Principal's Message
"Arts Integration is an APPROACH to TEACHING in which students construct and demonstrate UNDERSTANDING through an art form. Students engage in a CREATIVE PROCESS which CONNECTS an art form and another subject area and meets EVOLVING OBJECTIVES in both."
-The Kennedy Center's Definition for Arts Integration
Thank you for your interest in our school! Boulder Community School of Integrated Studies (BCSIS) is a holistic, arts-integrated school in which active involvement and academic excellence provide a foundation for learning and self-expression. We opened in the fall of 1996 with three classes and are now a K-5 school with two classes at each grade level. Our school features a unique, child-centered, arts-integrated curriculum in which teachers and students honor all modes of expression and celebrate cultural diversity.
Our program integrates the arts into a rich, academic curriculum. Teachers use stories, songs, movement, art, and music from around the world as tools for teaching math, language arts, science, and social studies. We also draw from several other important educational philosophies and practices, emphasizing the more artful aspects of these various approaches, such as Waldorf Education, Multiple Intelligences, Integrated Day, and the Boulder Valley School District best-practices and core curricula. As a public school, we also offer the best-practice learning materials, strategies, and standards provided by BVSD. Our students and families benefit from the excellent resources, special services, and specialist allocations provided by the district.
BCSIS is committed to creating a culturally, socially, and emotionally responsive learning environment. We strive to create safe spaces where students develop positive personal identities through individual engagement and acknowledge the value and dignity of others through community collaboration. Together, students discover and express their voice, exchange ideas through meaningful dialogue, and treat everyone with empathy and respect. This continuum of engagement extends beyond the classroom and prepares students to think critically about the world, make informed decisions, and take action.
Our program also emphasizes the development of children's sensitivity to the natural world. To that end, classrooms are equipped with natural materials, and children work with natural fibers such as wool, silk, and cotton. High-​quality art materials are provided for artistic expression, including painting, sculpting, knitting, creating collages, playing musical instruments, and more. Classrooms are peaceful and uncluttered to create an environment of focus and concentration. Seasonal festivals create a framework for celebrating the growth and development of each child. As we celebrate 27 years of outstanding education, and a warm, welcoming community, at BCSIS, we thank you for spending time to learn more about our unique school.
In partnership,
Jenn Barr, Interim Principal