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

School: Polaris at Ebert Elementary

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

Type: Public Magnet – DPS

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

Main Phone: (303) 292-4629

Principal: Karin Johnson

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

Hours: 8:45 AM-3:30 PM

Grades: Kindergarten – 5^th Grade

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Check out Kerri getting interviewed by 9 News regarding their joint venture Website: coloradoschoolchoice.org.  Sorry Kerri, but you are no longer an incognito blogger!

The coloradoschoochoice.org is a useful data-driven site if you’re looking for certain statistics on schools.  The specific data included are: maps, CSAP scores, percentage of free & reduced lunches, enrollment/diversity and choice-in numbers.  The site does not include any other significant content at this time.

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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.

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 Three – Kindergarten Twice

When Your Child Isn’t Ready

Michelle Marom, a parent of 6 year old twins, came face to face with the issue of her children possibly repeating Kindergarten last year. Her twins have a late August birthday and their teacher recommended that one of the twins be held back because he was not ready socially or developmentally for first grade. Her daughter could have gone ahead but the teacher acknowledged first grade might be a bit of a challenge for her as well. When the decision was made for her son, Michelle decided that her daughter should repeat Kindergarten also. She thought it would be a beneficial growth experience for the twins.

Michelle had some thoughtful advice for parents in this situation. “I feel it is important not to react defensively when being told by teachers or other school heads that it may be necessary to have your child repeat. I think that is the initial reaction for most parents. They feel protective of their kids or want them to succeed and they may feel that by repeating a grade their child is not successful. There are other emotions a parent has about a child staying back but it’s important to be able to hear what the school has to say in detail, discuss the child’s assessments and evaluations, and put all the concerns on the table. So again, I think parents have to put their own ‘stuff’ to the side and really think about what would be most helpful and growth-producing for their child.”  I believe that is sound advice for parents. Michelle’s twins ended up having a positive year in Kindergarten the second time around and she felt the extra year gave them the time they needed to mature and grow as children and learners. She was happy that everything fell into place for them the second time around.

Transitioning From a Non-Traditional to Traditional Setting

One diversion from a more traditional Kindergarten setting would be the Montessori Method. Dr. Maria Montessori believed in a child-centered curriculum characterized by self-directed activity, on the part of the child, and observation and guidance, on the part of the teacher. Classrooms are made up of mixed-age groups and the “preschool” years are from age 3 to age 6 with the third year being the “Kindergarten” year. The younger children can learn and are guided by the older children and the older children learn mentorship and leadership skills by guiding the younger students.

There are no academic requirements for the Kindergarten aged child, but children are exposed to amazing amounts of knowledge and often learn to read, write and calculate beyond what is often thought usual for a child of this age.  Because of this, parents are often faced with the question of whether to put their child in Kindergarten or 1^st Grade if moving to a more traditional school.  There are some Montessori elementary, middle and high school programs but the majority of schools end with Primary (or age 6).

After speaking with parents and educators on the subject, most suggest that, when transitioning from a Montessori setting to a more traditional setting, it’s best to repeat the Kindergarten year.  This will give them time to adjust to a different teaching and learning style.  The challenge is really to make sure, in the schools that you are considering, that the child will be kept academically stimulated while their emotional readiness catches up.  So, even though a child may test in the gifted and talented range, and is academically ready for Kindergarten, there is the emotional side that weighs heavily in this equation.  It is critical that you find a school with a program that can recognize a child’s talent but can still nurture their true age whether they are young or old for their grade.  See related article  Options for Kindergarten – Part Two: Redshirting for additional information on this topic.

We’d love to hear from you about your thoughts and experiences regarding the topics written here about Kindergarten. Please feel free to leave a comment.

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