At 9 am on August 26, Cory and Merrill had a kickoff press conference celebrating the Beacon grant.  Superintendent Tom Boasberg , board members, community members, members of the press, students and parents were present.

Article Published in the Washington Park Profile:

The Cory-Merrill school community (Cory Elementary is located at 1551 S. Steele St., Merrill Middle School, at 1551 S. Monroe St.) celebrated their ongoing efforts to strengthen ties between the schools, as well as their Beacon School designation and award of a School Improvement Grant, at a festive gathering on Wed., Aug. 26, where DPS Supt. Tom Boasberg commended the Cory Merrill Community Campus Coalition efforts of the past several years.

The Coalition had hit an unexpectedly rough patch in their plans late last year, when a School Board-approved idea to house a southeast quadrant ECE-Kindergarten facility in unused space at Merrill, was suddenly pulled off the table in favor of newly available space at Knight, 3245 E. Exposition Ave. – which reopened this fall as the Denver Center for Early Education.

Lori Tierney, a dedicated parent who has worked with many others to advance the Campus Coalition efforts, summed up the current situation, “I thought Tom Boasberg did a great job of acknowledging the progress made and the stumbling blocks that DPS themselves threw in the way. I think, as he pointed out, Cory-Merrill Campus is significant within DPS, as this is the first time two schools have joined together – staff, principals and parents to improve educational opportunities for their children (those that live in the neighborhood and the many who live outside of this immediate area).

“I think it is a model that should be used again where it makes sense – especially in shared campus situations. That is what I was most interested in through the whole process – combining forces and resources – and I am so proud of everyone involved that we got to this point.”

Cory principal Julia Shepherd saw the Aug. 26 gathering as a symbolic moment, noting that the lighthouse motif on the Beacon School banners lifted up the two-school partnership as a clear light of cooperation for the neighborhood.

Shepherd, and Merrill principal Stacy Miller, are guiding their staffs toward becoming a “Professional Learning Community.” Miller feels that an early August all-day retreat, with staffs from both schools, “built on goals and common strengths ... investing time and money in human capital, to build relationships and learn so much from each other.” The staffs plan to meet together at least three more times during the upcoming school year.

In lieu of the Early Learning Center, Miller says that Merrill “opened our doors to other programs” – including Balarat Outdoor Education and Denver Kids, among many others – “and it’s working out beautifully.”

Shepherd notes that through special-interest-based enrichment programs held several days during the year, “Kids get to know each other across the campus,” since the enrichment includes multi-age groupings focused around a subject they’re all curious to investigate.

The two principals will continue to provide innovative and collaborative leadership, as the school communities proceed with their efforts to move forward in a united effort. “The bottom line,” says Shepherd, “is that Denver neighborhoods want kids to have great neighborhood schools.”

For information about Cory, call 303-744-2726; for Merrill, call 720-424-0600.
(Republished with permission from the Washington Park Profile)

Letter from the Superintendent:

Dear Cory-Merrill Administrators, Teachers and Staff:
 
Thank you for your dedication and hard work for the Cory-Merrill community.  I enjoyed visiting both schools this week and meeting many of you and your students.  I was proud to be there to celebrate the work you have done to build a sense of community and academic articulation between your two schools. 
 
I believe strongly in the partnership that has been forged between your school communities. I have seen first-hand the bold vision you have developed and the hard work that has been invested to sustain it.  As several others expressed at the celebration yesterday, there is much more work that lies ahead, but it is my firm belief – forged in conversations with your principals, teachers, parents and community members and in the Beacon and SIG proposals themselves– that the momentum you have built between your two schools is deep and multi-faceted and will drive student achievement at both schools.
 
As you begin a new school year and start to realize this new partnership between your schools, know that you have the district’s utmost confidence and full support through every challenge and success.

I am proud of everything that the Cory Merrill community has accomplished, and couldn’t be more excited about what is sure to be a tremendous future.  Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication to Cory and Merrill. 
 
Sincerely,
Tom