Kepner Educational Excellence Program | Kepner Middle School | Denver » events

MEET and KEEP

admin — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 23:00:20 +0000

On October 21 approximately 50 people came together in the Kepner Middle School classroom of Carrie A. Olson to participate in the Kepner Educational Excellence Program’s first monthly MEET and KEEP event of the 2010-2011 school year. This year’s KEEP program has approximately 60 students participating with sixth graders working their way to Washington, DC for the 19th trip and eighth graders determined to be part of the ninth KEEP trip to Europe. This year’s participants include many who are siblings of former KEEP students which again demonstrates that once a family has experienced the positive results of participating in KEEP, it keeps coming back with more students in spite of the challenge of raising the funds necessary to participate.

A MEET and KEEP is a social gathering at the school where community members can meet students, parents, teachers and KEEP board members to learn first hand about the impact KEEP has on students and their families. Special guests at this event included Ms. Greta Martinez, the Denver Public Schools Instructional Superintendent who has oversight responsibility for Kepner, representatives of EF Tours which is the educational tour company used by KEEP for the European tours, and Amanda Bailey and Shannon Axtell from Union County High School in Liberty, Indiana. Amanda and Shannon flew to Denver from Indiana during their fall break to spend time with Carrie and Jackie Arriaga at Kepner to get ideas for the educational travel program that they are initiating in March of 2011 with the sponsorship of the Union County Educational Excellence Program.

The next MEET and KEEP events are currently scheduled for November 18 at 3:30 pm and December 9 at 7:30 am. We would love to see you there and we would love to have your financial support to help us fund scholarships and the KEEP Work Program where students are required to invest 50 hours of work to be eligible to participate in the travel electives. Please send contributions to KEEP at 345 Saint Paul St., Denver, CO 80206. Thanks for any support!

Email jack@jackrthompson.com if you would like to attend one of the upcoming MEET and KEEP events.

Blacktie-Colorado Revisits KEEP

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 00:41:31 +0000

A few years ago Blacktie-Colorado featured Carrie A. Olson, Executive Director of KEEP, in its “Have You Met?” feature as a person making a difference in the Colorado community. Blacktie’s “Have You Heard?” newsletter editor Nancy Koontz recently visited KEEP again and published the following article in the May edition.

DC 2009, Day One

Carrie — Sat, 02 May 2009 23:45:47 +0000

The 17th annal DC trip began on May 1, 2009. Along with us this year we have 35 sixth graders (including 9 Denison Montessori students), two eighth graders, a ninth grader and six chaperones for a total of 44 people. We are so excited to be traveling to our nation’s capital with another great group of children.

Many had never flown before so many screamed when the plane took off, much to the delight of our fellow travelers! Before we even touched down, we had received two “unasked for” compliments. Our children truly are the best! We at dinner at the airport this year to be able to get out and about on the Mall. Jack Thompson surprised us again this year by showing up unexceptedly to meet us. We toured the World War Two Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial and ended on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial as the sun set. We continued on to our favorite ice cream place where Ms. Arriaga pitched in to help serve!

James of Fancy Flier has helped us out with transportation for years and he just as helpful again! He finally got to meet my daughter after all these years of hearing about her.

Everyone was ready to sleep by the time we got settled in to our favorite hotel, Embassy Suites! Many of our favorite people are still here and remember us. We love staying here.

I am inserting some pictures here. You’ll notice that they are mianly from my group. I apologize, I haven’t been able to get the other adults media cards yet. When I do, will add more. All the pictures will also be available on our Flickr site.

Thank you for your support!

KEEP To Sponsor Dr. Ruby Payne Workshop October 25th

Jack — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 13:57:27 +0000

KEEP is pleased to announce that it is sponsoring a workshop for teachers featuring internationally renowned educational consultant Dr. Ruby Payne and her colleague, Dr. Rita Pierson (www.ahaprocess.com).

The topic of the workshop is “Strategies for Student Discipline and Working with Parents.” Each participant will receive a free copy of Dr. Payne’s newest book Under Resourced Learners. Drs. Payne and Pierson will present a series of strategies, coupled with stories and scenarios about how to use those strategies. Participants will gain tools to identify procedures to reduce discipline referrals and learn specific strategies for working with parents.

Participants will be provided with a certificate of 5.5 CDE certification clock hours as the workshop meets the guidelines for two Colorado Department of Education Standards. The standards met are Standard Five: Knowledge of Classroom and Instructional Management and Standard Six: Knowledge of Individualization of Instruction.

The workshop will be held on October 25, 2008 at the Radisson Hotel Denver Stapleton at 3333 Quebec Street. Registration and continental breakfast begin at 7:30 am and the workshop runs from 8:30 am until 3:30 pm.

The cost is $125 per participant. A registration form can be accessed here.

Email jack@ecentral.com or call 303.888.9379 with questions.