Denver parents, teachers fight to save Wyatt Academy from closing: "I didn't agree with the decision then and I don't agree with the decision now"

UPDATE: Wyatt Academy, one of Denver's oldest charter schools, to stay open after board vote

Families and faculty at Wyatt Academy in Denver are fighting to save their school. Last Monday, teachers at Wyatt learned from the board of directors that the school would be closing.

Tim Lewis, a fifth grade teacher, said they were blindsided.

"I had to walk into school the next day and look my students in the eye, which the board didn't have to do, and tell them that their school is going away," said Lewis. "We're going to fight tooth and nail until there's nothing left for us to fight for."

In a statement to families, the Wyatt Academy Board of Directors wrote: 

"Like many public schools in Denver, we're challenged by low birth rates, a soaring cost of living and limited funding. With six consecutive years of under-enrollment and more ahead, on Jan. 29, 2024, the Wyatt Board of Directors made the very difficult decision to close the Wyatt location after this academic year."

The board says this has resulted in significant cuts which included: art enrichment, dedicated science classes, reading and math interventionists, paraprofessionals, and a campus nurse.

Parents at Wyatt say the school's done more than educate their children. The lessons taught here go beyond the classroom.

Rev. Leon Kelly has been with the school so long, he's mentored many of his students' parents.

"This neighborhood has seen a lot of changes. There's a lot of families who feel that we are sort of being forced out," said Kelly. "A lot of our kids are dealing with other challenges."

Wyatt's board partnered with University Prep and agreed to transfer its assets, but the school has not voted to surrender the charter contract.

DPS general counsel challenged the agreement between Wyatt's Board and University Prep by stating:

"A transfer of assets prior to school closure to another charter school violates state law and your current charter contract. C.R.S. 22-30.5-110 requires the school district to adopt procedures for closing a charter school. It is a statutory requirement that these procedures ensure "The charter school meets its financial, legal, and reporting obligations during the period that the charter school is concluding operations."

Wyatt's board says that University Prep has committed to placing all interested Wyatt students at either of its campuses. U-Prep will also offer Wyatt staff an opportunity to explore careers in its network.

Many teachers and families say that U-Prep is not the best fit for Wyatt students who face unique challenges. Dozens attended a community meeting to tell the board that Wyatt is worth saving.

"I think it's easier for the board members to walk away from the school than to deal with the problems that come with the day-to-day activities and trying to make it work," said Lewis.

During Thursday's meeting, board member Nicole Servino resigned.

"I didn't agree with the decision then and I don't agree with the decision now," said Servino.

After listening to several students, teachers, and parents at the meeting, board chair Katie Brown would not say if her decision to close the school has changed.

"The goal of the partnership is bringing the kids into a space where they can get the best quality of instruction and robust programming available," said Brown. "We'll hold the vote Monday. We'll see what the outcome is." 

The board will vote on the closure during its meeting on Feb. 12.