School: Cole Arts and Science Academy

Website: http://www.coleacademydenver.org/

Type: Public-DPS Innovation School

Enrollment: 635 students

Tours:  Call school to make an appointment

Main Phone: 720.423.9120

Principal: Julie Murgel (2 vice principals and a principal intern)

Location:  3240 Humboldt Street, Denver 80205 (Cole and Whittier neighborhood)

Hours: ECE 8:30 am-3:30 pm; K-5th 8:15 am- 3:45 pm; Middle School  8:15 am- 3:30 pm

Grades:  ECE-5^th Grade along with DSST Middle School (6-8^th grade)

Average Class Size: Approximately 26 students per classroom (3 classrooms per grade level plus middle school)

Before/After Care:

-Kaleidoscope Corner for grades K-5

-Fit Fun and Literacy for Grades K-4 (an after-school program providing physical fitness and nutrition with homework assistance)

-Cole Beacon Neighborhood Center for 5^th-8^th grade students (funding from the Boys and Girls Club…program offers a variety of enrichment opportunities to students focusing on skill building and relationship building)

Facilities/Playground: 

There is a learning landscape west of the entrance to the school (north of the tennis courts).  Cole has a huge field north of the school that is used for P.E. outdoor learning, middle school sports and by DSST for outdoor P.E. (soccer, flag football, and baseball). There are basketball courts north of the field used primarily afterschool. A smaller playground for ECE is to the north side of the school (MLK Blvd).

Special & Core Programs:

• The Denver School of Science and Technology at Cole opened its doors this year. Currently it’s a middle school that welcomed sixth graders only in 2011 (each year it will add a grade). To learn more, click here.
• Cole became an Innovation School in August 2009. It is achieving its goals according to the District’s SPF. The school will be up for review this June 2012. Innovation schools are up for review every three years to monitor their accountability to the children they serve.
• Students partake in physical education each day. They rotate every 3 weeks for art, music and technology classes.
• In the primary years (ECE-1^st grade) there are 3 programs for the students: a traditional classroom, ELA (English language acquisition classroom), and a Spanish speaking only classroom. Students in 2^nd grade and up are provided a more traditional classroom approach. They are assessed and grouped according to need for math and science as well as literacy instruction. The second – fifth grade classrooms use a platoon model where two teachers partner; one teaches literacy and the other math and science.
• Cole is a designated American Indian Focus School. The program provides one location where all DPS students with American Indian heritage are invited to learn together.
• Afterschool tutoring by staff for students who need support.
• This school offers the Primary Multi-Intensive program for students in grades 1-3 and the Intermediate Multi-Intensive for students in grades 3-5. The children are placed by the district’s special needs team. Many are bussed in but some live within the neighborhood. The programs provide support for students that have development delays specifically cognitive delays.
• Infusions–Cole offers two separate Infusion sessions. Each session is 6 weeks long and takes place for an hour and a half, once a week.  Students choose classes based on their interests. The classes are composed of a mix of children from varying grade levels with a teacher other than that of their homeroom. Some of the past infusion classes offered included Salsa Dancing, skateboarding, photography, History of Five Points, History of Mexico, Nutrition, Horseback Riding, etc.

Impressions:

Cole Arts and Science Academy opened four years ago in the Cole and Whittier neighborhood (northwest of City Park) in Denver. The building itself was a former middle school. Two failing elementary schools in the neighborhood, Wyman and Mitchell, shut down not long ago and as a result, Cole Arts and Science Academy opened its doors hoping to provide a successful school in this very diverse community.

Cole’s exterior is old, beautiful and grand. It’s a huge school on the outside and within. As you enter the school, you can’t help but notice the various pendants hanging from the foyer’s ceiling. These pendants represent the staff’s college alma maters. As you walk a bit further, you’ll see a number of banners in the hallway boasting the words, Class of 2021, Class of 2023, etc. I learned that those years represent when the present students will graduate college, something many of their parents never had the opportunity to do. The banners and pendants are visual reminders to the students that anything is possible even a college education. This inspiration tactic from the staff reminds students that the Cole faculty believes in them. It’s the first thing students see when arriving and leaving school each day.

Elena Saenz, a family liaison, greeted me and led me on a tour of the school. She is a full-time family liaison. Her job is to advocate for families and make sure they know their role when it comes to supporting their child at home. She works with classroom teachers as well to help make sure this happens. Family outreach and engagement is a big priority at this school. Elena is bilingual like many of the staff at Cole. This comes in handy for the 60% Hispanic population that attends the school. Elena gives tours to families, too. If only every DPS school could have a family liaison!

We started our tour on the first floor. The school is complete with three levels and shaped like the letter H. The vastness of the school was a bit overwhelming. I am guessing that becoming comfortable in such a large building takes time for new families and students. With that being said, the first floor houses the primary wings: ECE for 3 and 4 year olds, Kindergarten, first, second grade classrooms, and a large auditorium. Although the school is very old, the classrooms were spacious and bright. I saw many smart boards in the classrooms, a tool growing in popularity throughout DPS. The hallways were adorned with beautiful artwork. This year, two full-time art teachers work at the school and they’ve done wonders beautifying the school hallways with projects created by the students.

One of the primary classrooms we visited had a classroom teacher from the Teach for America program. This program helps ensure that children growing up in poverty can receive an excellent education. She went through the two year program at Cole and is now teaching here full-time. I enjoy hearing stories such as this. These high achieving educators are placed in urban schools within low-income neighborhoods. Currently, Cole has a 96% free and reduced lunch ratio.

This school has 11 DTR’s (Denver Teacher Residents). This program offers yet another way to bring in motivated and passionate educators who want to make a difference (both programs are enticing high caliber educators and providing them the support and resources they need along the way). I chatted briefly with a number of staff members that day, including the principal. Everyone seemed to be very energetic, happy and proud to be working at this school. With that being said, there seems to be some teacher turnover, 11 new teachers started this school year.

On the second and third floors are the upper elementary classrooms, middle school (separate entrance), two gymnasiums, cafeteria, huge music room, two art rooms, library, two technology labs, etc.  Each floor has access to a classroom set of net books, too. I was amazed at all the technological resources this school has despite the fact there is no PTA.

Students were coming and going as we made our way through the hallways. They wear uniforms at the school. Due to the recent partnership with DSST, Cole has adapted some of their cultural system. As a result, school behavior has improved this year. Julie mentioned that the partnership between DSST and Cole is unique in that it benefits both programs. For example, Cole has been influential to DSST on family and community engagement.

Since Cole is an innovation school, they have greater autonomy when it comes to their budget, hiring and curriculum. A short time ago, students were not finding success with the district’s reading curriculum. Students were struggling with phonics. The staff re-evaluated and decided that another more structured literacy model with a strong emphasis on phonics would be more successful for the kids.  This is why innovation is important, folks. If children are lacking important skills and not finding academic success, the school should have the freedom to find something that works! Shouldn’t more turnaround schools apply for innovative status so they have the freedom to see what works, what doesn’t and make the best possible decisions for their students based on these findings? The ultimate goal is to set our children up for success, not failure.

Elena mentioned repeatedly that Julie Murgel, Cole’s principal, is an extraordinary leader who works tirelessly on searching for funding to ensure that these children are getting what they need. I could see this by the abundant resources that the school has and the partnerships Cole has created within the community.

Has Cole made progress the past few years? Yes. Is Cole setting up systems to help students reach their full potential? Yes. Does Cole have a long way to go when it comes to academic achievement? Yes. This is a school that is trying to beat the odds by creating a team of intentional and passionate educators, having strong leadership at the helm, patience in making decisions based on the best interest of the child, and hope that every child no matter race or socioeconomic status can and will learn. Julie Murgel said it all when I asked what makes Cole special. She said, “Cole is Hope. It is an example of a school defying all the odds.” I hope it does!

We welcome your comments and impressions on your experience with Cole Arts & Science Academy.

Submitted by Johanna Mallory:

The first Christ the King School Open House of the year will take place on Thursday, October 20^th from 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Christ the King School is committed to preparing students academically, spiritually, morally, physically, and socially to be the leaders of tomorrow, to succeed in a future we cannot even predict. You will be able to tour classrooms, discuss curriculum with teachers, mingle with currently enrolled families and find answers to your preschool, elementary and middle school questions.

Location: Christ the King Roman Catholic School, 860 Elm St.

For questions, or to schedule a personal tour, call 303.321.2123.

School: CHRIST THE KING ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL

Website: http://www.ckrcs.org/

Type: Private, faith-based Catholic School

Tuition: $4,800 for a registered Christ the King Parishioner, $5,800 for a non-Parishioner

Open Houses/Tours: There are open houses and tours and you can call the main office to schedule or register.

Admission Process: Enrollment at CK is dependent on availability and priority (Catholic siblings, non-Catholic siblings, Parish members, non-Parish members, non-Catholic students)

Main Phone: 303-321-2123

Hours: 8:00 am – 3:00 pm

Principal: Alison Higgins

Pastor: Reverend Daniel M. Leonard

Location: 860 Elm Street, Denver, CO 80220

Ages/Grades: Preschool (age 3) through 8^th Grade

Class Size: Pre-K 3’s – 20, Pre-K 4’s – 24, K-8^th - 25

Before/After Care: After care until 6:00 PM

Facilities and Playground: Located in the Hale neighborhood, across Colorado  Boulevard from Congress Park, Christ the King Roman Catholic School is attached to the church by the same name.  It is part of the Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Schools.  The school is attached to the large church and on two levels.  The ground level houses the pre-K program.  There is one classroom for the 3 year olds and one classroom for the 4 year olds along with a dedicated playground just off of the two rooms.  There is a long tight corridor down to the pre-K area but the classrooms open up to bright, colorful rooms that are organized and lively.  The upper floor was dedicated to the older students and had a wide hallway lined with lockers.  Each classroom was set up different than the next.  Some had smart boards and some did not.  The computer lab was also on the upper floor.  I was surprised by how small the Library was and how few and dated books it contained, though our tour guide stated there were over 8000 volumes.  Heading downstairs you will find several more classrooms for the lower grades, an art room, a science lab and a music room.  There is also a large and updated gymnasium attached to the school. I did not see the upper school’s playground or fields but the pre-K was right outside the two classrooms. All in all the building is somewhat dated but the rooms are large and bright. 

Special & Core Programs: Because this is a Catholic school, the students are required to wear uniforms. The academics are designed to be challenging and follow an established curriculum, that of the Archdiocese of Denver.  They use a phonics-based reading program as well as a special program called Lexia, which is specific to each students reading level and designed to enhance learning. Next year the school will be integrating Singapore mathematics into their curriculum as well.  Beyond math and reading, the curriculum includes speech, science, Spanish and religion. They also incorporate a strong art, technology, physical education and music curriculum. Lastly, there are a number of after school activities where students have the choice to participate and those include community service, sports, choir, honor society, student council, Lego engineering, fly fishing and many more.

Impressions:

I thoroughly enjoyed my tour at Christ the King.  From start to finish, it was a positive and enjoyable experience.  If I were interested in sending my children to parochial/Catholic school, this would be at the top of my list!  The open house began in the foyer of the church where we checked in and were assigned a tour guide (a parent) along with two 8^th grade students.

First, we headed into the church that was quite beautiful and lined with antique stained glass windows.  The lights were off so the two 8^th grade girls ran to find the switch.  They were completely aware and comfortable of their environment.  This might not seem like a big deal, but right from the start I noticed a confidence and maturity in these kids that I have never seen before in any other visit to a school.  I find that you can determine a lot from a school by the nature of its students and how they interact with those around them.

From the church, we walked back through the foyer (which also serves as their lunch room during school days) and past the kitchen.  We were told that they utilize Organics Delivered for their daily meal service.  Parents have the choice of paying for meals or sending their kids to school with home packed lunches. From here, we headed downstairs to the pre-K area.

Though the hallway section seemed “basement-y”, I was pleased that each of the pre-K rooms opened up to bright and lively work spaces.  They were very organized and almost Montessori-ish with workstations for individual activities.  The teachers were there giving parents an overview and answering questions about the program.  They had an honest and dedicated air about them – so genuine with an obvious love for their work.

One observation that struck me so deeply about this school was the strong connection between the students and their teachers.  Because the school is quite small, the teachers, who have all been around for years and years, have seen kids progress from pre-K to 8^th grade.  They have known and taught their sisters and brothers and communicate sincerely with each other as if they are one big family.  The strong sense of community at Christ the King was definitely apparent.

Because I saw this school during an evening tour, I was not able to observe the every-day life of a student at Christ the King.  I do encourage anyone seriously considering this school to do both a tour during a typical school day and an open house.  There may be some nuance that I missed because of this.  During the open house, every teacher was present and engaged with parents.  The students actually did a good majority of the tour from their perspective – as a student.  The other portion, more fact based, was given by a parent.  All three perspectives (student, parent, teacher) were very valuable to hear.

As each member of our tour group bounced from classroom to classroom, we had the opportunity to chat with individual teachers, all of whom were open to answering specific questions we had.  I was particularly interested in the history and literature education, which is combined at this school.  I felt it was a very tangible way to learn.  I was also impressed with the integration of computer-based learning education for every student beginning in Kindergarten.

The school follows a curriculum developed and supported by the Archdiocese of Denver Office of Catholic Schools and much is designed by the teachers themselves.   At Christ the King they have, or will be, implementing several different teaching tools for each of their subjects (i.e. Singapore Math, Lexia Reading, Discovery Education for history, and yet another for Spanish education) in order to deliver the curriculum to the students.  I cannot vouch for the tools and whether it is valuable to use them or not, but I did find it somewhat disjointed to have a different program for each subject.

All of the classrooms were set up in a very traditional manner, with rows of desks and the teacher at the front.  Again, I did not see the classrooms in action so I cannot say whether this was a positive or negative (or neutral) aspect of daily life at Christ the King Roman Catholic School.  In the Kindergarten classroom, it was even more traditional, and included saying the Pledge of Allegiance every morning and prayer 5 times a day.   As the children get older, the more and more they become involved with, and participate in, church activities.  I will say that the students really seem to enjoy this aspect of school.  I noticed artwork and projects everywhere that incorporated a strong faith message. My student tour guides were thrilled to be in choir, participate in church activities and visit with Father Daniel.

Overall on my tour, I found the students to be a delight, the teachers wise and dedicated, the parents involved and the administrators open and welcoming.  If you are looking for a strong faith-based and loving community that is seeded in deep tradition and academic achievement, this is the school for you.

I asked Principal Alison Higgins if she was willing to share her perspective on the school as well.  Here is what she had to say:

How long have you been the Principal or Executive Director of your school?

2010 – 2011 is my first year at this school

How is the school different from when you started to now?

Christ the King School was already an outstanding school engaged in quality education.  Now there is clear intentionality regarding the focus of the school which incorporates character development, philanthropy, environment education and inter-generational learning.  There is close collaboration and great communication between home and school.

What makes your school truly unique and special?

Christ the King’s rigorous academic program has consistently produced above-average scores preparing our students for the high schools and colleges of their choice and sets them up for success.

Christ the King School is consistent with all the schools of the Archdiocese of Denver in that we have two strong goals: rigorous academics and profound catholicity.  What makes us unique are the pillars supporting those goals which teach to the mind, body, heart and soul through:

1. Character education and leadership training (anti-bullying and conflict resolution skills)
2. environment education and world ecology
3. philanthropy and service learning
4. inter-generational learning opportunities which honors our community and enriches our students

The generosity of our parent body is key to our success.  We truly count on our parents to give of their time and talent.  The school truly benefits due to the engagement of parents in supporting the philosophy and direction of the school and in giving their time to their children’s education experience.

We are proud of our outstanding faculty who come to us with strong credentials, extensive backgrounds in education and wide experience.  There is a strong and successful collaboration between home and school.

What are you doing to make your school as progressive and successful as possible?

The key is remaining relevant in today’s society.  The beauty of the catholic school is that the model of Christ is always relevant and we do not find ourselves scrambling for “meaning”.    We look very closely at current research to make strategic decisions about our academic future.  We are constantly engaged in cyclical review of our curriculum in cooperation with the Office of Catholic Schools.  We are committed to technical proficiency and to adopting emerging media in meaningful ways to enhance the education experience at Christ the King.  We are currently updating our website and we go live with an online parent portal and electronic delivery of student reports in June 2011.

Is there anything that you’d like to change about the school if given the opportunity?

We are currently researching options to bring additional grass surfaces to our campus to expand our school garden and incorporate outdoor classrooms.  We are also looking at a variety of new electives for our Middle School next year and extra-curricular activities which support the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) as well as Arts focus of the school program.

We are committed to giving our students the best education and educational environment from the moment they walk through our doors until the moment they leave.  We are committed to the formation of mind, body, heart and soul in a way that sets them up to succeed as future servant leaders in a future we cannot even predict.

School: Asbury Elementary

Website: http://asbury.dpsk12.org/

Type: Public-DPS

Tours: No scheduled tours currently

Main Phone: (720) 424-9750

Principal: Anita Theriot

Location: 1320 East Asbury Avenue

Hours: 8:30 AM – 3:15 PM

Grades: Kindergarten -5^th grade

Average Class Size: There are approximately 320 students that attend this school. The school has two classrooms per grade level. There are 28 students (or less) in each classroom.

Before/After Care: Kaleidoscope is offered after school only. There are after school enrichment activities (some are free, others include a fee) such as Spanish class, art, music, homework club, etc.

Facilities/Playground: The expansive playground and field areas are in need of a major makeover.  Asbury will break ground on their new Learning Landscape this summer. A fabulous mural covers the wall on the west side of the school grounds. It boasts quotes, color and creativity.

Special & Core Programs:

• Their current writing program is the Writing Alive curriculum (http://www.writingalive.com/).
• They have two self-contained classrooms for low cognitive and autistic students. Some of these students are mainstreamed into their grade level classroom if able (several staff members in each classroom).
• Due to the close proximity to the University of Denver, DU students can be found teaching history as an after school enrichment option or tutoring children after school in the homework club.

Impressions:

When I first called Asbury Elementary to inquire about school tours, I was surprised when the secretary asked why I was interested in a tour. I simply stated I wanted to learn more about the school and so she assisted me with setting one up. Asbury has an Open House but no scheduled tours at this time.

Asbury Elementary is in the Platt Park neighborhood in close proximity to the University of Denver. It’s unclear whether there is an official partnership with the university and the elementary school (DU students do volunteer their time for after school enrichment programs) but it would be an amazing opportunity for both parties if they had a collaborative partnership.

As I walked into the school, I went straight to the office where I met one of the lovely secretaries who escorted me around. The school had a small, cozy feel to it (two classrooms per grade level) and immediately reminded me of the school where I did my student teaching, many moons ago. I am always surprised when I visit these old buildings at how bright and cheery they can be, once inside. This was the case with Asbury. My tour guide explained that Asbury was a small, tight knit community that celebrated its diversity. There was a dedicated staff and teacher retention was high.

As we made our way to the lower level, I was told there were many upcoming renovations to the building itself. Like many other DPS, there was a small cafeteria located here. It was brightened up with some amazing artwork created by the students that lined the walls. Every few months, there is an art gallery opening where the student’s projects are put on display. I got the feeling that the visual arts program was celebrated here.

Upstairs, on the main level, I noticed many of the classrooms had Promethean Boards (all but 3 classrooms). Many DPS schools have these and they’re funded by a technology grant.  People rave about this piece of technology that can make a lesson more interesting and interactive for the children. There were several classrooms where the Promethean Boards were being utilized.

The auditorium was spacious. I don’t remember seeing any chairs where students could sit to watch a performance.  Although, DPS have old beautiful buildings with detailed woodwork and features, it also has dark, dated rooms, such as this.

On the second level, I observed two self-contained classrooms where low cognitive students and autistic children learn. I noticed several teachers within each classroom. One child we passed was using some equipment for her therapy in the hallway. I believe this is a great way to teach tolerance to children by having programs such as these.

We peeked into the library. It was quite small. The library teacher is half-time as is the music teacher (for the current school year).  They have to wait to see what next year would bring. What a shame I thought. The arts are a needed and important part of every school’s curriculum and always the first to go with budget cuts. I found this ironic since Asbury received a $25,000 music grant recently for instruments, lessons, and a band. I am unsure how this works with a half-time music teacher.

There is a gifted and talented teacher on staff that only visits one day a week. I am told she works with the classroom teachers to offer the advanced students something more to enrich their learning.

Unfortunately, the tour was very brief and to be honest, I left the school feeling as though I learned very little about the programming and what makes this school unique. I had questions. What is this Writing Alive program and has it been successful in strengthening their literacy program? I also wonder how they are meeting the individual needs of each student in the classroom. Are the “arts” being supplemented in other ways since a couple of the “specials” teachers are only part-time? What other programs are being offered that are unique to Asbury? The school seemed rather ordinary to me.

I believe Asbury has a great foundation to build upon, there is potential but it has some work to do. If the principal or a parent had taken me around, I am sure I would have a vastly different perspective. A friend of mine has initiated and carried out a grass roots movement to improve the quality of schools in the Platt Park neighborhood (click here) with the hopes of getting more people to stay, support and attend their neighborhood schools rather than choice out to several nearby coveted schools. I commend my friend and the work she is doing to help improve the quality of schools in this neighborhood but she can’t do it alone. The coveted schools in the area that people are opting out to will soon be filled to capacity. Many parents will, hopefully, make the choice to support Asbury or McKinley-Thatcher. The more dedicated and driven the parent population, the more successful the school will become.

With this being said, I touched base with my friend after the tour to share some of my impressions. One being, if Asbury wants to compete with other schools in the district, they must have organized tours celebrating what their school has to offer. The next day, she shared her concerns with the principal, Anita Theriot. Anita was open to the ideas and agreed that a plan would be devised for school tours next year. I was impressed with this exchange. After the tour, I also spoke to the president of the parent organization at Asbury who shared the following:

• The PTA has doubled in size over the past year.
• More parent committees are being established such as the Healthy Asbury Committee that is seeking ways to improve health/wellness in the school (composting, recycling, healthier lunch options, a future garden, etc).
• More programs are being offered to families at the school such as their Multicultural night, A Gym and a Math night, etc.
• Due to a diverse socioeconomic population, there are several smaller fundraisers at the school but no large auction. All money raised goes directly to the school and its programming.

She also shared how dedicated the staff and principal are. This parent assured me that Asbury offers much of what the coveted schools in the area offer. If this is the case, I wonder why so many people choice out of this neighborhood school.

Recently, I asked the principal, Anita Theriot, to complete a questionnaire so we could learn more about Asbury. She completed the questionnaire within 24 hours. I was impressed with her quick and thorough responses. It showed me this is a principal who cares about her school, the community, the students and improving the student achievement. I truly believe one of the most important criteria that makes a school successful is the leadership. I was very happy to learn, that indeed, there is much more to Asbury than meets the eye. Please read the below from Anita.

How long have you been the Principal or Executive Director of your school?

This is my third year at Asbury. I have been with DPS for 31 years…18 years as a Teacher, 12 years as an Assistant Principal, Principal and Instructional Superintendent.

How is the school different from when you started to now?

Increased technology (Promethean Boards, document cameras, research-websites, laptops for students and teachers, Asbury and Library Research Website (We just got the new district software and have updated the site)

Attendance at the (TIE) Technology in Education and ISTE International Society for Technology in Education with staff and myself.

PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention Supports) which is a researched nationwide program that promotes positive behavior and contains concrete expectations for students throughout the building and playground.

Writing Alive-(a program, that cost quite a bit) which contains rubrics, coaching, modeling by consultants, and many instructional strategies for teaching writing.

Improvement of Building Facility- Many upgrades to our historic site, including but not limited to, updated lighting, gates and fence improvements, security measures, window repair, and painting in selected areas. Planning for bond initiatives- Learning Landscape (playground and landscaping), total remodel of the inside including carpet, walls in the hall way by the lunchroom, updating the ventilation system, elevator,  total revamp of all the restrooms including new tile throughout, ADA features, etc. (I say I really want to concentrate on INSTRUCTION not CONSTRUCTION).

Safety and Security Polices-Visitor / parent sign in, staff identification badges, locked doors, increased drills (fire, lockdown, tornado), Beacon Lights on Evans to alert cars to slow down, etc.

Celebration of Multiculturalism-t-shirts, Multicultural night, PAC (parent accountably Meetings) increased for parents of second language learners, ensuring that our governing committees (like CSC) has a diverse membership, welcoming our Latino population in a conscious ways including sharing that I am a Latina and how I am hoping my Spanish improves. All these efforts, and more, have lead to increased participation by all families.

Strengthening and encouragement of Committees-PTA, Greening, Enrichment, Healthy Lifestyles, Destination Imagination, CSC (Collaborative School Committee , technology, PBIS, RtI (Response to Intervention), etc.

I suppose I could go on, but these are probably enough.

What makes your school truly unique and special?

Academic rigor for all children, which is strengthened by enhanced instructional strategies and a concrete plan for improvement. (our teachers are the BEST)

Our Diverse student and parent population

Unique and historic building

Value of the “whole child” (by providing Gym, Visual Art, Library/ Technology, MDS counselor, and Music… the VH1 Grant, that was secured last year provided $25,000 for musical instruments,).

Greening which includes recycling both through the City and County of Denver, the Red Apple program, composting of all the lunchroom products / waste, school garden, member of Slow Foods. Grants have been secured to sustain these efforts.

What are you doing to make your school as progressive and successful as possible?

Using my networking skills throughout the district and city. I am a native who attended DPS, my father was a principal (West High School) and Asst. Superintendent, my Uncle the first Latino DPS School Board Member)

Of course…focusing on student achievement with improved instructional teacher and student moves, increased expectations of students, curriculum which is focused and up to date, progress monitoring, ensuring that ALL students needs are met (Gifted and Talented, students performing below their ability, English Language Learners, Free and Reduced Lunch and Low Language students, and the typically achieving student), monitoring the achievement gap, concrete action steps toward a school wide reading goal, classroom observation of teachers and students on a regular basis, and providing feedback as a principal and a teacher for 18 years.

• Greening (addressed above)
• Multiculturalism (addressed above)
• Updated building and grounds (addressed above)
• Technology (addressed above)
• ETC.

Is there anything that you’d like to change about the school if given the opportunity?

• Our achievement gap
• Our small budget
• Our small facility (at 113% capacity)
• Evans street
• Students that are born into poverty
• Increased social work / psychologist days / time

We welcome your comments and impressions on your experience with Asbury Elementary.

School: Lowry Elementary

Website: http://lowry.dpsk12.org/

Type: Denver Public School – DPS

Tours: There are no formal tours at Lowry Elementary School.  Parents can just show up and check in by going to the office.  There is one open house in November and you can check the Lowry website in October each year for the exact date.

Main Phone: (720) 424-5910

Principal: Carolyn (Cari) Riedlin

Location: 8001 East Cedar Ave, Denver, CO 80230

Hours: 8:45 AM-3:45 PM

Grades: ECE-5^th Grade

Average Class Size: unknown

Before/After Care: Lowry offers aftercare (Kaleidoscope Corner) as well as after school a variety of enrichment and sports programs that vary throughout the year.

Facilities/Playground: Located in the redeveloped Lowry Neighborhood on the former Lowry Air Force Base, the school was built in 2002 as a state-of-the-art facility.  The school is huge, but is filled to the brim with students of diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.  Besides the carpeting that covers almost the entire building including the classrooms (that definitely needs to be replaced) the facilities are impeccably clean. The playground and outside areas are quite nice but lack shade – typical of these redeveloped areas.  There is an orchard of trees just off the playground area that is used for picnics.  There are also two gardens for the children to enjoy – a Peace Garden and a vegetable garden.

Special & Core Programs: There is an innovative program at Lowry called the Challenge Program.  This program offers educational opportunities for students who excel or have an interest in a certain area of study.  There is also an ESL (English as a Second Language) program as well as a Gifted and Talented program available for students.  On the tour, we also learned that there is a special education program for those that need extra help in any subject.  The students can/will participate in these special education sessions as long as they need the boost.

Impressions:

I had the opportunity to visit this school along with a fellow mom who is weighing her options. She lives in the neighborhood and Lowry is one of a few schools she is considering for her daughter beginning in first grade.  Her daughter is currently enrolled in a private preschool.

Lowry is a mixed bag; I am just so torn by this school.  I want to love it and for it to do well because it has a ton of potential and all the right ingredients for success.  But it’s just not there yet.

I absolutely cannot get over the fact that there are no formal, even informal, school tours.  How can Lowry possibly present itself as a competitive and sought after school if they do not attract families, including those in their own neighborhood, to come and see all the wonderful things it has to offer?

My friend and I walked in through the front doors and went straight to the office.  They informed us, just as I was told on the phone when I called to set up a tour, that we are welcome to walk around on our own and see for ourselves.  All we did was sign in and put on a nametag.  Now, I am not a parent of this school, but I wouldn’t exactly like random parents (or people) wandering around my child’s school unattended on a daily basis. There may be a reason for this self-guided tour method but I am baffled that the supposedly strong PTO does not have something more formalized in place.  Moving on.

The school has wonderful facilities and nice grounds.  They have two gardens (one is a vegetable garden) that the children take part in tending to – though I don’t know how much.

Our first stop was the library where several children were engaged in reading books.  I say ‘engaged’ but really they were just sitting at the various tables with books in front of them like it was detention.  It is a very nice library but the shelves seemed quite sparse.  There was a paraprofessional in another section of the library with several students who were working on computer-based learning programs.

We passed a speech and language specialist lab that was empty, but clearly utilized, on our way to the computer lab which is situated right next to the library.  Now this was an impressive place!  We spoke with the teacher in this class who informed us there were 33 brand new iMac computers that were gorgeous.  This was made possible by the DPS Technology Bond funds. All of the children were fully engaged in more computer-based learning.  The teacher told us the students use iLive, iMovie, iPhoto and iTunes and publishing software amongst many other programs to collaborate with class curriculum. They also have a goal of getting iPads into all of their 25 classrooms as well and hope to get a grant to do this.  Currently, there are iPads in one classroom for the teachers and students to use.  I am thrilled that technology plays such a huge part at this school.

Principal Riedlin has a program where she picks a book of the month for the children to read.  She also assigns a “word of the week” which the children use and learn though the school year.  I get the sense that literacy and writing is of great importance at Lowry.  I clicked on the link on the Lowry Elementary website where they post information about this program in order to learn more.  Sadly, there were two glaring typos front and center.  Though it was surely a mistake, I feel that more care should be taken in the materials that represent the school – and especially the book and word-of-the-week page.  This might just be my own hang-up but I have a real problem with publishing anything in an educational environment with obvious mistakes.

Continuing along through the hallways of this school, which are quite large, we moseyed along and peeked in the classrooms seeing different arrangements of desks and learning materials. I thought the students work posted on the walls were quite interesting.  I saw published letters and a myriad of unique projects. There were geography projects, written letters, tessellations (yeah, I had to Wiki it too!) and tangrams (at least I knew what these were) and even current events boards.  There are resource specialists (special educators) for both the upper school and the lower school. It was great to know that the students who needed special attention with any kind of learning differences could utilize these special educators as often as needed.

There is also a “Challenge Program” that includes a Gifted and Talented and High Achieving Math Challenge as well as professional development for teachers to recognize and support students who need to be challenged based on their advanced learning. I wish I knew more about this program but I am only getting this information from the Student and Parent Handbook that was handed to me in the office before my tour.

We visited the art room where one class was being shuffled in and another class was being shuffled out.  One student was seeing-impaired which enlightened me to the fact that students with handicaps were welcome in this school. The art teacher told us that he is bound to follow the curriculum standards dictated by DPS, the district and the State, however, he has a good amount of leeway when it comes to the type of projects he develops for the students.  The room was very well stocked, neat and inviting.  There was also a nice music room down the hall but it was not being utilized by any students or teacher at the time so I know nothing about the music program.

All in all I am feeling a bit empty about Lowry Elementary. The students looked happy, the teachers seemed dedicated and I hear that the parent community is strong.  I just didn’t see much else.  Where were the parent volunteers?  Where were the posters for student council?  Where were the service-learning projects?  I have a million questions that are left unanswered that would be the ones that would make me say, “wow, I could see sending my kids here”.  There is so much potential for it to be one of those highly coveted schools with a ton of support and recognition, yet somehow from what I saw, it fell short.

Because I could not get a full sense of the spirit of this school, I asked Principal Riedlin, as well as my friend to give me their perspective.  I just didn’t feel right about posting this profile without a perspective other than my own.  Read on…

Parent Perspective:

Inside and out, Lowry is a beautiful facility – a new building with a number of great facilities including a dedicated music and art room. As a neighbor of Lowry Elementary, my family has enjoyed the schools two playgrounds many times and I have recently been impressed with parental involvement in creating the gardens and maintaining the landscaping around the school.

I was disappointed in the fact that we were unable to meet with a representative of the school during our visit. As a prospective parent, I am on the fence about moving my daughter from a private school into a public school and was looking for a certain level of reassurance from this visit. In addition, I had a number of questions about the school for which I was unable to obtain any answers. In the seven years I have been a resident of Lowry, I have found mixed feelings about the school within the community. Therefore, I believe the school would benefit from making parent association or school representatives available for campus tours.

I was particularly impressed with the computer lab at Lowry. With 33 new Apple computers and a dedicated instructor, computer learning is offered to all students from ECE through 5^th Grade. A focus on technology was reflected in the work of students displayed along the schools hallways and outside of classrooms.

The literature that was given to us by the school office outlined a Challenge program for gifted and talented students. I would have been interested in finding out more about this program.

While the library was again a beautiful facility, it appeared to be somewhat underutilized. Quite a bit of empty space was apparent on the bookshelves. In addition, several empty shelves near the entry to the library were being used for storage of science materials from a system that the school is no longer using.  There were a series of work tables being used by students on the day of our visit, but I did not notice any cozy reading areas which would invite children to just read.

Principal Riedlin’s Perspective:

1. How long have you been the Principal or Executive Director of your school?

Principal for 7 years at Lowry (36 years in DPS)

2. How is the school different from when you started to now?

Enrollment has doubled to 550 students, only 4 teachers are remaining since my arrival, and we have added a full-time computer technology teacher, full-time Gifted and Talented teacher and a full-time intervention teacher.

3. What makes your school truly unique and special?

A commitment from the entire community (teachers, staff, parents, and community members) to create a school where all students’ needs are met.  The teachers and staff demonstrate this through their involvement in their professional growth, guided by student data.  The parents demonstrate this through their fund-raising and volunteer efforts.  Our PTO and Eagle Fund contribute $200,000 to support enrichment activities and additional teachers and paraprofessionals.

4. What are you doing to make your school as progressive and successful as possible?

By using student work and assessment data, we have developed our Unified Improvement plan.  This plan includes the root causes, improvement strategies, and action steps that will improve achievement.  Not only do the teachers meet weekly in teams to discuss data, I meet every 6 weeks with each individual teacher in Compelling Conversations to discuss student progress and strategies.

5. Is there anything that you’d like to change about the school if given the opportunity?

More space!!!

____________________

So, here is what I ask:  If you are a parent at this school, or had a former student who went to Lowry, PLEASE, tell us about your experience how and how it has affected you and your children.  We are looking for substance, meat, inspiration and we want to hear it from those that have experienced it for themselves.  Your comments are more than welcome.

School: STANLEY BRITISH PRIMARY SCHOOL

Website: http://stanleybps.schoolfusion.us/

Type: Private Accredited K-8 Independent Day School—ACIS and NAIS

Tuition & Fees: Tuition for the 2010-2011 school year is as follows: Kindergarten-5^th grade: $12,784 and 6^th-8^th grade: $14,535 plus additional costs. Financial Assistance is available.

Tours: Call the Admissions Office at 303.360.0803 to learn when their Open Houses are scheduled or to schedule an appointment for a tour of the campus. Tours run weekly in October through December.  Visits by both parents are required as part of the application process.

Main Phone: 303-360-0803

Hours: 8:15 AM-3:00 PM

Head of School: Tim Barrier

Director of Admissions: Ida Daniel

Location: 350 Quebec Street, Denver, CO 80230 (Lowry Neighborhood)

Grades: Approximately 400 children in Kindergarten-8^th Grade.

Average Class Size: About 28 students in each classroom, rather a large size for private school. However, each class has two classroom teachers, plus an intern that lends itself to a student-to-teacher ratio of 9:1.

Diversity: 28%-30%

Before/After Care: There is an extended day program (before and after-school care) for the children. The before school program starts at 7:15 am while the after-school program begins at 3:00 pm. It’s an extension of the Stanley BPS environment and children can engage in outdoor play, arts, and crafts. There are after-school enrichment classes too such as science, chess, skateboarding, and dance.

Facilities/Playground: The school is located on an 11-acre campus in the historic Lowry neighborhood in east Denver. It’s the former Lowry Air Force Base. The K,1,2 classrooms each have a side yard with small outdoor area. There is a small playground in the middle of campus located near the upper grade and Middle School classrooms. There are also playing fields for the Middle School students on campus.

Special & Core Programs: What does British Primary Mean? These principles of Friedrich Froebel have guided Stanley BPS through the years:

-Learning is a cumulative, integrating process, rather than one consisting of fragmented, discrete elements.

-There is an intense respect for and interest in the person being taught.

-There is a continuing relationship between the learner and the teacher in the enterprise in which they are jointly engaged.

This is Stanley’s educational philosophy: It’s the education of the “whole” child that entails an integrated curriculum in a challenging, experiential learning environment. In a classroom, you may see the following: direct teacher instruction takes place in small groups, teachers guide and facilitate learning, subject matter is “uncovered,” and children are grouped in multi-age and multi grade settings. Curriculum skills base follow the state’s national standards.

Middle School Students (6^th-8^th grade) can participate in a formal after-school sports program. Sports include soccer, volleyball, field hockey, basketball, and lacrosse. They play against other independent schools.

Another unique program here is the Teacher Preparation Program; not only is Stanley a K-8 school but a teacher preparation center. Intern teachers spend a year working closely with mentor teachers as part of their training to receive their Colorado teaching license. Every Stanley BPS classroom has at least two adults working with students. Stanley offers a strong professional development program for classroom teachers as well.

Summer Day Camps are also offered at Stanley (see website for details).

Impressions: A couple of weeks ago, I attended an Open House at Stanley British Primary School (a.k.a. Stanley BPS). As I walked through the main entrance to the school, I couldn’t help but be reminded of my best friend’s apartment building entrance in N.Y.C., canopy and all. On the left hand side of the entrance, sits a pool; the Lowry Swim Club nestled right there on the school grounds (the former officer’s pool). I thought it to be a bit unconventional to say the least! Upon entering Stanley’s main building, several people welcomed me and suggested I join a tour already in progress.

A parent was leading the tour. He, like most parents guiding school tours, was passionate about the school and seemed to be very knowledgeable about Stanley and its philosophy. As we walked down the hallway, I noticed all the creative artwork and projects that occupied the walls.

We first visited a K-1-2 classroom. There are mixed-aged classrooms here at Stanley (K, 1st & 2nd together, then 3rd, 4th and 5th together, and then Middle School 6^{th, 7th &} 8^th grades together). The K-1-2 wing was designated solely to the lower school. The classrooms were quite spacious and bright. All the students were bustling around the room engaging in different activities. Again, artwork and projects were abundant and hanging from every nook and cranny of the room; some parents may feel that the classrooms are a bit busy with sensory overload. Our tour guide mentioned that throughout the day, you might only find half of the children in the classroom because of the Specials schedule; the children are in designated groups continually coming and going. In the middle of this room was a sitting area complete with couches and chairs. Each classroom has a similar set up. Several children were engaging in a project while sitting at tables and chairs. There is no assigned seating and children can choose where they want to sit and work on a daily basis. Children are given freedom of choice and independence throughout the school day.

Choice Time is another integral part of the children’s day. It’s a time given each day (or several times a week) where children play, work, and make decisions for themselves. In the upper grades, it’s a time when students create and provide Choice Time activities for each other. What a great opportunity for kids to explore their interests while working independently or within a group. I spotted a door that led to a side yard (each K-1-2 classroom had this) where the kids could venture out to play. I wasn’t even in the building for ten minutes and felt an overwhelming sense of creativity from this school. It’s just the vibe I instantly got! A parent asked about second languages. In the lower school, there is an introduction to spanish with a focus on mastery in the upper grades.

Next, we saw another large classroom where the children gather for the extended day program (before and after school). The activities for the extended day program (and after school enrichment) follow the school’s same educational philosophy of a child centered approach. The classroom had a cozy, ski lodge feel to it.  There was a foosball table, computer area, tables and chairs. Resources seemed abundant at Stanley.

We then walked by a huge library made up of several connecting rooms. Books, books, and more books were shelved on each and every wall. Couches and chairs made up most of the seating area.  If you were a student here, there would be no reason to venture to your local library. Books were plentiful.

Next, we visited the theater area. Middle School students were on stage while some were in the audience. Arts (visual and performing) is something taken very seriously at Stanley. In the upper grades, is a weekly program called Afternoon of the Arts. In Middle School, sixth graders participate in the annual Shakespeare production that’s integrated with their Humanities curriculum. Skits and an annual Cabaret show are performed in seventh and eighth grade. The arts program at Stanley gives the students another opportunity to address their creativity whether it be being an actor or working behind the scenes on a production. A divider wall separates the stage area from another large adjacent room where school wide assemblies take place.

Although we didn’t see the cafeteria, our tour guide shared that the lunch offered at Stanley is quite delicious. A parent at Stanley, who is also a chef, designed the lunch program and works with staff and parent volunteers to implement it. On our way out of the building, we ran into Tim Barrier, Head Of School. He took the helm recently, after Carolyn Hambidge retired in 2007. She was the founder of Stanley.

Our tour continued outside as we walked along the lovely and unique campus, the former Lowry Air Force Base. Children passed us on their way to a small playground. There was an art barn and science barn where art and science classes take place. The upper grades (3,4,5) and Middle School take residence in the old “officer homes” that were converted to classrooms. The classrooms looked like apartments with a lower and upper level (a separate classroom is on each level). We walked into a 3,4,5 classroom. Again, students were engaged in different areas of the classroom working on different projects. The displaying of kids schoolwork was a normal encounter in the few classrooms we visited. We were told one teacher was working with a small group of students in a small room adjacent to the classroom. Each classroom had a room like this where small groups could gather. I felt a real sense of community within these classrooms and a mixed-age classroom naturally lends itself to this.

There seems to be mixed feelings from parents regarding mixed-age classrooms. Some parents who support this idea love the fact that their child takes on a role of both mentee and mentor during their few years in a classroom such as this. He or she learns to work with children of varying age levels and academic levels and take on certain roles while doing so. Community is an essential part of learning in a mixed age classroom. The child is in the same classroom for a few years, with the same teacher so that teacher really gains a deep understanding of the child, socially, emotionally, and academically and has a good handle on how to support or challenge the child. The children also feel a sense of security and are more able to take risks. On the flip side, what if this teacher is not an ideal mentor in your eyes? Now, you are stuck with him or her for the next three years! Is three years too long for a classroom set up such as this? I spoke to several parents whose children attend this school and they think their child is more than ready to move on during that third year in the classroom. Also, there is such a broad range of diverse learners in one grade level never mind three grade levels; don’t some children get lost in the shuffle? The planning must be quite extensive for the teachers with all of the small group work and independent projects that occur. One parent told me that in her son’s first grade class (a couple of years ago) about half the class received outside tutoring for reading. Currently, there is a reading specialist on staff.

As our tour was ending, the guide pointed out the new gymnasium. The gym was built in 2003 and I hear it is state-of-the-art (unfortunately, I did not have the time to tour it). Solar panels covered the roof. Stanley is converting to a green campus and plastic is no longer used in the cafeteria.

Our guide then pointed out the fields and buildings for the Middle School and told us that the Middle School is what sold him on Stanley. He took the time to observe Middle School students in the classroom one day when deciding on which school his children would attend. He was enamored by how articulate, independent and enthusiastic these Middle School children were about life and learning. He went on to say that the children at Stanley are made to think for themselves and question things. In Middle School, the teacher does not lead the parent teacher conference, it’s the student that does. The students share with their parents how they learn best and what they’ve accomplished during the year. Stanley students continue on to high schools such as Kent Denver, Denver School of the Arts, East High School, and Colorado Academy. One parent on the tour asked how these students transition once they leave here. Of course, the tour guide assured us that the transition was a smooth one. I imagine there is a bit of a transition if a student from Stanley attends a more traditional high school. However, I am also sure, that students from this school are equipped with a good sense of self, knowledge, and love of learning that will help them to adapt quite easily to new experiences.

At the end of the tour, I had a few moments to watch a video that most of the parents viewed prior to the tour. The video highlighted this school as a place where children are valued and respected, where children are actively engaged in their learning and follow their interests and passions, and wherein lies a strong, committed, parent community supportive of the staff and school. One of the admissions personnel was kind enough to answer several of my questions before I left. She validated my thoughts regarding the fact that parents choosing this school have to accept this unique philosophy. It’s certainly not for everyone and children with attention and sensory issues might not thrive in a learning environment such as this. It is also a school where rich learning takes place daily and children become joyful, lifelong learners.

You should consider Stanley for your child if you want an unconventional academic environment where the whole child is celebrated, children learn at their own pace and there is a strong emphasis on individualized learning in a multi-age setting, and a love of learning is inspired and supported by staff that are well-trained in the British Primary philosophy.

We welcome your comments and impressions on Stanley British Primary School.

School: GRALAND COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

Website: http://www.graland.org/

Type: Private Accredited Independent School – NAIS and ACIS

Tuition & Fees: Tuition for the 2010/2011 school year is as follows: Lower School (Grades K-4): $17,720 and Middle School (Grades 5-8): $19,330. Need-based financial assistance is available.

Tours: Parent tours begin in September by appointment only, are given by a member of the Admissions staff and are typically limited to one or two families per tour.  This is so there is one-on-one attention given to each family.  There are also open house dates throughout the fall.  Once families are more certain that they’d like to apply to the school, Graland offers 2nd-8th graders shadow days and tours, along with their parents, for middle school kids (5th-8th grade).  This is so the child can determine a fit as well.

Main Phone: 303-399-0390

Hours: 8:10 AM – 3:10 PM

Head of School: Veronica “Ronni” McCaffrey

Director of Admission: Carolyn Craig

Location: 30 Birch Street, Denver, CO 80220 (Hilltop Neighborhood)

Ages/Grades: K-8 – Graland consists of a Lower School (K-4^th Grade) and a Middle School (5^th – 8^th Grade).

Class Size: There are no more than 18 students per classroom. The student-to-teacher ratio is 8 or 9 to 1.

Diversity: 21%

Before/After Care: There is an extended day program for all grades until 6:00 pm.  Graland also offers after school enrichment programs that vary per trimester.

Facilities and Playground: Here are the basics (more to come in the “Impressions” section). Graland has a seven-acre campus that includes multiple play and field areas as well as nine buildings. Cranmer Park, which is right across the street, is used often for school activities as well. There is a 32,000-square-foot field house, three science labs, three computer labs, three art studios, four music rooms, three drama rooms and a 32,000 volume library.  Currently, a brand new Commons Building is in construction that will house a cafeteria, community area and new classrooms. Another building is being renovated to include a performing arts theatre with seating up 400.

Special & Core Programs:

Graland has a core academic curriculum of math, English, science, social studies and foreign language (Spanish through 4^th Grade and then Spanish, French or Latin choice in Middle School). An integrative approach is taken for each subject by including the subjects in local and global studies. They have a visual and performing arts (VAPA) curriculum that includes drama, music and visual arts. Beginning in Kindergarten, Physical Education is required, takes place every day, and includes life lessons on sportsmanship, teamwork, and leadership. In Middle School (6th, 7^th & 8^th), the students have the opportunity to pursue competitive interscholastic sports or they may pursue alternative sports such as horseback riding, ballet or golf to fulfill the requirement.

Another unique program that Graland offers is the Student Support Team (SST). This is for students who need special academic support (struggling or advanced), or attention for behavioral and social needs. Lastly, 8^th Grade students can get secondary school counseling which provides advice on options for high school and the application process; 97% of students matriculate to their first choice high school.

Impressions:

You hear about this school, Graland Country Day, all the time.  After all, it’s been a Denver staple for more than 85 years.  Before feasting my eyes and ears on my own personal tour with the Assistant Director of Admission & Financial Aid, the general impression that I got was that it was for kids with wealthy parents and Denver native’s upper crust. They have quite a legacy; that is for sure. While all of this may be true, don’t rule this school out before you’ve had a chance to see what’s within the walls.

My morning began by parking outside of Cranmer Park.  As I walked toward the front entrance, I asked a mom where I could find the main office.  Her son had forgotten his backpack and she was running it in to him. She said to follow her and she’d walk me in.  As we were walking, she engaged in a conversation and asked me about my kids.  She sang high praises for the school and told me she couldn’t be happier.  Not a bad start to my impressions.  As I reached the front desk the Receptionist greeted me with a smile and a guest pass and my tour guide, Kristin Ryder, Assistant Director of Admissions & Financial Aid, swooped in to greet me as well.  She asked me where my husband was.  I imagine they prefer to give tours to both parents at the same time since it is a huge family decision to send your child to private school and they want each parent to be on the same page and equally impressed. Well, he wouldn’t be joining me today.

Kristin led me first to the Kindergarten classrooms, of which there are four.  Each classroom had no more than 18 students – often times fewer.  There are two teachers per classroom making the ratio no more than 9 students to 1.  The building housing the 4 Kindergarten classrooms was fairly new.  There is certainly no indication that this school is 85 years old.  It must have been re-built over the years.  They were pristine and vibrant with color.  The students were actively engaged with their teachers and hardly noticed us intruding on their day.  There was so much to take in, from the lessons and artwork on the walls, to the Smart Boards, to the Daily Question that is posted near the entry way to encourage thinking and discussion.  I could tell that Kindergarten was taken very seriously at Graland as a critical time for children to learn and progress.

We moved along to a 3^rd Grade Spanish classroom where I found a more traditional setting of desks in rows and a teacher giving a lesson.  (*A side note: each classroom setup was different.  Some had desks, some had tables set up in groups or around in a circle. There was a great mix of traditional and non-traditional environments.)  We walked in and were greeted by the teacher with “hola!” and “como estas?”  She continued her lesson with the students as Kristin and I observed.  They were all speaking Spanish!  Hand symbols and movements are integrated heavily into the lessons before they are required to write in Spanish.  They believe this helps with the mastery of the language and from what I saw, this was working quite well.  I was very impressed.

Next came the science classrooms which happened to be empty at the time of my tour but I observed the materials and current lesson – prairie dogs – and was informed that they take an experiential and integrative approach to science by going out in the field as well as inviting local artists and experts to participate in the lessons and subject matter. This is done in order to take a more real world approach and enhance learning.

From here we took a walk through an art room, where I learned that as the students reach Middle School, they can elect to take additional classes in the subjects they enjoy.  There is a very strong visual arts, music, and drama program at Graland and it shows.  Every year, artwork is selected by students and staff members to be included in their permanent collection.  There is a ceremony for those students whose art is selected and then displayed on the walls of the buildings around campus.  They are framed and the student’s names are put on a plaque below the artwork.  When they graduate from college, they are welcome to come back and claim their art.  I was stunned by all of the art.  It is everywhere and so unique; it’s such a beautiful and lasting way to celebrate student’s creativity and legacy!

We walked past the playing fields where second graders were beginning their daily P.E. class.  There are five – yes FIVE – full time P.E. teachers!  They take physical education very seriously at Graland.  Every day each student is required to participate in P.E. and a wide variety of sports and activities are played.  Beyond just physical play, the kids are taught about sportsmanship, being on a team, fair competition, and so much more.  Personally, I feel that these are some of the most important lessons in life and I just love that Graland goes beyond the basics and gets to the heart of what sports and team membership is all about.  Walking into the field house I was awestruck.  This is no ordinary gymnasium folks. It is a masterpiece – as far as school gyms go.  Beyond the facilities, the equipment and the offices for the five P.E. staff, there was a rock climbing room (not just a wall) an entire fitness room filled with loads of exercise machines and a multi-purpose room where I found a class full of kids engaged in dance – actually learning the choreographed moves!

If that wasn’t enough to feast my eyes on, Kristin took me to the Middle School buildings next.  It was transition time so most of the 6^th, 7^th and 8^th graders were milling about.  I saw teachers giving high-fives, kids in sports jerseys (must have been a game day), and posses of friends walking arm in arm on their way to their next class. I’m telling you, it was almost as if it were set up for me to see.  Now, this is not to say that there aren’t your typical school problems behind the scenes. Let’s face it, it’s a school of over 600 students and includes a Middle School.  There are bound to be social issues such as bullying, teasing, academic problems, etc.  It’s inevitable.

To curb these issues as much as they can, Graland employs two full time Psychologists and five staff members who comprise the Student Support Team (SST) to assist with these issues.  They visit with the students in class to discuss “Wellness” and also various social issues that they will encounter through the years.  They are also available for one on one support and, get this, they work 50% of their time with the teachers and staff as well.  The goal in working with the staff is to be able to recognize these academic or social issues and be able to support and work through them with the students!  There is also a “Buddy Program” where each grade is matched up with another grade such as Kindergartners and 4^th Graders together.  This gives a chance for each kid to either be a mentor or a mentee and guide or be guided through daily school life.

Beyond all of this, there are numerous school traditions in every grade, a food service program that focuses on healthy and organic eating, an expanded curriculum of citizenship, technology and library.  Integrated into the curriculum you will also find many off campus trips, service learning, invention competitions, clubs and electives.  They have a huge “green” initiative that includes recycling and environmental sustainability. There are dances for middle school students and too many other events to mention.  I honestly can’t think of anything this school doesn’t have covered.

The parents are expected to be very involved and certainly participate in annual giving. Fundraisers vary from year to year in order to keep things interesting and fresh. Surely volunteering is a large aspect of building a strong parent community at Graland.  Later in the day, after my tour, I received a call from a parent at Graland following up on my tour to see if I had any additional questions that warranted a parent perspective.  They really left no stone unturned.  One thing that probably would have put it over the top for me would have been involving the students somehow in the tours or reaching out to prospective families.  Perhaps they will do this in their open house but I did feel they could have incorporated more involvement with the older students.  That would have sent me into a tailspin!  Think of how important public speaking and confidence is later in life.  I did see a bit of this on my next stop to one of the four “black box theatre” rooms where 4^th graders were practicing telling scary stories for their Kindergarten buddies (Buddy Program). They were animated and having a ball getting ready to present to their young friends.  It was a sight to be seen for sure.

Our last stop was the back to the administrative building, where there were also middle school classrooms.  As we were peeking into a 6^th grade class, the Director of Admission, Carolyn Craig, passed by and introduced herself to me.  She asked how our tour was going and said that if I had any questions to please feel free and ask.  It was a great way to top off a very pleasant tour.

When I asked Kristin, what separates Graland from the rest…she took a minute to answer.  I told her that “clearly the facilities and offerings are above and beyond, but what really makes this school special?”  Kristin herself was a Science Teacher at Graland, she was the Assistant Head of the Lower School, a parent of a 2^nd Grader and now the Assistant Director of Admission & Financial Aid.  She spoke about the community and the leadership at the school but then it hit home when she said that the continuing education for the staff and teachers themselves was mind-blowing.  They were students themselves and were always working to gain knowledge, improve methods of teaching and advance their level of understanding about what primary education is in the 21^st century.  I wholeheartedly believe that this is a key element to successful education; when you have complacency in educators, you have failed.

For those of you who might love to hate it, or hate to love it, you really need to see for yourself.  I also recommend speaking with parents (who are not on the post-tour-calling-committee) and ask them to give you a true sense of the community at Graland.  From the tour alone, there is no way you won’t be impressed or pleasantly surprised at the very least.  Graland Country Day is a must-see.

*One side note about entrance testing, which is now required at Graland.  Your child’s results on the assessment do not help or preclude them from getting into the school.  It is a way for the teachers to more deeply understand your child’s learning ability, their strengths and weaknesses.  Whether you believe in this philosophy or not, this is the new requirement at this school.

We welcome your comments and impressions on Graland Country Day School.

School: Bromwell Elementary

Website: http://bromwell.dpsk12.org/

Type: Public-DPS

Tours: Call the school to find out about tours

Main Phone: 303.388.5969

Principal: Jody Cohn

Location: 2500 East 4^th Street, Denver, CO 80206–Congress Park Neighborhood/Cherry Creek Neighborhood

Hours: 8:25 AM-3:15 PM

Grades: Approximately 320 students attend (Kindergarten-5^th Grade)

Average Class Size: This school has 2 classrooms per grade level. The average class size is 26 students.

Before/After Care: The school has Kaleidoscope Corner as well as several unique enrichment activities such as Catchpenny Kids Theatre, Jr. Engineer’s Club, Learn to Knit, and Science Matters Science Club. Many of these programs involve fees while others are sponsored by the PTSA.

Facilities/Playground: Bromwell’s new Learning Landscape consists of a large playground with two areas of equipment.

In the back of the school there is a large entrance, complete with a trellis, making this entrance a warm welcome for people entering from the south side (Cherry Creek shopping area). There is also a large field for organized play and sports. A good-sized urban garden is located on the west side of the school.

Special & Core Programs:

Physical Disabilities Center Program (PD)—This program services students with cognitive and physical disabilities. The children spend time in their regular classroom and also spend time working with therapists meeting their special needs through physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech/language, and augmented technology training. It’s a part inclusion model. The school is fully wheelchair accessible (including parts of the playground too).

The Dance Program-This program is funded by the PTSA. Students participate in the standard physical education program along with this additional one. Dance is offered to students in grades 2-5 for 25 minutes twice a week. The program focuses on creativity, movement, exercise, and choreography.

A full-time Gifted and Talented teacher works with small, grade-level groups and assists the classrooms teachers on ways to enrich the curriculum (most DPS elementary schools have only a half-time G & T teacher).

Impressions: I arrived for a morning tour at Bromwell in late February anxious to see this school. Many parents have heard about Bromwell since it has won a lot of awards for its academic achievements that make it a popular choice for many parents. However, I was interested in learning more about what else this school had to offer.

A parent volunteer named Greg took several of us around. I felt it was neat to have a dad as our tour guide–a first for me! He was very knowledgeable about the school, the programs, and enthusiastic about the new principal, Jody Cohn. I was surprised that only 3 parents (including myself) were on this tour. It is Bromwell after all! I then realized it’s February and the majority of interested parents visit schools before the application deadline in January.

The school itself is on one level.  There were many student projects and artwork adorning the brick walls in the hall. As I made my way through the different classrooms, I couldn’t help but notice that each classroom felt small, almost cramped. Some classrooms I visited felt like a half of a classroom due to the retractable walls that separated them. Each classroom meanders into the next and many did not have doors. I wondered if this would be a distraction for children, especially those with attention or sensory issues. Our tour guide informed us that it can get noisy at times, but the children have adapted to this environment. With that being said, most classrooms were inviting, print-enriched, and cozy. About half of the classrooms were equipped with Promethean Boards, also known as Smart Boards. Grant money was used to buy these interactive white boards that seem to be gaining popularity amongst more and more elementary schools in Denver.

On the tour, I saw several children in wheelchairs in their regular classrooms. We visited the Physical Disabilities room shortly after and I saw a handful of children in the midst of their therapies. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that this unique program exists here. As I stated before, I never heard much else about Bromwell besides it being rated “Excellent” due to the test scores and its active PTSA. While Bromwell doesn’t have the racial or socioeconomic diversity, I thought it was a great way to teach acceptance and tolerance through a disabilities program such as this. The program has been around for twenty years and caters to children with physical and cognitive disabilities.

One of the things that Bromwell is known for is its strong parent involvement. This has been a constant over the years. The PTSA tries to raise $500.00 per student to supplement the school budget each year! Much of the fundraising monies go towards the “specials” programming and after-school enrichment. I got the feeling if budget cuts occurred and the art teacher or gym teacher went from full-time to half-time, the PTSA wouldn’t stand for it. Fundraising money contributed to the beautiful Learning Landscape outdoors, the climbing wall in the cafeteria, and an array of after-school enrichment programs that I found myself envying for my children. Not only do they provide the standard after-school programs such as Destination Imagination or Chess Club but also many other unique programs.  I received a packet describing the different enrichment classes offered for the November-March session (they try to do 3 sessions a year). There must have been close to 20 activities to choose from.

At the conclusion of the tour, we met Principal Cohn. She came to Bromwell after 10 years of teaching at another Denver elementary school. It was nice to sit down with her for a quick Question and Answer session. I think it’s so valuable to meet the principal while touring a school. They can provide insight and perspective that a parent tour guide can’t. She spoke with great enthusiasm about her first year at Bromwell and her vision for the school. I gathered that in the past, Bromwell was a very typical traditional school with strong academic achievements and parental involvement to support it. It seems as though Principal Cohn wants this to continue but hopes to stir things up a bit by bringing more meaningful programming to the forefront.

One of her biggest goals is a focus on differentiated learning. The goal being the teacher provides instruction to groups of children at the same learning level. It’s a great way to challenge students or support students in their learning. The students are not tied to one group but instead will move around to different groups depending on their ability to master skills and concepts. Principal Cohn said she hopes to see more of this for different grade levels in both math and reading.

She described a reading clinic that took place recently for students after school. The clinic was funded by grant money. It was for children who were at or near grade level in their reading but needed a little extra support. She was amazed at the results of the students and the progress that was made in a short period of time. Principal Cohn hopes to see this program continue next year too.

Beyond the programs she has helped to carry out this year, she has plans to implement several more in years to come that will make the curriculum more balanced. One such program is Peace Days. She envisions older students (grades 3-5) mentoring younger students with physical education activities out on the playground. The program would promote peace amongst the students and emphasize their no bullying policy. It would also engage students of varying grade levels to play together. She also mentioned providing more service learning opportunities for the students, a Multicultural Night that took place this year, the Holiday Boutique, and launching a program called From Seed to Table that ties in with the school garden.

I couldn’t help but feel excited that change was coming to this school. I truly believe that one of the most important aspects of a successful school is the leadership. It looks like Principal Cohn wants to prove to others that Bromwell is not just about the test scores.

We welcome your comments and impressions on Bromwell Elementary.

School: Polaris at Ebert Elementary

Website: http://polarisprogram.dpsk12.org/

Type: Public Magnet – DPS

Tours: Tours run weekly, usually on Mondays at 9:00 and 10:00. Call to schedule an appointment.

Main Phone: (303) 292-4629

Principal: Karin Johnson

Location: 410 Park Avenue West, Denver, CO  80205 (Curtis Park Neighborhood)

Hours: 8:45 AM-3:30 PM

Grades: Kindergarten – 5^th Grade

Average Class Size: There are up to 345 students at Polaris in grades K-5 (26 students per class).  There is ONE Kindergarten class of 25 students, two 1^st grade classes, two 2^nd grade, two 3^rd grade, three 4^th grade and three 5^th grade classes.

Before/After Care: Polaris offers aftercare (Kaleidoscope Corner) as well as a few after school enrichment programs that vary throughout the year.

Facilities/Playground: In 2004, Polaris moved from its original location at Crofton Elementary to the former Ebert Elementary school location in NE Denver. The reason for this move was to have more space as the school grew from 98 students in 2000 to almost 200 in 4 years.  There are two connecting portions of the building, one was the original Ebert Elementary school and then the newer portion built in 2006.  The new construction also included a Learning Landscape playground design with new climbing structures and a turf playing field.

The older portion of the school, where the upper grades have classes, is very dark and somewhat depressing. On the lower floors, the windows are covered in wire mesh (presumably to ward off vandals) and there are exposed pipes on the ceilings. There is a lot more light due to the large windows on the upper floors but it doesn’t hide the fact it’s a very old building.  My husband (who was with me on the first tour) felt it gave the building “character” and it reminded him of the school he went to as a kid.

The gymnasium is also very small but for a K-5 school with 340+ students, I suppose a large gym is not necessary.  The hallways were cluttered with musical instruments art projects, coats, backpacks and various other items that made me wonder what happens during fire drills.

The library is expansive and was designed with highly gifted children in mind.  It contains books that go beyond a typical public school library to support the advanced curriculum.

Special & Core Programs: The Polaris at Ebert program was developed by a woman named Diana Howard in 2000 who was passionate about nurturing the needs of highly gifted children.  She has her Ph.D. from the University of Denver in the field of Gifted Education and for eight years she led the school to be a thriving and coveted educational environment for students (parents) in Denver.

Polaris is built around an accelerated and arts infused education that is intended to be more expansive and go beyond the standard DPS curriculum.  I am told they go “harder, faster, and deeper” into subjects on a global perspective.

There are specials classes that include art, music, drama, dance, PE, tech lab and library time.  On a rotating basis, each student participates in these specials.  Additionally, every Friday, there is a very popular electives program.  Students have the opportunity to choose two different one-hour elective each quarter.

Impressions: It’s a good thing I visited this school on two occasions.  The first time was a year ago, given by an enthusiastic parent, when I was seriously considering their Kindergarten program for my son.  He misses the October 1st DPS cutoff date for Kindergarten by a couple of weeks so we had to get him assessed for Advanced K and Early Entrance.  Beyond all of these various tests and factors, we still would have had to choice in to the program given we are out of their enrollment boundary line.  Needless to say, we chose not to apply given the combination of these factors and the unlikelihood that we would have gotten in.  I also did not feel it was the right kind of environment for my son.

If you have a child with sensory issues or a child that likes a sense of order and structure, I don’t think this would be a positive environment.  Though the Kindergarten classroom is in the newer section of the building, it is heavily cluttered and the environment was tipping the scales toward being raucous. Perhaps this is different than how others have experienced the room on their tours, but mine was quite alarming.  Not only was the classroom jam packed with learning materials it also housed several animal cages – I’m not even sure what type.  I think I saw a bird and a couple of guinea pigs, maybe even a rabbit.  To top it off (and again, maybe I was there on an off day) there were fly strips, yes FLY STRIPS, dangling from the ceiling and flies buzzing around my head.  The entire tour group was swatting them away from our faces for quite some time.  The kids didn’t seem to notice because they were probably used to them, but can you imagine trying to work on a handwriting assignment or read a book and having birds chirping and flies buzzing around your head!

The first and second grade classrooms were much more peaceful and cheery.  They were also quite active though not as disarming as the Kindergarten room.  The lunchroom was also over in this section and sadly, there were tables in the hallway because the room could not accommodate all of the children.

The dichotomy of the lower grades side of the building with the upper grades side of the building is quite stark.  For me, it went from an energy driven buzz (literally) for the younger grades to a more gloomy and cerebral state-of-mind on the older side.  Though it shouldn’t matter much to me as a parent, I do feel that it’s important to know if this type of environment will have a negative impact on your child.  There are some children who might be more sensitive to their surroundings than others.

Getting to the point of Polaris @ Ebert being a school dedicated to serve the unique needs of highly gifted learners, if you sense your child is in this range, you should definitely check this school out.  The approach that Polaris takes is a highly integrated one that nurtures each child in his or her own way.  The talented and highly trained staff explores alongside the children to approach learning in ways that most typical public school children do not.  The teachers have strong partnerships with their students and collaborate with other teachers, staff, parents and community members for their extensive art and science integrated curriculum.

On my second visit to Polaris last week, I did not take the tour but did speak with the Librarian, Gail Axt, to learn her perspective on the school and its students. She was quite impassioned about Polaris and I could tell she had a deep love for the children. I asked about the social and emotional need of children who are highly gifted and how they deal with these issues.  It was made clear to me that the teachers and staff understand the unique needs of children in this range and have experience supporting them.  She led us through what each grade studies and how they strive to integrate art, music and science through their curriculum.  She said “in order to be citizens of the world, children need to be exposed to all parts of the world whether it be history, music, or culture”.

Ms. Axt also spoke very highly of the electives program which happens each Friday in the last two hours of the school day.  Members from the community along with teachers and parents run these electives and they vary each quarter and from year to year.  They might include pottery, craft making, ballet, knitting, yo-yo-ing, bread making, etc.  There is an incredible variety and the options are ever-changing.

I left Polaris @ Ebert much more positive than the first time around. I saw a side of the school that led me to believe that they were not elitist or educational separatists, but a home where children with unique talents and learning abilities can question the world and thrive.

I’d like to offer a point of advice if you really feel strongly about this school and getting your child into the program: If you don’t get in for the Kindergarten year, apply for your child when they are entering 1^st Grade.  There is only one Kindergarten classroom and there are hundreds of applicants for these spots. There are two 1^st Grade classrooms which means that there is an additional 25 spots that open up. Most people have secured a spot elsewhere at this point, and if you can muster keeping your child where they are for one more year, you have a good chance of getting in.  Of course, if you don’t, you will certainly need a back up plan.