By Yesenia Robles, Chalkbeat Colorado
For the first time in three years, Maria Rodriguez’s daughter started the fall semester knowing what classes she would have at Adams City High School.
In the past few years, parents and students complained that Adams City High would start the school year with confusion, uncertainty and long lines as the school scrambled to create schedules for many students after school started.
Students talked about waiting in the auditorium for days to receive a schedule, and then said they still ended up in classes that were overcrowded, didn’t have a teacher, or that they had already passed.
After it took control of the school four months ago, the private MGT Consulting Group set to work on a long to-do list, and fixing registration for classes was at the top. Ron Peterson, hired by MGT to oversee the principals at Adams City High and the smaller Lester Arnold High, was determined to get the schools started on the right foot.
Nothing hurts community engagement “like if you have to come here and wait for two hours to get in and register your kid because of a language barrier,” said Peterson, a former principal, administrator, and coach.
Overhauling student scheduling is one example of the pressing work MGT faces to improve Adams City High School, which has been one of the state’s lowest-performing schools. MGT is seeking community input into reorganizing the school. Part of that will include expanding career programs, creating community partnerships, and starting the tough work of building trust with families.