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Character
GO WITH COMPASSION
We’re committed to building strong character and teaching children about kindness, respect and empathy. -
Innovation
GO CREATE
Innovation isn’t an option, it’s a way of life. -
Enriched Learning
GO FURTHER
Learning happens in all ways at Graland in and out of the classroom. -
Inspiring Faculty
GO INSPIRE
Teachers connect with students encouraging them to reach further as lifelong learners. -
Hands-on Lessons
GO DEEPER
Creative techniques lead children to understand concepts in exciting ways.
discover a love of learning
discover a love of learning
Students who go Graland are the kind of forward thinkers who can go anywhere and do anything.
Since 1927 we’ve gone to great lengths to give every child the best education possible. Why? Because we want them to reach higher and go deeper. We want them to pursue excellence with passion and intent.
Graland serves Denver-area children starting in Preschool and from Kindergarten through Grade 8.
Our Community
Here, you'll never go alone.
Our school community is dedicated to bringing people together in a journey that lasts all the way through middle school graduation and beyond.
50
things to experience at Graland
Unique moments happen every day at Graland. Will your child go cross country skiing on our campus? Practice Spanish at a farmer’s market? Lead an assembly? Here are 50 things to look forward to.
News and Events
Graland Today
Recent News
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Grade 8: Reflections From a Journey Through History
Earlier this month, eighth graders returned from their Civil Rights Trip to the American South, where they road tripped from Atlanta to Memphis, stopping in Montgomery, Selma, and Birmingham along the way. After returning from the trip, eighth graders have been taking time to reflect on the people, places, and stories they encountered. Guided by a driving question they selected before traveling, from themes like nonviolence and youth activism to the power of community storytelling, students have been using their trip journals and additional research to create a culminating reflection project.Read More -
Breaking the Factory Model: Living the Learning at Graland
Seven large posters hang around the room: one on the back of the door leading to the next classroom, one on the door of a huge filing cabinet, four around the classroom walls, and one on the front whiteboard. Five of these posters contain color xeroxed pictures of Egyptian papyrus depicting various aspects of Egyptian life.Read More -
Live the Metaphor
I never knew a “ducky” could be so intimidating. For the first two days of our rafting trip, I eyed the inflatable kayak with a mixture of fear and anticipation, mostly fear.Read More
World Leadership School partnered with Confluences River Expeditions to coordinate five days on the Salmon River for independent school heads to reconnect with purpose. The river became a metaphor to deepen our learning about leadership in an experience that mirrored the Live the Learning philosophy of Graland’s educational founder, Georgia Nelson, a philosophy that brought learning to life for generations of Graland students by providing memorable, experiential, and impactful lessons. -
Meet Shaun Satterfield Graland’s New Head of Lower School
This fall, Graland welcomed Ms. Shaundell “Shaun” Satterfield as the new Head of Lower School, a seasoned educator and leader with more than two decades of experience in teaching, coaching, and equity-focused leadership. From her first days on campus, Ms. Satterfield has felt the energy and warmth of the Graland community.Read More -
The Road to Discovery: How Middle School Trips Bring Learning to Life
Read MoreFrom the first ropes course in fifth grade to crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge in eighth, Middle School trips represent a progression that helps students see themselves as active participants in their learning and their world. -
Grade 7: Celebrating Möbius’ Birthday in Math
When seventh graders walked into math class, streamers hung from the ceiling, signaling that Grade 7 math teacher Mr. Gregory Montoya had something special planned. To mark the birthday of August Ferdinand Möbius, the 19th-century mathematician known for studying unusual shapes and surfaces, students spent part of class exploring one of his most famous ideas: the Möbius strip.Read More -
Grade 1: Koala-ty Creations at the Biomimicry Invention Expo
Read MoreFirst graders recently showcased their creativity and scientific thinking at the Biomimicry Invention Expo, a cross-collaborative project led by Lower School Science Teacher Mrs. Sarah Jackson and Lower School Innovation Specialist Mrs. Elizabeth Leddy, where students learn about an animal and identify an adaptation that can be used to solve a human problem. -
Kindergarten: Learning to Measure With Fourth-Grade Buddies
Kindergarteners recently partnered with their fourth-grade buddies for an introduction to non-standard units of measurement. To begin, each kindergartner was traced on a large sheet of paper with help from their older partner.Read More -
Grade 6: Tracking a Carbon Atom’s Journey
Grade 6 scientists recently shared their “carbon cycle journey” stories, illustrated books that followed a single carbon atom as it moved through different parts of Earth’s system. Working in small groups, students presented their books to classmates, explaining each stage of their atom’s path and how it connected to what they are learning about matter and energy in science.Read More -
¡Viva! Live the Learning en Español
Read MoreThis fall, the Lower School gathered in the gym for a special assembly, an energetic celebration of learning that brought together students from Pre-K through Grade 4. The event gave students a chance to connect with the broader community and share their experiences from Spanish class. -
Reminiscences of Live the Learning
My time as a Graland student in the 1950s and 1960s often comes to mind when I visit campus today. Looking through photos, artifacts, and records in the school’s archives, I see how many of today’s student activities have their roots in the school’s earliest years.Read More -
Grade 2: Discovering Denver Through New Field Trips
As part of their social studies unit on Denver, its history, landmarks, and growth, second graders explored the city through two new field trips created in partnership with Historic Denver. Classes visited the historic Daniels & Fisher Clock Tower and took a walking tour through nearby pedestrian areas, including 16th Street and Larimer Square.Read More
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Upcoming Events
Featured News Story
List of 1 news stories.
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Shaping the Future of Education: Graland’s Sphere Compensation Model Earns Further National Recognition
Graland has been awarded the 2025 Jeffrey Shields Innovation in School Business Operations Award for its faculty Sphere Compensation Model, a unique system designed to reward teachers based on professional growth and impact rather than tenure. The prestigious recognition was presented on February 26 at the 2025 NBOA Meeting in New York City, where Head of School Josh Cobb and Director of Finance and Operations Juan Botello accepted the award on behalf of Graland.Full Story
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
