Parents of soon-to-be sixth- and ninth-grade students at Montbello-area schools are finding worries as they consider new schools.
Students entering the sixth and ninth grades next year will be the first to go through the enrollment process at new schools opened as part of the controversial turnaround plan for the far northeast Denver neighborhood.
The school district set up a choice expo for the community Saturday to help families navigate the process.
“I’m trying to figure out the whole concept,” said Lynette Baxstrom, as she made her way from booth to booth at the expo. Baxstrom’s daughter, Raven, 10, will be a sixth-grader next year.
Baxstrom is considering one of the new arts academies, because of Raven’s interest in sketching and performing, but prefers the curriculum at the Denver School of Science and Technology.
“It’s kind of hard to force that focus now,” Baxstrom said. “They need to be exposed to everything.”
Among the changes in the plan approved last month, Rachel B. Noel Middle School will be phased out and replaced with a 6-12 arts program and will add a charter school.
Montbello High School will be phased out to make room for three new programs: a college prep academy, a high-tech early college and a 6-12 Denver Center for International Studies.
“This gave me the chance to see there are more opportunities than I thought, but when it comes to the changes in general, I’m concerned,” said Paula Alvarado, mother of three students entering the sixth, seventh and ninth grades next year.
“I’d like to enroll them in DSST (science and tech school), if I get lucky in the lottery,” Alvarado said. “It’s the third time I’m applying, so I’m hoping this year I’ll be lucky.”
Students at phase-out schools entering seventh or eighth grade next year will stay at their current school until they move to high school.
Students entering 10th, 11th or 12th grade will stay in their current school until graduation.
“We will continue to use turnaround money to create positive changes to improve academics at those schools,” said Jenifer Jones, executive director of the district’s school turnaround office. “Those kids, they do matter.”
Parents at the expo also got to ask questions about a new shuttle-bus service that will replace traditional busing for far northeast Denver and near northeast Denver. The change will save the district about $500,000.
Beginning next fall, 14 buses will make circular trips around far northeast Denver to stop at every school. Each stop will be no farther than a mile from students.
“Only 10 percent of students here were eligible for busing before; now everyone will be eligible including those attending charter schools,” said Pauline Gervais, executive director for DPS transportation services. “It supports open enrollment to really give parents more choice.”
Cindy Mcrary, mother of 14-year- old Kenitia, likes the new bus system.
“That was a concern for me, I didn’t want my daughter on public transit,” Mcrary said. “To know they’ll have that really helps me out.”
Yesenia Robles: 303-954-1372 or yrobles@denverpost.com
