History

Colfax Elementary was founded in 1887, beginning as a one-room brick building and a portable frame building. The first students lived on Stuart Street and scattered farms and houses south of Sloan's Lake. Over the years, the school expanded to serve the growing number of children in the neighborhood. A major 1988 renovation established a second floor, 12 new classrooms, cafeteria, multipurpose room/gymnasium, library and new office space.

OVERALL PROGRAMS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In spite of challenges, for the past five years, Colfax Elementary students have shown a steady increase on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills, improving their scores from the fall pre-test to the spring post-test. CSAP scores show an increase in percentage of students moving from unsatisfactory/ partially proficient to the proficient/advanced categories. CSAP grade 4 reading scores increased from 25% in 1999 to 33% in 2000. Grade 3 reading scores decreased from 51% to 46%, though only six students out of 51 remain in the unsatisfactory category. As a year-round school, Colfax focuses on continued improvement of student achievement. Intersession classes provide students with an additional 20 days of enrichment and remedial instruction throughout the school year. Reading Assistants are provided for grades K-3 to help students meet district and state standards.

Why a Playground?

Colfax Elementary teaching staff are eager to integrate outdoor experiential learning opportunities into daily lesson plans, but no opportunities are available on school grounds for those purposes. The school's overall outdoor environment consists of a 29,000 square foot pea gravel recreation area, an employee parking lot, a narrow strip of sod, fencing, border hedges and a few trees - along with a fenced-in playground slide considered unsafe for use.

Students face other barriers and are likely to enjoy limited opportunities. More than 92% of Colfax students qualify for the federal free/reduced lunch program, and 31% are English language learners whose first language is Spanish. The school also struggles with high mobility rates, an increase in homeless students, students with single parents or raised by other relatives, and a growing number of students in Special Education.

Currently, 29 students are enrolled in Colfax's ECE programs, and 54 students in Kindergarten. Without a full range of support, these students face incredible challenges as they enter the primary grades. For example, while Colfax students have made tremendous gains, they are performing far below statewide averages on the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) reading and writing.

The physical environment outside the school does not support the principles for implementing an outdoor learning and play environment for young children. Colfax's current playground is "one-size-fits-all>, meaning that students from all grade levels share the space and equipment. Classroom teachers are required to schedule specific times for using the playground - ensuring that ECE students are not placed in danger by being in the same play environment with older students. The playground surface is a combination of asphalt, pea gravel and dirt. No shaded areas are available on the playground, limiting the site's usefulness during summer months.

Current playground equipment is decades old and does not allow for optimal gross motor development (the equipment is out of compliance with Colorado State Childcare License). Playground equipment is not surrounded by a resilient surface of a depth of at least four inches and are not insulated by two different types of surfaces. Special needs preschoolers are extremely limited in their playground use because the playground lacks accessible ramps, paths, or any other way for the children to access the equipment.

Motor skills have important ramifications for the overall development and learning abilities of the young child. Through guided and free play on the outdoor equipment, children are able to develop their muscles, define their sense of space, develop eye-hand coordination, increase body awareness, increase physical fitness skills, develop strength and endurance, and provide opportunities for social play. The proposed Colfax Learning Landscape will establish developmentally-appropriate and accessible playground equipment and structured hands-on learning opportunities.

Program Description

The new playground will cluster play equipment, allowing for better, more efficient supervision and maintenance - and guaranteeing that children of varying ages can safely use the playground at the same time. The shady grouping of trees will offer a cool alternative to wide-open play areas. The Early Childhood Education playground will be fenced to comply with ECE standards. An alphabet walk and a numbers walk will incorporate educational elements into the play area - including public art pieces. AmeriCorps members will provide volunteer labor to support the building of the structure. Denver Public Schools has formally agreed to institutionalize the Learning Landscape, allocating maintenance and physical plant resources to keep the area in top condition. In addition, Colfax classrooms will assist in maintaining the space to the fullest extent possible.

Other organizations participating in the activity

The University of Colorado at Denver (UCD) Landscape Architecture Program designed the Learning Landscape, and will oversee implementation. UCD's involvement is based on a formal agreement with Denver Public Schools. A UCD Landscape Architect and a student intern developed a master plan, and 19 students are currently developing construction drawings. The site will be utilized as a model for future development of outdoor education and playgrounds for Denver Public Schools. AmeriCorps will be providing a volunteer team to assist in the construction of the playground equipment and the soft surface material. The Denver Mayor's Office of Economic Development has organized an advisory board to assist in the corporate funding raising, and serves as a liaison to other funding opportunities. The Gates Family Foundation has designated funds for the primary and intermediate play areas, and is supporting efforts to raise other private sector funding. The Mayor's Office of Education and Advocacy has recognized the overwhelming need to convert this space into a community asset, and designated initial funding for a new playground. The West Colfax Partnership, a citizen's group, and the Salazar Foundation have provided funding. The Colfax community of teachers and students has been raising funds for a new Learning Landscape for several years, and is excited to fulfill this dream.

• To start editing this site please log in.
  
  
• After logging in, click the Edit this Page button below to edit this text. This is your home page to edit.
  
  
• You can change almost everything about the site, including its name, appearance and sections on the page labled "Edit". The Editors Only menu at the top of this page is the place to start.
  
  
• For help visit the DPS Editweb Help page.
  
  
• Finally, please bookmark this page. This is your website. Be sure you can find it again.