Visits to DSA and DCIS

We visited DSA a couple of weeks ago during one of their "visitation days," where parents and kids tour the school on their own. We were part of a group of about 70 people visiting that day. Parent information night, which is more of a question-and-answer session with the administration, is November 1.

The application process for DSA is extensive. There are about ten "majors," and the child has to choose one and audition through a highly competitive process to get in (only about 15% of the kids who apply are accepted to creating writing, Annie's would-be major). Annie loved the poetry board outside the creative writing room, the library, and the artwork everywhere. I liked how engaged the kids seemed and the way there were small groups out in the halls playing instruments, running drama lines, and working on projects. Classes are in 90-minute blocks, and 6th-graders have an elective "wheel" to choose from in addition to the block for their chosen major. Class sizes in the regular classes we visited were all in the 25-30 range. Test scores for the school are high, and the academics seem solid. There are no sports, but kids can participate in sports programs at their neighborhood schools.

We really liked DSA, but it's very hard to get in. The school has been criticized for elitism, which is probably justified, but I was still impressed. I understand that DPS is going to open a new arts-based magnet school at Kunsmiller next year, which will be run on an interview-based admission process rather than an audition-based process like DSA's. That should provide another option for some of the kids who want an arts-based kind of school but can't get into DSA.

Last week, we went to an information meeting at the Denver Center for International Studies. There was a good turnout--about 60 people--and my sense is that DCIS is gaining in popularity. Last year, there were 220 applications for 6th grade and 100 spots, and I would expect that to increase this year. The application process includes submitting grades, references, and an essay or art project about the student's culture. DCIS is only in its second year as a middle school, but has been a high school program at West High School for 20 years. DCIS offers 5 languages--Spanish, French, Italian, Chinese, and Japanese--and incorporates the "global perspective" into the curriculum as a whole. Kids are expected to be proficient in their chosen language by the end of high school.

I liked the small size of the school (they plan to cap the size for grades 6-12 at 600 when all grades have been added), the global perspective, and the advisory system (students are assigned an advisor who meets with them periodically to review their progress, and the advisor serves as a contact person for parents/students as well). I also liked the diversity. Test scores are very good and the academics seem solid. There are no sports (but there are some sports clubs) and no electives for 6th-graders other than language (a problem at any of the magnet schools). DCIS seems like a great choice for a kid who's interested in languages and travel (there are various travel opportunities). My daughter liked the idea of traveling, the community service projects (there's a community service requirement), and the Artstreet aftershool art program.