Transcript: Chat with Lucia Guzman

Published May 18, 2005 at midnight

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More Education

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future_teacher Question: I'm earning my masters in education (I have an degree in history). I'd like to teach in DPS, but Jeffco is alluring, too. What are the advantages to teaching in Denver, do you think?

Lucia Answer: I think a great teacher will be recruited by many districts. Obviosly, DPS wants to recruit the best as do all other districts. You will have to decide on the basisof your own passion and personal goals. Denver is an urban district with many of the characteristics that only urban districts have. The challenges in an urban district may or may not be what attracts you. If the urban student is your interest, then DPS has a great deal to offer. Right now , DPS is at the place of major reform . Our teacher pay performance program is of significant interest to school districts across the nation.

Lisa_Maine Question: Thank you

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Lisa_Maine Question: I don't have a question at this time, but rather a comment. One particular portion of the article grabbed my attention. One particular student said that there was too much freedom. She said that while she was in elementary and junior high school, it seems as if the teachers cared. However, when she got to high school there seemed to be so much allowances for her to make mistakes and no one corrected them. This may very well be true as when I was in junior high school, I recall my gym teacher informing several of us students that we had better grasp all we can, because when we got to high school, no one would be there to keep track of us. She was correct. However, I was fortunate to have a dad

future_teacher Question: Will other schools do the same as Manual and split up?

Lucia Answer: Our secondary school reform recommendations are being considered by the board of education. It may be that small school designs will be adopted, but there will need to be greater planning and greater resources made available. Manual has not performed well under this plan, so any other designs such as Manual will need to be carefully designed.

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Lucia We have excellent information from the report of the secondary school reform commission which tell us that our high schools must be climates for rigorous curriculum, relevant experiences and supportive relationships. Thank you for your thoughts because they are in line with what we have found to be true. We will be working on this because it is imperitive to achievement and graduation

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jack_parent Question: What can we do to get more boys engaged in school? The series said boys lag behind.

Lucia Answer: Schools must be relevant for all students. Tthe fact that boys are not as engaged must mean there are so many other obstacles which lure him away. The school experience must be rigorous but supportive and remedial when needed. The school experience must be relevant, that is to say that there must be relevant opportunities for boys that enhance there skills and interests and goals. More mentoring .

Hi, this is Tim, the moderator. We'll be wrapping the chat up in a few minutes. Thanks to Lucia Guzman for participating. She's answering one more question from Steve_Dobo. And thanks to our readers who joined.

Steve_Dobo Question: Hi Lucia...I enjoyed speaking with you last summer concerning the charter application from Urban Peak to create a school to serve teens in transition, who need extensive support services to succeed academically. I am currently starting a new nonprofit to address the severe dropout issue in Metro Denver. We are called Colorado Youth for a Change, and are bringing high school dropouts together to help them inspire and encourage one another to return to school. I know districts have done alot with dropout prevention over the last couple of decades, but what is the status of dropout recovery programs. Has dropout recovery been tried in DPS, and would the Board be interested in partnering to help reco

Lucia Answer: Hey, good to talk with you again! DPS needs to do more with those kids dropping out, but more needs to be done to keep the kids from getting to that point. Our commission on secondary school reform has taught us that our schools must be relevant, rigorous and relational. We will be working on building strong, supportive and relevant school opportunities for kids so that we can tackle the drop out idea. We want to keep the pro-active work going but we are always going to need a strong approach in working with the drop out. Life Skills Charter School has been helping, but we would be open to your approach as well.

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