Highlights & Annual Report 2017-2018
Faculty Spotlight
Master Teacher 2016
One Graland educator achieved Master Teacher status in 2016, an honor given to faculty or staff who have served 20 years at Graland. Jacqueline Purdy-Davis originally joined the faculty in 1996 as a first grade teacher. She now works as a Lower School reading specialist where she still teaches kids and enjoys the variety each day brings. Jacqueline believes that no two students learn the same, and seeing students succeed is what motivates her.
Fun fact: Jacqueline taught one of our 2015-16 interns, Sitara Jiwani, in her first grade classroom!
Faculty Retirements
The end of the 2015-16 school year marked a milestone for three faculty/staff members who decided to retire. Congratulations to these three ladies, and best of luck in retirement!
One Graland educator achieved Master Teacher status in 2016, an honor given to faculty or staff who have served 20 years at Graland. Jacqueline Purdy-Davis originally joined the faculty in 1996 as a first grade teacher. She now works as a Lower School reading specialist where she still teaches kids and enjoys the variety each day brings. Jacqueline believes that no two students learn the same, and seeing students succeed is what motivates her.
Fun fact: Jacqueline taught one of our 2015-16 interns, Sitara Jiwani, in her first grade classroom!
Master’s Degrees Awarded
Six teachers saw their hard work pay off when they were awarded master’s degrees. Congratulations!
Six teachers saw their hard work pay off when they were awarded master’s degrees. Congratulations!
- Rhemy Brezin, education and human development with a concentration in human learning and development
- Andy Dodge, educational leadership
- Tara Jackson, education and human development
- Wagner Mathews, education and human development with a concentration in early literacy
- Tera Malyszko, education and human development with a concentration in early literacy
- Mary Helen Sheehan, education and human development with a concentration in human learning and development
Faculty Retirements
The end of the 2015-16 school year marked a milestone for three faculty/staff members who decided to retire. Congratulations to these three ladies, and best of luck in retirement!
In honor of her teaching excellence and retirement, the Class of 2016 dedicated the 2015-16 yearbook to seventh grade English teacher Barbara Acker. Mrs. Acker earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a master’s in English education from Wayne State University in Detroit. She taught middle school English before coming to Graland in 2008. In the yearbook inscription, students said, "As a dedicated educator, Mrs. Acker genuinely cared about her students and prepared them for success during their years at Graland, in high school and beyond."
You know you're a good school when parents never want to leave. Such is the case with Penny Rice, whose children John and Jenny were students here at Graland. The kids graduated, but Penny returned in 2006 and stayed for 10 more years as a support teacher in third grade, where she used her bachelor's degree in elementary education to inspire student learning. Penny is now enjoying more time with her grandson, planning frequent excursions to Vail, visiting her family down south, and checking a few things off her bucket list.
After two years at Graland and 30+ years in independent school education, Roie Shields retired and moved to Atlanta with her husband. During the time she served as the administrative assistant in the Middle School, Roie's genuineness, intelligence and integrity allowed her to create authentic rapport with students, faculty and parents.
First Borgen Faculty Fellow Named
The Borgen Family Foundation (est. 1993), alumnus Jon-Erik Borgen ‘92 and his wife Brooke established the Borgen Faculty Fellow endowment in 2015 to underwrite a portion of costs for teachers pursuing advanced degrees or other strategic growth opportunities.
The Borgen Family Foundation (est. 1993), alumnus Jon-Erik Borgen ‘92 and his wife Brooke established the Borgen Faculty Fellow endowment in 2015 to underwrite a portion of costs for teachers pursuing advanced degrees or other strategic growth opportunities.
Fourth grade teacher Nikki Spiers has been selected as the first Borgen Faculty Fellow to benefit from the Borgen’s generous gift. Nikki will earn a master’s of arts degree (her second) from the University of Colorado-Denver in curriculum and instruction with a focus on elementary mathematics and science education. Her dedication to math instruction was evident over the past three years as she led the Lower School’s Math Professional Learning Community (PLC). Nikki believes in an integrated curriculum and looks forward to sharing her learning with the Graland community.
Summer Sabbaticals Awarded
Three teachers were awarded funds through the 2016 Summer Sabbatical program. This program offers financial support to members of the Graland faculty to fund summer experiences of study, travel, service or research. The goal is to provide creative and intellectual stimulation that fosters a renewed enthusiasm for teaching and learning.
Grade 5 math teacher Laurie Chandler joined the Denver Zoo on a research trip to Mongolia where she worked at a nature reserve and contributed to conservation biology, wildlife veterinary sciences and education.
Grade 2 lead teacher Katie Stratman spent two weeks volunteering with orphaned children in Morocco, where an average of 24 babies are abandoned at birth every day and few are placed in adoptive families.
Lower School Spanish teacher Kelly Viseur traveled to Havana, Cuba, where she participated in a language immersion program while living with a Cuban family.
Three teachers were awarded funds through the 2016 Summer Sabbatical program. This program offers financial support to members of the Graland faculty to fund summer experiences of study, travel, service or research. The goal is to provide creative and intellectual stimulation that fosters a renewed enthusiasm for teaching and learning.
Grade 5 math teacher Laurie Chandler joined the Denver Zoo on a research trip to Mongolia where she worked at a nature reserve and contributed to conservation biology, wildlife veterinary sciences and education.
Grade 2 lead teacher Katie Stratman spent two weeks volunteering with orphaned children in Morocco, where an average of 24 babies are abandoned at birth every day and few are placed in adoptive families.
Lower School Spanish teacher Kelly Viseur traveled to Havana, Cuba, where she participated in a language immersion program while living with a Cuban family.
Graland Country Day School
55 CLERMONT STREET DENVER, CO 80220 303.399.0390
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1924, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.