- Read EdNews’ coverage of the Nov. 1 election – DPS board likely still 4-3 split and Candidate concedes in northwest Denver
Three of Denver’s seven school board seats will be decided by voters Nov. 1 in an election that could tip the board majority out of favor with Superintendent Tom Boasberg’s reform policies.
Five candidates are vying for the at-large citywide seat being vacated by a term-limited Theresa Pena, with former Denver City Council President Happy Haynes widely seen as the front-runner. The other candidates are John Daniel, Frank Deserino, Roger Kilgore and Jacqui Shumway.
In southeast Denver, Anne Rowe and Emily Sirota want the seat now held by Bruce Hoyt, who’s also term-limited. And in northwest Denver, incumbent Arturo Jimenez is being challenged by Jennifer Draper Carson.
Haynes, Rowe and Draper Carson have won endorsements from groups – Democrats for Education Reform, Stand for Children – typically viewed as friendly to Boasberg-style changes. That’s included controversial proposals to restructure Lake Middle School in northwest Denver and Montbello High School in the city’s far northeast.
- At-large – Daniel, Deserino, Haynes, Kilgore and Shumway
- District 1 – Rowe and Sirota
- District 5 – Carson and Jimenez
Other resources
- Media coverage, including links to candidates’ campaign finance reports
- Debates and forums
- Candidate questionnaires
The Denver Teachers Association, which spoke out against both those plans, has endorsed Jimenez, who was part of the 4-3 dissenting faction in those examples, and Sirota, who gave Boasberg a “C-minus” at a recent candidate debate. The union did not endorse in the at-large race.
Endorsements also have come from elected officials, near and far – Denver Mayor Michael Hancock endorsed Draper Carson, Haynes and Rowe while Sirota, who moved from Montana to Denver in 2007, has won the backing of her former boss, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer.
Into October, the races were relatively quiet. “If I used thermal imaging, it wouldn’t register at all. There’s like, no heat,” Norman Provizer, professor of political science at Metropolitan State College of Denver, said in an Oct. 2 Education News Colorado story.
Even the fliers mailed to voters by 527 political organizations – Delta 4.0, an initiative of the Denver teachers’ union, touting Jimenez and Sirota, and Better Schools for a Stronger Colorado, touting Rowe – bore positive messages.
Then a group called Latinos for Education Reform bought ads in community newspapers declaring opposition to Jimenez. He fought back with newsletters decrying “race-baiting” and describing the effort as “attack ads are being pushed by pro-voucher individuals and special interest groups.”
Stay tuned and check here for the latest stories.
AT-LARGE CANDIDATES
Allegra “Happy” Haynes
Age: 58
Haynes
Employment: Director of civic and community engagement, CRL Associates, since May 2011
Experience in district: Chief community engagement officer, Denver Public Schools, October 2005 through May 2011
Education: Bachelor’s degree, Barnard College at Columbia University, year not provided
Family: Single, no children
Endorsements: Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, Democrats for Education Reform, Stand for Children
On vouchers: Oppose
On Proposition 103: Support
Personal statement: As a Denver native, I have dedicated my life to serving our city in various ways, but my passion has always been for public education. For most of Denver’s kids, public education provides their first, best and only opportunity for a better life. I am running for School Board to make sure that we make every decision based on one issue: what’s best for kids. Recently, DPS has focused a lot on the few schools that are “failing” and on creating “new schools”, both important and necessary steps in the right direction. However, as a School Board member, I want to focus more attention on the schools that are in the middle. The vast majority of our schools are working hard, but need more support. I want to make sure that early childhood education is there for every child; that schools are sharing best practices; that we are investing in (cut off at 150-word limit).
* * Candidates are listed in ballot order * *
Roger Kilgore
Age: 54
Kilgore
Employment: Principal, Kilgore Consulting and Management, 11 years
Experience in district: Past school volunteer
Education: Master’s degree, technology and policy, MIT, 1981
Family: Wife Sue, no children
Endorsements: Unified Association of Realtors
Follow: Website; Facebook; Twitter
On vouchers: Oppose
On Proposition 103: Support
Personal statement: I am running to set us on the path of good schools in every neighborhood. The current DPS-style of reform needs to be redirected so I have developed my Sustainable Educational Excellence Plan. First, we need to revamp the DPS administration transforming it from a top down structure to a school-centered organization. Parents, teachers, principals and the community should have a central role in deciding how each school is run so that neighborhood needs are addressed. The administration should serve a support role providing resources, standards, and master planning. Second, is to subordinate testing to teaching the whole child. Current accountability practices focus on what is easily and quantitatively measured. This data-driven approach warps our education by neglecting critical thinking skills, the arts, music, physical education, the sciences, history, and civics. Reading, writing, and math are core subjects, but testing should not divert us from education of the whole child.
* * Candidates are listed in ballot order * *
John Daniel
Age: 54
Daniel
Employment: Engineer, McKesson Corp., 13 years
Experience in district: Have taught Aikido to children in Denver for 20 years
Education: Bachelor’s degree in music, University of Colorado, 1981
Family: Wife Patricia, no children
Endorsements: None
Follow: Website
On vouchers: Oppose
On Proposition 103: Oppose
Personal statement: Denver needs excellent neighborhood schools. Middle schools have been neglected in the last 6 years. The Denver Plan has been working adequately. Denver is not in the bottom 3 districts in the state anymore, but we can do better. Please help us reach a greater volume of students who need help.
* * Candidates are listed in ballot order * *
Jacqui Shumway
Age: 52
Shumway
Employment: Health educator, self-employed at Living Younger Longer Institute, 17 years
Experience in district: Volunteer service on District Accountability Committee, Arts Resource Council and liaison to Superintendent’s Forum for Bill Roberts K-8 School; additional volunteer activity includes student mentoring, teaching drumming and tai chi classes in afterschool program, PTSA member and advocate for various student walk/bike to school events
Education: Master’s degree in kinesiology, University of Northern Colorado, 1998
Family: Husband Joseph Brady, three children graduated from, attended or currently enrolled in Denver Public Schools
Endorsements: Not seeking endorsements
On vouchers: Oppose
On Proposition 103: Support
Personal statement: . I teach Tai Chi… the Scholar Warrior Approach to balancing ourselves through fiscal and physical responsibility… so we can balance our society. I believe that formerly skeptical people are ready to learn how compassionate process and intention trumps winning. I believe the DPS Board would benefit from this approach. I spent the last 2 years since my District 4 2009 run for school board studying, learning, serving, and trying to understand this massive entity called DPS and the public education system.. for which I received no compensation. I humbly submit that I have a unique, healthy approach to problem-solving and creating harmony amongst folks of differing views and am now ready to be a great public servant. Check out my credentials, expertise and the research on the impact of Art. Music and Physical Fitness on learning… www.ShumwayForDenver.com… What If the Hokey Pokey IS what it’s all about?
* * Candidates are listed in ballot order * *
Frank Deserino
Age: 50
Deserino
Employment: Social studies teacher, Denver South High School
Experience in district: Civics and American history teacher in district for more than ten years
Education: Ph.D. in American History, University College London, 2001
Family: Wife Virginia Krauss-Deserino, son attends private religious school
Endorsements: Current Denver school board members Jeannie Kaplan and Andrea Merida
On vouchers: Oppose
On Proposition 103: Undecided
Personal statement: I’m Frank Deserino, PhD, and as a Denver Board member At-Large I will provide accountability, transparency, and opportunity in school policy while promoting cultural enrichment programs to get our youth involved in their learning. For over the last ten years I have taught at Denver South High School, and as an adjunct professor of History at Metropolitan State College. As a teacher within the system I see the results in our children’s eyes, of failed policies allegedly meant to help them, and it is my objective to change this. My studies in race, and labor issues provide me a valuable perspective on educational policy. With this comes my belief that accountability, transparency, and opportunity in education are vital for student success. As a Board member I will target these needs for academic success with proven strategies that will incorporate the voices and needs of parents, teachers, the community and students.
DISTRICT 1 CANDIDATES
Emily Sirota
Age: 32
Sirota
Employment: Self-employed, community social worker, since 2009
Experience in district: Parent of a future DPS student
Education: Master’s degree, social work, University of Denver, 2009
Family: Husband David, radio talk show host; son will enroll in DPS
Endorsements: Denver Classroom Teachers Association, Denver City Council President Chris Nevitt, Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer, others on website
Follow: Website; Facebook; Twitter
On vouchers: Oppose
On Proposition 103: Support
Personal statement: As a community member and a mom, I am deeply concerned about the path our school system is headed down. With a 51.8% graduation rate and a nearly 60% remediation rate, we are failing a majority of our children. It is time for DPS to prioritize developing excellent schools in all of our neighborhoods. It’s time for a clear vision and roadmap for what we want this district to look like. The development of this vision must involve our primary stakeholders – parents, teachers, principals, and students. The community engagement process must be completely overhauled. As a board member, I will ensure that we start our conversations with our communities, that we work collaboratively for the best interests of our children, and that we are responsive to the needs and demands of our communities.
* * Candidates are listed in ballot order * *
Anne Rowe
Age: 51
Rowe
Employment: Co-owner, RP Publishing, Inc., 20 years; Principal, InSource Denver, 10 years
Experience in district: District volunteer work includes serving as founding co-chair of A+ Denver, co-chair of DPS Advisory Committee on Immigration and Integration and as member of Superintendent’s Parent Forum; school volunteer work includes serving as Slavens School PTSA president, Mathletics Brain Bowl coach and co-founder of George Washington High School Patriot Partners
Education: MBA, University of Denver, 1986
Family: Husband Frank, one daughter is graduate of George Washington High, two daughters currently attend GW
Endorsements: Democrats for Education Reform, Stand for Children, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, others on website
On vouchers: Oppose
On Proposition 103: Support
Personal statement: I believe all DPS students should receive the best education possible. As a Denver Public Schools board member I will use the experience I’ve gained through accomplishments as a community leader over the past 25 years to achieve this goal. I have served on a number of nonprofit community boards that address the needs of Denver’s kids. My involvement at the school level began 16 years ago when I became part of the group of neighborhood parents who worked to re-open Slavens School. In more than two decades as a community leader, 15 years as a DPS parent and countless meetings with parents, teachers, administrators and community members, I have learned that all successful schools exhibit the following characteristics: Strong leadership and excellent teachers that are held accountable, Engaged parents that participate fully in their children’s education and their school community, Students that strive to meet high expectations.
DISTRICT 5 CANDIDATES
Jennifer Draper Carson
Age: 42
Draper Carson
Employment: Growth strategy and development consultant, Greatschools.org, May – November 2010
Experience in district: Prior district employment includes working as a classroom aide at Academia Sandoval and as a resource advocate and public relations liaison for North High School; volunteer work includes chairing North High School’s collaborative school committee and volunteering at son’s school, particularly with “green” projects
Education: Master’s degree, nonprofit management, Regis University, 2008
Family: Husband Wade Carson, son attends Edison Elementary and daughter is not yet school-age
Endorsements: Democrats for Education Reform, Stand for Children, former Denver City Councilman Rick Garcia, others on website
Follow: Website; Facebook; Twitter
On vouchers: Oppose
On Proposition 103: Support
Personal statement: Based on my experiences at Academia Sandoval, and with my own son Henry, I have a clear understanding of the wide range of skills children have when entering school. Many are able to write their own name, identify colors and the alphabet, and have been read to consistently throughout their childhood. Many children do not enter with the same background, and teachers are immediately put in the role of playing catch-up with these children. I believe we CAN catch these children up, especially in the youngest grade levels. I believe it is essential that students who remain functionally illiterate at the end of 3rd grade be held back for their own benefit. I would push to see a program similar to JustRead!, a literacy initiative instituted in Florida in 2001, mandating literacy by the end of 3rd grade, implemented in DPS to address early childhood reading.
* * Candidates are listed in ballot order * *
Arturo Jimenez
Age: 39
Jimenez
Employment: Attorney, Law Office of Arturo Jimenez, since 1999
Experience in district: Incumbent Denver school board member, elected in 2007; former president of Colorado Statewide Parent Coalition
Education: Juris doctor, University of Colorado, 1998
Family: Wife Angelina, two children at Sandoval, a third will attend DPS schools
Endorsements: Denver Classroom Teachers Association, Denver City Councilwoman Deborah Ortega, DPS board member Jeannie Kaplan, others on website
On vouchers: Oppose
On Proposition 103: Support
Personal statement: My name is Arturo Jimenez, and I was born and raised in North Denver, the area I am honored to represent on the school board. Over the last four years, I’ve worked to bring groups together. Too often people are divided as “pro-charter/anti-charter” or “pro-union/anti-union;” and these divides are not productive for our kids. I have worked, and if reelected will continue to work, on behalf the community I represent. All schools, whether charter, magnet, or traditional neighborhood schools, can have an important role in our children’s education. When West high school reopens next year it will have a longer school day, longer school year, smaller class sizes in core courses, and high-tech classrooms – all stated goals of the reform community. It will also have the collaboration of union teachers. By working together, we can accomplish more then we could be taking ideological sides. I’m asking for your vote to (cut off at 150-word limit).
Other resources
- Oct. 29, 2011 – EdNews – Round two of school board candidate campaign reports – with links to individual candidate reports
- Oct. 27, 2011 – EdNews – Southeast Denver District 1: National focus on DPS race
- Oct. 25, 2011 – Denver Post – Seriously? MSNBC, The Nation call Denver school board race the ‘wildest’ in country
- Oct. 24, 2011 – Fox 31 – Denver’s school board races are Colorado’s most expensive ever
- Oct. 21, 2011 – EdNews – DPS board approves new spending policy
- Oct. 19, 2011 – Denver Post – Editorial: Vote to advance reforms at DPS
- Oct. 14, 2011 – EdNews – Campaign gifts from outside Colorado
- Oct. 12, 2011 – EdNews – Campaign finance filings show wide gaps – includes links to candidates’ campaign finance reports
- Oct. 11, 2011 – EdNews – Vouchers a tricky issue in DPS races
- Oct. 11, 2011 – Denver Post – Incumbent Denver school board member pleads for civility in final days of campaign
- Oct. 6, 2011 – EdNews – At-large: Opponents homing in on Haynes
- Oct. 6, 2011 – EdNews – Northwest Denver District 5: Latino group joins DPS board fight
- Oct. 5, 2011 – EdNews – Northwest Denver District 5: Claiming credit for West Denver Prep
- Oct. 4, 2011 – EdNews – Candidates question A+ survey
- Oct. 2, 2011 – EdNews – Decision time nears in quiet DPS board races
- Sept. 27, 2011 – EdNews – DPS board candidates grade Boasberg
- Sept. 21, 2011 – EdNews – DPS candidates show common ground
- Sept. 20, 2011 – EdNews – Denver union announces endorsements
- Aug. 5, 2011 – EdNews – DFER endorses in three DPS board races
- July 11, 2011 – EdNews – DPS candidates dodge ‘slate’ label
- Candidate profiles – Washington Park Profile – Board election could alter course of DPS “reform”
- Link to videos of all candidates from past community forums on Denver Ch. 8/Denver Decides
- A+ Denver candidate survey (large pdf)
- Democrats for Education Reform candidate survey – At-large candidates Deserino, Haynes and Kilgore; District 1 candidates Rowe and Sirota; District 5 candidates Draper Carson and Jimenez
- Stand for Children candidate questionnaires – At-large candidates Deserino, Haynes and Kilgore; District 1 candidates Rowe and Sirota; District 5 candidates Draper Carson and Jimenez
