Graland Today

Front Cover: A fifth-grade student is pictured caring for her class tower garden. Each year for their service learning project, fifth graders learn how to grow a variety of produce in science class and determine how to use this knowledge to support the community.

See Article Page 6

New Campus Art Installation Honors Educators & Thanks Donors

Send correspondence to: Communications Manager Graland Country Day School 55 Clermont Street Denver, CO 80220 communications@graland.org graland.org

At Graland Country Day School

it is our mission to:

Achieve intellectual excellence, build strong character, enrich learning through the arts and athletics, and prepare our students to be engaged citizens and thoughtful leaders.

Graland’s Guiding Principles

Pursue Excellence

Guide Critical Thinking

Instill Integrity

Inspire Leadership

Promote Independence

Stimulate Innovation

Honor Individuality

Cultivate Compassion

Embrace Experiences

Celebrate Perseverance

Value Tradition

Build Community

Ascende Omnem Montem

"These trees were designed to demonstrate the power of teaching, the power of learning, and the power of education." -

Tony Ball, Artist

During the 2018-19 school year, the Inspire Campaign was launched and led by co-chairs Amy and Peter Corrigan and Andi and John Freyer ’92 to fund a groundbreaking sphere-based compensation model. Rather than rewarding teachers simply for their years of experience and educational achievements, the innovative structure rewards teachers for impacting students in the classroom while going further to recognize those who demonstrate the school's values and advance the overall program. It raises Graland faculty salaries to be competitive, both locally and nationally, and rewards teachers for being masters of their craft. It honors exceptional teaching and is designed to impact program growth and expand student learning. And it provides Graland with the means to attract outstanding teachers by showing recruits that the school values educational expertise and encourages a growth mindset.

To commemorate the Inspire Campaign's positive impacts, show appreciation for its donors, and honor Graland educators, a new art piece was installed on the Corkins Center patio over spring break (see above). The piece, created by Tony Ball from Tork Collaborative Arts, resembles birch trees, paying homage to the school's original address (30 Birch Street) and the growth, knowledge, learning, and reaching for great heights that trees symbolize, all attributes Graland seeks for both its educators and its students. The trees are made of aluminum, and the leaves were created with a colorchanging resin that beautifully captures and reflects light. The official ribbon-cutting for the installation took place on the afternoon of the Spring Art Show on April 14, 2023.

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At Graland, we aspire to bring the best of the world to our students so they can bring the best of themselves to the world.

– Kerstin Rowe

A Standing Ovation for Master Teacher Dan O’Neill

By Molly Johnson, Communications Manager

Every time one enters the main doors of the Georgia Nelson Building on campus, they are greeted by the Master Teacher wall, which houses the portraits of Graland educators (former and current) who have dedicated 20-plus years of their career to the school, its mission, and its students. This year, the 71st Master Teacher headshot was added to the wall in honor of Drama Teacher Dan O’Neill.

Some might say Mr. O’Neill was initially “cast” at Graland in 2003 as a part-time drama teacher. Since then, he has played many roles over the years, including support teacher, lead teacher, advisor, director of the musical, the King of 50 on the 100th Day of School, and occasionally, the Graland Eagle. When asked what role has been his favorite, Mr. O’Neill will tell you it was anytime he was given the opportunity to inspire students. “I’m lucky,” Mr. O’Neill said. “I have been able to take the things that inspire me and pass those along to my students over the years. For me, this means encouraging students to take risks, gain confidence, grow, create, fail, fail again, and then fail better.”

In addition, Mr. O’Neill is proud of his part in providing a renewed vision for the annual Grade 4 musical, creating the filmmaking class curriculum, and establishing a production studio on campus. In fact, Mr. O’Neill shared that his favorite memory at Graland was when he traveled to New York with other educators to research performance spaces, digital media studios, and technology ahead of the Corkins Center opening its doors in 2016. “Helping to bring the digital media studio to campus made me feel like I was part of a

a Master Teacher is. To this day, when admission tours visit the space, it allows me to tell prospective parents, ‘look at how much agency Graland gives its educators.’ When we said there was a need for a production studio on campus, the school listened and provided the resources and the room to dream and be curious.”

As a nod to his biggest mentors and supporters along the way, Mr. O’Neill wanted to spotlight Mitch Masters (Grade 6 teacher), Justine Hall (Grade 2 teacher), and Di Nestel (former director of programs) and thank them for their leadership and friendship over the past 20

time at Graland and what’s still to come, Mr. O’Neill shared that the secret to his success has been remembering to have fun. “I have always said, ‘if it ain’t fun, don’t do it.’ There is rarely a day that I drive out of the employee garage and don’t feel like it was a good day, even on the challenging ones.”

Following his curtain call at the Master Teacher Assembly on March 15, Graland would like to once again encourage Mr. O’Neill to take a bow and congratulate him on this distinguished achievement.

Intellectual Excellence in the Age of A.I.

By Josh Cobb, Head of School

This year, for my wife’s birthday, my son gave two birthday notes. One, without my wife knowing it at first, was written by ChatGPT. It was fine, a little general and superficial, but adequate for a mom who is happy to receive any acknowledgment from her twenty-year-old son. At the end of that note, my son revealed the actual author and asked her to flip the sheet to reveal his own unique letter, much more personal and poignant. It was a moment that has stuck with me as I often consider the question, what will humans need to differentiate themselves in this automated world? It is a crucial question for us all and mostly for educators who are attempting to prepare children to thrive in school and in life.

My son’s clever two-faced birthday card, computer on one side and human on the other, is an indicator of the hybrid world we are currently living in. David Brooks recently addressed this in an opinion piece entitled, “In the Age of A.I., Major in Being Human.” In this piece, Brooks focuses on character attributes like empathy and advocates studying literature and history so that “you can learn about what goes on in the minds of other people,” an ability that machines do not currently possess. He also stresses the importance of presentation skills, stating, “The ability to give a good speech, connect with an audience [...] seem like a suite of skills that A.I. will not replicate.” Finally, he emphasizes creativity, specifically, “a childlike talent for creativity.” Here at Graland, we have numerous children with a talent for innovation, which was on display at the recent Gates Innovation and Invention Program Expo. Over twenty years ago, Charles C. Gates prophetically knew how precious this creativity was and wanted to unleash that talent through the program he initiated

and endowed. Since that time, we have refined the program and also brought its concept and spirit to the Lower School in the form of Tinker Time while focusing on six innovation skills: empathy, critical thinking, creative thinking, grit/ perseverance, experimentation, and collaboration, all of which we believe separate us from machines.

Years before David Brooks’s commentary, Daniel Pink, in his 2008 book “A Whole New Mind,” presciently elevated six “senses” that he believed would become more and more essential in the time of automation: design, symphony, story, meaning, empathy, and play. These senses, though uniquely titled, echoed many of the innovation skills listed above. Pink argues that we need “not just function but also design” and that “it’s economically crucial and personally rewarding to create something that is also beautiful, whimsical, or emotionally engaging.” Understanding the emotions of others is critical for design and also leads Pink to elevate another sense, empathy, one of the five character attributes from Graland’s character framework. He writes, “What will distinguish those who thrive will be their ability to understand what makes their fellow woman or man tick, to forge relationships, and to care for others.” This skill is key to designing an invention that meets a need and to developing a compassionate character that can bring more unity to society.

In addition to attributes found in our innovations skills and our character framework, Pink introduces new traits to consider as essential for the future. Symphony relies on “synthesis–seeing the big picture, crossing boundaries, and being

able to combine disparate pieces into an arresting new whole.” In addition, Pink, like Brooks, emphasizes the importance of communication in his sense, story, “The essence of persuasion, communication, and self-understanding has become the ability to also fashion a compelling narrative.” Fortunately, Graland’s tradition of “stand and deliver” moments from the Kindergarten Rodeo to the Grade 8 Capstone presentations gives us a great opportunity to foster the sense of story and the intellectual competency of effective communication.

While Pink argues that human beings need to develop “high concept, high touch” competencies in the future, David Epstein, in his 2019 book “Range,” expands on this argument by focusing on the cognitive abilities that will help us solve wicked problems. He defines kind problems as the ones that play by the rules in a clear, formulaic way. He explores chess as a kind problem and reveals how computers

now dominate humans in this type of arena, specifically describing how the IBM supercomputer Deep Blue defeated one of the greatest chess grandmasters of all time Garry Kasparov in 1997. Wicked problems, conversely, do not play by the rules. Whereas computers can excel at kind problems, they struggle with wicked problems, which is where we come in if we have the skills to meet the complexity.

To solve wicked problems, Epstein suggests that we must: apply knowledge to new situations, make connections, experiment, try new tools, and ultimately, be a generalist. He writes, “Our greatest strength is the exact opposite of narrow specialization. It is the ability to integrate broadly.” To prove this point, Epstein tells another chess story about “freestyle chess.” This tournament pits teams of humans using multiple computers against the top chess supercomputer, as well as

Creating Dynamic and Engaging Learning Experiences

By Kerstin Rowe, Director of Curriculum and Instruction

At Graland, we want to do more than educate our students. We want to inspire them. This is why “Inspire Students” is one of the four core tenets of our strategic plan. The first objective of this tenet is “to provide dynamic and engaging learning experiences that captivate students and cultivate competencies that reflect our mission and guiding principles.” Learning needs to be dynamic and engaging – it needs to provide a spark. Of course, we want students to be competent but also curious and eager. Head of School Josh Cobb has written about the intellectual attributes we desire in our students, and in this article, I will address this essential question: “How do we provide the right environment to create those dynamic and engaging learning experiences?”

The Instructional Team (I-Team) has been spending much of the year exploring “What does dynamic and engaging

learning look like?” This past fall, we engaged in some learning experiences to help answer this question. First, our team brainstormed as a group. Then we spent two meetings engaging in classroom observations: one session in the Lower School and one session in the Middle School. At Graland, we aspire to bring the best of the world to our students so they can bring the best of themselves to the world; therefore, for yet another meeting, our team engaged in a “jigsaw” experience, where we studied videos of engaging learning experiences from around the world. Using what we learned from our observations of classes, as well as from videos, we compiled the best of these ideas into what we think engaging learning looks like in the classroom. Among other things, members of I-Team noted that engaging learning involves, among other things: student

voice and choice, creation of products, realworld relevance, productive struggle, social interaction, creativity, and experiential opportunities. These characteristics were clearly on display at the Gates Invention and Innovation Expo. Some people might think the Expo is like a science fair, but it is so much more. Reading the presentation boards, I noticed the empathy with which students addressed their problems: Students ensured their inventions had real-world relevance by empathizing with potential users. Seeing how the inventions worked, I observed the creative thought that went into students’ innovations: They had engaged in productive struggle to actualize their ideas into a product. Talking with the inventors, I heard the excitement students had about their products: They had the opportunity for voice and choice in what they studied and created. The Gates Invention & Innovation program creates an ideal space where students truly participate in dynamic and engaging learning experiences. There is a true spirit of discovery in the production and the experience of the Gates Expo. We see this not only in yearly events like the Gates Expo but on a daily basis as well: Kindergarten authors read their books with visitors; thirdgrade scientists discover why the peppered moth turned predominantly black in the 1800s; fifth-grade historians debate whether Athens or Sparta was a better place to live.

This inspiration shines throughout Graland. Moving forward we want to identify the places where it comes to light and use these examples to develop even more opportunities. The question, then, is: “How do we further

expand this type of learning environment to allow this discovery, this passion, and this innovation to come to the fore?” On our recent professional development day, we engaged teachers in an activity where they not only brainstormed necessary intellectual attributes for our graduates, but also the environment that would foster those attributes. Educators came up with a host of ideas that closely paralleled the list that our Instructional Team created from our work this year. It takes teamwork and collaboration for teachers to create this environment. It takes time and space wherein teachers can dive deep into their curriculum, learning from and with each other, to create dynamic learning experiences for students.

Part of this work involves re-evaluating, clarifying, and better articulating our curriculum alignment. This curricular alignment helps us create a roadmap to set up opportunities for teachers to engage in interdisciplinary and inquiry-based instruction, giving teachers a common purpose and coordinated curriculum that values personal contribution. Teachers work together to figure out and agree upon the content and skills that need to be taught in each grade level for students to be academically successful and to be fully prepared for the grade levels to come. They collaborate to agree upon the best curriculum and instruction to challenge and support students. Creating this curricular scope and sequence enhances the ability of teachers to create the structure and space needed for productive struggle for students. It enables teachers to create a shared vision in order to inspire individual investment, increasing real-world connections and experiential opportunities.

By giving teachers the time, space, and opportunity to work together in intensive ways, they can engage in the creative and rigorous process to bring even more inspiring, dynamic, and engaging experiences to our students.

teams of grandmasters using computers. The winning teams, comprised of chess amateurs, were able to use the technological tools most effectively by “synthesizing [...] information for an overall strategy.” In this example, the victorious humans had attributes that helped them use A.I. tools like ChatGPT to succeed. Later in the book Epstein discusses another one of these attributes of success, adaptability, which is also referenced in our character framework. He stresses the importance of learning to drop your familiar tools and choose new ones. Finally, he recommends that we stay curious, avoiding falling into the traits of a “hedgehog,” firmly entrenched in one big idea. Instead, he says to be like a fox: “roam freely, listen carefully, and consume omnivorously.”

Curiosity is the bridge between two elements of our mission, achieve intellectual excellence and build strong character, as it is fundamental to both. Curiosity, a love of learning, will propel our students to foster many of the skills mentioned above, intellectual attributes that are essential to thriving in the future. Over the coming year, we will, in a similar manner to the Character Task Force, begin to develop an Intellectual Framework. On our recent professional development day in February, our Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Kerstin Rowe, led all educators through an activity that inspired them to first brainstorm necessary intellectual attributes for our graduates and then prioritize those attributes by comparing them to their colleagues and ultimately selecting their top five. From those top five lists, we entered them into a word cloud, and five intellectual traits manifested:

Curiosity, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Experimentation, and Problem-Solving.

Interestingly, the trait that was selected by the most groups was curiosity, also a character attribute. Throughout the creation of the character framework, we always saw curiosity as the bridge between the two frameworks, which have to work in concert for a student to thrive. Educators also referenced the finalized Character Framework by listing perseverance (grit/resilience), adaptability, and empathy in their top ten intellectual competencies. Growth mindset was also frequently mentioned, an approach related to agency and self-sufficiency. Over the next year, we will finalize this Intellectual Framework by refining this list to the most important intellectual attributes, aligning them with our guiding principles, and completing our portrait of a graduate (the combination of the Character and Intellectual Frameworks). This north star for our educators will guide them as they develop the dynamic learning experiences necessary for our students to refine the skills that make them uniquely human. Then they will not only be able to write a better birthday card than a computer, they will be able to thrive in school and in life.

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Intellectual Excellence in the Age of A.I.

Fostering Intellectual Excellence in Lower School Learners

By Nan Remington, Head of Lower School

When Lower School teachers are asked why they love to teach elementary students, the answer is often a child’s unquenchable thirst for learning. While this thirst and the persistent “why” questions can be tiring, teachers recognize this is a key phase of intellectual development in young learners.

Health professionals define intellectual development as “a child’s ability to think and reason and make sense of the world they live in.” In a school setting, teachers see intellectual development come to life when students can independently analyze and evaluate events and situations around them and share their thinking with others through well-developed communication skills.

To create an environment for students to develop these skills at Graland, teachers develop lessons and experiences that systematically teach how to acquire knowledge, analyze information, and connect to real-world experiences. Some of the strategies teachers utilize to promote and develop intellect are:

Communication: After a new concept is presented, students share their understanding and questions through writing journals or books, turn and talks, and small group discussions. By articulating their thoughts, students develop a deeper understanding of a concept.

Reflection: Students need time for reflection. Providing thinking time allows them to determine strategies to comprehend information, complete a task, or solve a problem.

Connection: Students connect their learning to other applications independently and in small groups. Learners are encouraged to apply their knowledge or thinking processes to different contexts.

Action: Students are asked to do something tangible that requires planning, doing, and sharing their thinking.

When students are engaged in this type of work, it can be messy as they wrestle with new ideas and concepts. But rest assured, research shows that productive struggle empowers students and solidifies their understanding of new learnings. At Graland, this can be seen firsthand through the Grade 1 Bird Study. Through conversations, field trips to Barr Lake, and research, first graders learn about the characteristics of birds and compare and contrast them with other animal groups. As a reflective piece, students learn how to compile their findings into a full report with informative sentences. To make real-world connections, students consider the benefits of having a healthy bird population on campus and in surrounding areas. And finally, as an active element, students brainstorm ways to raise awareness of the factors that affect birds and actively engage in age-appropriate activities (such as sending letters to local and state officials) to raise awareness of the issues.

As students continue to have these intellectual experiences every year at Graland, they develop a toolbox of skills to process and synthesize new material, make connections, and apply their thinking to different situations. As educators, we hope these tools will help students foster intellectual excellence throughout their Graland experience, future education, and careers.

Innovation Skills Transfer to Academics and Beyond

By Elizabeth Leddy, Innovation Specialist

When our youngest students enter the Gates Invention and Innovation Lab, their eyes light up in wonder as they see tools they will one day use and inventions they may one day create themselves. Our Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten students’ curiosity is sparked as they step into the lab and sit on the rug, ready to learn. Although this is a space to tinker, experiment, and play, Lower School students are also practicing skills that will transfer to learning experiences in the classroom and throughout their lives.

The Gates Lab is a safe space to try new things, push students outside of their comfort zone, and learn through failure and mistakes. After students practice these skills during an innovation lesson, we talk about how these innovation skills transfer to other parts of our day. Students might discuss what collaboration looks like during a Grade 2 PE class, what grit/ perseverance looks like in a Grade 3 math lesson, or what critical thinking looks like during a Grade 4 social studies project later in the day. The ability to practice and reflect upon these innovation skills in a low-risk learning environment supports the dynamic learning environments on campus and fosters intellectual growth in our learners.

Our Kindergarten Tinker Time curriculum establishes a foundation for our innovation program, which introduces

our students to the innovation skills, allows them space to practice these competencies, and provides time to reflect on how they transfer back to classroom academics, such as math and literacy. At the end of our Tinker Time classes, we reflect on the skills that we practiced and discuss how they might be useful throughout the rest of the day. In Helen Valiant’s Kindergarten writing workshop block, students transfer their knowledge from Tinker Time and talk about grit and the importance of pushing through and being brave as they come up with topics to write about, revise, and ultimately share with their classroom community and beyond. The ability to share stories requires creative and critical thinking, curiosity, and empathy, which are practiced every time students visit the Gates Lab.

During a Lower School student’s time at Graland, students experience a balance of academics along with classes that inspire innovation, creativity, and exploration.

This can be seen in the following:

• Drama performances as students collaborate while performing different roles, working together to change sets, direct the lights, and adjust the sound.

• Spanish classes where empathy and curiosity are fostered as students explore different countries, music, and food, all through the lens of language.

• Music, science, art, PE, and library classes which require perseverance, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking daily.

All of these Graland Lower School experiences help students practice our innovation skills, which then transfer to other intellectual learning environments at Graland and beyond. When we provide experiences for students to practice empathy, creative thinking, perseverance, and collaboration in a low-risk learning environment, we allow students to build confidence and empower them as they transition to other parts of their day.

Celebrating 10 Years of Curiosity | EXPLORATION | Discovery | Joyful Learning at Graland’s ECLC

By Molly Johnson, Communications Manager

As we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the McCaffrey Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC), Graland would like to recognize and thank the visionary leaders, including former Head of School Ronni McCaffrey, various Board of Trustee members, donors, former and current employees and parents who supported the program’s founding, growth, and positive impact on the teaching profession and beyond. We hope you enjoy this commemorative piece as we reflect on the program’s history and look forward to the next ten years of curiosity, exploration, discovery, and joyful learning in Early Childhood Education.

The Vision

When Ronni McCaffrey became Graland’s head of school in 2008, she quickly realized that the heartbeat of the school and its greatest asset is the school’s faculty and staff. For this reason, during her nine-year tenure at Graland and throughout her doctoral studies, Ms. McCaffrey never stopped exploring the question, “What motivates college graduates to enter the teaching profession, and what are the incentives and disincentives of the profession that impact the longevity of a career in education?” Through her own administrative experiences and thoughtful research, Ms. McCaffrey concluded that “Teachers enter the profession through love: love of kids, love of their subject, love of learning, love of coaching, love of life in schools, and love of their community, to name a few reasons. But what keeps them in our profession? Very simply, it is the ability to successfully do what they came into the profession to do.” With this in mind, Ms. McCaffrey knew that something had to be done about a major disincentive, rising childcare costs that were forcing teachers to leave the profession of teaching children to care for their own. It was this

dedication to the field of education and love for Graland’s employees that ultimately led to the founding of the McCaffrey Early Childhood Learning Center, a place where children, particularly those of Graland faculty and staff, “could receive exceptional care in a safe, stimulating environment, close to their parents.”

Program Support

In the words of former “Head Emerita” Ronni McCaffrey, “The best innovations often are the result of a team of committed people determined to solve a real-time problem.” When it came to the founding of Graland’s ECLC program, the team of innovators committed to solving the childcare problem included Ronni McCaffrey (former head of school), Nan Remington (current head of Lower School), Gail Sonnesyn (former associate head of Lower School), Parthenia Williams (current associate head of Lower School), Johnnie (Romano) Galligan (former program director), and a team of educators who were either expecting or a parent to a young toddler. Thanks to the visionary leadership of these trailblazers, a trial run for a faculty/ staff daycare on campus was born for the upcoming 2011-2012 school year.

The Early Years

What some people might not know about the McCaffrey Early Childhood Learning Center is that it started as a pilot program with just five children. In 2011, before the test program launched, several educators spent their summers reorganizing vacant classrooms and scouring garage sales for furniture and toys for the young children who would join campus that fall. Upon their arrival, Ms. Remington shared that the babies and toddlers quickly became “the darlings of campus.” Ms. McCaffrey added that their first “class picture” still sits on her desk to this day.

When the second year of the pilot program was underway during the 20122013 school year, Ms. McCaffrey knew it was time to provide a “next step” for the children enrolled. “The success of the two-year pilot program indicated that it met an important need. But, a substantive program expansion required Board of Trustee approval to ensure that it was mission-aligned and financially viable,” Ms. McCaffrey said. So, with a solid business plan in hand, she proposed a permanent establishment of the Graland Early Childhood Learning Center in 2012, consisting of a two-year faculty/ staff daycare, a preschool, and two prekindergarten classrooms. The proposal was unanimously approved by Graland’s Board of Trustees, contingent on funding. Thanks to the generosity of b. Frank, Scott Reiman, and other donors, the McCaffrey Early Childhood Learning Center officially opened its doors during the 2013-2014 school year.

Upon being asked why they wanted to support Ms. McCaffrey’s vision of continuing the Early Childhood Learning Center on campus, several former board members shared their thoughts:

“When Ronni first approached me about the ECLC program, I was immediately supportive, recognizing it would put Graland in a better position to recruit, retain, and support young teachers in the early stages of their careers in education. I went through all the issues with Ronni that needed to be addressed to get the program in place, but she wasn’t at all discouraged. Her passion has always been to give children the best education and provide the tools for educators to excel in their jobs. As was the case with Ronni, the more difficult and complicated the task only served to motivate her more to get the job done.”

- Bruce Rifkin ’72, Former Chair of Board

“When a visionary and enthusiastic educator understands the importance of engaging and captivating children at an early age to set them on a path of learning and success, it would be hard not to support such a forward-thinking concept. I supported Ronni’s vision because it was thoughtful, carefully considered and knew deep down the Graland community would support the ECLC immediately.”

- Christopher Hunt, Former Chair of Board

“My inspiration for helping with the ECLC stemmed from the fact that there were so many teachers who had young children, and making it easier for them to place them in Preschool was something I thought would go a long way in making their lives better and somewhat easier.”

- Scott Reiman, Former Board Member

The Present

Fast forward to 2023, and the McCaffrey Early Childhood Learning Center has expanded to serve children beyond just those of educators. The daycare, Preschool, and Pre-Kindergarten programs reside under the Associate Head of Lower School, Ms. Parthenia Williams, and 14 educators who provide daily exceptional and high-quality care to children and their families. Over the years, the addition of the McCaffrey Early Childhood Learning Center has enriched the school’s program by “setting the stage” for a positive and formative school experience for young children before they enter Kindergarten. This has been achieved through:

• The ECLC’s “play with purpose” approach which was created to help students joyfully adjust to a school environment while gaining foundational skills in math, literacy, and social-emotional awareness.

• Exposure to Graland’s state-of-the-art facilities such as the Gross Motor Room, the Gates Lab, and the Kaytlyn Jornayvaz ’03 Play Space for bike riding, sliding, swinging, and sand and water play.

• Participation in campus community activities such as school assemblies and the buddy program.

The Impact

“Having the ECLC program on campus has been an incredible benefit for my entire family. Personally, I love being able to see my children on campus throughout the day. Receiving hugs,

waves, and ‘hi, mommy!’ yells across campus brings a smile to my face. The daily interactions with their teachers help me feel connected with what they are learning and areas of growth they are working on.”

- Tera Malyszko, Graland Educator/Parent

“The biggest benefit to Graland offering the ECLC on campus is helping to offset the exorbitant cost of childcare that parents face across the country. The endowment that was created and the incredible educators that work with my children day in and day out are beyond a benefit. We are so lucky for the dedication, time, and resources that are put towards ECLC and commitment to educators having their children on campus.”

- Helen Valiant, Graland Educator/Parent

“Our son has developed a genuine love of learning in the ECLC program at Graland. He is so excited to share his ability to identify and write letters, perform simple addition and subtraction, and share the many facts he learns each day about our world. The specials like art, music, PE, and library bring great variety to each day and have helped him develop into a well rounded early learner.”

- Lucy Chused, Graland Parent

“My child benefited greatly from the care and nurturing of wonderful teachers like Ms. Flansburg, Ms. Flannery, and Ms. Barone. They equipped him with the skills, curiosity, and confidence to embark on the rest of his Graland journey. They imparted a love of learning that I can still see to this day as a ‘big kid’ now in the Lower School.”

- Deborah Yim, Graland Parent

Did you know? Graland’s ECLC endowment was established in conjunction with the ASCEND Campaign in 2017, providing funding to the program in perpetuity.

Pictured here: Parthenia Williams, Nan Remington, Ronni McCaffrey, b. Frank, Johnnie (Romano) Galligan, and Josh Cobb.

The Evolution of a Middle School Leader

By Marti Champion, Head of Middle School

As an independent school that serves students through eighth grade, Graland’s mission and Guiding Principles are paramount in graduating students who are not only engaged citizens but thoughtful leaders. But this journey to becoming a thoughtful leader doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, Graland’s Guiding Principle of “Inspire Leadership” is infused at every level of the Middle School, encouraging students to lead their classmates and inspire the Graland community with their words and actions.

Grade 5:

In fifth grade, as the newest members of the Middle School, students are introduced to leadership in various ways. In September, they head to La Foret, their first overnight trip as a Graland student. Many students, some for the first time, experience a high ropes course where they encounter “The Leap of Faith.” The first to climb the telephone pole and take this “leap” model healthy risk-taking for their classmates, oftentimes encouraging others, even their teachers, to do the same. Throughout the remainder of the year, students get additional chances to practice leadership through student council, the musical, Gates, tower gardens, and Grade 5 Knighting.

Grade 6:

In sixth grade, students dive into the subjects of poverty and food insecurity in their MESH classes and lead the campus in outreach activities, using what they learned. Students host a food drive with the GPA, make toiletry bags for people experiencing homelessness, and coordinate the annual Empty Bowls event. At the gathering, students share what they learned with family and friends to raise awareness about food insecurity in our community.

Grade 7:

In seventh grade, students work closely in partnership with a local Denver nonprofit that works to keep seniors in their homes with “A Little Help.” During this experience, students get to know seniors in our community and lead with compassion as they complete landscaping and home repair projects. Seventh graders also have the opportunity to participate in an ICE (Innovation, Creativity & Expression) class, known as Eagle Fund: Change Makers, where they become adept at speaking to leaders in the nonprofit sector and partnering with their organizations to make a difference.

Grade 8:

In eighth grade, leadership is celebrated, and students’ voices are amplified. To start the year, students create a list of attributes that embody a good leader and spend the remainder of the year striving to live out these qualities. Several ways students practice this leadership is through serving as Eagle Guides to prospective families and delivering UpWords speeches, where they reflect on a Graland Guiding Principle that has shaped them. In addition, students work all year on their Capstone projects (read more on the next page), where they explore the U.N. Sustainable Goals, complete service projects around a specific goal that speaks to them, and deliver presentations modeled after TED Talks to their classmates and judges.

The Middle School journey at Graland provides continuous opportunities, sometimes even daily, for students to “develop confidence in their ability to speak, to write, to lead and to contribute to the world as they become stewards of their communities.” As the head of Middle School, it’s always an honor and privilege to watch our students evolve into inspired leaders, on campus, and beyond Graland’s gates.

EIGHTH GRADE CAPSTONE: A Call to Action

By

Each year, eighth graders finish their final year at Graland with a culminating Capstone project. The assignment allows them to not only pursue their individual interests but also employ key academic skills acquired throughout their time as a student. Capstone was started several years ago with the intent of imbuing in eighth graders a sense of purpose and social consciousness. Students start the year by choosing a topic for their project that centers around the 17 United Nations (U.N.) Sustainable Goals. According to the U.N.’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs, the Goals are meant to serve as a “call for action by all countries–poor, rich and middle-income–to promote prosperity while protecting the planet.” In 2015, all U.N. Member States approved the Goals with the primary objective of achieving them by 2030. Indeed, the U.N. Goals are broad enough so that our students can hone in on one specific aspect of a goal that interests them most. This year, Graland students have used the U.N. Goals as a jumping-off point to pursue topics such as the water crisis in Kenya, affordable housing in the Denver metro area, deforestation in the Amazon, food insecurity in Colorado, the creation of sustainable cities, and gender equality in the workplace.

During the summer of 2022, eighthgrade MESH teachers used a summer grant to hone certain aspects of the Capstone, such as project timing and length. We did this by having students work on Capstone

throughout the year instead of at the very end. Students now spend the first semester researching a global problem related to one of the U.N. goals and then write an in-depth analysis of the root causes of that problem coupled with viable solutions. Then, throughout the second semester, students design and execute a specific action plan related to their topic. As a MESH team, we agreed that the project’s action piece during the second semester is just as essential as the research and writing portion that takes place at the beginning of the year. In weighing both equally, we wanted students to not only intellectually grasp their chosen problem, but also emotionally grasp it via fieldwork. Indeed, eighth-grade MESH teachers wanted students to feel a sense of optimistic empowerment that can only be created by leaving the classroom and doing something that actually chips away at a problem.

To facilitate this new-found focus on the Capstone action piece as it relates to the U.N. Goals, we implemented two new initiatives. Working with Christi James, Graland’s service learning coordinator, the eighth grade MESH teachers created a

service learning plan that is now directly linked to Capstone. The program allows students to cycle through various offcampus service-learning opportunities to get a sense of what their action piece can and should look like. Eighth graders visit, volunteer, and ask questions at Denver Urban Gardens, Volunteers of America, St. Francis Day Shelter, Safe Outdoor Spaces, and Bluff Lake. In addition, they tour the Posner Center for International Development and interact with representatives from various non-profit organizations within the center. Inspired students then work closely with their advisors to design their own Capstone action piece that is directly aligned with their chosen topic. Eighth graders aim to both volunteer or tour a chosen organization and conduct an interview with a representative of that organization. A flex day in the spring was even set aside for students to complete their action pieces off-campus as needed.

Similar to years past, students, at the very end of the year, will deliver a TED Talk-style presentation speech to an audience of peers, faculty, and guests from the community at large. In their speech, students will establish the problem they have researched, potential solutions, their actual pursuit of those solutions, and what they ultimately learned along the way. By June, while students will have completed their work on the Capstone project along with their tenure at Graland, they will know that their work toward making the world a better and more sustainable place must continue.

Katy Cooper, Grade 8 English Teacher, and Ben Simmons, Grade 8 History Teacher

Honoring Dr. Adam Barkin ’91 and Dr. Beth Linas ’97: 2023 RUTH GORHAM AWARD RECIPIENTS

By Molly Johnson, Communications Manager

Every year, Graland’s Alumni Board honors a member (or members) of the alumni community with the Ruth Gorham Award for their extraordinary contributions to the school. Ms. Gorham, the longest-serving teacher in the school’s history (62 years!), will always be remembered as a dedicated educator and mentor who nurtured the joy of learning in her students. For this reason, Graland is pleased to announce that this year’s award recipients are Dr. Adam Barkin ’91 and Dr. Beth Linas ’97. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, each of these individuals served on Graland’s Medical Advisory Board and dedicated countless hours to ensuring that the community was safe, informed, and that in-person learning could continue for as many students as possible. Like many Graland teachers we know and love, Dr. Barkin and Dr. Linas are knowledgeable, supportive, curious, passionate, and dedicated to serving others. Ms. Gorham would be proud that these Graland alumni and medical professionals are the 2023 recipients of her award.

About Dr. Adam Barkin ’91

After graduating from Graland in 1991, Dr. Adam Barkin attended Kent Denver and eventually Williams College in Massachusetts. Following his undergraduate studies, Dr. Barkin attended Vanderbilt Medical School and also completed a master’s degree in public health at Harvard. In 2006, Dr. Barkin moved to Denver with his wife Jill, where they currently reside with their children, Jacob ’24 and Eli ’26. Throughout the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Barkin served on Graland’s Medical Advisory Board. While on the board, he shared that he was “blown away by the knowledge, commitment and dedication of all the other board members who each brought a different perspective and foundation of knowledge which helped shape recommendations.” Currently, Dr. Barkin is the medical director of the emergency department and president-elect of the medical staff at Sky Ridge Medical Center.

About Dr. Beth Linas ’97

Dr. Beth Linas graduated from Graland in 1997 and went on to attend East High School in Denver. Her undergraduate studies took place at Brandeis University, followed by doctoral work at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Dr. Linas was also named a policy fellow for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science and Technology from 2015-2017. She currently resides in Washington, D.C. with her husband, Josh Levine. Dr. Linas served on Graland’s Medical Advisory Board starting in summer of 2020. She shared that this experience reminded her “that public health practice lies outside the classroom, beyond research and academic papers, and is most impactful when working directly with your community.” At this time, Dr. Linas is a research epidemiologist at RTI International.

A special thank you to all members of the Graland Medical Advisory Board. We have so much gratitude for your knowledge, courage, and dedication.

Q&A With Dr. Barkin and Dr. Linas

Q: What does receiving the Ruth Gorham Alumni Award mean to you?

Dr. Barkin: “It is truly a great honor to receive this award. Graland holds a special place for myself and my family as both my brother and I attended Graland, and now my own two sons are Graland students. The Graland community—both current families and alumni—is a special group of caring, thoughtful, and intelligent people who value their school but also the world around them. To be recognized by this group means a tremendous amount to me.”

Dr. Linas: “It is an honor to receive the Ruth Gorham Alumni Award. My Graland experiences in the classroom and on all the amazing school trips sparked my intellectual curiosity and laid the foundation for all my future academic endeavors. While at Graland, I fell in love with learning—particularly math and science—and I credit the school with sparking my interest in pursuing public health. Ruth Gorham was a formidable woman who strived to make Graland a welcoming home for learning, and I am grateful to be among the list of awardees.”

Q: How were you inspired during your time at Graland?

Dr. Barkin: “I believe that Graland’s teachers are its strength and engine. This was the case when I was a student, and I still believe it to be true. Graland’s teachers have always been ever dedicated to innovative and engaging education for their students. A school is only as great as its teachers, and Graland has consistently recruited and retained some of the absolute best. There are too many to list, but it was the teachers who inspired me as a student to become a lifelong learner and really taught me that skill.”

Dr. Linas: “While at Graland, I was inspired by teachers who thought outside of the box. The variety of experiences, both in and outside of the classroom, inspired me to take academic risks and push myself. I was also inspired by my peers. Some of my closest friends today are people I met at Graland, and I am forever thankful to have them in my life.”

Q: What advice do you have for current Graland students?

Dr. Barkin: “Slow down! Life moves so quickly, and before you know it, you will be in high school or college. Enjoy each day and each step along the way. If that means not doing everything, then make that choice. I promise you will thank yourself if you take a few extra minutes to enjoy that beautiful sunset. Also, find things you are passionate about and invest in them –whether it is school, the arts, a sport, your family, travel, or anything else. But don’t let your passions own you – it is a fine balance. Finally, it is simple, but be a kind and decent person to all. You will likely be a leader in some aspect of your life – lead by example and show others how to be the best person you (and they) can be.”

Dr. Linas: “Be open to new activities, sports, classes, friends, and adventures. Graland is a special place that exposes its students to learning beyond the classroom. Graland takes education seriously, but it also knows you can learn in a variety of manners and places - not many schools do this!”

Mrs. Ruth Gorham - Graland’s

By: Jim Arneill ’66, School Archives Committee

Last May, Ben Duke, Class of 1968, received the Ruth Gorham Alumni Award, which each year honors an individual “whose dedication and service to Graland exemplify Ruth Gorham’s lifelong commitment to the school.”

While serving as assistant head of school at Graland, Ben notably initiated the Master Teacher Program, in which Master Teachers who have dedicated twenty years of service to Graland are recognized in the spring. You have probably seen the portrait of Georgia Nelson, along with many photographs of all the past recipients, on the Georgia Nelson Building stairway. The most recent honoree is Dan O’Neill, who was recognized at an assembly on March 15 (see page 3).

You may wonder who Mrs. Gorham was and why a prestigious alumni award established in 2007 is named for her. Since Mrs. Gorham came to Graland as a young teacher in 1930 and served in many important roles before retiring in 1992, it

for 62 years!), and, in her later years, all of her former students who were like a family to her.”

is easy to understand why many current school community members may not know much about her.

I am pleased to share my own perspective of this wonderful teacher and what others admired about her as well. In fact, I should begin by listing some of the quotes former students, parents, and fellow teachers wrote about her in a special edition of “Graland Today” in 1992: Ruth Gorham is “the epitome of Graland’s best,” “an institutional keeper of the flame,” “the single most talented educator I have known,” “an inspiration and guiding light,” “nurtured a feeling of self-worth in all,” and “ageless, tireless, always smiling, always positive, totally committed.”

Mrs. Gorham is perhaps best known as a seventh-grade English teacher, although she also taught French, history, and other subjects at nearly every grade level. For many years, she walked to Graland from her nearby home on Albion Street. Prior to her passing in 2004 at the age of 99, she had moved to California to be with her daughter Nancy a few years earlier.

My first encounter with Mrs. Gorham was as a somewhat anxious rising seventh grader about to have Mrs. Gorham as my English teacher, following in the footsteps of my father, uncle, and sister, all of whom had her as their teacher. While my homeroom teacher, Mrs. Chambers, was also outstanding, I always looked forward to going next door to Mrs. Gorham’s room in the former Gates Science Building for English class.

Mrs. Gorham inspired her students not only to love to learn but to love the English language as well. With her skill in teaching us about grammar and diagramming sentences, she guided us in composing sentences and improving our writing. She also emphasized the importance of vocabulary; each week, we studied ten new words from a box of flashcards that I still have.

What stood out the most to many about Mrs. Gorham was that she cared deeply about her students, her colleagues, her school (having worked there for 62 years!), and, in her later years, all of her former students who were like a family to her. Mrs. Gorham’s warmhearted concern was frequently shown through her words of encouragement, inspirational messages, and advice.

Mrs. Gorham’s strong impact at Graland was felt not only during her long tenure on campus but also in later years with current traditions that she had initiated. One of the most prominent ones is Knighting, which she developed as part of the Middle Ages study. Mrs. Priest and others have continued this special event, the pinnacle of the Graland experience for many.

During Graland’s earliest days, there was an emphasis on school trips as part of the founding progressive education philosophy. Mrs. Gorham and the other early school leaders believed that the real world outside of the classroom’s four walls should be part of every student’s experience, and they used the community

“What stood out the most to many about Mrs. Gorham was that she cared deeply about her students, her colleagues, her school (having worked there

- Jim Arneill ’66

Longest-Serving Educator

to enrich classroom learning. Meaningful outings to sites such as Union Station and the Denver Museum of Natural History, as well as to local businesses and government buildings, were part of everyday school life.

Mrs. Gorham expanded the importance of travel by chaperoning trips to Europe starting in the 1960s. Those students who accompanied her on those summer trips have countless fond memories of their explorations together. These special experiences have led to other school travels, including those to the Southwest by Mrs. Priest and to Russia by Mr. Rice.

Mrs. Gorham also became the school’s first historian and preservationist. She took charge of organizing precious parts of the school’s history—school records, publications, brochures, memorabilia, and other items—and even authored the school’s first history book in 1977, “Graland Country Day School - The First 50 Years - 1927-77.”

As head of alumni relations, after retiring from teaching, she devotedly kept in contact with former students. I fondly remember her invitations to return to campus and attend the annual holiday program in the gym, followed by

Two Alumni Awards, What’s the Difference?

an alumni reception in the library. She was genuinely interested in every former student or family member who returned to Graland. Visiting with her was always the highlight.

Here is one final fun fact about Mrs. Gorham. She and her husband, Paul, were members of the Colorado Mountain Club, and they were the first married couple to climb all 52 of the designated peaks over 14,000 feet in Colorado. After climbing Capitol Peak on July 15, 1944, “The Saturday Evening Post” celebrated their accomplishment with an illustrated article.

With the school’s motto being Ascende Omnem Montem (Climb Every Mountain), it seems fitting that Mrs. Gorham and her legacy are so well connected to Graland. She showed deep caring and encouragement for every student’s endeavors and inspired them to take every step toward attaining their dreams.

With Mrs. Gorham’s warmth and encouraging nature, It is not difficult to imagine her in the lobby of the Corkins Center greeting us and saying, “Keep climbing those mountains!”

The Ruth Gorham Alumni Award is presented each year to a member of the alumni community whose dedication and service to Graland exemplify Ruth Gorham’s lifelong commitment to the school.

The purpose of the Nancy Nye Priest ’39 Alumni Award is to honor alumni whose extraordinary contributions in their chosen field of endeavor reflect the exemplary qualities of the person, Graland Country Day School, and the global community in which we live.

Vocabulary cards from Mrs. Gorham’s English class.

2023 Carnival: SAVE THE DATE! JUNE 2, 2023

The highly anticipated Carnival is an end-of-year Graland tradition. Classic carnival games, a dunk tank, inflatables, popcorn, cotton candy, and snow cones make this event a hit for the entire family! This year’s Carnival will take place on June 2, 2023, from 3-5 p.m. on campus.

To purchase tickets, visit graland.org/carnival

Spring Community Breakfast

Wednesday, May 17 8:15 a.m.

Anschutz Commons

Please join Cat Carlson and the GPA in Anschutz Commons on Wednesday, May 17, to celebrate the year and honor volunteers at the 2022-23 Volunteer Appreciation & Awards Breakfast. Whether you could volunteer or not, we hope everyone will join us at this community event!

To register, please visit graland.org/CommunityBreakfast

Spring Art Show Recap

The Spring Art Show, a longtime campus tradition, took place on Friday, April 14, 2023. This colorful afternoon included a student art gallery walk, scavenger hunt, art stations, and delicious treats. Prior to the Art Show, parents were invited to a special ribboncutting ceremony for a new sculpture installation on campus. The custom art, welded into the shape of birch leaves, honors Graland educators, thanks Inspire Campaign donors, and celebrates the entire community. See inside the front cover to learn more.

Graland Spirit Store

Community Outreach: Thank You, Volunteers!

The GPA would like to thank the countless volunteers that participated in outreach opportunities during the 2022-23 school year. A special thank you to our community partners, Xcel Energy, Chatfield Botanic Gardens, WeeCycle Baby, Growing Home Food Pantry, Special Olympics Colorado, A Precious Child, and Grow Local for allowing our volunteers to work alongside your organizations.

Spring has sprung at the Graland Spirit Store! So stock up on t-shirts, baseball caps, and water bottles to keep you cool as the days get warmer. And, showing school spirit is easier than ever, with options to shop in-store and online at graland.org/ store. An added perk? All proceeds from the Graland Store fund your favorite GPA events. Thank you for supporting the school and programs you love! Go Graland!

graland.org/store

13th Annual Eagle Invitational

Friday, May 19, 8 a.m.

CommonGround Golf Course in Lowry

We are looking forward to seeing registered golfers at the tournament on May 19! If you are interested in playing, please contact Jeri Volpe at 303-399-8370 or jvolpe@graland.org for availability.

Junior Eagle Invitational

Thursday, May 18, 3:30 p.m.

CommonGround Par-3 Golf Course in Lowry

Graland students will tee off in a sold-out mini-tournament on May 18! Fun prizes will be awarded to the champions of the Par-3 course.

Junior Eagle Golf Clinic (K-4)

Thursday, May 18th, 4 p.m.

CommonGround Par-3 Golf Course in Lowry

Lower School students new to golf are invited to learn basic skills of the game during a one-hour clinic! To sign up, visit graland.org/golf.

In Honor of Graland Educators

Graland Summer Program 2023