An administrator who developed Denver Public Schools’ highly gifted and talented elementary school is expected to be named principal for the Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy.
Diana Howard, principal of Polaris at Ebert School in north-central Denver, will be named principal of the new arts-focused school in southwest Denver that is expected to be approved at tonight’s school board meeting.
The board will vote on opening Kunsmiller in 2009-10 as a kindergarten-through-seventh-grade school that will eventually be phased into a K-12 school.
Howard is expected to address the board at the meeting.
The concept for Kunsmiller was part of the district’s reform measures taken last fall, which involved closing eight school buildings and redesigning programs for five others.
Kunsmiller Middle School was selected for redesign because of its waning enrollment and flagging achievement. Administrators also wanted an arts-focused school available to all Denver students.
District officials had planned to open the Kunsmiller arts school in August but scrapped those plans when they had trouble finding a leader.
In 2000, Howard started the district’s sole school for highly gifted and talented in the old Crofton School. It later moved to the old Ebert School.
Howard could not be reached for comment.
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
