Graland Today

ASCEND SPECIAL EDITION

TODAY

SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2015

Blank Slate

By Juan Botello, Director of Finance and Operations

A Case for ASCEND

By Ronni McCaffrey, Head of School

The big news on campus today is the blank slate where the Jones Building came down and the Corkins Center will go up.

We were very busy over the summer preparing for this historic change.

Working behind the scenes, our staff and board of trustees secured building permits while construction crews relocated utilities like water, electricity, gas and sewer lines. By the time demolition on Jones started in early August, the playground equipment had been disassembled and temporarily rebuilt on the lawn between the Georgia Nelson Building and Hamilton West. It’s an exciting time at Graland!

Moving forward, we expect construction of the 24,000-square-foot Corkins Center to begin in late September. This building is the result of several years of study by Graland’s leaders who were determined to understand how we can make campus spaces meet the needs of modern learners.

The end result will be a great addition to our campus that will support students and continued on page 20

When you returned to Graland this year, you could not miss seeing the giant dirt plot where the Jones Building once stood. The building that will soon emerge from this void is the culmination of a plan that has been five years in the making.

Future Oriented Students enter our gates with individual potential for greatness; it’s our job to expertly guide them to discover, appreciate and use their unique gifts and abilities. While the actualization of potential takes a lifetime, every Graland student must leave

▶ Inside this Issue:

Veronica McCaffrey, Head of School

continued on page 10

Intellectual Growth Page 4

Graland Gallop Page 26

High Achievers 7 Time to Climb 22 College Selections 25

GOGRALAND

“

“

“The Corkins Center, complete with a

learning commons, science classrooms and the Gates Invention Lab, is a

resource itself. If we can teach students to use the elements of this building to

follow their curiosity and advance their learning, we have taught them a key lifelong skill. ”

-Josh Cobb, see story page 6

At Graland Country Day School it is our mission to: Achieve intellectual excellence, build strong character, enrich learning through the arts and athletics, and prepare our students to be engaged citizens and thoughtful leaders.

Ascende Omnem Montem GRALAND’S GUIDING PRINCIPLES Pursue Excellence Guide Critical Thinking Instill Integrity Inspire Leadership Promote Independence Stimulate Innovation Honor Individuality Cultivate Compassion Embrace Experiences Celebrate Perseverance Value Tradition Build Community

Graland Today is a monthly publication of Graland Country Day School Volume 5, Issue 1 Send correspondence to: Associate Director of Communications Graland Country Day School 55 Clermont Street Denver, CO 80220 communications@graland.org graland.org

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New Faculty at Graland Join us in welcoming these teachers who are new to Graland this year.

Dan Barklund, Grade 8 Science Dan relocated from Pasadena, Calif., where he recently taught and coached middle school students. With a master’s degree in science education, Dan is an asset to the Grade 8 team. He is an avid biker, backpacker and reader with a passion for astronomy.

Kai Johnson, Grade 4 Teacher Kai relocated from Manhattan where he used his master’s degree in education to teach grades 4-5 at a Montessori school. With a strong background in teaching language arts, Kai is one of our literacy experts on the Grade 4 team. He also enjoys integrating technology into his curriculum by designing activities in which students can use digital resources to investigate and collaborate. A Colorado native, Kai hikes, bikes and skis, plays several instruments and is conversational in French.

Lee Lee Newcomb, Drama Lee Lee returns to Graland after several years teaching drama throughout Denver, most recently at Stanley British Primary. She has a special interest in Shakespeare and a true gift for inspiring students to perform with enthusiasm and skill.

Kali Paguirigan, Drama Kali is new to the drama department as our music and movement teacher. She is joining us from New York where she spent the past several years teaching rhythm, arts, music and orchestra to students of all ages. She has a master’s degree in fine art and a bachelor’s in vocal performance.

Casey Russell, Grade 1 Teacher Casey is an experienced teacher with bachelor’s degrees in elementary education and communications. Her specialty is literacy, a subject in which she has extensive training including a certificate in primary reading from the University of Colorado at Denver. She is excited to join the Grade 1 team after serving as a substitute teacher at Graland.

For the full list, including support teachers, interns and new staff, visit the back-to-school page on the resource board at graland.org.

Board of Trustees News

MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT

By John Gowen, President of the Board of Trustees

On behalf of my fellow Trustees, I would like to welcome you back to campus and extend a special welcome to all our new families who we are excited to meet. Your school enters the 2015-16 academic year in a strong position and over the next 12 months we will work together to lead Graland to new heights. You will notice significant changes to our campus this fall, most notably the progress being made on the new Corkins Center which replaces the Jones Building.

The Jones Building was built in 1954 for kindergarten classes and renamed in 1974 after Genevieve Jones, a legendary first grade teacher. Graland is fortunate to have such a rich and outstanding history and it is from this solid foundation that we have embarked upon the most ambitious capital campaign in the school’s history.

In May, we launched ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence with a goal of raising $21 million to invest in three key areas: Learning Spaces, Financial Aid and Professional Development. Each of these areas is critical to Graland’s continued success.

Our Head of School, Ronni McCaffrey, and her team have spent a significant amount of time analyzing and researching how best to continue evolving Graland’s curriculum and classrooms to take advantage of new technologies and best practices. The Corkins Center is the culmination of all their hard work and efforts. The building will include: • •

• • • •

a 21st century learning commons; dedicated lab space to expand and enhance our successful and unique Gates Invention Program; new spaces to enhance science programming for the Lower School; a digital media studio; conference rooms for group project work; and a dramatic new entrance for our school with room to showcase student work and exhibits.

Over 30 years ago several families had the foresight to seed a Graland

Sarah Anschutz ‘86 Hunt and Kathryn Albright, Graland’s newest Trustees

New Trustees Welcomed to Graland Board Endowment. Today, with over $32 million in assets, it funds a significant financial aid program that last year totaled $1.7 million (11 percent of the annual budget). Our financial aid needs are growing; over the last six years we have seen a 6.5 percent average annual increase in aid dollars.

Given the importance of continued diversity in our community, a portion of the monies raised through ASCEND will be used to fund future financial aid.

A school’s long-term success is certainly driven by a variety of factors but none is more important than the quality of the faculty. We are very fortunate to have an amazing collection of teachers and administrators. But no school can afford to sit still. So we will invest in our faculty by raising capital to fund costs associated with our teachers re-investing in their own skills: a Professional Development Endowment.

I would like to thank all those families, faculty and friends who have already given so generously to ASCEND; you are helping to continue a great tradition of Graland philanthropy. And I would encourage those returning and new families who have not done so to make an investment in Graland’s future. You can visit the Graland website or drop by the Development Office in the Georgia Nelson Building for more details about ASCEND. I look forward to an exciting year and seeing each of you on campus.

Graland’s Board of Trustees is pleased to welcome two new members who have begun three-year terms: Kathryn Albright and Sarah Anschutz ‘86 Hunt.

Kathryn is a senior vice president and national sales manager at U.S. Bank where she works to support the commercial real estate division. She has been nationally recognized for her leadership, including being named as one of the “Most Powerful Women in Banking” by American Banking Magazine.

With both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration (finance), she shares her knowledge with several nonprofit boards and advisory councils in Denver. Kathryn and her husband Eric have two boys at Graland: Phillip (Grade 7) and Gus (Grade 5).

Sarah is a recognized art expert specializing in the Western American style. She is the director of The American Museum of Western Art - The Anschutz Collection and is a contributing writer for Western Passages, a publication of the Denver Art Museum (DAM). Sarah also serves on the boards at the Clyfford Still Museum and DAM. After earning a bachelor’s of arts degree focusing on American art from Princeton, Sarah earned her law degree from Stanford University. A Graland alumna, Sarah and her husband Chris have four children: William ‘13, Madeleine ‘15, Eleanor (Grade 6) and Coco (Grade 4).

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Lower School News

An Odyssey to Intellectual Growth

By Shannon Bell, Graland Parent and Odyssey of the Mind Coach

Now that the 2016 Odyssey of the Mind problems have been announced, it’s nice to reflect upon the amazing first year that the Graland third grade teams had in 2014-15. The all-around outcome was better than expected and the rewards the kids received could not have been more deserved.

New to Odyssey of the Mind?

Odyssey of the Mind is an international competition that believes creativity can be taught. It is composed of two parts: Long Term Problem, ranging from very technical problems to performance oriented problems, and Spontaneous.

There are very specific guidelines and criteria that must be met.

In the “Long Term” category, teammates must research and learn through trial and error how to solve the problem. The solution includes both concrete and subjective areas allowing room for invention and creativity.

Odyssey of the Mind only allows a limited budget, which keeps all of the participating teams around the world on

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a level playing field. How can you make it or build it if you cannot purchase it?

Innovation at its finest.

The “Spontaneous” portion of the competition consists of three types of problems. They are verbal, hands-on, and verbal hands-on. Although the team can practice the different types of problems throughout the year, they do not know which type of problem they will get until the day of the competition.

The type of problem is so top secret the children are debriefed and told that they cannot tell anyone which type of problem they had until a specified date. This group of kids loved knowing something I didn’t and it was hard for me not to ask after months of coaching them!

Integrity can sometimes be tough, but it’s incredibly valuable. Values at their finest.

Teams Take Charge of Learning Being on an Odyssey team is a serious commitment. You want it that way.

Learning to work as a group, learning your own strengths and weaknesses within the group, learning to respect

the similarities and differences of your teammates, are all gifts. All of this is practiced. They learned to take risk, how to handle disappointment when things didn’t go well and to celebrate when they did. They learned to do this as individuals and as teams. They learned to accept input from their peers because it was well intended. What started out as a group of individuals turned into a functioning unit that focused on the best way to achieve the goals of the team.

One of the amazing experiences I had as a coach was to watch softer spoken children find their voices, to see leaders emerge and to see the team delegate to the ones who could possibly do a better job when they really wanted to do it themselves. I won’t lie; we had a lot of leaders. They all had a turn. They also learned to self-advocate when they had ideas and were not leading. The most enforced group guideline was to respect every answer because, although it may not be the solution, it is most definitely part of the journey to the solution.

Teamwork and respect at its finest.

GO GREATER Graland Teams Excel As I mentioned, the results from our Graland teams were stunning. For the “up” times, the kids experienced seeing hard work pay off. For the “down” times, the kids saw hard work pay off. How often does that happen? The support both teams showed for each other was impressive.

And, most impressively, team members were asked what they learned and enjoyed most and their answers didn’t even mention winning first place in the regional competition, third place in the state competition, and first place in both arenas for the “Spontaneous” portion of the competition - all in their very first year!

Teams Now Forming for 2015-16 Odyssey of the Mind is fun. Children who participate become more engaged in learning. The results spill over into the everyday classroom. Sometimes, it’s organized chaos and sometimes quiet and focused. Participating in Odyssey of the Mind in Grades 3/4 is a fantastic precursor to the Gates Invention and Innovation Program in Middle School because it promotes creativity, values, teamwork and respect.

The benefits of being a coach are incredible. Watching our amazing kids grow and being part of the process is something that is unforgettable. Ask the parents of team members and they can tell you how surprised we all were with the progress the teams made. Incredible! It truly is an amazing experience.

We would like to see the program grow with additional teams and volunteer coaches. If you are interested in participating as a coach and/or having your child join a team, please contact me.

I will gladly answer any questions.

• • •

odysseyofthemind.com coloradoodyssey.org shanshanbell@aol.com

The Creativity Crisis

By Nan Remington, Head of Lower School

Cultivating Creativity When educators gather together to discuss the state Unfortunately, creativity has of education, most of the been on the decline in the talk revolves around state United States. Po Bronson and standards and test scores.

Ashley Merryman, authors of Using SATs, ACTs and NutureShock, reported on the other IQ tests, they attempt creativity crisis in a July 2010 to measure knowledge article in Newsweek. “It’s too and intelligence to place early to determine conclusively students in programs why U.S. creativity scores that identify as gifted are declining,” wrote Po and or rigorous. We value Nan Remington, Merryman. “One likely culprit Head of Lower School intelligence, of course, but is the number of hours kids what of creativity, of identifying and now spend in front of the TV and playing measuring divergent thinking? What of video games rather than engaging in the “Creativity Quotient” (CQ)? creative activities.”

Creativity Counts Now and in the future, society relies on inventors, entrepreneurs and innovators to solve the complex problems facing our global community. Our students will become those community members who will find solutions by thinking differently about how we use technology, science, math and art. Through this creative work, new products, inventions, and innovative artworks will help solve the world’s toughest political, cultural and environmental problems.

Those problem solvers will need CQ to come up with “out of the box” solutions to address and solve complex issues.

Fostering CQ early and often during impressionable school years is the key to nurturing students’ creative thinking.

Increasing creativity during childhood can help to foster greater self-esteem, self-worth and individuality. Creative people are known to be independent, self-sufficient, emotionally sensitive, assertive, courageous and resourceful.

Some schools are also to blame putting too much focus on rote memorization, standardized curriculum and testing. The age group that shows the worst decline is kindergarten to sixth grade. Graland teachers recognize that mastering necessary skills and knowledge is vital, but help students achieve that mastery through a creative pedagogy. Utilizing dynamic approaches, such as project-based learning, our teachers engage students by exploring real-world problems and challenges.

With this active and purposeful learning, students are inspired to obtain a deeper knowledge of the subjects they’re studying.

Finding extracurricular opportunities, such as Odyssey of the Mind, that support divergent thinking can increase a child’s CQ. Our students will need creative approaches as they navigate through the complex issues facing them in the future. Nurturing creativity intelligence in the early years will ensure students can develop these skills and utilize them throughout adulthood.

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Middle School News

TWENTYSOMETHINGS: HOW GRALAND CAN HELP DEFINE T

By Josh Cobb, Head of Middle School

“I feel like I’m in the middle of another quarter work only the ocean. Like I could swim part-time.” in any direction but I can’t Faced with this see land on any side so I don’t challenge, Jay recommends know which way to go.” that they find “identity “Last night I prayed for capital […] the repertoire just one thing in my life to be of individual resources certain.” that we assemble over Psychologist Meg Jay’s clients time.” She believes that capture the angst of many the twenties are a time twentysomethings today. In her to intentionally invest in book The Defining Decade: Why Josh Cobb, Head of Middle ourselves and acquire the Your Twenties Matter and How to School skills that will make us Make the Most of Them Now, she describes more resilient and confident. another one of her clients who finds herself at 26 without a romantic interest, Essential Survival Skills a real job or even a driver’s license.

At Graland, we believe that investment As Jay recounts, “She thought she was should begin much earlier than the third supposed to be having the time of her decade of life. Students should begin life but mostly she felt stressed and building those essential skills from the anxious. ‘My twenties are paralyzing,’ she moment they step on campus. The said, ‘No one told me it would be this ASCEND Campaign furthers our effort hard.’” to foster our students’ resourcefulness, resilience, and innovation and to teach The Struggle is Real them to gather those personal assets so If you asked me to name the hardest essential for the twenties and beyond. time in my life, I would struggle to The Corkins Center, complete with a decide between the ages of 13, the learning commons, science classrooms beginning of adolescence, and 22, the beginning of “real” life. I have devoted my career to educating adolescents because I still feel the pangs of that period and empathize with their daily struggle to fit in. As I read Jay’s work, I felt a similar compassion for those just entering life after college and wondered how, as an educator, I could prepare students not only to traverse adolescence but also what came after adolescence.

Jay explains how the current economic reality further complicates that navigation: “The Great Recession and its continuing aftermath have left many twentysomethings feeling naïve, even devastated. Twentysomethings are more educated than ever before, but smaller percentages find work after college […] An unpaid internship is the new starter job. About a quarter of twentysomethings are out of work and 6

and the Gates Invention Lab, is a resource itself. If we can teach students to use the elements of this building to follow their curiosity and advance their learning, we have taught them a key lifelong skill.

Whether they are finalizing a Gates project, researching a history topic, or editing a film clip, they will seek out the technology, the information, and the learning spaces they need to complete their best work. They will demonstrate the resourcefulness needed for future achievement.

Specifically, in the new Gates lab, perfectly outfitted for invention, students will find inspiration, craft prototypes, and ultimately solve problems with their ingenuity. In this problem-solving pursuit, many of these burgeoning inventors and entrepreneurs will stumble along the way.

As it states on the wall of the current Gates Lab, “Mistakes prove that you are trying.” Confronted with these trials, they will develop their perseverance and confidence.

Since many of the tasks occurring in the new building won’t be easy, students will need to advocate for themselves.

THE THIRD DECADE When they search out the support of a teacher, ASCEND’s professional development endowment ensures that they will find an educator well trained in the most current educational practices.

At times they will also turn to their peers for help. This campaign’s commitment to financial aid will develop a diverse school community that introduces students to a wide range of individuals. Different perspectives will inspire students to think differently, to investigate, and ultimately to innovate.

The Path to Success Life is not a clear linear path to happiness and success. There will be twists and turns during the odyssey to adulthood.

There will be trails lost and new directions taken. During this winding journey, students will need to maintain their ingenuity, their resourcefulness and their resilience as they discover new routes to ascend. This campaign is dedicated to providing them the skills—the identity capital—to thrive in an ever-changing world.

High Achievers Earn Recognition For the third year, Graland Middle School students were honored after they competed in the Western Academic Talent Search (WATS). WATS is facilitated by the Center for Bright Kids and provides opportunities for academically talented students in Grades 3-9.

Eighty-seven percent of our middle schoolers qualified for additional testing after scoring highly on ERBs.* As part of WATS, some of those eligible students opted to take the SAT, ACT or EXPLORE examinations, all designed for much older students.

At a ceremony in May, 19 were recognized for placing in the top 10 percent (Top Honors) or top 25 percent (Honors) when compared to other high performing students in the western division. The western division includes Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Idaho and Montana.

In a similar talent search conducted by John Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, Graland had three additional award-winning students, Jackson Turner (Grade 5 in 2014-15), Haley Harnish and Jacob Storch (both Grade 7 in 2014-15).

Congratulations to all our high-achieving students! *To qualify, students scored at or above the 90th percentile on any ERB subtest.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE 2015 WATS HONOREES Highest Honors (Top 10%) Grade 5: Talia Grynberg-Shepis, Freddy Hamilton, Will Montgomery, Mia Sanchez Grade 6: James Cobb, Caroline Kreutzen Grade 7: Sophie Goldberg, Matthew Nekritz Grade 8: Henry Weisman

Honors (Top 25%) Grade 6: Ava Barish, Lola Barish, Serena Barish Grade 7: Alexa Goldstein, Haley Harnish, Ellie Henry, Joseph Smith III Grade 8 in 2014-15: Max Andrus, Peter Sauer, Andy Sevilla The students listed are those who elected to share their results with Graland. Other students may have achieved similar recognition unknown to us at the time of publication.

Grades are listed for the 2014-15 school year.

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Admission News

Our Best

Spokesperson

is YOU

 AMBASSADORS WELCOME NEW STUDENTS AND FAMILIES

New families are buddied up with a veteran family to help them transition into the Graland community. These ambassador families welcome newcomers, introduce them to other Graland families, explain Graland traditions and answer their questions. Thank you to the 52 ambassador families serving our community in 2015-16!

This year, Middle School students took on the leadership role of becoming student ambassadors for new Middle School students. Ambassador students received specific training on how to connect with and engage new students. The ambassadors met the new students at the Middle School welcome event last spring and now their job is to help their peers settle in during the first few weeks of school. Thank you to our 34 Middle School ambassadors for getting our new students introduced and involved at Graland!

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Year after year, we hear one thing from our applicant families: “I found out about Graland from a friend/neighbor/coworker.”

That tells us that YOU are our number one spokesperson so thank you for sharing your love for Graland! Please continue to do so and encourage interested families to come visit campus during one of our open house events or tours.

DON’T FORGET! Applications for siblings of current students are due November 15 for the 2016-17 school year. Be sure to visit the admission pages of the Graland website for a step-bystep guide to applying or stop by the admission office for assistance.

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ASSISTANCE AWARDS Did you know Graland awarded $1.7 million in financial assistance last year? Recruiting and retaining qualified families who enrich our diverse community is a top priority at Graland. The entire school benefits when students are able to attend no matter their means. If you know someone who is interested in finding out more, please let the admission office know 303-399-8361.

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Different zip codes where new families live

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Events to welcome new families to Graland

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Current Graland families who are ambassador families to newcomers

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Pre-K programs feeding into Graland

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New international students (Canada, Australia)

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Middle schoolers serving as student ambassadors

Tours (including 5 open houses) offered last year

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ASCEND NEWS continued from page 11

A Case for ASCEND

us fortified with intellectual excellence - the knowledge, skills, values and motivation to become the engaged citizen and thoughtful leader we promise in our mission.

To continue to achieve intellectual excellence, and guide the development of strong character, we are preparing now for Graland’s future and ensuring our approach is relevant to modern learners: • We envision an enriched, diverse community that embraces numerous perspectives.

• We are maintaining and improving our learning spaces and staffing those spaces with remarkable teachers who inspire curiosity and learning.

• We continue to update our curriculum to keep up with the changing environment.

• We are exploring and embracing new teaching strategies.

The Time is Now Our biggest obstacle is complacency.

Graland must be proactive to remain at the forefront of independent education in Denver. We have the foundation — a strong community and visionary leadership — and the following components of ASCEND are the building blocks to greater achievement, outcomes and intellectual excellence.

With your help, our students can go

A great school never sits still. To prepare students for lifelong success, Graland will inspire excellence by investing in a vibrant community, extraordinary faculty, and dynamic facilities. We constantly scan the horizon for indicators of what our graduates will need to be successful learners throughout their lives. forward with confidence to achieve their highest potential, knowing Graland has given them every tool to succeed. Please join me in this important work.

THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY: ENSURING DIVERSITY Endowment for Tuition Assistance Different perspectives and backgrounds within a school community inspire all to think differently, to investigate, to discover, and ultimately to create a richer learning experience. Our expanded view of diversity includes students from nontraditional family structures as well as those with a range of socio-economic, cultural and racial backgrounds.

An endowment for tuition assistance supports Graland’s efforts to attract diverse students, which adds value to every student’s Graland experience. By increasing this endowment, we can offer reduced tuition to as many as 25 additional students,

increasing our percentage of students receiving assistance from 17 to 20 percent.

Achieving this goal ultimately requires embracing every family with tangible and intangible support. Through innovative diversity programming, we will continue developing a community where all can thrive.

THE FACULTY: ENGAGED TEACHING Endowment for Professional Development We believe that the faculty and staff is the single most important element in the education of the student. Graland teachers are the heartbeat of our program and our standard for teacher excellence is very high. We hire the best educators and invest in their careers, which stimulates program advancements to ensure Graland students have the advantage of a top educational experience.

Rendering by Pavel Zhurov Artistic rendering of Corkins Center lobby.

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A permanent source of income for professional development ensures that the Graland program and curriculum remains on the cutting edge and forefront of education. Professional development allows our faculty to perform at a high level in their day-to-day work and empowers them to bring new ideas, approaches and methods to Graland.

Part of our vision to inspire curiosity is the creation of a new position, Gates Chair of Innovation. The educator hired for this role will oversee the Gates Invention Program and integrate key skills and mindsets like discovery and problem solving into all curricula and enrichment programs.

THE LEARNING SPACE: INSPIRED FACILITIES The Corkins Center and Campus Wide Improvements The Master Plan approved in April 2014 specifically identifies the inadequacy of the science and library spaces, two programs that should be rich in discovery, experimentation and collaboration yet are limited by current facilities.

An agile environment accommodates the variety of instructional methods frequently utilized by our faculty: class learning, small group learning and individual learning. To foster discovery our students need areas to move, create and explore. The ASCEND campaign replaces the Jones Building with the twostory Corkins Center; other renovations will adapt existing space to meet our needs and incorporate technology into our programs.

Corkins Center: Gates Invention Lab To accommodate the growing participation in the Gates Invention Program, we will expand the lab and properly equip it with the tools and technology that inventors need to bring their ideas to life. Specific areas will be dedicated for power tool use, robotics, fabrication and 3D printers, and construction. There will also be areas to facilitate ideation and collaborative design and a full assembly area. The entire space will be modular and adaptable to serve as a creative epicenter capable of accommodating multiple

Rendering by Pavel Zhurov Artistic rendering of Corkins Center and new main entrance.

uses in teaching of innovation concepts throughout the school.

Corkins Center: Learning Commons Libraries of the future are not only about the books on the shelves; they are about engaging minds to inspire the gathering and sharing of knowledge.

The learning commons will be a destination that ignites intellectual excellence through reading, researching, collaborating, training, tinkering, creating and studying. The key is designing a space that meets the needs of the students and incorporates new approaches for education. The learning commons will offer varied study space, collaboration rooms, flexible classrooms, a technology “genius bar” and an expanded digital media center. Integrating technology resources into the learning commons will modernize the library and transform it into a place that offers opportunity for all programs to benefit.

Corkins Center: Lower School Science Following a 2013 redesign of our science curriculum, our lab and classroom spaces need an equivalent upgrade.

An adaptable space is required to accommodate group learning and the demonstration of concepts. Ample areas for labs and project work will support goals for problem solving and discovery: outdoor learning areas, more integration of engineering and technology, and

display space to share student work across grade levels. Relocating the Lower School science rooms closer to the Middle School science center and the Gates Lab will offer more interconnection between younger and older students and enable access to our range of facilities.

Corkins Center: Secure School Entrance Student safety is a top concern at Graland.

A secure entrance, clearly identifiable and monitored by professional staff, is a modern-day necessity. Offering a welldesigned central entrance point will ensure visitors have access to a warm and professional welcome.

Across Graland: Renovated Spaces ASCEND offers the opportunity to make improvements across the whole campus.

We are carefully addressing each situation to implement the best solutions using the space available and remodeling some of our current facilities: • Middle School science classrooms will benefit from updated classrooms and labs.

• Student support services will enjoy flexible meeting space for smaller group learning and one-on-one instruction.

• Lower School world language, band and the employee childcare program will be relocated to rooms that are better equipped to meet the needs of these programs.

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ASCEND NEWS

KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS: LOOKING BACK Guided by our mission, guiding principles and a comprehensive strategic plan, we go to extraordinary lengths to give children the best education possible. The past five years have seen transformational achievements at Graland.

And now, in 2015, Graland is in a strategic position to make bigger leaps forward.

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

• Affinity Gro launched

• Diversity Coordinator position reinstituted • GIFT (Graland Inclusivity Forum and Taskforce) and PEN (Parent Education Network) formalized by GPA

CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS

MIDDLE SCHOOL • Restructured to Grades 5-8 • New advisory approach • Interscholastic sports introduced to Grade 6

• Anschutz Commons with dining hall completed • Hamilton Reiman Building renovations completed

• Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) opened EARLY LEARNING

CURRICULUM

• Faculty and staff onsite childcare offered

• Responsive Classroom curriculum implemented • Math in Focus curriculum implemented (Singapore Math approach)

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EARLY LEARNING

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GOVERNANCE • Board approved Strategic Plan 2011-17

GOVERNANCE • Board approved revised Mission Statement and Guiding Principles

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CURRICULUM • Student 1:1 iPad program launched • Journeys curriculum implemented • History Alive! curriculum implemented • Six-day rotating schedule adopted

FIVE YEARS • ASCEND capital campaign launched

oups

CURRICULUM

GATES INVENTION PROGRAM

• Revised science curriculum implemented • Grade 7 trip to Washington DC introduced

• 15 years of innovation in the Gates Invention Program celebrated

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GOVERNANCE

ACCREDITATION • ACIS re-accreditation received

• Updated Campus Master Plan approved by board • Diversity and inclusivity policy revised and approved by board

CURRICULUM • Library reopened with changes from task force work and new Library leadership • Information Literacy Curriculum Introduced

ADMINISTRATION • Director of Curriculum and Instruction position created • Director of Information Services position established

COMMUNITY ACCREDITATION • ECLC program accredited by ACIS

• Second Assessment of Inclusivity and Multiculturalism (AIM) fielded

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ASCEND NEWS : Professional Development

The Pros of Professional Development

By Gail Sonnesyn, Director of Curriculum and Instruction

How do we ensure students our evolving technology and are engaged in learning and library curricula. acquiring the academic skills To further investigate and life skills needed to be her ideas, Graland sent successful lifelong learners? seven people to New York You might be surprised City. Five people (Marty to learn that professional Twarogowski, Justin Miera, development is one of the Dan O’Neill, Josh Gaffga, key components. and Josh Forke) went initially All schools have and visited Jacob Burns Film professional development Center, New Victory Theater (PD) plans and allocate and Lincoln Center. Their Gail Sonnesyn, Director of funds to this vital pursuit, visit ignited such a creative Curriculum and Instruction but rarely do schools manage spark that they immediately it with the focus and commitment that pursued funding for digital technology Graland does. Our faculty, staff and and began implementing learned media administration all participate in multiple techniques in their classrooms. They forms of PD. Here are two brief stories created our Digital Media Studio that of how PD at Graland transforms the is consistently booked, film classes were student experience. introduced and students are currently producing media products using Catalyst and Field Studies Models increasingly excellent technique.

The following spring, our technology In 2013, international curriculum liaison and I also visited the Jacob Burns developer and 21st century thinker, Center and met with Heidi to solidify Heidi Hayes Jacobs visited Graland. our work on an Information Literacy She spent three days working with us curriculum for preschool through eighth including one day addressing 700+ grades. The curriculum focuses on how educators we invited to campus. She was our catalyst. She pushed our thinking on to interpret information, engage with it, and be responsible digital citizens. how to further integrate technology and It was implemented during the 2014-15 research skills into our curriculum and school year. spoke specifically of the need to teach students to be discerning consumers Advanced Education and producers of media along with the importance of connecting globally. She Master teacher Christi James was also consulted with us on developing already hitting it out of the ballpark

Ways We Engage in Pro • Cohort System • Learning Labs • Instructional Rounds • Curricular Task Forces • Advanced Education • Field Studies • Visiting Speakers and Experts • Resident Experts with her Lower School Spanish classes.

Regardless, in 2012 Christi decided to commit to returning to school to earn her master’s degree. Never have I seen a tuition recipient as excited about new learning as Christi was. She repeatedly stopped by my office to share her latest “ah ha” moments and her plans to implement new techniques. Formative assessment was something she delved into wholeheartedly, transforming how she assessed student understanding, which impacted her lesson planning.

Further, she taught students how to self-assess using iPads and then shared their demonstrations of learning with parents through classroom blogs and report cards.

For one of Christi’s final master’s classes, she developed an action research project on making transitions between

GRALAND’S INSPIRE - INVESTIGATE - INSTRUCT - IMPACT MODEL FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSPIRE - Catalyst serves to forward thinking

INSPIRE INVESTIGATE INSTRUCT IMPACT

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INVESTIGATE - Cohort collaborates around researching new ways of thinking, curricula, technology, etc.

INSTRUCT - Cohort shares knowledge with colleagues and integrates into program for students IMPACT - Curriculum, lessons, instructional practices, and mindsets are refined based on actual integration and results

ofessional Development • Summer Grants • Conferences/Seminars • Professional Learning Communities • Summer Sabbaticals • Independent Research • Summer Reading/Book Studies

“Working with the Science Task force led to my greatest growth as an educator by allowing me time to research, explore and discuss new philosophies in education, new curriculum within my field and new methods of teaching.”

Michelle Benge, Lower School Science Teacher

classes run more smoothly. She focused on first grade, setting up an activity to engage students immediately upon entering her classroom. She also experimented with spending five minutes between classes with students on the playground, or walking with them from another class before entering her room. Doing so gave her a stronger pulse on the situations students were dealing with, whether those were hurt feelings over something that happened on the playground, or issues from home or other classrooms.

She realized that transforming her transitions allowed her to deepen her understanding of students and also eliminated wasted time, as students settled into their Spanish learning environment more readily. The bottom line was that students’ social-emotional needs were better met, setting the stage for increased focus and academic learning.

Intellectual excellence isn’t just a goal for Graland students. Professional development is a major catalyst for increasing expertise, keeping motivation high, expanding thinking skills and supporting growth mindsets among faculty and staff. There’s no question that this directly affects our curricula, academic learning and the overall student experience.

“The guest speakers have been second to none. We have world-class experts who visit our school on a regular basis, sending me a clear message that we are a world-class school.”

Mitch Masters, Middle School History Teacher

“Graland has always encouraged me to attend art conferences and workshops that enrich my teaching.

The iPad class I took gave me the knowledge to teach a successful photography class to middle school students.”

Andrean Andrus, Art Teacher

Graland Today

I 15

ASCEND NEWS : Professional Development

How the Brain Best Learns and Remembers

By Allison Birdsong, Grade 6 English Teacher, and Katie Stratman, Grade 2 Teacher

The brain is a powerful muscle that is wired to be inspired and absorb new information. When the brain isn’t challenged and put to use, however, it loses functionality and potential.

At the Learning and the Brain Conference in San Francisco earlier this year, Dee Wyly ran a seminar called “How the Brain Best Learns and Remembers,� based on the book Make Your Brain Smarter by Sandra Bond Chapman.

She engaged educators to think about how students can use their brains to the best of their abilities and to make sure that they are taking in new information and retaining it.

Dee provided some helpful strategies for all lower and middle school learners to employ.

One Task at a Time For adolescents to be successful learners, distractions must be detoxed; a brain When teachers optimally accomplishes one task engage in enriched at a time. Multitasking is not a reality because when the brain has Allison Birdsong, Grade 6 English Teacher, learning, amazing and Katie Stratman, Grade 2 Teacher to toggle between tasks, neither is daunting. The information processed after accomplished to the best of its ability. things happen in the these necessary pauses is done much more This becomes pertinent when students classroom. efficiently and effectively. are trying to complete nightly or in class assignments. It is incredibly difficult Go Create for them to navigate texts and calls from friends when reading pages in their required Our brains are wired to innovate instead of reading. Limiting distractions and focusing on memorize. Deep learning occurs when students find one task at hand ensures better success. creative outlets to demonstrate their understanding. When students are challenged to put facts into their own words, it is a Quality over Quantity far more effective way to synthesize what they have learned and The more information students are exposed to, the less they for teachers to determine whether or not students truly know are able to retain. It is more beneficial for them to read one or and understand the information. Writing a poem, creating a two vetted articles thoroughly than examine all of the resources mnemonic device or drawing a picture establishes meaning out an internet search may produce. Students should spend just of new information. Likewise, when days start and end with as much time establishing credible sources and utilizing the big idea thinking, these challenges inspire students to look at more refined, teacher-provided articles as they do reviewing the material in a whole new way. information. Highlighting key points is important. An equally Once students have demonstrated their understanding, beneficial skill to develop is the ability to eliminate non-essential putting it to work in a timely fashion is key. They are motivated material. to express their knowledge in unique ways. Through motivation comes an increase in dopamine in the brain that causes learning.

Take a Break

Believe it or not, the brain does have a limited amount of energy and slowing down is key. In order to accomplish difficult tasks, it is essential to determine which activities require the most brain energy and what time of day the brain works best. Establishing patterns when tackling homework is a necessity. After a day in classes, on the practice fields and participating in after- school activities, students need to take a break. These brief reprieves are an effective way to allow the brain to recharge. Once rested, students should always start with the task that seems the most 16

Learning How to Learn Learning in the 21st century is both inspiring and overwhelming.

With so many tools to use, it is easy to get distracted and inspired at the same time. Success comes with self-awareness, establishing patterns and finding creative outlets to demonstrate understanding. The Learning and the Brain Conference provided tremendous inspiration to evaluate and understand how students learn.

INTERN PROGRAM

BY THE NUMBERS

5 Interns in 2015-16

Reflections from a Teaching Intern

By Tera Malyszko, 2014-15 Intern

The Graland internship program was the perfect fit for my career change into education. The program is set up to scaffold each intern and gradually give increasing responsibilities as the school year goes on. The full time classroom experience and hours of coursework were critical in my development as a teacher.

All About Weather One of the most helpful exercises of my internship was planning and implementing a curriculum unit that was responsive to my students’ individual strengths, interests and challenges while addressing the Colorado Academic Standards (CAS).

Because of student interest in the topic, I planned a 10-lesson weather unit.

First, students helped me create a KWL chart (Know, Want to Know, Learn) as a baseline assessment. I designed my unit to include lessons on physical movement, math, literacy, social studies, science and music. Each lesson was differentiated for individual student needs.

Children studied the weather by documenting wind activity in their science journals, creating a “tornado” in a bottle and using math, dance and instruments to fully absorb the concepts.

We also corresponded with a teacher in Alaska who shared information about the weather outside his door and recorded our own weather reports using the green screen in the library.

Finally, special guest Laura Velasquez, a meteorologist from FOX31, visited the class. Students were excited to learn about her job and the various weather patterns.

Laura brought a plasma globe to show how lightning reacts to different surfaces such as metal, wood, skin, water and rubber.

Teacher in Training Along the way, I gathered formal and informal assessments that helped me to modify my instruction. After each lesson, I reflected on what the children enjoyed and learned, what I could have done better and how I would modify the lesson in the future.

This project allowed me to utilize my knowledge of child growth, child development and individual learning differences to inform this curriculum planning.

Tera was hired as a support teacher in kindergarten following the successful completion of her elementary education certificate. You can find her in Mrs. Wendy Demartini’s classroom.

2

Interns are Graland alumnae: Nina Hendricks ’97 and Sitara Jiwani ‘06

4

Interns are working on their master’s degrees AND licensure.

One has already earned a master’s degree.

36

Hours per week that interns spend at Graland under the supervision of a seasoned instructor.

Graland Today

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ASCEND NEWS

Why Build a Learning Commons?

By Lindsay Brennan, Head Librarian

I distinctly remember visiting my school library as a student. My kindergarten classmates and I would sneak under the librarian’s desk to hide with our books and read. Later, I struggled to learn the Dewey Decimal system, and in fourth grade, flipped through endless stacks of cards in the card catalog to find a book about the California condor for a research project.

Times are different. While kindergartners can still be found hiding with books under tables and between shelves, the way students access information is greatly changing. With your help during the ASCEND campaign, the Graland Library is changing to meet our students’ needs as we design a new learning commons at Graland.

A learning commons is an area students want to go to research, collaborate, build, create and

otherwise learn. They can access information, tools and experts. A learning commons has comfortable, functional seating in collaborative spaces and independent spaces. This is the model that many libraries are adopting to better serve their patrons.

With my colleagues, I visited over a dozen independent school libraries, innovation centers, public libraries, college learning commons, etc. researching what makes an effective library. We realized that Graland Middle School students have different needs than Graland Lower School students. While we have already made positive changes in the library to better serve our diverse student groups, there is still much more to do to best meet everyone’s needs, which we will accomplish in the new Corkins Center.

Lindsay Brennan, Head Librarian

STAFFING THE LEARNING COMMONS With the Learning Commons just beyond the horizon, Graland is already integrating staff and faculty to support student learning in new ways.

18

Lower School Library Teacher: Ashleigh Finn

Technology Liaison: Elizabeth Leddy

Moving from her classroom in the Grade 4 wing, Ashleigh is excited to share her passion for literacy with Graland’s younger students. She brings a master’s degree in children’s literature to her new role.

Elizabeth, a former Lower School science teacher, is now working to bring technology into the classroom in new ways. She is passionate about helping students use digital tools to connect the dots and express their learning.

Library Assistant: Linda Sears Linda started her second year at Graland after attending the annual conference of the Library Association in San Francisco. At the conference, she learned more about how graphic novels can help young readers gain literacy skills.

Technical Support Specialist: Sam Epperly Sam is new to the technology department after spending eight years manning the “genius bar” at Apple in the Cherry Creek Mall. Sam supports students and teachers with technology work orders, repairs, troubleshooting and other services.

GRALAND LEARNING COMMONS Our focus in designing the Graland Learning Commons is our students’ needs. What do our students currently do successfully in the library, what else do they need, and what changes can we make to improve things? Here’s what we know.

The Digital Media Studio is a huge success, so the Learning Commons will include an improved Digital Media Studio where students in pre-kindergarten through Grade 8 can create an array of impressive projects.

Lower School Library classes are interactive, so the Learning Commons will include innovative classrooms where students and teachers can thrive.

Students visit the library to work alone or in small groups, so the Learning Commons will have areas to accommodate these needs.

Lower School Students love to get cozy when they read, so the Learning Commons will include a reading structure with appropriate nooks for our youngest learners.

Middle School students love to work collaboratively and creatively, so the Learning Commons will include work rooms with projection screens and access points as well as writeable surfaces (walls and tables).

Technology is a wonderful tool for learning, so the Learning Commons will have a Technology Help Desk that provides easy access to assistance.

We envision the Learning Commons as the heart of Graland, the hub of learning for students of all ages. We are excited that our transformation to the new Corkins Center will help us become Graland’s life blood and better meet the needs of our community.

Graland Today

I 19

ASCEND NEWS

continued from page 1

THE JONES BUILDING

Blank Slate

serve the surrounding neighborhood. Some features of the Corkins Center include: • Redesigned Learning Center incorporating library and technology • Secure main entrance • Expanded Gates Invention Lab • All new Lower School science classrooms In addition to the new construction, next summer we will renovate our Middle School science classrooms and convert the existing Gates lab into a learning specialists center for students needing additional academic support.

Other plans for the current library and Lower School science rooms are being formulated with input from faculty on how these spaces can best meet programmatic needs. The Lower School playground will also be redesigned and installed next to the Corkins Center.

Our construction timeline predicts a grand opening in August 2016 and we look forward to celebrating this new structure and the future of Graland with our community at that time. For questions about the new building, contact Josh Cobb. I can be contacted for questions about construction or traffic.

Note: During construction, the main entrance to campus is at Ellsworth and Birch. Please be cautious when driving through the construction zone.

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Genevieve H. Jones

According to the Graland history book, Climb Every Mountain, the Jones Building was designed in the early 1950s by Dudley Smith and Casper Hegner. It was originally designated as the kindergarten building and has held assorted programs over the years, most recently band and world language. For more than 50 years, the structure has served Graland very well.

In 1974, the building was dedicated to Genevieve Jones, a first grade teacher at Graland from 1927-1972.

A former colleague described Mrs. Jones as “one of the rocks of Graland” who “was delighted to teach multiple Graland generations.” Mrs. Jones passed away in 1985, and the plaque honoring her dedication to the school will be installed in the Corkins Center to preserve the significance of this important part of our history.

Graland Endowment 101

By Suzanne Connors, Director of Development

The term “endowment” can often mean different things to different people. With 50 percent of our ASCEND Campaign dedicated to infusions into our endowment, it’s a good idea to back up and provide some detail about how the endowment at Graland operates.

The Graland Endowment supports and impacts our annual budget in significant ways.

Endowment Defined An endowment is a fund that is restricted to one or more specific uses. Only the interest from the fund can be spent, not the principal which anchors the endowment.

Usually, only a portion of the interest or earnings from the endowment are spent on an annual basis in order to assure that the original funds will grow over time.

Today 7%

Suzanne Connors, Director of Development

12%

History of the Graland Endowment In 1993, our lifetime Trustee, Fred Hamilton, and his peers on the Board foresaw the need to give Graland the gift of financial stability in perpetuity.

They understood the importance of diversifying Graland’s income streams and buffering against severe tuition or annual fund increases. Thus, they created a separate 501(c)3, the Graland Foundation, whose sole purpose is to support Graland Country Day School. The Graland Foundation is overseen by its own Trustees, all former Graland Country Day School board members, along with the current President of the Board and chair of the finance committee.

This early leadership group funded the original endowment with $8.6 million from previous Graland investments and other contributions. The school undertook a financial aid endowment drive again in 2004, infusing an additional $3.6 million to the corpus.

48% 18%

15%

After Campaign

Endowment Best Practices While many might think that endowments are just for larger universities and hospitals, our independent school peers have long understood the critical role for this type of income in a school setting. Nonprofit best practices recommend that an organization’s endowment be three times the annual operations budget.

6% 9% 36%

An Investment with Impact When a gift is made to the endowment, not only does it return critical funds to the operating budget in perpetuity, but it also increases the school’s “buying power” over time with proper investment management. For example, a gift of $1,000 dollars today grows at 10 percent a year. In 10 years, that investment has given the school $580 and has also increased in its own size to $1,620.

GOING BY THE NUMBERS

$32M Endowment assets in 2014-15

$1.3M Total support to 2014-15 operating budget

10.1% Rate of return in 2014

25%

24%

General Operations

4.5% Spending rate of rolling three year average on returns

Tuition Assistance Professional Development Facilities and Maintenance

13

8

Named funds

Foundation Trustees

Gates Invention Program

Graland Today

I 21

ASCEND NEWS

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• Co commitment t land.org/ASC (303) 399-837 in a t r r a g me you nline at pment Office red to your ho o o G lo e • live the Dev orm de arn all • Call ut the pledge f ns to le rship. o i o s s ll i u c F s . i • tember roup d ol leade mid-Sep ttend a small g from our scho for one n up !A to sign in perso rn more es of • Lea t the campaign .org/ASCEND nd at the hom abou pus a aland ne at gr hosted on cam li n o o G sessions of these rents. a fellow p

LEARN MORE In a small group setting, come find out more about ASCEND and ask all your questions. Let us know you’re coming at 303-399-8370 or jvolpe@graland.org.

22

DAY

EVENING

Wednesday, September 2, 8:15-9 a.m.

Friday, September 11, 8:15-9 a.m.

Thursday, September 17, 6-7:30 p.m.

Thursday, October 1, 6-7:30 p.m.

$5M

CORKINS FAMILY SEEDS ASCEND CAMPAIGN Thanks to the Corkins family, ASCEND: A Campaign to Inspire Excellence got off to a healthy start earlier this year as Graland finalized plans to construct a new building -- the Corkins Center -- and enhance endowments for financial aid and professional development. The goal of ASCEND is to raise $21 million, including 2015-16 Annual Fund gifts.

As we announced to our parent community in May, the three aspects of the campaign will ensure Graland students have every opportunity to learn from outstanding faculty, a diverse community and world-class facilities.

give your life $10M “Obviously, you would $10M

Corkins Center “Graland was the first school in Denver to have an invention and innovation lab,” said David Corkins, Graland parent and namesake for the new Center. “It seems fitting that it also becomes the first school to take a leadership role in truly integrating technology and education with space that will be adaptable, which will enable learning at Graland to evolve and set the standard for the 21st century.”

Following a $5 million lead gift from the Corkins, leadership-level gifts and pledges from our Board of Trustees and support from the community, Graland was able to move forward and hire architects Bowie Gridley and The Cuningham Group to design a state-of-the-art learning center. Construction will begin in September and is slated for completion in August 2016.

This $10 million, two-story facility will be dedicated to preparing students for rapidly changing technology and equipping them with the skills needed for success in 21st century workplaces. Highlighting the Center will be the school’s Learning Commons (see page 18), an expanded Gates Invention Lab and new Lower School science classrooms.

Tuition Assistance Endowment When fully funded, the campaign will also add $5 million to the financial aid endowment, which translates to an additional $225,000 per year for financial aid.

Professional Development Endowment The campaign will establish a $5 million endowment for faculty professional development to ensure multi-faceted continued education for teachers and staff. The endowment will also support a new endowed chair position: Charles C. Gates Chair of Innovation.

“Graland’s vision is clear in the launching of this campaign,” adds John Gowen, Board President. “Our commitment is to not only provide the finest education to students but to also embrace and expand the diversity of our community and to fully support our professional staff.”

Visit the campaign web page at graland.org/ASCEND for updates on construction, a list of our supporters and to donate toward ASCEND.

for your children, or give them the last biscuit on the plate. But to me, the trick in life is to take that sense of generosity between kin, make it apply to the extended family and to your neighbour, your village and beyond.”

Sir Tom Stoppard, British playwright

THE COMMUNITY

$5M ENDOWMENT

FOR TUITION ASSISTANCE

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

THE FACULTY

$5M ENDOWMENT

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

THE LEARNING SPACE $10M

Corkins Center, campus renovations

ANNUAL FUND $1M

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

Graland Today

I 23

Alumni News

Graland Pride Inside and Out

Gil DeLeon ‘84 is Graland green through and through. His long legacy started in fourth grade when he and his sister April DeLeon ‘86 walked the halls at Graland with their cousins Christopher Sena ‘87 and Kelly Sena ‘92. He remembers being part of a very accepting community, even after he started noticing he was different than his peers.

“When we talk about diversity at Graland, it’s not just about color, it’s also the socio-economic differences between families,” Gil shares. “Graland helped introduce me to a different culture and way of life. Once you figure out that someone who is different from you is actually the same as you, the differences don’t matter.

We’re all people.”

Graland Then Gil can clearly describe Mrs. Nancy Priest’s Roman Empire project and his knighting shield, which he still owns. He can tell you how Mr. Phil Hickey taught him Greek mythology and Mr. Tom Rice told stories about Russian history. He remembers building a birdhouse in woodshop and enjoying half-day Fridays. Gil excelled as a multi-sport athlete playing football, baseball, lacrosse and basketball with training from Coaches Romero, Stall and Petit.

Reminiscing about his Graland years brings an avalanche of very special memories.

After ninth grade graduation, Gil went to East High school and eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice while playing college baseball. “I knew in fifth grade that I would go to college because Graland sets you on that path,” he says.

“Graland builds a solid foundation for kids to be prepared for life.”

Mrs. Demartini’s kindergarten class, he gets to enjoy it all over again.

Graland Tomorrow When the ASCEND campaign kicked off earlier in 2015, the DeLeons were immediately on board. All three aspects of the fundraising effort – learning spaces, professional development, and financial aid – have had personal impact on Gil and his children. He openly shares his family’s experience and educates others about the financial aid program at Graland.

“This campaign is a huge opportunity for everyone to give back,” he says.

“Without financial aid, my family would not have gone to Graland. We give what we can to help reach the goal of 100 percent parent participation.”

What Graland offers is unique, Gil believes. “I love to see the campus transition and watch the programs grow. The technology piece means the curriculum will have a new dimension for Angel. I love the arts, music and drama and really appreciate that Graland still offers those when other schools have cut them out. Of course I love seeing the athletic program develop, too.”

The DeLeons are proud of Graland and its many traditions that endure through the generations. “All my kids became best friends with someone from outside their normal circle and I still have friendships that started at Graland. I always tell people to jump in and get involved. You’ll get a lot more out of it.”

“Once you figure out that someone who is different from you is actually the same as you, the differences don’t matter. We’re all people.” -Gil DeLeon

Graland Now Today Gil has a successful 25-year career in law enforcement and works for the Colorado Judicial Branch in the probation department. He and his wife Celeste are the proud parents of three Graland graduates: Amber ‘04, Noel ‘11 (John Comfort Award recipient) and Roman ‘15.

Gil displays his own graduation plaque at work, and feels “blessed” that his children had the same great experiences at Graland that he did. With his youngest, Angel, in 24

Photo by Bowers Photographics Back row: Gil ‘84, Noel ‘11, Celeste DeLeon. Front row: Roman ‘15 and Angel (kindergarten). Not pictured: Amber ‘04.

COLLEGE SELECTIONS: CLASS OF 2011

ALUMNI EVENTS 2015

Rebekah Abrams* University of Rochester Caleb Leftin* Najee Acker Let us know! 303-398-3623 Jake Leventhal Sam Almon* Let us know! 303-398-3623 Sophie Levine* Jack Ammons Colorado College Natalie Levitt Darcy Angus* Bolshoi Ballet Academy Connor Lewis* Thomas Angus* Let us know! 303-398-3623 Benny Lynch* Ashley Baker Let us know! 303-398-3623 Marin McCoy Ian Baker* University of Wisconsin Rachel McIntosh* David Belfance* Ohio State University Ryan Merrifield* Rachel Bennetts* Boston University Ralsey Miller* Kyle Berlind* Duke University Molly Mintz* Caroline Berzins* Stanford University Trace Montgomery* Ilinca Birlea* Let us know! 303-398-3623 Mason Munro-Ehrlich* Siena Bjornerud New York University in Florence Joseph Neumeyer* Chance Brooks Let us know! 303-398-3623 Anna Newman E.J. Clark University of Colorado at Boulder Hugo Ogilvie* Victoria Clark* Georgetown University Max Ollig* Natasha Crawford* University of Denver Shelby Parks* Jackson Daily Chapman University Ryan Peña* Noel Deleon* University of Colorado Chase Piper Marley Doakes* Let us know! 303-398-3623 Rachel Prokupek

Spencer Dubose* Let us know! 303-398-3623 Christopher Puga* Olivia Durham* Denison University Beck Pulis Lauren Edwards* Indiana University Micah Rabin India English* Pratt Institute Reilly Raymond Caroline Gallagher University of San Diego Caroline Reisch* Shayna Glazer* University of Wisconsin Lily Rodgers-Masamori Cole Goldberg-Richmeier* University of Colorado - Denver Sam Sachnoff* Chloe Graham* University of San Diego Maura Schlaff* Natalie Gray* University of Michigan Sofie Schmidt Grace Greenwald* Stanford University Lily Shelanski* Hugh Grier* Rice University Kameelah Sims Traylor* Landis Hagerty* Hamilton College Elizabeth Smedley Tempel Haifleigh* Southern Methodist University Holly Sommers* Calvin Hall* Chapman University Matthew Spiessbach* Chandler Harvey* University of Colorado at Boulder Anna Stevens Natalie Hodges Harvard University Zach Stieneker* Henry Hollen Tufts University Livvy Tonti Brandon Hua* Colorado State University Mary Buford Turnage* Zíle Humeyumptewa* Colorado School of Mines Max Van Paasschen Nicole Kerman* Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise Morgan Wagner* Alexandra Kint Let us know! 303-398-3623 Helena Wolf* Alison Koff* University of Michigan Lucile Wolf* Tommy Kourlis Stanford University Aaliyah Young Davis Lange* Miami University Ella Zeiler *Members of the graduating class.

ALUMNI REUNION

June brought a large crowd of alumni and their guests back onto campus for Alumni Reunion 2015. It was a beautiful night with delicious food, fun memorabilia and special recognition for Dr. Andrea Sodano ‘65, recipient of the Ruth Gorham Award.

COLLEGE NETWORKING AND YOUNG ALUMNI REUNION

In August we hosted the first college networking event at AMF Monaco Lanes for alumni from the classes of 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. Over pizza and bowling, high schoolers talked with young college students about the college selection process and their first year experiences.

New York University University of Colorado at Boulder Let us know! 303-398-3623 University of Denver Santa Clara University Let us know! 303-398-3623 Swarthmore College University of Oregon Southern Methodist University University of Arizona The New School Evergreen State College Let us know! 303-398-3623 Skidmore College Stanford University Colorado State University Let us know! 303-398-3623 Stanford University Brown University Southern Methodist University Gap year at Le Cordon Bleu then University of Pennsylvania Let us know! 303-398-3623 Let us know! 303-398-3623 Carnegie-Mellon University University of Colorado at Boulder University of Southern California Santa Clara University Let us know! 303-398-3623 Washington University, St. Louis University of Vermont George Washington University Spellman College The College of William and Mary High Point University University of Wisconsin Let us know! 303-398-3623 Emory University Denison University Bates College Stanford University Carnegie-Mellon University University of North Carolina University of Colorado at Boulder Emily Griffith Technical College University of Colorado at Boulder

COMING SOON ...

Wednesday, October 14: Graland in the Making A special afternoon for alumni and former teachers from the classes of 1927 to 1965 Friday, November 6: Alumni Cocktail Party (21+) Honoring Browning Cannon ‘85 and Duke Beardsley ‘85 with the Nancy Nye Priest Alumni Award. Watch for more information to come. graland.org/alumni Graland Today

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Graland Parent Association News

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR GPA GENERAL MEETINGS Thursday, September 17, 8:15 am to 9:15 a.m., Caulkins Boardroom

BE A GRALAND PARENT VOLUNTEER

Thursday, October 22, 8:15-9:15 a.m., Caulkins Boardroom

Here are just a few reasons to become a Graland volunteer: · Connect with the Graland community · Meet new people · Share your skills and/or develop new skills ·

Feel involved

Get involved!

Whatever your reasons might be, we hope you’ll consider stepping up and getting involved! Learn about all the volunteer opportunities offered by the Graland Parent Association (GPA) at graland.org/GPA. Whether you want to help on campus or support a fun community event, there’s something to fit every parent’s talents, interests and schedule.

All parents welcome!

UPCOMING EVENTS

GRALAND GALLOP: A FALL TRADITION FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY AND GRALAND COMMUNITY Sunday, September 27, Washington Park 7:30-8:45 a.m. registration, 9 a.m. start

Gather with your family and friends to celebrate the new school year at the Graland Gallop, a 5K run/walk/wheelchair race for participants of all ages and skill levels. The popular Daddy Dash returns, along with the Buddy Run, a 1K race, and the 100-yard dash, offering younger children a chance to join in the fun. Medals are awarded to the top finishers in each age category; finisher ribbons are awarded for all other events. Pre-race fun includes a group warm up. Bring extra cash for snow cones and coffee. The start line is located on the east side of the park near the S. Franklin and E. Mississippi entrance. Early bird cost is $25 per runner before September 18; regular price is $30 per runner. Register online at graland.org/gallop.

Sponsorship opportunities are available, ranging from $250 to $5,000, and offer perks such as a family’s name or company logo on t-shirts, banners, and other Gallop promotional materials. New this year is a sponsor perk providing tailored messages on yard signs along the mile markers. Proceeds from the Gallop provide support the school’s financial aid and technology initiatives. For information about becoming a sponsor, contact Rachael Rhine or Katrina Benes.

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PRE-RACE DINNER AT KITCHEN NEXT DOOR GLENDALE Thursday, September 24, 5 p.m., Kitchen Next Door, 658 S. Colorado Blvd., Glendale On the Thursday prior to the Graland Gallop, families are invited to a pre-race dinner and fundraiser at The Kitchen Next Door in Glendale. The restaurant will donate 50% of all purchases – a significantly greater contribution than pre-race dinners in the past. Bring the whole family, and be sure to mention Graland when you order!

DOUBLE FEATURE: FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT AND ALL SCHOOL PICNIC Friday, September 18, Preisser Field After the success of last year’s Family Movie Night, we’re offering a double feature with a picnic in between. Monkey Kingdom for Lower School students will begin at 4:30 p.m., while McFarland USA for the Middle School crowd will begin at 6:30 p.m. All families are invited to bring a picnic (or pick up a box dinner ordered in advance) at 5:45 p.m. Watch for details coming soon!

GO GREEN WITH GRALAND: USE YOUR FEET OR SHARE A SEAT Fridays, September 25 and October 23 Go Green with Graland encourages families to be kind to the environment while supporting Graland’s Sustainability Committee.

Students are encouraged to walk, bike or carpool to school, and participants will be entered in a drawing for great prizes to be given away at the end of each trimester.

DONUTS WITH DADS & SPECIAL FRIENDS Tuesday, October 1, 7:30-8:10 a.m., Anschutz Commons Patio A special before-school activity for dads or special friends and their children! Meet new Graland dads, mingle with old friends and start the day off right with your child.

PEN BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION WITH RONNI

Wednesday, October 14, 6-7:30 p.m., Graland Library The book Finding Your Element is the follow-up to Sir Ken Robinson’s TED talk video and book, The Element. Robinson prescribes the “element” as “a new concept of self-fulfillment through the convergence of natural talents and personal passions,” and Finding Your Element provides a guide for readers to discover theirs. The author speaks extensively about creativity and how to find one’s passions.

THE GRALAND PARENT ASSOCIATION WARMLY INVITES YOU TO THE FIFTH ANNUAL

SAVE THE DATE: BIRCH STREET BASH TO ROCK OCTOBER Friday, October 23, 6:30-10 p.m., Anschutz Commons This fun adults-only party has traditionally been held in January, but this year it’s moving to October. Mark your calendar and plan to celebrate the Graland community, featuring live music, food from Colt & Gray, bar from Little Pub Company and signature drinks from Arta Tequila!

Watch for details coming soon.

GRALAND STORE OPEN FOR BUSINESS!

The Graland Store is allGray, live music Pleaseyour join us for aheadquarters fall evening on the field with dinnerfor

by Colt and

by Tunisia, signature cocktails and a night to celebrate with old and new friends in our vibrant community. out our great new things Graland. Come check $50 per person in advance or $75 at the door RSVP AThours: WWW.GRALAND.ORG/BIRCHSTREETBASH gear. Upcoming Store Friday, Sept. 11, 2:30-3:30 Friday, Sept. 25 - 2:30-3:30 Friday, Oct. 9 - 2:30-3:30 Friday, Oct. 23 - 2:30-3:30

Your 2015-16 GPA Officers President: SHANNON BURKE President-Elect: LIZ ARNOLD VP Community Activities/Programs: Year 1: ERIN NEREN Year 2: TRINA REISCH VP Community Activities/Events: Year 1: SUZIE BOMGAARS Year 2: KATE GULICK VP Community Activities/Enrichment: Year 1: KIM MONTGOMERY Year 2: KIM JACOBY VP Fundraising: Year 1: LIZ ARNOLD Year 2: AIMEE COLEMAN Treasurer: Year 1: DEB KNOBELMAN Year 2: LESLIE RUSSELL Secretary: DAPHNE BUTLER Parliamentarian: AMY CHAPMAN Communications Chair: Year 1: AMY BIRNER Year 2: ASHLEY OBERLIN Lower School Lead Rep: Year 1: CORY DUNNICK Year 2: BLAKE FISK Middle School Pod Reps: Grades 5/6 ANDREA MAHONEY Grades 7/8 MOLLY MCCRAY-FINKE Nominating Committee Chair: MEREDITH BLOOMBERG Thank you to the following exceptional volunteers who served on the 2014-15 GPA Council: Kathryn Albright Liz Arnold Marna Belfance Amy Birner Suzie Bomgaars Shannon Burke Amy Chapman Cory Dunnick Lisen Kintzele Marty Lord Erin Neren Carol Karshmer Deb Knobelman Lisa Kornfeld Molly McCray-Finke Kim Montgomery Dawn Song Tia Wolkov

Graland Today

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NON-PROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID DENVER, CO PERMIT NO. 2006

Graland Country Day School 55 Clermont Street Denver, CO 80220 303.399.0390 graland.org

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Community Calendar October 14

September 7

PEN Book Club with Ronni Book: Finding Your Element by Sir Ken Robinson (see page 27)

Labor Day Holiday

September 18 Family Movie Night (see page 27)

September 25 Spirit Day and Go Green with Graland (see page 27)

September 27 Graland Gallop (see page 26)

October 15-16

October 30 Fall Break

Looking Ahead: November 6

Parent/Teacher Conferences No School for Students

Professional Development Day No School for Students

October 21

November 9-20

Admission Open House - tell a friend! (see page 8)

Graland Cares Campaign

October 23

Parent Education Network (PEN): Dr. Brook Pengal Sports Specialization

November 10

September 30

Birch Street Bash (see page 27)

Admission Open House - tell a friend! (see page 8)

Spirit Day and Go Green with Graland (see page 27)

November 20

October 1

October 29

November 23-27

Donuts with Dad and Special Friends (see page 27)

Halloween Parade, noon dismissal

Noon Dismissal Thanksgiving Break

STAY CONNECTED AND GOGRALAND!

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Join us on

2

Update your contact information. graland.org/stayconnected

3

Visit campus for a community event.

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