To:
Tom Boasberg, Superintendent, Denver Public Schools
Patricia Slaughter, Assistant Superintendent, Elementary Education, Denver Public
Schools
Anne Rowe, Board of Education Member, Denver Public Schools
Mary Seawell, Board of Education Member, Denver Public Schools
Happy Haynes, Board of Education Member, Denver Public Schools
Arturo Jimenez, Board of Education Member, Denver Public Schools
Jeannie Kaplan, Board of Education Member, Denver Public Schools
Andrea Mérida, Board of Education Member, Denver Public Schools
March 9, 2013
Tom Boasberg
Superintendent
Denver Public Schools
900 Grant Street
Denver, CO 80203
RE: Centennial ECE- 8 – Vote of No
Confidence
Dear Superintendent Boasberg,
After much consideration, we feel compelled to formally lodge a vote of no confidence
in Centennial’s principal, Laura Munro.
A vote of no confidence means that the community members do not believe that
Laura Munro has the ability or willingness to make the changes necessary to
become an effective leader. We urge you to take strong and immediate action to
help us secure Centennial’s potential as a school of excellence and an engaged
community of cooperation.
Building staff, faculty, parents and community members began feeling this
discontent in 2011, the year she was hired. Many who have taken an active role
at Centennial report a constant detached demeanor that pushes them and their
families to other educational and volunteer opportunities elsewhere. The
principal has shown zero capacity to reach out to the majority of the community
and we have zero confidence that Laura Munro is the principal to provide the
change that is needed for our students of Centennial.
For Example:
· When Munro was hired the school was rated
YELLOW. Now the school is RED, yet the
in-effective Munro was given full power of our neighborhood school.
· On February 1st, the day
AFTER the choice deadline, the community learned that more than 70% of the
classroom teachers would not be returning to Centennial.
· Prospective new parents were told
that the school would offer Montessori and were given classroom tours featuring
teachers who WERE NOT re-hired. Some of those parents then CHOICED into
Centennial, unaware of the imminent changes. Parents have expressed that they
felt “tricked” into choicing into Centennial.
· Munro stated to the CSC committee
(and to parents) that kindergarten classrooms were “outperforming district
averages,” (Math- 84% Proficient and Reading – 85% Proficient) yet she did not
re-hire any kindergarten teachers.
· More than one teacher not retained has
stated that they were not evaluated and some not even observed by Ms. Munro.
· One teacher, just hired by Munro last
spring, stated that she was told by Ms. Munro that the decision not to rehire
her was NOT based on her pedagogy in the classroom, but because of her
interview and an answer to an essay question.
· Several teachers did not reapply due
to an intimidating e-mail about Innovation Status sent out by Munro.
· A number of Latino parents said they
were frustrated because Munro never speaks to them and they didn’t feel welcome
at the school. One of the speakers was a grandfather with 4 grandkids in the
school.
· All agree that Munro is “rarely seen”
and has never attended a PTA meeting.
· Centennial has had 0 lock-down drills
this school year, even after the horror of Sandy Hook Elementary.
· Parents are frustrated (many to tears)
that their child’s teacher is leaving and their student is FINALLY having
academic success.
· Munro’s CSC committee is FAR from
representative of her school population (roughly 80% Latino). The committee has
zero Latinos parents, community members, or teachers.
Action is needed now to save our school from further destruction. Changes
need to take place at Centennial and one of those changes must be the removal
of Laura Munro. Please ensure that our children have the opportunity to take
part in a neighborhood school that is led by an invested and effective principal.
Respectfully submitted,
Centennial Petitioners (Parents, Staff, and
Community Members)