Dennison Elementary School

Our children attended Dennison and continued to D Evelyn. We believed that these schools would provide the best education for the money based on parent reviews and scholastic performance. My children are above average intelligence but are not academically gifted and they struggled to get C s. School performance is important but growth is a far better indicator of a schools ability to educate then testing scores. Student GPA & class ranking will matter more to Colleges then a school ranking. Dennison expects parents to tutor their children 2-4hrs a night. This is the secrete to Dennison s success along with a high drop out rate. Any school that extends the school day and eliminates the lower performing students will have better test scores. Neither Dennison nor D Evelyn help struggling students. We found it necessary hire tutors then later transfer our children from D Evelyn other schools. Remember childhood is about laughter and fun not just scholastic prestige. Dennison/D Evelyn are for gifted and mature children only. They foster good conservative morals and the families are great. Many of the teachers are remarkable though some are ineffective and uncaring.

I have two children at this school and couldn't be happier. Not only are the academics top-notch but the parent involvement is great. If you are looking for a great education for your child AND a community you can get involved in this is a great choice. Yes it's a lottery so don't get your hopes up; just go to the information meeting apply and wait and see. In the meantime you can check out other fantastic Jeffco schools.

Of course the lottery process has zero transparency...it's a lottery! I get it it's a nail bitter we've been there. Openings change from year to year depending on how many incoming siblings are registered. One year it can be 20 opens another year it can be 40 maybe more I don't work in the office. The year my child came in we were in the low 20s and I didn't hear anything for months. However I do know the staff cannot tell you the number they are working on because they have outstanding calls to families with lower numbers. The staff need a decline or acceptance of the open offer before the staff can move onto the next. It is my understanding that this process isn't complete until the middle of summer. Let us not blame the staff but rather those who have a low lottery number and don't get back to the school in a timely fashion. It is egregious and outright unreasonable for the previous parent to give this school a one star when clearly this person know nothing of the standards academics teachers etc. of this truly incredibly awesome life changing incomparable elementary school.

Good luck getting in though. Admissions are by lottery only. The lottery process has zero transparency. They don't tell you how many openings they have each year how many siblings got in or how the number you are assigned fits in with any of these other numbers. At the very least they should post a website saying the next opening will go to number XX. Then you would know how far your number was from the current number. No that would be way to hard for weary administrators. I mean updating a number every week or so is hard work. Why would they want to lift a finger to let concerned parents know if they are even close to getting in to this incredibly awesome life changing incomparable elementary school.

Dennison is an option school not a charter school. The difference is that a charter school is a school operated by a group of parents teachers and community members whereas an option school is still operated by the district. Perhaps this is what the parent below is referring to when writing but still follows the Jeffco curriculum. Dennison is a school with high expectations for both behavior and academics. So yes it would stand to reason that the children are also evaluated for their behavior. (e.g. follows directions completes homework on time follows classroom rules respectful of others talks only at appropriate times etc.) Unlike the previous author I don t find that to be a negative. Dennison has a rigorous academic curriculum that requires discipline and an attitude of excellence. There is homework just about every night but two to three hours is not the norm for most. However if you child finds it hard to focused and stay on task in class s/he may find they have more to do when they get home. I know of plenty of families who are able to balance the academics of Dennison with music lessons and several sports outside of school.

Be prepared to "fit in" at Dennison with both the faculty and parents. If you have issues with the curriculum or teachers chances are you will be ostracized and given the cold shoulder. Academically Dennison is a good school but still follows the Jeffco curriculum. Your kids will get graded for things not related to homework or tests. They push hard at this school so you will have to deal with those side-effects. Two to three hours of homework a night is common so if you want your child to have a life outside of school this is not the place.

This a lottery school meaning you must come by during the first round of open enrollment to submit your child's name. It is purely by lottery that you can get in. Once in siblings are on a priority list and are the first to be selected for open seats. Dennison is a school with high expectations for both behavior and academics. It is for committed parents who believe in the school's philosophy. If you believe in a rigorous academic environment that requires discipline and an attitude of excellence you've come to the right place. One can nitpick over the little trifles as commented below but the rewards go far beyond giving out candy (which few teacher do). Rewards such as honor roll SOAR tickets marble jar parties and shopping at the "class store" with "class dollars". Parents are encourage to volunteer and be present in the classroom as the teacher sees fit. However volunteering opportunities dwindle as the children move to upper grades. There are left-wingers here too (myself included) but it's not about politics here it's about a great education for our children. I can only wish that other schools would follow this fundamental model of education as it clearly works.

I realy interested this school. I want my kids go to Dennison. But I dont know how to enter my kids for this school

As great as all the reviews are there are some downsides to this school. It feels very punitive. At recess before a party the teacher said "If you don't behave we won't have the party." Come on! In the small lunch room the helper uses a megaphone and what I've heard are hurrying words and punishments of quiet time b/c of too much enthusiasm. On the playground the helper is very controlling using a megaphone too. Parents are not encouraged to drop by just to observe; volunteering spots fill up quickly (great!) but if you don't have a smart phone forget about getting a spot. The librarian seems like a nice woman but with the kids she rarely smiles or uses an enthusiastic voice. The parents are fantastic; community seems very right wing conservative. One last criticism with most JeffCo schools they reward with candy. People seem intimidated to make changes b/c of the difficulty of admission and good reputation.

I am a parent of 4 sons who have moved through this phenomenal school. It is nothing short of the highest quality education a parent could hope for. Hard work - yes worth the effort - absolutely! We are so so thankful for the strong start our children have been given at Dennison.

Even though public school funding has languished lately because of multiple reasons the students teachers administration and parents of Dennison have "brought their level up to the game." We do "more with less" than any elementary school in Colorado. Excellence is the only way to describe the Dennison school culture. This is truly a great school!

Dennison is an absolutely phenomenal school. I have experenced the standard Jeffco (4 yrs) and the Jeffco Gifted and Talented Program (5 yrs) and I would highly recomend Dennison if you are looking for a solid curriculum base and an academic challenge for your child.

This school has outstanding test scores which would lead one to believe that this is a school for 'gifted' children. The fact is that there are children with many different acedemic needs and this school does an AMAZING job of teaching all of these children. The school uses a 'total classroom' learning approach and there is no ability grouping. As a parent of a child who struggles this approach has been helpful to identify areas of weakness. At schools that are ability based I believe my child would have slipped through the cracks. The commitment from parents teachers and administrators at this school is outstanding! I feel very lucky to be a part of this school!

Dennison is a school with high expectations for both behavior and academics. It is for committed parents who believe in the school's philosophy and not for whiners who want to lower the standards because they are not willing to pay the price for academic success through hard work and discipline. If you believe in a rigorous academic environment that requires discipline and an attitude of excellence this is the school for you and your child! I give Dennison teachers and an excellent curriculum credit for the success of my children. However I also take credit as a parent who believes in the Dennison philosophy and for holding my kids to the school's high standards. Just because your child attends Dennison/DeEvlyn does not give them automatic acceptance to Ivy League colleges. It takes hard work and determination.

My grown childen attended Dennison and it was a wonderful experience in public education. The strong academics of the program was my attraction to the school and I found the community of caring parents & teachers was the icing on the cake. Both my childern are working professionals and I have to give their early education credit for setting them in the right direction.....Warren Petracek/Lakewood CO

As a family we have thoroughly enjoyed our Dennison experience where the goal is more than 'no child left behind.' Dennison's leadership represents a special blend of care for the future by paying special attention to the student today. Dennison has a definite commitment to excellence through the positive actions of its dedicated teachers. Dennison's principal and teachers are excellent educators who strive on a daily basis to lead by example and ensure that the partnership between parents teachers and students are positively balanced in a safe environment for learning. Dennison = a quality educational experience in a safe environment.

The best Elementary School in Jefferson County with the always the best Test Scores!

You will never find a better school anywhere. If you want your student to learn how to read write experience a wonderful Math program this is the place! The school uses the Open Court Program and there just isn't anything better. I taught at this school for 10 years and believe me there is nothing better in Jefferson County. Dennis Michael retired Jefferson County teacher