The Denver Public Schools board of education voted tonight to approve eight new schools, a new structure for West High School, and innovation status for six more schools.
All actions but one — innovation status for Swigert-McAuliffe International School — were unanimous. And Swigert was approved 6-1.
The board also voted to place a previously approved Denver School of Science and Technology at the former Byers Middle School building in Washington Park.
One new school, Elements Academy, was rejected — also unanimously — based on DPS staff recommendations that the application was not adequate, and that the leadership team was not qualified.
About five hours of public comment for Thursday’s votes was heard on Monday.
District staff reviewed all new school applications earlier this spring and made recommendations to the board.
During that process, three schools withdrew their application.
The new schools approved tonight include six new charter schools. Among them is an all-boys school for far northeast, the first West Denver Prep High School, and a new pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.
The vote on West’s changes came after months of community meetings in a process that was lauded by board members.
“The community and the district really engaged in a negotiation process,” said board member Arturo Jimenez who was involved in the process. “It’s wonderful the community was able to find a really good fit in two programs.”
The approved changes will begin in the fall of 2012 when West High will no longer enroll freshmen students for that year, but instead enroll them in one of two academies that will phase into the school.
The name, mascot and school colors will remain the same for West.
The academies will be district-run partnerships with Generation Schools and College Board, both based out of state.
The innovation schools approved on Thursday include four more in the far northeast. Also approved for innovation status were Godsman Elementary School, Summit Academy, an alternative school in southwest Denver, and Swigert-McAuliffe International School, in Stapleton.
The Denver Classroom Teachers Association has filed a lawsuit against the district, and the school board for approving innovation status of new schools — including four that were granted innovation status tonight.
