Denver, CO
Denver Public Schools teachers hold walkout, call for pay allegedly owed by the district
DENVER — As the final bell rang Friday afternoon, teachers at Abraham Lincoln High School lined Federal Boulevard to make sure their voices were heard, chanting “C-O-L-A, give us our pay!”
The Denver Classroom Teachers Association (DCTA) claims Denver Public Schools (DPS) is not upholding a contract agreed to in 2022, particularly regarding a cost of living increase.
“They are shorting us a 3.14% of the cost of living [raise],” said teacher Dez Baldonado.
The district said that for the past two years, teachers have been paid a 5.2% cost of living adjustment. However, because funding requirements were not met, teachers are only receiving a 2.06% cost of living adjustment this year.
Those rallying outside the high school said Friday that’s not what they agreed to when the contract was negotiated.
Baldonado has been teaching for more than two decades. She said she and her colleagues are living up to their end of the bargain, but the district is not.
“This is such a high inflation area. We want to live where we are teaching,” she explained.
Union representative Ashley Nesladek said without the full cost of living adjustment teachers were promised, it’s forced her to choose between her love of teaching and exploring other career options.
“It makes it so we’re in this situation where we’re making a decision between doing what we really, really love to do and being able to put food on the table,” said Nesladek.
A spokesperson for Denver Public Schools said in a statement, “The district will continue to honor the negotiated August 2022 collective bargaining agreement,” adding it’s not up to the district but the state to set funding requirements. The contract states if the
“We just want what is owed to us. We want him to honor the contract,” said Baldonado, referring to DPS Superintendent Alex Marrero.
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Denver, CO
Tempers flare during another tightly contested matchup between Denver Nuggets, Oklahoma City Thunder
The University of Denver will close the Ricks Center for Gifted Children next year as enrollment has fallen in recent years, the college announced this week.
The Ricks Center, which serves gifted children as young as 3 years old, will operate for the 2026-27 academic year before closing, according to a letter DU sent parents on Wednesday.
“The University of Denver has made the difficult decision to close the Ricks Center for Gifted Children at the conclusion of the 2026–2027 academic year,” spokesman Jon Stone said in a statement. “This decision reflects long-term operational and financial considerations and is not a reflection of the school’s quality, leadership, or community.”
The center, which is located on DU’s campus, was started in 1984 as the University Center for Gifted Young Children. The program offers classes to students in preschool through eighth grade, according to the website.
The program, along with other public K-12 schools in the state, has experienced declining enrollment in recent years. The center enrolled 142 students for the 2025-26 academic year, which is down from 200 pupils four years ago.
The center will hold a meeting about the pending closure on March 6 for parents.
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David Fountaine Black
OBITUARY
Dave and Martha and their three boys moved to Denver in 1974 when Dave started work at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. He and a business partner later purchased Mid-America Plating Company. Dave operated Mid-America for 36 years and finally retired in 2018.
He was a great golfer and natural athlete. Dave was an avid runner, and for many years, he woke up before the sun to get his miles in before work. He and Martha loved playing bridge with friends, gardening – growing fruit and flowers – and spending time outside relaxing and walking on the High Line Canal Trail and in Bible Park. Dave and Martha enjoyed getting back to Arizona during the winter at their Tucson home. They loved spending time with their family.
Dave passed away on February 20, 2026. He is loved by family and friends and will be missed. Dave was a hard-working, kind, optimistic, and thoughtful person who leaves the world a better place. He is survived by his wife, Martha, and his three sons, Dave (Robin), Tom (Debbie), Eric (Kendra), as well as six grandchildren and three great grandchildren, Casey (Nicole), Jake (Ashleigh and great granddaughter Faye), Hailey (Robby and great granddaughter Jensen), Keenan (Nicole and great granddaughter Olivia), Griffin, and Addie (Erik).
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