In 1999, a group of parents seeking sites for a charter school in Evergreen, Colorado made it publicly known they were considering a site on Buffalo Park Road surrounded by residential structures adjacent to a county Open Space park. I found it absolutely ridiculous as that site is inappropriate for the buildings, water needs and traffic flow that would accompany a school of 400 students. I wrote a letter in early March to the editorial section of the Canyon Courier, the local weekly paper. It was published in the 31 March 1999 issue of the Courier.
Editor:
As a student and alumna of Jefferson Country schools, I feel qualified to speak on the proposed charter school in Evergreen. Evergreen does not NEED a charter school. What the parents fighting for one need is creativity. What parents are crying for is for something to provide their children with a greater challenge.
Coming from a student labeled as "gifted" for all her years in primary and secondary education, I'd like you to know that education begins in the home. Many gifted students do not learn much in school; instead, we'll learn what we want on our own time and at our own pace. If provided with opportunities outside of school, we will take them up on our own interest and initiative.
The public school system is not equipped -- and should not be -- to provide such opportunities for children individually. I applaud them for the incredible advances they have made and everyone who's ever committed themselves to providing education. If parents do not make extracurricular choices available to their children, they should not find fault with the school system for it.
As an alumna of one of the finest Jeffco schools, I'd like to mention that D'Evelyn has a several year waiting list for a spot in the admissions lottery. In five years, its students have achieved great things academically: state and national rankings in mathematics competitions (Kirk Meyer, Justin Rogers, Laura Anderson, and Cassie Brownfield to name a few); perfect scores on the National Latin Exam (you know who you are); a perfect score on the SAT (you go, Laura!); a state representative at the national level of forensic speaking competition (Amy Burg); and a student representing the school at the 1998 National Junior Classical League convention, bringing home a national ranking in Greek derivatives at their level (me). Many students matriculate from Dennison and the combined program is based in the liberal arts, emphasizing the classics. Moreover, it is a monument to what parents can do to change the face of public education.
I challenge every parent out there to reinforce the importance of their role in their child's education. Schools cannot possibly take on the role of teaching children the things parents should be teaching their children in the home. Take a look at your family's values and act on what you believe. Children should be prepared to face the world as the intelligent, compassionate beings they are.
Melissa B. Gutierrez
D'Evelyn "First Class" (1998)