News Release

August 12, 2005

Classes Start Monday, Aug. 15 For Most Denver Students; Superintendent And Mayor To Visit Schools On Opening Day

The first day of school is Monday, Aug. 15 for Denver's early childhood education, elementary and K-8 students, and for middle school sixth graders and high school ninth graders.

Tuesday, Aug. 16 is the first day of school for all other middle and high school students. (Note that seventh and eighth graders at re-designed Bruce Randolph Middle School also start on Monday, Aug. 15; there is no sixth grade at that school this year.)

Superintendent Michael Bennet and Mayor John Hickenlooper both plan to visit schools on Monday. Their schedules overlap at Knight Fundamental Academy for 30 minutes. Following are the school stops for each:

SUPERINTENDENT MICHAEL BENNET

MAYOR JOHN HICKENLOOPER

Classes started Monday, July 25 for 17 continuous-year schools in Denver - Amesse, Barrett, Cheltenham, Colfax, Columbian, Del Pueblo, Eagleton, Ford, Harrington, Johnson, Maxwell, McGlone, Mitchell, Smedley, Smith, Valdez and Wyman elementary schools.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EXPANSIONS

Among changes this school year is the first phase of 10 elementary school expansions to K-8 schools by adding one grade level each year. Elementary schools adding sixth grade this year are: Columbine, Del Pueblo, Fairmont Dual Language Immersion Academy, Garden Place, Gilpin, Greenlee, Harrington and Mitchell. Whittier already serves sixth graders and will expand to seventh grade this year.

REVITALIZED SCHOOLS

Twelve schools are rolling out new programs this year thanks to $2.5 million from Denver voters to identify attractive educational programs and increase student enrollment in neighborhood schools.

BRADLEY INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, AND BROWN AND SABIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS are implementing the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Program that focuses on the development of the whole child through environments in which children learn - in the classroom and in the world outside. It offers a framework that meets children's academic, social, physical, emotional and cultural needs. The program is based on student-centered inquiry and is a comprehensive approach to teaching and learning with an international curriculum that also teaches a second language (Spanish) starting in Early Childhood Education classrooms.

FORD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is converting to a "comprehensive instruction system for student-centered learning." The four areas of focus are teaching and learning, climate and culture, parental engagement and community engagement.

GILPIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is creating a full-time English Language Development Specialist to support English language learners and native English speakers in developing academic and social language; developing a Professional Learning Community among staff; platooning curriculum delivery (teachers in fourth through eighth grades specialize in the subjects they teach); reorganizing into a lower school through third grade and an upper school for grades four through eight; adding a full-time math coach; partnering with Earth Force to create a service learning system for natural science, social sciences and technology courses; fostering a school-wide approach to positive behaviors and character education; and supporting increase parental and community engagement.

HENRY MIDDLE SCHOOL is implementing the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Program, which provides a framework of academic challenge and life skills for students aged 11-16 years. It emphasizes the holistic, or interrelatedness, of subjects and calls for an international awareness from students. For all students, the curriculum includes: language A, the school's language of instruction; language B, a modern foreign language learned at school; humanities; history and geography; sciences such as biology, chemistry and physics; mathematics courses including the five branches of mathematics: number, algebra, geometry and trigonometry, probability and statistics, and discrete mathematics; visual arts and performing arts; physical education; and technology.

HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL is now the Hill Middle School Campus of Arts and Science, infusing state-of-the-art computer technology into all areas of student learning and expanding the elective arts program and after-school enrichment and tutoring.

The plan at MONTCLAIR SCHOOL OF ACADEMICS AND ENRICHMENT calls for implementation of the Early High Strides program and the Schoolwide Enrichment Model. Early High Strides is an accelerated instructional model for highly motivated students built on the premise that learning should be individualized. The Schoolwide Enrichment Model is a detailed blueprint for total school improvement that is based upon the vision that schools are places for talent development. As part of revitalization, the school also renovated entirely its library from books to bookshelves.

The Core Knowledge Program is headed to REMINGTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. Core Knowledge is a rigorous content-driven program that builds on vocabulary and allows for the creation of a common language through shared information and terminology. The Core Knowledge program is flexible enough to use curriculum units developed by the district's La Alma de la Raza Project, which includes 75 multicultural, relevant units. Remington also adopted mandatory uniforms for students.

At SKINNER MIDDLE SCHOOL, the revitalization process is leading to full implementation of the district's Studio Literacy and Connected Math programs, continued professional development of the district's Secondary Teaching and Learning Project, development of accelerated options in selected content areas and implementation of AVID (Achievement Via Individual Determination) programming. Skinner will also launch integrated arts and artistic focus areas, with every Skinner teacher and administrator engaged in the Young Audiences "Aesthetic Arts Institute."

STEDMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is transforming into a "high achieving learning community for student success." The four main areas of focus are: academic achievement, school climate and culture, parental engagement, and marketing and communication. The Stedman plan: fully implements a Professional Learning Community; delivers science and social studies curricula through experiential education, including creating an outdoor learning laboratory and hiring a full-time technology teacher; expands full-day kindergarten; builds a state-of-the-art Learning Landscape; implements a school-wide approach to positive behaviors and character education; involves all parents in their child's education; and develops a formal marketing plan and materials.

A year from now, MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. MIDDLE SCHOOL will become Martin Luther King Jr. Early College and reorganize from a traditional middle school with grades six through eight to an early college high school with multiple career path options. The transition to high school will occur with the addition of one grade every year beginning in August 2006.

CHARTER SCHOOLS

Cole Middle School, formerly a neighborhood school, reopens this school year as a charter school - COLE COLLEGE PREP CHARTER SCHOOL: A KIPP TRANSFORMATION SCHOOL. It will serve students in grades seven and eight this year. The conversion was prescribed by Colorado law after the state rated Cole Middle School "unsatisfactory" for three consecutive years based on Colorado Student Assessment Program scores.

The ACADEMY OF URBAN LEARNING CHARTER SCHOOL is a new small charter high school (1380 S. Santa Fe Drive, 303-282-0900) geared toward serving students who have faced the challenge or who are facing the challenge of being homeless. The school will focus on personalization, individual learning plans and a competency-based approach to education that is based on an effective model from Boston: Diploma Plus. The school is partnering with the Urban Peak of Denver and the Jared Polis Foundation to provide services to students.

REDESIGNED SCHOOLS

In addition, former Superintendent Jerry Wartgow last year designated four low-performing schools for redesign, which means they are opening this year under the leadership of new principals and with new staff members. The four schools are Brown Elementary School; Mitchell K-8 School; and Randolph and Martin Luther King Jr. middle schools.

As part of the redesign process, Mitchell (serving student through grade six this year) now is using the PACE Model to improve achievement. Developed by two literacy coaches at Mitchell, the plan leverages existing DPS curriculum and features a series of reforms including monthly parent contacts and regular home visits, professional growth plans for all staff, data-driven instruction, an inclusive leadership team, and full-day kindergarten.

The changes at Bruce Randolph Middle School include full implementation of the district's literacy and math programs, comprehensive professional development for staff, early implementation of the district's new system for compensating teachers, and expansion of the school's grade configuration to serve students through high school (6-12). In addition, the school principal will report directly to Superintendent Michael Bennet.

For more information about enrolling in Denver Public Schools, access the online enrollment guide (in English and Spanish) at www.dpsk12.org/parents or contact the Welcome Center at 720-423-3970.

District calendars and school day start and stop times are online at: http://www.dpsk12.org/calendars.

For more information, contact the DPS Communications Office at 720-423-3414.