Author: Nico Brambila
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DPS board candidates spar over trust and transparency at forum
While candidates will say every election is consequential, the four seats on the ballot next month could reshape the Denver Public Schools Board of Education and chart a new course for Colorado’s largest school district. On Tuesday, EDUCATE Denver held a candidate forum along with ChalkBeat Colorado and CBS News at Regis University. “We think…
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DPS eyes next bond just 11 months after nearly $1 billion package approved by voters
Denver Public Schools officials are already talking about the next borrowing after Denver voters just approved a nearly $1 billion bond 11 months ago. As previously reported by The Denver Gazette, DPS has grown increasingly dependent on voter-approved borrowing to fund the district’s basic needs. Over the past three decades, voters have approved billions in…
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Denver school district reporting enrollment decline
Denver Public Schools officials reported Monday that the district has 1,200 fewer students this year that last — resuming a downward trend temporarily buoyed by new immigrant students the past two years. The official enrollment count is not until Wednesday. “The scale of decline was steeper than we expected,” said Andrew Huber, the district’s executive…
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Denver Public Schools launches gun-sniffing canine program
Denver Public Schools (DPS) has announced the launch of a pilot canine weapon-detection program this semester at various sporting events that are expected to draw large crowds. “Ensuring the safety of our students, staff and schools is our highest priority,” Greg Cazzell, the district’s chief of Climate and Safety, said in a statement. Cazzell added:…
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Colorado AG rolls out training to help educators curb school violence, prevent suicides | CLASSNOTES
The Colorado Attorney General’s Office has launched a program to train educators to recognize when students may be at risk of harming themselves or others. The curriculum, which is available online at no cost, explains how school leaders can use Colorado’s Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) law, to prevent violence, the office said. In Colorado,…
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DEA, FBI refuse to confirm or deny existence of warrants for Denver raids
Federal agents are refusing to release the warrants they used to breach doors at a southeast Denver apartment complex. Both the DEA and FBI issued what’s known as a “Glomar” denial — a response that allows agencies to neither confirm nor deny the records exist. Angela C. Davis, unit chief within the DEA’s Freedom of…
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DPS named felon as interim principal before walking back appointment, raising questions about vetting
Denver Public Schools central office administrators informed parents in May that Peter Castillo would be the new interim principal at Denver School of the Arts — but they either didn’t know, or failed to disclose, that the retired educator was a convicted felon, The Denver Gazette has learned. Officials with DPS said Castillo, 59, was…
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ACLU sues ICE over plans to expand agency’s detention capacity
The ACLU of Colorado filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seeking records on the government’s plans for expanding its detention capacity in the state. “Already, our previous requests and subsequent lawsuit have revealed how ICE may spend some of its record $45 billion budget intended for immigration detention,” said Tim Macdonald, ACLU…
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Denver school board advances policy to set rules for hiring outside attorneys
In a split vote Thursday, the Denver school board narrowly advanced a policy outlining when it can hire its own attorney, sparking debate over whether the measure undermines the district’s first Black general counsel. The measure advanced with a 4-3 vote. Directors Xóchitl Gaytán, Scott Esserman and Michelle Quattlebaum — all of whom are up…
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Denver school board weighs hiring its own attorney
After the Denver school board filtered the contract language to the district’s general counsel, who answers to Superintendent Alex Marrero, the board of education is now considering a policy that would allow them to retain independent legal services. The Denver Public Schools Board of Education is expected to vote on a first reading of the…