Turning education into an adventure!
At DDES, we strive to ignite lifelong curiosity and learning through hands-on, real-world experiences. Here, we empower every student to excel academically, socially, and emotionally. Our students are not just learners; they are compassionate leaders, tenacious problem-solvers, and courageous innovators.
Rooted in the vibrant diversity of downtown Denver, we embrace a culture of inclusivity and continuous improvement. We prepare young minds to be global citizens and pioneers of tomorrow. At our school, education is not just about acquiring knowledge but about expanding horizons and transforming lives.
Expeditionary Learning Education
Expeditionary Learning (EL) education’s approach to curriculum makes subjects come alive for students by connecting learning to real-world issues and needs. The EL model, which we bring to life at DDES, provides academically rigorous learning expeditions, case studies, projects, fieldwork, and service learning projects to children of all backgrounds and ability levels. It inspires students to think and work as professionals do, contributing high-quality work that would be appreciated beyond the classroom.
Students explore subjects through working on in-depth, meaningful projects inside and outside the classroom. These projects are carefully planned “learning expeditions” encompassing the Colorado State Academic Standards and the Common Core Standards for each grade level.
Learn more about what Expeditionary Learning looks like at our school on the Our Approach page.
Character
At DDES, character development is the backbone of our work. It informs our approach to academics, crew building, discipline, and collaborative work. These character commitments are traits those at our school strive to demonstrate in all we do:
- Courage
- Compassion
- Craftsmanship
- Tenacity
- Self-Discipline
Diverse by Design
Alongside our work in academics and aligned with our social emotional learning, we believe that preparing scholars for the world beyond also means experiencing the diversity of the world we live in today. Our network is intentionally diverse.
We prioritized applicants from low income families. We are one of the few racially integrated elementary schools in Denver Public Schools. Some 40% of our population are families of color, 80% work downtown, 60% live within a 3-mile radius, and we accept students from 44 Denver metro zip codes – all making DDES the most geographically diverse elementary schools in Denver Public Schools!
This unique aspect of Downtown Denver Expeditionary School brings together students from many communities, allowing us to create opportunities for them to share experiences, come together in classrooms and out on fieldwork, and connect across both racial and socioeconomic lines of difference.
Valuing diversity is an organizational priority and a core belief shared in our school. DDES is proud to have recently been accepted and now accountable to the national Diverse Charter Schools Coalition, a group dedicated to helping create diverse public charter schools through research, advocacy, and outreach.