Program

Our Approach

Students who go Graland are the kind of forward thinkers

who are prepared to go anywhere and do anything.

 
 

Our mission drives our program

and guides us to foster intellectual excellence and strong character so that students become engaged citizens and thoughtful leaders. We want children to thrive by finding purpose in life — to envision a world beyond themselves and use their knowledge and strength to make positive change.

Our Philosophy

With evolving environments and technologies, Graland anticipates the skills children will need to be successful in high school and as society’s next leaders. We teach foundational skills and how to reason, how to question, how to take initiative and how to apply core subject expertise. We infuse our program with concepts of empathy, restorative justice, kindness and inclusivity. With these skills, Graland students have the confidence to face any situation.
 
At the heart of Graland’s Preschool, Kindergarten-Grade 8 journey is intellectual excellence and strong character. By focusing on the whole child, our integrated approach to interconnected learning prepares students for each new challenge as they progress through their education. Our teachers model lifelong learning by bringing new concepts, ideas and strategies into the classroom. Combining innovation, extraordinary teachers and our dynamic campus and facility, we inspire excellence and give children a head start to success.

List of 5 items.

  • Integrated Learning:

    Core academics with an innovative, interdisciplinary approach

  • Character Education:

    Developing kindness, empathy and agency

  • Innovation:

    New approaches, concepts and teaching strategies

  • Enriched Learning:

    Art, music, drama, athletics, library, science and more

  • Equity & Inclusivity:

    A culture of acceptance where students learn to value diverse perspectives

List of 4 items.

  • Leadership:

    Leading with integrity is tied to our mission

  • Experiential Education:

    Trips, service opportunities and hands-on learning keep students engaged

  • Differentiation:

    Teaching to various learning styles

  • Academic Engagement:

    Program that inspires students to challenge themselves academically

List of 2 items.

  • What Intellectual Excellence Means at Graland

    Intellectual Excellence
    Our customized model* of intellectual excellence identifies the key learning skills that enable students to reach their fullest potential. Four skill areas – expertise, thinking skills, attitudes, and motivation – coalesce to provide students the competency they need. Intellectual excellence is also the ability to navigate and take ownership of how one learns, no matter what situation one faces. Adaptability to changing environments is essential for all students as our world advances at an unprecedented pace.

          
    • Expertise: Knowledge and mastery of core subjects and skills. This essential background serves as the foundation for all higher-level thinking.
    • Thinking Skills: The ability to reason, including analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
    • Motivation: The intrinsic desire to learn born of the progression from play to passion to purpose.
    • Attitude: Those characteristics that make an effective learner, such as growth mindset, independence, perseverance, curiosity, resilience, and self-discipline.


    *Based on a model designed by Teresa Amabile of the Harvard Business School
     

  • What Character & Community Means at Graland

    At Graland, our guiding principles are foundational elements of how we model character and community with our students and families. We believe our community thrives when we put children first by role modeling curiosity, empathy, adaptability, agency, and responsibility, attributes based on the School’s guiding principles. By practicing active listening, seeking to understand, embracing a growth mindset, acknowledging my role in a situation, and being kind and respectful, I commit to build strong character and community.

A Graland Graduate

With a foundation of core competencies and social-emotional maturity, Graland graduates take the next step into high school with the confidence, skills and experiences to thrive.
“At my eighth grade graduation, Mr. Cobb handed me my diploma, shook my hand, looked me in the eyes and said, ‘Thank you for taking advantage of all the school has to offer.’ Later on, the significance and weight of his words hit me — in that moment he was acknowledging me as an intellectual student and truly seeing me as a person. For someone who loves learning as much as I do, to be thanked for my effort and for trying to be the best student I could be was indescribable.”
~Hannah Siegel '15

Learn more about Graland's program

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 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.