Dear DPS Community,
This evening, as part of the Denver Schools Thrive Initiative, and using direction from Executive Limitation 18 (EL-18), the Denver Board of Education voted on the recommendation I presented to them on Nov. 7.
The outcome of the vote is as follows:
Elementary:
Castro Elementary will close at the end of the 2024-25 school year. Castro’s boundary will split into Knapp Elementary and Charles M. Schenck Community School.
Columbian Elementary will close at the end of the 2024-25 school year. A new Far Northwest Enrollment Zone will be created and will include Beach Court, Centennial, Edison and Trevista.
International Academy of Denver at Harrington will close at the end of the 2024-25 school year and will become part of the existing Greater Five Points/Central Enrollment Zone. This zone will include Columbine, Swansea, Garden Place, Cole Arts and Science Academy, University Prep - Arapahoe, Whittier and Wyatt Academy.
Palmer Elementary will close at the end of the 2024-25 school year. A new Central East Elementary Enrollment Zone will be created and will include Teller, Steck, Carson, Montclair, Lowry and Denver Green School Southeast.
Schmitt Elementary will close at the end of the 2024-25 school year. A new Southwest/Central Enrollment Zone will be created and will include Godsman, McKinley-Thatcher and Asbury.
Secondary:
Denver School of Innovation and Sustainable Design (DSISD) will close at the end of the 2024-25 school year. Students will be guaranteed a seat at their boundary or zone school.
West Middle School will close at the end of the 2024-25 school year. Students who live in the zone will be guaranteed a seat in the West Middle School Enrollment Zone.
As a reminder, the following grade level restructures did not require a decision from the Board of Education and will go into effect for the 2025-26 school year:
Denver Center for International Studies (DCIS) at Baker will only offer grades 6-8 and will become part of the West Middle School Enrollment Zone.
Dora Moore will only offer grades ECE-5. As a Choice school, Dora Moore will not join an enrollment zone.
Kunsmiller Creative Arts Academy (KCAA) will only offer grades 6-12. As a Choice school, KCAA will not join an enrollment zone.
Making the decision to close schools is incredibly difficult. I want to recognize the Board of Education for understanding the importance of maximizing our resources and ultimately doing what’s necessary to ensure all students have access to high quality learning experiences across our district.
Over the course of my visits to these schools, I heard from many families, students and staff who shared how much their schools and their communities mean to them. I fully acknowledge and understand how upsetting it is to have your school closed. However, I have witnessed the pure resilience of each of these strong and passionate school communities first hand, and I commit to supporting you through the entire period of change and transition.
In the coming weeks and months, teams from the Office of Schools, Office of Talent, Enrollment Services, Family and Community Engagement (FACE) and more will be collaborating closely with the leaders of each school to ensure that students, families and staff have access to resources to help them through the transition of finding new schools to learn and work in. FACE team members will be assigned to each school and will provide specialized support to these communities. Between Dec. 2-20, Family and Staff Transition Support meetings will be held at each school. More information on these meetings will be shared by school leaders tomorrow and in early December.
While this is not the way any of us would like to go into the holiday break, it is during these times that we must continue to hold strong in our Shared Core Value of Students First, never losing sight of what is most important, our scholars.
In collaboration,
Dr. Alex Marrero
DPS Superintendent