Posted under Denver & Elementary School & Parents & Principals & School Choice & State Board of Education & Teachers & innovation schools
Okay, okay … so Denver’s Montclair School of Academics and Enrichment isn’t exactly new. In fact, at more than 100 years of age, it’s one of Colorado’s older public schools. So what’s new about it?
Montclair is one of the state’s first two Innovation Schools — as approved by the local school board and by the state board of education under the 2008 state law — and the only school to be recognized both as an Innovation School and as a DPS Beacon School. What does that mean, you ask?
More control at the school level, more collaboration between the principal and other instructional leaders in the school, and most importantly, more freedom from state laws, district policies, and bargaining provisions that make it difficult for Montclair (a K-5 elementary school in east Denver) to reach the needs of its student population.
As an Innovation School (PDF), Montclair will seek to implement a more rigorous academic program, extend classroom hours and the school calendar, adjust policies for student promotion, hire and dismiss (some) teachers outside the traditional union contract, have the latitude to develop more of its own budget, and offer more faculty and staff bonuses for performance.
So this is a unique edition of “A Glimpse”. Montclair isn’t exactly a new school, but its Innovation and Beacon status will allow school leaders to try new approaches and take it in a new direction. Let’s hope for its success, and as the word spreads, maybe more parents will demand and get this kind of innovation for their neighborhood school, too.
Other new schools featured: Atlas Preparatory Charter (Colorado Springs), Envision Leadership Prep (Denver), Animas High School (Durango).
Ed is Watching » A Glimpse at New Schools: KIPP Denver Collegiate High School on 16 Oct 2009 at 11:17 am #
[...] Montclair School of Academics and Enrichment (Denver) [...]
Martin on 21 Nov 2011 at 12:14 am #
It sounds as though you’re saying that this school, and it’s attached program, are not necessarily good or better than the public system that’s already dominant in sheer volume and number. No union protections, longer work hours, more stringent demands on teachers and students (who may or may not be able to keep up), but they still have to teach to the test. So…if you’re a teacher at this school, you may earn more but you’d have to do more work for more hours with fewer benefits or legal protections. The children will have to do more work, longer, and parents will have to be more involved just in order for their kids to keep their heads above water.
Eddie on 21 Nov 2011 at 6:16 pm #
Martin: No, not necessarily at all. This post is more than two years old. Montclair is now in its third year as an innovation school, so more can be learned. According to the latest edition of Denver’s School Performance Framework, the school appears to be doing well: http://testing.dpsk12.org/public/spf/current/1SPF_summary_traditional.pdf — However, a more in-depth look at the school would be required before anyone could accurately make sweeping conclusions like your comment.