To the Far Northeast Community:
With the new Montbello High School developing its programming and facilities, one of the things we have heard is the strong desire to bring back the comprehensive Montbello High School Athletics program.
We are extraordinarily excited to be able to offer all that a comprehensive high school provides – including a full athletics program. At the same time, we recognize the
significant task and logistics required to reestablish Montbello High School by bringing together three school communities, all while conducting a major renovation and expansion to the facility over the next two years.
Therefore, we will continue to operate the FNE Regional Athletic Program as it currently exists for the next two years before fully transitioning the program to Montbello High School. For the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years, the Regional Athletic Program that is currently established will continue to provide varsity athletic opportunities for students in the Far Northeast and will fall under the direction of the Regional Athletic Director.
By continuing to run the athletic program regionally, we will be able to ensure that our Montbello High School staff, students, and community have the time and resources to successfully open the new school this coming fall as we work to get all aspects of the school’s program up and running.
While the school will be open and under construction for the next two years, the high school’s facility will ultimately provide our community with state-of-the-art academics, arts, and athletic facilities by the completion of this construction project – which is slated to be finished by August 2024. At that time, the Regional Athletic Program will be completely dissolved and transitioned to Montbello High School.
Upon the Regional Athletic Program ending and transitioning to Montbello High School in the spring of 2024, any student who attends a school that does not offer a program will have the ability to participate according to state statute and CHSAA guidelines. Students who attend a school that offers an athletic program will be required to participate in their school’s athletic program as outlined by state statute.
This decision seeks to honor our values of Students First and Equity by allowing athletes who have participated in the Regional Athletic Program to participate in unified athletic programming until the completion and final transition to the comprehensive Montbello High School Athletic Program in August 2024.
Thank you for all of your support, we look forward to the continued success of the Regional Athletic Program while we work through this transition.
In Collaboration,
Karen Higel, John Andrew
District Athletic Directors, Denver Public Schools