Dunn Elementary School

To say Dunn has very little ethnic and socioeconomic diversity is clearly a misrepresentation by an a parent who is angry about the closing of Moore. Dunn has students from close to forty different countries and while there are some very affluent students, there is greater socioeconomic diversity than in most of the elementary schools in Fort Collins. Dunn is certainly not without its flaws, but overall, it is an outstanding environment for children to learn and grow.
--Submitted by a parent

Dunn is a great school for children who fit in, but doesn't cultivate an environment that celebrates difference (diversity, yes, but not difference).
--Submitted by a parent

Of course Moore scores well on all standardized tests. Of course their rating is 'excellent.' The boundary lines within the Poudre School District make sure only the richest and whitest attend Dunn Elementary. I find it disheartening that this school can have 76% caucasian students while schools just 8 blocks north of it have upwards of 76% HISPANIC students. This school may fare well in education, but there is very little ethnic or socio-economic diversity.
--Submitted by a parent

I think Dunn is a wonderful school but the reviewer addressing the issue of over involvement is absolutely correct. As parents we need to do what we can to help our schools find the right balance between creating an inclusive environment (for parents) and supportive environment (for children and teachers)while giving professional educators the freedom they need to teach. Every class at Dunn is different and this individual shares his/her experience. I observe incredible kindess at Dunn but I've also observed tremendous pettiness from this very element of the community mentioned below. Readers should note the reviewer has given great compliments to this school and I concur. Every school has positive/ negative attributes and parents should weigh both when considering any school. Perhaps the reviewer should have noted the school's need to reach out to the working parent as well as they are a growing contingent of every community
--Submitted by a parent

Anyone who has had experiences with public schools in other communities will know immediately that Dunn (and the Poudre school district in general), is truly excellent. The school's environment is one of caring and consideration, the IB curriculum is a wonderful layer of enrichment. While there could be a lot more science, and the 'specials' tend to be mediocre, your child will receive a very good education that serves them well in the next phase of schooling. It is unfortunate that another reviewer here seemed to feel that the parents were 'overeducated' and 'cliquish.' Personally, I love the fact that my children are surrounded by adults who are well educated and have time to contribute to the school. It really is a village educating the children at Dunn, and I've never seen that village be anything but inclusive and welcoming.
--Submitted by a parent

Our child has been at Dunn for three years and overall we found that teacher quality varies. There are exceptional teachers and average teachers. The school places an inordinate emphasis on reading and less of a focus in mathmatics and science (mediocre at best). The languages programs are really wonderful and we had a very positive experience. There is a strong emphasis on the environment and discussions around becoming more responsible global citizens, but little emphasis on responsibilities to one another, or to those less fortunate in the community. The school has an inordinate number of stay at home, overeducated moms who are over-involved in every activity, competitive, and often cliquish and petty. This environment rubs off on the kids as well which can result in children feeling left out and isolated (resulted in repeated interventions in 3rd grade).
--Submitted by a parent

We applied our son to K-class at Dunn as our school of choice. After a month of waiting, he got in and been there until third grade. We had never been disappointed with our decision. Dunn provided an excellent environment of learning. More importantly, it gave my son a global perspective and a sense of respect to others. The principal and all of their staffs gave us more than what we firstly anticipated. With their exceptional educational standards and caring attitudes, the students acquired not only high aptitude in educational aspect, but also as a good citizen to the world. With these characteristics equipped from Dunn, I believe that my son can floursih everywhere. If we could choose to a school for our son again, it's not going to be changed to any other except this school in our heart, Dunn IB School, Fort Collins. From parents of a Dunn alumni in Thailand.
--Submitted by a parent

Before we moved here in 1999, I found out that Dunn was an IB School and put our daughter on the waiting list for school of choice. She went to Dunn for 1st through 6th grades. What an amazing school! It isn't just because it offers the IB program. Every single teacher is exceptional. Jan Borman, the principal, is the reason the school is so outstanding. She worked really hard to see that Dunn became an IB school. In addition, she gets some of the best teachers in the area because they really want to work for her and also be part of the IB program, which takes a lot of additional training and work for these dedicated teachers. The students are from all over the world and the classes are small. My son, while in college, also volunteered with the first grade classes and had a wonderful experience.
--Submitted by Deborah Howard, a parent

This school is amazing. The school constantly strives to go above and beyond for the students and consistently does. Dunn really understands and teaches the children from a global perspective that they really understand and enjoy.
--Submitted by a parent

Dunn is an exceptional school in most every way. It is an IB school and the students really feel proud of the accomplishments they make as well as the schools. Dunn offers art, music and language class as a regular part of their school courses and really encourage students to broaden their minds and think outside of the box. The teachers are wonderful and well educated.
--Submitted by a parent