Suspensions have been reduced, parent volunteers have been recruited to patrol school grounds, and drinking water will finally be more palatable for youth at Cole Middle School, all thanks to the hard work of the parent leaders of the Cole Parent Organizing Committee.

Forty parents and community members gathered Thursday evening, May 22 to express their appreciation to Mike Langley, Executive Director of Facility Management for Denver Public Schools, for his positive response to a May 8 letter requesting water filters on drinking fountains at the school. The letter, signed by Cole Principal Nicole Veltzé and 38 Cole parents, expressed concerns of possible dehydration of students due to the bad taste from high iron levels in the water.

Mr. Langley assured Thursday’s audience that while Cole’s water was safe to drink, the filters, which will remove some of the bad taste, would “be installed on all drinking fountains before the beginning of the new school year.” His commitment was met with enthusiastic applause.

Parents also received updates on Cole’s Parent Watch and Restorative Justice Programs, which are helping to address safety concerns raised by parents at a public meeting attended by 140 people early in the school year.

Another highlight of the meeting was a presentation by Jessica Avila and Mayra Mena of the Cole Future Youth Organizing Committee. Both young women missed their eighth grade social to tell parents about their successful efforts to strengthen after-school programs available for Cole youth.

At a public meeting on May 21, the Youth Organizing Committee garnered the commitment of a dozen program directors, agency and foundation representatives, school & public officials and parents to expand and improve a wide variety of programs, while incorporating a strong youth voice in the process. An audience of 150 middle school youth, parents, teachers and community members showed impressive support for their efforts.

Mr. Langley, the Cole Future Committee, Principal Nicole Veltzé, Technician Mike Rappe, Parent Watch Coordinator for District Two of the Denver Police Department and Jeremy Simons, Coordinator of the Restorative Justice Program, were each presented with certificates of appreciation for their support of Cole’s youth.

Thursday’s meeting was different from the usual Parent Night in that it was run by five Cole parents, who presented each part of the agenda. Juana Herrada, parent leader, explained, “As parents we must be involved in our children’s schools to ensure that they get a quality education. I want to be a part of this work so that my children will see by my actions that I really do care and that we can all make a difference.”

The Cole Parent Organizing Committee and the Future Committee are members of Metro Organizations for People (MOP). MOP is comprised of 26 schools, churches and neighborhood associations representing over 30,000 people in metro Denver. MOP promotes community organizing by training local leaders to develop the skills necessary to work together to improve their schools and communities.

For further information please call MOP at 303-399-2425.