Sandra Konta, Application Processing Representative at DPS, has contributed this post regarding the MANY Preschool and Kindergarten options available through DPS. Parents need to start researching their options, now, for the 2012-2013 school year. This post includes many DPS links where you will learn more in-depth information on the topics mentioned. Sandra will be contributing other DPS related posts throughout the year. 

An Abundance of Preschool and Kindergarten Options at Denver Public Schools

If your child is starting preschool or Kindergarten in the fall of 2012, now is a great time to start your research. Denver Public Schools (DPS) offers an array of options to meet the learning needs of your young student, including the following:

• Three year-old preschool, four year-old preschool, and Kindergarten
• Full-day or half-day programs
• Traditional or Magnet programs
• Advanced Kindergarten
• Charter Schools

At What Age Can My Child Start School?

At DPS, your child’s age on or before October 1 of that academic year is the age the school district considers. For example, to qualify for the three year-old program next year, your child must turn three on or before October 1, 2012. To qualify for the four year-old program, your child must turn four on or before October 1, 2012. To qualify for Kindergarten, your child must turn five on or before October 1, 2012.

Can I Apply to Any Elementary School?

Through the school choice process, you can apply to any elementary school on behalf of your student. Preschool and Kindergarten students may enroll in any school in the district, regardless of where they live, if there is space available. There is only one guarantee — Kindergarten students are guaranteed a half-day spot at their neighborhood school.

When weighing your options at DPS, you may want to break your choices down into the following four categories:

• Traditional neighborhood school
• Traditional non-neighborhood schools
• Magnet Schools
• Charter Schools

These categories will help you manage the application process early next year.

Additionally, the district offers an Advanced Kindergarten Program. For more information, see below.

Traditional Schools

Most DPS elementary schools are traditional schools. These schools follow the curriculum standards set by the school district.  For more information on elementary literacy, mathematics, and science curricula, please visit the Curriculum and Instruction Department’s Website: http://curriculum.dpsk12.org/. These schools each offer a unique environment, different programs, and opportunities.

Traditional Neighborhood School

If you live within the district’s boundaries, your child is assigned to a neighborhood school based upon your address. To find your child’s neighborhood school, visit the DPS School Finder Website: http://schoolfinder.dpsk12.org/. If your child is entering Kindergarten, he/she will be guaranteed a half-day spot at this school.

Traditional Non-Neighborhood Schools

You may find that a traditional school outside of your neighborhood boundary provides a good fit for your child. You are welcome to visit and apply to any of these non-neighborhood, traditional schools.

Magnet Schools

Magnet schools offer a variety of special-focus programs, including the following:

• Dual-language
• Montessori
• Fundamental academies
• Science focus
• Creative arts

Magnet schools establish their own applications and enrollment procedures. Check with your school of interest for details. For more information on available Magnet programs, visit the Office of Choice and Enrollment Services’ Website: http://soco.dpsk12.org/Magnet/Default.aspx.

Charter Schools

A charter school is an independently-operated public school. Contact (http://www.dpsk12.org/schoollist/default.aspx#schooltype5) the school directly for more information on the curriculum, application process, and transportation.

Advanced Kindergarten

Archuleta, the Center for Early Education, Edison, Gust, Palmer, Polaris at Ebert, Stedman and William Roberts currently host Advanced Kindergarten programs. The Advanced Kindergarten curriculum enriches, expands and accelerates state and district kindergarten standards according to student academic readiness and assessed curriculum mastery. If you believe your child may qualify for the Advanced Kindergarten program, contact the Gifted and Talented Department http://gt.dpsk12.org/advanced_kinder or call 720.423.8271.

Online Tools

The following websites are will help you with your research:

• Find your neighborhood school: http://schoolfinder.dpsk12.org/
• Find schools in your area:  http://schoolfinder.dpsk12.org/
• School contact information: http://www.dpsk12.org/schoollist/default.aspx
• 2011-2012 Enrollment Guide: http://www.dpsk12.org/pdf/2011-2012%20Enrollment%20Guide%20English.pdf
• Early Education Website: http://earlyeducation.dpsk12.org/preschool/about

Visit Schools

Before you decide where to apply, it’s important to visit the schools that interest you.  In this way, you have an opportunity to see what each school has to offer and whether it feels like a good fit for your child. Contact http://www.dpsk12.org/schoollist/default.aspx the schools directly to find out when they offer tours and open houses.

DPS Application Process

For the 2012-2013 academic year, the application process will start in January 2012 with Round 1. Applications will become available in early January online http://earlyeducation.dpsk12.org/apply or at your neighborhood school.  For more information, please check back here in November for a post on “Understanding the DPS Preschool and Kindergarten Application Process”.

Questions

For questions about the DPS application process, please call the Tuition Billing and Application Management (TBAM) hotline at 720.424.2639.

Be sure to register for next week’s Early Education Scoop. Read details below.

Get Educated at the Preschool and Kindergarten EARLY EDUCATION SCOOP Events This Fall!  There are also Middle School and High School Events as well.  See the DPS Announcement here.

REGISTER TO ATTEND <- click here

For new parents, enrolling in preschool and kindergarten in Denver Public Schools can be confusing. At the Early Education Scoop, Enrollment Experts – including the moms behind ScoopToo.com – will be on hand to answer your questions! The event starts with a helpful overview from DPS Director of Early Education. Parents can then visit with Enrollment Experts who are well-versed in hot topics like tuition, transportation, the School of Choice process, special-needs programming, Advanced Kindergarten, English Language Acquisition and dual-language programming, Montessori programs and before- and after-school care.

Child care will be provided, but you must RSVP one week prior to the event if you plan to bring the kids.

Early Education Scoop Opportunities to Attend

November 8, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Center for Early Education
3245 E. Exposition Ave.

December 8, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Palmer Elementary
995 Grape St.

January 6, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Valdez Elementary
2525 W. 29th Ave.

School: Stedman Elementary

Website: http://stedman.dpsk12.org/

Type: DPS-Public

Tours: Call ahead to schedule a tour. Best times available to tour are in the mornings from 9:15-11 or the afternoons from 1:30-3:00.

Main Phone: 303.322.7781

Principal: Deborah Johnson-Graham

Location: 2940 Dexter Street, Denver, CO 80207—(north) Park Hill neighborhood

Hours: 8:45 AM-3:45 PM (early release day every other Friday)

Grades: ECE-5^th Grade

Average Class Size: There are approximately 350 students that attend this school. Class size is 25 students or less on average. There is a half-day ECE program for 3 year olds and a half-day and full day ECE for four year olds. It is one of the eight DPS schools that offer Advanced Kindergarten. There is one Advanced K class.

Before/After Care: After school programs are offered to students in various grade levels at different times throughout the school year (e.g. golf, a science club through the Museum of Nature and Science, etc). An after school tutoring program is available for students (M-Th).

Facilities/Playground: The playground is wonderful; everything has had a facelift!  It gives me hope for the school my children attend. The equipment is new, bright, and colorful. The organized play areas on the black top have colorful paint for hopscotch, four-square, and other games.  There was another spacious black top with several basketball nets. Also, there’s a grassy area for organized play and a small community garden that is maintained by the staff, children, and parents at Stedman.

Special & Core Programs: A half-day ECE program for three year olds is offered. It also has a half-day and full day ECE program for four year olds. There is one Advanced Kindergarten classroom at this school.

A strong after school tutoring program is offered to the students. They have to qualify for the Free & Reduced Lunch Program (close to 90% of the students do) and be recommended by their classroom teacher in order to participate. The program runs after school Monday-Thursday by paid teachers. There is even tutoring on Saturdays! Last year approximately eighty children participated. The students spend half their time on a computer working on literacy software called Lexia, the remaining time is spent with a teacher on specific academic needs. The tutoring is for strengthening both reading and mathematic skills. I wonder if this program has contributed to the recent rise in test scores?

Stedman has several partnerships within the community including the Mobile Health Clinic that visits once a month to provide their services to families, Walmart donates items for various events and projects throughout the year, and the community garden which is tended to by students, staff, and parents.

Impressions: Thus far, most of the school profiles we’ve completed have been written about the schools that everyone has been talking about for one reason or another. Today, I visited a school that hasn’t received much buzz with the exception of the recognition it received on the first official day of school this year. Stedman Elementary School, was recognized for its academic growth (one of the best in Colorado).  Students have made tremendous, double digit gains in math, reading, and writing.

Stedman Elementary is located in the northern historic Park Hill neighborhood of Denver. It’s a beautiful old brick building. I didn’t even know it existed until recently when I drove through Park Hill looking for Satchel’s Market. It caught my eye because of the beautifully updated playground. I am always pleasantly surprised to find these old schools in Denver to be so bright and inviting once inside. This was the case at Stedman. The hallways were neat and full of light. Artwork was sporadically hung on the walls. The school has two levels so it was easy to find my way around. I joined a small tour already in progress.  The other two women were interested in the Advanced Kindergarten classroom.

A family liaison escorted us around the building. I love the idea of a family liaison. He was laid-back and the tour was very informal, yet informative. A large part of his job is communicating to the Spanish speaking population at Stedman, running family events at the school, leading tours for parents, and oh yes, he’s the half time computer teacher as well. He’s worked at the school for five years and has recently seen some new, positive changes. Some of these include more teacher retention the last couple of years, an expanding student population (some students and teachers came from nearby Hallett when it closed), and a fairly new, very involved principal. Diversity is welcomed and celebrated at Stedman. The majority of the student population is comprised of African-American and Hispanic students.

Many of the classrooms I visited were cheerful and cozy. I couldn’t help but notice the class size that seemed smaller than many of the DPS schools I’ve toured. Staff seemed friendly and many invited us into their classrooms to take a closer look. The computer lab was smaller in size than others I’ve visited but complete with new Dell computers. The new computers along with several SMART boards, were paid for by the recent technology bond. I visited a few classrooms where the SMART boards were being used. They remind me of a more advanced overhead projector. The SMART boards are basically interactive whiteboards (connected to a computer and digital projector) that help engage students with various learning styles. They are interactive and engaging to children. I haven’t seen many of these and thought it was a great learning tool for the students. The library next door to the computer lab was quite small, however many brand new books filled its shelves thanks to a recent grant they received. The librarian is also the part-time gifted and talented teacher. The auditorium looked a bit dated. I don’t remember seeing any chairs in this room, just carpet, which makes me wonder now if the children sit on the floor for school assemblies. The music teacher also conducts music class in the auditorium due to space issues. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, there is no art program at this school. Because of this, they do try to provide enrichment programs in art after school.

Their character education program is taught and reinforced constantly through monthly school wide assemblies. Many of the teachers that day were wearing tee shirts with the “RAPPS” logo. School spirit was all around us and it was contagious. And speaking of teachers, not long ago a third grade teacher received a teacher of the year award for her outstanding work facilitating and running the tutoring program after school. How lucky for the students at Stedman!

This year Stedman is trying out a new school wide enrichment program on the early release days that occur every other Friday. The children meet in small groups across grade levels to learn further about a topic of interest. All teachers participate and facilitate the learning. I mean all adults participate in this program, including the janitor who runs an art class and the computer teacher, a guitar class. I loved the idea of all staff partaking in this project, not just the classroom teachers. This is what community and collaboration is all about! It sounds like a promising program where children take an active role in the learning.

The school’s achievements should be applauded but there is still work to be done. Stedman students still perform below the 50% proficiency mark in all subjects of the Colorado Student Assessment Program. However, school officials are hopeful and optimistic that change is on its way in this small school that has deep roots within the Park Hill community. I can see why people have so much hope for a school like Stedman where change is on the way!

To hear directly from Stedman Principal Deborah Johnson-Graham, click here!

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

If you’re like many of us, the deadlines and application process for the various facets of the DPS system can be confusing.  Let this be your reminder that the Denver Public Schools Highly Gifted & Talented nomination deadline (2010/2011 school year) is November 2, 2009. The deadline for applications for the Advanced Kindergarten program is December 11, 2009. You will need to take several steps to get testing and applications prepared for these deadlines.  To find out how it works, you can read our related post: Testing, Who Needs It? . You can also go to the DPS Gifted & Talented Department site.

Here are some important dates for information sessions at each of the HG&T and Advanced K school locations:

HIGHLY GIFTED PROGRAM INFORMATION NIGHTS
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Elementary program information at all locations
Middle School program information at Morey only
Spanish translation available

September 29, Polaris at Ebert Elementary (NE), 410 Park Ave. West
September 30, Gust Elementary (SW), 3440 W. Yale
October 1, Cory Elementary (SE), 1550 S. Steele St.
October 7, Southmoor Elementary (SE), 3755 S. Magnolia Way
October 8, Teller Elementary (S Central), 1150 Garfield St.
October 13, Morey Middle School (Central), 840 E. 14th Ave.
October 14, Edison Elementary (NW). 3350 Quitman
October 20, Carson Elementary (SE), 5420 E. 1st Ave.
October 27, Archuleta Elementary (Far NE), 16000 E. Maxwell Pl.

ADVANCED KINDERGARTEN INFORMATION NIGHTS
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Spanish translation available

September 29, Polaris at Ebert Elementary (NE), 410 Park Ave. West
September 30, Gust Elementary (SW), 3440 W. Yale
October 14, Edison Elementary (NW). 3350 Quitman
October 27, Archuleta Elementary (Far NE), 16000 E. Maxwell Pl.
Date to be announced, Palmer Elementary (E Central), 995 Grape
Date to be announced, Stedman Elementary (NE), 2940 Dexter
Date to be announced, Bill Roberts (NE), 2100 Akron Way

Again, the process can be frustrating and confusing so attending one of these sessions should help in answering some of your questions.  If you have further questions or comments, feel free to post it below.

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It’s that time of year again folks! Many of you will be starting your school search soon. You may be asking yourself all sorts of questions, in particular, where do I begin? You want the SCOOP? You got it. Below are some of our first posts (many of which were buried in past archives) that can help get you started. We think you will find them both informative and helpful because finding the right school can be a bit daunting to say the least. After reading some of these articles we hope you walk away feeling recharged and ready to do your “homework.”

Getting Started
Testing: Who Needs It?
Choices, Choices, Choices….School of Choice Process
Options for Kindergarten—Part I—Full Day vs. Half Day
Options for Kindergarten—Part II—Redshirting
Options for Kindergarten—Part III—Kindergarten Twice

School: Edison Elementary

Website: http://edison.dpsk12.org

Type: Public-DPS

Tours: No formal tour schedule-to set up a tour call the school the day prior to when you want to visit.

Main Phone: (303) 455-3615

Principal: Sally Whitelock    Assistant Principal: Ms. Nadine Ritchotte

Location: 3350 Quitman St Denver, CO 80212 – Highlands Neighborhood

Hours:  8:45 AM-3:30 PM

Grades:  ECE-5, Full-Day and Half-Day Kindergarten

Average Class Size: Approximately 575 children attend the school. Kindergarten and First Grade classes have 25 students or less (paras are in each Kindergarten classroom 3-4 hours daily). All other grades have an average of 27 students.

Before/After Care: Kaleidoscope Corner (some programs are grant funded, others are tuition-based). There are many enrichment programs to choose from such as language classes (German, Spanish, Chinese), Shakespeare, Chess Club, Yoga, Basketball, Dance, and Cub Scouts to name a few.

Playground: A new playground was built about four years ago with colorful, updated equipment. Several areas of the playground are for organized play. There is a small “Shakespeare” amphitheater, a community garden, and baseball field. Volunteers and community leaders helped in creating the unique learning landscape found on the school grounds.

Special & Core Programs: Edison houses Advanced Kindergarten. It is also a HGT Magnet school and each grade level has a self-contained classroom with HGT students. Edison provides many unique after school enrichment programs for the children. Their hope one day, is to manifest more of this enrichment into the school day. A popular afterschool enrichment program is the Chess Club. About 90 children participate while a teacher, along with parent volunteers run it.  The school also has a partnership with the University of Colorado Denver. They have 8-10 interns each year with many college students doing their student teaching at the school. The principal tells me it’s been a wonderful partnership. The interns learn from the teachers and their experience within the classroom, while the teachers learn innovative, educational practices from the interns. How great for the students at Edison! This experience gives the interns a “leg up” if Edison is hiring new teachers. Also, there is the PBS (Positive Behavoir Support) program. This helps keep the children on track with being rewarded for positive behavior. Edison also has one classroom with a dedicated teacher and an assistant for each of 6 autistic students.

Impressions: Edison Elementary is nestled in a quiet Highlands neighborhood. When driving up to the school, much construction was taking place outside. We later learned the school’s bathrooms were getting a well-needed renovation. The school itself looks somewhat deceiving in size from the outside. It is much larger than we thought once inside. It is an historic school building built in the 1920′s with a lot of character and architectural detail such as the dark paneled wood that is found in the foyer. The first floor hallways are wide but dark, while the second floor is very bright due to the large skylights that were installed a few years back.

We met with Ann Christy, the principal, and Larry Nelson, the vice principal, in June after the school year was over. They provided us with detailed information and were gracious enough to take us on a tour of the school and grounds. This gave us a better feel for the school itself. There seems to be a very strong sense of community at Edison. There is a PTA, a Friends of Edison group that is in charge of grant writing, and individuals including community leaders and parents who are involved in a variety of programs and projects supporting the school and its curriculum. The student body is quite diverse and thus creates a rich multicultural experience for the children. Edison seems to be a popular school in the Highlands Neighborhood. It is the only HGT program in the area and this is a big draw for many families. There were about 30-40% Choice in students for the 2008-2009 school year.

We were most amazed to learn at just how many afterschool and enrichment activities that are offered to the children. We were also very impressed with Edison’s Website which we learned is managed by an Edison parent. It is an attractive site filled with an abundance of information and is continually updated! More schools should take a look at this website to improve their existing sites.

We welcome your comments and impressions on Edison Elementary.

Testing, Who Needs It?

We all like to think, or hope, our kids are pretty darn smart.  We throw them praises for counting to 100, for remembering and retaining things that happened years ago, for reading “the cat chased the rat”, or for constructing a complicated Lego contraption.   We are told they’re bright by their teachers, relatives and friends, but are they?  Are they really as gifted as we think they are?

There is no telling that where you send them for Elementary School will determine a whole lot in their future, after all, there are plenty of extraordinary and successful individuals that went through the most feeble of early childhood education.  Nonetheless, if you seek to get some answers about your child’s intellectual talent, here are the ways:

Private School Testing:

In Denver, there are three private Kindergarten-age school programs that require a cognitive assessment. They are: The Logan School, Colorado Academy and Ricks Center for Gifted Children (part of the University of Denver). Graland and Stanley British Primary used to required these tests several years ago and starting next fall, Graland will once again require cognitive testing.

The two accepted tests are called the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (or WPPSI-III) which The Logan School prefers and the newer version of the Differential Abilities Scale (DAS-II) which Colorado Academy prefers.  Graland will accept either one of these.  The tests are for ages 2-5 years and for older children (6+) there is a different assessment called the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV).

If you are considering one of the previously mentioned schools for your child, then you will need to speak to a Child Psychologist who is trained in and specializes in administering cognitive assessments.  Typically you can speak with a Child Psychologist (schools can provide you with a list of names) on the phone to first assess the need for the test and to answer any questions you might have about the child’s learning style.

If you’re expecting to prep your child for one of these tests, think again.  According to Child Psychologist, Dr. Mary Monroe, if a parent were to prep or train their children on the subject matter, the integrity of the test would be compromised and wouldn’t be a true test of a child’s cognitive abilities.  The child’s score would not be valid if the information they are being tested on isn’t novel to them.  It is supposed to measure cognitive abilities and is NOT a measure of achievement.  A Child Psychologist (via the test) is looking to see how a child’s brain responds to a novel experience (left brain vs. right brain, visual vs. language, spatial relationships, analytical, etc.) which will provide a truer sense of the child’s abilities as opposed to how well they have studied the material. Here is an explanation of the Wechsler Tests on Wikipedia.

Public School Testing:

In the Denver Public School System there are three different types of assessments given to children based on their age and need.

Early Entrance

If you are considering Kindergarten for your child but they do not meet the birth date cutoff of October 1^st for the following year…you may take the Early Entrance assessment which is administered by the DPS Early Education Department.  As stated on their Website, the Early Entrance assessment is available for children with exceptional academic need who turn 5 years old between October 2 and December 31 of the year of enrollment. The Board of Education policy stipulates that students must have extraordinary academic need for early entrance.” The fee for this assessment is $50. 

Advanced Kindergarten

DPS offers Advanced Kindergarten classrooms in eight elementary schools that are specifically designed for academically advanced kindergarten students in the areas of reading and math. These classrooms provide a full-day curriculum that enriches, expands and accelerates state and district kindergarten standards according to student academic readiness and assessed curriculum mastery. The Advanced Kindergarten Program is a part of the full-day Tuition Based Kindergarten Program. There is a test/assessment that is administered by the DPS Early Education Department for these programs for a $50 fee as well. The application is an additional $50 fee.

Advanced Kindergarten classrooms are available in the following elementary schools and you must apply to your neighborhood school or go through the choice process (through the Advanced Kindergarten Dept. and NOT the School of Choice Dept.) if it is not your district: Archuleta Elementary, Bradley International School, Edison Elementary, Gust Elementary, Palmer Elementary, Polaris at Ebert, Stedman Elementary and William Roberts School.

Highly Gifted & Talented

There are also eight schools that offer the Highly Gifted & Talented Magnet program in the Denver Public School System: Polaris at Ebert, Southmoor Elementary, Carson Elementary, Cory Elementary, Edison Elementary, Teller Elementary, Archuleta Elementary and Gust Elementary. Qualifying students will be offered placement in their area HGT Magnet site based on their home address and their DPS neighborhood school. A child has to be “nominated”, during their first grade year, for the Highly Gifted & Talented Program. A child can also be “self-nominated” if a parent chooses to do this for their child.  If accepted, the child will be placed with other students with similar abilities and taught by trained teachers.

There is an application on the DPS Website for this nomination and it’s typically due in early November.  If you are seeking for your child to be nominated and your school offers the HGT program, you should discuss it with their teacher. There is no single criterion that determines Highly Gifted & Talented students, rather several in combination, including observation by teachers and an assessment given by the DPS Department Psychologist.  Typically, the students that are a part of the HGT program are the top 5^th percentile of those tested.

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Hopefully, this breakdown will help you in determining what will be the best path for your child and eliminate some of the mystery in this process.  I, for one, had trouble navigating through the muddy waters during my quest and am still in the process of figuring out a final path to take.  Sometimes it can be tricky, especially if you have a potentially gifted child, but they do not meet the cutoff date for enrollment.  There is an onslaught of new questions that arise because of this.  Do they do Kindergarten twice?  Do they go Early Entrance AND to Advanced K?  Is it better or worse for a boy or a girl?  Only you can make that choice…and instinct will lead you there.

Choice application-check….favorite glass of wine-check…advil for the headache-check…the headache is not from the wine but from trying to make sense of this whole process!

You are choicing into a school only if you have chosen not to send your child to your neighborhood school or chose private school instead. The choice in process can be a bit overwhelming but hopefully, we can make it a little easier for you to understand. I think the most difficult part of the process is the waiting! I remember becoming quite stressed and trying to remain patient until I heard the news. Will they get their first choice? What about second choice? What happens if they get wait listed? In the end, hopefully it’ll all work out for the best.

Here’s how the process works:

1. You can pick up a school choice form at any DPS school (usually in early January) or you can download it on-line. After completion, it can be returned to any DPS. Be sure to make a copy of it (for your records) after the application is stamped and dated.

2. First Round happens in January…this is when you choose your top two schools! Complete the application. By early March, you should get some answers….if you get into your first choice school-congrats! If you did not, there’s still your  second choice school. DPS tries very hard to accommodate this if the slots are available at the designated school.

3. Again, if you did not get into your second choice school, you will now take part in the Second Round. This usually takes place in March. Here you are able to choose an unlimited amount of schools so you’ll have more options. Again, forms for this round may be picked up at any DPS school.

4. If you get wait listed at one of your schools of choice, you may still want to participate in the second round just to be safe!

5. Remember, if you are choicing into a school, you are responsible for providing transportation for your child to and from school.

6. For more information contact the School of Choice Office at http://soco.dpsk12.org.

• Note: If your child is entering Kindergarten and you want him/her to attend a full-day Kindergarten program, you must complete a separate application for this. You can pick up this form at any DPS. This is a Tuition Based program. The annual tuition was $2,430 for 2008-2009.
• Note: Charter Schools and Magnet Schools have their own applications. Be sure to contact each individual school to inquire about applications and deadlines.
• Note: Advanced Kindergarten applications & Highly Gifted Magnet Programs 1^st-8^th grade applications, are due earlier than choice forms. Be sure to contact the individual schools in regards to this or the Gifted and Talented Education Department at 720-423-8272.

Today, the choicing in process is getting that much more competitive. Since so many public schools are making positive changes and improving their standards, more and more people are choosing their neighborhood schools. And as more schools grow in popularity, it makes it that much harder to choice in. The problem is, only so many slots are left open after the number of spots for neighborhood children are filled. An example of this is in the Stapleton community. They are no longer allowing  “choice in’s” at their schools and instead, allowing Stapleton residents only to enroll. In the future, it looks like some schools may have to do this and take neighborhood children only. I recently spoke to someone at DPS who said that School Choice has been in place for about nine years and it will continue because of its success. However, many of these schools that are becoming more popular are seeing their wait lists grow and choicing in, may not be an option for them in the future. How can you be guaranteed the school of your choice? Good question! I guess the answer is to move to that neighborhood like some people do, so your child is guaranteed a spot! You just have to ask yourself, is it worth it?

“Private Schools-EXPENSIVE….Moving to a new home to be closer to a school you love and a guaranteed spot for your child-VERY EXPENSIVE….Getting into your choice school-PRICELESS!!!”

Age Eligibility

• Your child must be 4 years old on or before Oct. 1st for ECE.
• Your child must be 5 years old on or before Oct. 1st for Kindergarten.
• Your child must be 6 years old on or before Oct. 1st for First Grade.

We wanted to provide you with something we wish we had when we were getting started in our school search.  This isn’t exactly a step by step process, as there are so many paths each family could go down together, rather we are sharing our loose guideline for this process.  Depending on whether you ultimately decide to send your child to a public, private, charter, magnet or catholic school there are different steps one must follow in order to maintain sanity during this quest.  Here is what we suggest:

Check Out Your DPS Neighborhood School

One of the first things to do in your search of the “right school” is take a look at your neighborhood school and see what it is all about. If you are unsure of your neighborhood school, you can find it at this site: what’s my neighborhood school? If you fall in love with all that it has to offer, you’re lucky, and you might stop the search altogether!  I know some parents who never did an ounce of research because they felt strongly about sending their child to their neighborhood school.  For any of a variety of reasons, it worked for them.  I also know a lot of parents who liked their neighborhood school but wanted to see what else was out there.  Just like when we go shopping for groceries or shoes, it’s always smart to do some comparison shopping….why not with schools?  Here in Denver, we are lucky enough to have a program through the Denver Public School system called School of Choice.  This allows our children the opportunity to be educated at a school outside of our neighborhood if need be. It’s our choice and it’s a great option to have!

Determine Your Interest in the Private School Option

If you are interested in the possibility of sending your child to private school, there are a different set of steps to follow.  You will find a comprehensive list and links to those schools at the right of this page.  The majority of these schools post their tuition and financial aid programs directly on their Websites.  Each of these schools generally have open houses and tour dates as well.  You will probably need to call each school where you have interest and sign up for a tour date or open house.  Once this is complete and you choose to apply, the application process can be quite tedious.  The Logan School, Graland Academy, and Colorado Academy require intelligence testing by a certified Child Psychiatrist.  Additionally, most of the private schools require an observation of your child, and on a separate occasion, the parents.  Lastly, keep in mind that many private schools also require a teacher recommendation or two.  Yes, it’s like college so get organized!

Advanced Kindergarten Testing

If you feel your child is a more advanced learner and is also socially ready for Kindergarten, you may choose to apply for the Advanced Kindergarten testing. Applications are accepted in December for the following school year, and testing generally takes place in January and February (Update: applications due in late October or early November for the following school year). There is a fee of $50.00 and your child is tested on basic concepts in reading and math. A recommendation from your child’s preschool teacher is not mandated but is a plus. If your child scores in the top 10% (Polaris, the top 5%), then you are able to apply for the Advanced Kindergarten program. Note, the Bill Roberts Elementary School in Stapleton is now only accepting applications from Stapleton residents. You will then be given a choice of two schools in your area that offers this program (ex: if your neighborhood school is Park Hill, your two options in north east Denver for Advanced Kindergarten are Polaris or Stedman, if slots are available). UPDATE: Not every neighborhood is given two choices to select from for the Advanced Kindergarten program. If you are not interested in sending your child to the AK program in your neighborhood or area, you can contact the AK office directly, to see what other choice(s) may be available (if any) for your child. Currently, there are eight elementary schools throughout Denver offering Advanced Kindergarten classrooms. These classrooms differ from traditional Kindergarten classrooms due to an accelerated curriculum, looking at where the individual child is now and where he/she needs to go, and more small group instruction versus whole group instruction. The Advanced Kindergarten Program is part of the full-day Tuition Based Kindergarten Program (click here to learn more about the program). If you get into a school  that offers the Advanced Kindergarten, be sure to ask what is offered in the next grade level to challenge your child. If you would like further information re: Advanced Kindergarten testing you can contact Terri Freund (DPS) at 720.423.8277 and check out our post on Testing, Who Needs It? If you’d like more information on gifted and talented programs, feel free to contact the individual school.

School Tours and Open Houses

By this time, you will have heard about certain schools that are being discussed by friends, acquaintances, and neighbors. You have discovered some on your own. You have explored our site to get the Scoop and checked out school Websites ahead of time (most schools have updated sites with plenty of useful info). Now it’s time to start calling these schools to see when their school tours are scheduled, along with dates of their Open Houses. You may even want to make an appointment directly with the Principal or Executive Director.  Feel free to use this School Comparison Spreadsheet to keep track of the schools you visit.  This will help you visualize this process and what is the best fit for your child and family.

What To Ask

While visiting the schools, it’s helpful to have a list of questions prepared to help you differentiate between them.  We have put together the list below to get you started:

• How many children attend the school?
• How many classes per grade level?
• What is the percentage of neighborhood children attending vs. the percentage of children choicing in?
• What is class size like?
• Are there Paras or Assistants in each classroom?
• Is there an active PTA or Parent Association?
• Where are the fundraising dollars typically allocated?
• What is the teacher turnover like? And what percentage of teachers have advanced degress?
• How long has the Principal or Executive Director been there?
• Is there a support staff available for the children with special needs?
• What advanced or accelerated programs do you have?
• Do children in each grade level interact with each other or with children in other grade levels?
• What other special programs are offered (language, arts, extra curriculars)?
• What makes this school unique to other schools?

Keep in mind how you feel walking through the halls. Is the person giving the tour enthusiastic about the school and what it has to offer? Do the children look happy and engaged? Is it cramped, institutional, chaotic, pretentious?  What do the classrooms look like? Is there a computer lab and a decent library? Could you picture your child in this school or yourself volunteering your time here? Do you feel that vibe?

Guidance From Professionals

Once you have decided on some schools, you may want to ask your child’s preschool teacher for a bit of guidance. You may want to ask out of school A, B, C, what do you think would be the best fit for my child?  They should have a good sense of the type of learner your child has become and the environment where he/she might thrive best.  Of course, you know your child best but additional opinions can be helpful in solidifying your choices.  Child Psychiatrists can also observe your child and give you guidance on how they learn best.  Additionally, there are “Educational Consultants” who can work with you as well.  Certainly, you will have to pay for the latter two options.

In Conclusion

We plan to offer a series of posts that break down the majority of the subjects mentioned above and a lot more.  Have no fear; you will find the answers (we hope) to all of your questions here!