Graland Ascend Brochure

ASCEND

A Campaign to Inspire Excellence

Graland Country Day School

A GREAT SCHOOL NEVER SITS STILL Guided by our mission, values and strategic plan, we go to extraordinary lengths to give children the best education possible.

OUR MISSION

But we don’t stop there.

Achieve intellectual excellence,

We look at the changing environment and evolving technologies. We anticipate society’s future needs as we make new discoveries about how children learn. We are constantly appraising how to keep our program relevant for each generation of students.

It means asking ourselves, “What’s next?”

A great school never sits still.

2

|

ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence Graland Country Day School

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

Ascende Omnem Montem Climb Every Mountain

LETTER FROM HEAD OF SCHOOL, RONNI MCCAFFREY

GUIDING PRINCIPLES Pursue Excellence Instill Integrity Inspire Leadership Promote Independence Stimulate Innovation Honor Individuality Cultivate Compassion Embrace Experiences Celebrate Perseverance Value Tradition Build Community

Everyday I’m thankful to be surrounded by curious and intelligent students who keep me on my toes. Graland’s exceptional faculty and inclusive extended community inspire me around every turn. To be honest, I’ve never been on a more lively and exciting campus in my 40 years in education.

Today, right now, Graland is in a unique place in its history. A solid foundation of outstanding student performance, visionary board leadership and strong community engagement allows us to dream big. We can envision what might be, what can be and what will be for Graland 2035.

Our students deserve a school that is constantly searching for ways to nurture their distinct abilities, gifts and talents.

We promise to be that school.

The vision is clear: We will prepare students for lifelong success by investing in a vibrant community, extraordinary staff and dynamic facilities. We will inspire the next generation of Graland students to achieve great things. With your help, we will transform education and cultivate future leaders.

Ascende Omnem Montem

With our mission as our guide, we now look over the horizon to create a future that is more innovative than ever.

ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence Graland Country Day School

|

3

ASCEND: A CAMPAIGN TO INSPIRE EXCELLENCE VISION

To prepare students for lifelong success, Graland will inspire excellence by investing in a vibrant community, extraordinary faculty and dynamic facilities.

LOOKING OVER THE HORIZON

Graland’s mission is timeless, but our world is constantly changing.

Our job is to help students achieve their unique and fullest potential by preparing them for ... anything.

New technologies and new discoveries about how children learn are just two examples of why we have to teach in new-fashioned ways. Our approach is forward thinking: What skills will this year’s preschool class need to be successful when they start careers?

It’s as much about teaching how to reason, how to question and how to take initiative as it is about knowledge.

DEFINING OUR GOAL

We know four essential skills are necessary for future success.

Students must have:

EXPERTISE IN CORE SUBJECTS • THINKING SKILLS MOTIVATION • ATTITUDE OF A LIFELONG LEARNER These four skills define “intellectual excellence.”

With these traits, they’ll have the confidence to face any situation. They can navigate changing environments and expectations. They can use technology to access information and solve problems in real-world situations. They will take ownership of their learning.

They can succeed.

4

|

ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence Graland Country Day School

INSPIRING EXCELLENCE

COMMUNITY

Students must move forward with the tools and skills to become the engaged citizens and thoughtful leaders we promise in our mission.

Curiosity and discovery are the sparks that ignite a love of learning, paving the road to intellectual excellence. Graland expertly guides students to discover, appreciate and use their unique gifts and abilities.

Today, there are three “teachers” on this journey.* Each is needed to create a learning environment that inspires excellence.

FACULTY

THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY Adults, children, alumni, friends

THE FACULTY Teachers, administrators, staff

THE LEARNING SPACE Classrooms, labs, outdoor facilities

*With thanks to Bruce Mau for introducing us to this concept in his book, The Third Teacher.

LEARNING SPACE

“It’s imperative that we teach students to ‘learn how to learn.’ This skill will enable them to become mature, lifelong learners who can fulfill their highest potential.”

Nan Remington, Head of Lower School

ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence Graland Country Day School

|

5

COMMUNITY

A strong community fuels a strong school. Graland is committed to creating an environment with diverse perspectives and backgrounds that inspires all to broaden their viewpoints, to investigate, to discover.

Diversity and Tuition Assistance A robust tuition assistance program supports a diverse student population and stimulates learning on many different levels. Offering tuition assistance will ensure a Graland education is accessible to a variety of students.

Graland’s responsibility is to reflect society’s changing demographics as we look ahead to our future student population. We define diversity as differences in race, ethnicity, socio-economics, culture and family structure. This diversity creates a richer learning experience for every member of our community.

When families from diverse backgrounds join our community, everyone grows.

When we invest in the future with a $5 million financial aid endowment, we ensure the longevity and strength of our inclusivity programming. The fund allows our longterm commitment to financial aid to thrive.

Offering tuition assistance to at least one in every five students means our community is comprised of a broad student mix.

Attracting and bringing a broader diversity to our campus is step one. Step two is making sure, through thoughtful inclusivity efforts, that everyone in our community can succeed and fully participate in the Graland experience.

Ultimately, a diverse learning community prepares students with the character traits and compassion to achieve future success.

THE ASCEND CAMPAIGN $5 million for tuition assistance endowment

6

|

ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence Graland Country Day School

$5M

$5M

“REACHING OUT AND finding commonalities BUILDS A FOUNDATION WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM.” Demitric Boykin, Graland class of 2002 and parent of Jaliyah, class of 2022 and Jayden, class of 2024

ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence Graland Country Day School

|

7

“THE SCHOOL’S TRUE ARTISAN IS STILL THE TEACHER WHO skillfully guides students to inspiration and insight.”

Josh Cobb, Head of Middle School

8

|

ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence Graland Country Day School

FACULTY

Graland’s goal is to empower our faculty to be active leaders and to supply them with the tools and motivation to help students reach their highest potential. The best teachers can change lives.

Our vision is to keep Graland at the forefront of education through ongoing professional development. Teachers on the cutting edge of education bring new ideas and methods of instruction into the classroom to impact learning.

Their professional excellence is key to equipping students for success.

When teachers engage in enriched learning, amazing things happen in the classroom.

Professional & Curricular Development

Charles C. Gates Endowed Chair of Innovation

Developing our instructors and improving our curricula go hand-in-hand at the heart of this effort. We follow a multifaceted approach, utilizing the Inspire-Investigate-Instruct-Impact model to uncover new ideas and further train our faculty. By engaging in field research and coursework, connecting with industry experts or being a part of a task force, the faculty identify and study important advancements in education.

A new endowed position is part of our vision to inspire curiosity and discovery throughout campus. The Charles C. Gates Endowed Chair of Innovation will direct the implementation of pioneering concepts, tools and technologies into all programs. The educator hired for this role will also oversee and advance the Gates Invention and Innovation Program.

Collaboration is the key, as Graland teachers then implement concepts, share with other teachers and lead the way in upgrading our program to bring a higher level of excellence to Graland.

Staying current with methods and technologies is an expectation of our faculty, not an option. This unique approach ensures teachers stay stimulated, students stay engaged and our program stays relevant. Everyone wins.

$5M

Teacher Retention To attract and keep outstanding teachers in our program, we offer competitive compensation plus onsite, subsidized childcare. We will continue to support faculty members so their children can enroll at Graland as active members of our community. With their children on campus and accessible, teachers can focus more fully on meeting the needs of their students.

$5M

THE ASCEND CAMPAIGN $13M $10M $5 million for professional development endowment $1M ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence Graland Country Day School

$1M |

9

LEARNING SPACE The ideal space inspires excitement and a passion for learning.

Dynamic facilities allow students to move, create and explore.

Classrooms of the future offer flexibility for small group work, large group instruction and one-on-one interaction as teachers customize lessons to match individual learning styles. The new 24,700-square-foot Corkins Center, combined with related renovations across campus, will ensure an excellent program is complemented by excellent facilities.

A modular, open design offers teachers the flexibility to engage in lessons that spark creativity and inspire learning.

When innovative lessons converge with amazing new spaces, students can’t wait to learn.

10

|

ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence Graland Country Day School

CORKINS CENTER: SCIENCE, INNOVATION AND LEARNING

Corkins Center Exterior

Main Entrance Lobby

Main School Entrance

Gates Invention Lab

Lower School Science

Visitors and guests will first experience campus through a secure entrance where they will be welcomed and assisted.

We’re almost tripling the size of the Gates Invention Lab and moving it to the new building—a workspace with state-of-the-art equipment, tools and resources. Complete with a cut room, robot arena, print room, outdoor patio and learning space, the new lab will ignite our inventors’ imaginations.

Young scientists can explore wonders of the natural world through creative indoor and outdoor learning spaces.

Learning Commons The 9,480-square-foot Learning Commons is where we redefine “school library.” An expanded library program with books for research and reading joins a dynamic technology center and enhanced digital media studio. It’s all about creative learning and discovery in a specialized area perfect for instruction, creativity, group work and individual study.

The Learning Commons will be a destination where students can tinker, gather, learn, collaborate and explore.

Technology will continue to be a growing factor in the invention process as students explore computer coding and use 3D printers to conceptualize their designs. We are committed to ensuring the Gates Invention Lab is supplied with the latest technology for inventors of the future. Use of the space will also be open to other departments campus wide.

$5M

$5M

$5M

Inside the Corkins Center, a flexible classroom workspace, including tech components, complements the recently updated curriculum and makes science concepts tangible.

With imaginative lessons and movable, adaptable spaces, kids are ready to tackle complex scientific ideas and longer-term projects.

$5M

THE ASCEND CAMPAIGN $13 million for campus improvements

$13M

$

Goal updated November 10, 2015

ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence Graland Country Day School

|

11

RELATED RENOVATIONS ACROSS CAMPUS

Future Campus

Middle School Science

Related Renovations Across Campus

Our Middle School science labs are staying put in the Gates Middle School Building—but will function much better with a comprehensive renovation.

Students develop intellectual excellence by learning to think critically through science, and they require updated tools, equipment and technology. New well-designed, modular classrooms will adapt to the teaching needs of the unit and ensure students connect with their lessons in innovative ways.

Plans are being finalized to renovate the vacancies created within other buildings. For example, the band room, Lower School world language classes, and toddler room will find new homes on campus. We are committed to ensuring an excellent instructional facility for every Graland program.

MAIN ENTRANCE

FUTURE CORKINS CENTER

Student Support Services As we learn more about how children learn, our commitment to student support grows with student specialists addressing each child’s individual needs. It’s more important than ever to provide services integrated into central learning areas that accommodate specialized instruction. Our goal, as always, is student success and growth.

Future Campus Map

12

|

ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence Graland Country Day School

“WITH THE CHANGE IN OUR CURRICULUM, THERE IS MORE COLLABORATION, INNOVATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKING. Students need more flexible space to learn and reflect on their thinking.”

Elizabeth Leddy, Technology Liaison

ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence Graland Country Day School

|

13

LET’S CLIMB TOGETHER Students enter our gates with individual potential for greatness. They must leave equipped with knowledge, skills, values and motivation.

Now is the time to impact generations of children and leave your legacy of excellence at Graland. To elevate Graland’s community, faculty and learning spaces, we need every member to join in and support our vision.

Our students deserve the best education possible; with your help, they can go forward with confidence to achieve their highest potential, knowing Graland has given them every tool to succeed.

14

|

ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence Graland Country Day School

BUDGET PROJECTIONS: $24 MILLION THE COMMUNITY $5M Endowment

THE FACULTY $5M Endowment

$225,000 annually to fund a 13% increase to annual financial aid awards

$225,000 annually to fund Charles C. Gates Chair of Innovation, professional and program development

ANNUAL FUND $1M

THE LEARNING SPACE $13M

Giving above and beyond tuition to fund an exceptional program for all students

Corkins Center, space optimization, campus renovations

“GRALAND HAS GIVEN ME A SOLID FOUNDATION. I HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE MY LIFE WHEREVER

Goal updated November 10, 2015

I WANT TO GO. I

GIVING LEVELS LEADERSHIP CIRCLE $25,000+

have the power Donors at the $1,000 level and above will be included on the donor wall.

1924 CIRCLE $10,000–$24,999

HONORS CIRCLE $500–$999

FOUNDERS CIRCLE $5,000–$9,999

FACULTY FELLOWS CIRCLE under $499

HEAD OF SCHOOL CIRCLE $2,500–$4,999

of choice and

SCHOLARS CIRCLE $1,000–$2,499

Donors at the $25,000 and above level qualify for a named opportunity.

that’s a big gift.”

Hannah, Graland Class of 2015

Donors at the $2,500 level and above are invited to the annual Head of School’s reception.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS David Corkins and Karen Reidy, Honorary Chairs

Guy and Liz Arnold

Ronni McCaffrey, Head of School

Michael and Shannon Bell

Jon-Erik ’92 and Brooke Borgen, Co-Chairs

Tim and Nancy Buese

Josh Cobb, Head of Middle School

Geoffrey and Marty Lord, Co-Chairs

Adam ‘92 and Melissa Farver

Nan Remington, Head of Lower School

Ellie Caulkins

Karyn Huberman, Director of Marketing and Communications

John Jr. ’92 and Andi Freyer John and Susan Gowen Ryan ’93 and Griffen O’Shaughnessy

Development Office Staff

Patrick and Tricia Youssi ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence Graland Country Day School

|

15

GRALAND COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL 55 Clermont Street • Denver, CO 80220 graland.org/ASCEND • 303.399.8370 Updated November 10, 2015