Greater Park Hill / Stapleton Families Planning for Middle School 1
Opportunity: Middle School Options in GPHS • Families currently have five schools to choose from: – DSST: Conservatory Green – Denver Discovery School – McAuliffe International School – DSST: Stapleton – William (Bill) Roberts • All residents of Stapleton and Park Hill have equal access to these five middle school options in the zone through SchoolChoice. • The number of families with middle-school aged children will increase over the next five years. 2
How You Can Help • We need input from families in the area with a special focus on families with students in the third and fourth grades to ensure we have a middle school that meets our community’s needs. • In this meeting, you will be asked to consider: – What is important to you in a middle school? – How do we meet the need for the increased numbers of middle school students? • You will also be asked to consider options for McAuliffe International School, which is in high demand among students in the GPHS neighborhoods. 3
Greater Park Hill / Stapleton Middle Schools 4
Greater Park Hill / Stapleton Middle Schools The number of middle school students will increase over the next five years. We need more space for students. 2,500 Capacity 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 Enrollment 0 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 5
Additional Information To meet immediate demand, we will expand McAuliffe’s enrollment: • Total of 350 seats for 6 th grade only beginning in 2016. • There will be roughly 270-290 seats for 7 th and 8 th grades. We will consider opening an additional middle school option north of I-70 in 2018 to give families in that area an additional school choice and meet growth needs. • More details about community input opportunities will be coming in 2016. 6
About Middle Schools: GPHS DSST: Conservatory Green and DSST: Stapleton • Goal is to provide a diverse student body with an outstanding secondary liberal-arts education with a focus on science, technology, engineering and math. • Prepares 100% of our students to earn acceptance into the college of their choice and gain the necessary skills to successfully earn a college degree. Denver Discovery School • Values every child’s unique talents through a high level of rigorous experiences grounded in Common Core State Standards. • Unique integration of rigorous college-preparatory classes, service to community and a project- based inquiry approach. McAuliffe International School • International Baccalaureate program where all students are able to excel in academics, personal conduct and service to community. • Offers a rigorous and holistic education in world languages, engineering/technology, physical education and the visual and performing arts, in addition to the core content areas of math, language arts, social studies and science. William (Bill) Roberts • Serves students in Early Childhood Education (ECE) through eighth grade with a rigorous academic curriculum. • Creative, safe and dynamic community of learners that nurtures and educates the whole child. 7
About Middle Schools: Non-Zone Schools Near Northeast Community Engagement School (NECES) • (NECES) will develop each student to become an active, civically engaged citizen in an intimate school setting. Civic responsibility will be integrated into the school curriculum. Students will engage in learning experiences that will bring together community resources and organizations, educators, families and youth to support the development of student leadership capacity and the development of student voices to be champions for change within their school and immediate and broader communities. NECES will utilize a personalized learning approach, with an interdisciplinary, project-based curriculum focused on empowering students with skills in critical thinking, action research, problem solving and leadership. Odyssey School of Denver • A diverse, public, kindergarten through eighth-grade Expeditionary Learning school. We teach students how to learn through a focus on academic achievement, critical thinking and social responsibility, preparing them for high school and beyond. We draw our direction and strength from Expeditionary Learning Design Principles. The curriculum is designed around rigorous, purposeful, project-based learning expeditions tied to the Common Core State Standards. A student’s learning experience includes a focus on reading and writing through literature, a rigorous math program, computers to develop research and critical thinking skills, fi ne arts, documentation of students’ work through portfolios, regular out -of-school fieldwork and adventures with environmental education. 8
Main Questions to Consider What is important to you in a middle school program? How do we meet the need for the increased numbers of middle school students? 9
How should we best utilize the Smiley Campus? Option 1 – McAuliffe at 1,100-1,200 - Intentionally building small learning communities by grade level 6 th Grade is divided into two “houses” of roughly 180 -190 - students. - Each house would have its own separate location in the building 6 th Grade Houses served by one Assistant Principal and - one counselor that stay with the same students for all three years of middle school Pros Cons • • Expand a high-performing school Some families concerned • McAuliffe is the most popular with large middle school middle school program option • • Provide small house feeling while No additional middle leveraging resources school program option • Continuity of the program and no need to “dial down” current McAuliffe 10
How should we best utilize the Smiley Campus? Option 2 – Shared Campus at Smiley - McAuliffe serves 250 students per grade and shares the campus with a new middle school that is 150 students per grade Pros Cons • • An additional programmatic McAuliffe takes fewer option in the zone students and has to cut both • Could include a replication of staff and programming • McAuliffe within the same Shared campus concerns • building It will take 3 years to “dial • Some families prefer a small size down” current McAuliffe program • Already set up for a shared campus • With good cooperation -sharing of resources 11
• What do you like about each approach? Discuss • What are drawbacks to each approach? • Which other options should be considered? • What do you need more information about? 12
Next Steps Before you leave this meeting, please: • Fill out our worksheet and survey. • Fill out contact sheet. Future Engagement • All families are invited to attend a meeting with district officials on Wednesday, January 6th from 6:00 – 7:30 pm at the Smiley Campus, 2540 Holly St, Denver, CO 80207. 13
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