Education - Child Care And Education
Don’t you wish someone could lead you by the hand into the child care facility or school of your dreams? Boulder offers many good options for child care and education on all levels. This chapter starts with a rundown of the main child care information centers and reviews how to screen child care options. It explains how to find a sitter fast, and then goes on to provide tips on checking out nannies, day-care centers, and preschools. The chapter ends with an overview of Boulder’s public and private schools, including its universities. For fun places to go with children and information about summer camps, see the Kidstuff chapter.
1. Boulder Country Day School
City: Boulder, CO
Category: Education
Telephone: (303) 527-4931
Address: 4820 Nautilus Court North
Description: Preschool through fifth grade are taught at this very traditional, academically oriented program. French and Latin are part of the curriculum. Computers, art, music, and drama are taught here, too. Classes have no more than 10 students in the preschool and no more than 15 in the elementary grades. Students wear uniforms, and the principal greets them by name as they arrive each morning, holding an umbrella for them if it’s raining. The fourth- and fifth-grade teachers send home biweekly progress reports about how each child is doing.
2. Bridge School
City: Boulder, CO
Category: Education
Telephone: (303) 494-7551
Description: The Bridge School, a private secondary schools for grades 6 through 12, is designed for motivated, intellectually curious learners. The school also seeks youngsters with good character and a willingness to take risks and challenge themselves. The high school curriculum includes computer competency, an interdisciplinary approach to science, senior seminars in English (including one on literature written before 1914), foreign languages, art, and physical education. Community service is also part of the graduation requirement.
3. Friends School
City: Boulder, CO
Category: Education
Telephone: (303) 499-1999
Address: 5465 Pennsylvania Avenue
Description: The average class size for preschool is 14 and for elementary about 20, with two teachers per classroom. Lots of hands-on materials, a custom curriculum for each student, and a caring atmosphere characterize Friends School.
4. Jarrow Montessori
City: Boulder, CO
Category: Education
Telephone: (303) 443-0511
Address: 3900 Orange Court
Description: Located on three acres in a pretty, quiet part of North Boulder, Jarrow Montessori offers a toddler program for kids ages 18 months to 3 years, a primary program for 3- to 6-year-olds, then an elementary program through sixth grade. Different age groups are blended in each classroom. This is a certified American Montessori Society school, with child-guided education. Education here goes from concrete, hands-on experiences to abstract associations.
5. Sacred Heart Of Jesus School
City: Boulder, CO
Category: Education
Telephone: (303) 447-2362
Address: 1317 Mapleton Avenue
Description: This Catholic school has a preschool child care program, then an elementary school from kindergarten through eighth grade. It’s well regarded for its traditional academic program and religious course work. Lots of parents volunteer here, helping to add to the community atmosphere. Nearly 400 children attend.
6. September School
City: Boulder, CO
Category: Education
Telephone: (303) 443-9933
Address: 1902 Walnut Avenue
Description: Hands-on learning and creativity distinguish this high school (grades 9 through 12) of about 100 students. The teaching staff is dedicated and excellent, including professional scientists and musicians with a knack for communicating with students as peers. The four-building campus includes a small, former church at Canyon and 19th Streets.
7. Shining Mountain Waldorf School
City: Boulder, CO
Category: Education
Telephone: (303) 444-7697
Address: 999 Violet Avenue
Description: From preschool through high school, this school offers a rich blend of arts, music, and drama interwoven with academic curriculum. For a chemistry experiment, students might draw what they observe as well as describe it in words. Primary class lessons can include lore about traditional fairy tales, folk stories, and weaving. People who are not familiar with a Waldorf school should give it a visit to observe the warm, comfortable pace at which children learn and the richness of materials available. The philosophy behind Waldorf is more than 75 years old, and in addition to regular accreditation, teachers receive two years of training in Waldorf methods.
City: Boulder, CO
Category: Education
Address: 2130 Arapahoe Avenue
City: Boulder, CO
Category: Education
10. Boulder Parks And Recreation
City: Boulder, CO
Category: Education
Telephone: (303) 441-3412
Address: 3170 Broadway
Description: All three of Boulder’s recreation centers offer skill-building courses. Gymnastics for kids and pottery for adults are very popular, as are the dance classes for both age groups. Other courses include yoga, martial arts, guitar, cooking, sign language, investing, and white-water kayaking. Most of these classes take place at the recreation centers. When the parks and recreation offerings first get published each season, the registration phones can be busy for a long time. Sometimes it’s quicker to go to any of Boulder’s three recreation centers and register in person.
11. Cu-Boulder Continuing Education
City: Boulder, CO
Category: Education
Telephone: (800) 331-2801 (out-of-state)
Address: 1221 University Avenue
Description: This fabulous program offers 300 courses each semester, including everything from full-credit, college-level courses taught by CU-Boulder professors to noncredit pursuits such as beginning computer courses and art/ poetry workshops. Noncredit classes often are taught by professionals—some just starting out in their fields and willing to share boundless enthusiasm, others nationally famous who will always love teaching. Classes usually take place right on the CU-Boulder campus, in the evenings and on weekends.
12. Regis University Boulder Campus
City: Boulder, CO
Category: Education
Telephone: (303) 458-7420
Address: 6235 Lookout Road, Suite H
Description: Through the School for Professional Studies, adults can complete bachelor of science degrees in business administration, computer information systems, religious studies, and many more subjects by taking accelerated evening classes. Master’s degrees are offered in science and management and in computer information science.
13. Boulder College Of Massage Therapy (Bcmt)
City: Boulder, CO
Category: Education
Telephone: (303) 530-2100
Address: 6255 Longbow Drive
Description: The Boulder School of Massage Therapy is a leading massage therapy education center. In 2008 the school celebrated its 33rd year as a nonprofit institution. BCMT’s diploma program includes in-depth training in a variety of approaches to massage therapy. The program includes human sciences, ethics, movement studies, career development, and professional internships. More than 2,500 students have graduated from BCMT, which has an average annual enrollment of 250.
14. Colorado School Of Energy Studies
City: Boulder, CO
Category: Education
Telephone: (303) 443-9847
Address: 1721 Redwood Ave.
Description: This center offers professional training and is accredited by the American Polarity Therapy Association. Polarity therapy is a comprehensive health system based on understanding the human energy field; it’s founded on the work of Dr. Randolph Stone.
15. Culinary School Of The Rockies
City: Boulder, CO
Category: Education
Telephone: (303) 494-7988
Address: 637 South Broadway, Suite H
Description: Culinary School students can refine their wine-tasting skills, watch famous chefs from around the world demonstrate their favorite techniques, or learn hands-on everything, from professional French cooking to sushi rolling and gingerbread-house baking. A professional chef’s course includes a trip to France. The Culinary School has a store with a big kitchen area. Call for classes and times.