Beacon Country Day School

Beacon is what it is first because of the faculty. They are fantastic. They are highly skilled, caring and devoted people. Not just at presenting material to kids, but in focusing on the individual child and what their specific needs are. They respect each other, and they respect the children. I could use all 1200 available characters telling you how wonderful they are. However, I'd like to brag on the kids for a minute. The kids that attend Beacon are also wonderful. Accepting, respectful, they have a desire to learn. Does everyone always behave perfectly...of course not. But the kids take responsibility in helping each other learn social skills. They are being taught effective ways to deal with their peers when stuff comes up and it is not just stuff the teachers preach at them. The kids actually practice, they help each other, they encourage better behavior. The cool kid isn't the one breaking the rules and getting trouble, the cool kid is the one who is striving hard to make themselves and the world they live in a better place. Beacon is one of the most comfortable places I have ever been and is one of my favorite places to be.
—Submitted by a parent

We sent our son to Beacon's preschool program based on the reputation and reviews by parents in prior years. Unfortunately, our experience echoed that of a prior reviewer who mentioned that class size was supposed to be limited to 10 and quickly topped 20. As a result, our child did not receive the level of individualized attention we expected, and frankly, paid a premium for. With that said his preschool teacher, Linda Leslie, was wonderful, and celsrly tried her best given the number of students she was asked to carry. As the earlier reviewer mentioned, one of the junior kindergarten teachers was assigned to the class as well but I found he was quite detached and often did not know the days lesson plan or how the children were progressing. I was most disappointed with the after school program. If the Esther was nice the children played on the playground. In colder weather - the majority of the school year - children of all ages were crowded into a single classroom where the "teacher" assigned to them would turn on a television and then read a book or p,ay on the computer. Hardly a stimulating environment for gifted children.
—Submitted by a parent

We visited several schools in the Denver area by far had the best experience at Beacon. The faculty, staff, parents and students were all very welcoming. This is my son s second year, he loves it! Not only does he always want to go to school, he never wants to leave! And best of all he is truly learning.
—Submitted by a parent

This an absolutely wonderful school. The staff is amazing. The environment is loving and family orientated. The education is top notch. We could not have asked for a better school.
—Submitted by a parent

Once you open the door, you will feel warmth and love from everybody . My daughter has been at Beacon for nearly four years now and we could not be happier. She is learning s0 much not only on the academic level but also on the social and emotional level. Beacon is just the best of the best!
—Submitted by a parent

My kids have been at Beacon for nearly 8 years now, four in total, and I wouldn't change a thing. My kids have learned so much both on the academic level and the social level, I could not be more pleased with it if I tried. The teachers are terrific and the individual attention spent with each child is a god-send. There is not a kid at Beacon who isn't loved, taught, and respected by everyone there. The best part about Beacon is the fact that it just gets better and better from one grade to the next. The teachers just get stronger and stronger as the kids get older and smarter. From before school to after school the school is run professionally and responsibly and I have never been disappointed.
—Submitted by a parent

As a former student, I hope the positive reviews for this school mean that they've improved since I attended in the nineties. Rather than being aimed explicitly at the gifted and talented, the school seemed to admit all the kids who didn't quite fit in at public schools and whose parents could pay the tuition each month. The pace matched that of the slowest student in the class, making it very frustrating for the children who had gotten the concept and were ready to move on. Because classes frequently ran over, there was little time to do work in class, leaving an amount of homework that surpassed anything I had to complete in high school, college, or graduate school. Since the staff took the concept of No Child Left Behind very literally years before the concept came about, students who started in 1st grade could expect to take French 1--the exact same class, with the exact same textbook--for eight years straight. When I finally did attend a public high school, I felt ill-prepared compared to my strictly public-school educated classmates. For parents in the Cherry Creek school district, I recommend keeping your kids there. They'll be more socially and academically adept in life.

My child attended Beacon for preschool, and I must say that his preschool teacher was fabulous and I was impressed with what the kids learned during school hours. However, we were disappointed with the class size (we were told it would be around 10 students but it ended up being over 20 students). This left less opportunity for individualized instruction, and the teacher, while she did have a helper, seemed overwhelmed by the class size. In addition, we were very disappointed in the after-school program, which were run by teachers in other grade levels. During the after-school program, rather than engage the students, these teachers turned on television for the children while they themselves surfed the internet. (And needless to say we were concerned that these particular teachers would be our son's classroom teachers in future years at the school) Furthermore, the school's administration seemed disorganized - for instance, they quite often lost our paperwork or checks. Overall, I would say this is a pretty good school, but not necessarily worth the money compared to a high quality public school.
—Submitted by a parent

Beacon has been a wonderful place for both of my children. The caring and highly quailfied staff make all the difference in the world. This school is truly about giving the kids what they need to be successful! We have been blessed to have our children there.
—Submitted by a parent

My children have always been a few notches about grade level on standard tests. With small class sizes they get plenty of attention. When we first came to Beacon we were impressed with the pre-k class being heavy on good time tested phonic learning. They have a holiday program that reminds me simpler times. Unlike public schools that have to strip the curriculum of any religion; my child learned 1st grade geography through an interest in Santa! They even have Santa come to visit at the holiday party. I just miss that my kids are too old for it now. There are parties for every holiday (like almost one a month!) that parents are asked to volunteer for as well as lots of fields that need drivers so it's easy to be very involved in your child's school life. I can attest to the July comment make about getting ready for medication recommendations; and have talked to some parents that said is was the cause of some of the children not coming back to my children's class because they thought her child was too young to medicate; but I disagree the medications are used often on young kids these days. I have noticed that some of the younger grades this year only have 5 or 6 kids in them
—Submitted by a parent

If you want your child in a top notch academic but still loving environment, Beacon is the place. Our son started in Pre-school, went through their JK program and is now in Kindergarten. He also attended their fantastic summer reading program and was reading at 1st grade level before K even started. The teachers are experienced, warm, responsive and the type of people you want guiding your child. The administration are experts in education, responsive, and caring. The administrators know every child's name. Their test scores are unbelievable. It is truly a top notch school. Before we committed to K we conducted an extensive review of all other public and private schools. Beacon came out on top...again. We are thrilled to have our son back for another year.
—Submitted by a parent

Beacon is a great school, especially for little ones that are getting ready for our big crazy world. My daughter attended JK. We are very pleased with level of educaton, fun and caring environment, great lunches from catering company, all holidays, and performances for parents. The teachers are very responsive to any parent's requests. My child never walked out to the playgraond without jacket and hat in the winter like it happens in many other schools,. They even watch for snowboots and snowpants for cold and snowy days. So we didn't get sick this academic year. One remark though, kids could be gifted in any areas, but if they have any behavioral or attetion problems, get ready for medication recommendations. The schools likes very well behaved kids to go with the flow of very high level of expectation.
—Submitted by a parent

I have two children at Beacon. Each has different gifts. Beacon is able to create a meaningful and loving learning environment for each of them. The staff is highly qualified and administration is always available. My children are not just learning to be great students, they are learning to be well rounded, compassionate, and proactive young women.
—Submitted by a parent

My daughter is currently attending JK at Beacon. This is a wonderful school. The teachers are extremely attentive, even to the very shy child. The curriculum is advanced and my daughter is learning so much and doing fantastic. I think the best thing I can say about this school is it is making my daughter love to learn. She is excited to go to school every day and when I pick her up she exclaims about how much fun she had. We also like the fact it is a non-religious school. If I could give this school 6 stars I would.
—Submitted by a parent

My son has attended Beacon since Junior Kindergarten. He is now in 8th grade and will graduate this year. Beacon has: provided him with a great education (many times one on one), proven an awesome setting for him to grow personally without judgment, segregation or being subject to a predetermined clique, eliminated his chances of 'fading into the crowd' because of its size and warm, nurturing environment, given him the tools to become an expert at resolution, and forgiveness, by addressing situations when they occur. Beacon let's parents keep a pulse on their child s progress, or lack thereof, before it s too late, and has prepared its graduates for an exciting future, whether a high school with thousands of kids or a smaller community, the children have the skill set, maturity, work ethic and confidence to be successful. We love BEACON!!!
—Submitted by a parent

This school is a very great and appropriate school.
—Submitted by a parent

Beacon is a loving environment that allows kids to learn and excel at their own pace with great confidence. I have a junior kindergarten child that can't get enough hugs from the middle schoolers every day while being challenged academically far above her age. And I have a 5th grader that is young for his grade but is constantly asking for more and Beacon's teachers continually work to challenge him at a level far above traditional schools or even other private schools curriculm. At the end of the day, when the kids don't want to leave school because they love it so much, we feel good with our decision to have them at Beacon.
—Submitted by a parent

Beacon is an excellent, warm, inviting, friendly school with a rigorous academic program. The teachers make learning fun and instill the desire to learn. Plus, these teachers are very involved with the children and know each child inside & out and are always available to speak with daily. Beacon is like a large family with children and parents fully involved in activities that support learing and after school fun activities. The children are very supportive of each other, respectiful and welcoming of new classmates. My child is very happy, loves to go to school and is excelling. My only complaint is that Beacon doesn't go to 12th grade.
—Submitted by a parent

I have two boys that attend Beacon for middle school. The reason I like Beacon so much is that the small class sizes in the middle school allows the children to grow during these very formative years without all of the extra peer pressure and other outside influences that typically come with middle school. The academics are rigorous but fun and the kids can focus on their learning without worrying about fitting it. They are all so accepting and supportive of each other, and when a new child enters, they are all very warm and welcoming. My boys couldn't be happier. Our only regret is that they have to leave after eighth grade.
—Submitted by a parent

As a parent of a first-grader at Beacon Country Day School, I am extremely pleased with my child s progress and our overall experience with the school. Located in Greenwood Village, this Blue Ribbon school is in close proximity to virtually any south Denver neighborhood. The teachers are excellent and caring, and while they utilize modern tools, metrics and techniques in teaching, they are still fully involved in teaching core fundamentals and good citizenship. As a private, non-profit school, don t expect a lot of gratuitous fluff this school is focused on education; you can expect a level of teaching that is top notch. Also, the small class sizes allow for considerable individualized attention. In existence since 1954, this school has had the benefit of time to perfect its legacy of providing a REAL education without any of the superfluous politics, posturing, or distractions that are present in so many other private (and some public) schools.
—Submitted by a parent