The Northeast School Collaborative (NESC) is issuing a call to action for community residents and educators to attend a community forum on school change from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 18 at Bruce Randolph Middle School, 40th and Steele streets.

Part of the NESC’s school reform initiative, “Come to the Front Porch” is part of an effort to fully engage the northeast community in taking full ownership of student and school success. The community forum on March 18 has a three-fold purpose: to present ideas from community participants who attended study circles on school reform in February and March; to connect community members to a variety or resources in which they can become actively involved - such as after school programs, community centers, organizations that serve children, etc.; and to celebrate the future of children and the strength of the community.

“Our objective is to bring a broad range of folks to bat for improving education in our community” said Shelley Wood, NESC Operations Director. “It’s important to remember that the community is a constant: kids come and go, but it is the community and everyone in it -- from parents whose kids have moved on, and grandparents, to people who don’t have children, and others -- who continue to share the responsibility of guiding future generations.”

Wood emphasized, too, that the Community Forum is a celebration of the strength and the potential of the community’s youth. To that end, the event will include a performance by the Whittier Drumming Project and Kushanga Arts story teller Santemu Aakhu from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. It will also feature food and prizes.

The NESC was formed by the Public Education and Business Coalition (PEBC) and others, including Mile High Montessori, Friends of Manual, the Transforming Schools Initiative and Denver Public Schools. Since it started in 2001, the NESC is promoting school reform and community capacity through a variety of means, including recruitment and retention of high quality teachers; professional development and support; principal leadership; curriculum and assessments; family and community involvement (including after-school); and early childhood education.

For more information, contact Judy Cleary, 303-377-9365.