News Release
Nov. 8, 2004
Commission On Secondary School Reform Holds Retreat Thursday, Nov. 11 And Friday, Nov. 12
The Denver Public Schools Commission on Secondary School Reform will hold a retreat this Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Denver School of the Arts, 7111 Montview Blvd.
The purpose of the retreat is to begin to discuss possible recommendations to present to the Denver Board of Education in January. Commissioners will pull together the work of the three Action Groups (Culture and Organization, Teaching and Learning, and Accountability) that have been meeting over the past two months to think about what would positively impact Denver's high schools.
The Commission's charge is to make recommendations to the DPS Board that will significantly improve the success of all students, increase graduation rates and lower dropout rates. The Commission will identify priorities for the Board of Education and Denver Public Schools administrators for the use of the funds from the mill levy that voters approved in November 2003. The mill levy initiatives included $2 million earmarked for secondary school reform. The Commission will also suggest how existing resources can be maximized to make positive changes in high school education.
The Commission has 27 members, including students, postsecondary educators, representatives of foundations, think-tanks, businesses and community organizations.
The Commission is co-chaired by Lucia Guzman, vice president of the Denver Public Schools Board of Education, and Dorothy Horrell, president of the Bonfils-Stanton Foundation. Patricia McNeil serves as the executive director of the Commission and Elizabeth Aybar as the assistant director.
The Commission's recommendations are due to the Board of Education in January 2005.
Upcoming events for the Commission include a Student and Teacher Forum at the Convention Center on Friday, November 19th and a Community Forum in early December.
For more information about the Commission, please visit the Commission's website http://dcssr.dpsk12.org or contact Liz Aybar via phone at 303-594-1509 or via e-mail at Elizabeth_Aybar@dpsk12.org.