Community conversations come to southwest Denver

Here is the agenda for the upcoming community “conversations” about the proposals that the district will be bringing before the board in June.  Note the incredibly short time for presentations by the proposed charter schools, as well as the sliver of time for your questions.

The proposals are here.  Please come ready with tons of questions, whether they give you the time or not.  I’ll make sure you get your questions answered, and I’ll post responses here if we don’t have time for all of them.

As a reminder, I am supportive of the West Denver Prep High School at the Lutheran campus (it was my idea in the first place).  I’m looking for a 6-12 grade configuration at Lutheran, so that the West Denver Prep middle school leaves Kunsmiller for Lutheran and so that Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy then has room to grow into the K-12 program that was initially promised to our community.

As a second or third priority, I’m supportive of placing DSST (Denver School of Science and Technology) at the former Loretto Heights campus.  However, the southeast community has been clamoring for a DSST at the old Byers building, and I’m supportive of that as well.  I think DSST should go to Byers first.

Anyway, here’s the agenda:

Spring 2011 Southwest Community Conversations
May 3 At Kepner Middle School
May 19 at Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy

5:30 pm – 8:30 pm both days

• 5:30 – 5:45: Registration, dinner, social time
• 5:45 – 6:00  Welcome – Bill de la Cruz, Superintendent Tom Boasberg
• 6:00 – 6:15:  Strategic Regional Analysis Presentation – Will Lee-Ashley
• 6:15 – 6:30:  Call for Quality Schools Applications – Noemi Donoso
• 6:30 – 6:45:  Lutheran Campus & Possible DSST Placement in SW–Kelly Leid
• 6:45 – 7:00: West Denver Prep Presentation, Q and A –Chris Gibbons, Antonio Vigil
• 7:00 – 7:15: Rocky Mountain Prep, Q & A – James Cryan
• 7:15 – 7:30: KIPP Elementary, Q& A, Jessica Box
• 7:30 – 7:45: Life Skills, Q & A en– Susan Dunbar
• 7:45 – 8:10: Table discussions on presentations
• 8:10 – 8:30: Feedback and Next Steps – Bill De La Cruz

Expected Outcomes:

• Call Applicants Introduction to SW Community
• Update to Community on Lutheran Campus Master Plan
• Community Feedback to Call Applicants and DPS