School Profile

BCSIS is a school created by parents and teachers to present the world to children through imagination and authentic experiences. The curriculum is designed to balance state standards with a carefully thought out educational program that fully integrates the arts with instruction. We use beautiful, natural materials and honor the rhythm of the day and of each child.

After kindergarten, the teacher remains with his or her class through grade three. Students then receive a different teacher to take them through grades four and five. This allows strong connections to be established between the school and home as the developmental changes of early childhood are experienced in both settings. The success of our school is possible only by working together as a community of parents and teachers.

Teachers work to apply current, research-based instructional strategies to ensure that children maximize their learning. It is important that our teachers have time for continued professional study and collaborative planning, so the week includes long days Monday through Thursday and an early release each Friday. Special education and talented and gifted programs enter into that collaborative planning.

The Boulder Community School of Integrated Studies (BCSIS) provides a rich aesthetic environment in which artistic expression, active involvement, and academic excellence provide a foundation for the learning expression. A holistic approach addresses the head, heart, and hand of each child. Rhythm and sensitivity to developmental levels assure that students are held in a secure place where, through exposure to multicultural activities and creative projects, they emerge as self-defined, competent, and compassionate individuals.

MISSION: The BCSIS approach is inspired by the work of several educators and a variety of methods, including 1) Rudolph Steiner and a Waldorf-inspired curriculum., 2) Howard Gardner and the theory of multiple intelligences and other applications of multidimensional whole brain/body learning, 3) integrated day and student-initiated project-learning approach, 4) multiculturalism and a curriculum that embraces the people of the world, 5) Western education and the skill-building techniques of traditional approaches, 6) arts-integrated curriculum and how we make learning meaningful to children’s daily lives