Wyatt Academy, one of Denver's oldest charter schools, to stay open after board vote
The board of directors of one of Denver's oldest charter schools took a vote on Tuesday morning to decide the fate of the institution. Wyatt Academy in the North Denver neighborhood will stay open next school year despite the board's 5-4 vote on the measure to close the school.
The school's bylaws require that the school close only if the measure has 60% support from the vote. (A 5-4 vote is only 55%.)
Following the vote, all five Wyatt board members who voted in favor announced that they have resigned from their positions.
Community members who were fighting to keep the school open held a news conference in the afternoon and spoke with relief about the outcome of the vote and the departure of the board members.
"Throughout the day today I've talked to folks saying they couldn't believe that Wyatt is able to stay open, but I'm here to tell you that I believe it because when community comes together, we are immovable," said MiDian Holmes, CEO of the Epitome of Black Excellence and Partnership.
Holmes said it's up to the community to find a group of new board members to replace the outgoing ones "who believe in the excellence of this community."
Principal Melody Means joined Tuesday's board meeting ahead of the vote.
"The board members that voted yes are coming from a place that they felt is right. They felt that it's better our students go somewhere financially sound. But as a leader and someone that's been here for 10 years, I know that we can pull this community together to make sure that we are financially solvent," Means said.
Last week, teachers, parents, and students stood up to the board and told them Wyatt is worth fighting for. She says that rally to save Wyatt may have shifted board votes.
"Hearing the stories of the families and the passion that everybody else feels, it really did change the tide," Means said. "What sets us apart from any other school that is closing is that we have teachers, families and the support we need to keep going."
She says there's work to do now, like boosting enrollment and funding. Means is confident numbers will grow in school choice round 2. She is also open to welcoming migrant students.
"We're working on a partnership to bring some Venezuelan teachers in and work out a way so they can still be taught in Spanish and merge into a traditional school," Means said. "We're so excited to get started on that and coming back stronger than before."
Moving forward there is a call to action for community members to step up with donations if they can.
The school has been challenged in recent years by under-enrollment and that there have been significant cuts to there academic offerings and their support staff.
Following the vote the outgoing members provided out a statement saying "It has been an honor to serve on Wyatt's board with you. We are proud of our collaborative work as a board and all we've accomplished over the last several years. We have all given our time and abilities to a school that we all deeply love. The vote about closure has been hard on everyone. Our votes to close were made after years of service to the school, an intimate understanding of the strengths and challenges facing it, and a desire to act in the long-term best interests of Wyatt's families and the neighborhood. We did not make any of our decisions lightly ... Given the board's decision not to close, it is time for us to now resign from the board and let others lead the school. Please accept our resignations effective immediately. We wish Wyatt the best in the future."
