With new D-11 head, Westside students back to school in mid-August

With new D-11 head, Westside students back to school in mid-August

New School District 11 Superintendent Michael Thomas.
Courtesy of District 11

Aug. 10, 2018
       Led by new superintendent Michael Thomas, the 2018-19 school year starts for most District 11 public schools Aug. 15.
       The opening-day exception is the Academy for Advanced & Creative Learning charter school, which has a noticeably longer school year and will start two days sooner.
       Hired in June, Thomas replaced Dr. Nicholas Gledich, who retired after nine years as the D-11 boss.
       Thomas was most recently chief of academics, leadership and learning for Minneapolis Public Schools in Minnesota. Previously, at another Minneapolis school district, his jobs had included elementary and secondary principal and coordinator for equity and integration.
       He is married, with two children of high school age.
       Thomas has not announced any major changes for the district, but said in a welcome vido on the D-11 website that he believes in "students first" and is looking forward to overseeing the mill levy override (property tax increase) that voters approved in the November 2017 election, giving D-11 more funds on a continuing basis.
       Below are brief capsules on each Westside D-11 school (principal's name in parentheses).
ELEMENTARIES (K-5)        Bristol, 890 N. Walnut St. (Manuel Ramsey), 328-4000. Enrollment: approximately 250. Type of school: STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics).
       Howbert, 1023 N. 31st St. (Bryan Relich), 328-4200. Enrollment: approximately 285. Type of school: Traditional.

A District 11 student is shown operating an electronic control board.
Courtesy of District 11

Jackson, 4340 Edwinstowe Ave. (Sara Miller), 328-5800. Enrollment: approximately 405. Type of school: Traditional.
       Midland, 2110 W. Broadway St. (Jennifer Breeding), 328-4500. Enrollment: approximately 200. Type of school: International Baccalaureate (IB).
       West, 25 N. 20th St. (Karen Newton), 328-4900. Enrollment: approximately 300. Type of school: Traditional.
K-6        Buena Vista, 924 W. Pikes Peak Ave. (Sharon Gateley ), 328-4100. Enrollment: approximately 205. Type of school: Montessori.
MIDDLE SCHOOLS        Holmes, 2455 Mesa Rd. (Rob Utter), 328-3800. Enrollment: approximately 655. Type of school: Traditional.
       West, 1920 W. Pikes Peak Ave. (Shalah Sims), 328-3900. Enrollment: approximately 290. Type of school : Traditional, with gifted/talented element.
K-8        Academy ACL, 2510 N. Chestnut St. (Nikki Myers), 434-6566. Enrollment: approximately 300. Type of school: Charter, with emphasis on gifted students.
HIGH SCHOOL        Coronado, 1590 W. Fillmore St. (Darin Smith), 328-3600. Enrollment: approximately 1,370. Type of school: Traditional.

Westside Pioneer article
(Schools: General)

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