Press Release
August 16, 2007
Academic Program Suspended At Del Pueblo Due To Declining Enrollment
Denver Public School (DPS) announced today that Del Pueblo Elementary School will not operate an academic program in the 2007-2008 school year. The final status of the school will not be officially determined until the Board of Education takes action on the broader A+ Denver recommendations later this fall.
As of today, there are no current students registered to attend Del Pueblo. Some Del Pueblo staff will be available for a period of time to work with students and their families who may arrive in the first days of school to find another school that better meets their academic needs. Several school bus routes have been established from Del Pueblo to nearby schools, including Dora Moore K-8, Greenlee ECE-8, Knight Fundamental Academy K-5 and Valdez ECE-5.
"Our first priority is to make sure the Del Pueblo families have a smooth transition into their new schools and to support those students who may show up to Del Pueblo on the first days of school," said Superintendent Michael Bennet.
As enrollment continued to dwindle, the principal and school staff visited homes of students to explain the unique challenge at Del Pueblo. Educational opportunities for students would have been limited to classes of multi-grade configurations consisting of Kindergarten through 2nd grade and 3rd grade through 5th grade, and families would not have access to early childhood education and after-school programs. At this point, most families have elected to enroll their children at other schools that offer a richer academic environment.
"It was important to be honest with our parents about what we could offer," said Principal Dan Villescas. "Principals and staff at nearby schools are welcoming our Del Pueblo families with open arms."
The administration will wait to determine the final status of Del Pueblo until the list of schools recommended for reprogramming and closure is presented to the Board of Educations later this fall.
For more information, please contact the Communications Office at 720-423-3414.