District Reforms

2008 Ninth Grade Academy

For the second year, DPS high schools will host two-week Ninth Grade Academies at their schools from July 28 to August 8, 2008. Parents/guardians will receive a letter and registration form by April 21, 2008 from the high school where their son/daughter will be attending in the fall to invite students to participate in the Ninth Grade Academies.  The academies are open to all students.

High school is a critical passage in a student's life.  It shapes who he/she becomes in the future. During these years the academic preparation gained in high school and the real-life skills acquired will lead to important career decisions and establish life long friendships, while having fun and participating in important school events.

For these reasons the district feels the academies will jump start the transition from middle school or K-8 schooling to a successful high school experience for all students. The Ninth Grade Academies are an opportunity for incoming ninth graders to become part of a powerful and exciting learning environment. The experience of other urban school districts suggests that students who participate in transitional academies have improved academic performance, have a stronger attachment to their high schools and peer groups and are more likely to graduate from high school.

In the Ninth Grade Academies, class size will a 15/1 student/teacher ratio.  High school credit will be given to students who successfully complete the academy.  Students will receive math and literacy instruction which incorporate higher level thinking skills, problem solving and hands on learning experiences.  They will discover how being an active learner is fun and engaging.  They will take part in a program, Success Highways, designed to improve student confidence.  All students will participate in a class entitled Introduction to High School which will provide a foundation of strategies to achieve academic success.  Students will be eligible for incentive drawings by attending the Ninth Grade Academies.

If you have questions regarding the other fifteen sites, please contact the high school directly or the Ninth Grade Academies' Office at 720-424-8277.

2008 Schedule

  School                                                            Time                                       Phone           

 Abraham Lincoln High School                  8:00 -12:00 p.m.                      720-423-5000

Career Education Middle College               8:00 -  2:15 p.m.                      720-423-6600

Denver Center for International Studies    8:00 -  2:15 p.m.                      720-423-9000

Denver Online  High School                       8:00 -12:00 p.m.                      720-423-6690           

Denver School of the Arts                        8:00 -  2:15 p.m.                      720-424-1700

East High School                                       8:00 -12:00 p.m.                      720-423-8300

George Washington High School              8:00- 12:00 p.m.                      720-423-8600

John F. Kennedy High School                   8:00 -12:00 p.m.                      720-423-4300

Manual High School                                   8:00 -  3:30 p.m.**                  720-423-6300

Martin Luther King Early College                7:30 - 1:45 p.m.                       720-424-0420

Montbello High School                                7:30 - 1:45 p.m.                       720-423-5700

North High School                                      7:30 - 1:45 p.m.                       720-423-2700

South High School                                     8:00-12:00 p.m.                       720-423-6000

Thomas Jefferson High School                 8:00-12:00 p.m.                       720-423-7000

West High School                                      8:00-12:00 p.m.                       720-423-5300

                                                                                                ** one week only/August 4-8 

Please note the following important details:

• Ninth Grade Academies Dates:  July 28th through August 8th
• RTD coupons are available for those who need transportation
• Half day programs will offer a snack; full day programs will offer lunch plus a snack

Bruce Randolph will be hosting a separate Ninth Grade Academy for its current eighth grade students.  This academy will be in session from July 28th through August 8th from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. daily.  Bruce Randolph may be contacted at 720-424-1080 for further information regarding its' Ninth Grade Academy.

If you have questions regarding the other fifteen sites, please contact the high school directly or the Ninth Grade Academies' Office at 720-424-8277.