Posted 7/30/2020, Updated 8/3/2020

7/31/2020

Dear West Leadership Academy  Families:

We hope you and your family are doing well. We want to communicate details related to Returning to School for the fall semester.  We know that  returning to in-person learning is good for our students academically, socially, and emotionally: however, we need to prioritize the following for our students, teachers, and their families: health and safety, social-emotional and mental health, and unfinished learning from last year;  Those properties have led to Denver Public School delaying its first day of school. We will start school via remote learning Monday, August 24-October 16th  which is the end of the first quarter of the school year for many schools. We’ll be working hard to safely and gradually welcome all students back into schools, when health conditions allow.

The delayed start allows us to keep  following Tri-County Health and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment directions to ensure that students and staff are safe.  It also allows the District and WLA more time to prepare all of our classrooms and school spaces for physical distancing, which includes removing furniture, posting signage, and disinfecting —  all according to the most recent guidance of local health officials.  Our teachers and school leaders will also be given more time to prepare to shift to what will meet the priorities regardless of the situation.  Lastly;  parents will be given  additional time to consider their options for student learning (at school or online).

Registration:

To take part in Annual Family Update, first make sure you have an active Parent Portal account at myportal.dpsk12.org. The registration deadline for West Leadership Academy is August 3rd, the registration fee is $25.00. For more information on Annual Family Update, visit schoolchoice.dpsk12.org.  Students and parents will decide if remote learning or in person learning is the best option for their family. If a student chooses remote learning they will have to stay in remote learning for the first semester of the school year (August-December).  If students and parents choose in person learning, they can at any point choose to go to remote learning.  The results of choices are solely based on planning and logistics. In person registration will not be offered.

It is also critical that we all continue to remain flexible and open to change. The circumstances around the pandemic and the return to school this fall seem to change daily. These are our plans for the start of in-person school at this time:

Learning Environment

• Screening Guide
• Classroom furniture will be arranged to maintain recommended  physical distancing as much as possible. All student seating arrangements will be in individual student desks..
• Students will be placed in cohorts/groups with teachers, and placed in specific classrooms.  Students and teachers will stay in those cohorts all day, not leaving the classrooms, with the exception of breaks.
• Students/Cohorts will enter through designated locations, and picked up by their teacher. Students and teachers will be grouped in the building by grade levels.
• All school entries and classrooms will have sanitation stations that students and staff will use when they arrive at school, before lunch, and as needed throughout the day.  Hand sanitizer will be available in every classroom and in every space where learning or collaboration would occur.  Dispensers will be checked nightly and refilled.
• All areas inside the school will be cleaned and sanitized (following the protocols of local health officials) as frequently as possible.
• Drinking fountains will not be used. Students are expected to bring their own water bottle to school. We will have bottle filling stations. Times to refill water bottles at these stations will be scheduled into the day to maintain physical distancing.
• Signage will be used on walls and floors will help students maintain physical distancing.
• Ventilation systems have been serviced and will be frequently checked to make sure indoor spaces are properly ventilated
• In an effort to limit exposure, and as a general rule, parents and visitors will not be allowed in during the school day.  We will develop a process where parents and/or visitors may drop off materials that students need by appointment only.

Technology

• Middle and High School Remote Students: will be provided a computer and internet services.
• Middle and High School In-Person Students: will be provided computers during the remote time of instruction, Middle school students will be required to return computers if when we return to in person schooling.
• Billing for Lost/Broken Devices: Per our device agreement, students will be invoiced for lost or broken devices through MySchoolBucks
• Computer exchange and pick-up dates for returning and new students will be released August 3rd.

Meal Service Plan:

• Food service will be provided for remote learners, location TBD.
• WLA will be a closed campus for lunch.
• We will adapt food service over time so that we can serve as many students as possible  – as we learn more about who our Virtual Program students are we will announce how they can continue to access food during Remote and In Person
• Physical distancing will be practiced during meal service.
• Change in meal service will help us keep the same students together in smaller groups as much as possible (cohort grouping) to limit exposure.
• Nutrition Services employees will be masked, with face shields, and will wear gloves.
• Streamlined menus that align with nutritional guidelines – fewer choices will support efficient processing through the cafeteria line.
• Special diets will still be accommodated following the usual practice (i.e., doctor’s note to show specific allergy).
• Hot vegetarian option available every day.

West Leadership Academy 6th and 9th Grade Academy

Why: At West Leadership Academy, we want to create a seamless transition between elementary and middle school and middle school and high school by welcoming our incoming students into our school and beginning strong relationships with their teachers. We will also learn more about our student’s abilities and needs through baseline assessments in order to anticipate and adjust instruction for our student’s success.

How: We will offer online courses and information to students on Schoology. Students will be able to access each of their classes on Schoology using: https://schoology.dpsk12.org to prepare them for the upcoming school year.

What:  6th and 9th Grade Academy

When: Lessons and information will go live on Schoology August 3 and close on August 7.

There will be a Parent Forum on Wednesday, August 5, 2020 from 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Join us: Meeting ID: meet.google.com/pxu-spnx-agw
Phone Number: 1 475-329-8073 PIN 590 100 413#

Where: For the safety of students and teachers, 6th and 9th Academy will be 100% virtual. Students will access all classes on Schoology by logging into https://schoology.dpsk12.org/ as early as August 3rd.

Parent Schoology Step by Step Instructions

7/30/2020

Dear West Leadership Families,

My name is Dr. Boris Costa-Guerra, and I am excited to introduce myself as the Interim Principal of West Leadership Academy. I am honored to have been selected to join the School, which is recognized for its dedication to excellence, but more importantly, to serve a quality education and college preparation program that supports the development of culturally aware students who will become citizens with the tools to lead in the 21st century.

Over the past 18 years, I have worked as a teacher and administrator in the K-12 arena and in the university setting. As a middle school math and technology teacher, I had the opportunity to coach boys and girls basketball and football. I taught education courses at New Mexico State University white, attending my doctoral degree. After this opportunity, I moved to become an administrator as a Director of Teacher Education program at Santa Fe Community College, which led me to become a turnaround principal at Santa Fe Public Schools. As a team, we were able to create a strong academic and staff culture to move our school into high performing. We presented our successful turnaround work at national and international conferences, including the National Association of Bilingual Education and Dual Language of New Mexico, La Cosecha. I also had the opportunity to lead Denver Public Schools Summer Academy, where I supervised principals in rigorous instruction and operations for 25 schools.

My goal is to create a safe and welcoming environment in which students, staff, and faculty are able to grow. I am aligned with our school’s mission to empower students through a purposeful precollegiate education. Through collaboration and caring, we can help students learn in exciting ways while respecting and keeping their own identities.

But my greatest achievement comes not professionally, but personally, as I am the father of three beautiful children: Isabella, who is 13, Angelina, who is 9, and Sofia Rose, who is 5. People often say I treat all children in my school as if they were my own. Please know that I will work tirelessly to ensure all your children have the best possible experiences while at West Leadership Academy. I also enjoy staying active, mountain biking, basketball, football, fishing, skiing, and reading.

Once again, I am so thankful to have the opportunity to bring all that I have experienced and learned with me to your community. I look forward to getting to know you and your children. I will be working most days this summer to ensure a smooth transition. Please stop by to say hello. We will also be having virtual meetings on August 6, 13, 24, from 6:00 pm-7:00 pm.

I look forward to meeting and working with you,
Dr. Boris Costa-Guerra
(Pronouns: He/Him/His + why they matter)
Interim Principal l
West Leadership Academy
951 Elati St. Denver, CO 80204

7/27/2020

Enroll in In-Person Learning or a Virtual Program for the Fall Semester

With the 2020-21 school year approaching, it’s time for families to officially enroll in their preferred learning option for the fall semester during the West Leadership registration process. Beginning July 27, families will make a final selection and enroll in either in-person learning at your school, or a virtual program for each student. Visit www.dpsk12.org/coronavirus/return-2020 for more information about these two options. Please note the decision to officially enroll in either in-person learning or a virtual program is final through December 2020. If you choose a virtual program, your student will still keep their enrollment spot at the school they were expected to attend for the 2020-21 fall semester. The fastest, most convenient way to officially enroll is through Annual Family Update, our online registration process. As in past years, you also will be able to verify and update your household information during Annual Family Update. To take part in Annual Family Update, first make sure you have an active Parent Portal account at myportal.dpsk12.org. Then, sign in beginning July 27. The registration deadline for West Leadership Academy is August 28th. For more information on Annual Family Update, visit schoolchoice.dpsk12.org.

ANNUAL FAMILY UPDATE SCHOOL MARKETING TOOLKIT Note: If you already took part in Annual Family Update, that means you have not yet officially enrolled in one of the two options for the fall semester. To do so, you will need to fill out a registration addendum form, available through our school, or by contacting Enrollment Services at 720-423-3493. As always, you can call West Leadership Academy at 720-423-5460 with any registration questions.

Inscriba a su hijo oficialmente en un programa de aprendizaje presencial o virtual para el semestre de otoño El año escolar 2020-21 está a la vuelta de la esquina y llegó la hora de que las familias inscriban oficialmente a sus hijos en la opción de aprendizaje que prefieran para el semestre de otoño durante el proceso de inscripción de West Leadership Academy. A partir del 27 de julio, las familias pueden tomar una decisión final e inscribir a sus hijos en un aprendizaje presencial en su escuela o en un programa virtual para cada estudiante. Visiten www.dpsk12.org/coronavirus/return-2020 para obtener más información sobre estas dos opciones. Recuerden que la decisión de inscribir a sus hijos oficialmente en un aprendizaje presencial o en un programa virtual es final hasta diciembre de 2020. Si eligen la opción de un programa virtual, su estudiante conservará aún su cupo de inscripción en la escuela a la que se esperaba que asistiera durante el semestre de otoño de 2020-21. La manera más rápida y cómoda de inscribirse oficialmente es a través de la Actualización Familiar Anual, nuestro proceso de inscripciones en línea. Al igual que en años anteriores, también podrá verificar y actualizar la información de su hogar durante la Actualización Familiar Anual. Para participar en la Actualización Familiar Anual, asegúrense primero de tener una cuenta activa del Portal para Padres en myportal.dpsk12.org. Luego, ingresen a partir del 27 de julio. El plazo para inscribirse en West Leadership Academy vence el 28 de Augsto. Para obtener más información sobre la Actualización Familiar Anual, visiten schoolchoice.dpsk12.org.

Nota: Si ya participaron en la Actualización Familiar Anual, esto significa que aún no se han inscrito oficialmente en una de las dos opciones para el semestre de otoño. Para hacerlo, deberán llenar un formulario suplementario de inscripción, disponible en la escuela, o llamando al Departamento de Servicios de Inscripciones al 720-423-3493. Como siempre, pueden llamar a West Leadership Academy  al 720-423-5460 si tienen alguna pregunta sobre las inscripciones.

Click here to watch the Class of 2020 Virtual Graduation Ceremony

5/23/2020
Parade pictures from Mr. Sheehan and Mr. Rangel

We remembered and honored those who have passed on while learning more about our cultural roots by participating in Día de los Muertos. Students, staff, alumni, and community members created ofrendas, drank hot chocolate, ate pan muerto, got their faces painted, and listened to storytellers. We also enjoyed performances by Grupo Tlaloc Danza Azteca, Fiesta Colorado Dance Company, and Mariachi Sol de Mi Tierra.

Beginning with the Class of 2021, Colorado high school students have new graduation requirements. There are 3 components students must complete in order to earn a high school diploma:

Learn more about ICAP

Learn more about Coursework

Learn more about Competency Options