About Walnut Hills Community Elementary School (9200)
A MESSAGE FROM:
Walnut Hills Community Elementary School
2024-2025
At Walnut Hills Elementary, we take pride in fostering a caring community of confident learners and courageous leaders right here in Centennial, Colorado. With approximately 351 students in Pre-Kindergarten through fifth grade, our diverse student body reflects a rich tapestry of backgrounds: less than 1% Cent/No/So American Indian or Alaskan Native, 15% Asian, less than 3% Black or African American, 28% Hispanic, 42% White, and 12% representing multiple races. Our mission is clear: to partner w…
ith our community and empower every child to be inspired, confident, and happy in a safe and inclusive environment. We value the diversity of our community, welcoming and serving all children with the highest expectations for both academic and social growth. Data-driven decision-making is at the core of our approach, as we work to close achievement gaps while raising the overall performance of our students. We are dedicated to preparing our students for their unique pathways through culturally responsive learning experiences aligned with state and national standards. Our commitment to excellence extends to creating a vibrant professional learning community among our staff. Together, we foster 21st-century learners through innovation, enhance student achievement, and cultivate social consciousness via community circles, restorative practices, and social-emotional learning experiences. We inspire our students to be risk-takers, problem solvers, and critical thinkers, encouraging perseverance and grit in all their endeavors. Every decision we make is rooted in what is best for our students. At Walnut Hills, we strive to provide an optimum learning environment where every child can thrive as both a learner and a leader. Our goal is to equip students for future educational pathways and inspire them to pursue their dreams in our state-of-the-art innovation space. We offer a variety of enriching opportunities, including after-school clubs, leadership roles in school events, and community service projects. We are committed to building confident 21st-century learners who are upstanders, critical thinkers, creators, and collaborators. Our instructional framework is grounded in the Colorado Academic Standards, ensuring that all students receive focused, meaningful instruction in core subjects: reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. Additionally, integrated arts courses in music, visual arts, physical education, and S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) enrich our students' educational experiences. Each grade level has clearly defined expectations that meet or exceed state academic standards, ensuring every child feels valued and heard in our community. To promote a strong sense of belonging, our students begin each day with community circles that foster relationships and social consciousness. We emphasize a growth mindset, helping students develop skills in self-awareness, self-regulation, responsible decision-making, and above all, kindness. We believe in the power of family engagement and offer numerous opportunities for parents to be active participants in our school community. The Walnut Hills PTCO meets monthly to discuss school initiatives and fundraising efforts, while our School Accountability Committee convenes quarterly to focus on school improvement. We host four family nights each year to promote parent involvement, cultural acceptance, and meaningful connections between families and staff. Additionally, our LAUNCH project days allow students to showcase their project-based learning to families, enhancing understanding of our educational approach in reading, writing, and math. We provide two formal opportunities each year for parents and teachers to discuss student progress, and our Inclusive Excellence team hosts monthly PASS (Partnerships for Academically Successful Students) meetings specifically for our Black and Latino parent groups. These meetings aim to strengthen relationships and improve instructional strategies to support our students of color, ultimately working to close the racial achievement gap at Walnut Hills. The safety of our students and staff is paramount. We have implemented a comprehensive safety plan that addresses both physical and emotional safety, continuously adjusted by our dedicated safety team. Regular inspections and drills?covering fire safety, lockdown procedures, and playground evacuations?ensure our preparedness. I meet monthly with the district security coordinator to review and enhance our safety practices, providing immediate feedback following each drill to staff and students. We keep parents informed of our safety protocols through meetings and newsletters. Our approach to social-emotional learning emphasizes recognizing and celebrating students for their positive choices as confident learners and courageous leaders. We implement restorative practices consistently, guiding students through both their successes and challenges. Our school-wide plan is embraced by all staff, fostering an environment where care, confidence, and courage thrive. We hold reward ceremonies three times a year to honor students who exemplify the behaviors that contribute to our caring community. Through programs like Second Step and Sungate Kids, we equip students with the skills to navigate challenging social situations and recognize when to seek help. At Walnut Hills, we are dedicated to nurturing well-rounded individuals prepared for success both in and out of the classroom.
Accredited with Distinction - This is assigned to the highest performing districts. These districts are meeting or exceeding expectations on the majority of performance tasks.
Accredited - Districts with an overall rating of Accredited are meeting expectations on the majority of performance metrics.
Accredited with Improvement Plan - These districts are identified as lower performing. They may be meeting expectations on some performance metrics, but they are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on many.
Accredited with Priority Improvement Plan - These districts are identified as low performing. They are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on most performance metrics. The state will provide support and oversight to these districts until they improve.
Accredited with Turnaround Plan - These districts are identified as among the lowest performing districts in the state. They are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on most performance metrics. The state will provide support and oversight to these districts until they improve.
Accredited with Insufficient State Data - These districts are assigned this accreditation rating when the state does not have enough data to report publicly. To better understand why a district received an Insufficient State Data rating, all publicly reportable data are reflected in the performance framework report. More information about these ratings is available here.
School Ratings
Performance Plan - Schools with a Performance Plan are meeting expectations on the majority of performance metrics.
Improvement Plan - These schools are identified as lower performing. They may be meeting expectations on some performance metrics, but they are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on many.
Priority Improvement Plan - These schools are identified as low performing. They are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on most performance metrics. The state will provide support and oversight to these schools until they improve.
Turnaround Plan - These schools are identified as among the lowest performing schools in the state. They are not meeting or are only approaching expectations on most performance metrics. The state will provide support and oversight to these schools until they improve.
Insufficient State Data - These schools are assigned this plan type when the state does not have enough data to report publicly. To better understand why a school received an Insufficient State Data rating, all publicly reportable data are reflected in the performance framework report. More information about these ratings is available here.