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Character
GO WITH COMPASSION
We’re committed to building strong character and teaching children about kindness, respect and empathy. -
Innovation
GO CREATE
Innovation isn’t an option, it’s a way of life. -
Enriched Learning
GO FURTHER
Learning happens in all ways at Graland in and out of the classroom. -
Inspiring Faculty
GO INSPIRE
Teachers connect with students encouraging them to reach further as lifelong learners. -
Hands-on Lessons
GO DEEPER
Creative techniques lead children to understand concepts in exciting ways.
discover a love of learning
discover a love of learning
Students who go Graland are the kind of forward thinkers who can go anywhere and do anything.
Since 1927 we’ve gone to great lengths to give every child the best education possible. Why? Because we want them to reach higher and go deeper. We want them to pursue excellence with passion and intent.
Graland serves Denver-area children starting in Preschool and from Kindergarten through Grade 8.
Our Community
Here, you'll never go alone.
Our school community is dedicated to bringing people together in a journey that lasts all the way through middle school graduation and beyond.
50
things to experience at Graland
Unique moments happen every day at Graland. Will your child go cross country skiing on our campus? Practice Spanish at a farmer’s market? Lead an assembly? Here are 50 things to look forward to.
News and Events
Graland Today
Recent News
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Enhancing Belonging Through All-Inclusive Tuition
Read MoreRemoving Barriers to BelongingOne tangible way Graland supports belonging is through our all-inclusive tuition model. This approach reflects a commitment to ensuring that every family can access the full Graland experience, not just parts of it. Belonging isn’t just about relationships and being known; it’s also about participation. -
What’s in a Name? The Power of Knowing Each Student
Before my first year as head of school in August 2017, I decided to put “Carline” on my calendar as a recurring appointment from 7:45-8:15 every day. It seemed simple, a half hour each day, greeting as many students by name as possible, yet it became so much more. Each child had distinct ways of greeting me—handshakes, hugs, or high fives–and approaching me, some were full of life, several were painfully shy, one had daily jokes, another shared a weekend review, and one consistently proposed an educator-student switch day. Each of these individual interactions captivated and rejuvenated me as I engaged in the new head of school experience.Read More -
Building Empathy Through Action: How Service Learning Grows with Our Students
Read MoreEvery August, I have the opportunity to introduce new educators to the Graland Service Learning program during orientation meetings. I start by serving them chips and homemade salsa, and we chat about other delicious food combinations. Chips and salsa go together like service and learning. I then pose the question, “How might learning inform and enhance a service activity? How could an engaging community service activity bring learning to life?”This simple analogy captures the heart of what we do at Graland: Creating meaningful connections between academic learning and authentic service that help students discover their capacity to make a difference in the world. -
A Reflection on the Importance of Belonging
Read MoreI recently read that belonging is only second to love in terms of its importance to emotional health. To equate belonging to familial love puts the need for belonging into a category of extreme importance.
Building belonging means actively nurturing a culture where everyone feels accepted as a valued member. As a former Lower School teacher, I know firsthand how cultivating a community of belonging in the classroom benefits children socially and academically. -
A School of Trout Scouts
Read MoreGrade 4 students Live the Learning through real-world science, shared responsibility, and environmental stewardship.A new science unit is making a splash in Graland’s Lower School, and it begins with a tank of rainbow trout eggs, careful water testing, and a group of deeply invested fourth graders known as the Trout Scouts. -
Eagle Fund Changemakers: Where Purpose Takes Flight
Middle School students Live the Learning through philanthropy, service, and student-led decision-making.Read MoreOn an early morning downtown, a group of Graland seventh and eighth-graders zipped up their jackets, grabbed grocery bags, and got to work packing “power sacks”—bags of nonperishable items that help students at Title I schools have food over the weekend. It was before school, the work moved quickly, and the impact was immediate.For Middle School students in the Eagle Fund Changemakers class, experiences like this are part of a semester-long exploration of philanthropy, stewardship, and community engagement, one that asks students to think carefully, work collaboratively, and make real decisions that affect others. -
Grades 7/8: A Stroke of Innovation
In painting class with Mrs. Sarah Baldwin, seventh and eighth-grade students explored art history through an innovative new medium: virtual reality.Read More -
Kindergarten: Going for the Gold
Kindergarten students brought the spirit of the Winter Games to campus by hosting their own Kindergarten Olympics.Read More -
Grade 4: Rhythms of Puerto Rico
In Grade 4 Spanish with Señora Piedad Rodríguez, students learned about the island of Puerto Rico as part of their cultural studies.Read More -
Grade 2: City Solutions for Country Creatures
Each year, Grade 2 students study Denver’s past and present, exploring how the city has grown and changed over time. This year, Ms. Carrie Vonderhaar’s class added a new element to the unit by learning about the National Western Stock Show and its role in Denver’s history.Read More -
Preschool: A Visit from Graland’s Top Dog
As part of their pets and animals unit, students in Ms. Sara Flansburg’s class recently welcomed a special visitor: Luna, Graland’s therapy dog.Read More -
Grade 3: Stitching Together a Thoughtful Proposal
In Grade 3, students have been studying how to write persuasive paragraphs. As part of the unit, they learned the key parts of persuasive writing, including an introduction that presents a clear thesis statement, or claim, supporting reasons with details, and a strong concluding statement.Read More
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Upcoming Events
Featured News Story
List of 1 news stories.
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Shaping the Future of Education: Graland’s Sphere Compensation Model Earns Further National Recognition
Graland has been awarded the 2025 Jeffrey Shields Innovation in School Business Operations Award for its faculty Sphere Compensation Model, a unique system designed to reward teachers based on professional growth and impact rather than tenure. The prestigious recognition was presented on February 26 at the 2025 NBOA Meeting in New York City, where Head of School Josh Cobb and Director of Finance and Operations Juan Botello accepted the award on behalf of Graland.Full Story
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
