All Mitchell High School staff members being ‘released,’ will have to go through a re-application process if they want to keep their jobs in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - Every single staff member at a Colorado Springs high school will have to reapply for their own job as their district prepares to implement wide-ranging changes to improve the school’s performance.

A spokesperson for District 11 says the school in question, Mitchell High, has been tabbed a “priority improvement school” for the last several years, and changes must be made for the betterment of students. The district says the decision was made following lengthy discussions with the district’s board of education and state department of education.

For the more than 100 employees at Mitchell being released from their jobs at the end of the school year, there are fears that after an already tough year for educators, they might be getting the boot. The district has said staff must reapply if they want to stay on with Mitchell, or find other work.

Devra Ashby, the chief communications officer for D-11, sent a brief statement to 11 News on the matter Wednesday afternoon:

According to the Colorado Department of Education, “priority improvement schools” are low-performing schools that are eligible for support from the state.

11 News is still waiting to hear back from district officials about what other changes they plan to make for next school year.

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