Athmar Park

KSPA Site Plan Changes - Parking Problems at Valverde Improve

Mar 12, 2004

Planning continues for the KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy (KSPA) charter school slated to be built between Rishel Middle and Valverde Elementary Schools.

Two million dollars for construction of the project was included in the school bond passed last November. KSPA is a free, open-enrollment, public middle school for students in fifth through eighth grades who desire to succeed and go to college. The school will be an asset for goal-oriented young people in our neighborhood. KSPA is currently operating out of cramped quarters at 2880 W. Holden Place near Rude Park.

The scope of the project has changed since we printed a proposed site plan last May. The current site plan shows a new permanent building with two additional modular classroom structures, outdoor classrooms and a play area, as well as two new parking areas;one for KSPA with 38 spaces and one for Valverde with 24 spaces. The additional parking lot for Valverde is long
overdue and will move overflow staff parking off of W. Nevada Place as well
as provide much-needed visitor parking. Mike Langley of DPS Facility Management told us that funding for the new Valverde parking lot will be
secured in time for the projects to be built concurrently.

The KSPA project is behind schedule and still in the design phase. Rich Barrett, Director of KSPA, expects the project to be completed by January
2005. Questions about the project should be addressed to Rich at 303-623-5772 or rbarrett@sunshinepeak.org.