Graland Today

SPRING 2022

GRALAND Today

IN THIS ISSUE:

August-October 2017

Planting the Seeds of Purpose

By Josh Cobb

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Fall 2019

A Look Back at Graland’s Strategic Plan 2017-2022 10

Honoring 2022 Master Teachers 3 Teaching Foundations of Purpose 6 Challenge Success: Partnering to Enhance Our Students’ Experience 8 A Continued Legacy: Honoring Ben Duke 14

GRALAND COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL

Cover Photo: Grade 8 students pack lunches to serve at the St. Francis Center for their service learning project about urban poverty.

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Instilling a love of learning, the desire to work hard, and showing children how to be the best possible human is truly my purpose as an educator.

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Honoring 2022 Graland Master Teachers By: Molly Johnson, Communications Manager

- Liza Baker, Kindergarten Teacher See article page 6

Graland Today is a monthly publication of Graland Country Day School Volume 9, Issue 3 Send correspondence to: Associate Director of Communications 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

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Anita Humeyumptewa Director of Extended Day Program After volunteering in the Graland Library since the early 1990s, Director of Extended Day Program Mrs. Humeyumptewa (lovingly known by many as Mrs. H.) officially joined Graland as staff in 2002. Since then, she has been employed as aftercare staff, as the after-school enrichment coordinator, and as a Preschool and PreKindergarten support teacher. During her time in each of these roles, Mrs. Humeyumptewa looked to Edie Buchanan (former after-school program director), Di Nestel (former director of programs), and Parthenia Williams (current Associate Head of Lower School) as her mentors. What some might not know is that the Humeyumptewas have a long family history at Graland. According to Mrs. H., Graland has had a Humeyumptewa on campus for 52 consecutive years: her husband started as a student in 1970, Mrs. H. began teaching here in 2002, and her two children, Vilnis ‘09 and Zile ‘11, also attended Graland. Mrs. Humeyumptewa is grateful to have been a Graland family for so long, and has been honored to provide students with a safe, enriching, and happy place to be after school each day. For Mrs. Humeyumptewa, being an educator means understanding and finding a way to meet the needs of each student, whether those needs are intellectual, creative, or social-emotional. In the future, she is looking forward to continuing to share in the natural joy, discovery, and wonder that Graland students bring to aftercare every single day.

Each spring, faculty and staff members who have dedicated 20 years of their career to Graland are celebrated by being inducted into the school’s Master Teacher program. This year’s inductees, including Head of School Josh Cobb, Purchasing Officer and Safety Manager Dana Rankin, and Director of Extended Day Program Anita Humeyumptewa, were honored at an assembly in March by their colleagues, students, friends, and family. Since the beginning of the program, which was started in 1998, 70 faculty and staff members have been given the honor of Master Teacher. Sixteen Master Teachers are still current faculty and staff members at Graland.

Dana Rankin

Josh Cobb

Purchasing Officer and Safety Manager

Head of School

Purchasing Officer and Safety Manager Dana Rankin started her career at Graland in the business office.

Throughout the years, Mrs. Rankin has not only made sure that Graland is safe and operational on a daily basis but that every student, teacher, staff member, and volunteer at Graland is cared for. This can be seen especially during Mrs. Rankin’s time as a former Lower School reading support teacher and in her current role as a Gates Invention and Innovation coach. According to Mrs. Rankin, the best part of being a Gates coach is watching students light up or become interested in skills that she can teach them, such as sewing or using a power tool. In addition to her time in the Gates program, Mrs. Rankin is also most proud of the safety improvements she has made at Graland over the years, including traffic enforcement, installation of the speed signs, and her positive relationships with the Denver police officers who return to campus year after year to keep the school safe. When looking back at the professional connections that have shaped her the most during her career, Mrs. Rankin would like to thank Juan Botello (current director of finance and operations), Andy Dodge (current Grade 5 teacher and Gates coach), and Di Nestel (former director of programs).

Head of School Josh Cobb originally started “Being an educator as a Grade 9 English teacher when he means enjoying children, came to Graland in 2002. After serving creating engaging as the Grade 9 team co-leader, English learning experiences, department chair, history department and helping each unique chair, and eventually Head of Middle child strive to reach their School, Mr. Cobb was named Graland’s potential.”

Head of School in 2017. When asked - Josh Cobb, who his biggest mentors were during his Head of School time at Graland, Mr. Cobb shared that the late John Threlkeld (former Grade 9 team leader), Tony Catanese (former Grade 9 team leader), Di Nestel (former director of programs), and Ronni McCaffrey (former Head of School), all taught him incredibly valuable lessons that helped shaped him into the leader he is today. Of all his favorite moments at Graland, school trips tend to be at the top for Mr. Cobb. A memory that particularly stands out was the time that his bus broke down during the Grade 9 Taos Trip, leaving himself, his fellow teachers, and 30-plus ninth graders stranded until they were rescued. Mr. Cobb is also very fond of the years that his two children, James ‘17 and Ella ‘19, were students at Graland. Up to this point, throughout his five years as Head of School, Mr. Cobb’s legacies at Graland include spearheading the faculty compensation redesign program (otherwise known as the Sphere Compensation System), his leadership in guiding the school community through a pandemic, as well as his joy, sense of humor, and deep love and appreciation for children, educators, and those who support teachers.

Graland Today

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Planting the Seeds of Purpose

By Josh Cobb, Head of School

R

ecently, I joined a group of sixth grade students, several of their parents, and a sixth grade teacher on a service trip to the Food Bank of the Rockies.

The coordinator from the Food Bank assigned us each a role and explained how it related to the entire endeavor of packing as many boxes of food as possible in the time we were there. I was part of the box crew with two other students. We opened boxes of food—beans, potatoes, pasta, tuna, and more—and placed them in the correct position for those loading the various items into a complete box for a family. We were also in charge of breaking down the boxes once they were empty and placing them in a large recycling bin. By the end of the four hours, we had packed 667 boxes with 10,071 pounds of food and 8,398 meals provided.

When the coordinator announced our totals, we cheered and felt the sense of accomplishment that comes from doing something good for someone else. This four-hour experience of giving, though admittedly a relatively small action, is an example of what Aristotle defined as eudaimonic happiness. Victor J. Strecher, a professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, explores Aristotle’s philosophy in his book Life on Purpose. As he explains, Aristotle determined that the primary object of life was happiness and distinguished two types, hedonic and eudaimonic.

Hedonic was at its best selfenhancing and at its worst a self-centered obsession with pleasure for pleasure’s sake.

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Conversely, eudaimonic happiness relied on transcending the self for the benefit of others. It was this form of happiness that Aristotle believed was more fulfilling. Strecher also cites a 2013 research study by psychologist Barbara Fredrickson that agrees: “Those who attained hedonic aspirations, however, reported greater anxiety and physical symptoms of poor health, whereas those attaining eudaimonic aspirations reported greater life satisfaction, self-esteem, and positive feelings.” Stretcher combines the philosophy of the ancient past and the scientific research of the present to illustrate the power of purpose and why it is essential to introduce that power to students.

Last spring, the seventh and eighth graders experienced a purpose summit led by the World Leadership School that introduced this concept of eudaimonic happiness with a simple question, “What are your gifts and how can you share them with the world?” The first part of the question could relate to hedonic happiness if we only focus on improving ourselves, but the second part of the question lends itself to selftranscendence through giving to others. It is this purposeful happiness that we want to cultivate in our students as it

will propel us in our mission to foster intellectual and socialemotional growth so that students become engaged citizens and thoughtful leaders.

At the beginning of the school year, I introduced three elements of our learning experience that have been core to Graland since its founding: live the questions, live your passions, and live on purpose. This final theme of purposedriven learning and living has come into focus over the past four years and taken on more urgency as the world has faced challenges that demand strong character and leadership. In Life on Purpose, Strecher relies on the work of Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist and survivor of a Nazi concentration camp, to demonstrate that those who have purpose can survive most hardships. As Frankl wrote in Man’s Search for Meaning, “Those who have a ‘why’ to live can bear with almost any how.”

In contrast, those who lacked meaning were lost: “Woe to him who saw no sense in his life, no aim, no purpose, and therefore no point in carrying on.”

Children and teenagers now are facing an uncertain “how” in a world defined by the pandemic, civil unrest, war, natural disasters, and other causes of suffering. They also have 24hour access to information detailing the impact of these tragic situations. It is easy to understand how a feeling of meaninglessness can overcome them and darken their days.

These outer events, as well as having the typical hardships of adolescence amplified by social media, have led to a mental health crisis in our youth, a crisis that adds urgency to fostering the fortitude that comes with purpose. As Strecher explains in his book, the work of purpose finding and then purposeful living is not a fast one. It begins with self-understanding and relies on a sense of personal agency as we answer the weighty questions, “What matters to me? What do we value?”

This starting point might seem ambitious, mostly for educators working with three- to fourteen- year-olds, but it is possible to scaffold this journey to purpose, or as Strecher proposes, to give some of us a recipe. At Graland, over the past two years, the Character Task Force has created a recipe of sorts, “A Framework to Build Strong Character,” which could be seen as a pathway to purpose. Using five of the school’s Guiding Principles, the framework provides a focal point for each teacher to examine how they are cultivating specific character traits based on those values. As students develop curiosity, empathy, agency, responsibility, and adaptability, they will not only gain a perspective that helps them transcend themselves, but they will gain a groundedness that provides the resolve to face the challenges of growing up in our world today.

Later in Life of Purpose, Strecher discusses Abraham Maslow’s study of “transcenders.” Initially, Maslow placed self-actualization at the apex of his hierarchy of needs, but later in his scholarly career, he began

A Framework to Build Character and Community Promote Independence Agency

Cultivate Compassion Empathy

Celebrate Perseverance

Build Strong Character and Community

Instill Integrity Responsibility

Adaptability

Honor Individuality Curiosity

to caution against the potential self-centeredness of selfactualization. Like Aristotle, he proposed that humans should try to go beyond self-enhancement and strive for selftranscendence, ultimately discovering that these “transcenders” were better synthesizers, innovators, and discoverers. They had both strong intellect and character.

Our work at the Food Bank was a potential catalyst for that self-transcendent purpose, the type of catalyst that could occur anywhere along the “whole child” experience of Graland, in an arts elective, a science class, a field trip, and many other activities that could become a seed of purpose, which could blossom decades later into a life that is both fulfilled and meaningful. I can think of no greater gift that we could share as educators.

In addition to planting the seeds of purpose, my experience at the Food Bank reminded me of one other thing: while building strong character, we can build a strong community.

Along that assembly line packing boxes full of food, all elements of our Graland community came together to model character and contribute to others. While we filled those boxes, we filled each other up with that simple act of compassion. As our school community lives and learns with curiosity, passion, and purpose and follows our guiding principles, I look forward to uniting in our mission, our overarching objective to foster strong intellect and character, so that our students become engaged citizens and thoughtful leaders.

Graland Today

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Lower School News

Teaching Foundations of

By Liza Baker, Kindergarten Teacher

Most people have fond memories, or at least have created an internal mental image, of Kindergarten as a place of crayons, glue, glitter, and popsicle sticks—a time that magically leads to the foundations of reading, math, and writing. But what most do not know is that considerable effort and planning allow that magic to happen. As a teacher of almost 20 years, I can tell you that planning is key. It is the hours of preparation that allow me now to sit back and watch the magic unfold. And unfold it does, on a daily basis. It is that magic that keeps me coming back and gives me purpose as an educator. Kindergarten is a year that lays a critical foundation for students. Children are taught how to be kind and caring members of our community, learn about the importance of a growth mindset, and ultimately discover a love of learning.

When a student walks through my front door on the first day of school, filled with nervous excitement, I get the unique opportunity to see their raw potential. The beauty of teaching Kindergarten is that no year is ever the same. Sure, lessons and the curriculum remain consistent, classroom expectations and routines are similar, but the essence of each class is unique.

Looking back on all of my years of teaching, it is not the information that I have taught along the way that stands out.

Rather, it is the foundations of character that are built through each passing Kindergarten class.

Character development is a cornerstone of my teaching and a large part of what makes my classroom successful. Through character development, I am able to create a community of learners who are open to new ideas, celebrate similarities and differences, and can learn at their own pace without judgment.

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We start the year in Kindergarten focusing on the Graland Guidelines: honesty, responsibility, safety, and respect. These are the building blocks for creating our classroom community.

Using children’s literature, like Kevin Henke’s book, Chrysanthemum, we begin discussions around kindness, being unique, how to advocate for one’s needs, and identifying who to turn to when you need help. These types of conversations are woven through each day of Kindergarten, regardless of the curriculum goal. It is my belief that if a child feels seen, empowered, and safe during their kindergarten year, the learning comes naturally.

At Graland, we believe in the importance of a growth mindset. Carol Dweck coined the term that encapsulates the idea that character traits like hard work and perseverance enhance natural ability. When I think about the best teachers I had in elementary school, sadly, I don’t remember the specifics of what they taught me. What I do remember, however, is how they made me feel. I remember reading groups with Ms. Perfect (yes, that was truly her name). I couldn’t wait for my group, The Blue Birds, to be called back to her table. I’m sure during those group sessions she provided multiple mini-lessons on phonemic awareness, word solving, and comprehension strategies. However, what I remember is that she was always smiling, inviting me to experiment with language, and gently guiding me at my own pace. While I did not know this at the time, she was pushing me towards a foundation for a growth mindset. Failure was ok as long as I kept trying. Through practice, perseverance, and attaining foundational skills, I became a reader. It was through her empathy and ability to help me develop those growth mindset traits that made me a better learner and, quite frankly, a better human and adult.

At this point in my career, I have had the opportunity to work with students in every grade at Graland. When my past students look back on their time in kindergarten, they may not remember the skills taught or lessons learned. It is my driving

A Third Grade Lesson on Purpose

By Julie O’Connor, Grade 3 Teacher

Purpose purpose, however, that they walked away feeling loved, inspired to work towards their goals, and possessing a growth mindset.

Kindergarten, simply put, is a magical year. The development that occurs from five to six years of age is staggering. I not only get to teach character, but I also get the unique privilege of introducing students to what it means to be a learner.

This is not to say that the teachers before me have not been a part of this journey.

The foundations that they have set allow me to add on the subsequent blocks.

Kindergarten developmentally, however, allows for all of the pieces to solidify. I get to foster friendships, inspire students to become readers or better readers, show mathematicians how to become flexible problem solvers, and help writers believe they have a story to tell and have the skills in place to put it on paper.

Most importantly, I get to make learning fun. I would venture to say that most of the learning done in Kindergarten is unrecognizable to the untrained eye.

However, it is carefully crafted around one central purpose, fostering a love of learning. There is a lot of school that comes after Kindergarten which, of course, is imperative for success—but instilling a love of learning, the desire to work hard, and showing children how to be the best possible human is truly my purpose as an educator.

I recently read the autobiographical children’s book La Mariposa to my group of third graders. This story details a young immigrant boy’s experience at his new school and the challenges he experienced by not knowing the language of his new country. As picture books often do, this sparked a deep and meaningful conversation in our classroom. Our discussion took a few twists and turns, and we found ourselves focusing on the idea of “purpose.” It was one of those moments in teaching that you want to bottle up and revisit often. When I asked my students to describe “purpose,” I was reminded of how blessed I am to teach such kind and insightful students. With great conviction, they shared their definitions, and collectively we had a class full of purpose-filled children.

One third grader said, “We need to give our all to kindness.” Another added, “We should go to the one who is alone.” Loving people and thinking beyond ourselves was explained by my students that afternoon. Investing in others and making the focused effort to connect with our community was imagined in beautiful detail as my students focused on the word “purpose.”

With a common purpose at the forefront, we dove into our immigration unit, looking through a lens of compassion and empathy. This unit means so much to the third grade team of teachers because of the impact it has on the students in the second semester. Beginning each January, we study the terms “immigrant” and “refugee,” read countless picture books about children who left their home countries, and spend significant time focusing on how it might feel to learn and grow in a new place where the food, language, and expectations are vastly different to one’s previous experiences. The most meaningful part of this unit is when immigrants in our community share their personal stories with our students.

Third graders practice active, empathic listening and then ask prepared interview questions, learning to gently respond to body language and tone. Our students gain a global perspective in a beautifully diverse world by valuing people’s stories.

Last year, we ended our immigration study focused on refugees in the Denver community. Our students were perfectly motivated by their purpose of caring for others as they desired to make a difference in the lives of those in need. Project Worthmore is a Denver-based organization that supports refugees, and their vision is “a world in which all people are valued, included, and empowered.” We had this same goal in mind as we prepared care packages filled with supplies for refugee families supported by Project Worthmore.

Loving and caring for people is something children do so well. I have always known how blessed I am to teach at our school, spending each day settled in thoughtful curiosity, and laughing and learning with some of my favorite 8- to 9-year-olds. Our immigration unit provides many opportunities for powerful conversations, just like the one about purpose, where my students remind me of what is most important.

To learn more about Project Worthmore, please visit projectworthmore.org

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Middle School News

Challenge Success: Partnering to Enhance Our Students’ Experience

By Marti Champion, Head of Middle School

Educators are devoted to the constant and never-ending practice of improvement. Whether it is engaging in personal growth opportunities that help clarify our purpose in the important work of educating children or professional development opportunities to improve curricular and classroom experiences for our students, we are very rarely static in our practices as we hone our craft. Similar to individuals, it is good practice for institutions to adopt this same philosophy. As an independent school, we participate in an accreditation process every ten years where we are asked to reflect on Graland’s practices, programming, and curriculum. While this is an externally driven process, we also initiate some best practices when it comes to self-reflection, hence our work with Challenge Success this year.

Challenge Success is a non-profit organization affiliated with the Stanford University Graduate School of Education.

They partner with schools and families across the nation to provide practical, research-based tools and strategies to 8

transform the student experience in order to create a more balanced and fulfilling life for all students.

With the creation of a Challenge Success Task Force, composed of administrators, the Middle School counselor, teachers, students, and parents, Graland has embarked on a three-year partnership with Challenge Success. Although this partnership will directly impact student and faculty wellbeing, it will also have implications for the Character Task Force, the Strategic Plan, and future programming.

In October 2021, students, parents, and faculty participated in a survey to collect data about time/schedule, motivation, assessment, school climate, anxiety, learning conditions, and the overall experience of being a student at Graland. Although the data is focused on the Middle School, we expect that any programmatic changes recommended by the task force in conjunction with the Strategic Plan and the work of the Character Task Force have the potential to impact a student’s entire Graland

experience, Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8.

Looking ahead, this promises to be a dynamic process where parents, students, and faculty/staff will learn and teach each other about the challenges that come with parenting, teaching, learning, and living in this day and age. Challenge Success is not a “plug and play” program for schools to implement. Rather, it is an honest, open, and iterative investigation that allows Graland to take the reins to become our best selves based on the data that was received from our community.

We are looking forward to piloting some programmatic changes based on themes that were uncovered during the data analysis. These pilots will then inform how we, as a school community, will move forward with any changes while also holding true to our north star, maintaining a rigorous program in tandem with preparing students to be engaged citizens and thoughtful leaders in an ever-changing world.

To learn more, please visit challengesuccess.org

What has been the best part of participating in the Challenge Success Task Force?

“The best part of participating in the Challenge Success Task Force for me was learning about the challenges that other students are going through.

Reviewing the results of surveys and hearing about what other students are struggling with let me know that I am not the only one going through these problems. It also taught me how I can help others succeed in the Graland environment.” - Everett G., Grade 7

Upon your graduation in June 2024, what changes do you hope to see at Graland based on Graland’s partnership with Challenge Success?

“One of the ideas that I would like to see the Challenge Success group pilot is supporting communication between parents and teachers. My proposal would require developing a portal or website that would more easily allow parents to view their child’s schedule and progress. At the moment, the current LMS (Learning Management System) doesn’t quite live up to that expectation. In our pilot, parents could schedule a Zoom with a teacher and talk about what their child is doing in school and what they are excited about.

I know this is an ambitious idea, but as the youngest member of the task force, I will be here the longest to see and experience our progress. By the time my brother graduates in 2026, I think this pilot may help parents, teachers, and students come together to understand and value many different types of student success. I think this appreciation of different definitions of success would be something I would be proud to help create.” - Jacob B., Grade 6

What do you wish your classmates knew about your experience working on the Challenge Success Task Force?

“I wish my classmates knew that Challenge Success is working to improve our stress and hear our voices. Challenge Success isn’t just a survey that no one ever sees again. The Challenge Success Task Force Team analyzed the data and brainstormed ways to improve student well-being. We worked with a team leader who ensured that the areas that students identified as recurring causes of stress and anxiety would be addressed in a meaningful way. It’s a relief to have our voices heard and to have teachers and administrators who are passionate about making a change to improve our daily lives.” - Olivia S., Grade 8

Graland Today

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Pursuing Excellence with Passion and Intent: A Look Back at Graland’s Strategic Plan 2017-2022

“Ultimately, we want a school in which faculty are empowered to evolve in a rapidly changing educational landscape; in which students develop the resilience, resourcefulness, and innovation to thrive in school and in life; and in which our community relies on the power of inclusivity to help all of us develop intellectually and ethically.”

-Josh Cobb, Head of School & John Gowen, President, Board of Trustees (2015-2018)

As expressed in the quote above, the vision of the previous strategic plan focused on the important themes of inspiration, innovation, and inclusivity. By focusing on these themes for the first two and a half years, Graland set a fundamental foundation to support the school during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. By inspiring faculty to achieve classroom mastery and implement new programs through collaboration and innovation, the school was more prepared to adapt to the new educational methods that were required during COVID. At the same time, students proved their adaptability and perseverance in the face of the changing educational landscape from March 2020 on. Finally, in order to ensure health and safety and maximize in-person learning, the community had to come together as One Graland to support the continual growth of our students, faculty, and staff. Focusing on cultivating a sense of belonging for all prepared our community for the collective action that the pandemic demanded.

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Intellectual Excellence + Strong Character

Now, as the plan comes to a close this spring, we celebrate its role in guiding us through the challenges of COVID and its impact on our programs, faculty, community, resources, and governance during the past five years. Please see the key accomplishments in each of these areas.

PROGRAM

Provide a program that brings Graland’s mission to life.

Taking Innovative Problem-Solving to the Next Level The strategic plan strived to expand design thinking beyond the Middle School Gates Invention and Innovation Program. With the addition of the Charles C. Gates Director of Innovative Learning and the formation of a specially trained and skilled team, innovation has become a broader theme at Graland, infused into the curriculum at all levels. From Kindergarten through Grade 8, students participate in lessons, often onsite in the Gates Lab, to practice innovation skills, including empathy, creative thinking, critical thinking, grit/perseverance, experimentation, and collaboration. These core skills were also crucial for the entire community when it became necessary to pivot and adapt during the pandemic.

Embracing Interdisciplinary Learning Opportunities The plan encouraged the development of interdisciplinary projects that weave lessons between subjects, such as science, art, language, English, math, history, physical education, and service-learning. Integrated learning requires teachers to collaborate and offers students the chance to dive deeper into topics, build connections across subjects, and understand information from different perspectives and angles, resulting in more meaningful learning experiences. While signature programs such as the Kindergarten Rodeo and the Grade 7 Memory Box unit were expanded, new programs like the Grade 1 Bird Study and the Grade 6 Food Scarcity program were developed.

Reaching Higher in Middle School The plan put a new emphasis on skills expansion in Middle School to ensure that students are prepared for life after Graland. Growth rubrics were introduced to supplement traditional grades, providing both teachers and students with the means to gauge development beyond basic academic expectations. New projects, such as the Grade 8 Capstone, encourage students to showcase thought leadership and bring voice and agency to their studies. Electives were expanded, allowing students to further explore their passions and interests during their time at Graland. Grade 7 and 8 students participated in the Youth Purpose Summit, during which they identified their strengths and articulated how they could use those strengths to help others.

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FACULTY

Enhance Graland’s dynamic learning community of highly effective educators, administrators, and staff.

Compensating Faculty to Reflect the School’s Values The strategic plan drove the development and launch of a reconceptualized faculty compensation model that rewards faculty for their contributions in the classroom, as well as their impact in advancing Graland’s program. The innovative “sphere model” recognizes the values of faculty collaboration, innovation, and leadership. Retaining our talented faculty and recruiting top talent is central to its design, and a $10 million endowment was established to support the faculty compensation structure in perpetuity.

Inspiring Faculty Growth The sphere system provided a way for faculty to control their financial trajectory at the school, and to clarify their journey of professional growth. To help support that growth, the strategic plan called for a reassessment and subsequent redesign of the faculty evaluation process to include coaching with faculty growth partners and informal support through peer cohorts.

The school expanded professional development opportunities to encourage teachers to tap into new approaches to learning, social-emotional growth, and inclusivity. Furthermore, Graland established the summer grant program and the Borgen Fellowship to support faculty in focused growth opportunities and the pursuit of advanced degrees. Finally, training in projectbased learning and the adoption of new technology became essential and gave faculty new techniques to use as the school pivoted to remote learning in the spring of 2020

Enhancing Hiring Practices The strategic plan challenged school leaders to find better ways to attract high caliber and diverse candidates. Process improvements were put in place to better seek and find talent to broaden and enhance the school community. Following trainings on best practices in hiring, the school standardized its resume review and interview process, specifically focusing on developing questions related to the specific traits that are most valued at Graland and then asking those same questions to each candidate. Materials were redesigned to better reflect Graland’s culture and values as well as the tangible and intangible benefits of working at the school. A human resources manager position was created to strengthen Graland’s hiring practices and to develop systems for onboarding, training, and support.

COMMUNITY

Foster an inclusive community focused on supporting Graland’s mission statement and guiding principles.

Creating a Sense of Belonging The plan advocated for more inclusivity, creating a school where everyone has a sense of belonging. A full-time Director of Equity and Inclusivity joined the administrative team in 2017, sparking initiatives like a DEI cohort, bringing more culturally responsive practices to classrooms, and engaging expert speakers. The role of parents in this conversation became more defined through Parent Education Network (PEN) events, affinity groups, and the Equity and Inclusivity Vice President of the Graland Parent Association (GPA). The School Climate Advisory Committee (SCAC) expanded and the chair was brought in as an ex-officio member of the Board of Trustees. The School recommitted to the “all-in” tuition model to ensure that most costs are covered by tuition.

Partnering with the Graland Parent Association The strategic plan called for more active engagement with current families. The GPA works passionately to plan events around community building and connection. Over the past five years, the school’s partnership with the GPA has deepened and aligns more 12

directly with school initiatives. The PEN speakers series is now a joint effort between Graland and the GPA, exploring themes relevant to the student experience. The GPA’s efforts are key to building a thriving community.

Engaging the Broader Graland Community The plan recognized that all community members, including alumni, past parents, past leadership, grandparents, and friends have invested in and impacted Graland. Thus, new events and communications strategies encouraged broader engagement of the Graland community and invited these valued groups to learn more about the school, connect with leadership, and see the school in action.

Communicating About Who We Are The strategic plan led to the rebranding of marketing materials to make the “Go Graland” theme feel more welcoming, inclusive, and accessible. The colorful artwork developed is not only more joyful, but also gives a more authentic representation of the Graland experience and values.

RESOURCES

Support the most current and effective educational program by maximizing and expanding the school’s resources.

Redefining Philanthropy at Graland The plan recognized the importance of strong financial support in addition to other types of resources. To educate Graland’s various audiences that its culture of philanthropy and giving included both financial and non-monetary contributions, such as family engagement, volunteerism, and leadership, we developed a new publication: Go Beyond: A Guide to Giving and Getting at Graland. This resource shared all the ways to be a part of Graland, specifically recognizing the value of being an involved parent, offering volunteer time or a specific talent, and contributing to the annual fund, the endowment, and other giving opportunities.

We also shared more about the financial model of independent schools to better educate families about the strategic importance of the annual fund and how critical it is to the operating budget.

Additionally, The Family of Funds was developed as part of the Graland Annual Fund to allow donors to find increased meaning by directing their giving in one of five categories.

Endowment The strategic plan recognized the importance of supplementing tuition with an endowment as a critical revenue source to uphold Graland’s commitment to financial aid, faculty development, and retention. With support from targeted campaigns and skilled fund management by the Graland Country Day School Foundation, the endowment nearly doubled, growing from $35 million in 2017

to $66 million in 2022. The Foundation’s 25th anniversary event and publication recognized the exceptional leadership of past and present donors and celebrated the vital role it plays in providing Graland with a strong financial foundation.

Inspiring Giving The Inspire Campaign was launched to support the faculty compensation model in perpetuity. Thanks to the Inspire Campaign Co-Chairs and Committee, generous donors, and the Graland Community, the resulting $10 million endowment generated critical resources to ensure that appropriate compensation decisions are made without interference from other budget considerations.

Improving Systems and Safety on Campus The strategic plan identified the growing need for increased safety protocols for K-12 education, resulting in a focus on identifying new technology platforms and systems to support campus operations and communications. By 2019, Graland had launched parent IDs, increased campus security, implemented a pick-up carline, rolled out an emergency communications platform, and activated the Learning Management System (LMS) schoolwide.

These systems, which were already in place by the time the pandemic hit, proved to be essential for supporting operations and communications, including remote learning and other daily disruptions.

GOVERNANCE

Continue board involvement and support to meet Graland’s mission.

Increasing Board Engagement and Accessibility The final focus of the strategic plan was sharing a better understanding of the role of Graland’s Board of Trustees and its governance structure. With greater board engagement and accessibility, Graland can attract trustees from broad backgrounds, who bring a breadth of experience and knowledge to Graland’s governance. The Board became a more familiar presence on campus through meet-and-greet events, increased community communications and updates, and a revised nomination process that includes recruiting non-Board members to Board subcommittees to broaden participation. The Board also participated in generative learning opportunities to better understand strategic initiatives around independent school education and inclusivity.

The Launch of Strategic Plan 2022 While Graland is proud of its accomplishments over the past five years, the school looks forward to launching its new strategic plan later this year, which will build on the foundations of the previous strategic plan.

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I 13

Development News

A Continued Legacy: Honoring Ben Duke, Ruth Gorham Alumni Award Recipient

By Molly Johnson, Communications Manager

Each year, The Ruth Gorham Award is given to a member of the Graland alumni community whose service and dedication embody Ruth Gorham’s lifelong commitment to the school. A longtime educator, Ruth Gorham devoted her career to Graland, teaching French and English from 1930 until 1992. She is remembered as a mentor, a diligent school historian, as well as the de facto head of alumni relations at a time when a formal position did not exist. For this reason, it is particularly fitting that Graland alumnus Ben Duke is the recipient of this year’s Ruth Gorham Award and will be receiving this honor during the Alumni Reunion on May 21, 2022.

Mr. Duke’s journey at Graland started in 1959 when Georgia Nelson was the head of school. “While I was at Graland, what I loved the most were the unbelievable teachers,” Mr. Duke said. “As you probably know if you’ve read your Graland history, the school was very much built on a progressive education model, where everything is experiential. And let me tell you, it was completely experiential.”

Many of the activities that Mr. Duke participated in, such as the knighting ceremony, the Grade 4 musical, and after-school sports, are still part of the Graland student experience today. But the moments that particularly stand out for Mr. Duke were when his teachers went out of their way to make ordinary lessons “out of this world.” At a time when man had not yet landed on the moon, Mr. Duke fondly remembers his third grade teacher, Mrs. Watson, using multiplication as a fun way to take her students to space.

“Each time a student mastered a new set of multiplication tables, they advanced to a different orbit until they eventually reached the moon,” Mr. Duke said. “When everybody in the class landed on the moon, we had a moon party! We ate cheese and cake and dressed up like spacemen, pretending that someday someone would go to the moon. It wasn’t many years later 14

when that actually happened. So Graland students, as is normally the case, were way ahead of the game.”

After his time in elementary school had ended, Mr. Duke realized that Graland’s dedicated faculty, hands-on learning methods, and whole child approach left a lasting impression that would ultimately influence his career. “It was actually during my time at Graland that I decided I wanted to go into education myself,” Mr. Duke said. “The teachers were just so magical and wonderful. And so ultimately I did go into teaching.” After graduating with his degree in geology from Williams College, Mr. Duke went on to teach science and American history until he eventually got a call from the school that started it all.

In 1993, Mr. Duke returned to Graland as the director of development. Right away, he realized that his former elementary school was still the same place he knew and loved. “I came back to Graland to work and suddenly realized that the magic of the place was still very much alive.

There were even a few teachers, including Nancy Nye Priest, who were still teaching when I returned,” Mr. Duke said. From there, Mr. Duke got to work leading

annual and capital campaigns, managing publications, promoting faculty and staff engagement, and establishing the school’s first official Alumni Association. “While I was working as development director, I suddenly realized that just because it’s an elementary school doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t cherish the time that we had at Graland. So that’s when we decided to develop the Alumni Association,” Mr. Duke said. Today, The Alumni Association is led by the Graland Alumni Board, which is currently 22 members strong.

Together, they work throughout the year to encourage alumni involvement, represent alumni interests, and advocate life-long learning in accordance with the mission and long-standing traditions of the school.

Following this development, Mr. Duke not only added alumni director to his resume (as well as eventually assistant head of school) but also established one of Graland’s most revered honors and traditions - the Master Teacher program.

As someone who was positively influenced by so many Graland educators, Mr. Duke wanted to create a way to celebrate the legacy of teachers in a lasting way. Each spring, thanks to Mr. Duke, Master Teachers are recognized for their 20 years of service at Graland, and a portrait of them is added to a highly recognizable Master Teacher wall in the Georgia Nelson Building on campus.

When one passes by this wall, they will notice a portrait of Georgia Nelson hanging by the Master Teacher portraits with the quote, “To lead, to follow, and to share.” This display was also one of Mr. Duke’s long-term impacts at Graland and one of his most cherished as he distinctly remembers Georgia Nelson using this phrase when he was a child. “Teaching our students to lead, to follow, and to share is the most important thing we can do for them,” Mr. Duke said. “I put that phrase on the wall so that nobody ever forgets it because to me, that epitomizes a Graland education.”

Congratulations, Ms. Naughton and Mrs. Lassiter: Graland Retirees & Master Teachers!

By: Molly Johnson, Communications Manager

Graland would like to congratulate two very special educators and Graland Master Teachers, Ms. Cathy (Kosal) Naughton and Mrs. Annie Lassiter, on their retirements! The Graland community has learned so much from each of them over the years and will miss their presence in the classroom and on campus. Please continue reading below to learn about their contributions over the years as well as what they are looking forward to most in their retirement.

Ms. Cathy (Kosal) Naughton - Art Teacher (45 Years of Service)

In 1977, Ms. Naughton was hired to teach Graland students what she loves most - art. Since then, she has made a tremendous impact establishing the foundation of the school’s art curriculum as well as starting the Permanent Art Collection - a Graland tradition that began during the 1977-78 school year. When looking back on her career, Ms. Naughton is proud that she was able to spend her time pursuing her passions while inspiring students along the way. “I have been so fortunate to have a creative profession and to watch students embrace art,” Ms. Naughton said. “I hear from many former students who have gone on to have a career in art or continue to draw or paint as an extension of their art experience at Graland.” In her upcoming free time, Ms. Naughton shared that she is looking forward to visiting friends, traveling in her new teardrop trailer, going to Europe, gardening, painting, playing tennis, riding her bike, and being ready for any exciting opportunities that may arise.

Congratulations, Ms. Naughton!

Mrs. Annie Lassiter - Math Teacher (22 Years of Service)

Middle School Math Teacher Annie Lassiter originally began her time at Graland in 1990. While she left the school in 1999, Mrs. Lassiter returned in 2009 and has been teaching Middle School math ever since. According to Mrs. Lassiter, her greatest legacy at Graland is “sharing her passion for math and helping every student realize that they have what it takes to be a mathematician.” In addition to teaching, Mrs. Lassiter also loved spending time with students in knitting club and as a field hockey, tennis, lacrosse, and volleyball coach. Her favorite moments, however, will always be the times that she got to watch her students accomplish tasks they never thought they could do, such as the ropes course at La Foret or figuring out a math concept. During her retirement, Mrs. Lassiter shared that she is excited to use geometry to pursue arts and crafts, algebra to prepare beverages, and simple addition and subtraction to continue tutoring some beloved students. Congratulations, Mrs. Lassiter!

WE HOPE THAT YOU CAN JOIN US FOR THE 2022 GRALAND ALUMNI REUNION! RSVP AT GRALAND.ORG/REUNION

Whether or not you are able to attend, please share your well wishes and/or favorite memories with our retiring Master Teachers Annie Lassiter and Cathy Kosal Naughton at graland.org/reunion.

Graland Today

I 15

Participating With Purpose: Graland Volunteers Graland is grateful for all the parent, grandparent and alumni volunteers who have shared their time and talent with the school, pitched in on events and participated in school activities thus far during the 2021-22 year. Please read below a few personal reflections on individuals’ meaning and purpose behind volunteerism at Graland.

John Frey ‘97 Annual Fund Grade Representative I am proud to be an alumnus of and a parent at Graland, and I have had extremely positive experiences in both capacities. I was honored to be asked to volunteer and to help the school that I love so much. It was easy to say “yes,” and I’m pleased to help make a positive impact.

Gabe Koroluk GPA Treasurer I volunteer because I want to be involved in my son’s education. I want to get to know the other parents that will help raise my child. I want to get to know the teachers, the administrators, and the staff that my child will interact with every day. I want a seat at the table to help influence the future direction of the school.

Erin Smith Parent Admission Network Member, Annual Fund Grade Representative I volunteer because our family has been welcomed, supported, and nurtured by Graland and its incredible community of families since day one. It feels good to share some of that warmth with others, both to strengthen our existing community and to share with new families what has made Graland so special for us.

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Joyce Raynor Strategic Planning Committee Member I value the quality of a Graland education, not only for my granddaughters, but for so many Graland students who will go on to become leaders in our community and beyond. If I believe in a Graland education, then it is my responsibility to do my small part to support the students, teachers, staff, and administrators in all that they do.

Thank you to over

650 volunteers

who have shared their time and talent with Graland thus far this year! For a preview of our volunteer list, which will appear in Graland’s annual Gratitude Report in the fall, visit graland.org/volunteers

Did Yo u

Know?

April is Volunt Appre eer ciation Month !

Alumni Finding Meaning and Sharing Their Expertise The Graland Alumni Board’s Networking Committee recently held a virtual panel on entrepreneurship. Graland thanks the alumni below who volunteered their time and shared their expertise and professional purpose with fellow alumni and other members of the school community.

Georgia Grey ‘05

Holistic Health Coach (INHC) Whole Body Healing Nutrition I started Whole Body Healing Nutrition with one purpose in mind: to help people. After healing from debilitating Lyme Disease and autoimmune conditions, I knew I needed to teach others how to do the same through food and selfcare. It’s an honor to guide people through their pain, show them how to eat, take care of themselves, and get their life back. Whenever entrepreneurship feels challenging, I try to bring myself back to the question, “Who can I serve today?” which reminds me of my purpose: helping others.

Madi Rifkin ‘12 Megan Bee ‘86 GPA Vice President for Equity & Inclusivity, GPA Carline Chair I volunteer because it gives me a glimpse into my kids’ worlds, because it’s the right thing to do and because it takes a village.

Kaylan Celestin Parents of Students of Color Affinity Group Leader I volunteer as the Parents of Students of Color Affinity Group lead, because growing up I was active in a similar student group that had a positive impact on my educational experience. Volunteering has allowed me the chance to connect with parents across campus, support the community, play an active role in my child’s educational experience and learn from one another’s shared experiences.

CEO and Co-Founder of Mount Mount is a Software as a Service (SaaS) company in the hospitality industry. This company is the result of a journey that I might say originated back when I was a Graland student presenting in the Gates Program. Mount closed its first institutional round of financing in November and I’ve been coaching other female founders on running an effective fundraising campaign ever since. Currently, less than 2% of all venture financing goes to female founders, so beyond the purpose I find in my own company, I’m also hoping that by doing, learning, and then passing on my entrepreneurial and fundraising knowledge, I can help move that statistic in the right direction.

Daniel Louis ‘00

Founder of Revampt Goods Local. Sustainable. Reclaimed. is our company motto and these words illustrate purpose for myself, my children and our future. Revampt was born from an incredibly impactful experience I had with a non-profit building homes for an impoverished community in the Four Corners region.

There, I learned the value of leveraging and giving new life to items that no longer served their purpose. Since founding the company, we have shifted approaches and, most recently, focused on partnering with and lifting up local craftspeople who use reclaimed and sustainable materials.

Graland Today

I 17

Graland Art Show Friday, April 22 - Wednesday, April 27 The Annual Graland Art Show is officially open for visitors! Come tour campus to see the amazing display of student art, creativity, and talent.

Thank you to all the students, faculty, and staff who have helped make this show a success! All art will be displayed until Wednesday, April 27.

Graland Spirit Store Shop online at graland.org/store Make sure to shop online at the Graland Spirit Store this spring for t-shirts, shorts, hats, water bottles, and more!

The GPA will deliver your purchases right to your student’s classroom, so make sure to include their full name, grade, and teacher at checkout. Thank you for your support, and Go Graland!

Spring Community Outreach: Pollinator Garden & Seedling Planting Sunday, May 1 ● 1-4 p.m.

Graland Carnival Friday, June 3 3:15-5:15 p.m.

Preisser Field

This May, Graland volunteers will be doing their part to support Colorado pollinator gardens and food insecurity in our community! Volunteers will start at a private residence with a robust urban garden to plant seedlings for the local nonprofits Grow Local and Metro Caring. Afterward, they will head to Washington Park to help Denver Parks & Recreation with their spring planting.

Volunteers age five and older are welcome! For more information about the event, please email gpa@graland.org.

On Friday, June 3, the Graland Carnival is making its muchanticipated return to campus!

Join us for a fun-filled afternoon of bouncing, airbrush tattoos, lawn games, tasty treats and more! For more information visit: graland.org/carnival

Spring Family Movie Night Saturday, May 14 Doors Open at 7:30 p.m. ● Movie at 8:15 p.m.

Center Field on Campus Join us on Saturday, May 14, to watch Raya and the Last Dragon under the stars! Feel free to bring a picnic dinner for your family.

Please come prepared with blankets, low chairs, and warm layers. For more information and to register, please visit graland.org/MovieNight

18

graland.org/golf

12th Annual Eagle Invitational Friday, May 20, 8 a.m.

CommonGround Golf Course in Lowry

Please Note: The individual golfer spots have reached capacity. Please contact Jeri Volpe at 303.399.8370 or jvolpe@graland.org to be placed on a waiting list.

Thank You 2022 Sponsors!

We are so grateful for the support of generous donors in our local community who have committed in advance to make the 2022 Eagle Invitational Golf Tournament a success!

TITLE SPONSOR

Junior Eagle Invitational

Thursday, May 19, 3:30-6:30 p.m.

CommonGround Par 3 Golf Course in Lowry

All Graland students are invited to tee off in a mini-tournament just for kids! We’ll be walking the 3-par course at CommonGround to let students take their shot at winning prizes.

Players should be able to carry their own clubs and know the game of golf as well as how to score their shots.

Golf Cart Sponsors

Golf Gear Sponsor

The Brody Family

Junior Eagle Golf Clinic (K-4)

Birdie Sponsors

Thursday, May 19th, 4-5 p.m.

CommonGround Par 3 Golf Course in Lowry

Calling all future golfers! Lower School students new to golf will enjoy a fun clinic designed to learn basic golf skills. Cost includes snacks and gift.

The Dvorak/Blair Family

The Coughlin Family

Junior Eagle Invitational Sponsor

Hole Sponsors The Asarch Family The Bassaly/Tsai Family The Borgen Family Congratulations Class of 2022!

The Boswell & Davis Families The Carlson Family The Chused, Gribbin, Kirkpatrick, & Weber Families

Beverage Cooler Sponsor The Coors Family

The Coleman & Frampton Families The Corrigan Family The Farver Family The Finke Family The Glyphis Family The Howarth Family The Schaub Family

Junior Golf Clinic Sponsor The Holman Family

Graland Today

I 19

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

Community Calendar April

22 Art Show & Ice Cream Social

May

Graland Summer Program 2022 Summer is coming, and we’ve got the camps you need to keep kids active, growing, and learning! Visit graland.org/summerfun to explore our wide variety of offerings, including partnership camps with the Jewish Community Center, Curious Jane, Challenger Sports, and Count Me In Math Camp for Girls. Questions? Please email camps@graland.org.

graland.org/summerfun

1 GPA Community Outreach - Urban Farms 14 Family Movie Night and Picnic 19 Junior Eagle Golf Tournament 20 Eagle Invitational Golf Tournament 21 Alumni Reunion

June

3 Graland Carnival 7 Last Day for Preschool-Grade 7 Students 8 Graduation Ceremony

Stay Connected and GoGraland!

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Join us on

2

Update your contact information. graland.org/stayconnected

3

Join us for a community event.

Please recycle this publication or view it online at graland.org in the news section.