News Release
April 27, 2006
Denver Public Schools Announces High School Lunch Rules For Next Year
Superintendent Michael Bennet today announced that he had reviewed requested waivers from DPS high schools and had granted them. The decision will result in a variety of lunchtime configurations next year.
"From the beginning, we have said that our goal is a 97% attendance rate at our schools, a rate that is higher than the state standard," Bennet explained. "Our draft strategic plan called for the closure of high school campuses during lunch as one way to pursue this goal. Throughout the conversations with our principals and communities we have balanced our high expectation for attendance against certain realities in our high schools, including differences in daily attendance rates, the minimal truancy problems in certain schools, differing school schedules, and the physical configurations of our buildings."
The original, draft version of The Denver Plan recommended closing all high school campuses at lunch for the 2006-2007 school year. A revised version, based on feedback gathered from community meetings and work by The Denver Plan Committee (a group of 40 school principals, teachers, central administrators and other staff members), allowed high schools to apply for a waiver if they could demonstrate a way to meet the attendance goal.
"The Denver Plan spells out an unwavering commitment to ensure that the district holds high attendance expectations for all students, and high schools have submitted thoughtful and detailed plans to address truancy. Numerous citizens in our community, as well as parents, have made clear to me that they want us to follow through on our commitment to do all we can to promote attendance. The conversations with our high school principals have focused us all on the truancy question in our schools, and I am confident that together we will reach the goal set forth in the Denver Plan. Next year our schools will be operating with a variety of lunchtime statuses, from open to closed, and we will have the opportunity to learn and experiment to see what works best," said Superintendent Bennet.
Schools that submitted waiver applications also were asked to demonstrate that the school community - including the Collaborative School Committee or parent organization - had reviewed the plans for allowing some students to leave campus.
As a result of the waivers granted by Superintendent Bennet:
- Abraham Lincoln High School (2285 S. Federal Blvd.) will close its campus for students in grades 9 and 10.
- CEC Middle College of Denver (2650 Eliot St.) will close its campus for students in grades 9 and 10.
- Denver School of the Arts (7111 Montview Blvd.), which does not have a full service kitchen and has an attendance rate exceeding 97%, will close its campus for ninth grade students for the first semester, but allow them to earn off-campus privileges for second semester by completing a required community service plan.
- Denver Center for International Studies (now located at West High School but moving to 574 W. 6th Ave. beginning with 2006-2007 school year) will close its campus for ninth and tenth grade students and will permit students in grades 11 and 12 to leave campus with parent permission.
- East High School (1545 Detroit St.) will remain open for all grades. East's data demonstrates virtually no decline in attendance after lunch, and a 97% attendance rate overall. Other than DSA, East's lunchroom is the most poorly configured facility in the district for a closed lunch.
- John F. Kennedy High School (2855 S. Lamar St.) will close its campus for students in ninth grade. Students in good standing in grades 10, 11, and 12 will be allowed an open campus. The school recently switched to a single-period common lunch plan to boost attendance rates after lunch and reports that the plan is working.
- George Washington High School (655 S. Monaco St.) will close its campus for students in ninth grade and remain an open campus for students in grades 10, 11 and 12 who meet high attendance standards.
- Montbello High School (5000 Crown Blvd.) will close its campus for all grades. However, students in grades 11 and 12 may be granted an exception for excellent attendance.
- North High School (2960 N. Speer Blvd.) will close its campus for students in grades 9 and 10.
- South High School (1700 E. Louisiana Ave.) will close its campus for students in grade 9. Students in grades 10 - 12 in good standing will be permitted an open campus.
- Thomas Jefferson High School (3950 S. Holly St.) will close its campus for students in grade 9. Students in grades 10 through 12 with poor attendance will lose open campus privileges.
- West High School (951 Elati St.) did not request a waiver and will remain a closed campus for students in all grades. This decision will be reviewed upon the appointment of a new principal at the school.
Superintendent Bennet noted that a committee is currently working on establishing district-wide attendance standards and will recommend procedures and intervention strategies to reduce overall truancy rates. Schools that plan to grant or revoke open campus privileges for individual students (such as West and Montbello high schools) may develop and use their own criteria next year, Bennet added.
For more information, contact the DPS Communications Office at 720-423-3414.