A third-grade teacher at one of the city’s best elementary schools was placed on leave this week because of a CSAP irregularity, Denver Public School officials said.
A letter went home Thursday to parents with third-graders in one class at Bromwell Elementary. DPS didn’t release the teacher’s name, nor would officials confirm what kind of irregularity they were looking into or who reported it.
Bromwell Elementary, with 330 students, is among Denver’s highest-performing schools on the Colorado Student Assessment Program. Last year, it was ranked “excellent” by the Colorado Department of Education.
Later Thursday night, school board members took action to close the smallest elementary school in the district to help stem an $11.6 million budget shortfall. The emotional decision, which was approved by five members of the board, brought out a small group of sobbing Rosedale Elementary parents and students.
“It’s ridiculous. I feel like they are throwing these kids away,” said Jim Duran, who was trying to console his crying 6-year-old, Dominic.
After the vote, Duran stood up and yelled at the board, “You can spend $500,000 to look for a new superintendent … but not this!”
Board members say they were troubled by the decision because the school is improving on state assessment tests and the community support to keep the school open was overwhelming. One board member, Elaine Gantz Berman, said the decision was too tough and she abstained.
Closing southeast Denver’s Rosedale Elementary will save the district approximately $300,000 a year.
The board on Thursday also voted to close under-enrolled Baker Middle School, which will save DPS about $712,000 a year.
The 134 Rosedale students will be shifted to two nearby elementaries.
“I didn’t sign up to be on a board to close schools,” said board member Theresa Pena, who voted to close both Baker and Rosedale.
Board member Bruce Hoyt, who represents the Rosedale neighborhood and voted to close the school, said it was the “toughest decision (I’ve) ever had to make as a board member.”
DPS faces a budget crisis while simultaneously trying to hammer out an agreement with the teachers union to give raises to roughly 4,000 teachers. Negotiations ended last month at an impasse, and the two sides will start mediation this month. Board members voted to close Gove Middle School earlier this year.
In the hallway afterward, 10-year-old Rosedale student Cody Tinling sobbed.
“They think that because we’re kids we don’t have any feelings,” he said. “They think that we’re flat out stupid kids who don’t care.”
Staff writer Allison Sherry can be reached at 303-820-1377 or asherry@denverpost.com .
