The Board of Education will hold a retreat Tuesday, August 6 to discuss the merits of the district's many grade-level configurations and what process schools may use to add grade levels in the future.

The meeting will begin at 8 a.m. in the First Floor Board Room at the administration building, 900 Grant St. The meeting is scheduled to last until noon.

The grade level configuration issue is on the table because the idea of using the K-8 (kindergarten through eighth grade) model has been suggested for the new housing development at Stapleton and in other parts of the city.

In Denver Public Schools there are 75 elementary schools that serve students through grade five, five elementary schools that serve students through grade six, and four that serve students through grade eight. There are also other combinations with two Montessori schools that begin serving students at age three. Among many other varieties of grade level organizations, there are also three schools that serve students from grade six through 12.

Also on the agenda for the retreat will be two additional agenda items:

• Selecting representatives for the Citizens Ad Hoc Committee on Facility Needs.
  
• Selecting representatives for a "CDM Commission" that will study possible changes to the district's model of site-based governance. That commission will be a joint effort of the district and the Denver Classroom Teachers Association.

Please note: School district schools and offices closed Monday, August 5 for Colorado Day.