The Rise School of Denver
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Mission Statement
The Rise School of Denver is an inclusive, therapeutic preschool, which provides high-quality, evidence-based early childhood education using an inclusive model that offers a beacon of hope for children with developmental disabilities and typically developing children alike.
About This Cause
The Rise School of Denver is one of six schools that adhere to the theory and principles of the original Rise School founded by Dr. Martha Cook at the University of Alabama in 1974. The program is nationally recognized as one of the best inclusive therapeutic Early Childhood programs to prepare children with and without developmental delays for school and life. In 2003, a group of six families in the Denver Metro area began meeting regularly to discuss the educational options available to their children with special needs. After much deliberation, these families made the commitment to start a Rise School in Denver. A nonprofit corporation was formed under the title “Friends of Children with Down Syndrome” and 501(c)3 status was obtained. Serving as a statewide and national model, the Rise School of Denver strives to: provide family-centered services designed to meet the individualized needs of all children and families; provide a blend of educational and therapy services within the context of a developmentally appropriate curriculum; and, prepare children for their transition into Kindergarten. The school adheres to the philosophy and recommended practices of both early childhood special education and general early childhood education. Services are family-centered with emphasis on the family as the primary decision-maker in each child’s education. The school assists parents in learning to communicate directly with their child’s teachers and administrators around their child’s goals, progress and effective strategies for instruction. All families benefit from involvement in a community that not only nurtures their child, but fosters opportunities for interaction, support and learning from one another. Children with and without special needs and their families build networks of support through the relationships they begin at The Rise School. The Rise School of Denver currently serves more than 50 children and their families. All children with developmental delays attend on a full-time basis. The majority of typically developing children attend part-time. The school’s educational component incorporates “Teaching Strategies Gold,” a curriculum planning and assessment tool that uses a combination of child-directed and teacher-facilitated activities, emphasizes language and play with a purpose and promotes development of life skills. The curriculum adheres to six principles which, when combined, make Rise different from other preschools in the Denver area and assist each student in reaching his/her highest potential: a. Inclusion: The goal for each classroom is to enroll a 3:1 ratio of students without a developmental disability ("typically developing students") to students with a developmental disability. This ratio has been empirically shown to be the most effective in fostering a cohesive, integrated classroom community. The typically developing children serve as language and social models for children with special needs. All students develop a sense of compassion and appreciation for diversity as, regardless of their ability, all children are simply “friends.” b. Early Intervention: The Rise School accepts children ages 12 months through 6 years. Research by the National Early Intervention Longitudinal Study shows that 71%-76% of children receiving early intervention services demonstrate greater than expected growth in social relationships, use of knowledge and skills and, taking actions to meet needs. Early identification and intervention can also prevent some communication disorders from developing and lessen the impact of other disorders. The study also proves that 46% of children that receive early intervention and had been at risk of receiving special education services did not need these services at Kindergarten age as the children performed just as well in early reading and mathematics as the general population of children. c. Highly Educated Staff: All Lead Teachers at The Rise School have earned, or are in the process of earning, a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Special Education. Most Teaching Assistants have a Bachelor’s degree in a related field and are Group Leader Qualified according to the standards set forth by the State of Colorado. d. Small Classrooms: No class has more than 12 students with a low student-to-teacher/therapist ratio of 3- or 4-to-1. e. Full Time Schedule: The school operates from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm, eleven months each year. The full preschool day gives children the maximum opportunity to practice their skills and benefit from instruction and therapy. A short summer break minimizes skill regression.