& central denver dispatch
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* * * T I M E S E N S I T I V E M A T E R I A L * * * P O S T M A S T E R P L E A S E D E L I V E R B Y M A Y 2 6
Algebra goes missing inDenver Middle Schools
see ALGEBRA on page 11
Eighth grade algebra— remember it?For many kids, it was the toughest classof middle school, full of terrifying popquizes and solving for two unknownsfrom a system of equations. Oooh. Istill remember Ms. Greenfield, a genu-ine Boetcher scholar, and the queen of eighth grade algebra. But eighth gradealgebra is also the pathway to college.Without it, students aren’t on track for 12th grade calculus, a required (orunstated admission requirement) classfor many top-flight schools, includ-ing MIT, Caltech, Claremont’s HarveyMudd, not to mention the engineeringschool at CU-Boulder and the ColoradoSchool of Mines.So why is it missing in action inmost of Denver Public Schools.It’s a tale so concerning that parentsacross Denver, spurred on by an intrep-id group at Smiley Middle School, havetaken to the sine qua non of 21st centu-ry community organizing, the on-linepetition, to try to get the eighth grademath to make a comeback.Algebra is key to not just math, butmuch of physical science and social sci-ences that demand statistical evidence.Without it, students can’t be expectedto master basic concepts in physics and
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Pull and save Junefree events calendar
page 10
•Understanding property tax
assessments
page 2
•2009 Challenger debuts
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The Cherry Tomato
page 13
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Hangar 2 at Lowry moves ahead
page 12
It was the Wednesdaynight before Thanksgiving,
1986. Boulder was dead,
dead, dead, most of the cam-pus had fled home for theholiday. I headed down tothe University MemorialCenter, to the 3.2 bar in the basement (oh, the days of 3.2 beer) with Grant Beck and Joel Smith of the Boulder band Feedback. We weregoing to check out a bandsomebody had seen at someparty— Big Head Todd andthe Monsters. Now, this wasn’t the BigHead Todd -- guitar hero and song-writer -- that most people know. Thiswas Todd Park Mohr, still picking up asax to rip a solo off, with mostly R&Bcovers and Stevie Ray Vaughn tunes,shyly fronting a band that Coloradowould come to love. There were maybesix people in the audience that night.Skip ahead twenty-two years. Myfour year old son has to pee. Having just navigated horrible Chicago traffic,I pilot the rental car to the parking lotof a social club, where a spirited shuffle board game is going on, where he canviolate laws prohibiting public urina-tion. We’re just a few blocks from thesuburban Chicago home of Big HeadTodd and his family, and we’re headedfor a sleep-over, but he can’t wait. Post-pee, we pull into a driveway, and findthe erstwhile rock star engaged in fix-ing a child’s bike and tending a grill.It’s been a long trip for Todd— sell-ing out Red Rocks, dates on the DavidLetterman Show, platinum record sales,settling into legend status as the big-gest name to come out of Coloradoin nineties. Yet, he’s the same playerwho played the basement of the UMC, became Boulder’s favorite band, and isstill at it, reveling in a new role as par-ent of two boys, while touring, writingmusic and having authored a thought-ful podcast.It’s amazing to watch Todd playing
by the Cherry Creek News
The pick of Denver festivals, markets
Our absolute favorite summer cul-
tural event is back, June 19-21— Denver’s
Greek Festival.Art, music, color and, oh yeah, food.It’s great for kids and adults, too. Everyyear we make the trek. It’s always hot,and the people watching is simply superb.The air conditioned breaks to check outtraditional and more modern Greek artforms tops off a great day.You can enjoy traditional Greek danc-ing by the Hellenic Dance Academy of Denver and music by Etho Ellas. Alwaysplenty of homemade food and pastriesfrom throughout Greece will satisfy anyappetite. This year, the cultural center, book store & gift shop will include orig-inal watercolors by Pantelis Zografos.Beautiful gold and silver jewelry, authen-tic Greek merchandise and breathtakingphotography will be featured as well.
Located at 4610 East Alameda Ave, the
corner of Alameda and Dahlia, the eventruns morning to night. Parking is avail-able in the lower lot near the East Gateas well as across the street in the old CubFoods Parking lot.This the Greek Festival is donating aportion of the profits to The Gathering
Big HeadToddand theMonstersreturn toRed Rocks
Place, a non-profit supporting womenand their children who are experiencinghomelessness or poverty by providing asafe daytime refuge and resources for self-sufficiency. The Gathering Place providesemergency support services and immedi-ate relief to women and children in dis-tress. Women who are able to meet theirimmediate and urgent needs can thencollect their inner resources and makepositive life changes for themselves andtheir children.For street fairs, check out the HighlandStreet Fair in North Denver. Three stagesof music, with Colorado’s best and toppedoff this year by Rosie Flores, the rootsrock and rockabilly superstar from Austin,Texas. Perhaps America’s best woman gui-tarist (yeah, move over Bonnie Raitt),Flores keys the festival, held each year theSaturday before Father’s Day. Arts, shop-ping and more at 32nd and Lowell. A KidsZone makes the rock shows a killer familyevent too.Kicking off the outdoor shopping sea-son is the merchants of Old South PearlSt. people-sized Farmers Market opportu-
nity every Sunday, June 7-Oct. 25, 9a.m.-1
see SUMMER on
page 2
see TODD on
page 3
Big Head Todd and the Monsters and Todd Park Mohr return to Red Rocks June 6
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