Denver International School

Infobox School
name = Denver International School


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established = 1977
type = Private
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district = Denver
grades = Pre-K through 5th Grade
president =
principal = Adam Sexton
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faculty = 30
staff =
students =
enrollment = 250
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location = 1958 Elm St, Denver, Colorado
country = USA
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information = 303-756-0381
website = http://www.dischool.org

Denver International School (DIS) teaches children from pre-kindergarten (age ~3) through 5th grade (age ~11) in a unique dual-language immersion program. DIS also offers various language, arts and sports summer camps from June through August. [ [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/feb/18/day-camps/ Rocky Mountain News (Feb 2008): Summer Camps] ] The school is currently located in the Park Hill neighborhood of Denver, about a mile east of the zoo, and has approximately 250 students.

Education Style & Philosophy

Learning a second language has been shown to provide children with an enormous benefit to their overall education. At DIS students in lower grades learn entirely in the language of their chosen program, and then as they progress through the school the percentage of English increases.

History

Established in 1977 by a group of French parents, it added a German program in 2000, a Spanish program in 2001 [ [http://www.onenation.org/0108/081301.htm Rocky Mountain News (Aug 2001): Dual Language Immersion a Growing Trend in Education] ] and then replaced the German program with a Mandarin program in 2003, recognizing the growing influence of China in the today's world. [ [http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_5427310 Denver Post (Mar 2007): Chinese more common for kids] ] French remains the school's most popular program, [ [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/education/article/0,1299,DRMN_957_5303941,00.html Rocky Mountain News (Jan 2007): Never Too Early to Learn French] ] but the Spanish and Mandarin programs have been gathering momentum.

Originally located at the Universalist Church at the corner of Hampden Avenue and Colorado Boulevard, growth led to the school moving to Holly St in 1982 and then to Elm St in 2005. With the closure of some Denver public schools in 2008 as well as the continued growth of the school, the "Rocky Mountain News" reported in November 2007 that the school was considering making a proposal to DPS to move into one of the closed schools [ [http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/education/article/0,1299,DRMN_957_5743231,00.html Rocky Mountain News (Nov 2007): Private Educators Eye Denver School] ] .

In 2008, the school celebrated its 30th Anniversary. Events included visits from the French Ambassador (Pierre Vimont), Denver Mayor (John Hickenlooper) as well ABC affiliate 7 News' Chief Meteorologist Mike Nelson.

External links

* [http://www.dischool.org DIS Official Website]
* [http://www.cal.org/twi/faq.htm Center for Applied Linguistics: Immersion FAQs]

References