Welcome to
School Turnaround
North High School
2960 Speer Blvd.
Denver, CO 80211-3754
720-423-2700
Principal: Nicole Veltzé
About North High School
North High School is a learning community committed to using data to drive improvements in classroom instruction and intervention. Our mission is to provide students with an engaging and rigorous classroom experience focused on literacy and academic achievement so that our students are prepared for college and/or postsecondary opportunities. At North, families and community members understand, participate, and support the standards-based learning process in a collaborative effort to produce 21st century scholars and leaders.
Turnaround Teaching at North High School
"Working in a turnaround school has allowed me to clearly understand the urgency in our day-to-day work. We use data to drive our instruction and next steps; failure for our students is absolutely not an option. These decisions are challenging, but necessary since our former path was not the right one.
I keep the vision of North High School at the forefront of my mind when my students and I come in at 6:00 a.m. to complete an AP biology lab. We recognize the immense opportunities a passing grade on the exam will create for them. Nothing is impossible and any obstacles only show us how badly we want our school and our students succeed."
– Shannon Ma, Science Teacher and Girls Swim Coach
North High School administration and teachers vision is to develop and implement a nationally-recognized, high-achieving school: To focus on literacy so that all of our students are proficient in reading by the end of 10th grade. To create a rigorous, collaborative classroom culture where all students are eager and engaged learners. To be a true community/neighborhood school and to graduate students who contribute to the world in meaningful and innovative ways.
"As an elective teacher I have always possessed a lot of freedom with my curriculum, and I believe standards-based grading has really helped my department focus instruction to better meet the standards. Due to this added clarity we have been able to teach on a deeper level.
We have also adjusted our teaching methods to include more reinforcing activities. Students expect to write in every class! This change in instruction has also been possible because we can finally rely on steady attendance numbers, the need for repeating lessons has decreased. There is obviously a long way to go, but the positive gains I have seen this year are very encouraging."
– Jessica Rose, Physical Education Teacher
What is North's plan for school turnaround?
Read the Tiered Intervention Grant that was submitted in April 2010.
Read the TIG Plan Update that was submitted in April 2011.
Read the TIG Plan for Year 2 that was submitted in May 2011.
How did North students perform on the CSAP? Take a look at the Colorado Department of Education Website.
To read North's Expedited Diagnostic Review - April 2010 click the links below: