DENVER, Colo. – 14 public schools and 2 public charter management organizations from the Denver metro area representing 6 districts received awards today for outstanding success in improving academic performance. All are winners of the Foundations for Great Schools 2012 grant awards program, which focuses on recognizing and encouraging success among schools serving high proportions of low-income students. A total of $500,000 in grant awards will be distributed among the 16 award winners.
“Many of the metro area’s public district and public charter schools that serve high numbers of low-income students are doing remarkably well,” said Tom Kaesemeyer, President of the Fox Family Foundation and spokesperson for Foundations for Great Schools.
“Given the significant number of students from low-income families in metro Denver, we believe it is important to identify and reward high performing schools that serve these students, and to share the strategies that helped them achieve strong results in academic growth and performance,” added Kaesemeyer.
Award winners were selected based on a variety of factors, including academic performance and growth, percentage of students qualifying for the Federal free and reduced lunch benefit, school culture, leadership, and instructional effectiveness.
Common success factors found among the 2012 winners range from principals with exceptional leadership skills; to a school culture with high expectations, values, accountability, and consistency; to data-driven teaching strategies; to success in English language acquisition. A detailed list will be shared with educators and metro area school districts.
The 2012 Foundations for Great Schools grant award winners are:
Aurora Public Schools: • Montview Math & Health Sciences Elementary
• Tollgate Elementary School of Expeditionary Learning
School District 27J (Brighton):
• South Elementary
Charter School Institute:
• Ricardo Flores Magón Academy
• Community Leadership Academy (Middle School division)
Denver Public Schools:
• Beach Court Elementary
• Bryant Webster Dual Language K-8 (Middle School division)
• Denver School of Science and Technology (DSST - Public Schools Charter Management Organization)
• Girls Athletic Leadership School
• Greenwood ECE-8 (Middle School division)
• KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy
• West Denver Prep (Charter Management Organization)
Jefferson County Public Schools: • Deane Elementary
• Stein Elementary
Littleton Public Schools:
• East Elementary
Mapleton Public Schools:
• Valley View K-8 (Elementary School division)
About Foundations for Great Schools
Foundations for Great Schools mission is to recognize, reward, and encourage outstanding success among public schools serving low-income families in metro Denver. A partnership of five private Colorado foundations comprises the Foundations for Great Schools: The Anschutz Foundation, Daniels Fund, Fox Family Foundation, Gates Family Foundation, and The Piton Foundation.
The group collectively selects annual award winners from among a 12-district area, including, Denver, Aurora, Jefferson County, Cherry Creek, Mapleton, Sheridan, Westminster 50, Adams 14, Brighton, Englewood, Littleton, and the Charter School Institute. Elementary, Middle, High School, Public District, and Public Charter are all considered.
Students at Landmark academy at reunion celebrate first annual latin culture week
Landmark Academy at Reunion , a tuition-free public charter school, recently hosted their First Annual Latin Culture Week, a week focused on educating students on the various aspects of Latin culture, from music and art to sports and celebrities, through unique activities. During the week-long celebration, students were able to step into the lives of the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans with Latin culture lessons through piñata making, cultural crafts, songs, traditional foods and more. Students made maracas and learned a traditional Mexican Hat Dance; created Aztec suns working with metal tooling; and studied different countries in Mexico , Central America and South America . Aztec dancers from the Colorado Folk Arts Council also visited with students and educated them on the spiritual and traditional aspects of Aztec culture through dance. “We reside in a community with strong Latin and Hispanic roots,” said Matt Carlton, principal of Landmark Academy at Reunion . “Our community culture is important to us at Landmark. By providing unique ways for our students to learn the various backgrounds of our diverse community they are able to understand and appreciate different cultures.” For more information about Landmark Academy at Reunion , please visit www.landmarkacademy.org.
