Denver Public Schools leaders today welcomed back school principals with messages of inspiration and determination after the recent release of stagnant state test results.

"I want to make sure you are not discouraged and your teachers are not discouraged," DPS Chief Academic Officer Jaime Aquino told 325 principals, assistant principals and instructional specialists gathered at the Downtown Convention Center.

"Having said that," he added, "this year, we have to deliver results."

Remarks by Aquino and DPS Superintendent Michael Bennet kicked off a two-day principals' institute designed to rally school leaders before classes resume Aug. 20.

Bennet and Aquino spent several minutes discussing the results of the 2007 Colorado Student Assessment Program, which were largely flat following strong gains in 2006. Results of the 2007 exams, given last spring, follow the first full year's implementation of an ambitious reform plan known as the Denver Plan.

"The first people I thought about were the people in this room," Bennet said, about seeing the results. "I worried about how much harder it would make our work."

That lasted about 12 hours, he said, before confidence returned.

"We have every confidence in the people in this room," Bennet said, "we have every confidence in the children in the Denver Public Schools ... We have every confidence that this is the year that the hard work is going to take root and we are going to see extraordinary gains."