Tag Archives: Denver Public Schools

Judge rules in favor of Denver over park neighbors in DPS land swap case

Posted on May 8, 2014 by | Leave a comment

By Joe Vaccarelli
YourHub Reporter for The Denver Post

A cyclist crosses a bridge over Cherry Creek along a bike path in Hentzell Park near Hampden Ave in Denver on June 01, 2013. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)

A Denver District Court judge has ruled in favor of the City and County of Denver in a lawsuit filed by the Friends of Denver Parks over land that the city traded with Denver Public Schools in southeast Denver.

The lawsuit stems from a land swap where the city exchanged 11.5 acres at Hampden Heights Open Space near the intersection of Havana Street and Girard Avenue with Denver Public Schools, which gave the city a building at 1330 Fox St. Denver also gave DPS approximately $705,000 in the deal. The city plans to convert the building into a service center for domestic violence, while construction on the future Hampden Heights Elementary School began in January. Denver City Council approved the deal on April 1, 2013.

Read more of the article by going to http://www.denverpost.com/denver/ci_25709749/judge-rules-favor-denver-over-park-neighbors-dps

Friends of Denver Parks maintains a library of past articles, both written and audio at NEWSLINKS AND ARTICLES

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Culture of Deceit in our school system

Posted on April 21, 2014 by | Leave a comment

To say there is a Culture of Deceit in our school system is a lesson that Friends of Denver Parks learned very early on when we encountered the back room dealings of Superintendent Tom Boasberg and Mayor Michael Hancock.   Then we learned that those who didn’t go along with the plan promptly lost their positions. To say there is a Culture of Deceit is an understatement.

I was so saddened to see voters agree to support Tom Boasberg this last election and provide him with more “bobble heads” ie yes men when we had regular folks running for school board seats who live in the community, and were clearly ready to question the status quo.  I guess they didn’t have shiny shoes and a slick story, so they didn’t win.  I hope that everyone will think clearer next election and gets some real scrappers to fight this craziness.

In case, you thought it was just me that noticed, take a look at the feature WestWord article this week.  It is as grim as it gets as our experienced teachers are being layed off in droves to fit the new models of low-wage pay for teachers.  This is our community and the actions of Tom Boasberg is going to hurt us all.
http://www.westword.com/2014-04-10/news/teacher-lawsuit-against-dps/

Just this Friday, Friends of Denver Parks sent out an article we found from the Colorado Chalk Beat.

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Posted in Hentzell Park Update, Park Advocates

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Process to select new elementary school sparks controversy

Posted on April 19, 2014 by | Leave a comment

From Colorado Chalk Beat, April 18, 2018

by Kate Schimel on April 18, 2014

RockyMountainPrep

Accusations of inadequate transparency have tarnished Denver Public Schools’ efforts to select a school operator for a controversial new southeast campus.
The planned elementary school at Hampden Heights, where construction started in January, has for months been at the center of public disputes between neighbors and DPS, including a lawsuit over land acquisition scheduled to be argued in Denver District Court in May. Three applicants — charter school Rocky Mountain Prep, an expeditionary learning school, and a traditional neighborhood school — are vying to occupy the new campus. The Denver school board will pick the winner in June.
But some area residents accuse the district of having settled on the Rocky Mountain Prep charter, before the community has a chance to provide input and an official process can take place. It’s an accusation school district officials have been quick to counter, saying DPS systems for selecting new schools have been overhauled to remove any possibility of favoritism.

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Posted in Hentzell Park Update

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