a district program providing instruction to students with speech and language needs within the regular classroom. The ICOMM students learn along side the regular ed students along with a full-time speech pathologist, full-time teacher, and full-time paraprofessional. There are three fully-inclusive classrooms. This program attracts children from other neighborhoods.

This school benefits greatly from nearby Park Hill businesses. Park Hill also has many community partnerships outside the neighborhood, including Denver Urban Gardens, CU Boulder, CU Denver, University of Wyoming, and the Denver Zoo. These are some of the programs that enrich the curriculum at Park Hill. Many interns and student teachers can be seen throughout the school.

Impressions: Park Hill Elementary is nestled within the historical Park Hill neighborhood. This school was built in the early 1900’s. It’s had several expansions and renovations since then. The Spanish Colonial Revival design is very unique. As you enter the school, you are greeted within a large foyer with an ascending and descending staircase. On the main floor, the hallways are wide and the lighting is bright. You can also see some of the unique architectural details such as the wood banisters, door trim, and molding.

An enthusiastic parent led us on the tour. She expressed high praise for the principal, staff, and programming offered to the students. As we made our way through the building, I have to admit, from the outside, the school is deceiving in size. Once within, there are 3 different levels with long hallways complete with an east and west wing. There were three secretaries in the office busy working and manning the phones. I found the size of the school and getting around a bit overwhelming and wondered what impact the size of the school has on its students when they first arrive. A positive to a spacious building like this is the designated wing for the ECE and Kindergarten students. They have a separate wing, their own playground area, and separate drop-off and pick-up area. The school recently downsized from a K-8 school to an ECE-5^th grade school. I wondered if more parents would consider this school now that the middle school program was gone.   The student population is minimized of course, but there are still approximately 500 students that attend. The size of each classroom felt different; several seemed oversized while others seemed cramped. Overall, the classrooms were quite spacious and due to the large windows, there was lots of natural light.

I couldn’t help but notice 2-3 adults in many of the classrooms we visited and not just in the lower grades. There are a lot of paraprofessionals, interns, and student teachers assisting throughout the school year. I believe this provides a win-win situation for the student teachers and classroom teachers. The classroom teachers pass on their experiences while the student teachers pass on current teaching methods and innovative ideas. How lucky for these students! Our tour guide told us that on any given day, there are many parent volunteers present within the classroom as well. While taking a peek in one of the classrooms, I recognized the owner of a local Park Hill coffee shop. I got the feeling there was a real sense of community at this school between parents, staff, and students. There is a very active PTSA and a majority of the funding they raise goes towards hiring paraprofessionals, technology support, arts programming, after school activities, and community building activities.

Children from different grade levels interact. Last year, the fourth graders teamed up with the Kindergartners for reading buddies I was told. It was obvious from our tour that there is a very diverse student population. I learned that two thirds of the students were from the neighborhood while the rest of the students choiced in. I couldn’t help but notice the computer lab complete with new apple computers purchased through grant money. How nice to have a separate classroom for computers! It was fun to observe a music class that was underway. The children were actively engaged. Some playing instruments while others sang and danced. And the music class took place in the music room! I may be making a big deal about separate classrooms for subjects such as computer lab or music but in DPS, this is a big deal. Many of the elementary schools are facing overcrowding issues and space is at a minimum.

Tonda Potts, the principal, was gracious enough to answer some of our questions at the end of the tour. She has been at Park Hill for three years and many positive changes have occurred because of her strong leadership. Tonda told us for the last two years the school has been ranked by DPS as a high growth/high status top performing school. She credits the qualified staff, along with the strong support from parents and the community. The partnerships with Park Hill businesses, the collaborations with community partnerships (especially all those colleges) have made the school unique in comparison to others in the district.

We welcome your comments and impressions on your experience with Park Hill Elementary.