Blog posts are the opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of A+ Colorado.
We want to wish all of you warm holiday wishes. 2012 has been a remarkable year for change at A+ Denver. We’ve grown from a staff of two to a staff of five with the latest addition of Sari Levy as Senior Advisor. We have engaged in key areas of reform, including Innovation schools, enrollment…
I want to wish you all a warm Thanksgiving. It’s my favorite holiday. My family gathers in Los Angeles with old and new foods and friends. We always have traditional foods like roast turkey, mashed potatoes and Mama Stamberg’s Cranberry relish. This year, the Persian side of the family will add some tasty lamb appetizers to…
Originally posted on Colorado Public Radio, Oct. 19, 2012. Copyright © CPR.org Written by Jenny Brundin. In this era of high-stakes testing and high drop-out rates, public schools are focusing heavily on reading, writing and arithmetic. Some are worried that arts are getting short shrift. A report issued this fall showed that many Denver students,…
For Release Thursday, October 18, 2012 Media Contact Van Schoales, CEO, A+ Denver (303) 725-1151 van@aplusdenver.org A+ Denver taskforce calls on community to step up arts education for kids Bond election offers opportunity to re-envision arts education in DPS Denver – A+ Denver, an advocacy group that has historically focused on student achievement in Denver…
Originally posted on EdNewsColorado, Oct. 12, 2012. Copyright © EdNewsColorado.org Written by Nancy Mitchell. More than $40 million in federal grants awarded to some of Colorado’s lowest-performing schools as part of a massive national turnaround effort is producing mixed results, with state officials suspending funding for five schools because of declining test scores. This week,…
News Release Wednesday, October 10, 2012 Media Contact Van Schoales, CEO, A+ Denver (303) 725-1151 van@aplusdenver.org Colorado Turnaround Schools—Rays of Hope: An Evaluation of the Early Progress Witnessed from Colorado’s Turnaround Efforts and Recommendations for Improved Outcomes In an unprecedented case in Denver’s history, school and community leaders managed to identify and improve a large…
Originally posted on Denver Post, September 12th, 2012. Copyright © Denverpost.com Written by Karen Auge. The study by A+, an independent group that advocates for school reform, points out that numerous studies link overall academic achievement with arts participation. And while arts education prepares students for work in creative industries, it also enriches kids who…
Originally posted on Channel 9 News, September 7, 2012. Copyright © www.9news.com Written by Nelson Garcia. DENVER – If you look around Denver, you’ll find a city bathed in different forms of artwork from statues, to murals, to stage performances. But, if you look around Denver Public Schools, you’ll find art teachers struggling to keep…
We are thrilled to share a DRAFT report from the Denver Quality Arts Task Force below. Our report makes the case for why we need the arts and provides a snapshot for what exists now in Denver Public Schools. The case for the arts is long and varied; from the links to student achievement, to…
News Release Thursday, September 6, 2012 Media Contact: Van Schoales, CEO, A+ Denver (303) 725-1151 van@aplusdenver.org Arts Education in Denver Schools: Envisioning Excellence Addressing the gaps and strengths in the arts pipeline in Denver Public Schools A+ Denver announces the release of a draft of our newest report: Arts Education In Denver Schools: Envisioning Excellence.…