TODAY
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2016
Corkins Center: Grand Opening Festivities The big day is almost here! Adults in the Graland community are invited to a grand opening celebration of the Corkins Center on Friday, October 21, at the Birch Street Bash. We broke ground on this exciting new facility last October with Haselden Construction and it’s been a whirlwind of activity ever since. A generous lead gift from the Corkins family kicked things off in a big way in 2015 and many donors followed suit with their own donations to the ASCEND campaign. Gifts are still being accepted to fulfill the professional development and financial aid endowments and to fund facility improvements. Students spent the 2015-16 school year watching the building rise from an empty dirt lot while many classroom lessons focused on construction themes. The facility will house Lower School science classrooms, the Gates continued on page 11
Never Turn Your Back When Mud is Involved By Ronni McCaffrey, Head of School
It is Friday lunchtime and the Graland teachers and staff have been back at 55 Clermont Street for a week now. The Anschutz Commons is filled with laughter and spirited chatter. “So young, so little, so cute!” “I forgot how much I love kids!” “I have a dream class!” After an action-packed week of meetings and classroom set-up, the faculty and staff have finally met the students and their parents. All is now right with the world! As I begin my series of “lasts” (last opening of school, last first day, etc.), I am savoring each experience, every day, this year. In doing so, I think back to my very first day of teaching. Following my first year of college, an unexpected surgery sidelined my summer plans. Boredom quickly engulfed me and I searched for something to occupy my time during convalescence. The local recreation center was desperate for a last-minute substitute pottery teacher. Hey, I did pottery at summer camp, I thought. How hard could it be? If you ask teachers about their most memorable teaching experiences, more often than not, you will hear about the catastrophes rather than the triumphs. A dozen eightyear-olds – predominantly boys, six kick wheels, a barrel of mud and a clueless 19-yearold dilettante equaled a recipe for disaster.
▶ Inside this Issue:
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New Trustees Page 3
Mindbugs Page 4
Middle School 6 Alumni 12 GPA 14
GOGRALAND
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“We hope to refocus the efforts of students on learning for the sake of learning and not simply for the sake of the grade.” -Josh Cobb, see story page 6
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. Ascende Omnem Montem 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
Graland Today is a monthly publication of Graland Country Day School Volume 5, Issue 1 Send correspondence to: Associate Director of Communications Graland Country Day School 55 Clermont Street Denver, CO 80220 communications@graland.org graland.org
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A Back-to-School Welcome By John Gowen, President, Board of Trustees
On behalf of my fellow Trustees, I would like to welcome you back to campus and extend a special welcome to all our new families who we are excited to meet. Our school enters the 2016-17 academic year in a strong position with a continuing focus on excellence in our classrooms and in our community. You will see these words in action as you return to campus. The Corkins Center remains on schedule for a mid-October opening. We first envisioned this new building several years ago as part of the Board’s Master Plan and now it is exciting to be so close to the finish line. The hard work and effort by so many different people and constituent groups is another great example of Graland teamwork. Please go online (graland.org/ ASCEND) to review the exciting plans for this space. Last year we also launched ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence with a goal of raising $24 million to invest in three key areas: learning spaces, financial aid and professional development. Each of these areas is critical to Graland’s continued success and we will be focused this school year on reaching our goal by June 2017. Watch for a complete account of the numbers in the 2015-16 annual report in September. The other significant work that continues is our Head of School Search process. As I outlined a few months ago, our goal is to announce Ronni McCaffrey’s replacement by October. The Board, search committee and Wickenden Associates, our search firm, are making progress and we will continue to keep the community updated as we reach important milestones. I also look forward to celebrating with you, over the course of this school year, Ronni’s amazing and valuable contributions to Graland. I am excited that her final year will culminate in the completion of two of Graland’s most important projects: the Corkins Center and ASCEND. I cannot think of a better way to honor Ronni and her four decades in education. I would like to thank all those families, faculty and friends who have already given so generously to ASCEND; you are helping to continue a great tradition of Graland philanthropy. And I would encourage those returning and new families who have not done so to make an investment in Graland’s future. You can visit the Graland website or drop by the development office in the Georgia Nelson Building (re-located to the Corkins Center in October!) for more details about ASCEND. I look forward to an exciting year and to seeing each of you on campus.
New Trustees Elected to the Board We are excited to introduce four new faces who joined the Graland Board of Trustees in 2016. These Graland parents are committed to serving the school for a three-year term and we thank them in advance for their dedication to the success of our community.
Graland alumnus and parent Jon-Erik Borgen ‘92 brings financial savvy and institutional knowledge to his role on the Board of Trustees. As an asset manager for the Borgen Investment Group, he leads the firm’s regional seed-stage venture fund and serves on its public equity portfolio investment committee. Jon has an MBA from the University of Denver and a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in economics from Middlebury College. In addition to serving on the Graland Alumni Association executive committee, Jon is on the boards of Youth on Record, The Eagle Fund at The Denver Foundation, and is a member of the Colorado Economic Club. He and his wife Brooke are also co-chairs of the ASCEND campaign and together they established the Graland Faculty Fellow endowment in 2016 to support teachers in pursuing educational goals. The Borgens have two daughters in the Lower School at Graland and one child at home. JON-ERIK BORGEN ‘92
With a degree in architecture from the University of Colorado (Boulder), years of professional experience and a robust life as a philanthropist, Graland dad Ben Walton has unique expertise to apply toward his Board responsibilities. Ben is an alumnus and past trustee of Choate BEN WALTON Rosemary Hall in Connecticut, and he has extensive experience leading volunteer boards that serve a variety of interests, such as Children’s Hospital Colorado. He acts as director of the Walton Family Foundation and currently serves on the development committee and campus and facilities committee at Graland. Ben and his wife Lucy Ana have two daughters in the Lower School and are committed to ensuring the school’s future success for all Graland students.
The mother of three boys at Graland, Anne Boris has worked in the marketing field for more than 20 years. She graduated from Harvard with a major in modern European history and then completed an MBA with an emphasis in marketing from Northwestern University. She currently works as a marketing consultant to the American Dental Association and is studying school psychology at the University of Northern Colorado. A dedicated volunteer with the Graland Parent Association, Anne has held several roles including communications chair and member of the nominating committee. Anne also co-chaired the GPA’s largest fundraiser, the Eagle Invitational Golf Tournament, in 2014 and 2015 and leads an affinity group for parents of students with learning differences. Anne and her husband Jon are grateful to Graland for offering an outstanding education for their children and providing a place where students are inspired to become lifelong learners. ANNE BORIS
A business professional and avid fan of the independent school model, Michelle Eidson works as a vice president of marketing and business development for Platte River Equity, a Denverbased private equity firm. She is actively involved in the Denver middle market finance MICHELLE EIDSON community and is a board member of the Rocky Mountain chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth. After attending independent schools in Massachusetts (Belmont Day School and Phillips Academy), Michelle went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in international studies with a minor in economics from Colby College. She also has a joint MBA/MA in international relations from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and began her career in Cairo, Egypt, as a consultant on a USAID-backed project for the government of Egypt. Michelle and her husband Sam have two children in the Lower School and Michelle has volunteered as a room parent as well as serving on the board’s strategic planning committee. She is eager to do her part in helping Graland achieve its mission through the execution of the existing and future strategic plans. Graland Today
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Lower School News
Giving Mindbugs the Boot By Nan Remington, Head of Lower School
These type of incidents can happen in school communities as well. A school guidance counselor who makes assumptions about the cognitive abilities of a student based on racial or income group may consciously and/or subconsciously present different choices for the student. Teachers are also subject to mindbugs. The myths that boys naturally exhibit boisterous, unruly behavior in the classroom or that girls possess better social skills and excel at reading and language arts can lead teachers to act or react in certain ways. Girls who display rowdy behavior or introverted boys may experience a teacher who struggles to understand them or meet their needs.
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WHAT MOVED THE DOCTOR TO CALL IN SPECIALISTS? TWO WORDS: YALE AND PROFESSOR.
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Have you ever taken a standardized test that asked you to look at two shapes and determine if they are of equal size? You clearly see that one is larger, choose that answer and move to the next question. Come to find out, the shapes are actually equal in size but through an optical illusion, your brain saw something different. These visual errors are called mindbugs. Mindbugs, as defined by researchers Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald, are “a kind of visual or cognitive dissonance that alters the way we interpret information.” This summer, Graland administrators, faculty and staff read Banaji and Greenwald’s book, Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People. We discussed how mindbugs could play a role in influencing our unconscious or subconscious feelings toward certain people, races and ethnic groups. We are all subject to biases which can lead us to inadvertently act in ways that may be discriminatory or influenced by stereotypes that people would consciously reject. In the book, Banaji shared an example. Her colleague, Dr. Kaplan, had a passion for quilting and was also a professor at Yale University. Dr. Kaplan had a kitchen accident which resulted in a trip to the emergency room. She shared with the doctor that she was worried about the use of her hands since she was an avid quilter. The doctor assured her he could take care of it quickly. A volunteer at the hospital, who was also a student at Yale, recognized Dr. Kaplan and began a conversation. The emergency room doctor immediately stopped and asked his patient if she is a Yale faculty member. With her answer, everything changed. Specialists were brought in and they operated for hours in an effort to save practically every nerve. What moved the doctor to call in specialists? Two words: Yale and professor.
It is important for educators to successfully address these unconscious biases. Awareness is the first, foundational step. Graland teachers have opportunities to self-reflect on their instructional style, questioning techniques and expectations for students alongside exposure to current research, reading and discussing books such as Blindspot, and experiences with speakers such as Rosemarie Allen, associate professor at Metropolitan State University and consultant for culturally responsive practices. Another tool in reducing teacher biases is to promote strong interpersonal bonds between students and educators. Taking the time to know students and to understand their interests and motivation leads to greater teacher effectiveness, academic effort and academic success (Lavy and Sand, 2015). A teacher who cares about students will not likely display biases against the students’ gender, culture or learning expectations and will also be motivated to commit to change. Continued monitoring of our biases is necessary to minimize the impact on students’ learning and achievement. Training teachers to recognize and understand their own biases will not completely “exterminate” mindbugs in the classroom, but it will help create an environment of inclusivity, fairness and greater student success. NAN REMINGTON taught in the classroom for 20 years before moving to the administrative side of the school. Every day, she uses her master’s degree in educational psychology to lead the Lower School and to approach challenges with confidence and skill. Nan’s goal is to support young students and their families in finding the best path for a positive elementary education.
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Graland Parent Association
All School Picnic and Family Movie Night Friday, September 16, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Graland families are invited to bring a picnic to Center Field (or pick up a box dinner ordered in advance) for this fun all school event featuring Zootopia shown outdoors on the big screen.
DONUTS
WITH DADS &
SPECIAL FRIENDS
FRIDAY
SEPTEMBER 30
7:30-8:10 a.m. A special before-school activity for dads or special friends and their children! Meet new Graland dads, mingle with old friends and start the day off right with your student.
GPA Refocuses Community Outreach to Metro Caring
Mark Your Calendar for GPA General Meetings
After many fulfilling years of providing dinners to homeless women, the Graland Parent Association takes its community outreach efforts in a new direction this year. Graland families are invited to sign up to volunteer for Metro Caring, a local hunger-prevention organization. Metro Caring’s holistic approach to ending hunger includes a free, fresh-foods market, nutrition and gardening education, and tools for self-sufficiency. Graland families will restock shelves, sort food donations and provide nutritional guidelines to market shoppers. Sign up online at graland.org/metrocaring for one of these upcoming dates:
All parents are invited to attend Graland Parent Association (GPA) meetings, where you can learn what makes the organization tick and get involved in a way that fits your lifestyle and availability. Friday, Oct. 21 | 8:15-9:15 a.m. Caulkins Boardroom (upstairs in the Georgia Nelson Building)
Friday, Nov. 11 | 8:15-9:15 a.m. Caulkins Boardroom (upstairs in the Georgia Nelson Building)
Monday, Sept. 12 | 12:00-3:30 p.m. (perfect for families with students in Grades 5/6 who will be out of school)
Friday, Oct. 14 | 12:00-3:30 p.m. (During parent-teacher conferences)
Graland Today
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Middle School News
Quality over Quantity Enhancing Intellectual Engagement in the Middle School By Josh Cobb, Head of Middle School
Last year, college admissions officers and university administrators from top-level institutions met at the Harvard Graduate School of Education to explore how the perceived criteria for college admissions impacts today’s youth. Those leaders developed a report, Turning the Tide: Inspiring Concern for Others and the Common Good through College Admissions, devoted to changing the culture of college placement and promoting both ethical and intellectual growth in high school students. In the accompanying press release, Kedra Ishop, associate vice president of enrollment management at the University of Michigan, stated: “Escalating achievement pressure is not healthy for our youth. Young people are suffering from higher rates of depression, anxiety and substance abuse as they juggle the demands of their lives.” To mitigate this stress, Ishop states that this report “promot(es) the quality of academic engagement over the quantity of achievements in college admissions.”
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We hope that in time we can mitigate this grade fixation and encourage a deeper level of intellectual engagement.” At Graland, we are also devoted to enhancing the intellectual engagement and growth of our students. One of the main tools Middle School faculty members use to evaluate that progress is the grading system and over the past
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two years, we have reviewed the purpose of grades and questioned whether they currently promote a higher quality of intellectual excellence. These discussions, influenced by education expert Rick Wormeli’s visit last November, led to a renewed grading purpose statement at Graland: The primary purpose of grading at Graland is to empower students to better understand, articulate, and take responsibility for their progression toward mastering learning objectives. The secondary purpose is to communicate that same learning growth to parents. We hope this statement will galvanize a change in how teachers and students perceive grades and re-emphasize the learning that the grade represents. For students, often the grade itself can take precedent over the learning, and they become fixated on attaining a certain benchmark without really knowing what that marker means in relation to their intellectual growth. This tendency also can result in heightened comparisons with their peers and at times a hypercompetitiveness that increases their stress and distracts them from what really matters: their individual development as students and people. We hope that in time we can mitigate this grade fixation and encourage a deeper level of intellectual engagement. We don’t want students who comply simply to get a good grade; we want students who genuinely want to learn. Though this may seem like an idealistic notion, it is the same aspiration that the college and high school administrators endorsed in Turning the Tide. With the help of the Grading Task Force, a group of Graland parents, teachers and administrators, we established several agreements that will go into effect this year. First, teachers committed to empower student learning through several methods, including:
• Articulate clear learning targets using descriptors, rubrics, and/or exemplars. • Use different types of reflections to help students better understand themselves as learners. • Provide timely and purposeful feedback, specifically on skill development. Second, teachers decided to follow some of Wormeli’s suggestions, such as: • Use the effort grade to measure habits of learning and the letter grade to assess academic mastery. • Avoid giving extra credit. • Do not give zeroes for missing work. • Avoid penalizing late work with the letter grade. By making these commitments and continuing to re-examine how we grade, we hope to refocus the efforts of students on learning for the sake of learning and not simply for the sake of the grade. Though realistically we know the grade will still have a large impact on students, we want to begin to counteract that fixation by focusing on how students are growing. We want them to be motivated by intellectual growth—the acquisition of skills, the application of knowledge and concepts, and the demonstration of higher order thinking. We want the fulfilling process of that intellectual pursuit to motivate and enrich the quality of their academic engagement. If they can own, understand and articulate their intellectual growth, students will be stronger candidates for future schools, high schools and colleges, and more importantly, they will live more rewarding lives, full of curiosity and discovery. JOSH COBB holds a master’s degree in education, a master’s in English literature and a bachelor’s degree in creative writing. He loves the blend of progressive and traditional teaching methods at Graland and how teachers combine diverse strategies to best serve their students.
High Achievers Earn Recognition For the fourth year, Graland Middle School students were honored after they competed in the Western Academic Talent Search (WATS). WATS is facilitated by the Center for Bright Kids and provides opportunities for academically talented students in Grades 3-9. Eighty-nine percent of our middle schoolers qualified for WATS after scoring at or above the 90th percentile on any ERB subtest. As part of WATS, some of those eligible students opted to take the SAT, ACT or EXPLORE examinations, all designed for much older students. At a ceremony last May, 25 were recognized for placing in the top 10 percent (Top Honors) or top 25 percent (Honors) when compared to other high performing students in the western division. The western division includes Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Idaho and Montana. The following students were recognized for high scores; their grade levels during the 2015-16 school year are in parentheses. The students listed are those who elected to share their results with Graland. Other students may have achieved similar recognition unknown to us at the time of publication
TOP 10%
TOP 25%
SERENA BARISH (7)
CARTER ANDERSON (5)
SADIE BURKE (5)
AVA BARISH (7)
JAMES COBB (7)
SOPHIA BOGRAD (6)
CHARLES DYE (6)
CAROLINE BROWN (5)
TALIA GRYNBERG-SCHEPIS (6)
JULIA COLE (6)
REBECCA LYNN (6)
CHARLOTTE FRAMPTON (5)
PHELAN MAHONEY (6)
LEVI GILLIS (6)
WILL MONTGOMERY (6)
NAOMI GILLIS (5)
MATTHEW NEKRITZ (8)
ESTHER GOLDBERG (6)
SAM OBERLIN (5)
SAEDRA GURFINKEL (5)
ALEC ROMO-NICHOLS (8)
ELLIE HENRY (8)
WILL WHALEN (6)
CATALINA RODRIGUEZ (7) JOSEPH STRIEBY (5)
In a similar talent search conducted by John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, Graland had two additional award-winning students:
JACK BENTFIELD (5) SADIE BURKE (5) Graland Today
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Never Turn Your Back When Mud is Involved
Lesson One: Never turn your back to the students when mud is involved. The first mud missile hit me square in the back of the head. It was downhill from there. After the mud volley escalated to a fusillade, the contents of the barrel covered the walls, the floor, the kids and me. Once the ceasefire was established, the students agreed it was a most successful first day and that they would all come back tomorrow. But, would I? I wondered. Scraping the mud from the children, I returned them to their horrified parents and hobbled home, experiencing a mixture of failure, humiliation, and frustration, but buoyed by curiosity, laughter and delight. Secretly, I was looking forward to tomorrow. By the way, I did improve my classroom management skills and at the end of the summer, everyone had completed… well, something. Mine sits on a shelf in my office to this day. What made me return the next day? Truth was, I wasn’t returning to the pottery class, I was returning for the children. I did not realize it at the time but I had unwittingly discovered my vocation, my life’s work. Teaching is an amalgam of vocation and profession, a fusion of heart, headvnds. It would be several more years of debate and uncertainty before I took the step from vocation to profession. What motivates someone to teach? A love of working with kids, passion for a subject, a sport or an art as well as a desire to share that enthusiasm with others, the rhythms of school life, the allure of research and scholarship, the call to do something meaningful with your life, or all of the above. For the true teacher, these inspirations outweigh the disincentives that are inherent in the profession, particularly, the relatively inadequate compensation compared with other professions that require equal training and expertise. Clearly, we don’t choose this life for the financial rewards. In a recent article titled, “Why America’s Leaders Fail” (New York Times, August 23, 2016), David Brooks reflected on the concept of a vocation: “…a vocation is something you are called to do… a vocation involves falling love with something, having a conviction about it and making it a part of your personal identity.” Brooks went on to say that “A vocation involves promises to some ideal, it reveals itself in a sense of enjoyment as you undertake its tasks and it can’t be easily quit when setbacks and humiliations occur…A person summoned by a vocation 8
asks, ‘How can my existing abilities be put in service of the greatest common good?’” Building on a vocation, a profession is comprised of a self-regulated group of practitioners that adheres to ethical standards, possesses an articulated body of specialized knowledge, skills and methodologies based on research, education and training, and is prepared to apply this knowledge in the interest of others. There are many dedicated years of study, assessment and training between considering the vocation of teaching and qualifying for the teaching profession. Every profession features the ephemeral, ever-changing, attributes and the enduring ones. The science of teaching has evolved at warp speed since I trained as a teacher. The professional body of knowledge and skills has expanded exponentially, concomitant with research in education as well as in the related fields of neuroscience, medicine, psychology, social work, and others. Teachers qualifying today are more precisely, more intentionally and more scientifically prepared to enter a classroom than ever before. What ignites a vocation and draws an individual into the teaching profession is often not the sole reason to continue to teach. By its very nature, education blooms in relationship. The enduring aspect of teaching lies in the professional and personal bonds that are forged in the course of a career: teacher with students and their parents, teacher with colleagues, teacher with the education profession. It is within these transformative relationships that the long-term commitment to teaching is shaped. The philosopher Jacques Barzun observed that “In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day’s work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years.” Or possibly a lifetime. This summer I had a chance encounter. I was travelling on a London bus, relishing the view, when a woman sat down across the aisle. I could feel she was staring at me, and finally, as I started to leave, the woman approached me. “Are you Miss McCaffrey from the American School?” she asked shyly. I immediately recognized her eyes, but not the rest of her face. “I am Maryam,” she said, “mother of Behar and Aaron.” The last time I had seen Maryam, more than 10 years ago now, she was wearing a hijab, a veil covering her head and face. Maryam and her children arrived in England in 1999 seeking refugee status so that the children
RONNI MCCAFFREY is a seasoned educator who started out studying law before finding a passion for teaching. Her favorite part of leading the Graland community is the variety each day brings and she says, “I love the fact that I laugh every day. Graland is a joyful place to work.” At the end of this school year, Ronni will retire after four decades of work in the education field.
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could be educated. With almost no money, no English skills and placed in bleak refugee housing, Behar and Aaron struggled heroically. Their teachers kept them afloat, providing tutoring as well as material and spiritual support. Several times they were on the brink of deportation, but each time they scraped back from the edge. Finally, just as I was leaving London in 2006, the family was granted citizenship based primarily on the fact that the children had been in continuous school enrollment for seven years. With my return to the United States, I lost touch with the family and always wondered what had happened next in their life journey. Over dinner that summer night, Maryam and her children, now adults, finished the story. My next sentence is a true understatement of their accomplishments: Both Behar and Aaron worked their ways through university to complete professional degrees and are now starting very promising careers. As educators, we lay a strong foundation for others to build upon, but rarely get to see the crowning of the edifice. In this case, I did. I recount this story because it is a testament first to Maryam and her children’s tenacity, resilience and courage, but equally, it is witness to the transformative power of education and educators. Teachers, individually and collectively, have the power to transform the lives of the students in their care. I have observed remarkable teachers change students’ lives over and over, and over again. To me, they will always be life’s real superheroes. In essence, teaching is a vocation, a profession, an act of faith, a life.
Reflections on Teaching Being a teacher means planning big moments of learning but noticing the small. It means tearing down obstacles and constructing pathways. Being a teacher means building the future.
– Laurie Chandler, math instructor
I love teaching when I see the spark of discovery in a child’s eye. When they discover something new, realize how it impacts their lives and how they can make a difference using their newly found revelation. It warms my heart to see students excited to learn something new and share it with others.
– Aaron Murray, science teacher
Being a teacher means you create a dynamic environment where you establish meaningful relationships, appeal to students’ interests, build on their knowledge and challenge their preconceived notions in order to prepare them not just for today, but for life. It’s the most rewarding juggling act.
– Nikki Spiers, Grade 4 instructor
A quote attributed to William Butler Yeats has always guided, if not haunted, me in my forty-seven years as a teacher: ‘Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.’
– Phil Hickey, language arts support teacher
Building relationships is not only one of my strengths, but also one of my priorities in this profession. My favorite part of each day is sharing a laugh with one of my classes in the midst of a lesson.
– Kelly Gaudet, English teacher
For me, teaching is the perfect profession. What could be better than to spend your days among the brilliant minds of the future? – Wendy Demartini, kindergarten instructor
Graland Today
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Admission News
INVITE A FRIEND TO AN OPEN HOUSE!
252 tours given
Wednesday, September 28 8:30-10 a.m. Wednesday, October 26 8:30-10 a.m. Wednesday, November 16 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, December 8 8:30-10 a.m.
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events to welcome new families to Graland
graland.org/visit
PLAN AHEAD FOR SIBLING APPLICATIONS Don’t forget! Applications for siblings of current students are due Tuesday, November 15, for the 2017-18 school year.
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preschools feed into Graland
$1.8 M
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bus routes serving Graland families
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current Graland families act as ambassadors to new families
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new families 10
awarded in financial assistance this year
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Grand Opening Festivities
Invention Lab, the Learning Commons/Library, meeting rooms and office space. It will also serve as the main entrance to campus. Director of Finance and Operations Juan Botello oversaw the construction. “Our architects, Bowie Gridley and The Cuningham Group, provided amazing design plans but to see the Corkins Center in 3D is so much more impressive,” says Juan. “To describe it as ‘state-of-the-art’ is an understatement, and the benefits that students will receive from this modern facility are limitless.” Now, as teachers prepare to move into their new spaces in mid-October, we’re ready to celebrate the donors who made this innovative facility possible at this year’s Birch Street Bash. We invite you to mark your calendars for this momentous event!
OPEN THE DOORS TO INNOVATION
BIRCH STREET
BASH FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21 6:30-10:30 P.M. DINNER • COCKTAILS • DANCING FEATURING LIVE MUSIC BY TRACKSUIT WEDDING
A Culture of Giving: The Annual Fund The Annual Fund Campaign is a yearly appeal that flows gifts from parents, grandparents, alumni, faculty/ staff, parents of alumni, trustees and friends directly into Graland’s operating budget. Annual fund gifts make a difference in the day-to-day life of the school. While tuition fees are a sizable part of the operating budget, independent schools like Graland rely on gifts beyond tuition and our endowment to cover the actual cost of educating each student. Projected annual fund gifts have already been incorporated into this year’s operating budget, and are therefore critical to meeting Graland’s financial obligations. These tax-deductible dollars support many facets of the school including: • Learning specialists who ensure individualized academic growth • Technology, such as iPads, laptops and robust software • Props and equipment for performing arts and athletics • Professional development • Innovative classroom furnishings
Please join parents, alumni, grandparents, faculty and staff as we bring together the Graland community to celebrate the opening of the Corkins Center. RSVP at graland.org/birchstreetbash 303.399.8370
The annual fund allows Graland to set tuition at a level that supports a diverse student body. Making a gift to the annual fund is tax deductible (while tuition is not) and continues our long-standing tradition of philanthropy. For more information, contact Sean Keller at skeller@graland.org (303-316-3534). Graland Today
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Alumni News COLLEGE SELECTIONS: CLASS OF 2012 Darby S. Adcox* Andrew H. Aertker* Natalie B. Allon* Sophie M. Almon* Chloe A. Armstrong Nicholas L. Bain* Martha D. Baker* Barsbold Battseveen* Louisa Benson* Nicholas O. Bermingham* Madeleine M. Billings Miles C. Bock* Maxwell R. Bragdon* Peyton R. Brophy John S. Browner* Conner T. Chyung* Willard J. Cowperthwaite* Nathaniel A. Deacon Alexandra C. Dellgren Jake L. Donaldson* John C. English Mariano Jose B. Fernandez Jack M. Filgo Sophie A. Finke* Isabelle P. Fries Claire L. Geldzahler* William W. Gettinger* Alexander B. Gold William Gold Tess R. Hankin* Stephen H. Hanley* Brenden Harris* Payton C. Hassan Megan Hill* Sara K. Hill* Michael L. Hopkins* George C. Howard* Anna O. James* Matthew T. Johnson Mia N. Keller Julia W. Kelly* Niv S. Krendel-Lynn* Shway G. Larkin* Ryan M. Larocque* Pierson K. Lund*
University of Montana Gap year, then Trinity University University of Michigan Gap year, then Lewis & Clark College Villanova University Massachusetts Institute of Technology Claremont McKenna College Let us know! 303-399-8370 University of Colorado-Boulder Middlebury College Let us know! 303-399-8370 Middlebury College Whittier College Southern Methodist University Miami University of Ohio University of Southern California Gap year, then Univ. of Colorado-Boulder Bowdoin College University of Michigan Gap year Let us know! 303-399-8370 Let us know! 303-399-8370 University of North Texas Georgia Institute of Technology University of Southern California University of Wisconsin-Madison Franklin and Marshall College Let us know! 303-399-8370 Tufts University Washington University-St. Louis Lewis & Clark College Let us know! 303-399-8370 Let us know! 303-399-8370 Gustavus Adolphus College United States Air Force Academy Sarah Lawrence College American University College of Wooster Let us know! 303-399-8370 Temple University Scripps College Let us know! 303-399-8370 University of Edinburgh in Scotland University of Colorado-Boulder Washington University-St. Louis
Matthew D. Martinez* Margaret L. McGlynn* Catherine C. Mead* Meghan A. Mehra Eli G. Mills* Jonathan C. Miranda* April L. Morland* Dylan A. Moss* Matilda S. Newcomb Samuel L. Nobil* McCarthy P. Nolan* Owen J. Nuss Erin C. O’Shaughnessy* Andrew C. Parsons* Blake V. Parsons* Nohemy Perales* Paula C. Petit-Molina* Rebecca Popara* Anna B. Preblud* Travis Rase* Kathryn C. Reid Abigail A. Rifkin* Lacey H. Rifkin* Madison M. Rifkin* Jonathan B. Rockford Daniel T. Rolen Samuel A. Russell* Remington A. Ruyle* Billie J. Sasaki* Nicholas K. Schneck* Eliza J. Schuman David W. Schurman* Alexandra M. Searles* Bayley G. Shane* Coleman M. Shwayder* Alexandra K. Stern* Brittany A. Taylor* Abel A. Tekle* Mathias T. Tormaschy* Mary E. Tracey Olivia C. Tracey Carter E. Webb* David H. Wollins Paul A. Zoby*
Union College-Lincoln Fairfield University Miami University of Ohio Let us know! 303-399-8370 Miami University of Ohio Arizona State University Santa Clara University Let us know! 303-399-8370 Vassar College Let us know! 303-399-8370 Colorado State University Denison University University of Michigan Northwestern University Northwestern University Let us know! 303-399-8370 Bowdoin College Gonzaga University Chapman University Bowdoin College Baylor University Santa Clara University Santa Clara University Northeastern University University of Colorado-Boulder Let us know! 303-399-8370 Community College of Denver University of Colorado-Boulder University of Colorado-Boulder University of Vermont University of Wisconsin-Madison Brown University Chapman University University of Southern California University of San Diego University of Wisconsin-Madison Denison University Grand Canyon University University of Wisconsin Hamilton College Yale University University of California-Los Angeles University of Denver Colorado Mountain College
ALUMNI EVENTS 2016-17
*Members of the Graland graduating class.
ALUMNI COCKTAIL PARTY Join us Friday, November 4, for the Nancy Nye Priest Alumni Award presentation in the Anschutz Commons. Time: 6-9 p.m. Appetizers, food and wine 21+
YOUNG ALUMNI RECEPTION For the classes of 2009–2016 When: Thursday, December 15 Location: Corkins Center Time: 5-7 p.m. Casual food and fun Activities: Robotics, green screen filming, and more!
ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND Milestone class years for 1967, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007
June 2–4, 2017 • Graland Carnival • 50th Celebration (class of 1967) • 25th Celebration (class of 1992) • Signature Alumni Reunion Party • Young Alumni Festivities
QUESTIONS? EMAIL JERI VOLPE AT JVOLPE@GRALAND.ORG OR CALL 303.399.8370
Six Questions with Alumni Board President Taylor Kirkpatrick The new president of the Alumni Association, Taylor Kirkpatrick ‘88, has invested plenty of time and energy in Graland, including 11 years as a student and four on the alumni board. In this issue of Graland Today, he shares his goals for the association and his motivation to stay involved with Graland. Graland Today: Why did you join the Alumni Association board? Taylor Kirkpatrick: I appreciate that the important, formative experiences during my years at Graland led to my commitment and interest in early childhood education and literacy. Serving with the Graland Alumni Association allows me to use my volunteer experience on other boards, like the Denver Public Library Commission, Bright By 3 and ACE, to benefit the school and do some good. GT: How would you describe your role as president of the alumni board? TK: This is a fun board to work with. Everyone knows the Graland mission because they’ve lived it, and I see my role as creating and sustaining excitement about staying connected to — and being ambassadors for — Graland.
GT: What are some of your goals as president and/or the overall goals of the board? TK: One major priority is to create strategies that re-engage millennials and recent graduates. I’d also like to formalize and further define the roles and responsibilities of the committees to make sure they are operating efficiently between the full board meetings. GT: Why is staying connected to the school important to you? TK: On a personal level, I find that Graland alumni are some of the most interesting people in Denver. I get a charge out of seeing my peers all grown up and learning about how people have found their passions, created meaning and defined success in their lives. GT: Tell us about your career and how Graland helped prepare you. TK: I’m the president and CEO of Babson Farms, a family office overseeing operating businesses in agriculture and insurance, real estate investments, mineral interests and public and private equity investments. At Graland, I learned organizational skills, situational thinking and critical thinking. I would list Mr. Hickey as one of the teachers who had a big influence on me and my love of language. I recall fondly how his colorful verbs made diagramming sentences adventurous, which is a real feat. GT: What advice do you have for younger alumni? TK: Don’t squander the opportunity to take advantage of the Graland network when pursuing your ambitions. There is a special kinship that alumni have, and making that connection will be rewarding whether you are seeking assistance with a hobby, a career or a new community.
FAST FACTS High School: St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire; class of 1991
College: Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vermont; class of 1995
Spouse: Married to Molly since 2005
Son: Henry, age 5
Graland Connections: David ‘86, Tim ‘95 and mom Libby, who was a Graland trustee from 1980-83
Hobby: Book collecting, especially “Lost Generation” authors like Ernest Hemingway
Interest: Wine aficionado who is in training to be a sommelier
Passion: Early childhood education; Taylor is a published children’s author whose book, Worthwhile, is used in Graland classrooms.
Favorite Graland Memories: Southwest trip, Knighting, and Field Day Graland Today
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Graland Parent Association
At the Finish Line: Profiles in Green The Graland Gallop, an annual 5K run, walk and wheelchair race, attracts participants who are connected to the school in numerous ways – students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, grandparents and sponsors to name a few. For many, the Gallop is near and dear to their hearts. Courtney Dorn ’91 Hughes, a Graland alumna, and her daughters, Caroline (Grade 5) and Kate (Grade 4), have participated in the Gallop “every year since Caroline started kindergarten,” Courtney says. “Kate won the Gallop in kindergarten, which was super fun for her, considering she had never even run a mile before!” For Kate, her favorite part of the Gallop is the challenge. For Caroline, it’s having fun with friends and running around Washington Park. For Courtney, it’s “everything!” She loves “exercising as a family, the camaraderie of running with my friends and my kids running with theirs, and Wash Park on a beautiful fall morning.” For Grade 4 teacher Courtney Menk, staying active and healthy is a priority. “The Graland Gallop is a fun way to get some exercise and socialize with the Graland community,” she says. “I think it is also important for students to see their teachers outside of the classroom to help build rapport and relationships at the beginning of the school year. I would have never known that I had some amazing runners in my class if I hadn’t attended the Gallop.” Watch out, Josh Cobb – Courtney doesn’t plan to let you beat her in a sprint to the finish line this year! Anne and Dick Keigher, grandparents of Brooks (Grade 7),
Graland Gallop: Fun Run with the Graland Community Sunday, Sept. 25, Washington Park Registration: 7:30-8:45 a.m. Start Time: 9 a.m
Katherine (Grade 5) and Hailey Rhine ’16, traveled to Denver from Charleston, S.C., a few years ago to participate in the Gallop. “It was a well-organized event on a glorious day, and we met people we would never otherwise have met,” says Anne. “We’re very proud of what they’re doing at Graland,” says Dick. “When our daughter [parent Rachael Rhine, a former Gallop fundraising chair] moved to Denver from Connecticut, Graland made the transition so much easier for her.” Drew Athey, an account manager for the Institutional Wealth Division of Colorado State Bank and Trust, has participated in the Gallop for the past three years, placing second last year and first the previous two years. The bank is a generous sponsor of the race as well as title sponsor of the Eagle Invitational Golf Tournament each spring. Drew runs in a few races each year and says, “The Graland Gallop is different with all the kids running up in front to start the race. It is really nice to see the kids who benefit from the event.” Former parent and Graland Gallop co-chair Joya Wolf returns each year to run as does her son, David Wolf ‘13. “It is one of my favorite family events at Graland and for most it becomes a family tradition,” says Joya. “Regardless of age, ability, rain or shine, the friendly competition between the faculty, students, parents, and alumni is priceless. Watching the finish line sprints always made me smile!” David says, “As a student at Graland, I loved the competition. But now it is about seeing my old classmates and supporting the school where I spent nine years.” David & Joya Wolf
For participants of all ages and skill levels: • 5K Run/Walk/Wheelchair Race • 1K Buddy Run • 100-Yard Dash Early bird cost is $25 per runner by September 16; regular price is $30 per runner. Register online at graland.org/gallop. Want to be a sponsor? Opportunities are available ranging from $250 to $5,000 and offer perks such as a family’s name or company logo on T-shirts, banners, and other Gallop promotional materials. Proceeds support the GPA. For information about becoming a sponsor, contact Aimee Coleman or Yvette Frampton. 14
Drew Athey
Caroline, Courtney & Kate Hughes
2016 Eagle Invitational Golf Tournament Sponsors Please thank our sponsors by patronizing their businesses and saying “thanks” when you see them on campus.
HOLE SPONSORS
SPONSOR A TEACHER
Daniels Petroleum Company: The Hamilton Family & The Baker Family The Bomgaars Family The Fowler Family The Class of 2020: The Reed, Youssi, Gulick & Hatcher Families The Simmons Family & The Coughlon Family Ronni’s A Team The McKee Family Foundation Alvarado Development: The Geller Family Platte River Equity: The Whalen Family & The Sissel Family The Gowen Family
The Bomgaars Family (4 teachers) The Dvorak Family b Frank (2 teachers) The Reisch Family
GREEN SPONSORS Bronco Bus - Varsity Golf Team: The Eklund, Boswell, Kirkpatrick & Davis Families The Asarch, Asarch, Corrigan & Dvorak Families The Birner Family The Borus Family Carpet Exchange/The Odette Family Graland Board of Trustees
NEST EGG SPONSORS The Arnold Family The Bissette Family The Coleman Family 90 Octane - The Eidson Family Epstein Patierno Law Firm The Esson Family The Hamilton Family Foundation LIV Sotheby’s - The Ferer Family Old Greenwich Builders Sodexo The Turner Family
IN-KIND SPONSORS
The Boris Family Glenda Cebrian Photography Flower Bombers The Fuselier Family GolfTec The Hatcher Family Ink! Coffee Larabar Little Pub Company J McLaughlin The McKee Family The Moore/Belknap Family Park Burger Peter Millar Phoebe Therese Salon Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch Supper Bell WizBang Zen Salon
3 Story Design (Erin Neren) Andrisen Morton ARTA Tequila The Bomgaars Family Graland Today
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NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID DENVER, CO PERMIT NO. 2006
Graland Country Day School 55 Clermont Street Denver, CO 80220 303.399.0390 graland.org
Stock Up on Graland Gear Headquarters for all things with Graland logos, including Johnny O. golf shirts, Tervis tumblers, keychains and so much more, shop the Graland Store online anytime at graland.org/store or stop by campus on the following Fridays: Sept. 16, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Sept. 16, 5-6 p.m. (during Family Movie Night)
Sept. 30, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Oct. 7, 2:30-3:30 p.m. Oct. 21, 2:30-3:30 p.m.
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Community Calendar
September 15-16
October 13-14
Picture Days
Parent/Teacher Conferences (No school for students)
September 16 Family Movie Night (See page 5)
October 17
September 25
October 18
Graland Gallop (See page 14)
September 30 Go Green with Graland Spirit Day Donuts with Dads & Special Friends (See page 5)
Fall Break Professional Development (No school for students)
October 21 Birch Street Bash (See page 11)
October 31 Halloween Parade
STAY CONNECTED AND GOGRALAND!
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Join us on
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Update your contact information. graland.org/stayconnected
3
Visit campus for a community event.
Please recycle this publication or view it online at graland.org in the news section.