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Visual Arts

The visual arts program at Brown is an exploration of cultural diversity, the natural world, and the joining of these two worlds. The challenging arts curriculum is designed to meet the developmental needs of each grade level, while addressing the state standards and the IB units of inquiry. 

Some examples of Brown’s in-depth art projects include: 5th grade’s Technology and the Media, 4th grade’s Masks of the World, 3rd grade’s Geometry in Art and Nature, 2nd grade’s the Science of Art, 1st grade’s Literature Inspired, and Kindergarten’s Exploration in Art. Along the way, students are given continuous opportunities for advanced thinking and asked to apply their learning using materials in creative art projects. Through literature, research, digital slideshows, and hands-on projects, students gain valuable perspectives about concepts and processes in art.

One of the hallmarks at Brown has become the implementation of school-wide art shows. These extraordinary events invite the parents and community to participate in an afternoon of color, music, and dance. During these art shows, students are given the opportunity to reflect on and celebrate their works of art through exhibition.

The visual arts program is also undertaking a school beautification project. In spring 2007 the students of Brown and a group of volunteers painted an enormous mural on the playground’s south side wall. In spring 2008, Brown will continue its student-inspired beautification projects during an after school program. Join us, as Brown becomes the new visual spotlight in northwest Denver.

About the Art Teacher:
The program is guided by Mr. Barth Quenzer who is an active visual artist and arts advocate. He received his Master of Arts degree from the University of Denver in 2006 in Art Education. Mr. Quenzer believes that the arts are a critical part of a student’s education and can be used to enhance student achievement and community involvement.

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Music
description coming soon...

About the Music Teacher:
Pam Brinster is excited to be working with our school's very enthusiastic, highly energetic and wonderfully fun children. She comes to Brown from Poudre School District in Ft.Collins. Her 30 years of teaching experience includes teaching Elementary Music for 18 years and Secondary Music, Language Arts, Drama and Speech as well.  She was on staff at a Junior High IB school for the last 5 years and feels very fortunate to continue to teach within the same educational philosophy here at Brown.

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Dance/Gym

A love of movement and physical activity are some of the primary contributors to the lifelong maintenance of a healthy body and lifestyle. It is the goal of Brown’s physical education and dance program to foster such a passion in our students by introducing them to dances and physical activities that are as enjoyable as they are challenging.

In the fall, students learn dances from all over the globe – including Israel, Serbia, Germany, South Africa, and the Pacific Islands. As we learn each new dance, we discuss the nation from which it originates, and discuss when and why the dance is performed, thus promoting a deeper awareness of other cultures. In the spring, students learn classical dances such as ballet and tap, as well as experiment with modern dances. At the end of their dance block, they will be given an opportunity to incorporate all they have learned over the year into the creation of their own dances.

Citing obesity as one of the most dangerous problems affecting our youth today, the dance/gym teacher emphasizes fitness activities as a daily routine. Students learn cooperative and team-building games, work with bean bags and juggling, and experiment with parachutes, climbing, jump roping, floor scooters, rhythmic games and gymnastics.

The hope of the dance and physical education department is that students strengthen their bodies, become more culturally aware, and learn how to stay healthy in today’s society, all while having a terrific time.

About the Gym/Dance Teacher:
Prior to coming to Brown, Amy Salinger taught middle school English in southern California. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology from Pomona College in Claremont, and a Master's degree in education from Claremont Graduate University. She has a son who is nine and a daughter who is five. “I am thrilled to join the exemplary staff here at Brown!” she says.

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Library/Technology

The library at Brown is working on developing a current collection which will meet the curriculum and recreational reading needs of students. Our teacher-librarians collaboratively plan and teach with classroom teachers to expand children’s research and literacy skills in their explorations of our Units of Inquiry in the Primary Years Programme (PYP). The librarian’s role is to broaden the students’ understanding of children’s literature and support curriculum projects.

The library offers students a variety of materials to check out, including fiction, non-fiction and picture books, as well as magazines and audio materials. Many of the materials are available in Spanish as well as English, with a goal of encouraging each and every child to become a life-long reader and learner.

All students are taught information literacy skills both in the library and in the computer lab. These skills are essential for students to be able to access, evaluate and use information. For a complete guide to what skills are taught in the library and computer lab, please visit the DPS Information Literacy and Technology Matrix.

Thanks to a grant from the Carmel Hill Foundation, Brown is implementing the Accelerated Reader program! Accelerated Reader is a motivational reading program that helps students choose books at their level and allows them to take computerized tests to assess their comprehension. To find out more about Accelerated Reader, please visit their website.

About the Library/Technology Teacher:
Cindy Spruce has ten years' experience teaching in public schools. This is her first year at Brown International as well as her first year in a teacher/librarian position.  She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of New Hampshire and is very close to completion of her Master's in Library and Information Science from the University of Denver. Ms. Spruce is excited to be teaching in an IB PYP school and loves the collaboration between the classroom teachers and the library that helps build and support each student’s love of learning and books.

“You cannot open a book without learning something”      -Confucius

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Spanish

The Spanish program at Brown International is geared toward fostering cognitive flexibility: when children are fluent in two languages, they know more than one word for the same object or concept. Because words have different connotations and ideas in different languages, children build a more complex understanding of vocabulary and the world. A bilingual child not only can speak two languages, but can think about the world in more complicated ways. For this reason, the Spanish program at Brown is a perfect complement to our IB program. 

Students at Brown receive 40 minutes of Spanish instruction a week, during which time they learn language structures (phrases) and vocabulary related to school-wide IB units.  Students work in cooperative groups, act-out concepts, learn songs and play games. Native Spanish speakers are given the opportunity to improve reading and writing skills and to support Spanish learners in a trusting environment.

About the Spanish Teacher:
Maestra Sarah Kreider is very excited to be a part of the Brown team. She has been a Denver Public School teacher since 1995, and before coming to Brown, she taught Kindergarten through fifth grade as an ELA-S teacher (English Language Acquisition for Spanish speakers). She has a Master's of Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on English as a Second Language. Spanish is an integral part of her life. She and her husband are raising their sons in Spanish and they've seen first-hand the beauty of bilingualism. Maestra Kreider says, "At Brown we are taking the steps to ensure that our students have a true sense of internationalism. By knowing two languages - and hopefully more in their future - and understanding different cultures, they will have a profound understanding of how the world works and how to be successful, worldly citizens."

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