School: GRALAND COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

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

Type: Private Accredited Independent School – NAIS and ACIS

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

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

Main Phone: 303-399-0390

Hours: 8:10 AM – 3:10 PM

Head of School: Veronica “Ronni” McCaffrey

Director of Admission: Carolyn Craig

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

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

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

Diversity: 21%

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

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

Special & Core Programs:

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

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

Impressions:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

School: Highline Academy

Type: Charter School-(Chartered by DPS)

Website: http://www.highlineacademy.org/site/home

Tours:  Open House- Contact school to inquire about tours.

Enrollment: When applying to a charter school you must contact the school directly for information on the application process.

Main Phone: 720.449.0317

Principal: Gregg Gonzales

Location: 2170 S. Dahlia Street, Denver, CO  80222–southeast Denver

Hours: 7:30 AM -3:30 PM (M, T, Th, Fri) and Wed. 7:30 AM-2:10 PM

Grades: K-8^th grade

Average Class Size: Approximately 460 students attend this school. There are 2 classrooms per grade level. Literacy classes average 19 students and the average math class averages 18 students.

Before/After Care: Kids Adventures is the before and after school program. They also provide activities for the students to participate in during school vacations as well as summer break. After school programs such as Destination Imagination and Girls on the Run are also available for the children.

Facilities/Playground: This school is very unique compared to most traditional public or charter schools I visited. It is located in a renovated warehouse surrounded by office buildings and other warehouses rather than a traditional school building. I attended an evening Open House so I was unable to see the playground. I was told there are two playgrounds–one playground for the younger children and one for the middle school students. The students themselves helped to design them. What a novel idea and great teaching moment! The playground area consists of basketball courts, four square and tetherball courts, along with playground equipment for the younger children. There is no grass area for fields or organized play.

Special & Core Programs: The “Reach” program strongly emphasizes the school’s core values. Highline wants to teach their students how to succeed in diverse environments such as college, the work place and the community. The five values taught are: responsibility, empowerment, aspiration, citizenship, and honesty.  The children are taught these character traits then asked to implement them in their daily routine.  Each month students are selected and recognized for demonstrating these values. Handprints, representative of these children, line a school wall in the cafeteria. Students may be recognized for “reaching out” (community service), “reaching in” (self-growth), or “reaching up” (academic excellence).

Highline has a strong community partnership with the University of Denver’s School of Psychology (a psych clinic is stationed on the premises). University students work with some of Highline’s students (permission granted by parents) one on one or in small groups. From year to year, you can also find student teachers and tutors from various colleges also working with the children. I love the idea of schools partnering with universities. It’s a win-win situation for the children, the staff, and the university students. Everyone learns something or has something to offer. Also, seventh grade students spend a day at DU each year. They go to college classes where the professors teach to their level. The students eat in the dining hall. This field trip is a big thrill for the kids and reinforces the importance of education and college.

Highline’s curriculum consists of a Core Knowledge program. It is the means by which they teach at this school. The program emphasizes a sequential and integrated approach to learning (interdisciplinary approach). The school has outperformed DPS in most subject areas at all grade levels on the CSAP.

Some other programs for the students are:  a student council for middle school students, many after school sports such as volleyball, tennis, and flag football and the opportunity for children to interact with other students from varying grade levels on special projects. There is performance grouping for the students in math and literacy. Children are grouped together by their performance skills (not their age). If a child needs to be challenged in a specific subject, they may move up to the next grade level for instruction.

Impressions: A friend told me about Highline Academy a couple of years ago so I wasn’t surprised when I found myself driving down a street lined with warehouses on my way to the Open House. I took a turn into an industrial park lined with warehouses and office buildings. If you didn’t know anything about this school, I’m sure many parents would be surprised at its location and its unconventional setting. I told myself to keep in mind the exterior of a building doesn’t make the school; it’s the community, the leadership, and the learning within the walls that does. Inside the facility looks like a school for the most part. Highline Academy has one more year in the building. The school will move to another location within the southeast neighborhood and they are currently considering several options nearby.

The school building itself is small. A small, safe community is something they pride themselves on. There is no kitchen in the cafeteria. Hot lunch is made at another school close by, brought to Highline, and sits on warmers until the students arrive for lunch. I was told (didn’t see it on the tour) a library and two computer labs are in the building. One computer lab is reserved for teachers and students working on special projects; the other lab is for technology instruction.

During the Open House that evening, I made my way down a long, narrow hallway passing by offices and some classrooms. Chairs were set up in a foyer like area while the principal, staff, as well as students, sat on stools facing the 40 or so people gathered. The staff and students welcomed us by sharing words which best represented their school such as accepting, family, diversity. I really enjoyed the intimate feel of this gathering. This school prides itself on community, and I got that vibe from the moment I arrived.

The new principal, a former educator and assistant principal at Highline, gave an overview that included Highline’s mission, curriculum, and the many things that make their school unique. Some of these things included the core knowledge program, Spanish instruction beginning in Kindergarten, small class size, a competitive and growing athletic department. A Question & Answer session followed.

We then broke into small groups to ask specific questions relating to the grade levels that our child would be enrolling in. A couple of teachers and students answered the various questions people had. What a clever idea it was to have teachers representing various grade levels sharing their expertise with the parents! I asked the students during the Q & A to share what they loved about their school. One child responded, “Our school is accepting of all children. Everyone knows each other and it feels like a family.” The other student liked the winter concert and the 5^th grade students partnering with the Kindergartners for Reading Buddies. I loved the idea of students being included in this Open House. The students were well versed in answering the questions and their school spirit was contagious. The students then led us on a tour of the building. It was also nice that staff members joined the tour for more in depth responses to the questions we had.

There are two classrooms per grade level K-8^th grade. Some of the classrooms I observed had no doors. I thought about how distracting it must be for students within the classroom to deal with noise in the hallways especially when children are making transitions. Some of the classrooms were more traditional with desks in a row while other classrooms had desks grouped together indicating cooperative learning. The first grade classrooms were not classrooms at all. They were found in an area of the school with only a dividing wall separating them from the hallway (the divider walls were not from floor to ceiling). One of the Kindergarten classrooms was set up like this as well.  Due to this arrangement, some classrooms felt very small and crowded while others were spacious. Again, I couldn’t help but think of the noise distraction and how disruptive it must be for young children when concentrating on the task at hand. A staff member on our tour assured us that children adapt quickly.  I confess that I got hung up on this non-traditional school environment and I’m very supportive of the charter school movement. It’s definitely not for everyone. Families looking at charter schools tend to be looking for non-traditional learning environments so I doubt they would have an issue with this.

The children wear uniforms because the focus is supposed to be on academics and not one’s attire. The diverse student population represents over 40 countries. I thought that statistic was pretty amazing and how lucky for these children to be immersed amongst other children with such varying backgrounds! I also liked the fact that Highline purposely sets aside a specific percentage of their enrollment for children of low-economic status (40% of children qualify for free and reduced lunch). This allows for even greater diversity.

Another student-focused program I learned about was their Ambassador program. When a new student arrives at Highline they are immediately partnered with a buddy for a period of time. This buddy shows them the ropes so to speak and helps make their transition from their old school to their new one, as comforting as possible. What better way to help a new student acclimate to his/her new surroundings! I loved the idea of this program. If you are looking for a school that hosts an alternative approach to learning, along with a small, close knit, diverse community where children are granted various opportunities to “reach out” to help one another while developing leadership skills in the process, Highline may be the school for your child.

We welcome your comments and impressions on your experience with Highline Academy.

Although our blog is focused on elementary education, many of our readers also have children in upper grade levels that should be aware of this information.  Denver Public Schools is holding a School Expo that is taking place November 4, 2009.  It’s for families interested in learning about their options for middle school and high school.  Read the flyer below to learn more about this important event.

DPS School Expo Flyer