Julius Caesar was warned to “beware the Ides of March.” Colorado students may feel a bit like Caesar as they are readying for testing and worrying about whether or not their hard work will result in their showing successful growth and progress. Schools and teachers have been working hard to prepare students for the assessments. The results are important to everyone involved with the schools because they are used to evaluate student and school performance. Good luck to everyone involved!
DPS has launched EDUCAradio, 1090 AM, an online, bilingual talk radio station which provides English programming 3:00a.m.-3:00p.m. and Spanish programming 3:00p.m.-3:00a.m. This channel will bring listeners the latest news and information from DPS and provide relevant, real-time information and resources to help families better navigate the educational system.
DPS and the Mexican Consulate, represented by Acting Consul General Jeremias Guzman, met to discuss ways they can partner to ensure all children have access to high-quality education. The consulate has donated 25,000 Spanish language books to DPS families.
The advocacy group A+ Colorado released The Outliers, its first comprehensive report of academic outcomes for various groups of students in districts in Colorado. DPS was recognized for making some of the biggest gains in English language arts. To see the report, visit apluscolorado.org/events/press-conference-outliers.
Denver Language School K-8 (DLS), 200 S. University St., is a new addition to the Washington Park community. Although the majority of the school is housed in another location, kindergarten through second grade is in the building that once housed the Girls Athletic and Leadership school (GALS). DLS is Denver’s only full language immersion K-8 charter school. Its mission is to offer a meaningful global education that prepares students from a young age to learn the languages and cultures of other societies. The majority of the staff at DLS come from other countries. Visitors walk through the halls and find it a global adventure of learning. They can hear Chinese, Spanish and English and see projects posted in the halls in these other languages. There have been studies showing the benefits of learning a second language at a young age, and today second language knowledge is particularly important as so many new jobs are tied to international trade. If interested in learning more about DLS, contact denverlanguageschool.org or email Camilla: camilla@denverlanguageschool.org.
South High, 1700 E. Louisiana Ave., keeps gaining momentum in the greater Washington Park Neighborhoods. South set a record with approximately 450 eighth graders visiting the school by the end of January to determine if this was the high school for them. South provides high-level academic classes, including college courses, and offers tutoring in all subjects, over 50 clubs and activities and 23 varsity sports.
During a recent meeting with DPS Board members, South students described their school as “inclusive, welcoming, friendly, passionate, alive, life-changing, empowering and full of Rebel pride.” Students talked about how they have become acquainted with the world through their peers; one-third of South’s students claiming international roots.
As ever, South students are excelling both academically and socially. Five seniors became Daniels Fund Scholarship Finalists, and South students earned Scholastic Art awards, speech awards and writing awards between January and the present. South is looking forward to seeing the list of colleges and universities selected by the Class of 2017.
South wishes to thank Mayor Hancock, DPS Superintendent Tom Boasberg and President of the DPS School Board, Anne Rowe, for showing their support for South and its students by visiting and engaging with the students.
Grant-Beacon Middle School (GBMs), 1751 S. Steele St., was granted innovation status which allows the school more autonomy to make decisions at the school level to develop practices that better meet the needs of individual students. The focus at GBMS is on a rigorous college prep curriculum, blended learning with technology-based instruction, applications and assessments, a system for frequently analyzing student data and research-based interventions resulting in high growth and achievement. Innovation status allows GBMS to increase instructional time, continue to reduce class sizes in reading, writing and math and to provide professional development needed to meet the needs of its diverse learners.
Specifically, areas of innovation will include the integration of technology where each student is assigned a Chromebook for personal academic work, continued development of rigorous curriculum (including Pre-Advance Placement (AP) classes and an AP articulation agreement with South High) and enrichment opportunities, including music/band and foreign language electives.
University Park Elementary, 2300 S. St. Paul St., is getting ready for its auction in April, a major fund-raiser for the school. They are requesting items such as gift cards, business, travel, vacation and service items to be sold via the online auction during the week leading up to the event as well as a select number of items that will stay open until the live event. For more information about the auction or to donate an item, go to uparkelementary.org/auction2017.
Stephen Knight Center for Early Learning (SKCEE), 3245 E. Exposition Ave., has three-and-four-year-old early childhood education (ECE) classes, three Cory Kindergarten classes and one Advanced Kindergarten class. DPS Kaleidoscope Corner offers before- and after-school care available.
SKCEE’s educational philosophy is built on the best practices established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. They balance child-initiated, play-based learning with the academic focus on whole-group and small-group instruction. SKCEE provides an important option for the parents of young children.
Good luck to all students testing in March! Your hard work will pay off.
