A troubled Denver charter school that is already on academic probation is under investigation by the district over alleged personnel problems.
The district launched an investigation into Challenges, Choices and Images Literacy and Technology Learning Center in northeast Denver weeks ago after allegations from a former employee, according to Alex Sanchez, spokesman with Denver Public Schools.
Principal Carolyn R. Jones said Thursday the district asked her to look into the criminal backgrounds of nine employees.
None of them have felony convictions, she said.
A few had convictions on misdemeanor offenses, she said. She did not how many or reveal their exact nature.
“I’m sure that any place has a person who has a misdemeanor,” she said. “I didn’t know you couldn’t get a job if you had a misdemeanor. People have an opportunity to rehabilitate themselves.”
All of the school’s 65 employees had been thoroughly vetted by records check through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, she said.
“I don’t know what this is all about,” she said.
Denver Public Schools requires all of its schools, including charter schools, run background checks of all of their teachers through the Colorado Department of Education and a fingerprint check through the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
The schools must report to the district administration if they hire a person with a felony record. If an employee violates the law while employed at the school, the school must inform the district, Sanchez said.
Denver Public Schools in February placed the school on one-year probation for poor academic performance and ongoing financial problems.
The school in 2007 moved into a new building and had taken in students who had been displaced because of Hurricane Katrina.
The school was founded in August 2000 and has a goal of providing an educational environment that addresses the learning needs of low-income minority students.
Yet, the school with about 600 students in grades from kindergarten to 12th grade had been rated “low” on the state’s academic report card in 2006-07.
The state also reports the school’s academic growth as ranging from declining in elementary and middle school to in significant decline for high school.
The district’s recent audit of the school shows it was having problems reporting financial performance — failing to report $73,000 in bond and capital construction payments on its budget.
The school in 2009 will begin paying ona $39.1 million bond for the financing of its new facility at the old Samsonite plant.
“There is a lot of clamor going on about this,” said Principal Jones. “It’s all these rumors. I’ve got some teachers who are scared and don’t want their reputations ruined.”
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
