Author: Nico Brambila
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DPS eyes next bond just 11 months after nearly $1 billion package approved by voters
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Denver Public Schools officials are already talking about the next borrowing after Denver voters just approved a nearly $1 billion bond 11 months ago. As previously reported by The Denver Gazette, DPS has grown increasingly dependent on voter-approved borrowing to fund the district’s basic needs. Over the past three decades, voters have approved billions in…
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Denver school district reporting enrollment decline
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Denver Public Schools officials reported Monday that the district has 1,200 fewer students this year that last — resuming a downward trend temporarily buoyed by new immigrant students the past two years. The official enrollment count is not until Wednesday. “The scale of decline was steeper than we expected,” said Andrew Huber, the district’s executive…
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Denver Public Schools launches gun-sniffing canine program
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Denver Public Schools (DPS) has announced the launch of a pilot canine weapon-detection program this semester at various sporting events that are expected to draw large crowds. “Ensuring the safety of our students, staff and schools is our highest priority,” Greg Cazzell, the district’s chief of Climate and Safety, said in a statement. Cazzell added:…
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Colorado AG rolls out training to help educators curb school violence, prevent suicides | CLASSNOTES
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The Colorado Attorney General’s Office has launched a program to train educators to recognize when students may be at risk of harming themselves or others. The curriculum, which is available online at no cost, explains how school leaders can use Colorado’s Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) law, to prevent violence, the office said. In Colorado,…
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DEA, FBI refuse to confirm or deny existence of warrants for Denver raids
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Federal agents are refusing to release the warrants they used to breach doors at a southeast Denver apartment complex. Both the DEA and FBI issued what’s known as a “Glomar” denial — a response that allows agencies to neither confirm nor deny the records exist. Angela C. Davis, unit chief within the DEA’s Freedom of…
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DPS named felon as interim principal before walking back appointment, raising questions about vetting
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Denver Public Schools central office administrators informed parents in May that Peter Castillo would be the new interim principal at Denver School of the Arts — but they either didn’t know, or failed to disclose, that the retired educator was a convicted felon, The Denver Gazette has learned. Officials with DPS said Castillo, 59, was…
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ACLU sues ICE over plans to expand agency’s detention capacity
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The ACLU of Colorado filed a lawsuit Tuesday against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) seeking records on the government’s plans for expanding its detention capacity in the state. “Already, our previous requests and subsequent lawsuit have revealed how ICE may spend some of its record $45 billion budget intended for immigration detention,” said Tim Macdonald, ACLU…
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Denver board held behind-the-scenes talks on Marrero’s contract
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The Denver school board may have run afoul of Colorado’s open meetings law by channeling discussions about Superintendent Alex Marrero’s contract extension through the district’s attorney and a secret, two-member committee, according to experts. Among those raising concerns is Steve Zansberg, a First Amendment attorney who represents The Denver Gazette and several other media organizations.…
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Denver school board shifts public comment to before agenda is posted
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Marathon meetings with lengthy public testimony prompted the Denver school board to move community input to workshops held weeks before regular meetings — before even an agenda is published. Take the workshop meeting Thursday. The notice said, in part: “Public comment will now be divided into two sections — one limited to action items scheduled…
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CU Denver waives fees, guarantees admission for eligible DPS grads | CLASSNOTES
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Denver Public Schools juniors with a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) or higher will be guaranteed admission into the University of Colorado Denver, the university announced Tuesday. “As Denver’s premier public urban research institution, today’s announcement reinforces our deep commitment to the city and, most importantly, to the students of Denver Public Schools,” CU Denver…