Montbello High School

About Our School

Montbello High School is a comprehensive high school located in the Montbello neighborhood in Denver. Montbello High School is an open enrollment high school accepting students from throughout the Denver metropolitan area. The majority of the over 1600 students that attend Montbello High School live in the Montbello, Green Valley Ranch, Parkfield, or Gateway Village neighborhoods. These neighborhoods are comprised primarily of working class and middle class single family homes.

Since 2006 Montbello High School has been involved in a major reform effort referred to as our “Revitalization” plan. The purpose of this plan is to regain the pride the community has in the school by increasing student achievement, community involvement in the school, and preparing all students for college or some post-secondary education. Central to our efforts is our move to an early college high school where students graduate high school with a year of college credit or an associate’s degree.

Click here for a list of Montbello school-wide intervention programs and contacts (.doc).

Highlights of our plan include:

Increase in Advanced Placement Classes taken by MHS students
Partnerships with the Community College of Aurora to provide MHS juniors and seniors with college classes on the CCA campus
Partnerships with the University of Colorado-Denver to offer multiple college classes at Montbello High
Increase in the number of accelerated schools
Credit recovery options on Saturday and After School for students who need extra time to catch back up and get back on a college path
Partnering with the Denver Scholarship Foundation to offer “Future Centers” aimed at helping students and parents with the college process – The work of this center led to 84% of MHS seniors earning acceptance into colleges/universities
Offering extra tutoring services before school, during school, and after school to all students
Providing extra math and English courses to students who need extra assistance
Offering more higher level science courses
Offering a range of elective courses – including art courses and expanded technology courses
Establishing a center for Parent/Community Involvement with supporting staff and services for outreach
Small Learning Communities Grant - Montbello High School was awarded over $854,000 from the federal government to help us implement our Smaller Learning Communities

The Mission of Montbello High School is to Educate and Empower all students to become Productive world citizens.

CARING and dedicated professionals
• Data driven professional development
• Targeted interventions focused on improving reading, writing, and math performance
• Variety of student clubs such as Young Life, SAVE, Montbello Black Pride, National Honor Society, Latino Club
• Comprehensive parent/Community Center
• Conferences four and a half weeks into the quarter
• Ongoing student mentoring program

COMMITTED to implement rigorous and relevant programs
• Advancement via Individual Determination (AVID)
• English Language Acquisition (ELA)
• Trades at Montbello High School
• Career Education (Goodwill Program)
• Night School
• Saturday School credit recovery

COLLEGE going culture
• Numerous advance placement and accelerated courses
• College courses taught by trained professors for dual credit courses
• Career and technology education courses (CTE) classes
• Future Center devoted to college admittance and acceptance

COMPETITIVE extra curricular programs
• Drum-line
• Band
• Cheerleading
• Athletics

Dreams really do come true
Montbello High School is a place where your dreams for your students can come true. What is your wish for your teenager?

“I will remember the people, teachers, activities, and pep rallies!.. also the quote ‘education comes first”
Devin Lopez, MHS Senior

“the MHS College program helps because going to college is about obtaining knowledge and the college programs help in all aspects of life”
Mr. Charles Dukes

“Success for all... no excuses”

Montbello High School is composed of three academies to maximize student achievement.

9th Grade Academy
1. 9th Grade students receive an orientation focusing on school mission, rules, and procedures. And obtain an Individualized Academic Plan for each student.
2. The students receive information on leadership training – focusing on school
pride, student involvement, and creating an investment in the community.
3. Students are assigned a teacher mentor to receive ongoing instruction in academic areas. This is phased in over a 4 year period with trained upper class students providing mentoring to underclassmen.

Early College Scholars Magnet
1. Students declare majors focusing on a specific career path for post-secondary
education – certifications, associates degrees, and/or bachelor degrees.
2. Upper-class students take college classes for high school and college credit beginning their junior year at Montbello High School.
3. All students are required to take accelerated, Advanced Placement or college level courses before they graduate High School.
4. Second year students create a warrior portfolio (career plan, resume, personal essay, letters of recommendation).

Technology Innovations Magnet
1. Students receive elective course options that are discipline specific that align with
magnet theme areas in Web design/3-D Animation, Audio Engineering, Videography,
Gaming Design/Programming, Journalism or Extreme Engineering
2. Second year students create a warrior portfolio (career plan, resume, personal
essay, letters of recommendation).
3. Students take College level coursework by college professors on campus with
guaranteed transferability to in state Universities.
4. Mentoring and Internships through established partnerships with local businesses in the
services industries.

“The goal of JROTC is to motivate Montbello High School students to be better citizens...”
Lt. Col. Meeusen

“...I really appreciated the help I received from Mr. Dukes and the Denver Scholarship Foundation...”
Nikki Smith, MHS Senior