TodayDECEMBER 2012/JANUARY 2013

Inside This Issue 4 Lower School News

6 Middle School News

8 Professional Development

12 Development News

14 Graland Parent Association

Graduates Get National RecognitionOf the thousands of applicants to the National Merit Scholarship, several Graland graduates are among the semi-finalists.

The National Merit Scholarship program recognizes the country’s top high school students who are preparing to enter college. Students can join the competition with a qualifying Preliminary SAT score and a thorough application. Of approximately 1.5 million entrants, only 16,000 are named semi-finalists. From a pool of finalists, National Merit Scholars receive funding for school and enjoy national recognition.

Julian S. ’10 and Katherine H. ’10 are among those waiting to hear if they will advance to the finalist stage.

Julian is a senior at Cherry Creek High School. He has submitted an early application to attend Williams College in Massachusetts as a lacrosse player, and will find out shortly if he is accepted.

“I’m not sure what I want to major in, but I’ll likely take a pre-med track,” says Julian, whose mom is a doctor.

continued on page 2

Pursuing Excellence in EducationAt Graland, we’ve built a nearly 90-year reputation for offering a rigorous curriculum balanced with formative experiential learning. Teaching children is what we do best, and developing an exceptional academic program is central to our mission.

Proactively fine-tuning our program is a continuous endeavor. Graland follows a four-step process focused on student learning. The benefit? We achieve intellectual excellence and prepare our students to be engaged citizens and thoughtful leaders.

Step 1: InstructOur first step is to ensure faculty members are experts in their fields of instruction. Supporting teachers, and their desire to enhance their professional skill sets, is a priority for Graland. Enthusiastic and highly qualified teachers are the key to instilling a love of learning in students. Teachers are given opportunities to learn, grow more proficient and stay in touch with best practice models through ongoing professional development. Teachers meeting the learning needs of today’s students increases student achievement and leads us to our end goal.

One way Graland provides an exceptional learning environment is by incorporating technology into our classrooms. In recent years, Graland has installed interactive white boards in every Lower School class and many Middle School rooms. Our fifth graders piloted a one-to-one iPad program, which now has been expanded to include grades 6 and 7. In fact, various technologies are used throughout campus, from preschool to Grade 8.

continued on page 3

Julian S. ‘10 Katherine H. ‘10

Instruct

Adjust

Analyze

AssessStudent Learning

2

All School News

Graland Today is a monthly publication of Graland Country Day School

Volume 2, Issue 3

Send correspondence to: Associate Director of Communications

Graland Country Day School 30 Birch Street

Denver, CO 80220 communications@graland.org

www.graland.org

At Graland Country Day School it is our mission to:Achieve intellectual excellence,

build strong character,enrich learning through the arts and athletics,

and prepare our students to beengaged citizens and thoughtful leaders.

Ascende Omnem Montem

Graland’s Guiding PrinciplesPursue Excellence

Guide Critical ThinkingInstill Integrity

Inspire LeadershipPromote Independence

Stimulate InnovationHonor Individuality

Cultivate CompassionEmbrace Experiences

Celebrate PerseveranceValue Tradition

Build Community

New Year’s Top Ten for Graland Parents1. Volunteer for a GPA event.2. Attend a band, choir or drama performance.3. Recruit a foursome of golfers for the Eagle Invitational.4. Make time for student-led conferences in the spring.5. Give – or give again – to the Annual Fund and help us

reach our $750,000 goal.6. “Like” Graland on Facebook.7. Show your Graland pride and gear up at the Graland

Store, open every Spirit Day.8. Help your child write a thank you note to his or her

teacher or advisor.9. Leave a legacy with a planned gift to Graland.

10. Join a PEN event or read the latest selection in Ronni’s Book Club.

“One could not imagine two more opposite extremes than

the Kibera slums in Nairobi and Graland Country Day School. How does one get her head

around these polar opposites?”-Di Nestel, director of programs

See story on page 8.

At Cherry Creek, Julian has a 4.33 GPA and is managing a full load of advanced placement classes, including microeconomics, calculus, English literature and composition and French. He also has a biology honors class.

“Graland instilled in me how to work hard,” Julian says. “The teachers taught me good study habits which have helped in high school when the work load gets heavy.”

Besides a tough schedule of classes, Julian is a member of the French honors society. He is fluent in the language, and used an experience in France as the topic of his National Merit Scholarship essay.

“I went to a French sailing camp for an immersion experience, but the other kids didn’t welcome me as easily as I thought they would,” he explains. “It helped me learn that adjusting to a foreign culture is not just about knowing the language. It made me more aware of the challenges that foreigners in the U.S. have to face.”

Kate is also taking a full load of challenging classes as a student at Kent Denver while maintaining a 4.17 GPA. She is looking at a variety of small liberal arts colleges in the northeast and California.

“My experience at Graland helped me realize that I want to go to a small school for college,” Kate says. “I really liked the close teacher connection at Graland, and the teacher-student ratio is a big consideration as I look at schools.”

Kate is likely to major in science and medicine; volunteering with autistic and hemophiliac children has piqued her interest in genetic diseases. She spent two weeks this summer at a camp for children with extreme autism characteristics and was hooked.

“It was amazing to work with the more experienced counselors and get to know the kids,” she says.

To prepare for college, Kate is taking an honors class in genomic biotechnology as well as advanced placement classes in chemistry and calculus. In addition to being an accomplished tennis player, she was until recently a competitive freestyle skier. Kate has played flute since Grade 3 and is involved with the Denver Young Artist Orchestra. At Kent, she helped start a successful tolerance club based on her experiences with Graland’s student diversity group.

Best of luck to Julian and Kate, as well as other semi-finalists from the class of 2010: Nate Newman, Alex Patel and Jack Turnage. Have we missed anyone? Let us know! u

continued from page 1Graduates Get National Recognition

Graland Today I 3

Talent Search Seeks High-Ability StudentsThe term “talent search” might evoke images of American Idol hopefuls, or any number of open auditions during which aspiring entertainers get a shot at stardom. At Graland, when we speak of talent search, we’re talking about bright students making the most of extraordinary opportunities.

Through a talent search process, the Center for Bright Kids (CBK), affiliated with Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth, identifies students who have exceptional math and/or verbal reasoning skills and achievement. The center’s mission is to support academic success and nurture capable young people to discover their talents.

Before applying to the center, students must score in the 95th percentile, based on national norms, on a recent standardized assessment in at least one area of testing. The 2012 ERB tests revealed more than 60 percent of Graland Middle School students met this requirement and received a letter from Head of Middle School Josh Cobb in November.

“Participating in the Western Academic Talent Search provides our high ability students with the opportunity to challenge themselves and continue their own pursuit of intellectual excellence,” Josh says.

Children in the program can experience specialized summer programs at the Colorado School of Mines, like robot exploration, biochemistry, animal science and creative writing.

Nanette Newman, learning specialist, is helping the process along for Graland families. She serves as a liaison to support those who are interested in applying for the nationally recognized program. For information, contact Nanette at nnewman@graland.org. CBK scholarships are available for qualified students. u

We take our job as educators seriously, and not a moment of the school day is wasted. Every program serves an integral academic purpose. Take, for example, our trips program. Trips provide the unique opportunity to solidify knowledge by synthesizing content and applying skills in the field. School trips are also valuable community-building experiences when lifetime bonds and memories are made. Students are deeply influenced by these opportunities to apply their knowledge in the “real world,” and frequently name school trips among their favorite memories of Graland.

All these components support the dynamic learning experiences Graland provides to students. At the core is a remarkable curriculum that challenges, inspires and motivates students to achieve. In recent years, Graland has upgraded its literacy and mathematics curricula to better offer students a firm foundation in these core subject areas.

Journeys is a comprehensive program that brings reading, writing and oral skills into focus for Grades K-4. Using Journeys lessons, teachers engage in well-rounded and thorough language arts instruction that includes phonics, comprehension, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, grammar and writing in various genres. Journeys added a new level of organization, challenge and rigor to literacy instruction at Graland.

Math in Focus is a Singapore-based curriculum that gives equal attention to the “how” and “why” of math concepts, emphasizing understanding and application. The syllabus offers a focused, coherent approach to conceptual understanding and fluency with skills. A clear, three-step method to teaching new concepts uses a “concrete, pictorial and abstract” process that allows scaffolding of instruction and ensures that students understand the concepts, not just the algorithms.

Step 2: AssessHow do we know our program is exceptional? Year-end standardized testing is one of a number of ways we gauge student growth, in addition to formative methods such as demonstrated learning, observed progress and one-on-one appraisals. Primarily, summative tests enable us to track a student’s mastery of core skills such as literacy and mathematics over time, and to pinpoint areas, that require more attention to meet our rigorous standards of achievement.

Secondly, grade level test results provide teachers with information about curricular strengths and weaknesses and delivery timing that lead to opportunities for improved instruction. Finally, normative data informs school leadership of Graland’s performance in relation to comparable schools and allows us to make strategic decisions regarding professional development and curricular analysis.

Graland uses two sets of assessments offered by the Educational Records Bureau (ERB); both are normed for comparison with other high-achieving, independent schools nationally.

• The Comprehensive Testing Program IV is used by the majority of U.S. independent schools. It is a rigorous evaluation that measures both aptitude and achievement.

• The Writing Assessment Program (WrAP) assesses student writing in light of six traits: overall development, sentence structure, organization, word choice, supporting details and mechanics.

As a school focused on developing well-rounded students, we also apply a wider range of assessments to evaluate the many essential skills necessary for student success. As Albert Einstein said, we understand that “Not everything that counts can be counted.”

continued from page 1Pursuing Excellence in Education

continued on page 9

Center for Bright Kids: Step by step 1. Submit application form and a qualifying test result.

2. Schedule the additional test required for consideration.

3. Wait to be notified by CBK if student has been accepted into the program.

Nanette Newman

4

Lower School News

Hitting our Stride in JanuaryBy Nan Remington, head of Lower School

The holidays are just around the corner and the anticipation of celebrating and being with family and friends is building! Many of us look forward to holiday gatherings and connecting with acquaintances we haven’t seen for a while.

After all the reverie, the month of January can hit us like a cold snowball in the face. Celebrations are over, daylight hours are still sparse and the temperature drops. Some people describe January as a letdown, unless you are a teacher at Graland who actually looks forward to the month of January!

Teachers describe the late winter months as a time for great gains, academically and socially. When students walk through the classroom door after winter break, teachers report a change in their students: Children have grown in size, display more mature behavior and seem even more ready to learn.

Since the beginning of school, teachers have been using scaffolding techniques to challenge students beyond their current developmental stage or skill set into progressively more difficult tasks. This process, scaffolding, relies on sociocognitive learning where the student learns by observing a more competent person solving a problem or completing a task and then working to use the skill independently.

Through scaffolding, the teacher builds successively higher “platforms” of skills and knowledge that the student can climb in order to reach greater levels of achievement. For example, the teacher listens to a student reading out loud and based on the observations, chooses teaching strategies that will aid the students in approaching and understanding the text. These strategies allow the student to reach successively higher reading levels.

Teachers at Graland also use the month of January to give students a little more responsibility and independence in the classroom. During the fall, students were exposed to a variety of learning strategies. After winter break, teachers often ask students to assess how they learn best and allow them to choose a learning approach on their own. Since the classroom expectations are still the same, children begin to take ownership of their learning with less management by the teacher.

So when the winter doldrums hit, cheer up knowing your child could be reaching his or her best learning of the year! u

Our special thanks to Ronni McCaffrey, Head of School,

for donating her personal collection of preschool storybooks to the Early Childhood Learning

Center. What a generous and thoughtful gift!

Learning Through the HolidaysBy Anna Casey, Kindergarten teacher

The holiday season is a wonderful, family-filled time of year that rarely leaves much occasion for children to practice their academic skills. While it may be appropriate for children to take a break from their skill-based learning, the holidays can still present an opportunity for students to hone their critical thinking skills with family members of all ages in a relaxed, enjoyable setting.

While traveling, rather than plugging in a DVD, families can listen to an audio book in the car or download one on an MP3 player. Pause the story periodically to summarize what has happened, make predictions about what will happen next, analyze why a character behaved a certain way and draw connections to your own lives.

While there are endless possible chapter books, The Little House on the Prairie series is beautifully narrated, exquisitely written and combines the love of family with a significant time in American history. Listening to audio chapter books can enrich a child’s vocabulary and strengthen important comprehension skills as well as create a shared family memory.

Playing problem-solving games is another way to strengthen children’s critical thinking skills while enjoying time together as a family. Children may not realize that they are learning while they play, but they are stretching their minds in a myriad of ways. Some popular and enjoyable games for a wide variety of ages are: Apples to Apples (which also comes in a junior edition), Blokus, Clue, Gobblet, Guess Who, Mancala, Mastermind, Rummikub, Rack-O, Rush Hour, Uno and Yahtzee. From basic counting skills for the youngest child to complex problem-solving tasks for older children, games present opportunities for many rich learning experiences.

Finally, a puzzle can be a wonderful, shared experience for family members of many ages. Set up the puzzle on a table where people pass by frequently or gather regularly. Some might simply put in a piece from time to time while others will sit and work for extended periods. As a longer-term project, puzzles reinforce problem-solving skills and hone spatial awareness while creating a proud sense of accomplishment for everyone in the family—and they can be glued together and saved as a memento of the shared accomplishment!

Families can engage in essential learning experiences that require little advance planning. These experiences will create a family bond while strengthening children’s problem-solving skills when they are away from school. u

Anna Casey Nan Remington

Graland Today I 5

By Susie Cook and Dana Pease, Grade 3 teachers

When technology consultant Julia Leong presented her ideas to the Graland faculty last year, she touched on a concept that caught our attention: flipping the classroom.

Techsmith.com defines it as, “A reversed teaching model that delivers instruction at home through interactive, teacher-created videos and moves ‘homework’ to the classroom.” The “flipped classroom” approach to instruction has been making waves all across the country -- and we wanted in.

Deciding to FlipWe made the decision to challenge our third graders by flipping our math instruction. Although flipped classrooms are primarily found in middle and high school grades -- the method involves students using technology skillfully and requires a significant level of autonomy and sustained attention on the student’s part -- this is a new generation of students who are digital natives.

We selected math for three reasons. For one, this approach strengthens the home-school connection. Our Math in Focus curriculum is based on the Singapore Approach to teaching mathematics. This highly effective program introduces math concepts in ways unfamiliar to most of our parents. Watching flipped lessons at home helps parents understand the way we are teaching our students so they can support their children’s learning.

Secondly, having the lessons available at home allows students to take more time to learn challenging lessons. They are able to rewind the lessons over and over if necessary, or return to them at another time to review the concepts.

Finally, flipped videos address the limits to teaching time available in the classroom. We never have time to teach all the content in our curriculum. When students watch video lessons at home, it frees up time for us to practice those skills in class and allows us to visit individually with students, rather than using most of the time lecturing in front of the whole class.

Preparing to FlipThis summer, we attended a two-day workshop at Harvard University on the flipped classroom method of instruction. Sitting alongside teachers from all over the world, we learned that students in Abu Dhabi, New Zealand and even Hong Kong are being taught using the flipped classroom approach. We also discovered we were the only elementary classroom teachers preparing to flip our lessons.

We took the valuable information and strategies and returned to Denver to begin our tutorials. After gathering the technological

equipment and deciding the format of the videos, we started writing scripts and preparing slides to use as the templates

for our instruction. Together, we shared every part of the process; from slide design, to script writing to video

production. The level of introspection involved in making video

tutorials struck us right away. This process forced us to pay close attention to how we deliver information to students. We constantly questioned why we are choosing certain concepts to teach and considered how our students interpret our instruction. Most of all we thought about our language and laughed at

our mistakes in video creation. With only 10 minutes to teach a new concept, we have to be very deliberate

about the words we record.

The Method in PracticeWe rolled out our first videos to third graders in November,

teaching them how to access and navigate the lessons online. While viewing the lessons, students are asked to “pause” and practice solving math problems in a math journal. During class the next day, they share their strategies and answers and we delve deeper into the concepts.

So far, students have been very receptive to the new method of teaching.

“I think it will help my parents because when they help me they are also learning,” says Elizabeth Morris, third grader.

Classmate Moya Mejia adds, “It is nice to stop the video and take a break if I need to. Or I can rewind parts of it so I don’t miss anything.” u

Flipping Math Lesson Employs New Teaching Technique

The “flipped classroom” approach

to instruction has been making

waves all across the country

– and we wanted in.

Yee-Haw!The Kindergarten Rodeo is comin’ to town!

It’s about the cutest darn thing you’ll ever see!

Friday, February 1Assembly at 8:20 a.m. • Rodeo at 9 a.m.

Graland Fieldhouse

6

2012-13 Peer LeadersThese students were selected

through an application process last spring.

Grade 7: Julia DellaSalle, Hannah Fallon, Tucker Hamilton, Charlie Wallace Grade 8: Alie Goldblatt, Isabel Chandler, Keelan Woodard, David Wolf

Students Promote Kindness and LeadershipBy Betsy Metcalfe, health and wellness teacherToo often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. ~ Leo Buscaglia, American author, speaker and professor

The Middle School has a new student leadership group this year called Peer Leaders.

Middle School Counselor Ben DeVoss and I lead the group, whose purpose is to advocate, represent and demonstrate of the social contract in an effort help create an inclusive and safe culture for the Middle School. Peer leaders are role models and bring elements of the social contract to life for others through assemblies, class meetings and other special activities/programs.

The first idea to be implemented by the students is a Grades 5/6 bulletin board and a Grades 7/8 bulletin board to quietly recognize Graland Middle School students for their “Random Acts of Kindness.” Twice a month, a new name may be placed on each bulletin board to acknowledge those students who choose to take the high road in dealing with challenging situations.

“We recognize students all the time for their athletic and academic achievements, however, we rarely recognize our peers for kindness” says Peer Leader and eighth grade student Isabel Chandler, in explaining the concept.

The Peer Leaders group meets regularly with its faculty sponsors to develop new ways to help create a more inclusive environment for all. u

Middle School News

Make Every Season a Season of JoyBy Josh Cobb, head of Middle School

I hate putting up holiday lights. The process of untangling cords, struggling with a ladder and futilely trying to change burnt-out bulbs proves too much for my patience. So, when my wife asked me to join her and our children to help a family put up their lights, I hesitated. Then my wife explained that this family, a mother and two boys under five years old, had recently lost a husband/father to cancer and that they now had no one to put up the lights. I quickly overcame my reluctance.

When we arrived at the house, my family and I began to rake leaves and clean up the yard. Then we strung lights along the picket fence and roofline, and spiraled them up a miniature, rusted windmill. Though it wasn’t always easy and my children (and I) did a small amount of complaining, in the end, knowing that we had brought a small amount of light to this family in their time of sadness filled our hearts with joy.

Last year at an assembly I asked the students to recite Graland’s guiding principles. One answered: “Pursue happiness.” Though it isn’t officially a guiding principle, the student’s suggestion made me think. Happiness can be elusive. We can’t take it for granted, and sometimes we have to work for it.

Several researchers, such as Sonia Lyubomirsky and Christine Carter, have dedicated their careers to studying happiness. In her book, The How of Happiness, Lyubomirsky estimates that we can intentionally influence 40 percent of our happiness, whereas 10 percent of our happiness comes from our circumstances and 50 percent from our genetic makeup.

Since we do have some power over our own joy, she outlines specific steps to foster happiness, including “Count Your Blessings” and “Practice Acts of Kindness.” She recommends keeping a “gratitude journal” and recording what we are thankful for each week. This practice

can help us keep perspective and acknowledge what we truly value in our lives. The book also details the importance of doing good things for others, because not only do we help them, we also find happiness for

ourselves. Interestingly, neuroscience affirms this hypothesis as the regions of our brain associated with pleasure and reward illuminate

when we give to others.As parents and educators, we also need to model these

steps to our children so that they develop the skills to discover joy. In a video posted at greatergood.berkeley.edu, Christine Carter, a professor at University of California at Berkeley, explains how modeling compassion can instill compassion in

our children: “The simplest and easiest way for parents to teach kindness to our kids is actually to model it ourselves.”

She also advocates introducing kids to other people’s suffering in an age-appropriate and gentle way:

As parents, I feel like it is natural for us to protect our kids from pain. When we shelter them from other people’s suffering, we are also sheltering them from feeling compassion, which is one of the most powerful, important positive emotions that we have.

By experiencing compassion and acting on it, we can both give and receive joy.

At Graland, primarily via advisory, assemblies and our service-learning curriculum, we do our best to provide role models of compassion as well as the opportunity to perform acts of kindness, both small and large. Though “pursue happiness” is not a guiding principle, it is directly connected to “cultivate compassion,” a principle that I believe lies at the foundation of our overall mission to build strong character and foster thoughtful leaders and engaged citizens. By accomplishing this goal, we are setting up our students for lives of authentic happiness, during which they will count their blessings and practice acts of kindness.

Fortunately, last holiday season, my wife already understood many of these lessons and encouraged my children and me to help a family who had experienced a tragic loss. She recently told me that the lights remain up and still bring joy to them. I hope each of you also finds that light, not only during the holidays, but all year long. u

Josh Cobb

Betsy Metcalfe

Graland Today I 7

Eighth grader Jackson G. looks like a typical teenager, but behind his braces and underneath his hoodie is a dressage champion with his eye on the Olympics. Graland Today sat down with this articulate and focused young man to learn about horses, competing and how Graland inspires him to persevere.

What is dressage, and how did you get involved in the sport?JG: Dressage is when a rider uses minimal signals and aids to control the horse and get it to do different movements. The horse must remain relaxed, supple and in an advanced state of balance while performing. My mom got me started riding a little more than six and a half years ago and I train eight hours a week plus weekends, Saturday and Sunday.

Tell us about your horse.JG: My horse’s name is Zeek, and we purchased him in February. He’s awesome–really sweet and talented and I’m lucky to have him. He’s a 14-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding and is very well trained. My last horse was Bravo, a quarter horse. He had a lame leg and is now retired to a pasture.

Is your horse a pet, a partner or a piece of equipment in your sport?JG: He’s definitely my partner. He enables me to ride well because when I signal him he responds. Dressage is not a sport of forcing the horse to do something; he has to be relaxed and willing to do the movements. There’s a bond between horse and rider, a connection. A good dressage team makes it look like the rider’s not doing anything. The cues are very subtle.

What’s your sport’s dress code?JG: In competition, I wear a blazer, white breeches, belt, tall black boots with a Spanish cut top [rounded] and helmet. At the international level, riders wear a top hat. If you’re not sticking to the dress code strictly, you can get disqualified from the competition.

What does it take to be a good dressage rider?JG: Dressage requires core strength and great posture. Riders need an incredible amount of focus and have to get into the horse’s mindset. If the rider loses focus, the horse doesn’t understand the signals and gets tense. It takes years of dedication to be successful. Many professionals have ridden for 20 or 30 years.

How does Graland support you?JG: I’ve learned a lot about perseverance at Graland. Like dressage, if you work hard there’s a pay off. Everybody at school is open to hearing about my hobby and they’re very supportive and curious about it.

Jackson’s Awards in 2012 from the Rocky Mountain Dressage Society

• Junior Training Level Champion

• Junior First Level Championships - 7th Place

• Year End Award Junior Training Level Champion

• Year End Award Junior First Level Champion

• Year End Award Open Training Level Reserve Champion

• Currently ranked fourth in the nation for junior/young rider training level by the United States Dressage Federation (USDF)

What motivates you?JG: I want to go to the Olympics, which is a long-term goal because most riders at that level are professionals in their 30s or 40s. I hope one day to be good enough to do that. I also want to achieve bronze and silver level recognition before college. I’ll have to get four scores of 60 percent or better in the first five levels of competition, and I have one level already. What I like about dressage is as soon as you think you know most of it, you move up a level and start again. The scoring gets stricter and new layers of movements are added. u

Focus and Dedication Mark Graland Athlete

8

Professional DevelopmentJambo from Kenya! By Di Nestel, director of programs

For as long as I can remember, I dreamt of going to Africa. That dream was realized during winter 2010 when I traveled to

Kenya as a volunteer with the Kenyan Children Foundation. Before going, I referred to this adventure as a trip of a lifetime. Since then, I have added two words – “so far.” I knew, before the wheels lifted off the tarmac at Kenya International Airport in March 2010, that I would return. I didn’t know when but I knew I would. The opportunity to return happened this past summer when I, along with my sister, spent three weeks in Nairobi with the Kenyan Children Foundation.

Did this experience change who I was? I have been profoundly touched and forever transformed by my experiences in Kenya. The time I spent working with school children in Kibera, Nairobi’s largest slum, taught me the true meaning of human resiliency. Spending time with the children at Nyumbani (Swahili for “home”), an orphanage for children infected with HIV, reminded me how important it is to live in the present. Simply being in Kenya and getting to know a few of its citizens compelled me to think about my daily pace and recalibrate my perspective.

One could not imagine two more opposite extremes than the Kibera slums and Graland Country Day School. How does one get her head around these polar opposites? All the things I take for granted -- clean water, electricity, a flushing toilet, three meals a day, a safe place to sleep at night -- are luxuries to these folks. Why was I born

here and not there? Do I really need all that I have? Of course not. Is this what I should be doing and where I should be doing it?

The list of questions goes on. During these past two visits to Kenya, I was out of my comfort zone like never before and I struggled to not feel overwhelmed or helpless. As I unpack these experiences, I am reminded of the saying, “Challenge builds compassion.”

I learned from my parents many years ago that while you can’t do everything, you can and must do something. Sometimes, the simple act of spending time with another is enough: serving a meal, reading a book to a child, repairing a home, visiting a senior, driving a friend to an appointment or harvesting a neighbor’s crop. Now, I am not foolish enough to think I made a big difference in someone’s life while in Kenya, but I do know that the experience had a huge affect on my life and continues to help me chart the everyday waters back in Denver. I am trying hard not to hurry the unpacking process because the pace and perspective Kenya planted in my soul gives me daily comfort, guidance and yes, peace.

This past summer, Graland’s Fresh Air Fund Fellowships allowed me to spend time in service, self-reflection and personal as well as professional growth. I have been the beneficiary of Graland’s generosity in so many ways these last 22 years. To both Ronni McCaffrey and Graland I say asante sana (Swahili for “thank you very much”) for challenging us all to be engaged citizens and compassionate members of our community.

And to answer the question, this experience did not change who I was, but rather reminded me who I was meant to be. u

but rather reminded me who I was meant to be.This experience did not change who I was,

Step 3: AnalyzeTest results give us a snapshot of our success as educators to ensure we are providing the comprehensive education that Graland families expect. Here are just a few questions we consider when analyzing results.

1. How are changes in our curriculum reflected?

2. Have student results improved in recent years?

3. Is student achievement aligned with measured student aptitude?

4. How do our students perform compared to students in other independent schools nationally?

During analysis, we closely examine the test results of two grades in particular: Grade 4, the last of Lower School, and Grade 8, the final year of Middle School. By analyzing test results for these two classes over two to four years, we can see trends in student learning as they relate to curriculum enhancements.

The experts at ERB suggest that Graland can expect to see trends after three years of curriculum implementation. Therefore, it may be too early to tell how our recent math and literacy curriculum changes have affected test results. While more data over time will give us a clearer answer, we intuitively believe that we are heading in the right direction.

For example, we did a comprehensive analysis of last year’s eighth grade that indicates significant growth over four years. It could be a combination of changes in curriculum, instructional methodology, student motivations and student maturation. Our analysis indicates overall alignment between aptitude and achievement is strong to very strong; for example, 98 percent of Grade 8 students scored at or above measured aptitude in math achievement and 94 percent of Grade 4 students scored at or above measured aptitude for reading achievement.

Comparatively, Graland students are generally performing on par with or better than the norms for high achieving, independent schools. In the fall, Head of Middle School Josh Cobb presents more detailed results analysis at the grade level discussions for parents; his counterpart in the Lower School, Nan Remington presents this data at similar events in the spring.

Step 4: AdjustThe final step is to adjust our curriculum and/or teaching methodology to strengthen our program. After monitoring curricular trends and advancements, Graland considers several factors in determining where and how to change course for better student outcomes.

The Curriculum LevelExamining each component, Graland takes a close look at how our course work prepares each student for success. Before making any decisions on curriculum changes, the School appoints a task force of administrators, teachers and parents to thoroughly research and evaluate the options. If needed, we also engage outside experts who consult with our leaders.

In recent years, committees have employed this approach with math, literacy and history. Recent data suggest the Middle School should begin to evaluate the frequency and rigor of non-fiction reading assignments in both science and history, and that work is now underway.

Ongoing curriculum mapping allows Graland to see the big picture before implementing new teaching material. Mapping is the act of documenting the scope and sequence of learning that happens vertically (from Grades K-8) and horizontally (across each grade level). Thorough curriculum mapping helps the School create programs that are unified, aligned and intentional.

The Instructional LevelAt the heart of Graland’s success is our outstanding faculty, hand selected for their expertise in teaching

children. Graland’s educators are proactive in developing their professional skills throughout the year. The School offers additional opportunities on campus by hosting experts in education who introduce innovative ideas in teaching. (See page 5 for a recent example.)

Analyzing our assessment results may reveal a need for additional faculty or resources in a particular area, and Graland is committed

to providing our students with every practical advantage in this regard.

The Student LevelSometimes, the change needs to happen at the

student level, and Graland teachers are adept at presenting instruction in different ways so every student progresses at

a consistent pace. This includes challenging advanced students to higher thinking, scaffolding concepts when a student is struggling to comprehend as well as pacing and using various tools to promote understanding based on each student’s learning style.

Learning differences can create special challenges, and our Student Support Team works on individual learning plans to benefit students who may otherwise fall behind. This team assists students who have specific academic, social or behavioral needs. Division heads, teachers, learning specialists and the School counselors comprise the support team. A student-centered process, the program is based on the idea that every child at Graland deserves all relevant support to be successful.

What does all this say about Graland? We know our facts. We care about our students. And we’re proactive in providing a rigorous, challenging education for Denver’s students. Graland has been nurturing student ambitions since 1924 and our goal is to continue this pursuit of excellence. u

Graland Today I 9

All School Newscontinued from page 3

Pursuing Excellence in Education

Comparatively, Graland students are generally

performing on par with or better than independent

school norms.

10

Sustainability News

Students Go GreenOn campus, students are closely involved in our sustainability efforts. In the Middle School, members of the Green Club meet biweekly to discuss opportunities to educate the school community on environmental issues. They monitor the dining hall to help their peers understand the difference between trash, recyclables and compostable items. This year, they hope to take a field trip to a recycling center to experience the process firsthand. Throughout the year, Green Club members add information and media to the School’s sustainability webpage.

The idea of green living is nothing new: environmentalists have been promoting “reduce, reuse, recycle” for decades. It’s one thing to set out paper recycling bins, but what other ways is Graland going green? The answers might surprise you.

Transportation Goes GreenIn a parent-driven campaign to get students to “use your feet or share a seat,” Graland encourages a monthly alternative transportation day. When students bike, skate, scoot, walk or carpool to school, they show their concern for the environment and learn how simple it can be to save energy and enjoy a healthy lifestyle all at the same time. Our website has the yearly calendar; be sure to mark the dates.

Electronics Go GreenTechnology trash is its own separate animal when it comes to recycling. Most electronics do not decompose and should be properly recycled. Graland has several battery recycling containers on campus and donates outdated computers to other community groups who can use them. “Anything we can’t reuse is picked up by an electronics recycling service,” says Marty Twarogowski, director of information services.

Faculty Goes GreenAs a leader in sustainability education and practices, Graland hosted a roundtable discussion for several local independent schools in September and some faculty are taking part in a research project with the University of Colorado, Denver, to gauge the effectiveness of using facilities as a sustainability teaching tool.

Facilities Go GreenAnschutz Commons was recently recognized with gold level LEED certification based on five areas of consideration including site development and materials use. To learn more about the building’s green features, visitors can scan a QR code and take an online self-guided tour.

Preserving our natural resources also includes efforts to reduce consumption of water and electricity. Graland does both. As one example, “We have a new drinking fountain with a water bottle filler that has saved almost 2,000 plastic bottles since this summer,” says Bob Elisha, director of buildings and grounds. He expects to install more of the dispensers next year.

Communications Go GreenThe Graland Today publication you’re reading is now produced electronically. Posting the digital version on our website’s School News section makes the newsletter available to a wider audience and enables readers to share the issue with families and friends.

For the biggest impact on the environment, businesses must also commit to sustaining the market for recycled products through purposeful purchases. Graland distributes the Parent Directory/Handbook in plastic binders made from recycled milk jugs.

Trustees Go GreenGraland trustees now have an electronic way to share information among themselves and with the parent community: the School Governance portal on the Graland website.

The School Governance portal is a place where trustees can read important news and updates from the Board President, download meeting packets and communicate with committee members. There is also an “Ask the Board” channel for parents to submit questions or comments. Don’t be shy! The board wants to interact with you!

“This enhancement to Graland’s website will provide the entire Graland community with improved access to the work of the Board of Trustees and its committees,” says Christopher Hunt, Board President.

Our Future Goes GreenThrough the year, adults in the Graland community are invited to attend monthly sustainability meetings to solicit ideas for additional ways Graland can obtain its goal of being a sustainable campus. Contact Aaron Murray, sustainability coordinator, for more information.

Graland Today I 11

Alumni News

Alumni Work Together to Strengthen CommunitiesBy Kristin Eklund ’88 Weber

Two Graland alumni are seeing their labors of love intersect in the Denver community. Their most notable collaboration is the first all African American male giving circle west of the Mississippi. The Denver African American Philanthropists (DAAP) – Black Men Giving with a Purpose was launched in May 2012.

It was started by LaDawn Sullivan ’84, a program officer at The Denver Foundation, who works to connect communities of color to the “supply side” of philanthropy. She specializes in connecting the generosity of everyday philanthropists with causes they care about, resulting in positive community change.

After attending a conference on the power of collective giving, LaDawn was determined to bring the giving circle model to Denver. Giving circles are a form of philanthropy where a group of individuals contribute their own time, talent and treasure and decide together how to leverage those contributions to benefit local community organizations and/or projects.

To populate the giving circle, LaDawn handpicked 20 African American men to join her, including Tony Pigford ‘88.

“Black men kind of have a bad rap,” she admits, “and I wanted to bring together a diverse group of black men to challenge that. DAAP is made up of teachers, entrepreneurs, nonprofit and community leaders, college students and corporate professionals. These are men who have a true heart and commitment to community and understand the power of giving back.”

Tony is a great example, according to LaDawn. “I was moved by Tony’s thoughtfulness, humbleness, inquisitive nature and enthusiasm. His ability to leverage his skills and community connections has only enhanced DAAP’s community investment.”

Tony is the executive director of Engage 8, a non-profit organization that seeks to enrich and empower the residents of Denver’s District 8, which is the most diverse area of Denver both ethnically and socio-economically. He is a fourth generation Denver native who credits his family for inspiring his service-oriented work.

The fact that Tony and LaDawn are both Graland alumni is circumstantial; they are bound by their commitment to the mission of DAAP, and more broadly by their pledge to make a positive impact. Through community philanthropy, Tony, LaDawn and other DAAP members work together to listen to community needs and support organizations in achieving their goals.

For students looking for a place to serve the community, LaDawn suggests they start at home. “Find out how your family gives,” she says. “What organizations or groups do they support? Why? How? What is important to them?”

Finally, she advises students to, “Dare to dream huge! Don’t be afraid to help others find their voice.” u

Graland alumni Tony Pigford ‘88 and LaDawn Sullivan ‘84 work together to invest in community needs.

Doing a 360How You Can be Involved in Teacher Evaluation and Growth Educational guru Bob Marzano talks about the importance of incorporating the perspectives of others when providing feedback to teachers. He calls such comprehensive models, “360-degree systems.”

At Graland, we believe that truthful, objective feedback is one of several important components for continued professional growth. Along with observations by supervisors, peer dialogues, self-reflections and student feedback, parent feedback provides teachers with yet another window into their effectiveness.

In mid-January the school will be sending you a survey link soliciting your feedback on faculty members. In order for your responses to be valuable, they should be focused and constructive, and take into consideration your child’s entire learning experience, not just reflect individual events. For statistical validity, a large sampling of feedback is necessary, so we encourage you to take a few minutes to complete the upcoming January survey. Thank you in advance! u

12

Katie Abrams ‘95Stephen and Ellen AbramsSteve and Jen AdamsJean-Marc and Valeria AlberolaJustin and Sarah AlbertEric ‘87 and Katherine AlbrightJohn and Jill AlfondTodd and Sarah AlijaniAshley AllenYohannes Ambaye & Frewini SelomonBrent Anderson Graham and Christie AndersonBill and Andrean AndrusApache CorporationLynda ArcoJim ‘66 and Tudi ArneillGuy and Liz ArnoldRye ‘91 & Catherine Wilhelm ‘90 AustinLauren Ayres ‘00Steve ‘77 and Lisa BainDavid and Liza BakerDanny and Carla Seigel ‘77 BartellJeff Bartholomew and Pat McHenryGint and Pam BaukusMark and Marna BelfanceMichael and Shannon Bell

Craig and Katrina BenesRick and Michelle BengeDavid and Lauren BensonVern Berry and Jenny Ellison ‘74 WoodMark and Margaret BerzinsAllison BirdsongMarius and Stanca BirleaMark and Amy BirnerLouis and Erica BissetteWilliams Bivens and Larissa LuhrsGregory and Kara BjorkBrant Bloomberg and

Meredith Linker BloombergJon-Erik ‘92 and Brooke BorgenJon and Anne BorisJustin ‘91 and Tobey BorusJuan and Cesilie BotelloAndrew Bourke ‘01Chuck and Courtney BoyleDavid and Amy BrennerHans BroersDavid and Tiina BrownJohn and Christine BrownerPeter and Jacqui BryantTim and Nancy BueseFrank and Janice Jamison ‘52 Burg

John and Josie BurkeJohn CaldwellJames and Karen CarrWill and Christie CarronBob and Anna CaseyTony and Cindy CataneseEllie CaulkinsGeorge ‘80 and Christina CaulkinsMax ‘87 and Ramey CaulkinsCarlos and Glenda CebrianCollis ‘84 and Anne ChandlerEric and Laurie ChandlerDanny and Amy ChapmanJorge and Toshia ChavezCindy CheadleMatt Cheroutes ‘91Garrett Chism and Julia AnnsionSureel and Bijal ChoksiLisa ClearyBrad and Wyne ClerCarly ClugstonJoshua and Oakley CobbLarry ‘81 Cohen and Katie Foxley CohenBrent and Dana Klapper ‘83 CohenDan Cohen and Mara KailinJonathan and Aimee-Alyce Coleman

Shannon Connery ‘84Jeff and Suzanne ConnorsHope Connors ‘78Julian and Susie CookSarah CooperShawn ‘79 and Suzanne CooperJason ‘84 and Sara Drucker ‘89 CooperArthur Cowperthwaite ‘71 and

Brenda StockdaleDavid and Andrea CraneGregory Cummings and Molly McCoyScott and Elizabeth CypersTanisha DavisAlden Davis & Jacqueline Purdy-DavisDavid and Erin DeanAnn DeBoeDavid ‘81 and Pam DeckerDavid Dellinger and Shi Fay ChengFelix and Wendy DemartiniRobert Demsey and Sandra HaynesAugust and Betsy DennigSuzanne DetwilerBen and Jenny DeVossBruce ‘69 and Jill DinesAndy and Meggan DodgeTim and Amy DodgeJohn DonaldsonMatt and Elky DormanMichael DowlingTauna DowlingElizabeth DraperJake and Jennifer DresdenGreg DrummJessica DufresneDavid Ehrlich and Meredith MunroKen and Janjuree EichnerSam and Michelle EidsonJohn and Missy Kintzele ‘76 EliotBob ElishaTerra EmersonLouie and Anya EnriquezMatthew Esson and Kim MuglerJohn and Alison FallonLaura Fast and Trela PhelpsGabe Finke and Molly McCray-Finke

Ashleigh FinnMichael Fischer & Jennifer Atler FischerAndy Fisher and Tanya AtagiJayne FordJames ForemanJosh ForkeShawn and Elisa FowlerKelley FoxChris and Yvette FramptonCharles Frankel and Geraldine CorriganWill and Ali Pashel ‘89 FrankfurtRobert and Amy FrankmoreChris and Stacia FreimuthHeiko and Kristin Todd ‘96 FreitagJohn ‘92 and Andi FreyerMichael and Amber FriesMark and Cindi FukamiJosh and Beth GaffgaDavid and Michelle GarciaStephanie GarciaMark Gatlin and Erin FlanaganEvan and Ann GeldzahlerGraham and Hilary GerlachMichael and Olga GershovichBruce and Wendy GlazerGreg and Jenny GlickThe Gold Family FoundationWill ‘79 and Sheri GoldGreg ‘83 and Vikki GoldbergAaron Goldhamer ‘96Ross Goldstein and Cory DunnickRichelle GonzalesStan and Holiday Grogan ‘88 GoodreauPhil Gosch and Alie Watson-GoschJohn and Susan GowenGraland Parent AssociationJohn and Bridget GrierJay and Jenny GrimmColette GuiberteauRonald Guillot and Alexandra TheriaultBill Gurdin and Lisa FormanDavid Haifleigh & Lisa Murray HaifleighGrant and Justine HallCrawford ‘75 and Sue HamiltonFred and Jane Hamilton

Development News

Oftentimes, when we think about making a donation to a charitable organization, we assume that one entity is gaining (the organization receiving the money) and one entity is giving something up (the donor). We assume this relationship is a one-way street. Water only flows downhill.

But is the act of giving truly altruistic? Do we gain nothing in return for having supported a cause outside of our own self-interest? Can giving not satiate a certain thirst?

After more than a decade of watching philanthropy in action, I am convinced now more than ever that generosity to others is the ultimate “two-fer” in life. You give and you get something in return. Philanthropy allows individuals to take action on their deepest values in a way that generates a strong return on their investment in the form of happiness. Yes, happiness is the return when you do something that feels generous, no matter the actual amount.

In case you aren’t buying my argument quite yet, there is scientific evidence to back up this notion. A study1

published in 2008 in the journal Science found that spending more of one’s income on others

predicted greater happiness both cross-sectionally (in a nationally representative survey study) and longitudinally (in a field study of windfall spending). In this study, participants who were randomly assigned to spend money on others experienced greater happiness than those assigned to spend money on themselves.

So this holiday season, when you hear about “the joy of giving,” know that this phrase

is more than a cliché. It is a fact of life, yours for the taking (or giving, as it were). u

1Science 21 March 2008: Vol. 319 no. 5870 pp. 1687-1688, DOI:10.1126/science.1150952 “Spending Money on Others Promotes Happiness,” Aknin, Lara B., Dunn, Elizabeth W., Norton, Michael I.

October Kicks Off Annual FundraisingThe Done in 21 Campaign for the Annual Fund has ended and Graland thanks every family who helped reach 54 percent parent participation and $425,740 towards our 2012 fund goal! From October 1-21, we achieved:

An increase of 55 percent in dollars raised.An increase of 24 percent in parent participation.

Kindergartners won the grade level contest and will enjoy a holiday hot cocoa party and a gift from Ronni McCaffrey, Head of School, on December 21.

If you’ve not yet given or pledged to the Annual Fund, please consider a gift today. Early gifts provide maximum benefit to our students and overall academic programs. All gifts are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Thank you!

2012 Annual Fund Donors (July 1 to October 31)

Supporting Philanthropy Benefits the Giver By Suzanne Connors, director of development

al·tru·ism noun \ al-trü- i-z m\ Unselfish regard for or devotion

to the welfare of others

Graland Today I 13

Joe HankinBob and Kay HansonTyler ‘84 and Sarah HarveyCharlene HaskettHal and Jackie HawkeyDon and Jill HawleyChris HechtHecky and Kirsten HeckendorfMike HecklingerTim Hefty and Christine HayesSteve and Linda HeissCharles Henry and Cynthia CrewsPhil HickeyAlec and Gail HillHodges Charitable FoundationArthur Hodges & Sunhee Juhon HodgesJ.R. Hughes and Sue PrestaMark and Courtney Dorn ‘90 HughesKelvin Huh and Young WooAleks ‘81 and Anita HumeyumptewaArlin and Inara HumeyumptewaChristopher & Sarah Anschutz ‘86 HuntDavis and Laura HurleyTerron and Collinus HuttChristian IsaacKevin IsaacCyril IsaacWalter and Christie IsenbergChris and Kim Fuller ‘86 JacobyMichael and Christi JamesEdward Janoff and Nancy KrywonisMolly Falk ‘89 JansenTom JansenAndy Johnson ‘84Pete Johnson ‘81Anna JonesScott and Melanie JoyLonny and Jennifer KandelMary KarstJohn and Maureen KechriotisGreg ‘80 and Lisen KintzeleDavid ‘86 and Mary Jane KirkpatrickJohn and Heather KlutznickTroy and Evelyn KnucklesBrad ‘82 and Lisa KornfeldPaul KruegerKim KuykendollJoey and Luayne LambertTim and Janice LaneyCraig Laraia and Shannon ChathamLinda LaRocqueJim LaRocqueNolan and Annie LassiterPeter and Monique LathropDoug and Becky LazatinJohn and Elizabeth LeddyMatt and Rebecca LedgesAli K. Levy ‘00Brent Levy ‘98Robert Lohr and Laura Bonnett LohrGregory Looker

Geoff and Marty LordDavid ‘85 and Hollie LubchencoTim and Kimm LucasBrent and Maya LynnBrian Maass and Erica WilnerTrina MagnessKevin ‘84 and Andrea MahoneyKen and Kay MaloMankwitz Family FoundationBrian ‘93 and Meredith MankwitzJay MarcianoDavid and Lorraine MargolinDelores MarquezJane MaslankaMitchell and Heidi MastersCraig and Dianna Goldberg ‘84 MayJoel and Bambi MayoVeronica McCaffreyBrian and Dalton McCurdyDirk and Carol McDermottShirley McElhaneyMimi McMannJames and Heather Mejia Kenneth and Maria MendelsbergBrian Merrigan and

Celeste Sikora MerriganBetsy MetcalfeJustin and Jennifer MieraStephanie MillerStanley and Gayle MillerJulia Milwid ‘02Rob and Lisa MintzHammel MonroeMatt and Kim MontgomeryPaul and Robin MorrisPeter and Anne MounseyJ. K. Mullen FoundationBill and Rosemarie MuraneAaron and Vicki MurrayErnie and Jan MyersStanley and Cherrelyn NapueCathy NaughtonMatt and Erin NerenDi NestelKathy NeustadtStephen and Nanette NewmanAaron and Kristin NewmanJake and Bryann Ladd ‘99 NourseBrett and Julie O’ConnorTodd O’Malley and Lynn TurnerDan O’NeillBruce and Patrina OdetteMercy OkurutJoann OrtegaJohn and Sharon OsborneSusan OsgoodAndy Pagel and Cam Monroe-PagelLance Palumbo and Cynthia WangMike and Taylor Cleveland ‘88 PardunTed and Healy ParksBrendan Patterson and Anne Bailey

Jamie and Dana PeaseOtto and Rebecca PettyLinh PhanPinon Trail FoundationJenn Pock ‘94Ward and Karen PolzinEd and Nooshin PrasthoferAdams and Holly PriceBill and Dana RankinAnn ReedWiley and Diane ReedScott and Virginia ReimanReliable Industries Inc.Brad and Nan RemingtonSaul ReyesPenny RiceTom and Michele RiceGabriel Morales Rico and

Maria MoralesTom and Kathy RileyGlenn Rippey and Karré WhitneyTrini Rodriguez ‘89 & Sarah WinbournMikael and Johnnie RomanoRobert ‘69 and Denise RomeroMark Rosenberg and

Amy Kirkpatrick RosenbergGary and Debby RosenzweigAlex and Lisa RossJason and Selena RothJess WilliamsJohn Rumpf and Kathy BeauchampJohn Rumsfeld and Christina JohnsonMark and Ann Ladd ‘87 RyanLee and Kristin RyderTino Saavendra and Carol TrujilloRon and Julie SachsFernando Sanchez and

Margaret Young-SanchezMax and Megan SchmidChris Schneck and Patty BraunPayson SchottersBob and Lisa SchreinerPatrick Schreiner and Jessica RossSherman and Sherry SedgwickRuth Hart SegalWalt and Jody SenterScott Service and Julie SeffHarold and Glenn Hilliard ‘99 ShawChris and Kate ShayStephan and Kerry ShelanskiBrian and Nancy ShlossGeoff and Leslie SmartMarshall and Abigail SmithJoseph SmithDavid and Michelle SobelGeorge and Linda SolorioJohn and Dawn SongNikki SpiersDavid and Michele SteedSteve SteinStephen and Kathryn Stieneker

Liza StoneJennifer StraileyKathryn StratmanButch and Diane StreetJim and Julie StretzMarcia StricklandCade and Martha Anderson ‘95 StriebySteve and Candace SuechtingRand and Julie SutherlandDavid TaylorGary Teper and Barbara AckerSeth ‘83 and Jennifer TerryEoin and Emily TheobaldJeter ‘95 and Meagan ThomasDarwin ‘75 and Susan TollKelly and Barbara TormaschyBryan Traficanti & Tyler Condon-

TraficantiMark Turnage & Natalie Bocock

TurnageRichard Turner ad Britta EricksonJames Turner and Martha Solis-TurnerBrian and Amy TurnerMarty and Leslie TwarogowskiMark Valentine and Barb WallaceArmando Vidal and

Leslie Beasley ‘87 VidalKelly Viseur

Carrie VonderHaarRob and Judy WagnerGregory ‘83 and Abby WaldbaumShawn and Michelle WallaceDaisha WaltonChris Waters ‘02Constance WattsJoe and Kristin Eklund ‘88 WeberAndrew and Joanne WichernEd and Kate WilliamsElle Williams ‘82Parthenia WilliamsJason and Annie WissnerMatthew and Joya WolfDan and Laura WolfAdam and Cari WolffBen and June WoodJohn and Lydia WoodardKeith and Janet WoolleyDoug and Laura WrightDan Yamagishi and Sharol PreisserMelissa YoderPatricia YostSarah YoungPatrick and Tricia YoussiTom and Rocio ZeilerJames and Caroline Zurcher

Where has the year gone? If you’re considering a year-end gift, please make your donation online by Monday, December 31, so the charitable giving can be credited to you in the 2012

year. All gifts are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. Thank you in advance!

Dana Klapper ‘83 Cohen, Co-ChairGreg Kintzele ‘80, Co-ChairKathryn AlbrightLiz Arnold Steve Bain ‘77Andrew Bermingham ‘77Marna BelfanceLauren BensonKara BjorkSuzie BoomgaarsChris BrownerBijal ChoksiAnne ChandlerAngela DellaSalle

Jill DinesTauna DowlingBritta EricksonAli FallonAndy FisherShawn FowlerStacia FreimuthGraham GerlachCynthia Crews HenryLinda HeissLonny KandelMaureen KechriotisDianna Goldberg ‘84 MayAndrea MahoneyLisa MintzKerry ShelanskiMichelle SobelRichard TurnerJanet WoolleyDoug WrightMeghan Zucker

A special “thank you” to parent volunteers who worked behind the scenes on the Annual Fund campaign!

Time for Year-End Giving

Graland sincerely thanks any donor who may have been inadvertently omitted from this list.

14

GPA News

In Person at Graland: Parenting Educator and Author Michael GurianThursday, January 17, 7-9 p.m., Graland CampusMichael Gurian, the New York Times bestselling author of 25 books, will appear in person as part of Graland’s Parent Education Network (PEN) series of speakers.

His inspirational, practical and humorous presentation, entitled “The Minds of Boys and Girls: Helping our Sons and Daughters do their Best in School and Life,” focuses on helping children of all ages succeed. Gurian will offer parents a new vision of what boys and girls need both in school and in life, new tools by which to interpret the signals of our growing children, and the confidence to love and educate both sons and daughters in a high-pressure world. For more information, visit graland.org/PEN. This event is co-sponsored by St. Anne’s Episcopal School. u

Diversity in Independent SchoolsDo you know the difference between diversity and inclusivity? According to Gene Batiste, vice president of equity and justice initiatives for the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), “Diversity is the mix and inclusivity is making the mix work.”

In October, Gene spoke to Graland parents, faculty and staff as well as guests from St. Anne’s Episcopal School, Kent Denver, Colorado Academy and Alexander Dawson School on the topic of diversity in independent schools. Lee Quinby, executive director of the Association of Colorado Independent Schools (ACIS), was also in the audience.

For many in attendance, Gene not only helped clarify the terminology used in diversity discussions, he provided a context for understanding its importance in relation to our own school community. The Graland Inclusivity Forum and Taskforce (GIFT) hosted the event.

“Many of the identifiers are invisible,” Gene says. “Other than gender, race, age and religion, if a religion requires a certain dress, many of the qualities that make an individual different are not easily apparent. By thinking only in terms of racial or ethnic differences, we fail to honor other forms of diversity.”

According to Gene, creating a diverse and inclusive community requires planning and commitment. He spoke of the importance of asking questions such as, “What does diversity mean to us? Are there groups that feel marginalized? Are there opportunities to reach them?” And, he talked about incorporating the values into the school’s mission or, if that’s not possible, developing a diversity and inclusivity statement to complement the mission.

Equity and justice are at the high level of ensuring a diverse and inclusive community. “Justice means that we won’t do anything illegal in our hiring or admission processes,” he says. “Equity means… that we create the people, programs, policies and practices that work for each individual.”

Head of School Ronni McCaffrey says, “The foundation of a strong school is a strong school community. We need each member of our community to understand the process of building and sustaining an inclusive school culture and to participate in enhancing ours.”

Graland is currently in the process of developing affinity groups to support our community members. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Molly McCray-Finke or James Foreman.

“It is through cross-cultural competency and affinity group activities that we can work through our people, programs, policies and practices to combat some of the vulnerabilities that can occur with identity,” says Gene.

If you missed Gene Batiste’s presentation, click to view the video or find it any time on the GPA portal. u

Michael Gurian

RSVP AT WWW.GRALAND.ORG/BIRCHSTREETBASH

Graland Today I 15

Upcoming GPA EventsDecember 1Graland Book Fair at Barnes & Noble EndsBarnes & Noble Bookstore, 960 S. Colorado Blvd.

December 7Graland Store - Open2:30-3:30 p.m.

December 7GPA Cookies for Faculty & Staff Holiday PartyDrop off your cookie contribution during the morning carline

December 12Graland Cares campaign ends

VOA Theodora House Dinner6-7:30 p.m.

December 14Go Green with Graland: Use Your Feet or Share a Seat

Snowflake Holiday Party at VOA’s Sunset Park4:30-6:30 p.m.

December 19GPA General Meeting8:15-9:30 a.m., Caulkins Board Room

December 21Festival of Light and Holiday Sing-Along8:30-9:30 a.m., Fieldhouse

Graland Store - Open11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

January 16GPA General Meeting8:15-9:30 a.m., Caulkins Board Room

VOA Theodora House Dinner6-7:30 p.m.

January 17PEN Guest Speaker: Parent Educator and Author Michael Gurian7-9 p.m., Graland Campus

January 18Go Green with Graland: Use Your Feet or Share a Seat

January 31Birch Street Bash6:30-9:30 p.m.RSVP at graland.org/birchstreetbash

Seniors at VOA to Enjoy Holiday SpiritGraland Cares Campaign: Now through December 12Snowflake Holiday Party: Friday, December 14, 4:30-6:30 p.m.,

VOA’s Sunset ParkSeniors will appreciate your generosity in the annual Graland Cares campaign when they open their snowflake bags filled with holiday goodies. The GPA invites you to pick up a snowflake tag and a bag from the display in the Georgia Nelson Building. Fill your bag with items such as hand lotion, lip balm, hat, earmuffs or gloves and deliver to Diane Street’s desk by Wednesday, December 12.

The Graland Cares campaign enables the GPA to throw the Snowflake Holiday Party on Friday, December 14, for the low-income seniors and disabled adults at Volunteers of America’s (VOA) Sunset Park in downtown Denver.

A Graland tradition, the party has a new name this year but promises the same rewarding experience for all involved. Students will perform, snowflake gift bags will be distributed and memories will be made for those who might not otherwise have an opportunity to celebrate the holidays. For more information about the VOA party, contact Christine Ralph or Andrea Mahoney. For more information about Graland Cares, contact Bethany Karlin or Josie Burke. u

Festival of Light and Holiday Sing-AlongFriday, December 21, 8:30-9:30 a.m., FieldhousePlease join students, faculty and staff as we sing to our hearts’ content in celebration of the holiday season! Students should wear their “holiday finest” or “Sunday best.”

16

Stay ConnectedJoin us on Facebook and Pinterest or

update your contact information online at graland.org/stayconnected.

Community CalendarDecember 6 & 13 Admission “Open House” Event at 8:30 a.m.

December 21 Festival of Light and Holiday Sing Along (see page 15)

January 31 Birch Street Bash (see page 14)

Winter ClosuresDecember 24-January 7 Winter Break

January 21 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

February 18 Presidents’ Day

Your Holiday Card from Graland

There is a chill in the air,

and we're sending best wishes for a

warm holiday and a happy new year.

Warm Tips for Greening Your HolidaysGraland toddler teacher and alumna Hope Connors ‘78 has compiled a handy list of ways to go green during the holidays. Here are some examples, but you can find more helpful tips on our website.

• Give gifts that encourage others to be sustainable, like a cookbook for leftovers or reusable tote bags.

• Buy a membership, or make a contribution in someone’s name, to Denver’s amazing cultural attractions like the Museum of Nature and Science.

• Set outdoor lights on a timer to reduce your electricity usage.

• When entertaining, don’t use disposable cutlery or dishes. Need more place settings? Buy inexpensive plates and silverware at a thrift store.

• Reuse wrapping paper or consider giving gifts in reusable containers. Avoid foil and plastic-embossed paper, which use more resources during manufacturing and can’t be recycled. u