Denver’s North High School, which underwent massive restructuring two years ago to improve student achievement, will have a new principal next school year.
JoAnn Trujillo-Hays, who took over leadership of North under the reform plan, will return as principal of Academia Ana Marie Sandoval, an elementary school she helped start in 2001.
Edwin Salem, assistant principal at Abraham Lincoln High School in west Denver, will be the interim principal at North.
Debra Lucero Kraft, current principal at Sandoval, will continue to work with the district on Montessori initiatives as a principal on special assignment.
District officials sent letters home Thursday to parents of students at both Sandoval and North, explaining the changes.
“Everyone got moved to where their strengths are,” said Arturo Jimenez, school board member who represents the area. “This is very good for north Denver. (The district) has put leadership in positions that correspond to their greatest strengths.”
In January 2007, the district asked North’s 37 teachers to reapply for their jobs.
The North campus also was aligned with Valdez Elementary to make a K-12 campus.
North has been losing students over the past several years, and its academic performance on state tests has not been high.
Last year only 15 10th graders were proficient in math on the state’s standardized test and 71 of 322 sophomores were proficient in reading.
Sandoval teachers also have been in revolt over issues at the dual-language Montessori school in northwest Denver.
Late last year, all of the school’s 16 classroom teachers called in sick, forcing the school to use substitutes or other staff members to teach classes.
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
