I recently sat down for an interview with Jennifer Piccolo, a mother of two, who is starting a grass roots movement in her Platt Park Neighborhood to help improve their quality of schools.

KB: Please tell me a little bit about yourself.

JP: I am a mother of two young children, ages 5 and 3. We have lived in the Platt Park Neighborhood for five years now. We knew when we moved here that the schools were not up to par but we were hoping that would change in time. My husband and I are both believers in public schools. I also work full-time as a Project Manager for a technology company. I have an MBA but no formal educational background. Education has always been an important issue for me and I’ve become passionate about it since my own children will be starting school very soon. We lived in Dallas prior to moving here to Denver. My husband and I got involved in starting a non-profit outdoor adventure program for inner city kids there. It’s a subsidiary of the program, Trips for Kids http://www.tripsforkidsdenver.org/ here in Denver.  I enjoy running and skiing during my free time.

KB: What is the Platt Park Neighborhood School Committee?

JP: We are a newly formed committee working alongside 3PA (Platt Park People’s Association) to improve the quality of our neighborhood schools through community engagement and advocacy. Our committee started in early January of 2010.

There are two major goals on which we are focusing: The first is community engagement–engaging the community to support our local schools which include Asbury and McKinley-Thatcher (elementary schools), Grant Middle School, and South High School. Our second goal is advocacy for our schools. This would entail partnering with the schools to improve the quality of education while meeting the needs and expectations of parents in the neighborhood. The goal is to have more families choosing their neighborhood school instead of choicing in to other nearby schools.

KB: What is your role within this committee?

JP: I guess I would be the Director of the committee.  My role is to invigorate the community to get involved with the schools and various programs. I also hope to be a facilitator between members of the community and the schools themselves, including Principals of the schools and members of the Parent Teacher Associations.

KB: Why did you want to take on this role and what do you hope to accomplish?

JP: I have been talking about the issue of schools for the last few years with my friends. My children are of school age and I have a vested interest now. Like most parents, I want my children to receive the best possible education they can.

As founder of this committee I hope to accomplish the following:

• Improve quality of schools through partnerships with the principals and PTA
• Find the gaps and needs within a school and lobby the community and school district in helping address them
• Increase fundraising for the schools
• Find individuals to engage in grant writing to improve the quality of educational programs
• Start a tutoring program to increase test scores at the schools
• Improve school websites

And the ultimate goal is to help families see that our neighborhood schools are of value and worth fighting for! The hope is bringing the community together by collaborating with schools to see what their needs are and how the community can better support them. Also, talking with families to learn further about their expectations of what makes a great neighborhood school. The end result is coming together as a community to make this a reality.

KB: What steps do you plan on taking to achieve these goals?

JP: One of the first things I did as Director of this committee was to visit each of the four schools. I met the principals to educate them about our committee and what we hope to accomplish. We plan to learn the needs of each school then decide how we can best support them.

One school needed assistance with its website recently. I found a parent who is currently working on this project. It’s the little things we can address that can lead to the bigger things. We also helped with a couple of recent fundraisers for the school. I hope to create a database of volunteers from within the community who can donate their time an hour a week at a school.

KB: What are your thoughts about sending your children to an under-performing school and how do you think you can overcome the obstacles associated with it?

JP: Currently, the schools in our area are not only racially diverse but socioeconomically diverse as well. Our schools are not in need of the district stepping in to assist, but they are in need of a major transformation. It’s up to us in the community to make that change. I am an optimist. I believe we can come together, work hard, and make a BIG difference. I am a believer in school choice. It creates healthy competition. First and foremost, we as parents must look at our child’s needs then decide which school is most suitable for him or her. With all that said, to improve the quality of education at a school, it’s up to members of the neighborhood to take a stand. I am nervous to start an organization like this, since there are no clear-cut deliverables and outcomes that I’m used to in the business world.  But inaction is just not an option.

KB: What advice would you give to other parents who want to rally around their neighborhood schools to improve the quality of education?

JP: My advice is to just do it! I’ve been talking about schools with my friends for the last four years and now and I am finally doing something about it. You don’t have to know it all. I have no educational background but instead, a passion for quality public schools for my children– all children. Sometimes it’s easier to choice out of your neighborhood school rather than support it. However, imagine the possibilities, if every community made an effort such as this to improve the quality of education by supporting their neighborhood school. Since Grant and South serve various other areas, I’d love to hear from and work with any other community groups that might be interested in a partnership.

Thanks to Jenn and the Platt Park Neighborhood School Committee for taking on this role. It’s not an easy task and they have a long road ahead. The saying, ‘it takes a village’, comes to mind here. We admire Jenn’s passion for education and wish her (and the committee) the best of luck with this quest. We hope Jenn’s interview inspires other parents to get out there and get involved with their child’s school and education!

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.

School: Carson Elementary

Website: http://carson.dpsk12.org

Type: Public – DPS

Tours: Tours are scheduled beginning October and are usually listed on the front page of the school Website.  Call the main office to schedule.

Main Phone: (303) 355-7316

Principal: Tamara Acevedo

Location: 5420 E. 1^st Avenue, Denver, CO, 80220 – Crestmoor neighborhood

Hours: 8:55 AM-3:45 PM

Grades: ECE-5^th Grade

Average Class Size: There are approximately 400 students at Carson Elementary including 71 Highly Gifted/High Achieving students and 39 Deaf/Hard of Hearing students.  In the two Kindergarten classrooms, student capacity is set at 25 students for the full-day program.  The average in the rest of the classrooms is 26 students.

Before/After Care: Carson does offer aftercare (Kaleidoscope Corner) as well as some after school enrichment programs that vary throughout the year.

Facilities/Playground: The 1950’s style building reflects many of the ranch-style homes in the area.  The inside of building is impeccably clean and orderly.  The traditional classrooms are average in size with a few smaller classrooms assigned to the deaf and hard of hearing students.  The Kindergarten classrooms are in an entirely separate wing of the building and a separate playground directly outside the rooms.  The outside area/playground is enormous and includes a giant grass playing field, large blacktop and several fairly modern play structures (the colorful plastic and metal kind).

Special & Core Programs: Carson is extremely proud of their special programs and facilities for deaf and hard of hearing students.  There are currently 39 students in this category.  Some hard of hearing students are fully integrated into the classrooms while others (deaf students) have their own teaching staff and classrooms.  Teachers wear personal microphones in each of the classes so those with hearing issues can follow along just as any other student would do.

Carson is also one of eight DPS elementary schools that host the Highly Gifted and Talented Magnet program.  There are currently 71 students in this program with specialized instruction for high achievers/highly gifted. These students come from across the district.

The Character Trait program is also very strong at Carson.  The entire community is educated on using Respect, Responsibility, Kindness, Tolerance, Perseverance, Integrity and Courage as key elements of learning.  This isn’t just a program that is posted and forgotten. They truly educate these traits.

Impressions: I was greeted with a very warm welcome from the tour guide who has two children at Carson and lives in the neighborhood. She directed me into the main office where I signed in and received a nicely put together folder of information on Carson, including an evaluation form for the open house/tour.  It seems that they really want to know the impressions of those taking the tour!  After our group gathered and was ready for the tour, the Principal, Tamara Acevedo, shared her feelings about the school.  She told us that Carson chose her as much as she chose the school.  The “fit” was right for her, just as the “fit” must be right for our families, she explained.  It is her first year at Carson as principal and she was very clear that education is her passion.  Principal Acevedo feels that Carson Elementary is a “very unique” place and a “school unlike any other”.  You could see it in her eyes that she meant it.  She invited us to contact her with further questions and then went on her way.

Our tour guide then introduced us to two other Carson parents also part of the tour.  I didn’t notice them at first but they were standing among us with nametags on.  One of the parents had three children who went through the school and one that was about to start ECE next year.  The other had two children in the school, both in the HGT program.  I thought it was a great idea to have multiple parents give the tours and offer different perspectives on the programs as well as tag-team any questions that were asked.  All three parent tour guides were very knowledgeable and passionate about the school.  We were asked to introduce ourselves as well and I came to find that there were a mix of parents from the Crestmoor, Hilltop, Stapleton, Palmer and Teller neighborhoods.

One thing I thought was interesting was that the very active PTA plans their annual fundraiser in the fall instead of the spring.  This is very clever given almost every other school solicits auction items and donations in the spring and wear out businesses in these efforts.  Also, the funds raised by the PTA fundraisers go to school-wide improvement as opposed to specific classrooms, staff or single programs.  I really liked this concept.

As we walked down the long hallway toward the Kindergarten wing, I couldn’t help but notice the impeccable cleanliness of the halls.  It’s almost as if they knew we were coming and had a school wide cleanup session!  The floors were spotless and while there were endless rows of hooks for student’s jackets and lunchboxes, not one thing lay on the floor.  The walls were adorned with student artwork, poster boards to vote for class officers, and a variety of unique student projects.  I noticed projects on symmetry as well as positive and negative battery power.  I thought this was surprisingly different that the typical elementary school projects I’ve seen on walls.  Some classrooms were being led down the hall quietly by their teachers and were expected to use their “quiet voices” and keep their hands to themselves.  This was very reminiscent of my experience with Montessori environments where children were encouraged to be peaceful and respectful during their transitions.

The Kindergarteners have their own separate wing with two classrooms, a common room, a bathroom and an outside play-area all to themselves.  The classrooms were quite large and filled with all the things you’d expect to see in a Kindergarten classroom.  The playground is large but offers very little shade.  I imagine this can be quite hot during summer months and is cause for limited outside playtime.

The playground for the rest of the students was absolutely enormous.  There were several play structures, a gigantic blacktop as well as a grassy area as large as a football field.  Some of the students were being led outside for gym class with the full time Gym Teacher.  The inside gym room is tiny so this must be a welcome respite for the twice a week gym class when the weather is nice.

The library is also small but equally as pristine as the rest of the school.  Each class has the opportunity to use the mobile technology lab with laptops right in their classroom and some rooms have been outfitted with Promethean Boards (electronic interactive white boards) in the rooms.  With incoming technology grant funding from the Federal Government to DPS, the school expects to install these Boards in each of the rooms in the near future.

When the tour was over, the three parent guides expressed their very heartfelt feelings on the new Principal when asked how she compares to the beloved former Principal.  They said that Ms. Acevedo was warm, responsive and approachable to both kids and parents.  In her first year she is observing a school that has had a successful past.  She will wait to make any changes in following years only if necessary.  This seems to be a very intelligent move for a first time Principal.  I walked out of this tour thinking “that is a great school” and wishing it were my neighborhood.  Bravo Carson!

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

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

The Future of Denver Public Schools

An Interview with Michael Vaughn, Chief Communications Officer for Denver Public Schools

Three months ago, Michael Vaughn came to Denver Public Schools from Chicago, the third largest public school system in the country, where he held the position of Director of Communications. As the new Chief Communications Officer for DPS, Vaughn works directly with Superintendent Tom Boasberg on efforts across the board.  One of the primary goals they’re focusing on is the progress of student success within DPS and minimizing the achievement gap between Denver and the rest of Colorado.  Vaughn is charged with effectively communicating this progress to the public. We were afforded an opportunity to sit down with him and discuss the future of DPS from an inside view.

Many of you may not be aware of something called “The Denver Plan” that was created in 2006 by former DPS Superintendent Michael Bennet and his team.  Since 2006, DPS has worked to execute The Denver Plan, which is an evolving roadmap working toward the relentless pursuit of student achievement in Denver. “We want to create composers and engineers; artist and scientists; multi-lingual citizens and leaders of our democracy”, the Mission Statement reads.  For Denver’s 150 public schools with approximately 75,000 students, this is likely a welcome challenge.

This September, you will see the next draft of this document come to life. A tight focus on the classroom and the working collaboration between DPS, teachers, parents, and community partners shape the three core values that are at the heart of The Denver Plan 2009.  Michael Vaughn shared them with us.

• Develop Great People – This goal is to be achieved by creating excellent instruction within the classrooms and providing effective leadership in every school with support from the DPS central office. Some things DPS will do to achieve this is to encourage and support staff mentorship, focus on better internal communications and empower school principals and teachers.

• Community Engagement – Communities and schools need to support one another to create successful schools. It’s critical the communities surrounding a school become invested in activities such as school fundraisers, mentoring and tutoring programs, and donation of materials and resources to support the schools curriculum.  Likewise, parents and children attending the schools must support community businesses and programs.

• Strategic Investment of Resources – Right now, 94 cents of every dollar that is spent by DPS goes toward the classroom. DPS is doing an excellent job of making sure that, whatever the budget, it is spent strategically.  DPS is working diligently on applying for grants that will directly impact public education in Denver.  A recent application for a large grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation didn’t result in the district being chosen for top-tier funding, but DPS is still eligible for an “accelerator grant” from the foundation to improve teacher effectiveness. It could amount to as much as $10 million over three years, which would be the largest philanthropic grant the district has ever been awarded.

The Denver plan for 2009 is taking a ‘broader strokes’ philosophy with an emphasis on cultural priorities, strong academic content, effective staff and leadership in every school, and support from the central office. With these things in place, success in our schools can and will happen at a faster pace. To do this, DPS plans to focus on customer service, empowering school leadership and holding those leaders accountable for the outcomes.

DPS Administrators feel strongly about serving their customers – the schools – by way of the principals, teachers, and staff members. They also plan to support the content they teach and the programs they choose to run.  Empowering school leaders to develop programs and curriculum that are unique as well as applications for Beacon status and Schools of Innovation are supported.  Mike Vaughn made it clear that, given this empowerment, school leadership will be held accountable for the outcome of the school. They will be asked to show growth in student proficiency, an increase in test score results, a drop in teacher turnover and rise in parent and community involvement.

The city of Denver offers its inhabitants a multitude of choices when it comes to schools.  They include public, private, charter, home, alternative and faith-based options.  Many feel that it’s a burden to find the right school and many simply opt for their neighborhood school no matter what the circumstances. What’s important to remember is that all schools are not created equal but you do have a choice. What is right for Johnny might not be right for Susie. For Denver Public Schools, Mr. Vaughn made it clear that one size does not fit all.  If your neighborhood school is not a good fit for your child, you do have the state-given right to choose a different one.  The problem is that there may not be a vacancy in the school of your desires, so you must choose carefully.

Mr. Vaughn has many goals as the new Chief Communications Officer for DPS. One goal is to strengthen outreach to schools and show more appreciation for our teachers and students by highlighting the many success stories that are taking place around the city. Beach Court Elementary is one such story where the school has experienced off the charts growth in the past several years. In 2009, the school posted double-digit gains in all four core-content areas.  Beach Court now has 75% of its students scoring proficient or above in reading and math and has seen 30% gains since 2006.

Another goal for Mr. Vaughn is to enhance the DPS Website by making it fresher with more compelling content for all members of the Denver community. By breaking down barriers and providing information that is more approachable to all families, DPS feels that it will encourage the parents and community to be more involved with the schools.  DPS employs translators in many different languages to aid with outreach at school and community events as well as to assist with the Website.

We look forward to seeing The Denver Plan executed as well as learning more and more about the successes of all of our schools here in Denver.  The news is so often negative because that is what seems to make an interesting story. What is more valuable and newsworthy, is knowing that things are progressing faster than we thought. Parents would like to see how their children, their community and their schools are working together to turn past failures into successes. We will be looking for those stories.

The truth is that Colorado has been consistently ranked as one of the most educated states in the nation. But this is not because of the public school systems here – specifically Denver.  It is because Colorado is a great place to live and work. It has enticed highly educated people from other metropolitan areas here as transplants.  What we need to do is to generate highly educated individuals with involved parents and communities on our own ground. We need composers and engineers; artist and scientists; multi-lingual citizens and leaders of our democracy to be home grown and build businesses locally that will employ and keep them here.  Are you ready?

Part Two – Redshirting

What is Redshirting?

Redshirting has primarily been associated with sports. It means giving a college athlete an extra year of practice to better their skills so they will have a competitive advantage (edge) the following year. Today, redshirting in the academic world means postponing Kindergarten for a year (even though a child is eligible age-wise) so a child can further strengthen their intellectual, emotional, and physical abilities. It is usually considered for children who would be the youngest in their Kindergarten classroom.

According to the NCES (National Center for Education Statistics), more boys than girls are redshirted. Also, children born the latter part of the year are more likely to be redshirted than those born earlier in the year. Redshirting may be more widely used today because of the higher academic standards and expectations starting in Kindergarten. Many parents and educators feel that if a child has a summer birthday, delaying Kindergarten for a year will work to their advantage. Is it a disadvantage being the youngest rather than the oldest child in a Kindergarten class? Some parents feel that an extra year of preschool will give their child the time they need to mature both socially and academically and that they’ll have better success in school because of it.

A parent may want to consider delaying Kindergarten for their child due to the following reasons:

• if your child has a late summer or fall birthday
• if your child is emotionally immature and is lacking age-appropriate social skills
• if your child is not at grade level in specific academic areas
• if it is recommended by the teacher(s)
• if your child is transitioning from one school to another with a different school philosophy (e.g. a preschooler in a Montessori program moving to a more traditional public school)

When making this decision it is prudent to look at the “whole” child before deciding whether or not he/she is ready for the next grade level. Age is not the only deciding factor but also a child’s academic, emotional, social, and physical development. Naturally, input from former and current teachers, and possibly a psychologist or pediatrician can be helpful in making this decision. These professionals will be able to make a recommendation based on results of their daily interactions and assessments as to whether or not your child possesses the readiness skills that are necessary to move on.

What are the effects of redshirting?

According to Lilian Katz’s article, Academic Redshirting and Young Children, several studies found the following to be the immediate effects of redshirting are:

1)   Raises the child’s academic achievement and conduct on par with or   above that of younger classmates.

2)    Increases the child’s confidence in social interactions and popularity   among classmates.

3)   Adds to the normal mix of ages and abilities within the classroom.

However, some older children may feel alienated from their younger classmates and have an unfair advantage over the younger classmates in size, psychomotor, and social skills. The article then goes on to list the effects of redshirting within the first few years of elementary school including:

1)   Academic achievement equal to that of their grade-level peers.

2)   A lower likelihood of receiving negative feedback from teachers regarding their academic achievement and behavior.

3)   Less need for special education services than children who were retained in Kindergarten.

The Academic Redshirting and Young Children article also states some negative long-term effects like the following:

1)   Adolescents who delayed their Kindergarten entrance were more likely to have behavioral problems than their classmates.

2)   There is speculation that children redshirted as Kindergarteners may have had special education needs misdiagnosed as immaturity that should’ve been addressed by early intervention other than delayed entry.

Samuel J. Meisels, president of the Erikson Institute, a graduate school in child development in Chicago is one of the most outspoken critics on redshirting. He believes that it’s a bit ironic that these parents who delay Kindergarten entrance for their child because Kindergarten is too academic, are the first to criticize the Kindergarten teacher when their child becomes bored. This is the reason why Kindergarten has become more and more academic in the first place. Some critics also think it’s wrong when parents decide to hold back their preschooler when he/she shows no signs of struggling academically just so their child can get ahead of the class? This trend seems to be a hot debate amongst educators and parents alike.

I learned that many of the results obtained from different studies in regards to redshirting, and the advantages versus disadvantages, yielded inconclusive results. Again, it’s up to the parent to decide what is best for their child when deciding if redshirting is an appropriate choice for their child.

Find related articles here

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.

After doing a little research for this post, I couldn’t help but take a walk down memory lane. Granted, it was MANY moons ago when I was in Kindergarten but some parts of it I can vividly remember like getting on the yellow school bus and making the trek to the Hansen School only to make the trek back home again, a few hours later. I remember the wooden cubbies, the daily carton of milk and saltines for snack time, and the Letter People. Remember them? Or was that just an east coast thing? The Letter People were introduced the concepts of letters and sounds. Every week we were introduced to a new “blown up” letter. Some of us Kindergarteners were probably the same height as the letter people if I recall. Ahh, life seemed so simple back then. I can see myself in the classroom, the excitement I felt being in a new school and the place where I would spend my next six years. There I am, adjusting my knee socks so they sit just below my knobby, little knees. And I can’t forget to mention the pink, multicolored poncho with big pom-poms I loved to wear. Who knew that would make a fashion comeback! Recently I experienced déjà vu while dropping my own children off to Kindergarten.  More than likely, they will be spending their next six years at this school. And my-oh-my, has Kindergarten changed!

Full-Day vs. Half-Day Kindergarten

I have to be honest, if you asked me this question about eight years ago, I would’ve said half-day is the appropriate amount of time for Kindergarteners to attend school. I believed that because they were so young and immature, after all, they didn’t have the attention span to last through a whole school day. As a First Grade teacher, I saw first hand how difficult it was for some children to adapt to a full-day program. There were always those students who would ask at 11 am on the first day, week, month of school….”Mrs. Barclay, is it time to go home now?” “Home? We just got here!”, I would say. Like anything else, they adapted- some faster than others.

Much time has passed and as a parent now, I feel there is such a need for full-day Kindergarten! Times have changed; exposure to school experience starts so early now. More and more children are in daycare and some preschool programs even take children as young as 18 months. Kindergarten is a much more academic place than it used to be! Today, the trend seems to be that choosing a full-day kindergarten program for your child is more the norm than the exception. This could be due to the increasing number of single parent families and dual working parents that need their children in a full-day program to better accommodate their work schedules.

Research indicates that a full-day program has its advantages over a half-day program. Some of the advantages, according to the National Association of School Psychologists(see link to article below), are:

• children make more significant gains in reading and math
• at-risk students basic skills are strengthened and they’re better prepared for first grade
• fewer grade retentions for children later on
• teachers have more time for individualized and small group instruction
• there’s a more relaxed school day because teachers are not “up against the clock”
• more time is allotted for field trips and child-centered activities
• children tend to have a higher sense of self-esteem and independence
• more time to reinforce positive social behaviors
• children engage in “free play” more often

Recently, I spoke to a DPS Kindergarten teacher who has taught Kindergarten for eight years. She is a strong advocate of full-day Kindergarten. She agrees that a longer school day better prepares the children for first grade and beyond. One reason is that a longer school day gives her the freedom to go more in depth with the curriculum. There is also more time to work one on one with children and address their individual academic needs. She believes that in the near future, full-day Kindergarten will be mandated in Colorado. A colleague of hers teaches in a half-day program and finds there is a lack of enrichment due to the time constraints.  There are not as many “specials” offered and it’s hard to plan field trips that enrich the students learning. Sometimes during a given week, math or writing may not be taught on a daily basis because there’s only so much that can be done in a two and a half or three hour program. This is the same amount of time for a half-day of preschool. Aren’t kids just ready at this point to attend a full-day program? Due to the higher academic expectations and standards of today, children seem far more prepared today than children in the past. Some children are reading before they enter Kindergarten. Others can count to 100 by ones, fives, and tens. Some are writing sentences to go with their drawings. The expectations of Kindergarten and school in general have increased dramatically over the years. Don’t we want our children to be as prepared as possible both socially and academically when they cross that bridge to First Grade?

On the other hand, some parents still think a half-day of Kindergarten is appropriate. They might think,  Don’t kids at this age still need time to play? Aren’t we pushing our children too much today? Research does state that you don’t want to push academic skills before children are ready. Parents who are in favor of a half-day program feel they can make up the difference of learning time in the home or in additional programs outside the home. They believe if it’s a high quality half-day program it’s more appropriate for children’s short attention spans. Some use the full-day program as a drop off childcare center. Others see it as cost effective. A half-day program won’t cost you a thing in comparison to a full-day program that’s tuition-based and will cost you $270.00 a month here in Denver.

Some educators favor half-day programs too. Although it seems like there are more positive benefits for your child attending a full-day Kindergarten program, some research indicates that children fare just as well in a half-day program. Many studies have produced inconclusive results as to what program is more beneficial for our five year olds. Whatever the case, educators seem to agree, full-day or half-day, you still have to be present at home for your child and support them in their educational journey. This will ensure them to be the most successful learner they can be.

Most of all, it is up to you to figure out what’s best for your child. Seeking advice from your child’s preschool teacher is highly beneficial in helping make this decision. Monitoring the growth of their academic achievement and observing their social skills through the preschool years is helpful. You should contact various schools that interest you to see what type of Kindergarten program they offer. Then,visit these schools to learn whether or not they have a developmentally appropriate program for your child. Remember, it’s not just about quantity, it’s about the quality of the program that matters too!

Full or Half Day Kindergarten?-an article from the National Association of School Psychologists

Here’s an interesting news clip about the impending shortage of Kindergarten and Elementary school space in the Denver neighborhood of Stapleton.  Apparently, a third school was supposed to be built, but due to lack of funding as a result of the failing economy, the school will not be built.  Bill Roberts and Westerly Creek are the two DPS Elementary schools currently available and The Odyssey School is a DPS Charter School that is open to all of Denver through the choice process.  With eleven Kindergarten classrooms between the schools,  parents with young children should be wary that they might need to look outside of Stapleton in a year or two.  There are a couple of Charter schools in the area but they have yet to be approved as well as other DPS and Private schools in nearby neighborhoods like Lowry.  Parents will also have a tough time getting children in to some of these as there are fewer and fewer choice and lottery spots available.  What is a Stapleton parent to do?

School:  THE LOGAN SCHOOL for CREATIVE LEARNING

Website: http://www.theloganschool.org/

Main Phone: 303-340-2444

Type: Private accredited member of the Association of Colorado Independent Schools

Tuition: Tuition for 2009/2010 school year is $14,090 per student.  Need-based scholarships are available.

Tours: Parent information sessions and tours take place beginning in October through the middle of December.  Call or email Rachel Shields to schedule: 303-340-2444 x133 or Rachel.shields@theloganschool.org.

Head of School: Andrew Slater

Director of Admissions: Becky Godec

Location: 1005 Yosemite Street, Denver, CO 80230 – Lowry Neighborhood

Hours: 8:30 am to 3:00 pm

Before/After Care: Extended Care is available before school from 7:30 to 8:30 and after school from 3:10 until 6:00 for $5/hr.

Students: 248, ages 4-14, 19% students of color, avg. class sizes range from 16 in the younger classrooms to 22 students in the older classrooms.

Playground/Facilities: At first, driving up to the school, I was slightly put off by the location and campus as it seemed somewhat barren and, quite frankly, ugly. The decommissioned Lowry Air Force military space did not appeal to me.  This quickly changed as I got to the front and saw a nice playground, attractive landscaping in the main entrance area, and a modernized renovation to the main building. There are a total of three buildings on the campus, one that holds the lunch facility and extended care and another that holds a huge gymnasium and a theatre.  There are also playing fields on campus for sports such as soccer and baseball as well as another playground area.  In total, the campus is about 13 acres. 

Special & Core Programs: Since The Logan School is an experiential learning institution, students participate in a variety of field trips to meet their needs for individual units, class units, environmental education and service learning needs.  Some of those trips for the upper level students will be overnight trips.  The Logan School also has a student Expo in the winter where students showcase the work they’ve done since the beginning of the school year on their individual units.  There are a number of extra curricular activities including a school rock band, poetry competitions, MathCounts, geography and spelling bees.  On campus there is a natural wetlands, a hands on butterfly habitat and a garden. 

Impressions: I have visited the Logan School on several occasions and, after my initial poor first impression of the campus, I was thoroughly pleased.  Both my husband and I were greeted each time by the front entrance with a handshake from either current parents, the Admissions Director or the Assistant Admissions Director.  Prior to the tour, we were briefed on the school, its philosophy and direction, shown a video, and given an opportunity to ask any questions we had.  Then, we were led around the school by some of the most polite Upper Level (8^th graders) students we have ever encountered.

It was great to be taken around the campus by a student rather than an Administrator or a parent that might give a biased view of the school.  We were able to ask the students their perspective on particular qualities of the school that we would not have been able to get from anyone else.  We were also given an opportunity to see the children “in action” and speak to some of the teachers to get a clearer picture of how the Logan teaching philosophy works.

The Logan School philosophy is quite different than a traditional school in that the students are empowered to be extremely independent and think for themselves. Early in the school year, they choose a “Unit”  to study and then apply more traditional subjects to that Unit.  For instance, if they chose insects to be their Unit, then they would apply math, reading, science, etc. to the subject of insects.  There is a culminating “Expo” in February where the children present their work on the Unit to parents and faculty. Then in the Spring, they typically choose another area of study.  Teachers act as facilitators and mentors while encouraging independence at the same time. Then in each homeroom, the lead teacher covers other subjects such as World History, Geography or Science so that it is more multidimensional.

This experiential style of learning may, or may not be right for your child so it’s up to the parent to understand what type of learner your child is and if it makes sense for them. This experience-based style instruction is then taken beyond the classroom to include several field trips that allow students to explore art, environmental studies, foreign languages, business, etc. and to then be applied to their studies.

It seems that the Logan School has a very rich learning environment that fosters a unique way of thinking for children.  The school is indeed for students that have gifted and creative tendencies, however, it is not exclusive or pretentious.  The qualification of “gifted” is more than just a test score; they’re seeking students that would be impacted the greatest from the style of instruction Logan offers.  Students who are the best fit for this school are those that do fall in the gifted range, but have other qualities on top of that.  A child might score in the 99.8^th percentile on an intelligence test, however, they might not learn in a way that would allow them to succeed at Logan. One thing to also understand is that, while Logan does offer instruction to 4 year olds, those children must be “Kindergarten-ready”.  Logan does not consider true age as much as they do readiness, both emotionally and intellectually.

Logan looks at the child “as a whole” through the admission process and considers heavily each aspect of the application package including the 2 hour observation of the child, an intelligence test score, teacher evaluations, and the parent questionnaire.  The admission process is lengthy but there is a reason for it.  There are typically very few spots for incoming 4 and 5 year olds.  For the 2009/2010 school year there was approximately 1 spot for every 2 applicants and even fewer openings for the younger students.  There were also quite a few sibling applicants and they are given first priority.

Parents are expected to participate in school fundraisers including an annual spring auction and to also be involved in school and classroom activities.  Volunteerism and philanthropy are a very important part of the school community.  There is a well-established Parent Association and a Board of Trustees that manage Logan’s events and affairs.

You should consider this school heavily if you are able to afford private school and believe your child could prosper within an experiential environment.  Do think long and hard about the fact that, if accepted, your child could be in this school for 10 or more years.  There are only about 248 students and it goes from age 4 through 14, or until high school.  Making the transition to a traditional high school has been known to be tricky, but students coming from Logan tend to adjust quickly, especially in the more advanced classes, due to their independence and ability to apply their experiences to each new learning environment.

We welcome your comments and impressions on your experience with The Logan School.