Northwest Denver community advocates asked Denver Public Schools Superintendent Michael Bennet on Thursday to make dramatic changes at North High School and create a “premier” learning place.
Even though the high school showed gains this year in many categories of the Colorado Student Assessment Program tests, advocates from Padres Unidos, or Parents United, told board members that changes were not coming fast enough. The number of ninth-graders and 10th-graders proficient in reading, writing and math is lower than in most high schools in the city.
“Nothing against the teachers, nothing against the staff, but the time is now,” Ricardo Martinez, co-director of the group, said at a school board meeting.
A handful of neighborhood groups, as well as three City Council members, signed a letter presented to Bennet requesting a meeting about North before the first week of September.
Board member Lucia Guzman, who represents the area, urged Bennet to make a decision soon.
“He’ll decide if it’s going to be a reform or a redesign, but we want a decision,” Guzman said.
Bennet said the fact that the school has lost 400 students in four years is disheartening.
“We can’t allow that to continue,” he said. “But we need to consider everything. … I’d like to talk to the staff.”
The debate on what to do about North has embroiled the northwest Denver community in recent weeks. Some are calling for a “redesign,” which means that all teachers would have to reapply for their jobs. A new principal could hire all new staff.
But current North teachers want to stay the course with $300,000 invested in professional development and the relationship with the Ed Trust, a Washington-based school- reform group.
“We want a genuine community process that includes all stakeholders,” said Kim Ursetta, president of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association. “I also think we need to acknowledge the significant gains at North made in CSAPs, ACT and attendance.”
Staff writer Allison Sherry can be reached at 303-820-1377 or asherry@denverpost.com.
