Tag: Education
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Cherry Creek school district plays defense | Jimmy Sengenberger
Cherry Creek Schools is a shadow of its former self. When I graduated from Grandview High School in 2008, the district still earned its motto: “Dedicated to Excellence.” These days, Colorado’s fourth-largest district clings to that antiquated reputation even as it unravels in plain sight. Facing a nearly $20 million shortfall on an $840 million budget this…
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Cherry Creek assistant superintendent retires after leave, district withholds separation details
After being placed on leave, Assistant Superintendent Anthony Poole will retire at the end of the school year — the latest leadership shakeup in the Cherry Creek School District tied to past workplace misconduct allegations and transparency concerns. Cherry Creek School District officials confirmed Poole’s retirement Monday but the district declined to provide any information…
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Denver Public Schools will seek tax hike after record $975M bond package
Eighteen months after promising voters that passing a nearly $1 billion bond would not raise taxes, Denver Public Schools said it will seek a mill levy override. If approved by voters, the mill levy override is expected to generate $43 million annually, district spokesperson Bill Good said in an email to The Denver Gazette. DPS…
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Denver promised every school funding from $1B bond — but campuses later closed received far less | Analysis
Denver voters overwhelmingly approved the largest bond measure in Denver Public Schools history on the promise that every school — including charter campuses — would receive something. And they did. But the nearly $1 billion bond was not distributed evenly. Schools that remained open were allocated about 57% more bond funding on average than campuses…
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It’s about time DPS board gets independent counsel | Jimmy Sengenberger
Rare kudos are in order for the majority of Denver’s school board, which is holding its ground on implementing a policy to hire outside, independent counsel — a non-staff lawyer to lean on when necessary. The board has good reason. Last spring, when the previous board prematurely extended Superintendent Alex Marrero’s contract — locking in a $346,529 salary with added job protections before…
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Colorado campus with rural Italian architectural style said to be 3rd ‘most beautiful’ in U.S.
In a state with as much natural beauty as Colorado, it’s not too surprising that a local university is said to have one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. According to a recent report from Travel + Leisure, the most beautiful college campus nationwide is Sewanee – a Tennessee school that also goes…
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Marrero argues DPS board’s outside counsel policy undercuts superintendent’s role
Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero argued during a discussion of the request-for-proposal process that the board’s policy allowing independent counsel conflicts with district policy designating him as its sole employee. The new policy was in response to Marrero’s early contract extension in May, which was filtered through the district’s general counsel, Aaron Thompson. Thompson…
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DPS board advances ‘Safe Zones’ policy restricting ICE access without judicial warrants
A proposed policy amendment that would designate all Denver Public Schools (DPS) properties as “Safe Zones” — barring federal immigration agents from interacting with students and staff without a judicial warrant — advanced to a second reading Thursday. While the Board of Education is still hammering out the language, they unanimously voted for the amendment…
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DPS braces for budget uncertainty as state funding questions loom
The uncertainty over what state legislators will do when they begin hashing out the state budget later this month has Denver Public Schools (DPS) officials worried. DPS Chief Financial Officer Chuck Carpenter warned the board of education Thursday that if the state doesn’t come through on its promises or if funding is cut, it will…
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Cherry Creek School District charges $1,200 for travel records sought amid leadership turmoil
Cherry Creek’s transparency pledge is facing questions as the district charges more than $1,200 to release travel records sought after issues involving former Superintendent Chris Smith led the board to impose a temporary ban on most travel. In the wake of a shakeup that included placing two top officials on administrative following Smith’s abrupt resignation,…