Over the last couple of weeks, faculty have been busily getting ready for the beginning of school at Colorado Academy. Of course, that means prepping lesson plans, reviewing materials, and arranging classrooms, and we also have numerous preliminary meetings as the start date of August 27 draws closer.
I very much enjoy seeing faculty again after the summer break and also appreciate hearing how they spent their summer weeks away from CA. This is an active group for sure. One of the many wonderful aspects of our generous professional development budget is that faculty have opportunities to pursue meaningful experiences during the summer—while also having plenty of time for non-work related vacation!
- World language teachers Daniel Lopez and Lisa Todd investigated new travel exchange partners in Spain, while also developing their own advanced curriculum.
- Peter Horsch attended a three-week math leadership program in Park City, Utah.
- Erin Gray took a graduate level math course at the University of Northern Colorado.
- Registrar Sheila Chennell and administrative assistant Andrea Eckler took a week-long dive into the data management system of Blackbaud in Seattle.
- REDI Lab directors Paul Kim and Tom Thorpe spent several days in Portland, Oregon at the hands-on Traverse Conference.
These are just a few of the experiences, but they do give a snapshot of the kinds of professional work the school can support. These experiences translate directly back into the curriculum this year and in years to come.
Students get ahead too
Many students take advantage of learning opportunities before the start of school as well. Whether attending a peer mentoring retreat at the High Mountain Institute with our Community Leadership Team, training with a fall sports team, beginning dance conservatory work, or taking part in one of our college counseling boot camps, students have been showing up on and off campus throughout August.
This year students in our Community Council also held a mini-retreat here at CA to plan for the school year. All of these students get a great running start (literally, in the case of our Cross Country team!). The adults working with them value the chance to provide meaningful leadership training before things get too busy in the normal academic year.
Welcome back everyone!