Press Release

Montbello CDM Makes Principal Recommendation

April 25, 2001

Montbello High School's Collaborative Decision-Making (CDM) Committee announced today that it has forwarded its recommendation to the Denver Board of Education for the high school's seventh principal.

Utilizing an unprecedented process, the school's CDM was given the charge of defining the characteristics of an effective urban principal, as well as developing a process that was sensitive to the varied voices of the Montbello community. In addition, the selection represented the first time in 20 years that the CDM was given the complete responsibility for executing the principal-recommendation process.

"We believe we developed a fair and equitable process that not only received the support of the School Board, but one that was borne out of a communal vision of academic excellence for all constituents," said Dr. Oscar Joseph III, Montbello alum and CDM Chairman.

The Montbello CDM's recommendation will be forwarded to the Denver Public Schools' Department of Secondary Education; the Board of Education will make the final decision. The CDM's recommended principal will not be officially named until the Board approves the choice.

As part of the process, each of the three candidates were asked to articulate a four-year vision for the school based on a set of predetermined factors, which included:

• familiarity with the Montbello student body;
  
• schooling, including academic leadership and management ability;
  
• familiarity with the resources of the Montbello community.

"We felt it extremely important to begin with the end in mind," said Joseph. "We wanted the next leader of Montbello High School to walk in with a meaningful action plan that was structured, organized, thoughtful, and inclusive."

Unlike the traditional selection process, the Montbello high school process gave the candidates direct access to more than 134 people, which included students, faculty, staff, and representatives of the community.

"At one time, Montbello had an emerging tradition of excellence for every child," said Joseph. "While it's not easily visible right now, it still lies dormant. We now need to wake it up."