Neighborhood Middle Schools NOW: Message to School Board

Last night the School Board met to discuss middle school options in DPS. Karin Ahern on the NOW leadership team sent a letter advocating for more attention and resources for neighborhood middle schools so we can continue building Skinner into the "go-to" school in Northwest Denver...and so that other neighborhoods around the city have the opportunity to do do the same. Mike Kiley, a fellow NOW-er, attended the meeting and read the letter aloud to the Board members and audience:

Dear Superintendent Boasberg and Members of the Board,

Today well over 100 new 6^th grade children walked or rode their bikes to Skinner their neighborhood middle school . As parents of these students we are excited that this option exists and that our children will remain in their community instead of taking buses across town to niche magnet or charter schools to access strong basic education programs. It was a privilege to see the 6th graders at Skinner who will benefit from the efforts of Skinner, NOW, DPS and now the diversity that will enrich the culture, learning and rising scores of this wonderful neighborhood school.

Our parent led group Northwest Neighborhood Middle Schools NOW – also known as NOW – has worked closely with you and the Skinner school staff to promote this option because it is what the community is asking for. Two years ago many of us sat on the stage at North High School advocating for an academically strong, diverse well rounded middle school without an application process or lottery. A groundswell of supporters from many NW schools emerged giving us the foundation of support we needed to create NOW. Since then, we have attended countless community meetings, surveyed our neighborhood and have had thousands of conversations with parents informally and with the Northwest coalition effort.

The wants are always the same. – strong neighborhood middle schools! Like most DPS families, what we really want are local schools with rigorous academics, rich visual and performing arts, diverse athletics and deep enrichment programs. While our kids have special talents and interests, we believe neighborhood schools are the best place for them to pursue them, provided the DPS administration, board, parents, students and community puts the effort and resources into making them great schools.

I write to you today because it still seems like there has continued to be a mismatch between what parents want and are asking for and what the Board and Administration hears and is set on churning out. NOW leaders recently attended a city-wide Middle School meeting this August hearing the same message. It is frustrating to work so hard towards growing a community middle school that is great for all kids knowing that the Board and Administration continues to prioritize and support niche programs and charters.

We are all at a crossroads where the needs and desires of all parents must be acknowledged and rebalanced with the DPS approach to school reform. We ask that you take steps tonight to illustrate that you hear all parents and to be specific about how DPS and the Board of Education will support neighborhood middle and high schools.

Sincerely,

Karin Ahern (on behalf of NOW! and the myriad parents in our neighborhood)

NWNMSNOW member and parent (Sknner 6^th, Edison 2^nd)