DENVER — Wyatt Academy, a charter school in Denver, is planning to be open for another academic year.
Earlier this year, the school's future was uncertain. In January, Wyatt Academy's board of trustees notified staff and parents that the decision was made to close at the end of the year -- a vote that was made without community input. The board said the decision was "extremely difficult" but was spurred by "consistent low enrollment" and "limited funding" that left them unable to fulfill their promise to provide "high-quality education."
When it came down to a vote, those in favor of closing the school didn't have enough support, and the resolution failed.
"There was a moment of tension and honestly intense sadness at the possibility of Wyatt being no longer, but it changed to victory, elation and a lot of pride when we were able to make sure that Wyatt was here to stay," said Aisha Lloyd Williams, a new board member and Wyatt parent.
Lloyd Williams said the five board members who were in support of closing Wyatt submitted their resignations after the vote. She joined the board in March.
"School closure and absorbing another organization should be a last resort and not a fast fix, and that’s something the new and current board is working toward," Lloyd Williams said.
As a parent of a kindergartner at the school, she had personal stakes in saving Wyatt. She was one of many to voice her concerns with the initial threat of closure.
"Wyatt Academy is just a really special place," Lloyd Williams said. "There’s always been a spirit in me, just like there are with a lot of parents, that really proved that at the town hall meeting of advocacy, eagerness and fight to just keep something great alive."
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