Cesar Chavez Academy enrolling

By Kristen Sharp, Padres & Jovenes UnidosPublished in The North Denver Tribune April 15, 2009Almost 100 Northwest Denver parents and residents gathered at Denver Arts and Technology Academy (DATA) on Tuesday, March 31st to hear the plan to convert the K-8 school to a new DPS charter, Cesar Chavez Academy. DATA will close at the end of this school year due to financial mismanagement.
Cesar Chavez Academy, a much-admired Pueblo charter school, has a proven track record of academic success among low-income students of color. With similar student populations, CCA’s 70-80% proficiency or above CSAP scores dwarf those at Northwest Denver’s middle schools, hovering in the 15-25% proficiency range.
“Northwest Denver families will have an academically rigorous K-8 choice with Cesar Chavez Academy,” said Dr. Lawrence Hernandez, the founder of CCA. “We will provide the same early college prep curriculum that has won awards in Pueblo.”
The school’s educational mission is to prepare a diverse cross section of children for success as young scholars, citizens of the world and community leaders by providing them with an ambitious academic program in a supportive and challenging learning environment.
Twenty-five DATA parents saved the Cesar Chavez Academy option for Northwest Denver.
After December’s announcement that DATA would close at the end of this school year, parents desperate to find a suitable alternative for their children started researching options with local education advocacy group Padres Unidos.
“These families want a school with a demonstrated history of closing achievement gaps through innovative and deliberate models of instruction,” Padres Unidos organizer Marco Nunez explained. “We were delighted to help them research best-practice models that would meet the needs of their children.”
Padres Unidos invited Cesar Chavez Academy officials from Pueblo to make a presentation in January, attended by twenty-seven families. Impressed by what they heard, a leadership group of 14 parents started a Padres Unidos chapter and developed an organizing plan to open CCA in Northwest Denver.
Recognizing that securing Cesar Chavez Academy would be dependent on locating several building options, parent leaders suggested three options for DPS administration:1. Contribute $1.3 million of bond money needed to close the gap in buying the DATA building2. Place the school in a currently empty building like Remington or3. Co-locate the school in an existing under-enrolled DPS school in Northwest Denver
Parents secured the support of Councilman Rick Garcia to open Cesar Chavez Academy in Northwest Denver in August. Councilman Garcia’s letter of support was presented to the to DPS Superintendent Tom Boasberg and DPS board members.
Parents hand-delivered letters to Superintendent Boasberg, Executive Director of New Schools Mark Waxman and Northwest school board member Arturo Jimenez to make their case. Parents met with Parker Baxter, Director of Charter Schools in DPS. Padres Unidos parent and student members submitted 105 petitions and made presentations at two school board meetings.
On February 25th parents received a phone call from the District stating they would not give $1.3 million to purchase the building nor was there any available space to house Cesar Chavez in NW Denver.
To protest the DPS news, Padres members held a press conference the next day, covered by local papers and television. Parents Sam Barns and Adam Quintana—and students Rogelio Acosta and Philip Quintana—called for a decision reversal.
Finally, on March 18th, a lease-to-own financial agreement was reached between Cesar Chavez Academy and the owners of the DATA building. Cesar Chavez Academy will open in the old DATA building in August.
“I’m so proud to have been a part in bringing Cesar Chavez Academy here,” said parent Adam Quintana, commenting on the parents’ victory. “We got it done.”
Phyllis Quintana added, “We definitely learned a lot. Now we understand how the school system works and how things are done. We are ready to be long-term advocates for quality schools in Northwest Denver.”
Padres Unidos members are recruiting at area churches, calling all DATA families to let them know CCA is coming and reaching out to local and Spanish language media. An informational meeting will be held on April 14th at 6 PM at the school, 3752 Tennyson Street.
To enroll or get more information on CCA, call 720-317-9396 or Kristen at 303-458-6545.