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Since the doors of our first high school campus opened in 2007 in Colorado Springs, Colorado Early Colleges and our accredited college partners have been committed to creating a community of lifetime learners and building a culture throughout our network of schools that fosters academic, career, and personal success for every student, and do so at zero tuition-cost to them and their families.
CEC now has campus locations all across
Colorado, including local high school campuses in Aurora, Castle Rock, and Douglas County North. CEC Online Campus is also our online learning option, open to families anywhere in Colorado, also at zero-cost.
Our schools work in partnership with local community colleges and universities, offering students the chance to take college-level courses, both on and off campus. The goal is to create a pathway that allows students to graduate high school with a competitive edge and ready to enter the workforce upon graduation. Through CEC, students can earn college degrees, industry certifications, and 60 or more college course credits while simultaneously earning their high school diploma.
Why choose Colorado Early Colleges?
Flexible Learning Options: CEC offers accessible, flexible and individualized learning, recognizing that each student has unique academic needs and personal goals. Students work with their advisors on an academic plan that is right for them and aligns with their career aspirations. This
flexibility enables students to work at their own pace, challenging themselves with advanced coursework when ready, while also receiving the support they need to succeed.
Career Pathways and Technical Education: CEC offers career pathways and technical education in a variety of industries. These programs incorporate curriculum that aligns with industry standards that leads to an industry recognized credential so that students may be prepared to enter the workforce after high school. Career Pathways in health science, engineering, construction, IT, aviation, multimedia and more are available at CEC (may vary by campus location).
Free Tutoring: CEC offers free tutoring at its campuses to ensure that students have the support they need to succeed academically. This support is very valuable for students balancing high school and college work, as it ensures they never have to face academic struggles alone and can receive the help they need to excel.
Money Saved: By earning college credits while in high school, students can save a considerable amount of money upon graduation. Students graduate from high school with a head start on their college education, potentially reducing the time spent in college and the associated tuition costs. For many students, this is a crucial financial benefit, and takes the pressure off students and families when it comes to higher education.
Since 2007, alumni of CEC enter the workforce with valuable skills and experience gained through their time here, and have gone on to have exceptional careers.
“I think the most impactful thing CEC offered to me was the flexibility. I from the start knew I didn’t want to follow the traditional route. I didn’t want to go to college and spend a bunch of money. CEC offers a head start on college, but also offers a head start on other career options. I always was interested in construction but knew nothing about it. Being able to attend trade school at such an early age got my foot in the door, and helped me get my first job in construction as a deck builder. At this point, I was 16 working full-time for a construction company and attending night classes at Red Rocks Community College. No other school offers that kind of freedom and flexibility, and so that was by far the most impactful thing CEC was able to offer me.” – Mason R., CEC Castle Rock graduate
CEC is open to all students, regardless of background or skill-level. Our schools are now enrolling for the upcoming school year, so visit our website for upcoming informational meetings and school tours so you can see for yourself how CEC can be the right fit for you and your family.
A few years ago, the National Association of Realtors promulgated the “Clear Cooperation Rule” making it harder for individual listing agents to have “pocket listings.”
of clients.” This, they say, allows you to:
Showcase before being market-ready
Generate early demand
Test your price and gain insights
Attract competitive offers
Those are listings which are withheld from the MLS so that the agent could sell it without having to share his or her commission with an agent representing the buyer. Doing so is a disservice to the seller, because the universe of potential buyers is substantially reduced when a listing isn’t posted where every other real estate agent and buyer can see it — that is, on the MLS.
Some brokerages with hundreds of agents are taking advantage of that rule’s one big loophole called the “Office Exclusive” listing. The bigger the brokerage, the more successful that approach can be. It allows all their broker associates to see the listing, but no agents outside that brokerage can see it. By keeping both ends of the transaction within the brokerage, that brokerage makes twice as much money.
One such large brokerage, which I’ll call Gotcha, has a page on its website promoting its “Private Exclusives.” At right is a screenshot from the top of that web page. Scrolling down, it explains Private Exclusives this way:
“Gotcha Private Exclusives are properties that are only accessible to Gotcha agents and their serious buyers. This means you can get a head start marketing your home, without accumulating any public days on market or price drops that could negatively impact its value. When you work with a Gotcha agent, listing as a Private Exclusive is the first stage of our 3-Phased Marketing Strategy designed to maximize demand and fine-tune your positioning for the best possible sale outcome.”
It describes the process as “pre-marketing,” although the company’s expectation is that the seller will sell to one of their own agents before getting to second base — listing it publicly on the MLS where over 20,000 others agents with prospective buyers can see it.
They call is a “soft launch to an exclusive audience,” exposing your listing to “a network of thousands of agents and their millions
Maintain your privacy
This approach is not only self-serving by Gotcha while preventing agents from other brokerages, including ours, from knowing about homes that our buyers might want to bid on, it also has serious Fair Housing implications, keeping less desirable populations from coming to your open houses and their agents from setting showings.
“Preserve Your Privacy,” boasts the web page: “Buying a Gotcha Private Exclusive helps safeguard your privacy by keeping your home’s photos off third-party sites — unlike publicly marketed properties, where images can stay online for years.”
This ignores the fact that a buyer can request that the agent or the MLS remove all pictures, videos and public remarks from the listing when it changes to “Closed.” I had exactly that request made of me after I sold a home in Golden to a privacy-minded buyer. A simple call to Support at REcolorado had all those pictures and videos removed immediately, and I deleted the website I had created for the home when I listed it. Just now, I Googled that address, and not a single website has anything more than the Google street view and one picture of the front porch. Even the public remarks paragraph was deleted.
What is not explained by Gotcha in the way they promote their “private exclusive” program is that those listings are indeed posted on the MLS as “office exclusives” which
means that only other Gotcha agents can see that MLS listing until it is sold, at which point it becomes a publicly visible closed listing with all its pictures unless the agent removes them before changing the listing to “Closed.”
Looking at the closed listings for the Denver office of Gotcha on REcolorado, I found that only half of the listings had the pictures removed, so those pictures are on Zillow, Redfin and every other public website that displays sold listings. So much for Gotcha’s privacy promise!
The strategy is paying off for Gotcha, which benefits when both sides of a listing are sold in-house. A study for the 1,252 closings by the Denver office of Gotcha in the last 180 days shows that 64 listings were only entered as “closed” with zero days on the MLS, a sign that they were “office exclusives,” and roughly half of those were sold to agents within the same office, and 15 of them were double-ended by the listing agent. Among all MLS listings, the average percentage of listings that are double-ended is about 5%. It goes without saying that Gotcha agents are really excited that their brokerage facilitates and encourages agents to promote their off-MLS “private exclusive” process.
One of our Golden Real Estate agents lives on Lookout Mountain and showed me a flyer that he received soliciting him to list his home as a Gotcha Private Exclusive with all the selling points listed above.
Although it’s impossible to say whether sellers who fell for Gotcha’s pitch about being a “Gotcha Private Exclusive” left money on the table by not exposing their listing to at least 20 times as many buyers by going to traditional route and abiding by the intention
of the Clear Cooperation Rule, but I still feel that they are being duped into doing something that feathers the nest of Gotcha and its agents and doesn’t serve the interests of their clients, as the Realtor Code of Ethics requires. Certainly, I don’t see any warning, to prospective sellers regarding the limitations of staying off the MLS, something the Colorado Real Estate Commission encourages in Position Statement #27:
“During the negotiation of the Listing Contract, and as part of the Broker’s duty to exercise reasonable skill and care, a Broker is responsible for advising the seller or landlord “of any material benefits or risks of a transaction which are actually known by the Broker.” This includes benefits or risks of limiting a property’s market exposure…. Are the intended marketing limitations for the benefit of the Consumer or the Broker? What are the advantages and disadvantages for the Consumer? These types of marketing limitations that reduce the seller or landlord’s buyer/tenant pool... for the benefit of the Broker could be a violation of the license law because the Broker is not exercising reasonable skill and care…. [T]he Broker may be viewed by the Commission as also violating their fiduciary duties. Finally, a Broker who places the importance of receiving a commission or other Broker benefits above their duties, responsibilities, or obligations to the seller or landlord... is endangering the interest of the public.”
Not satisfied with exploiting the “Office Exclusive” loophole on the MLS, the national president of Gotcha is the loudest voice for eliminating the Clear Cooperation Rule.
As closing day approaches, both buyers and sellers have questions about how money is going to be handled. Let me explain.
Sellers ask:
Q. Should I bring money to the closing?
A. No. It is the title company’s job to receive and disperse all funds related to the closing. They collect the money from the buyer and the buyer’s lender and disperse funds as needed, including what’s left to the seller.
So, let’s say you have a mortgage to pay off. The closer gets a payoff figure from the lender and withholds that amount from the seller’s proceeds, plus a few extra days’ interest to cover the time between when they send the payoff and the lender receives it.
The seller will also owe commissions to one or both agents, plus property taxes pro-rated to the date of closing. There will also be a final water & sewer bill for which the closer will escrow some of your proceeds. There’s the cost of title insurance (the “owner’s policy”) and the closing fee charged by the Notary. If a loan is being paid off, there will be a small charge for obtaining and recording the release of the lender’s lien with the county clerk and recorder. Maybe the seller agreed to a concession to cover needed repairs or to buy down the interest rate on their loan.
Those and any other fees for which the seller is responsible will simply be deducted from the seller’s proceeds. The seller will not have to write any checks at closing.
Q. What about the funds which my lender has escrowed for paying property taxes and the renewal of my homeowner’s insurance?
You will also receive a check from the title company refunding any escrowed funds for those extras days of interest and the money left after paying your final water bill.
Buyers ask:
Q. Can I bring a check for my down payment?
A. Typically, no. Your closer may accept a certified check if the amount is small, but expect to wire the funds not covered by your lender. Get those wiring instructions in person or over the phone, not by email or any other means. There are scammers who may send you an email with “new” wiring instructions, but immediately call the title company to get them verbally. And don’t call the phone number provided by the scammer! If you don’t already know the phone number to call, get it from your real estate agent or search online for it.
The funds should be wired the day before closing by both you and your lender, especially if it’s a morning closing. Wired funds can take as much as 3 hours to navigate the Federal Reserve system, which needs to verify that funds are not laundered from some illicit source.
All you and the seller should bring to closing are your government issued photo IDs, which are needed to Notarize your documents. You might bring your checkbook in case there are any incidentals expenses which arise or if you’ve agreed to purchase any of the seller’s furniture, etc., “outside of closing.”
A. Those funds can’t be brought to the closing table. You will get a check from your lender within 30 days of closing refunding the funds that had been escrowed. Remember to call your insurance company on the day of closing to let them know you have sold the home and to cancel your policy. You will receive a return premium check from them within 30 days of closing.
Throughout Northern Colorado, you can see Aims Community College billboards boasting a surprising statistic that has received much attention: “91% of Aims students graduate without debt.”
One reason many learners are not burdened with student loans is that tuition at Aims averages 50% less than nearby two-year schools and 80% less than area four-year institutions. Additionally, the new Aims Tuition Promise initiative makes higher education tuition-free for many Coloradoans. Aims factors in a combination of federal, state, and institutional aid and scholarships to pay tuition. After those programs are applied, Aims makes up the difference.
Affordability is just one aspect of the Aims story. The College emphasizes inclusivity, accessibility, student-focused learning, state-of-the-art facilities and small class sizes.
Since 1967, the College has established its presence in Northern Colorado with locations in Greeley, Fort Lupton, Windsor, and Loveland. Aims empowers learners to achieve their academic and career goals by offering more than 200 degree and certificate programs to help students prepare to enter the workforce or transfer to a four-year school. Aims equips students to excel in numerous fields, including healthcare, skilled trades, business, education, public safety, agriculture, aviation, arts, sciences and more.
The College has recently seen a notable increase in enrollment in the Fall 2024 semester, with numbers indicating a more than 20% rise compared to last year’s figures. This is the most significant enrollment jump that Aims has seen in a post-COVID world.
“We’re excited that so many students are choosing Aims to begin or continue their education,” said Dr. Larry Pakowski, Vice President of Student Engagement, Inclusion & Success. “More and more people are discovering the hidden gem that is Aims.”
“Not Your Mom and Dad’s Community College”
Aims invests in the holistic student experience, from connecting through activities to using state-of-the-art technology to foster advanced education and hands-on learning on equipment used in the work world.
Pakowski believes when people come to campus and see the facilities and technology available, they change their perceptions about community colleges and Aims. He had recently heard a parent at orientation say, “It’s not your mom and dad’s community college.”
Aims offers a wide array of co-curricular activities, campus events and student resources to provide an enriching college experience. Traditional service and honor society organizations are on campus. There are also groups focused on career interests, identity groups, or shared interests, like video games.
The Aims Welcome Center and Student Commons are the beating heart of student engagement outside the classroom. These vibrant spaces are designed to help students acclimate to college life and make lifelong connections. These spaces host college and community events to bring people together.
Aims invests in state-of-the-art equipment and learning tools to provide hands-on experience for students in career and technical education courses. Below are a few examples of technology in action.
•An Anatomage Table is a technologically advanced 3D anatomy visualization and virtual dissection tool for anatomy and physiology education.
•Automotive, welding and nurse aid students learn using virtual reality training equipment.
•Future truck drivers will practice on a CDL simulator, and tomorrow’s pilots and air traffic controllers train on aviation simulator technology before flying.
•In the newly expanded Windsor Campus, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) students can access a drone fabrication and design lab, while public safety students can replicate real-world scenarios at the Sim City.
•Ed Beaty Hall is home to experiential learning with a theater, radio station, TV studio, green-screen room, surround sound studio and videoediting booths.
•The greenhouse on the Fort Lupton Campus offers Aims agriculture students an indoor space for yearround, hands-on learning.
•The Community Lab is a maker space open to all Aims students and the community. Students use the lab to work on assignments for their classes, such as building a model for a diorama, printing large-scale posters, and producing elements of a multimedia art project. Technology includes 3D printers, laser cutters, soldering equipment and much more.
•Alquist 3D, an innovative 3D printing construction company, is partnering with Aims to incorporate its technology into the curriculum and train the workforce. An online non-credit online certificate program is open to anyone wanting to learn more about the industry. This online course is the first step in formalizing workforce development and training in 3D construction and infrastructure printing. Future plans include hands-on classes with this technology.
Management Dana Kohler attributes part of the surge in enrollments at Aims to the College’s faculty, staff and administrators. “There are a lot of really, really good people at Aims who are trying to support students and help them do the right thing. When we all do that together, the students are the ones that benefit from that.”
Aims 2024 graduate Ixel Macias believes the education she receives at Aims boosts intellectual rigor. “My professors challenged my way of thinking. I’m challenged much more than I was at previous schools, in the best way possible,” she said. Ixel feels like her instructors keep pushing her to climb to something bigger and better. Even though they encourage her to take it to the next level, she still feels comfortable asking questions and gaining further understanding of her learning.
This level of support is also evident outside of the classroom. Aims offers many services to foster success as a college student and beyond. This includes advising, disability access services, counseling services and more. Aims was among the first higher education institutions to receive the Hunger-Free Campus designation by the State of Colorado. By helping our students manage the critical issue of food insecurity, they can succeed and meet their individual goals with muchreduced stress.
The Learning Commons is another resources dedicated to student success. It includes academic support such as library services, tutoring, online learning support and technology assistance. Aims students can check out laptops, hotspots, and tablets to help them with their studies.
All of this builds a culture of success at Aims. This leads learners to thrive in moving into their next steps, whether it be going into the workforce or continuing in their education.
After graduation, 54% of Aims students continue their education by transferring to four-year institutions. Those looking to attend the University of Northern Colorado can streamline this journey with the Aims2UNC program. Other programs, like an articulation agreement with the Colorado School of Mines, create a formalized pathway for student transfer.
The Transfer Services team on campus is here to prepare students for their next destination.
Aims also get many of our learners into high-demand fields like healthcare, trades and technology. Nine months after graduating from Aims, 80 percent of students are employed, contributing to the workforce. Career Services at Aims offers programs to help students find jobs to start their careers.
Innovation and Expansion on the Horizon
“We’re continuing to do things to improve the student experience. There are greater things to come down the road,” Pakowski said.
The 2024-2027 Strategic & Tactical Plan, recently approved by the Aims Board of Trustees, outlines the direction for the College’s future growth. Among the planned projects is the opening of the Student Health and Wellness Center in 2026.
Planning for the new Workforce Innovation Center is also in progress. The project creates a supportive environment to help new businesses, ideas or projects flourish. It will provide production space for technology, manufacturing, and more. Aims students will benefit from hands-on experience with leading-edge technology and business development processes.
Additionally, Aims Community College plans to open a new Aircraft Maintenance Training Center along with the launch of an Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic degree program in January 2026 in Loveland.
Efforts are also underway to improve veteran education services and achieve recognition as a Military Friendly School. Several years ago, Aims was designated a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and is intentionally furthering programs to support this population.
“The plan shows all the things that we are doing to improve the student experience and student success. That’s why students are choosing to come here,” Pakowski added. “Those things have created much buzz and excitement for us.”
To learn more about Aims Community College, please visit aims.edu.
Renaissance Secondary is a small, deeper learning school serving students in Grades 6-12, and expanding to serve Grades PK-5 beginning in 2027.
Renaissance utilizes authentic, integrated learning experiences to empower students to become modern learners who are critical thinkers and problem solvers, communicators, collaborators, and creative innovators who contribute to the world around them.
At Renaissance, students experience top-notch academic opportunities within a tight-knit small school community, and:
• Rigorous, integrated, real-world learning experiences through learning expeditions and fieldwork
• Emphasis on Design Thinking and STEM opportunities
• Adventure Education program (all students participate in a multi-night outdoor education trip each year)
• Unique building design emphasizing natural light and ample opportunities for students to be outdoors
• Late start time (9:00 a.m.)
• Emphasis on character and an ethic of service
• Arts integration and rich performing and visual arts opportunities
Full-timegiftedprogram
Pre-kindergartenthrough eighthgrade
Smallclasssizes(average 11students)
Servingfamiliesacross29 zipcodesinsouthmetro
Denver InternationalBaccalaureate (IB)WorldSchool
ColoradoUniversalPre-K (UPK)Member Learnmore! mackintoshacademy.com|info@mackintoshacademy.com|(303)794-6222
Mackintosh Academy stands out as a leader in innovation and excellence In a world where gifted education is often an afterthought. Founded in 1977, Mackintosh is Colorado’s first school dedicated exclusively to gifted students, offering one of the Denver metro area’s only private International Baccalaureate (IB) programs for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade. For over forty years, Mackintosh has redefined how gifted and creative learners are educated.
At Mackintosh, gifted education is not just an add-on or a pull-out program; it’s the foundation of everything we do. Our full-time program meets the unique intellectual, emotional, and social needs of gifted children. Unlike traditional schools, where gifted students may feel isolated or underchallenged, Mackintosh fosters a nurturing, holistic environment. Here, students are surrounded by peers who share their curiosity and passion for learning, creating a rare sense of community and belonging.
Keen Minds: A Curriculum That Inspires
social and emotional challenges, such as heightened sensitivity or feelings of being misunderstood. At Mackintosh, we emphasize social-emotional learning, helping students develop collaboration, communication, resilience, and empathy. Strong relationships between students and faculty create the optimal conditions for growth, both academically and personally.
Global Action: Preparing for the Future Mackintosh’s IB curriculum goes beyond academics, incorporating design thinking, innovation, and service projects. Students engage in real-world problem-solving, developing the skills and mindset to tackle global challenges with creativity and confidence. This focus on global awareness ensures graduates are not only academically prepared but also equipped to make a positive impact.
Mackintosh’s learning environment is rooted in the globally respected International Baccalaureate program. Our inquiry-based, hands-on curriculum challenges students to think critically, solve problems creatively, and explore their interests in depth. Teachers are skilled at recognizing and nurturing each child’s unique potential, ensuring students not only learn but thrive.
Compassionate Hearts: SocialEmotional Growth
Gifted children often face unique
A School Where Bright Kids Thrive Mackintosh Academy is more than a school—it’s a community where gifted children flourish intellectually, emotionally, and socially. If you’re seeking an educational experience that celebrates the unique nature of gifted learners, discover Mackintosh.
To learn more, email info@mackintoshacademy.com or call (303) 794-6222 to schedule a tour or conversation.
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