2024
2024
Effective Parent-Teacher Conversations
Countdown to College
Meet the 2024 Teacher of the Year
Plus Our 2024 Private & Charter School Directory
2024 | ColoradoParent.com 1
2 Education Guide | 2024
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CONTENTS Education Guide | brought to you by Colorado Parent
MEET THE TEAM
PUBLISHER AMY L. FOREMAN EDITORIAL AMANDA MILLER Managing Editor
KAYLA FRICKS GOMEZ MARTINE MELANCON RYN WHITESIDE Senior Account Executives CAMILLE CAVIN JADE GRAY JENNIFER HOFFMANN Account Executives COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TERI HODGES Director of Community Partnerships ADMINISTRATION
LAURIE ACOSTA Director of Operations ALEXIS ALEXANDER Senior Executive Administrative SARAH MILLER Client Success Manager ELISABETH BARRETT KAYLEIGH MONTANA Client Success Specialists EMMY LOGAN Accounting Coordinator
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HOW TO TALK TO YOUR CHILD’S TEACHER
AMANDA CIANI AUSTRIA COHN VICTORIA MIKOTA MADISON VOORHIES Associate Editors ART/ PRODUCTION ALEX HERRING Senior Graphic Designer TOM GONZALES MADISON GRAHAM MCKINNA SPROLES Graphic Designers ADVERTISING/ MARKETING CRYSTAL BARRETT
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7 TIPS FOR A BALANCED AFTER-SCHOOL ROUTINE
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PRIVATE SCHOOL DIRECTORY
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CHARTER SCHOOL DIRECTORY
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COUNTDOWN TO COLLEGE: HELPING STUDENTS FIND THEIR FIT
BRANDON FOREMAN Chief Executive Officer
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Q&A WITH TEACHER OF THE YEAR JESSICA MAY
11831 Wentling Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70816 (303) 320-1000 Visit us online at ColoradoParent.com Distribution + Circulation: circulation@coloradoparent.com
Education Guide is published annually by Geaux Publish, Inc. Please note that the advertisements in this magazine are paid for by the advertisers, which allows this magazine to be free to the consumer. Limit of one free copy per reader. Call (303) 320-1000 to request additional copies. Unless specifically noted, no advertisers, products, or services are endorsed by the Publisher. Editorial submissions are welcome. Education Guide ©2024 Geaux Publish, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction In whole or part without written permission is prohibited. Please recycle this magazine.
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How to Talk to Your Child’s Teacher
By Sharon Nolfi
Avoid discussion of other children. Teachers have legal and ethical reasons why they can’t discuss other children. Information about your child should be kept confidential as well. Respect these practices for everyone’s benefit. Be willing to follow-up with the child and the teacher. Let the teacher know you are willing to help your child at home, if necessary. Ask what you can do at home to supplement what is going on in the classroom and then do it. Ask for more time if needed. You are entitled to a full discussion and understanding of your child’s progress at school. If more time is needed, schedule a follow-up meeting. Welcome the chance to confer with your child’s teacher, whether your child is having problems or not. You and the teacher can help each other to provide the best educational experience possible. Children learn best when home and school are in agreement on expectations and goals.
A meeting with your child’s teacher can be a powerful tool for helping your child succeed in school. Whether initiated by you, the teacher, or the principal, such a meeting gives you a platform to learn about your child and to assert their needs. Follow these nine guidelines for more productive (and even enjoyable) parent-teacher conferences. Set goals. Whether you or the teacher initiated the meeting, you should consider what you hope to accomplish. Ask yourself ahead of time what a successful outcome for you would be, then plan and work toward that goal. Come prepared. Write down your questions ahead of time. Bring samples of your child’s work that demonstrate problem areas and strengths. Keep track of behaviors at home that may be repeating themselves in the classroom. Listen then respond. Let the teacher speak first and listen carefully. Take notes on points
for which you need clarification or with which you disagree. Respond to the teacher’s concerns and then introduce the topics you want to cover. Ask for specifics. What is the particular behavior the teacher is complaining about? At what times and how frequently is it occurring? Ask what an acceptable behavior would look like. Request special services. Many services are available for children with special needs. Ask for an evaluation if you suspect your child has a learning disability. Be firm, but don’t threaten. You have a right to assert your point of view, but do so with respect and courtesy. Most teachers care about your child’s success. Politely ask to bring the principal into the discussion if you feel it is warranted, but don’t raise your voice or threaten them. Being disrespectful will only distract from your point of view and make it difficult to work with the school.
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7 Quick Tips For Keeping Your Child’s After-School Routine Positive And Balanced By Sandi Schwartz Photo by Freepik.com
We all want to help our children succeed, and we often wonder if we are doing too much or too little. We may think we are guiding them, but might actually be pressuring our kids too much and making them feel as if they are not good enough. Unfortunately, this can lead to stress and anxiety for our children, even at a very young age. To avoid going down that path, it is important that we offer a positive, balanced approach so they know they are supported, yet have the freedom to be independent as well. If you want to help your kids to do well in school without stressing them out too much, here are some simple things you can do when they are at home. Create A Happy, Stress-Free After-School Routine From the moment your kids hop in the car after school, you can start to ease them into the transition from school to home. Ask them about their day and then provide them with a crucial break time involving healthy snacks and winding down time before they jump into their homework assignments. Have A Set Time For Homework Doing homework can be difficult at the best of times, especially when kids have finished school and they want to play or relax. Having a set time for them to do homework will make it easier for
them to get into the habit of it. For example, you could let them take a break first by engaging in some enriching activities like arts and crafts, exercise, mindfulness, or outdoor play before they get started on their homework. Also, be consistent. By ensuring they do their homework at the same time every day, it will become easier for them to sit down and get it done. Make Sure They Use The Right Resources By providing your kids with the right resources, you can encourage them to learn while they are at home. There is an abundance of educational tools online that can help them brush up on certain skills and view concepts they learn at school in a more interesting way. Take a trip to your local library to find books that provide more detail about the subjects they are talking about in school. Or, even visit a local science or art museum to enrich their learning experience. Help Them If They Need It they are having a problem with a certain teacher, student, or subject. Be their voice and do something about it, even if it means addressing bullying. Sometimes, they may need help with their homework. Perhaps you could take a little time and sit down with them to figure out what they are struggling with. This If your kids need help, then make sure you are there for them. Perhaps
will ensure that they do not get overwhelmed and anxious about getting it wrong.
Have A Positive, Non-Pushy Attitude Toward Learning
It is important that you have a positive attitude towards your children’s learning experience. You want to inspire them, but do not nag. As soon as you nag them, you take all the fun out of it, and stress and anxiety will creep in. Make an effort to use positive language and make them feel good about school, even when they are struggling with a challenging subject or situation. Never Compare Try hard not to compare your child to other children, especially their siblings. The fact is, they all develop at different rates. Your child might be a little faster, or a little slower. Comparing them either way will only set them up for failure in the future, so make sure you Sleep plays a huge part in how well our kids do in school. Make sure they go to bed at a consistent time every night and have a comfortable environment to sleep in. That means shutting down electronic gadgets well before their bedtime, making sure the room is cool enough, and letting them sleep with their favorite stuffed animal or cozy blanket. focus on them and them alone. Ensure They Get Plenty Of Sleep
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Private School
Peace with Christ Christian School pwccs.org (303) 766-7116 K-8 Regis Jesuit High School regisjesuit.com (303) 269-8000 9-12 St. Pius X Catholic School stpiusxschool.net (303) 364-6515 PreK-8 St. Therese Catholic School stthereseschool.com (303) 364-7494 K-8 Boulder Bixby School bixbyschool.org (303) 494-7508 PreK-5 Boulder Country Day School (303) 527-4931 bouldercountryday.org PreK-8 Boulder Journey School boulderjourneyschool.com
Arvada Dawson School dawsonschool.org (303) 665-6679 K-12 Faith Christian Academy gofaitheagles.com (303) 424-7310 K-8 Forge Christian Academy forgechs.com (720) 895-9010 9-12 Shrine of St. Anne Catholic School stannescatholic.com (303) 422-1800 K-8 St. Joan of Arc Early Learning Center stjoanelc.org (303) 422-4949 PreK-K The Academy Arvada Early
Aurora CedarWood Christian Academy cedarwoodchristian.org (303) 361-6456 K-12 Christ Our Redeemer cor.school (303) 337-3108 PreK-8 Crescent View Academy crescentview.org (303) 745-2245 PreK-12 Holy Love Preschool & Kindergarten holylovelutheran.org (303) 693-8519 PS-K Merryhill School Aurora merryhillschoolaurora.com (844) 826-3426 6 weeks-Pre-K Mt. Olive Lutheran Early Childhood Education Center mtolc.org (303) 750-9856 PreK-JK
(303) 443-8909 Infant-PreK Boulder Montessori School bouldermontessori.org (303) 494-5814 PreK-K Boulder Waldorf Kindergarten boulderwaldorf.com (303) 541-0671 Toddler-K Dawson School dawsonschool.org (303) 665-6679 K-12 Friends School friendsschoolboulder.org (303) 499-1999 PreK-8 Growing Minds Learning Academy growingmindsco.com (720) 659-5169 Infant-Age 8 Jarrow Montessori School jarrow.org
Childhood Education theacademyece.com (303) 424-0246 Toddler-K
(303) 443-0511 Toddler-Age 12
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Mackintosh Academy mackboulder.com (303) 554-2011 K-8 Mapleton Montessori School mapletonmontessori.org (303) 449-4499 Ages 2½-6 Mountain Shadows Montessori School mountainshadows.org (303) 530-5353 PreK-6 Mt. Zion Lutheran Preschool mtzionboulder.org (303) 443-8477 Toddler-PreK Sacred Heart of Jesus School school.shjboulder.org (303) 447-2362 PS-8 September High School septemberschool.org (303) 443-9933 7-12 Shining Mountain Waldorf School shiningmountainwaldorf.org
Elmwood Baptist Academy ebabrighton.org (303) 659-3818 K-12 Zion Lutheran School brightonzls.org (303) 659-3443 PS-8 Broomfield Apple Tree Christian Preschool & Kindergarten broomfieldumc.org (303) 466-8365 PreK-K Bal Swan Children’s Center balswan.org (303) 466-6308 Toddler-PreK Beautiful Savior Lutheran School & ELC beautifulsaviorbroomfield.org (303) 469-2049 Infant-6th Grade Dawson School dawsonschool.org (303) 665-6679 K-12 Holy Family High School holyfamilyhs.com
(303) 444-7697 PreK-12
(303) 410-1411 9-12 Hope Montessori Academy montessorichild.com (303) 457-4400 6 Weeks-K Nativity of Our Lord Catholic School school.nool.us (303) 469-5171 PS-8 Castle Rock Faith Lutheran Preschool faithcrco.org/preschool (303) 688-3532 PS Merryhill School Castle Rock merryhillcastlerock.com (844) 826-3426 6 weeks-Pre-K Montessori School of Castle Rock montessoricastlerock.com (303) 663-6942 Toddler-PreK Centennial Centennial Montessori thecentennialmontessori.com
Tara Performing Arts High School tarahighschool.org (303) 440-4510 9-12
Temple Grandin School templegrandinschool.org (303) 554-7363 6-12 The Joshua School joshuaschool.org (303) 974-7732 Ages 3-21 Watershed School watershedschool.org (303) 440-7520 6-12 Ziji Early Elementary School zijiearlyelementary.org (303) 530-0844 K-2 Brighton Brighton Adventist Academy baaconnect.org (303) 6591223 K-10
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Garfield Montessori School garfieldmontessori.org (303) 388-8828 PreK-K Good Shepherd Catholic School goodshepherddenver.org (303) 321-6231 PS-8 Graland Country Day School graland.org (303) 399-0390 PS-8 Guardian Angels Catholic School guardianangelschurchdenver.org (303) 480-9005 PS-8 Hillel Academy of Denver hillelacademyofdenver.com (303) 333-1511 PreK-8 The Hope Center hopecenterinc.org (303) 388-4801 Toddler-K Iliff Preschool & Kindergarten iliffpreschool.com (303) 757-3551 Toddler-K Inner City School innercityschool.org (303) 316-4533 PreK-6 International School of Denver isdenver.org (303) 340-3647 K1 (Age 3)-8th JCC Early Learning School jccdenver.org (303) 316-6377 Toddler-PS Monarch Montessori of Denver
Montessori Children’s House of Denver
(720) 200-9220 Birth-Age 6
(303) 288-2159 PreK-8
mchdenver.org (303) 322-8324 PreK-9 Montessori School of Denver montessoridenver.org (720) 606-4321 Toddler-8 Montessori School of Wild Pines mswp.org (303) 722-7708 Age 15 Months- 6 Years Montview Community Preschool & Kindergarten montviewpreschool.org (303) 322-7296 PS-K Most Precious Blood Catholic School school.mpbdenver.org (303) 757-1279 JK-8 Mullen High School mullenhigh.com (303) 761-1764 9-12 Notre Dame Parish School notredamedenver.org (303) 935-3549 PS-8 Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School lourdesclassical.org (303) 722-7525 PreK-8 Paddington Station Preschool paddingtonstation.org (303) 333-9154 PreK-K Rabbi Steven Foster Early Learning Center elc.emanueldenver.org (303) 321-7258 PreK-K Ricks Center for Gifted Children at DU morgridge.du.edu/ricks (303) 871-3715 PS-8 Rock Solid Christian Academy rocksolidchristian.com (303) 797-1005 K-8 St. Anne’s Episcopal School st-annes.org
Joshua Early Childhood Center joshuaearlychildhoodcenter.org (720) 583-6849 Ages 2½-6
Beth Jacob High School of Denver bjhs.org (303) 893-1333 9-12 Bishop Machebeuf High School
Shepherd of the Hills Early Learning Center shepherdhills-school.org (303) 798-0711
machebeuf.org (303) 344-0082 9-12 Blessed Sacrament Catholic School bscs-denver.net (303) 377-8835 PS-8
18 Months-Age 6 St. Thomas More Catholic School
12 Education Guide | 2024 Accelerated Schools acceleratedschools.org (303) 758-2003 6-12 Annunciation Catholic School annunciationk8.org (303) 295-2515 PreK-8 Arrupe Jesuit High School arrupejesuit.com (303) 455-7449 9-12 Assumption Catholic School assumptiondenver.org stmcatholic.org (303) 770-0441 PS-8 Willows Child Learning Center willowschildlearn.com (303) 771-4202 PS-K Willows Olde Mill willowschildlearn.com (303) 721-7771 PS-K Colorado Springs The Colorado Springs School css.org (719) 475-9747 PreK-12 Commerce City Rocky Mountain Lutheran High School rmlhs.org (303) 346-1947 9-12 Conifer Aspen Park Montessori aspenparkmontessori.org (303) 668-1532 PreK-3 Denver
Children’s Garden Montessori School cgmontessori.com (303) 322-0972 Toddler-K Christ Lutheran Early Childhood Center christlutherandenver.org Toddler-PreK Christ the King Roman Catholic School ckrcs.org (303) 321-2123 PS-8 Colorado Academy coloradoacademy.org (303) 986-1501 PreK-12 Denver Academy denveracademy.org (303) 777-5161 2-12 Denver Academy of Torah datcampus.org (720) 859-6806 K-12 Denver Jewish Day School
monarchm.com (303) 712-2001 Infant-PreK Monarch Montessori of Denver Elementary monarch.com (303) 712-2001 K-5 Montessori Academy of Colorado montessoriacademy
denverjds.org (303) 369-0663 K-12
L’Ecole de Denver ecoledenver.com
(720) 749-4639 PreK & 5th-8th
Escuela de Guadalupe escuelaguadalupe.org (303) 964-8456 PreK-8
ofcolorado.org (303) 623-2609 Infant-8th Grade
All Souls Catholic School allsoulscatholic.org/school (303) 789-2155 PreK-8 Humanex Academy humanexacademy.com (303) 783-0137 6-12 Kent Denver School
(303) 756-9481 PS-8
aspenacademy.org (303) 346-3500 Pre-K-8 The Gardner School of DTC thegardnerschool.com (720) 672-9980 Infant-K The Village Child Development Center thevillagelc.com (303) 290-9005 Toddler-K Highlands Ranch Arma Dei Academy armadeiacademy.com (303) 346-4523 PS-12 Cherry Hills Christian School cherryhillschristian.org (303) 791-5500 PS-8 Espree Child Learning Center
Infant-PreK Augustine Classical Academy augustineclassical.org (720) 446-6286 PS-12 Bethlehem Lutheran School bethlehemdenver.com/school (303) 233-0401 PS-8 Clever Kids Learning Center child-care-preschool. brighthorizons.com (720) 258-4210 Infant-PreK Concordia Preschool clcgrace.org (303) 989-5260 PS-K Denver Christian School denverchristian.org (303) 733-2421 PS-12 Denver Street School (West Campus) denverstreetschool.org (303) 847-7582 9-12 Lakewood United Methodist Preschool lumpreschool.org (303) 238-9082 PS Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School olfcs.com (303) 233-2500 PS-8 Wellspring Catholic Academy of St. Bernadette gowellspring.org (303) 237-0401 PS-8 Littleton Abiding Hope Preschool & Kindergarten abidinghopepreschool.org (303) 932-9160 PS-K Foothills Christian Preschool & Kindergarten fcpk.org (303) 972-3162 Toddler-K Front Range Christian School frcs.org
St. Elizabeth’s School stelizabethsdenver.org (303) 322-4209 K-8 St. James Catholic School stjamesdenver.org (303) 333-8275 PS-8 St. John’s School Early Learning Center sjdenver.org/elc (303) 733-3777 PreK-8 St. Rose of Lima Catholic Academy strosedenver.org (303) 733-5806 PreK-8 St. Vincent de Paul Catholic School svdpk8.com (303) 777-3812 PreK-8 Stanley British Primary School stanleybps.org (303) 360-0803 K-8 Temple Sinai Preschool sinaidenver.org (303) 759-0755 15 months-PreK The Denver Waldorf School denverwaldorf.org (303) 777-0531 PreK-12 The Logan School theloganschool.org (303) 340-2444 K-8 Three Bears Learning Center threebearslc.com (303) 369-6464 Toddler-K Yeshiva Toras Chaim of Denver ytcdenver.org (303) 629-8200 9-12 Eastlake Eastlake Montessori Preschool eastlakemontessori.com (303) 452-3835 Ages 3-7 Englewood
kentdenver.org (303) 770-7660 6-12 St. Mary’s Academy stmarys.academy (303) 762-8300 PreK-12 The Joshua School joshuaschool.org (303) 758-7171 Ages 3-18 Evergreen
Evergreen Academy evergreenacademy.org (303) 670-1721 Infant-PS Evergreen Country Day School evergreencountryday.org (303) 674-3400 PreK-8 Montessori School of Evergreen montessori-evergreen.org (303) 674-0093 Toddler-8 Fort Collins Fort Collins Montessori School focomontessori.org (970) 631-8612 PreK-6 Foxfield Our Lady of Loreto Catholic School ololcatholicschool.org (303) 951-8330 PreK-8 Golden Cornerstone Montessori School cornerstonemontessori.net (303) 277-0245 Toddler-K Thrive Preschool thrivepreschool.com (303) 278-7772 Infant-PS Greenwood Village Aspen Academy
espreeclc.com (303) 471-1110 PS-K
Highlands Ranch Learning Center highlandsranchlc.com (303) 346-7144 Infant-K Mile High Academy milehighacademy.org (303) 744-1069 PS-12
St. Luke’s Little School stlukeslittleschool.org (303) 791-1982 Ages 2½-5 Valor Christian High School govalor.com (303) 471-3000 9-12 Lafayette Adventure Montessori adventuremontessori.com (303) 665-6789 Infant-Age 12 Dawson School dawsonschool.org (303) 665-6679 K-12 Lakewood Advantage
Learning Center advantagelc.net (303) 914-5482
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Longmont Christian School longmontchristian.org (303) 776-3254 PS-12 St. John the Baptist Catholic School school.johnthebaptist.org (303) 776-8760 PS-8 Louisville Dawson School dawsonschool.org (303) 665-6679 K-12 Fairview Montessori School fairviewmontessori.com (303) 661-0343 Toddler-K St. Louis Catholic School
(720) 922-3269 PS-12 Havern School havernschool.org (303) 986-4587 K-8 Mackintosh Academy mackintoshacademy.com (303) 794-6222 PreK-8 St. Mary Catholic School littletoncatholicschool.com (303) 798-2375 PS-8 Stepping Stones Learning Willows Arapaho Hills willowschildlearn.com (303) 794-3871 PS-K Lone Tree Ambleside School amblesidecolorado.com (720) 712-0464 K-12 Crème de la Crème cremedelacreme.com (303) 662-9150 Infant-K Merryhill School Lone Tree merryhilllonetree.com Center of Littleton sslcoflittleton.com (303) 904-1121 Infant-Age 12 Montessori School at Lone Tree montessoriatlonetree.com (303) 799-8540 Age 2½-K Longmont Dawson School dawsonschool.org (303) 665-6679 K-12 (844) 826-3426 6 weeks-Pre-K
catholicparish.org (720) 842-5400 PS-8 Lutheran High School lhsparker.org (303) 841-5551 9-12 Parker Montessori parkermontessori.com (303) 841-4325 Infant-Age 6 Renaissance Montessori Academy
(303) 424-1306 PS-8 The Academy Westminster Early Childhood Education Center theacademyece.com (720) 739-4507 Toddler-K Victory Montessori & Childcare victorydenver.com/childcare (720) 210-1177 Infant-K Wooden Shoe Preschool & PreKindergarten woodenshoe-childcare.com (303) 422-6195 Toddler-PreK Wheat Ridge Alpine Valley School alpinevalleyschool.com (303) 271-0525 K-12 Beth Eden Baptist School bethedenschool.org (303) 232-2313 K-12 Midtown Montessori midtownmontessori.org (303) 218-6641 6-12 Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School sppscatholic.com (303) 424-0402 PS-8 Multiple Locations Bright Horizons Early Education & Preschool brighthorizons.com (877) 624-4532 Infant-PreK Everbrook Academy everbrookacademy.com (855) 546-2412 Infant-School Age Little People’s Landing littlepeopleslanding.com (303) 972-0787 Infant-School Age
rmaschool.org (303) 840-6119 Toddler-5th Grade Southeast Christian School sechristianschool.org (303) 841-5988 PS-8 Thornton A Child’s Touch achildstouch.com (303) 286-8460 Infant-K Little Village Christian Child Care Center villagecalvary.org (303) 452-2944 PS-PreK Westminster Belleview Christian School belleviewchristian.com (303) 427-5459 Toddler-12
school.stlp.org (303) 666-6220 PS-8
The Patchwork School thepatchworkschool.com (720) 271-6729 Ages 1-7 Morrison
Red Rocks Christian Preschool redrockschristianpreschool.org (303) 922-8305 Ages 3 & 4-K Niwot Boulder Valley Waldorf School
bvwaldorf.org (303) 652-0130 PS-8 Rocky Mountain Christian Academy 9447 Niwot Rd., Niwot
Blessed Miguel Pro Catholic Academy
miguelpro.org (303) 427-5632 PS-8
rmcaonline.org (303) 652-9162 Preschool-8th Northglenn Gethsemane Lutheran School church.glutheranschool.com (303) 451-6908 PS-8 Step by Step Child Development Center stepbystepchildcare.net (303) 451-1740 Infant-Age 12 Parker Ave Maria Catholic School school.avemaria
Flatirons Academy flatironsacademy.org (303) 451-1421 K-12 Life Christian Academy lifechristianacad.org (303) 438-1260 PreK-12 Noah’s Ark Preschool & Childcare noahsarklc.com (303) 466-6887 Infant-PreK Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran School svlchurch.com
Desiderata School desiderataschool.com (303) 678-9335 5-12
14 Education Guide | 2024 Gateway Montessori School gmslongmont.com (303) 772-3864 PreK-K
The Cottage School cottageschoolsco.com (303) 546-6814 Infant-K
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Charter School
New Legacy Charter School newlegacycharter.org (303) 340-7880 6 weeks-12th Rocky Mountain Prep Fletcher rockymountainprep.org (720) 863-8922 PreK-5 Vanguard Classical School East vanguardclassical.org (303) 338-4110 K-12 Broomfield Prospect Ridge Academy prospectridgeacademy.org (720) 399-0300 K-12 Castle Pines American Academy Castle Pines Campus aak8.org (720) 292-5200 PK-8
Orton Academy ortonk8.org (719) 313-9903 2-8 Rocky Mountain Classical Academy rmcacs.org (719) 622-8000 K-8 Commerce City The STEAD School thesteadschool.org (720) 835-2995 9-11 Victory Preparatory Academy communityleadership academy.org (303) 288-6111 6-8 Denver 5280 High School 5280highschool.org (720) 919-1056 9-12
Arvada Excel Academy excel-academy. jeffcopublicschools.org (303) 467-2295 K-8 Aurora Academy of Advanced Learning Aurora Science & Tech Middle School dsstpublicschools.org (303) 524-6397 6-8 Aurora Science & Tech High School dsstpublicschools.org (303) 524-6397 9-12 thirdfuture.org (720) 500-5252 K-8 Global Village Academy Aurora aurora.gvaschools.org (720) 571-2303 K-8
Castle Rock Renaissance Secondary School renaissancesecondary.org (720) 689-6120 6-12 Colorado Springs Academy for Advanced and Creative Learning Eastlake High School eastlakehs.net (719) 300-8947 9-12 Grand Peak Academy grandpeakacademy.org (719) 495-7360 PreK-8 academyacl.org (719) 434-6566 K-8 New Summit Charter Academy newsummitcharter.org (719) 749-4010 K-8
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Academy 360 academy-360.org (303) 574-1360 ECE 3-5th
dsstpublicschools.org (303) 524-6355 9-11 DSST: Elevate Northeast Middle School dsstpublicschools.org (303) 524-6355 6-8 DSST: Green Valley Ranch High School dsstpublicschools.org (303) 524-6300 9-12 DSST: Green Valley Ranch Middle School dsstpublicschools.org (303) 524-6300 6-8 DSST: Montview High School dsstpublicschools.org (303) 320-5570 9-12
kippcolorado.org (720) 452-2570 9-12
(720) 485-6393 9-12
Rocky Mountain Prep Ruby Hill rockymountainprep.org (720) 460-2800 K-5 Rocky Mountain Prep SMART rockymountainprep.org (303) 962-9880 9-12 Rocky Mountain Prep Sunnyside rockymountainprep.org (720) 723-2000 6-8 Rocky Mountain Prep Southwest rockymountainprep.org (720) 863-8920 PreK3-5
KIPP Northeast Denver Middle School kippcolorado.org (303) 307-1970 5-8
Arrupe Jesuit High School arrupejesuit.com (303) 455-7449 9-12
KIPP Northeast Elementary kippcolorado.org (720) 452-2551 ECE-4
Downtown Denver Expeditionary School
ddeschool.org (720) 424-2350 K-5
KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy kippcolorado.org (303) 623-5772 5-8 KIPP Sunshine Peak Elementary kippcolorado.org (720) 452-2572 ECE-4 Omar D. Blair Charter School omardblaircharter school.com (303) 371-9570 K-8
16 Education Guide | 2024 DSST: Cedar High School dsstpublicschools.org (303) 524-6350 9-12 DSST: Cedar Middle School dsstpublicschools.org (303) 524-6350 6-8 DSST: Cole High School dsstpublicschools.org (303) 524-6354 9-12 DSST: Cole Middle School dsstpublicschools.org (303) 524-6354 6-8 DSST: College View High School dsstpublicschools.org (303) 524-6320 9-12 DSST: College View Middle School dsstpublicschools.org (303) 524-6320 6-8 DSST: Conservatory Green High School dsstpublicschools.org (303) 802-4127 9-12 DSST: Conservatory Green Middle School dsstpublicschools.org (303) 802-4120 6-8 DSST: Elevate Northeast High School
Rocky Mountain Prep Westwood rockymountainprep.org (303) 962-9880 6-8 Vanguard Classical School West vanguardclassical.org (303) 691-2384 K-8
DSST: Montview Middle School dsstpublicschools.org (303) 524-6380 6-8 French American School of Denver fasdenver.org (720) 966-1380 K-5 Girls Athletic Leadership School Highline Academy Northeast Campus highlineacademy.org (720) 485-5172 ECE-5 Highline Academy Southeast Campus highlineacademy.org (303) 759-7808 K-8 KIPP Denver Collegiate High School kippcolorado.org (303) 922-5324 9-12 KIPP Northeast Denver Leadership Academy galsdenver.org (303) 282-6437 6-12
Rocky Mountain Prep Berkeley rockymountainprep.org (720) 464-3550 PreK-5 Rocky Mountain Prep Creekside rockymountainprep.org (720) 863-8920 PreK-5 Rocky Mountain Prep Federal rockymountainprep.org (720) 460-2800 6-8 Rocky Mountain Prep Green Valley Ranch rockymountainprep.org (303) 999-2893 6-8 Rocky Mountain Prep Noel rockymountainprep.org (303) 999-3825 6-8 Rocky Mountain Prep Rise rockymountainprep.org
Wyatt Academy wyattacademy.org (303) 292-5515 K-5 Englewood Parker Performing Arts School parkerperformingarts.org (720) 709-7400 K-8 Erie Aspen Ridge Preparatory School aspenridgeprepschool.org (720) 242-6225 PreK-8 Firestone Firestone Charter Academy firestone-charter- academy.org (303) 772-3711 PreK-8 Highlands Ranch Ben Franklin Academy
bfacademy.org (720) 383-4519 PreK-8
STEM School Highlands Ranch stemk12.org (303) 683-7836 K-12 Lafayette Peak to Peak Charter School peaktopeak.org (303) 453-4600 K-12 Lakewood Addenbrooke Classical Academy addenbrooke.org (303) 989-1336 PreK-8
Littleton Collegiate Academy of Colorado collegiateacademy.net (303) 972-7433 PK-12 Longmont St. Vrain Community Montessori School svcmontessori.org (303) 682-4339 K-8 Parker American Academy Meadows Campus aak8.org (720) 292-5300 PreK-8 American Academy Motsenbocker Campus aak8.org (720) 292-5600 PreK-8 Global Village Academy Douglas County douglascounty.gva- schools.org (720) 476-8044 K-5
North Star Academy nstaracademy.org (720) 851-7827 K-8 Parker Core Knowledge ckcs.net (303) 840-7070 PreK-8 Peyton Liberty Tree Academy ltaeagles.org (719) 559-8733 K-12 Thornton Global Village Academy North northglenn.gvaschools.org (303) 446-7100 K-8
westgateschool.org (303) 452-0967 K-12 Watkins Sky Ranch Academy nhaschools.com (720) 574-9548 K-8 Westminster Woodrow Wilson Academy wwacademy.org (303) 431-3694 K-8 Woodrow Wilson Academy’s Home School Connection wwahomeschool.org (720) 289-9230 Ages: 5-12 Wheat Ridge Mountain Phoenix Community School mountainphoenix.org (303) 728-9100 PreK-8
Addenbrooke Classical Academy High School addenbrooke.org (303) 989-1336 9-12 Lively Arts Home School Program mpcshomeschool.org (720) 808-5181 PreK-8
Stargate Charter School stargateschool.org (303) 450-3936 K-12 Westgate Community School
2024 | ColoradoParent.com 17
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Countdown to College: Tips to Help Students Find Their Fit By Janeen Lewis
The high school road to college can be challeng- ing. There are deadlines and tough financial choices, and parents and children don’t always agree on colleges. How do parents help their high school students navigate all the details and decisions they must make during their countdown to college? Here is some advice from the pros. Starting the Conversation It all starts with a conversation, but often the question that starts the conversation is the wrong one, according to Rick Clark, an under- graduate college admissions counselor. “Parents ask ‘Where do you want to go to college?’” says Clark, who co-authored the book, The Truth about College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting in and Staying Together . The biggest question that parents don’t ask is ‘Why do you want to go to college?’ That is important, and should be followed up with questions like “What do you hope to get out of this? What do you want to study? What do you want to do long- term?” says Clark. Freshman Year: The Importance of Academics Rachael Fain, a mom of three, stresses the
importance of GPA during the freshman high school year. “My children started taking high school classes in eighth grade,” Fain says. “A GPA is harder to bring up in junior and senior year, so our goal in their eighth and ninth grade years was to keep their GPA high.” Freshman year is also important for getting on a challenging track of classes. “Course choice is important,” Clark says. “Math in particular is something students need to pay attention to.” Sophomore Year: Getting to Know You In tenth grade,students can take personality tests and the PSAT to determine strengths and weaknesses. They can also think about the kind and size of school they want to attend. Understanding what they are good at will help students be realistic about the school that is the best fit for them.
ricular activities? Clark says one out of every four students who apply to the school where he works are accepted. “Most students that apply have good test scores, good grades, and good courses. Then the review committee asks, ‘Is this kid a good fit for us?’” Clark says they look for students who are innovative or who are entrepreneurs, and they ask “How does this student use their time?” Senior Year: Find Your Fit Clark says the most important thing about making a college decision is finding a good fit. “Fit doesn’t really mean, can the student do the work, but are they aligned well to the school?” For example, Clark says two universi- ties can look the same on paper. A student will apply to each with the same grades and same test scores and get accepted to one and not the other. “That is what fit is,” Clark says. “[It’s] how a student fits with a school, not just from an academic standpoint.” The good news is that there are many schools across the country, and probably more than one of them will match your student’s personality and academic standing.
Junior Year: Balancing Grades and Activities
Grades are crucial during junior year. Junior year involves a more challenging track of classes and leadership roles in clubs and activities. It’s hard to do it all, so how important are the extracur-
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started teaching in middle school, I realized that they are MY people! Middle school is such a challenging time, and even though I can’t make things better for students, I am the physical evidence that you can sur- vive and thrive. I’m called to serve them with kindness and compassion as they go through this strange time of being stuck between being a little kid and a young adult. Tell me the importance of students learning Family and Consumer Science (FACS). May: FACS isn’t just about cooking and sewing anymore; instead it’s about all the life skills they will need when they’re out on their own. Each grade level has different units to cov- er. In sixth grade, they learn how to do laundry and remove stains, how to plan nutritious family meals, and self-care options. Seventh graders have financial literacy, where we discuss credit scores, credit cards, and debit cards, and they go through an entire activity where they have to find out how much everything costs when they’re on their own. Eighth graders learn how to fill out a job application, write a cover letter and resume, and practice taking the GED tests and the CO driver’s test. Child development and human growth is the highlight for many eighth grad- ers as they go through the cost of a six-page list of needs for a baby’s first year, followed by each student mak- ing a baby out of two pairs of pant- yhose and a five-pound bag of rice. They dress them up and then carry them around properly for two weeks, 24/7. All students practice self-care and cooking/cleaning as well. This is a priceless class for all students! What is your teaching style, and why is it effective? May: I call my style “Warm De- mander,” because I fiercely love my students, but I hold them to a high level in class and won’t let them go
By CP Q&A with Teacher of the Year Jessica May
2024 Teacher of the Year Jessica May is currently teaching in the Thompson School District, the same district she attended kindergarten through twelfth grade. May is a fan of reading, loves watching football, singing, drinking Pepsi on ice, giving mom hugs, and making people laugh. Her passion for fighting injustice and pouring her heart and soul into children who are struggling in school is admirable. Outside the classroom,
she’s a wife and a hands-on mom of four sons. What made you want to become a middle school teacher? Jessica May: I actually never want- ed to be a middle school teacher. I earned my elementary teaching degree at UNC, but since sixth grade was in middle school, I was con- vinced to apply for a social studies position by one of my former teach- ers who still worked there. Once I
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below that. I connect with them first through their heart and then I’m able to connect with their minds. Their mental, emotional, and physical well-being has always been more important to me than content, even when I was a Language Arts teach- er. I will do what I can to meet their needs in my classroom, since most of the time, learning can’t happen when bigger things are occupying their thoughts. Being this type of teacher reinforces empathy and compassion, which creates a stron- ger bond between me and my stu- dents. Then the sky’s the limit when they have to complete challenging content work in class. How do you motivate students? May: I give them, and treat them, with respect and trust from day one. When I give it first, they respect it be- cause most adults demand respect from them first since they are “kids.” I also walk them through the think-
ing and working process. I don’t just explain an assignment and let them loose to figure it out by themselves. I set them up for success in the way I scaffold assignments into smaller steps, which helps build their con- fidence and skill level. I give them class jobs, the freedom to stand up if they can’t sit still, and I want them to talk a lot with each other about all the topics we cover. Mainly, I motivate them with love, patience, kindness, and humor/silliness. When they realize how much I truly care about them and how I REALLY have their backs, they return the favor and do the work I ask. May: My favorite part about teach- ing are the “aha moments” I get to witness when my students accom- plish a task they never believed they could actually do. It may take YEARS or DECADES for this to happen sometimes, but when former stu- What is your favorite part about teaching?
dents reach out and tell you how you made a difference in their life...this is the teacher’s jackpot, the “lottery winning moment!” To be a part of those life-changing moments makes this the greatest job and profession in the world! May: Write a letter to your favorite teacher, or reach out on FaceBook/ Instagram, and tell them how you are doing and what you remember most from being in their class. Your words are our “Bonuses” that mean What’s something you’d like everyone to know? the most to us! Thank you, Mrs. Osborn–Kindergarten, Mrs. Patter- son–1st grade, Mrs. Wishon–3rd grade, Miss Lang–6th grade, Mrs. Frawley–junior high Spanish, and Ms. Olson–high school Psychology... I aspire to bring the love of learning you brought into my life. Here’s to each of you for being my incredible superheroes!
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