U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan to Visit Denver as Part of 2012 Cross-Country Back-to-School Bus Tour Promoting Education

As a part of the U.S. Department of Education’s third annual back-to-school bus tour, on Monday, Sept. 17, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will visit Lowry Elementary School in Denver, Colo., to highlight First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign that focuses on confronting and ending childhood obesity.

This engagement is one in a series of events and community conversations to be held coast-to-coast where Secretary Duncan and his leadership team will highlight the theme that Education Drives America.

The bus tour will begin in California’s Silicon Valley on Wednesday, Sept. 12 and conclude on the evening of Friday, Sept. 21, at the Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. Besides Denver, some of the other stops include: Las Vegas, Nev.; Salt Lake City; Cheyenne, Wyo.; Colorado Springs and Limon, Colo.; Emporia, Kan.; St. Louis; Mt. Vernon, Ill.; Evansville, Ind.; Lexington, Ky.; Charleston, W.Va.; and Richmond, Va.

“America’s future is directly linked to the quality of education that we provide our children, young people and adults,” Secretary Duncan said. “It is the key to a vibrant middle class, strong national security and our global economic competitiveness. This bus tour is an opportunity to highlight what’s working and create momentum for education reforms that improve the lives of all students.”

Secretary Duncan will spend his time at Lowry Elementary School visiting with students during the lunch hour and taking part in a group fitness activity.

In addition to this event, Department of Education senior officials will participate in several other activities in the Denver area during the bus tour. (Note: Exact times and locations will be announced soon.)

On Friday, Sept 14, in Denver, Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Deb Delisle and Director of the Office of Safe and Healthy Schools David Esquith will begin the day with a visit to Sheridan Elementary School to participate in an event celebrating the school’s successful transition from “turnaround” status, based on state performance indicators. Later in the day, Delisle and Esquith will visit Gateway High School in Aurora, Colo., to participate in a discussion on school climate and safety.

On Monday, Sept. 17, Acting Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education David Bergeron will host a roundtable discussion on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

On Tuesday, Sept. 18, in Denver, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Special Education Sue Swenson will host a roundtable discussion to help students with disabilities transition successfully to college and careers. The roundtable will include students with disabilities and their parents as well as teachers and technical assistance providers.

More specific details about the bus tour events in and around Denver will become available as the time for the events draws closer. For live, up-to-the-minute updates from the road, follow the Education Drives Americ tour on Twitter using the hashtag, #edtour12, or visit the Department’s bus tour blog. To receive media advisories, press releases, notifications about postings to the blog, and other special updates during the tour, subscribe to the Department’s Education Drives America e-mail updates by clicking here.