Again this month I am accepting an outside submission for the Editor’s Note.

This month we are running letters submitted to our three papers, the Washington Park Profile, Life on Capitol Hill and Neighborhood Life, in support of Initiatives 3A  and 3B. 

All three are written by residents living in each paper’s circulation area.

—Haines Eason, Editor, Denver Metro Media 

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School upgrades lead to student success

by Rebecca Mason

Capitol Hill has a long, rich history spanning back to the 1800s. We’ve seen decades of both boom and bust contribute to a diverse urban population. One place where we continue to come together is in our public schools. They are the bedrock of our neighborhood and the starting point for most lifelong friendships, and they bring communities together at the afterschool ballgame, choir concert or belt-busting bake sale.

Those of us who choose to live in the city do not take its history for granted. We are just as invested in the stories behind the buildings as in the bricks and mortar itself. As a neighborhood, we have been fortunate to maintain many of our historic educational spaces, such as Dora Moore K-8 School, Morey Middle School and East High School.

As a parent of Dora Moore and Morey students, I understand the importance of the history which animates buildings to which my children travel every day for their classes. Both of these neighborhood schools are filled with the grand stories of famous people in history who have walked their hallowed halls. Unfortunately, a robust history does create some wear and tear, and it’s time we show these schools a little love so they are in good shape for future generations.

In November, bond and mill levy initiatives will be on the ballot asking Denver voters whether or not they will inject desperately-needed dollars into Denver Public Schools. Funds will help schools across the entire district, but as a resident of Capitol Hill, I am paying close attention to the funds that could go to the schools in our neighborhood.

Dora Moore, Morey and East have all made the list of the 18 hottest schools within DPS, reaching up to 86 degrees at times. Any Morey parent can tell you about their children wearing shorts and T-shirts in the dead of winter because the heat radiates year-round.

The ballot proposals also include $56.6 million in operating dollars for proven classroom initiatives which would help close the $2,000 gap between Colorado education funding and average education funding across the nation.

If the bond and mill levy are passed, all three schools would receive classroom air conditioning among many other maintenance and programming upgrades.

Dora Moore, built in 1899, would gain approximately $80,000 from the bond for school-determined investments. This is in addition to investments in classroom-level air conditioning, safety upgrades and classroom modernizations. Similar to East and Morey, school leaders would get to decide which high-impact investments would be made at their individual schools.

Morey, built in 1920, would receive over $2.5 million for school-determined investment such as new science labs, art rooms, furniture and technology. Additional funds would also go toward cooling solutions, building repairs, safety upgrades and waterline replacement. These investments would help with the introduction of a new high school on this campus, Denver School of Innovation and Sustainable Design, a small, Tier 1, Gifted and Talented high school.

As Morey teacher Bertie Fiz says, “Our school hasn’t been set up for 21st-century learning. The bond and mill adjustments would take students’ learning to the next level.”

East, built in 1925, would be given approximately $500,000. In addition, upgrades would be made to safety features, classrooms and shared spaces, such as the football field and gymnasium. Funding would cover classroom-level air conditioning solutions and improve existing cooling and ventilation systems.

For these schools to remain part of Denver’s educational legacy, we need neighbors to cast their votes in favor of the initiatives. We’re counting on you.