Pardon our Dust — Here We Grow Again

Dawn Nelson, principal of Pikes Peak Prep, reported on how the new classrooms will be used.

The new buildings will provide the space for elementary and secondary programs to expand. For the 2012-2013 school year, the new modular classrooms will house our secondary English and social studies team, choir and band, a new PE weight and fitness room, a workshop for our engineering and 3D art programs, an academic intervention classroom, and possibly a parent center.

Dawn Nelson, principal of Pikes Peak Prep, reported on how the new classrooms will be used.

“The new buildings will provide the space for elementary and secondary programs to expand. For the 2012-2013 school year, the new modular classrooms will house our secondary English and social studies team, choir and band, a new PE weight and fitness room, a workshop for our engineering and 3D art programs, an academic intervention classroom, and possibly a parent center. Courtyards between the buildings will provide outdoor eating and meeting space for our middle and high school students to enjoy. Of course, the project would not be possible without the cooperation of the Assistance League who is allowing us to use the land adjacent to our school for the buildings.”

Kevin Collins, Interim President of The Classical Academy, stated “In the community of charter schools, we often do great things with limited resources and temporary solutions. TCA is grateful for the teachers and students who made excellent learning happen in these portable classrooms. Thanks to generous stewardship from our parent community, we are finishing our main classroom building, so we are pleased that a part of our history will have a new season of usefulness at Pikes Peak Prep Charter School. We wish the teachers and students many years of learning and achievement in their new classrooms and library.”

“Chuck Murphy, PPP school board member and CEO of Murphy Construction, has stepped forward to help us prepare the ground for the new classrooms, as well as preparing an additional plot adjacent to the school that will serve as a sports field,” stated Walt Glover, PPP Board of Directors President and CFO of the United States Olympic Committee.

“Work is already well underway preparing the Assistance League lot. The modular classrooms will be installed within days. Neighbors are excited about our school’s growth, new programs, and the development of the land,” stated Principal Nelson.

Seats for fall enrollment are still available in a few key grade levels. Applications are available online at www.PikesPeakPrep.org.

Pikes Peak Prep is a tuition-free, K-12 public charter school founded and supported by the Greater Educational Opportunities (GEO) Foundation. The school is a small learning community focused on college preparation, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and Core Knowledge® sequenced curriculum for K-8. PPP will offer Project Lead the Way® engineering curriculum for grades 9-12. High school students have the opportunity to enroll in college classes and receive college credit for free through the school’s early college program. Emphasis also includes music, arts, graphic arts, 3D animation and game design, physical education, Service Learning, co-curricular clubs and activities. The school offers one-to-one technology as each student has access to an individual computing device. PPP received the 2011 Governor’s Distinguished Improvement Award for High School from the Colorado Department of Education.

The GEO Foundation, located at 333 North Pennsylvania Street in Indianapolis, believes that all children should have access to a quality education and embraces all quality educational options that enable parents to help their children learn and schools to succeed. As part of this commitment, GEO supports three charter schools – two in Indiana and one in Colorado – as part of its GEO Academies network.