Heart of Denver Properties

Platt Park - West Washington Park

Part of the original Town of South Denver, the Platt Park neighborhood ranges from Downing Street to South Broadway Street and from Mississippi Avenue to Evans Avenue. The town's only mayor, James Fleming, built his historic estate in 1882 at 1510 South Grant Street. The house, served as the town hall, jail and library until annexed by the City of Denver in 1894. Homes in Platt Park, many constructed in the early 1900's, are a mixture of Victorian, bungalow and row house/duplexes. The neighborhood, just west of the University of Denver's campus, is has many popular local businesses and studios.

Because of its proximity to Washington Park, Platt Park has moved up in value as quickly as any neighborhood in Denver. Lots of the old bungalows have new, large additions place on the original structure. Homes are scraped all together and million dollar structures put on them in their place. In addition to the location, West Washington Park enjoys some of the best restaurants in town along Alameda Avenue. Check out Thai Basil…yum!

Useful Stats

One-Year Appreciation Rate¹: 7.60%

Crime Rating²: 228

Please Note: The information on this page is believed to be accurate, however consult directly with your Heart of Denver Properties Realtor or other professional to ensure that you have access to current and accurate data.

1. Source: Zillow. Neighborhoods represented by more than one zip code reflect the average of all zip codes.

2. The crime index suggests the risk of certain types of crime occuring in this community as compared to the national average. The national average for each type of crime equals a score of 100, so a score of 200 would represent twice the risk as the national average, and a score of 50 would represent half the risk of the naitonal average. Neighborhoods represented by more than one zip code reflect the average of all zip codes.

Neighborhood Schools

Knight Fundamental Academy
Grades: K-5
Lincoln Elementary School
Grades: PK-5
Steele Elementary School
Grades: PK-5

Knight Fundamental Academy

Grades: K-5

Enrollment: 338

Special Features: magnet school; All-day kindergarten offered; uniforms

About Knight Fundamental Academy: Knight Fundamental Academy is located in south central Denver, in the Belcaro neighborhood. Knight Academy is a magnet school (since 1982) emphasizing a "Back to Basics" approach to elementary education (requiring strong parental support, using textbooks for all core subjects, and teacher directed instruction). Knight Academy enrolls students in grades K through five. Students are required to wear uniforms. The school draws students from the Denver area, east of I-25, including the Montbello community. Ninety-eight percent (98%) of students attending Knight Academy are bused. Students are selected through an application process.

At Knight Academy parents must sign a Parental Support Agreement, sign nightly homework, observe in classrooms, and/or attend monthly workshops. Students must work at or above grade level, develop and master basic skills, do daily homework, and complete required Academic Tasks such as reports and projects. Parents are also assessed by a "Parent Report Card".

Although we improved on some CSAP assessments and decreased slightly in others, we continue to focus our attention on students not yet proficient or advanced in reading, writing or math. To assure success in student achievement, we are implementing the following: implement the CSAP format within the language arts, reading, and math curriculum; a strong school-wide writing program implementing components of the District Literacy Plan; the CSAP Tool Kit for math; collaborative effort among all grade levels; weekly and quarterly assessments, using the data to drive instruction; and regularly scheduled parent workshops. The objective of these workshops is to assist parents with study activities and a clearer understanding of the "Literacy Plan" for Knight Academy, as well as the CSAP formatted activities in reading, writing, and math.

Knight Academy also celebrates our I.T.B.S. results, showing the total "Grade Equivalent" at or above grade level in all grades: Grade 1 - 2.0; Grade 2 - 3.0; Grade 3 - 3.7; Grade 4 - 5.5; and Grade 5 - 5.8.

2004-2005 CSAP Performance (SAR): Average

58% of students scored at the proficient or advanced levels in reading, 50% in math, and 46% in writing.

2004-2005 Test Score Improvement: Decline

58% of students scored at the proficient or advanced levels in reading, 50% in math, and 46% in writing.

Teachers: Teachers 2004-05
· 95.8% of teachers at this school have tenure, compared to 67.7% districtwide
· Teachers at this school have an average of 15.0 years of experience, compared to 9.3 districtwide
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Students: Students 2004-05
· The attendance rate for this school is 96.0%, compared to 94.8% districtwide
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Parent Satisfaction:

Special Programs: Special Programs 2003-2004
· Special Education Center Program (2003-04).

Principal Experience:

Programs and Awards: "Back to Basics" Philosophy; Odyssey of the Mind: three times a State Finalist, now known as Destination Imagination; Many successful former students; Monthly parent workshops, where parents receive activities and educational approach and methodology being used in the classrooms, enabling parents to assist their children at home; Active P.T.S.A.; Tutoring program; "Parent Report Card" each semester; Piloting F.A.S.T. Reading Program; and accelerated achievement groups, led by administration in reading, writing, and math. This 2002-2003 school year we will begin French Class and a Chess Club for students to participate in during lunch recesses.

Source of Data: Information on this page comes from Denver Public Schools. Data is current as of the 2004-05 school year, unless otherwise noted. District averages on this page are for elementary schools. For more information about this school, contact your school principal or contact the Public Information Office of Denver Public Schools. This profile was produced by GreatSchools.net, a non-profit organization at www.greatschools.net.

Lincoln Elementary School

Grades: PK-5

Enrollment: 172

Special Features: All-day kindergarten offered; All-day early childhood education offered

About Lincoln Elementary School: Lincoln Elementary School is a diverse and unique center of learning with small class sizes. Lincoln is a center school for three- and four-year-old students in the Early Learning Center (ELC) program. Students attending Lincoln are from the west Washington Park Community, Baker neighborhood, and from families that reside outside of the Lincoln attendance area that have chosen Lincoln. Lincoln has two innovative approaches to education for students in Early Childhood Education (ECE) through fifth grade. First, are the traditional multi-age classrooms; kindergarten/first grade (kindergarten is a full day), first/second grade, third/fourth grade and fourth/fifth grade. Students generally will stay with their teacher for two years. Second, there are two Montessori Primary classrooms for students ages three, four, and five and one Montessori Lower Elementary classroom for students ages six, seven, and eight. The Montessori program will continue to expand and will progress to grade six in future years. Students spend their years at Lincoln sharing across grade levels in academics, enrichment classes, recess, lunchtime and field trips. Lincoln has an updated computer lab and a Take Home (Alpha Smarts) Computer Program. A resource teacher provides assistance to students who speak or understand other languages. There is an organized daily physical education program. Identified students receive assistance from special education teachers and/or from a Challenge teacher. Two strands of the arts are formally taught – dance and vocal music. Other areas of the arts curriculum are met through after-school programs and in the classroom. There is also a full-time library technician. A literacy coach provides staff development for teachers. Students learn from challenging books and materials appropriate to their current reading level. A balanced literacy approach is used. Materials include: JumpStart reading, leveled books, Everyday Math and Harcourt Science. At Lincoln 59% of the third grade students scored above the district average and were “Proficient” or “Above” on the spring 2005 reading CSAP (Colorado Student Assessment Program). In 2004, the fifth grade students scored above the district and state in all three areas of the CSAP assessments. In reading 100% of the fifth grade students were “Proficient” or “Advanced.” In writing, 78% of the fifth grade students scored in the “Proficient” or “Advanced” ranges. The fifth grade math CSAP results show that 93% of the students scored in the “Proficient” or “Advanced” ranges. We are very proud of the continuous academic growth of the students at Lincoln Elementary and Montessori School.

2004-2005 CSAP Performance (SAR): High

78% of students scored at the proficient or advanced levels in reading, 94% in math, and 84% in writing.

2004-2005 Test Score Improvement: Significant Improvement

78% of students scored at the proficient or advanced levels in reading, 94% in math, and 84% in writing.

Teachers: Teachers 2004-05
· 71.4% of teachers at this school have tenure, compared to 67.7% districtwide
· Teachers at this school have an average of 9.0 years of experience, compared to 9.3 districtwide
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Students: Students 2004-05
· The attendance rate for this school is 94.6%, compared to 94.8% districtwide
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Parent Satisfaction:

Special Programs: Special Programs 2003-2004
· English as a Second Language Resource program.
· Special Education Center Program (2003-04).

Principal Experience: Principal Experience 2003-2004
· The principal at our school has 14 year(s) of experience overall and 6 year(s) at this school.

Programs and Awards: Reading assistants in kindergarten through grade three
SER trained kindergarten and first grade teachers
Math project teacher
City Lights Grant for after-school programs
Title VI
Drug Free Schools
Community Resources (speakers and family activities)
After-school programs: arts and Spanish
Young Authors
RIF ( Reading Is Fundamental)
Computer Take Home Program
Student Recognition Programs
Student of the Month
Denver Teachers' Award
Remodeled playground
Building renovations
Historical designation
Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA)
Parent volunteers

Steele Elementary School

Grades: PK-5

Enrollment: 290

Special Features: All-day kindergarten offered; All-day early childhood education offered

About Steele Elementary School: Steele Elementary School, a designated historical landmark, is located one block north of Washington Park. It services children in Early Childhood Education (ECE) through fifth grade. It offers two full day tuition-based kindergarten programs. Steele has two unique learning environments starting in first grade: British Primary and The Contemporary Academic Program. All students at Steele attend physical education, art, drama and music classes. Instrumental band and vocal choir are choices for students in third through fifth grades. A full-time technician staffs Steele’s library and computer lab and classes may use either location any time during the school day; the 8,000-volume library is one of the best in the district. Steele demonstrates its dedication to literacy by allocating a daily block of time to focus on reading and writing. Steele provides the Everyday Math program to increase math skills. The Steele faculty believe that students learn inside and outside the classroom, so students take part in field trips that enhance and extend their classroom learning. In addition to these trips, the fifth grade students spend five days at Crow Canyon Archeological Center in Cortez each year studying the ancestral Pueblo people (Anasazi) and two nights at the Balarat Outdoor Learning Center. Steele’s philosophy of active learning is in evidence outside in our community garden where students take an active role in planting and harvesting crops in their classroom plots. Steele offers before, during and after-school care through the Kaleidoscope Corner program. After-school enrichment classes are offered in Spanish, art, dance, chess and science. Steele houses the Denver Public Schools Planetarium program that services approximately 6,000 students each year. The school’s Collaborative School Committee (CSC) and Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) work to harmonize the programs and focus on student achievement. Steele provides a gifted and talented program for identified students. Steele has two mild/moderate special education teachers who support students with differentiated instruction.

2004-2005 CSAP Performance (SAR): High

75% of students scored at the proficient or advanced levels in reading, 81% in math, and 63% in writing.

2004-2005 Test Score Improvement: Significant Improvement

75% of students scored at the proficient or advanced levels in reading, 81% in math, and 63% in writing.

Teachers: Teachers 2004-05
· 80.0% of teachers at this school have tenure, compared to 67.7% districtwide
· Teachers at this school have an average of 9.0 years of experience, compared to 9.3 districtwide
Click here for more information

Students: Students 2004-05
· The attendance rate for this school is 96.0%, compared to 94.8% districtwide
Click here for more information

Parent Satisfaction:

Special Programs: Special Programs 2003-2004
· Before or after school program (Kaleidoscope Corner-303/764-3761)
· English as a Second Language Resource program.

Principal Experience: Principal Experience 2003-2004
· The principal at our school has 1 year(s) of experience overall.

Programs and Awards: Half-day tuition for Early Childhood Education (ECE) for children who will be 4 years old on or before October 1 Two research-based instructional methods: British Primary and Contemporary Academic Award-winning Shakespeare participants Outstanding (Gold) ranking at Six Flags-Elitch Garden’s Music Festival First and third place winners at the district Science Fair, 2005 Destination Imagination Award of Excellence Tattered Cover Poetry Contest Winners, 2005 Denver Water Board Essay Winner, 2005 Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers for 2002: Donna Hamilton Teachers of the Year Awards: Pat Duran and Donna Hamilton, 2001 and Regina Alcorn, 2002

Please Note: The information on this page is beleived to be accurate, however consult directly with your Heart of Denver Properties Realtor or other professional to ensure that you have access to current and accurate data.