The Effectiveness of Venture Prep
As Denver Public Schools continues to address the shortage of seats for the growing middle school population in Park Hill, it’s important not to forget the impact of upcoming changes.
Reporting on a recent meeting with Park Hill and Stapleton parents, Lynn Kalinauskas pointed out in the June issue of the newspaper that both scenarios to expand capacity at McAuliffe would require that Venture Prep, also currently housed at the Smiley campus, vacate the premises. (Kalinauskas’s piece, Middle School Fixes an Ongoing Conundrum, can be read online at greaterparkhill.org.)
Although this news caused little stir at the middle-school-focused gathering, the relocation of Venture Prep is a prime consideration for high school families in the area. On the one hand, students and parents are concerned about losing the convenience of a neighborhood school. On the other, a relocation could mean exciting possibilities for being in a facility that would better meet the needs of the school’s programs and scholars.
Venture Prep was established as a DPS charter school in 2010 to offer high school students a free, rigorous, public school whose mission is to close the achievement gap and prepare all students for college and career success.
The school provides an individualized approach with extra support and academic enrichment for all scholars. All students are required to participate in the school’s robust college planning process, and its unique Shadow Effect program offers opportunities for career exploration. Venture Prep is an ideal option for students who benefit from a tight-knit academic community with small class sizes, intensive academic support and a focus on college and career.
As the school has matured from a start-up to an established college-prep high school, its successes have proven the effectiveness of its programs. All four graduating classes have achieved 100 percent college acceptance, with students moving onto a variety of institutions ranging from Brown University, to the United International Business School of Barcelona, to Pickens Technical College. Total scholarship offers have topped the $3 million mark, and the most recent graduating class of 30 students includes a Daniels Scholar, six Denver Scholarship Foundation Scholars, a CSU First Generation Scholar and a Bridge Scholar.
Although students come to the school from across the metropolitan area, a large part of the enrollment is made up of the neighborhood’s diverse population. DPS has indicated its commitment to maintaining Venture Prep High School and finding an appropriate facility for future years, preferably in the near-east Denver region. Venture Prep looks forward to offering our award-winning program to area high school students for many years to come.
Kayla McGannon
Venture Prep Board Chair
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