What does it mean to be a BCD student? BCD Students Are... Prepared.
Outstanding faculty, small class size and a rigorous curriculum prepare BCD students for success in any quality high school and beyond.
“BCD looks at each child in terms of the whole person, not just the academic piece. We also give them the social skills they need to prepare them to succeed in life.”– BCD teacher
Fourth graders attend a one-day program at Cal-wood. Students may participate in the Pioneer Days program that extends the literature genre of historical fiction/westward expansion, or they may do Pond Studies, which provides hand-on experiences extending the science curriculum. Team building activities and hiking round out the day.
In November the fifth grade classes enthusiastically participate in an overnight trip to Cal-Wood Education Center. Cal-Wood is 15 miles northwest of Boulder, and is at an elevation of 7,800 feet. It is a private outdoor learning center with over 1, 000 acres of land available for student educational opportunities.
While there, students participate in a variety of activities. They experience life at a traditional Native American tipi, learn how to navigate using a compass, and work cooperatively to solve group challenges. During the evening sessions, students participate in storytelling, and each cabin group creates and performs a skit that explains a question from nature. This is a fabulous experience for our fifth graders and they look forward to this event every year with great anticipation.
All middle school students attend outdoor education together and spend three days and two nights at the Covenant Heights Science School camp just outside of Estes Park. While there they study topics which correlate to their grade level science classes. Sixth grade students study earth science, seventh grade students investigate topics in biology and eighth grade students spend their time learning more about physical science. This outdoor program takes place in October and allows students to experience and hike in our wonderful Rocky Mountain National Park. In addition to the extended class work, students experience team building activities and community interaction.
The eighth grade takes a one week journey to Washington, D.C. in April to visit the nation's capital and to learn more about the history of our nation through the use of museums, monuments, and historic tours (Mount Vernon and Gettysburg). The trip is managed by the Worldstrides Organization, is attended by all our students, chaperoned by members of our faculty and is a fantastic educational experience for all.