Education Guide 2021 by Colorado Parent Magazine

2021

E A R LY L E A R N I N G

S C H O O L D AY S

ENRICHMENT

Exploring Outdoor Classrooms Nature Guides Student Learning in These Colorado Schools

7 Habits of the Healthiest Kids in School Tips to Improve Your Child’s Memory

6 Productive Questions for Parent-Teacher Conferences PART OF THE

Plus Our 2021 Private School Directory

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INDIVIDUALIZED ONE-ON-ONE TEACHING

Now Enrolling Pre-K to 9th Grade Every child learns differently—some prefer to listen, others to do; math comes easier to some, and for others it’s reading; and all develop their own passions. For deeper and more engaged learning, the ideal school environment features one-on-one teaching from professional educators, individualized for each child. For over 100 years, this has been one of the central tenets of the Montessori method. Schedule a virtual tour of Montessori Children’s House of Denver to learn what a difference this method could make in the life and mind of your own child. Mayfair - Park Hill - Central Park 303.322.8324 • mchdenver.org

At Everbrook Academy, we explore Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math to launch an epic education, at every age. Our experienced teachers are ready to help your child understand 21st century concepts to create a solid foundation for future success and a lifelong love of learning. • Infant to Junior K classrooms • Before- and after-school programs • Live streaming video and family communications app • Seasonal camps for winter, spring, and summer breaks

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CONTENTS 2021

Education Guide | brought to you by Colorado Parent

WHAT WE LEARNED

Good to Know 9

HELP IMPROVE YOUR CHILD'S MEMORY

TIPS TO DITCH THE DITCHING TALK

School Days 14

MOTHER NATURE'S CLASSROOM

EXPLORING SLIDING SCALE TUITION

PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS

After the Bell 24

HABITS OF THE HEALTHIEST KID AT SCHOOL

PRODUCTIVE QUESTIONS TO ASK AT PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES

Teacher Talk 38

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

26 Private School Directory Looking for a school in your area? Explore our list of Denver and Boulder area private schools, preschools, and childcare centers.

Cover: Courtesy Hale O’Herren of Thorne Nature Preschool

18 4

Education Guide | 2021

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Editor’s Note

What We Learned…

EDITORIAL edit@coloradoparent.com Editor Deborah Mock Senior Associate Editor Kara Thompson Editorial Assistant Anna Sutterer Copy Editor Lydia Rueger

LO V

Classrooms come in all shapes and sizes. This past year classrooms looked an awful lot like home—the dining room table, a desk in the family room, or a spot at the kitchen island. We also discovered that for some schools, classrooms are a spot in nature with lessons inspired by the animals, trees, and streams. Read more about these nature-based schools on page 14.

Things that inspired this issue, and what our editors discovered along the way.

You can help your child better their memorization skills. Find four simple methods on page 9.

ADVERTISING SALES Advertising Director Brigette Swartz brigette@coloradoparent.com Account Manager Hilary Angel hilary@coloradoparent.com

VE EA

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IT Don’t show up unprepared for parent-teacher conferences. Instead, arm yourself with the productive questions on page 36. Sliding scale tuition. Is this alternative to financial aid the answer to more equitable private schools? Page 18

PRODUCTION Art Director Heather Gaumer BRAND SERVICES Brand Services Director Carly Lambert Print Operations Director Megan Skolak Creative Services Manager Chelsea Conrad Digital Advertising Manager Shundra Jackson Graphic Designer Caitlin Brooks Production Coordinator Alyssa Chutka Design Coordinator Mylie Hiraoka Advertising and Marketing Coordinator Tamara Curry Creative Services Intern Dzifah Danso MARKETING Director of Marketing Piniel Simegn ADMINISTRATION Billing and Collections Manager Jessica McHeard circulation@coloradoparent.com

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When you’re uncomfortable, a little frustrated, and a little nervous, it means you’re about to break through to something really cool. —-Gerardo Muñoz, the 2021 Colorado Teacher of the Year. Read more on page 38.

Share your feedback and ideas! Email us at edit@coloradoparent.com.

Education Guide | 2021

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Good to Know HELPFUL NEWS, IDEAS, AND TIPS FOR COLORADO PARENTS

Help Improve Your Child's Memory When your child struggles with remembering things, especially when it relates to learning, they can become frustrated. But there's hope. Memorizing is a skill that can be learned and improved. Here are some ways you can help. • Give your child increasingly complex instructions. Rather than tell him to go make his bed in the morning, you could instruct him that you want him to make his bed, brush his teeth, and put away his pajamas. Then, when you see that he completes multiple tasks in a row competently, add one or two more elements. Increase the difficulty until following multiple steps comes naturally for him. • Assist your child by showing her how to chunk information into groups, rather than individual pieces. Much in the same way we can remember phone numbers by grouping them into sets of three and four numbers, your child will better remember pairs, trios, and quartets of information. The brothers down the street could be Joe. And Doug. But Joe-and-Doug is easier to recall.

Illustration: Paula Daniëlse/Getty Images.

• Psychologists suggest using multiple senses when “encoding” or inputting information. Each sense follows a different pathway to the brain, so when the same information travels multiple paths, there are more routes for retrieving it later. This is why teachers often incorporate songs and movements in the classroom, but you can use them at home too. When your child struggles to remember facts or concepts, help them create motions to match. For common facts such as states and capitals, you can often find songs online at sites such as songsforteaching.com. • Teach your child how to use mnemonic devices— those funny sayings and acronyms created just for memorizing tricky information; such as "Always Eat An Apple, Says A Nurse" for the seven continents (Asia, Europe, Australia, Africa, South America, Antarctica, North America). Or, "The principal is your pal" for distinguishing between the homophones: principle and principal. If one method doesn't work, don't give up. Keep trying until your child finds the memory tool that suits him best. —Lara Krupicka

2021 | ColoradoParent.com

Good to Know

Looking for some lessons outside of the typical textbook? Check out these podcasts specifically for young learners. SCIENCE Brains On!, a science podcast for children, is co-hosted by kids across the country. Each week, a different guest joins Molly Bloom to find answers to questions sent in by listeners. Woven into highfalutin lab talk are mystery sounds to guess and songs to dance to. The multi-layer experience is like a trip to a natural science museum—in your mind. brainson.org HISTORY Packed into 15-ish minutes, each episode of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls unfolds the life stories of extraordinary women like sculptor and abolitionist Edmonia Wildfire Lewis, and Colorado’s own Autism awareness activist Dr. Temple Grandin. Though the ideas and historical context are often lofty, the narration is plain-spoken, offering parents opportunities to pause and talk with young listeners about the content. rebelgirls.com/podcast STORYTELLING In each episode of Story Pirates, the tale-telling team takes stories written by kids and turns them into sketch comedy and songs. Tune in to the yarn about a mouth that ran away, a pancake heist, and a fairy without wings. Kids feeling inspired? Have them write their own story and send it in. storypirates.com/podcast —Anna Sutterer

Education Guide | 2021

Bringing the Joy of Reading to Visually Impaired Youth A blind son with degenerative brain disease, a child with dyslexia, a teenager who survived a traumatic brain injury; these are just a few of the people Colorado Talking Book Library (CBTL) in Denver helps with their audio and large print reading material. In 1931, the Pratt-Smoot Act provided funds to libraries that would engage blind, visually impaired, or physically disabled readers. Colorado Talking Book Library, with its wide range of audio and large print reading material, is one of the original 19 regional services started at that time. As of August 26, 2021, the CBTL holds 36,615 audio, braille, and large print books for preschool through young adult readers. Fresh content is added continuously in all categories, which include Colorado-based titles, magazines, and descriptive movies. The BARD Mobile app also allows for downloading of Braille files. Families can apply for free online. myctbl.cde.state.co.us —Anna Sutterer

Library: Colorado Talking Book Library. Child with headphones, book and desk illustrations: Getty Images.

3 Enriching Podcasts for Kids

Colorado Talking Book Library, which turns 90 this year, holds more than 36,000 adaptive books for children and teens alone. Here are the two items that Colorado kids borrowed most:

Harry Potter Novel Series

The Box car Childre n Book Se ries

NEW SCHOOL

Robert F. Smith STEAM Academy Named for a Denver-born chemical engineer and investor, and planted in the northeast of the city, Robert F. Smith STEAM Academy opened its doors to an inaugural class of freshmen in August 2021. Denver Public Schools’ new charter school is modeled after Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and includes lessons from Black History 365 curriculum, which features a hip hop history album that tells a 40 chapter story on Black History. Students will engage in immersive, hands-on learning experiences with professionals who work in STEM, arts, and business.

Founding principal Shakira Abney-Wisdom, an alumna of HBCU Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, wrote on the school’s website: “I understand the impact of being in an unapologetically Black space complete with rigorous academic experiences, rich traditions, caring intergenerational relationships, strong community, and an incredible sense of pride.” The administration is working to build partnerships with HBCUs for academic support and for students to build intergenerational relationships. robertfsmith.dpsk12.org

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Good to Know | Parenting 911

Parent, child talking: Kentaroo Tryman/Getty Images.

Parenting 911

The Temptation To Ditch THE PROBLEM: I overheard my middle-school age son talking to friends about ditching a class. I absolutely do not want my child thinking that is OK or cool, but also don't want to overreact to teen talk. How can I approach the subject and make clear that it's not OK, without driving him closer to doing it? THE EXPERT: Christa Jimenez is a former high school teacher who now blogs about raising bilingual kids at puravidamoms.com. THE SOLUTION: No matter what, your two main goals are to strengthen the relationship with your child and to help them identify positive and negative choices. This is the perfect opportunity to do so in a fairly low stakes scenario—ditching a middle school class is not a good habit, but it also isn’t the end of the world. Here’s how to have the conversation: 1. Check your assumptions. Since you didn't hear your child agree to ditch, be careful not to assume that he's on board with it or he could feel you lack faith in him. Instead, use this as an opportunity to open up a discussion about ditching. 2. Find the right time and place. Choose a situation in which you think your child would be most comfortable without feeling threatened—a car ride, taking a walk, or face-to-face. He shouldn’t be stressed, tired, hungry, or sad. 3. Summarize and listen. After briefly summarizing what you overheard (no judgment!) ask him what

Education Guide | 2021

he thought about the conversation. There are probably two scenarios he will come up with: · He doesn’t agree with what his friends did. (Great. But you aren’t done yet.) · He might be curious about what it would be like to ditch. (This is natural—don’t freak out. If he knows ditching will get a rise out of you, he’s more tempted to do it.) 4. Ask questions. Has he ever thought about ditching? Does it seem cool? Why or why not? What does he know about the consequences of ditching? 5. Talk about you. Give an example from your own life of when you did something that wasn’t the best idea and you had to suffer the consequences. 6. Outline the consequences. Find out what the school’s consequences are for ditching. Then, walk through them with him, and add your own if necessary. Chances are, your child will ultimately make the right choice not to ditch classes. By taking the time to talk through it, you’ve taught your son how to handle a tough situation. The hope is that your son keeps coming to you for advice. If he thinks you’re unreasonable when he shares his burdens, he’ll go to his peers instead—and that’s not the best scenario for you or your child. —Courtney Drake-McDonough, Column editor

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School Days

Mother Nature’s

Classroom Nature-based schools in the Denver area are planting the seed of the European forest school model; trading long days in traditional classrooms for time among the logs, streams, and grassy patches in the park, and letting nature guide their students’ learning.

By Jamie Siebrase

Education Guide | 2021

School Days

ast fall, a hawk glided past ten eager preschoolers during their school day in Denver’s City Park. Like lightning, the bird of prey swooped down, caught a squirrel, and quickly retreated into an oak tree. The whole scene unfolded mere feet from where the young students stood. “I had everyone drop their backpacks, and we did a lesson, on the spot, around life cycles and food webs,” says Megan Patterson, founder and executive director of the Worldmind Nature Immersion School, an outdoor-based school in Denver. On another day, Patterson’s class got an impromptu lesson in water systems when one curious student noticed snow melting into City Park’s drainage system. Thorne Nature Preschool operates schools in Boulder and Lafayette, and both classrooms are situated alongside creeks. During the 2020-21 school year, a great blue heron regularly visited Thorne’s Lafayette campus, so teachers created a unit based on their new visitor, says education programs director Erin Saunders. In addition to watching the heron, students read books about wading birds and walked through the nearby creek, walking and stalking prey like their visitor. “Nature always provides rich learning opportunities,” Saunders says. Among nature-based educators, there are countless anecdotes like these. Teachable moments unfold naturally throughout every out-of-doors school day, making nature an effective teaching tool equal to the most well-research curriculum.

Nature school: Thorne Nature Center. Illustrations: Getty Images.

What is a Forest School, Anyway?

You may have seen images of rosy-cheeked Scandinavian kindergarteners huddled together in the snowy woods, whittling with real knives near a fire they built under the auspices of a teacher. This is their classroom. These schools, called Forest Schools, have been popular across Europe for decades, and according to Patterson, they are really just beginning to gain traction here in the U.S. According to the U.K.-based Forest Schools Association, Forest School is a child-centered learning process, in which kids’ regular class sessions take place in woodland or natural environments. Worldmind is Colorado’s first licensed outdoor-based preschool and kindergarten, and Patterson—who received the highest level forest school training while studying in the U.K.—says there’s a notable difference between

“forest schools” and “outdoor-based classrooms.” With outdoor-based education, Patterson and her colleagues still cover Common Core subjects, but the vast majority of teaching occurs outside. The building makes a difference, too: Here in Colorado, it’s not possible to meet state licensing requirements for preschools and kindergartens without having a brick-and-mortar building. Preschoolers, by Colorado law, are required to have lunch and naptime indoors. Worldmind’s building is the historic Graystone Mansion in the City Park neighborhood. But last year, the school’s kindergarteners and first graders spent 100 percent of their time outdoors.

Student-Led Learning

While there might not be any true forest schools here in Colorado—yet—outdoor-based schools like Worldmind and Thorne deliver forest schoolinspired concepts through a student-led learning model, meaning teachers follow the interests of their students. Teachers then use their students’ interests to build lessons spanning a range of subjects. If children are interested in the changing of leaves, teachers could engage the class in looking at colors and shapes, reading books about plants,

and learning about what plants and animals do to prepare for winter, says Saunders. It’s all about taking students’ natural passions and expanding them into “something deeper,” she says. When it comes to teaching preschoolers the basics, Thorne students wouldn’t sit down to do a worksheet on the letter A, explains Saunders. Instead, they learn the alphabet by drawing their ABCs into the sandbox with a stick or learning to recognize letters painted onto rocks. When it comes to early math concepts, understanding color and shape are foundational skills. Examples of both are plentiful outdoors. “There are so many different colors in nature, and so many things to count,” Saunders says. Outdoor-based programs also prioritize life skills, including building shelters, making fires, and working with tools, the latter of which are fundamental components of other learning models, such as Waldorf and Montessori. Another key component, Patterson says, involves allowing students to take calculated risks. Teachers emphasize social-emotional learning through problem solving and collaboration, which come easily when students are spending most of their time in nature. Both Saunders and Patterson think of Mother Nature as a co-teacher. Front Range nature educators believe that

2019 | ColoradoParent.com

School Days

you don’t actually have to be in a forest to lead forest-based learning. Worldmind is based in the heart of Denver. “Often there’s a disconnect between the city and nature…[but] there are so many authentic nature opportunities right here in Denver,” Patterson says. “We often use a small patch of grass, and there’s no limit to what we can do and discover.” In fact, she says her students have seen more wildlife in City Park than on field trips to Chautauqua Park in Boulder.

Questions About the Outdoor Classroom The nontraditional outdoor education model sometimes raises questions about its effectiveness. Sharon Danks, CEO of Green Schoolyards America, says teachers sometimes assume that holding class outside will be more unmanageable than inside. “It’s just the opposite,” Patterson says. “When you give students an opportunity to move and explore, then they are invested in learning and can actually sit and concentrate.” Last year, Worldmind did benchmarking and progress monitoring through aimswebPlus, an assessment tool from the education assessment company, Pearson. Students experienced “significant growth,” Patterson reports. “A number of students came in below grade level in reading and/or math, and by the end of the school year they were on grade level or above.” Winter weather is another hurdle Patterson and

Education Guide | 2021

Saunders have to overcome with state regulators and prospective parents. “Kids don’t get sick from being outside in cold weather,” Patterson says. Science backs this assertion—colds are caused by viruses—according to information from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Reasearch published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences also shows that while cold weather isn’t the source of illness, it may reduce the body’s ability to fight off a virus. “It’s all about having good gear,” Saunders says. Students at Thorne and Worldmind get extensive gear lists at the beginning of the school year. (Thorne’s lending library provides gear for families in need.) If conditions are truly hazardous, there’s always the classroom to fall back on. But most days, Saunders says, “Children are dressed well and they love being outside in the winter.”

Does the Model Work Anywhere?

There are many health benefits associated with being outdoors. One that has been in the forefront of our lives lately is that being outside helps reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Many Colorado school administrators added outdoor canopy structures in order to allow teachers to hold some classes outside. But how did things really play out? At the Odyssey School of Denver, for example, teachers did more teaching outside than in years

past. “We marked off our playground into sections so teachers could ‘check out’ outside spaces during the school day,” explains Elki Neiberger, the charter school’s director of operations. Students also ate lunch outside, and will continue the tradition this year “whenever the weather cooperates,” adds Neiberger. As part of its expeditionary learning mission, the Odyssey School has a robust outdoor adventure program. Though the school is situated between busy streets, “I don’t think it’s any more difficult for our students to focus outside than in the classroom, especially if outdoor time is well planned,” Neiberger says. Red Rocks Elementary principal Greg Isaac has a slightly different point of view. The school, located in Morrison, isn’t an outdoor school, but for years Isaac and his co-workers have had a vision for incorporating outdoor curriculum into the classroom. Isaac even planned to move classes outside during the pandemic, but implementation was “totally different,” he says. “We’re a neighborhood school following all of the public school guidelines, and there are significant limitations.” Outdoor lunches and read-alouds sounded good in theory, but from a practical standpoint, teachers at Red Rocks Elementary have found it can be tricky to get kids to pay attention amidst outside distractions like airplanes and wildlife. “We have a compelling vision and the heart and mind to understand the value of outdoor

School Days

WHEN YOU W A N T T O PA R E N T

Smarter

education, but we’re also pragmatists,” Isaac says. “Many in society don’t understand the true limits placed on educators. As a neighborhood school, with limited staff and schedules to keep, we’re finding that outdoor education is extremely complex. Stepping outside, while incredibly beneficial to kids overall, can’t totally replace the mental focus students need to complete many of the rigorous academic standards of today.” Given these limitations, it’s easier, perhaps, for private schools to embrace outdoor education. Montessori School of Denver purchased tents so teachers could deliver lessons outdoors, and they also spent more time walking around outside MSD’s campus, exploring nature in nearby neighborhoods. The school is currently adding an outdoor amphitheater and an open-air mindfulness space. “We were committed to being in person as much as we possibly could last year, and being outside worked,” says Anne Hewetson, dean of programs and student life. As students experience outdoor education, educators at Worldmind see change. “I love seeing the level of confidence and self-esteem increase in our students. Parents start calling to say that they are seeing an increase of confidence and self-esteem in their kids, outside of the classroom,” says Patterson. “And with that, we see them have the ability to take more risks, both academically and socially.” That connection to nature becomes a way of life for the students of outdoor schools. “Nature is a grounding and creative force in our daughter's life,” says Claire Brooker, a mom from Arvada, whose 10-year-old daughter attends Worldmind’s home-school enrichment program. “She is inspired to investigate, test, build, and imaginatively play with the things she sees around her. Being outside in natural environments has also provided magical places for her and her friends to learn to work together to create a shared vision of what they want to play. A day without time outside is a sad day at our house.” Jamie Siebrase is a Denver-based writer and mother of three.

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School Days

g n i p p Ti THE Scales

An equitable tuition model aims to eliminate labels and encourage diversity among private schools. By Courtney Drake-McDonough

Education Guide | 2021

Opener, Illustrations: Marta Shershen.

ach weekday morning, single mom Cynthia Gamez drops off three of her five kids at St. Elizabeth’s School, a private K-8 school in east Denver, where full-price tuition runs around $17,000 per year. She then heads to school herself where she’s getting an associate’s degree in human resources, and then to her job doing payroll for a transportation company. Because St. Elizabeth’s sliding scale tuition takes into account an entire household’s financial situation and adjusts the amount of tuition accordingly, Gamez is able to afford a good education at a school she knows her kids love. “I don’t own a home or have a lot of money in the bank, so what I’m going to leave my children is education,” she says. St. Elizabeth’s is one of several Colorado schools using the sliding scale model of payment—a system that’s been used in a variety of settings including healthcare and behavioral therapy. In education, sliding scale tuition is an alternative to financial aid, loans, grants, or scholarships. The ability for schools and programs to offer reduced-price tuition typically comes from donations, tuition, and, in some cases, tax payers. “The sliding scale concept…was predicated on the idea that a family’s financial commitment should be in equitable proportion to its economic resources,” explains Roger Mintz, interim director of finance for The Manhattan Country School (MCS), a school on New York’s Upper West Side, on which St. Elizabeth’s was modeled. MCS was founded on the tuition model with the goal of building a school that is truly economically and racially mixed: Statistics from the school’s enrollment show that 65 percent of MCS is made up of students of color, including many notable alumni who are impacting society in their respective fields. “Financial aid, scholarships, etc., are labels used that identify students with ‘less than’—in this case, less resources than are needed to pay the tuition,” Mintz says. The sliding-scale tuition model, he says, eliminates the need to apply labels to any student based upon the amount of tuition their family pays. It’s a system with the potential to build more equitable experiences for kids, starting in early childhood, and create school cultures where diversity is both the norm and a creative advantage.

School Days

A Sliding Scale Culture

The goal at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal K-8 independent school (meaning, it is not funded by a religious organization but instead by outside funders and tuition), is to ensure that every class has students from a broad range of socioeconomic backgrounds. One third of families pay full or close to full tuition, one third fall in the middle income range, and one third typically qualify for the free or reduced lunch program. About 80 percent of St. Elizabeth’s families are on some type of reduced tuition—some paying as little as $550 per year. During re-enrollment, the school reassesses everyone’s financial situation. “It’s not a perfect science,” says Diane Grove, director of admissions at St. Elizabeth’s. “We start with the data point of a family’s total adjusted gross income from their most recently submitted income taxes. If something has changed like someone lost a job, they’re supporting a family member, incurred medical expenses—anything that falls above and beyond normal household operation expenses, we can take into account.” A family’s enrollment in the school remains secure regardless of whether their finances improve or not. “Though our hope is that their financial situation gets better over the years,” says Grove. Families’ level of assistance

and financial situation is never known to others. Uniforms take away “wardrobe privilege,” as Grove puts it, and no one can tell who is receiving free, reduced price, or full price lunches.

Enabling Opportunities

Opportunities to implement sliding scale tuition start early in a child’s education. According to Bill Jaeger, vice president of Early Childhood and Policy Initiatives for Colorado Children’s Campaign, only about half of all Colorado children between the ages of three and four attend preschool of any type. The Denver Preschool Program (DPP), funded through a city tax initiative that voters renew or deny every 10 years, provides sliding scale tuition to families who apply for children ages three and four. Parents can choose from one of 260 quality preschool providers in Denver. DPP’s application process starts by looking at a family’s income, how many people are in the household, the quality of the program the family is interested in, and the number of hours they want to attend each week. “We’re a universal program, so one of the important things about the tuition scale is that all families qualify at different levels—regardless

2021 | ColoradoParent.com

School Days Illustration: Marta Shershen.

of income, every child can get access,” says Elsa Holguín, DPP president and CEO. “Our scale can go as low as [offering] $60 per month to a higher income family to $1,000 per month to families in the lowest income tiers attending the highest quality [program] levels.”

Advantages of a Diverse Population Besides increasing educational opportunities, sliding scale tuition provides a range of diversity, and all that goes with it, to the student body. “Our commitment [at St. Elizabeth’s] isn’t just to a broad base of socioeconomic backgrounds, but we’re committed to having a diversity of race, ethnicity, family culture, and faith, and we celebrate what everyone brings to the table,” says Grove. “Given that these children and families develop really close relationships with classmates who may live in a world that’s very different from theirs at home, we want to make sure that whatever represents ‘different’ in [their] mind is not scary—it’s beautiful and accepted.” Grove adds that having a diversity of friendships helps students prepare for the workplace and the rest of their lives. “When, from a very young age, you are in friendship with people who struggle with something you don’t, or are part of something you’re not, or believe something you don’t, conversations about equity are no longer academic—they’re about my best friend. It becomes very real to you—it’s lived instead of just discussed.”

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Education Guide | 2021

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The passing of Proposition EE last November set Colorado on the path to make universal, part-day preschool available for all children. “Making programs free is a more substantial public investment than doing what sliding scale is, which is a costsharing strategy to say families pay some and the public pays some,” Jaeger says. However, he sees sliding scale as a helper to a system that still needs work. “If well-structured, sliding scale tuition can be a way we extend what may be limited resources further, to be able to serve all families in a way that helps them achieve equitable opportunities for their children. For the schools, it can allow them to lower barriers to access for families that might not otherwise be able to afford opportunities.”

––––

Courtney Drake-McDonough is a Denver-based freelance writer and editor.

Welcome to the Family! The Douglas County School District (DCSD) provides tailored programming at every school and grade level. We build the educational foundation that allows each student to reach their full potential in academics, career, and life. No matter your child’s goals and needs, there’s a place for you in the DCSD Family.

Learn more at www.dcsdk12.org/ColoradoParentGuide

YOUR COMMUNITY, YOUR SCHOOL, YOUR CHOICE SU COMUNIDAD, SU ESCUELA, SU ELECCIÓN STRIVE Prep schools are some of the best K-12 schools in your neighborhood. Select us as #1 during DPS SchoolChoice for your best chance of enrolling.

STRIVEPREP.ORG/ENROLL

2021 | ColoradoParent.com

School Days

Metro Denver Public School Districts Over the past year, Colorado’s public schools have shown their dedication to the education and wellbeing of the nearly 890,000 kids they teach, lead, coach, guide, feed, and support each day. Here’s a snapshot of the outstanding school districts in the metro Denver area.

St. Vrain School District Weld County School District RE-3

Boulder Valley Schools

Brighton School District

Adams County District 12

Mapleton District 1 Westminster Public Schools

Adams County School District 14

Denver Public Schools Jefferson County Public Schools

COLORADO STATE ENROLLMENT:

883,199

4-YEAR GRADUATION RATE:

81.87%

Education Guide | 2021

Bennett School District Aurora Public Schools

Englewood Public Sheridan Schools Public Schools Littleton Public Schools

Cherry Creek School District

Elizabeth Public Schools Douglas County School District

School Days

Adams 12 Five Star Schools (Adams 12) adams12.org • 720-972-4000

Denver Public Schools (Denver County 1) dpsk12.org • 720-423-3200

SUPERINTENDENT: Christopher Gdowski

SUPERINTENDENT: Alex Marrero, Ed.D

ENROLLMENT: 36,654 students

STUDENTS: 89,081

SCHOOLS: 57

SCHOOLS: 207

4-YEAR GRADUATION RATE: 84%

4-YEAR GRADUATION RATE: 75%

Adams 14/Commerce City

Douglas County School District

(Adams County 14)

(Douglas County RE 1)

adams14.net • 303-853-3333

dcsdk12.org • 303-387-9999

SUPERINTENDENT: Karla Loria, Ed.D

SUPERINTENDENT: Corey Wise

ENROLLMENT: 6066 students

ENROLLMENT: 62,979 students

SCHOOLS: 13

SCHOOLS: 89

4-YEAR GRADUATION RATE: 67%

4-YEAR GRADUATION RATE: 91%

Aurora Public School

Elizabeth School District

(Adams-Arapahoe 28)

elizabethschooldistrict.org • 303-646-1836

Mapleton Public Schools (Mapleton 1) mapleton.us • 303-853-1000 SUPERINTENDENT: Charlotte Ciancio ENROLLMENT: 9,140 students SCHOOLS: 18 GRADUATION RATE: 78%

27J Schools Brighton (School District 27J) sd27j.org • 303-655-2900 SUPERINTENDENT: Chris Fiedler, Ed.D ENROLLMENT: 19,203 students SCHOOLS: 29 GRADUATION RATE: 86%

Sheridan School District (Sheridan 2)

aurorak12.org • 303-344-8060

SUPERINTENDENT: Douglas Bissonette

ssd2.org • 720-833-6991

SUPERINTENDENT: Rico Munn

ENROLLMENT: 2,212 students

ENROLLMENT: 37,907 students

SCHOOLS: 5

SUPERINTENDENT: Patrick Sandos

SCHOOLS: 67

GRADUATION RATE: 87%

4-YEAR GRADUATION RATE: 79%

Bennett School District

ENROLLMENT: 1,246 students SCHOOLS: 5 GRADUATION RATE: 77%

Englewood Public Schools (Englewood 1)

St. Vrain Valley Schools

(Bennett 29J)

englewoodschools.net • 303-761-7050

bsd29j.com • 303-644-3234

SUPERINTENDENT: Wendy Rubin Ed.D

svvsd.org • 303-776-6200

SUPERINTENDENT: Robin Purdy

ENROLLMENT: Nearly 3,000 students

ENROLLMENT: 1,175 students

SCHOOLS: 8

SUPERINTENDENT: Don Haddad, Ed.D

SCHOOLS: 5

4-YEAR GRADUATION RATE: 61%

4-YEAR GRADUATION RATE: 93%

Boulder Valley School District

(St. Vrain Valley RE 1J)

ENROLLMENT: 31,312 students SCHOOLS: 60 GRADUATION RATE: 88%

Jeffco Public Schools (Jefferson County R-1)

Weld County School District

(Boulder Valley RE-2)

jeffcopublicschools.org • 303-982-6500

bvsd.org • 303-447-1010

SUPERINTENDENT: Tracy Dorland

re3j.com • 303-536-2000

SUPERINTENDENT: Rob Anderson, Ph.D.

ENROLLMENT: 80,099 students

ENROLLMENT: 29,240 students

SCHOOL: 155

SUPERINTENDENT: Greg A. Rabenhorst

SCHOOLS: 60

GRADUATION RATE: 85%

4-YEAR GRADUATION RATE: 91%

Cherry Creek Schools

ENROLLMENT: 2,569 students SCHOOLS: 7 4-YEAR GRADUATION RATE: 94%

Littleton Public Schools (Littleton 6)

(Cherry Creek 5)

littletonpublicschools.net • 303-347-3300

cherrycreekschools.org • 303-773-1184

SUPERINTENDENT: Brian Ewart

SUPERINTENDENT: Christopher Smith

ENROLLMENT: 14,132 students

ENROLLMENT: 54,184 students

SCHOOLS: 22

SCHOOLS: 67

GRADUATION RATE: 90%

4-YEAR GRADUATION RATE: 89%

(Weld County School District Re-3J)

Westminster Public Schools westminsterpublicschools.org • 303-428-3511 SUPERINTENDENT: Pamela Swanson, Ed.D ENROLLMENT: 8,373 students SCHOOLS: 21 4-YEAR GRADUATION RATE: 72%

**Statistics are based on the 2020-21 school year.

2021 | ColoradoParent.com

After the Bell

7 Habits of the Healthiest Kid at School Follow this advice from professionals and experienced parents to set your child up for a healthy school year.

By Emma Athena

lizabeth Moore has spent more than a decade fine-tuning the everyday habits that keep her kids healthy and her family running smoothly. With four kids between the ages of six and 13, the biggest thing she’s figured out is how important it is to establish a routine. Little rules that manage screen time or mandatory outside time help her wrangle the little ones with consistency, while also keeping them away from sickness and fatigue. “If it’s a set schedule, then the kids will regulate themselves a lot more willingly,” she explains. But figuring out how to create a routine filled with healthy habits fine-tuned for your unique child’s needs can take a lot of time, trial, and error. Dr. Christine Darr, the medical director for pediatric emergency at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children, says the process can take work, but

Education Guide | 2021

forming healthy habits in school-age children is the best way to set them up for lifelong success. Dr. Ricky Mohon, the medical director of the sleep program at Children’s Hospital Colorado, agrees that establishing healthy daily routines isn’t always intuitive. But with a new school year, it’s a prime opportunity to incorporate new daily habits that promote kids’ health and wellness. And rather than start building habits from scratch, Darr and Mohon offer their top recommendations for how and where to start building the healthiest routines for school-age kids. 1. POWER DOWN (AT LEAST) AN HOUR BEFORE BED One of the most important daily habits to establish, Mohon says, is to eliminate screen time

before bed. “Whenever (kids) are on their screens and light is coming out of the screen,” he explains, “that light can suppress melatonin—the chemical that your brain makes as your natural sleeping pill that helps your brain go to sleep at night.” It’s important to reduce all screens—not just phones, but also TVs, computers, and even video chat sessions with relatives or friends, because any type of light emitted from an electronic device can distort melatonin levels and disrupt healthy sleep patterns, according to Mohon. That also means removing any and all electronic devices from bedrooms. Exactly how long should screen use be restricted before going to sleep? “At least an hour before the anticipated bedtime,” Mohon suggests. “If you use any lights at all, use a dim light. Do calming activities, tell stories, spend time as a family.”

After the Bell

Opener: Getty Images. Child climbing: Getty Images.

2. GET SUFFICIENT SLEEP EACH NIGHT Restricting electronic use before bed is an essential habit to cultivate because it promotes healthier sleep. “The most common reason that kids have symptoms of fatigue in the daytime—sleepiness, poor concentration, and lack of focus—is because they have insufficient sleep at night,” Mohon says. Getting a full night’s rest ensures kids are alert at school and behave well. When a kid is tired, especially chronically, it’s harder for them to employ appropriate emotions and perform at their peak, meaning they can get frustrated more easily or act up out of context. Darr agrees that sleep should be one of the most important priorities for kids. “One of the biggest things kids can do (for their ability to pay attention at school) is get enough sleep,” she says. Sleep is very dependent on age, Mohon says, but, in general, most school-age kids will need “about 10 hours of sleep each night.” He emphasizes that quality of sleep is just as important as the length of sleep. Uninterrupted sleep helps establish a healthy circadian rhythm and can maximize the physical recovery that our bodies undergo while we sleep, he explains. 3. ESTABLISH A ROUTINE Both Darr and Mohon recommend establishing a routine. “One really important thing is regular bedtime and a regular wake time,” Mohon says, pointing at how straining it can be physically for a child to go to sleep at 9 p.m. one night, then 10 p.m. the next, and midnight after that. “Whenever the kids are doing that it’s like crossing time zones,” he says. This can interfere with hormonal balance, especially cortisol levels, which, when balanced, can help regulate blood sugar levels and metabolism, reduce inflammation, and assist with memory function. Much like Moore’s experience establishing schedules and rules with her four kids, routines can help set and fulfill expectations, encourage self-governance, and open channels for sophisticated discussion between kids and adults. Into the daily routine, Darr also recommends incorporating little recesses for kids. “When kids get home from school, it’s a good time to take a break, play with pets, walk or run around, have a snack, and then sit down to do some homework.” Breaking the day into small chunks with adequate play and work times can help them stay engaged and present with whatever task is at hand and prevents mental or physical fatigue over the course of the day. 4. EAT POWERFUL MEALS “Make sure kids are eating breakfast before school,” Darr says, adding it should be a nutritional breakfast filled with whole grains and protein. “They can pay better attention if they’re not hungry and the calories provide energy. There is research that shows kids who don’t skip

breakfast can have less problems with maintaining ideal weight.” Additionally, Darr advises against kids grazing throughout the day. Three meals and only one or two snacks should provide enough sustenance for a kid’s full day, she says, and be sure to avoid sodas or too much fruit juice. “Water is the best thing for hydration. ... And keep the eating in the kitchen,” she adds. “If you sit in front of the TV with a snack, you eat more.” Danielle Cococcia, a mom of two living in Breckenridge, has found that feeding her kids healthy foods has made a big difference in her children’s energy and focus. “If people can make one change, it would be to pack lunch for their kids. It doesn’t have to be fancy,” she says, suggesting leftovers from dinner the night before, or simple sandwiches on whole-grain bread. 5. GET ONE HOUR OF “FREE TIME” OUTSIDE EACH DAY Prioritizing exercise can be cumbersome, especially after long days filled with extracurriculars, Darr admits, but she maintains it’s a vital element to include as part of an everyday routine. Aside from physical benefits, spending time outdoors has been shown to increase blood flow to the brain, can improve kids’ ability to learn, help creativity, and potentially boost memory function. Even a 20-minute walk, Darr says, will make a difference and increase brain activity, though parents should strive for their children to reach an hour of outdoor play time every day. Once outside, Darr says emphasizing “free-time play” can lead to

positive and long-lasting behavioral changes over time. “Free-time play encourages physical activity and creativity and emotions in kids.” If there’s trouble getting kids out the door, join them, Moore suggests. Getting outside with her four kids has helped them all stay active together, she says. “Kids aren’t dumb, and if they see you being sedentary and glued to screens while you kick them outside, they will be so much more resistant. If you’re out there getting them hiking, preparing the camping trips, etc., then they will be more invested.” 6. HAVE GOOD HYGIENE Darr says that general cleanliness is important, and brushing teeth can never be undervalued. 7. PRIORITIZE FAMILY TIME “I think it’s important for families to sit down together,” Darr says. “I would recommend it daily—a time where everyone puts their phones away and can have a good conversation.” Aside from the socialization practice, having a family dinner can also help parents identify problems kids are having, whether related to bullying or stress or deeper mental health issues. “Parents will learn how to best support their kids,” Darr says, by sitting down and simply talking with them without distractions. “Being in tune with your kids is one of the best things you can do to set them up for success.” Emma Athena is an award-winning journalist based in Boulder.

2021 | ColoradoParent.com

PRIVATE SCHOOL DIRECTORY

PRIVATE SCHOOL DIRECTORY ARVADA FAITH CHRISTIAN ACADEMY gofaitheagles.com 303-424-7310 K-12 Christian OAK STREET CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER oakstreetcdc.com 303-274-0519 Infant-Age 13 School Readiness SHRINE OF ST. ANNE CATHOLIC SCHOOL stannescatholic.com 303-422-1800 K-8 Roman Catholic ST. JOAN OF ARC EARLY LEARNING CENTER stjoanelc.org 303-422-4949 PK-K Roman Catholic

AURORA CEDARWOOD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY cedarwoodchristian.org 303-361-6456 K-12 Christian CHRIST OUR REDEEMER LUTHERAN SCHOOL christredeemerschool.org 303-337-3108 PK-5 Lutheran – WELS

KEY:

Phone Number

Education Guide | 2021

CRESCENT VIEW ACADEMY crescentview.org 303-745-2245 PK-12 Islamic

REGIS JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL regisjesuit.com 303-269-8000 9-12 Jesuit

BOULDER MONTESSORI SCHOOL bouldermontessori.org 303-494-5814 Toddler-K Montessori

DENVER STREET SCHOOL (EAST CAMPUS) denverstreetschool.org 303-860-1702 9-12 Christian

ST. PIUS X CATHOLIC SCHOOL stpiusxschool.net 303-364-6515 PK-8 Roman Catholic

BOULDER WALDORF KINDERGARTEN boulderwaldorf.com 303-541-0671 Toddler-K Waldorf

HAPPY DAY LEARNING CENTER 303-337-3838 Preschool-PK Early Childhood HOLY LOVE PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN holylovelutheran.org 303-693-8519 Preschool-K Lutheran – ELCA MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF AURORA montessoriofaurora.com 303-617-0611 Toddler-K Montessori MT. OLIVE LUTHERAN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTER mtolc.org 303-750-9856 PK-JK Lutheran – MS PEACE WITH CHRIST CHRISTIAN SCHOOL pwccs.org 303-766-7116 K-8 Lutheran – MS Ages/Grades

Type

ST. THERESE CATHOLIC SCHOOL stthereseschool.com 303-364-7494 PK-8 Roman Catholic

BOULDER BIXBY SCHOOL bixbyschool.org 303-494-7508 PK-5 Independent BLUE SKY KINDERGARTEN & PRESCHOOL blueskykindergarten.com 303-443-9098 PK-K Waldorf BOULDER COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL bouldercountryday.org 303-527-493 Preschool-8 Independent BOULDER JOURNEY SCHOOL boulderjourneyschool.com 303-443-8909 Infant-PK Early Childhood

COUNTRYSIDE MONTESSORI SCHOOL 303-494-3100 PK-K Montessori FRIENDS SCHOOL friendsschoolboulder.org 303-499-1999 Toddler-8 Independent (non-Quaker) GROWING MINDS LEARNING ACADEMY growingmindsco.com 303-530-1820 Infant-Age 8 Independent JARROW MONTESSORI SCHOOL jarrow.org 303-443-0511 Toddler-6 Montessori MACKINTOSH ACADEMY mackboulder.com 303-554-2011 K-8 Gifted Education

Private school opener: Klaus Vedfelt/Getty images

LEARN ANYWHERE, ANYTIME MAPLETON MONTESSORI SCHOOL mapletonmontessori.org 303-449-4499 Ages 2½-6 Montessori MOUNTAIN SHADOWS MONTESSORI SCHOOL mountainshadows.org 303-530-5353 Ages 1-12 Montessori MT. ZION LUTHERAN PRESCHOOL mtzionboulder.org 303-443-8477 Toddler-PK Lutheran – MS SACRED HEART OF JESUS SCHOOL school.shjboulder.org 303-447-2362 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic SEPTEMBER HIGH SCHOOL septemberschool.org 303-443-9933 9-12 Independent SHINING MOUNTAIN WALDORF SCHOOL shiningmountainwaldorf.org 303-951-8583 PK-12 Waldorf TARA PERFORMING ARTS HIGH SCHOOL tarahighschool.org 303-440-4510 9-12 Waldorf

BRIGHTON BRIGHTON ADVENTIST ACADEMY baaconnect.org 303-659-1223 K-10 Seventh-day Adventist ELMWOOD BAPTIST ACADEMY ebabrighton.org 303-659-3818 K-12 Baptist ZION LUTHERAN SCHOOL brightonzls.org 303-659-3443 Preschool-8 Lutheran – MS

BROOMFIELD APPLE TREE CHRISTIAN PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN broomfieldumc.org/apple-tree 303-466-8365 PK-K Early Childhood BAL SWAN CHILDREN’S CENTER balswan.org 303-466-6308 PK-1 Early Childhood

• • • • • • • • •

Small class sizes Individual curriculum Concurrent enrollment One-on-one support Loaned student computer Internet reimbursement Monthly field trips Participate in local district sports High qualified licenced Colorado teachers

Tuition Free Public School for Colorado Residents For more information go to:

bransonschoolonline.com

BEAUTIFUL SAVIOR LUTHERAN SCHOOL & ELC beautifulsaviorbroomfield.org 303-469-2049 Infant-5th Grade Lutheran – MS BOLDER PATHWAY SCHOOL bolderpathwayschool.com 720-420-9266 5-12 Special Education

TEMPLE GRANDIN SCHOOL templegrandinschool.org 303-554-7363 6-12 Special Education

HOLY FAMILY HIGH SCHOOL holyfamilyhs.com 303-410-1411 9-12 Roman Catholic

THE JOSHUA SCHOOL joshuaschool.org 303-974-7732 Ages 7-21 Special Education

HOPE MONTESSORI ACADEMY montessorichild.com 303-457-4400 Infant-K Montessori

WATERSHED SCHOOL watershedschool.org 303-440-7520 6-12 Independent

NATIVITY OF OUR LORD CATHOLIC SCHOOL school.nool.us 303-466-4177 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic

ZIJI EARLY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL zijiearlyelementary.org 303-530-0844 K-2 Independent

We Offer:

CASTLE ROCK FAITH LUTHERAN PRESCHOOL faithcrco.org/preschool 303-688-3476 Preschool Lutheran

Imagine the Possibilities... St. Elizabeth's K-8 Episcopal School Dedicated to Equity, Belonging, and Social Justice

Affordable Sliding-Scale Tuition Come see our new home on E 17th & Quebec! 303-322-4209 | www.stelizabethsdenver.org

2021 | ColoradoParent.com

MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF CASTLE ROCK montessoricastlerock.com 303-663-6942 Toddler-K Montessori

CENTENNIAL AMBLESIDE SCHOOL amblesidecolorado.com 720-712-0464 K-9 Christian CENTENNIAL MONTESSORI thecentennialmontessori.com 720-200-9220 Infant-Age 6 Montessori

SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS EARLY LEARNING CENTER shepherdhills-school.org 303-798-0711 Preschool-PK Early Childhood

DENVER

WILLOWS CHILD LEARNING CENTER willowschildlearn.com 303-771-4202 Preschool-K Early Childhood

ANNUNCIATION CATHOLIC SCHOOL annunciationk8.org 303-295-2515 K-8 Roman Catholic

WILLOWS OLDE MILL willowschildlearn.com 303-721-7771 Preschool-K Early Childhood

ARRUPE JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL arrupejesuit.com 303-455-7449 9-12 Jesuit

COMMERCE CITY ROCKY MOUNTAIN LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL rmlhs.org 303-346-1947 9-12 Lutheran – WELS

CONIFER ASPEN PARK MONTESSORI aspenparkmontessori.org 303-668-1532 PK-K Montessori

ACCELERATED SCHOOLS acceleratedschools.org 303-758-2003 1-12 Gifted Education

ASSUMPTION CATHOLIC SCHOOL assumptiondenver.org 303-288-2159 6-8 Roman Catholic BETH JACOB HIGH SCHOOL OF DENVER bjhs.org 303-893-1333 9-12 Jewish (all-girl) BISHOP MACHEBEUF HIGH SCHOOL machebeuf.org 303-344-0082 9-12 Roman Catholic BLESSED SACRAMENT CATHOLIC SCHOOL bscs-denver.net 303-377-8835 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic CALVARY APOSTOLIC ACADEMY cacdenver.org 303-758-7333 K-12 Pentecostal CHILDREN’S GARDEN MONTESSORI SCHOOL cgmontessori.com 303-322-0972 Toddler-K Montessori CHRIST LUTHERAN EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER christlutheranecc.org 303-722-1424 Toddler-PK Lutheran – MS CHRIST THE KING ROMAN CATHOLIC SCHOOL christthekingdenver.org 303-321-2123 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic

KEY:

Phone Number

Education Guide | 2021

Ages/Grades

Type

COLORADO ACADEMY coloradoacademy.org 303-986-1501 PK-12 Independent DENVER ACADEMY denveracademy.org 303-777-5870 1-12 Independent DENVER ACADEMY OF TORAH datcampus.org 720-859-6806 K-12 Jewish DENVER JEWISH DAY SCHOOL denverjds.org 303-369-0663 K-12 Jewish ÉCOLE DENVER ecoledenver.com 720-513-7658 PreK and 4th-8th grade (no K-3rd grade) Language School ESCUELA DE GUADALUPE escuelaguadalupe.org 303-964-8456 PK-8 Roman Catholic GARFIELD MONTESSORI SCHOOL garfieldmontessori.org 303-388-8828 Ages 2½-6 Montessori GOOD SHEPHERD CATHOLIC SCHOOL goodshepherddenver.org 303-321-6231 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic GRALAND COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL graland.org 303-399-0390 Preschool-8 Independent GUARDIAN ANGELS CATHOLIC SCHOOL guardianangelschurchdenver.org 303-480-9005 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic HILLEL ACADEMY OF DENVER hillelacademyofdenver.com 303-333-1511 PK-8 Jewish HOPE CENTER, INC. hopecenterinc.org 303-388-4801 Toddler-K Special Education

Teacher and child: Getty Images.

PRIVATE SCHOOL DIRECTORY

JOSHUA EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER joshuaearlychildhoodcenter.org 720-316-5234 Age 2½-6 Early Childhood

ST. THOMAS MORE CATHOLIC SCHOOL stmcatholic.org 303-770-0441 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic

ENROLLING NOW! Call to schedule a meeting & tour of the 22-acre campus.

Serving diverse learners, including those with dyslexia and ADHD, grades 1-12

Forming faithful disciples today to be strong leaders tomorrow. • Offering Preschool through 8th Grade with a licensed faculty • Outstanding Preschool Program and Kindergarten Prep for ages 3-5 • Rigorous curriculum • Christ-centered, Catholic faith formation • Comprehensive community service program • Exceptional faculty and staff involvement • Before and After care available • Extensive selection of extracurricular activities including a strong athletic program Please call for more information or to schedule an in-person tour at 303-951-8334.

www.OLOLcatholicschool.org

denveracademy.org • 303-777-5161

Serving gifted and creative students since 1977, Mackintosh Academy offers: • Accredited International Baccalaureate Programme for PreK through 8th grade • Inquiry-based learning and critical thinking focus • National award-winning sustainability program • Caring community of learners • 7:1 student/teacher ratio • Arts, Spanish, and physical education • Tuition assistance and scholarships available 303-794-6222 | www.mackintoshacademy.com 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

I ma g in e th e A mazing . ILIFF PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN iliffpreschool.com 303-757-3551 Toddler-K Early Childhood INNER CITY SCHOOL innercityschool.org 303-316-4533 PK-7 Christian INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF DENVER isdenver.org 303-340-3647 PK-8 Independent JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER jccdenver.org 303-316-6377 Toddler-Preschool Jewish

PRIVATE SCHOOL DIRECTORY

• Fully accredited middle and high school for grades 6–12. • Small class sizes and school community. • Serving students with learning differences. • Individualized and self-paced programs. • Enrolling year round.

MONARCH MONTESSORI OF DENVER monarchm.com 303-712-2001 Infant-Age 5 Montessori

www.h u ma nexacad e my.com

MONTESSORI ACADEMY OF COLORADO montessoriacademyofcolorado.org 303-623-2609 Infant-6th Grade Montessori

2700 S. Zuni Street, Englewood, CO 80110 | 303.783.0137

MONTESSORI CHILDREN’S HOUSE OF DENVER mchdenver.org 303-322-8324 PK-9 Montessori

Multilingual Education. Global Mindset. Extraordinary Impact.

novate!

MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF DENVER montessoridenver.org 720-606-4321 Toddler-8 Montessori

Visit us at isdenver.org

Student/Faculty Ratio 9:1 Enrollment 965 PreK–12

MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF WASHINGTON PARK mswp.org 303-722-7708 Age 2½-6 Montessori

(303) 914-2513

think, create, innovate! MONTVIEW COMMUNITY

WE INSTILL motivation and self-discipline through the Talent of our Teachers

think, create, innovate!

PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN montviewpreschool.org Student/Faculty Ratio 9:1 WE INSPIRE WE TEACH Preschool-K 303-322-7296 WE INSTILL Enrollment 965 WE TEACH PreK–12 critical thinking courage, kindness, and motivation and (303) 914-2513 Early Childhood courage, kindness, and and creativity WE INSTILL with empathy through self-discipline through

think, create, innovate!

think, create, WE innovate! TEACH

WE INSPIRE critical thinking

WEand INSPIRE creativity with

WE PROMOTE

empathy through

Innovative Curricula critical thinking and creativity with Innovative Curricula WE INSPIRE

Character Education courage, kindness, and empathy through Character Education WE TEACH

through Experiential Ed WE DEVELOP

Families from all backgrounds, cultures, faithsand andOutdoor Trips leadership and resilience Experiential Ed WEthrough DEVELOP Over $4.3 million of financialleadership aid awarded each year and and Outdoor resilience Trips and Outdoor Trips

(303) 914-2513

Character Education

MOST PRECIOUS BLOOD CATHOLIC SCHOOL self-discipline through school.mpbdenver.org the Talent of WE PROMOTE our Teachers teamwork and initiative 303-757-1279 K-8WE PROMOTE WE DEVELOP teamwork and initiative through the breadth WE PROMOTE Roman Catholic and depth our leadership and resilience through the breadth teamwork andofinitiative Arts and

through Experiential Ed Visit coloradoacademy.org to learn more about CA.

PreK–12

motivation the Talent ofand self-discipline our Teachersthrough the Talent of WE INSTILL motivation and our Teachers

through the breadth WE PROMOTE Athletics Programs

resources are welcome at CA Parent Preview October 25 and November 3.

NOTRE DAME PARISH SCHOOL notredamedenver.org 303-935-3549 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic OUR LADY OF LOURDES CATHOLIC SCHOOL lourdesclassical.org 303-722-7525 PK-8 Roman Catholic PADDINGTON STATION PRESCHOOL paddingtonstation.org 303-333-9154 Toddler-K Early Childhood PARZIVAL SHIELD WALDORF PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN 303-757-5102 Preschool-K Waldorf RABBI STEVEN FOSTER EARLY LEARNING CENTER elc.emanueldenver.org 303-321-7258 Toddler-K Jewish RICKS CENTER FOR GIFTED CHILDREN AT DU du.edu/ricks 303-871-2982 Preschool-8 Gifted Education ROCK SOLID CHRISTIAN ACADEMY rocksolidchristian.com 303-797-1005 K-12 Christian ST. ANNE’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL st-annes.org 303-756-9481 Preschool-8 Episcopal ST. ELIZABETH’S SCHOOL stelizabethsdenver.org 303-322-4209 K-8 (303) 914-2513 Episcopal Student/Faculty Ratio 9:1 Enrollment 965 PreK–12

Enrollment 965 (303) 914-2513

Innovative Curricula

teamwork and initiative critical thinking courage, kindness, and through the breadth and creativity with empathy through and depth of our Innovative Curricula Character Education Arts and Enrollment 1,019 | Student/Faculty Ratio 9:1WE DEVELOP Athletics Programs leadership and resilience 10 Bus Routes serving 66+ zip codes

Student/Faculty Ratio 9:1 Enrollment 965 PreK–12 Student/Faculty Ratio 9:1

MULLEN HIGH SCHOOL mullenhigh.com 303-761-1764 9-12 Roman Catholic

through Experiential Ed

and Outdoor Trips and depth of our teamwork and initiative through the breadth Arts and and depth ofAthletics our Programs Admission Parent Preview October 25 and November 3. Arts and Athletics Programs

to learn more.

and depth of our Arts and Athletics Programs

KEY:

Phone Number

ST. JAMES CATHOLIC SCHOOL stjamesdenver.org motivation and self-discipline through 303-333-8275 Preschool-8 the Talent of Roman our Teachers Catholic WE INSTILL

ST. JOHN’S SCHOOL & EARLY LEARNING CENTER sjdenver.org/school 303-733-3777 Toddler-8 Lutheran – MS Ages/Grades

Visit coloradoacademy.org to learn more about CA. Admission Parent Preview October 25 and November 3.

Visit coloradoacademy.org to learn more about CA. Admission Parent Preview October 25 and November 3. Visit coloradoacademy.org to learn more about CA. Admission Parent Preview October 25 and November 3. Education Guide | 2021

Type

ST. ROSE OF LIMA CATHOLIC ACADEMY strosedenver.org 303-733-5806 PK-8 Catholic ST. VINCENT DE PAUL CATHOLIC SCHOOL svdpk8.com 303-777-3812 PK-8 Roman Catholic STANLEY BRITISH PRIMARY SCHOOL stanleybps.org 303-360-0803 K-8 Independent TEMPLE SINAI PRESCHOOL sinaidenver.org/preschool 303-759-0755 Age 15 months-3 years Jewish THE DENVER WALDORF SCHOOL denverwaldorf.org 303-777-0531 PK-12 Waldorf THE LOGAN SCHOOL theloganschool.org 303-340-2444 K-8 Gifted Education THREE BEARS LEARNING CENTER threebearslearning.com 303-369-6464 Toddler-K Early Childhood YESHIVA TORAS CHAIM OF DENVER ytcdenver.org 303-629-8200 9-12 Jewish (all-boy)

EASTLAKE EASTLAKE MONTESSORI

PRESCHOOL eastlakemontessori.com 303-452-3835 Ages 3-7 Montessori

ENGLEWOOD ALL SOULS CATHOLIC SCHOOL allsoulscatholic.org/school 303-789-2155 PK-8 Roman Catholic HUMANEX ACADEMY humanexacademy.com 303-783-0137 6-12 Alternative School

KENT DENVER SCHOOL kentdenver.org 303-770-7660 6-12 Independent

Ricks Center Located on the University of Denver campus, Ricks Center is a school dedicated to gifted children.

ST. MARY’S ACADEMY stmarys.academy 303-762-8300 PK-12 Catholic Independent THE JOSHUA SCHOOL joshuaschool.org 303-758-7171 Ages 7-21 Special Education

ERIE BLUE MOUNTAIN MONTESSORI bluemountainmontessori.com 303-339-0117 Preschool-K Montessori

Preschool to eighth grade

Curriculum designed around the whole child

Flexible, differentiated curriculum

Active, engaged, hands on learning

Designated time to pursue questions and interests

Low student to teacher ratio

Teachers who know, understand, and care deeply about gifted education and each individual student

VISTA RIDGE ACADEMY vistaridge.org 303-828-4944 Preschool-8 Seventh-day Adventist

EVERGREEN EVERGREEN ACADEMY evergreenacademy.org 303-670-1721 Infant-Preschool Christian

Email ricksctr@du.edu or Call 303.871.3715 to learn more!

EVERGREEN COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL evergreencountryday.org 303-674-3400 Toddler-8th Grade Independent MONTESSORI SCHOOL OF EVERGREEN montessori-evergreen.org 303-674-0093 Toddler-8 Montessori

FOXFIELD OUR LADY OF LORETO CATHOLIC SCHOOL ololcatholicschool.org 303-951-8330 PK-8 Roman Catholic

FRANKTOWN TRINITY LUTHERAN SCHOOL tlcas.org 303-841-4660 Preschool-8 Lutheran – MS

MINDS HEARTS expanding HORIZONS educating

enriching

Preschool (Age 3) through 8th Grade

2701 S. York Street, Denver, CO 80210 (303) 756-9481 • www.st-annes.org

2021 | ColoradoParent.com

DENVER STREET SCHOOL (WEST CAMPUS) denverstreetschool.org 303-847-7582 9-12 Christian

MILE HIGH ACADEMY milehighacademy.org 303-744-1069 Preschool-12 Seventh-day Adventist

LAKEWOOD UNITED METHODIST PRESCHOOL lumpreschool.org 303-238-9082 Preschool Early Education

VALOR CHRISTIAN HIGH SCHOOL govalor.com 303-471-3000 9-12 Christian

GOLDEN

PRIVATE SCHOOL DIRECTORY

5280 EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTER 5280ecec.com 303-278-7772 Infant-PK Early Childhood CORNERSTONE MONTESSORI SCHOOL cornerstonemontessori.net 303-277-0245 Toddler-K Montessori

GREELEY DAYSPRING CHRISTIAN ACADEMY dayspringeagles.org 970-330-1151 Preschool-12 Christian SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS LUTHERAN PRESCHOOL sothgreeley.org 970-353-6582 Preschool Lutheran – WELS ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL stmarycs.net 970-353-8100 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic

THE GARDNER SCHOOL OF DTC thegardnerschool.com/schools/ the-gardner-school-of-dtc/ 720-672-9980 Infant-Age 5 Independent THE VILLAGE CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER villagelearning.com 303-290-9005 Toddler-K Early Childhood

GUNBARREL HILLSIDE SCHOOL hillsidelearning.org 303-494-1468 1-12 Special Education, Dyslexia

HIGHLANDS RANCH ARMA DEI ACADEMY armadeiacademy.com 303-346-4523 Preschool-8 Christian CHERRY HILLS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL cherryhillschristian.org 303-791-5500 Preschool-8 Christian

TRINITY LUTHERAN SCHOOL tlsgreeley.org 970-330-2485 Preschool-8 Lutheran – MS

ESPREE CHILD LEARNING CENTER espreeclc.com 303-471-1110 Preschool-K Early Childhood

GREENWOOD VILLAGE

ST. LUKE’S LITTLE SCHOOL stlukeslittleschool.org 303-791-1982 Ages 2½-5 Christian

ASPEN ACADEMY aspenacademy.org 303-346-3500 PK-8 Independent KEY:

Phone Number

Education Guide | 2021

Ages/Grades

Type

LAFAYETTE

OUR LADY OF FATIMA CATHOLIC SCHOOL olfcs.com 303-233-2500 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic

ADVENTURE MONTESSORI adventuremontessori.com 303-665-6789 Infant-Age 9 Montessori

ST. BERNADETTE CATHOLIC SCHOOL stbcs.net 303-237-0401 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic

DAWSON SCHOOL dawsonschool.org 303-665-6679 K-12 Experiential

LITTLETON

LAKEWOOD ADVANTAGE LEARNING CENTER advantagelc.net 303-914-5482 Infant-PK Early Childhood AUGUSTINE CLASSICAL ACADEMY augustineclassical.org 720-446-6286 Preschool-12 Christian BETHLEHEM LUTHERAN SCHOOL bethlehemdenver.com/school 303-233-0401 Preschool-8 Lutheran – MS CLEVER KIDS LEARNING CENTER child-care-preschool.brighthorizons. com/co/denver/cleverkids 303-236-9400 Infant-PK Early Childhood CONCORDIA PRESCHOOL clcgrace.org 303-989-5260 PK-K Lutheran – MS DENVER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL denverchristian.org 303-733-2421 Preschool-12 Christian

ABIDING HOPE PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN abidinghopepreschool.org 303-932-9160 Preschool-K Lutheran – ELCA FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN fcpk.org 303-972-3162 Toddler-K Christian FRONT RANGE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL frcs.org 303-531-4541 Preschool-12 Christian HAVERN SCHOOL havernschool.org 303-986-4587 K-8 Special Education MACKINTOSH ACADEMY mackintoshacademy.com 303-794-6222 PK-8 Gifted Education ST. MARY CATHOLIC SCHOOL littletoncatholicschool.com 303-798-2375 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic STEPPING STONES LEARNING CENTER OF LITTLETON sslcoflittleton.com 303-904-1121 Infant-Age 12 Early Childhood

Children with worms: SDI Productions/Getty Images.

HIGHLANDS RANCH LEARNING CENTER highlandsranchlearning.com 303-346-7144 Infant-K Early Childhood

NOW WHERE ENROLLING! LEARNING IS THE GARDNER SCHOOL OF DTC HANDS-ON AGES 6 WEEKS TO PRE-K We are excited to expand our academically-focused preschool to the Denver area. Clean, colorful, and inviting school environments Indoor and outdoor playscapes Research-based curriculums Optional on-site enrichment courses

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RSVP: admissions@FriendsSchoolBoulder.org 303.499.1999

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Denver’s only K-12 University-Model school - a unique hybrid of the best of homeschooling with the best of a private Christian school. The Gift of Time - The University Model gives parents more time with their children and also gives students the opportunity to pursue outside interests. Biblical Worldview - Christ-centered curriculum and discipleship. Flexibility - Full and part-time enrollment options for grades 6-12. Take all of your courses, or just take one or two. Time management - Research shows that students who graduate from a UM school are better equipped for college or work environments. Service - RSCA is committed to developing servant leaders who value giving back to their communities.

ROCKSOLIDCHRISTIAN.COM | 303-797-1005

2021 | ColoradoParent.com

Group: Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images.

WILLOWS ARAPAHO HILLS willowschildlearn.com 303-794-3871 Preschool-PK Early Childhood

LONE TREE CRÈME DE LA CRÈME cremedelacreme.com 303-662-9150 Infant-K Early Childhood MONTESSORI SCHOOL AT LONE TREE montessoriatlonetree.com 303-799-8540 Ages 2½-7 Montessori

LONGMONT

PRIVATE SCHOOL DIRECTORY

DESIDERATA SCHOOL desiderataschool.com 303-678-9335 4-12 Alternative School GATEWAY MONTESSORI SCHOOL gmslongmont.com 303-772-3864 Ages 1-5 Montessori LONGMONT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL longmontchristian.org 303-776-3254 Preschool-12 Christian ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CATHOLIC SCHOOL school.johnthebaptist.org 303-776-8760 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic

LOUISVILLE FAIRVIEW MONTESSORI SCHOOL fairviewmontessori.com 303-661-0343 Preschool-K Montessori ST. LOUIS CATHOLIC SCHOOL school.stlp.org 303-666-6220 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic THE PATCHWORK SCHOOL thepatchworkschool.com 720-271-6729 Ages 1-6 Early Education

MORRISON RED ROCKS CHRISTIAN PRESCHOOL redrockschristianpreschool.org 303-922-8305 Ages 3-4 Christian

Education Guide | 2021

NIWOT BOULDER VALLEY WALDORF SCHOOL bvwaldorf.org 303-652-0130 Preschool-8 Waldorf ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHRISTIAN ACADEMY rmcaonline.org 303-652-9162 Preschool-8 Christian

NORTHGLENN

LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL lhsparker.org 303-841-5551 9-12 Lutheran – MS PARKER MONTESSORI parkermontessori.com 303-841-4325 Infant-Age 6 Montessori RENAISSANCE MONTESSORI ACADEMY rmaschool.org 303-840-6119 Age 2½-K Montessori

WESTMINSTER BELLEVIEW CHRISTIAN SCHOOL belleviewchristian.com 303-427-5459 Toddler-12 Christian BLESSED MIGUEL PRO CATHOLIC ACADEMY miguelpro.org 303-427-5632 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic DEVEREUX CLEO WALLACE CENTER devereux.org 303-466-7391 5-12 Special Education

GETHSEMANE LUTHERAN SCHOOL glutheranschool.com 303-451-6908 Preschool-PK Lutheran – MS

SOUTHEAST CHRISTIAN SCHOOL sechristianschool.org 303-841-5988 Preschool-8 Christian

STEP BY STEP CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER stepbystepchildcare.net 303-451-1740 Infant-Age 12 Early Childhood

THORNTON A CHILD’S TOUCH achildstouch.com 303-286-8460 Infant-K Christian

HYLAND CHRISTIAN SCHOOL hylandchristian.com 303-466-1673 K-12 Christian

PARKER

LITTLE VILLAGE CHRISTIAN CHILD CARE CENTER village-church.org/little-village 303-452-2944 Preschool-PK Christian

LIFE CHRISTIAN ACADEMY lifechristianacad.org 303-438-1260 K-12 Christian

AVE MARIA CATHOLIC SCHOOL school.avemariacatholicparish.org 720-842-5400 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic

KEY:

Phone Number

Ages/Grades

Type

FLATIRONS ACADEMY flatironsacademy.org 303-451-1421 K-12 Christian

NOAH’S ARK PRESCHOOL AND CHILDCARE noahsarkpreschoolandchildcare.com 303-466-6887 Infant-PK Christian

Children with experiment: SDI Productions/Getty Images.

SHEPHERD OF THE VALLEY LUTHERAN SCHOOL svlchurch.com 303-424-1306 Preschool-8 Lutheran – WELS THE ACADEMY EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTER theacademyece.com 303-438-8610 Toddler-K Early Childhood

MULTIPLE LOCATIONS BRIGHT HORIZONS EARLY EDUCATION & PRESCHOOL brighthorizons.com 877-624-4532 Infant-Primary Early Childhood EVERBROOK ACADEMY everbrookacademy.com 888-235-0670 6 weeks-12 years Early Education

VICTORY MONTESSORI & CHILDCARE victorydenver.com/childcare 720-210-1177 Infant-K Montessori

KINDERCARE LEARNING CENTERS kindercare.com 888-525-2780 Infant-K Early Childhood

WOODEN SHOE PRESCHOOL & PREKINDERGARTEN woodenshoe-childcare.com 303-422-6195 Toddler-PK Early Childhood

LA PETITE ACADEMY lapetite.com 248-697-9287 Infant-K Early Childhood

WHEAT RIDGE ALPINE VALLEY SCHOOL alpinevalleyschool.com 303-271-0525 K-12 Sudbury School BETH EDEN BAPTIST SCHOOL bethedenschool.org 303-232-2313 Preschool-12 Baptist STS. PETER & PAUL CATHOLIC SCHOOL sppscatholic.com 303-424-0402 Preschool-8 Roman Catholic

LITTLE PEOPLE’S LANDING littlepeopleslanding.com 303-972-0787 Infant-PK Early Childhood PRIMROSE SCHOOLS primroseschools.com 770-529-4100 Infant-K Early Childhood THE COTTAGE SCHOOL cottageschoolsco.com 303-546-6814 Infant-K Early Childhood THE GODDARD SCHOOL goddardschool.com 800-463-3273 Infant-K Early Childhood

Join Hands. • Denver’s premier independent, Catholic school welcoming children of every culture, religious tradition, and economic background • Founded in 1864 by the Sisters of Loretto, forwardthinking educational leaders • Challenging and engaging academic program, the arts, sports, and service learning • Master teachers focused on individualized attention and support

CoeD Pre-K to 8 ALL-GirLS HiGH SCHooL stmarys.academy | 303.762.8300 2021 | ColoradoParent.com

After the Bell

6 Productive Questions to Ask at Parent-Teacher Conferences Tips to improve one-on-one time with your child’s teacher. By Rebecca Hastings

Education Guide | 2021

After the Bell

Conferences are around the corner, and with the ups and downs of school during the pandemic, it is especially important to make the most of this time to connect with the teacher.

s a parent I get excited about that fifteenminute slot allotted to have a oneon-one with my child’s teacher. I look forward to hearing about progress, struggles, and strengths. Sometimes a conference goes great, but sometimes we walk away thinking we just heard a script that is being repeated for every student. Asking specific questions gives you the opportunity to focus on what is important regarding your child. Areas of study covered or assessment scores can be done quickly and even in other communications. Addressing the following questions will give both you and the teacher a better understanding of your child throughout the year. Here are six questions to consider, to help you get the most from those minutes with the teacher.

Opener, illustration: Getty Images.

1. What do you see as an area of strength for my child? This question focuses the discussion on your child specifically while still giving the teacher the opportunity to evaluate all subjects. Sometimes parents find this answer surprising as kids can show different abilities in the classroom than at home. Once you know these hidden strengths, you can help bring them out in the home as well as at school. 2. If you could pick one area to focus on improving for my child, what would it be? Sometimes it is difficult to think about all areas of learning at once. Focusing on one area at a time for improvement helps define the priorities within the classroom. It also gives something concrete to work on at home.

It’s a good idea to revisit this question with the teacher throughout the year. Sending an email or utilizing school communication apps is a great way to check in regarding progress as well as give the teacher the opportunity to shift the focus to something new as your child improves. 3. How does my child contribute to the class atmosphere? This may seem like an unusual question, but it can provide a lot of information. Different personalities shine in different ways independently, but as you blend 20 unique people together, new sides can be revealed. This will give you an idea of how much your child may contribute to class discussions or how they may be a great helper for another student. Maybe you’ll discover that your child follows directions and models good behavior, or that they provide a funny idea to give everyone a laugh. Asking this question gives insight on how your child’s character comes through in an academic environment. This is especially useful to understand as kids approach middle school, where issues like popularity can impact their learning experience. 4. Who does my child work well with? Researchers at Vanderbilt University contend that increasing social skills results in students who are more responsive to academic learning. Giving the teacher the opportunity to look at the social element of learning is just as important as the academics. This can be a good barometer of how a child is doing socially. Understanding who your child is able to work well with at school will help everyone create a more successful learning environment.

5. How is my child handling the emotional elements of the pandemic? Beyond following pandemic guidelines, asking specifically about the mental health components of your child is essential. Frequent, open discussion about his or her mental health in relation to the pandemic and overall has never been more important. Talk about any emotional struggles you see and ask the teacher what they see in the classroom. This is a great opportunity to discuss resources like school counseling or lunch groups that may help your child process complex feelings. 6. Do you have any concerns about my child? This question can never be asked too much. Sometimes we are so busy getting through the list of assessments, reading levels, and academic achievement that we can miss the bigger picture. Giving teachers and parents both the pause to consider any areas of concern emotionally, socially or developmentally addresses the whole child in their learning environment. It is important to note that a conference is not an invitation to debate pandemic guidelines or other policies. It is likely that the teacher has little say in what the guidelines are; those discussions should be between you and the administration. Likewise, if you have specific concerns that you know will take more than the time allotted, ask if you can schedule a conference at another time. Remember there is likely another parent waiting in line behind you who wants to get the most out of their conference, too. Rebecca traded the classroom for writing when she stayed home with her three children. In real life, she can often be found typing words, driving her kids places or wherever there is chocolate. You can find her at rebeccahastings.net.

2021 | ColoradoParent.com

Teacher Talk

ONE-HUNDRED PERCENT OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WALK THROUGH YOUR DOOR WANT TO LEARN.

They may not know what it looks like to learn, they may not know the accepted behaviors of good learners, but they want to learn. If they didn’t want to succeed, they would not show up.

ONE-HUNDRED PERCENT OF STUDENTS ARE READY FOR LEADERSHIP.

Guiding Principles

Raised with an understanding of kids often passed over and underestimated, Colorado’s 2021 Teacher of the Year believes in each student’s potential.

They’re ready to set an example. You don’t need to be somebody with a middleclass income or a whole lot of privilege in order to understand how to lead. Leading is a matter of the heart and a matter of recognizing some values like disrupting systemic oppression, or recognizing people for their humanity.

By Anna Sutterer

erardo Muñoz, the 2021 Colorado Teacher of the Year, is a history teacher to middle and high school students, has worked in education for 21 years, is native to Colorado and a Denver Public Schools (DPS) grad. He’s also a “hip hop pedagogue” and co-host of the Too Dope Teachers and a Mic podcast. Muñoz models lifelong learning and encourages students to be bold in speaking up and working collaboratively. Growing up in Denver’s east side Whittier neighborhood, Muñoz noticed his block was focused on the collective: “I had to bring my report card to Mrs. Minton (a neighbor) and let her know how I was doing in school.” But that support didn’t always flow through

Education Guide | 2021

the school halls. “About half of the schools I attended got closed eventually,” Muñoz says. “The type of intelligence that was in this community when we were really young, the specific gifts the kids who were neglected could have offered, and then to see how badly things went for some of the fellas I grew up with, was really tough to watch.” Although teaching wasn’t his plan growing up, Gerardo Muñoz watched his mother (a retired teacher), father (a dynamic soccer coach), and neighbors lead and mentor. Their example, plus the key guidance of colleagues during his first years in education, brought him to these principles about young peoples’ potential.

IF I HAD BEEN AFRAID TO MESS THINGS UP, I WOULD NOT HAVE MADE IT PAST THE FIRST MONTH OF TEACHING.

My whole life is about how many wrong turns I can take. I try to teach that ethic to my students, that there are things you’re not going to feel really comfortable with in terms of your learning and the work that you’re taking on, and that’s okay. When you’re uncomfortable, a little frustrated, and a little nervous, it means you’re about to break through to something really cool.

Illustrations: Getty Images. Gerardo Muñoz: Claudia Muñoz.

MR. MUÑOZ’S TEACHING PRINCIPLES

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A Lifetime of Fun Starts at the Library Encouraging babies, kids and teens to Read, Play, and Learn Family • Outdoor in person and virtual storytimes (denverlibrary.org/storytime) • 24/7 stories, songs, and rhymes (720-865-8500) • Free access to other cultural institutions (denverlibrary.org/passes) • Personalized Reading Lists (denverlibrary.org/reads) • Classroom resources (denverlibrary.org/educators)

Birth to grade 8 • Early learning (kids.denverlibrary.org/lena) • Developing readers (kids.denverlibrary.org/welcometoreading) • Enriching and exploring new books (denverlibrary.org/ bookexplorers) Discover more children’s programs and services at kids.denverlibrary.org

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Education Guide 2021

Articles inside

TIPS TO DITCH THE DITCHING TALK

HELP IMPROVE YOUR CHILD'S MEMORY

PRODUCTIVE QUESTIONS TO ASK AT PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES

MOTHER NATURE'S CLASSROOM

WHAT WE LEARNED