International School of Denver in Denver

Posted: June 6, 2026

We transitioned our child to ISD in the fifth grade and it has been a wonderful experience since then. The teachers deeply care about the students and they know the kids as individuals. The learning environment is positive and fosters inquiry and critical thinking. The school trips are fantastic and foster independence. Our only regret is that we didnt transition to ISD sooner.

Posted: April 7, 2026

We wish every child could learn like the kids at ISDenver do! Bilingualism is just the beginning - these kids are creative, curious, and thinking critical is baked into everything that they do.

Posted: March 5, 2026

We have been at the school since my daughter was in pre-pre-K and now she is in sixth grade. She is so happy. She has become incredibly smart, diligent and responsible for her own education.

Posted: February 22, 2026

I didn't know schools like this were real. Socio-emotional support is the best I've seen in a school. The curriculum is outstanding on so many levels. Student performance knocks it out of the park both on paper and in the hands-on assignments they are given. These kids aren't just memorizing for tests and moving through at an acceptable level. They are learning at a whole different level and really applying what they learn to the world around them. The kids are legitimately excited to go to school, the projects they work on make them bend their thinking in some really cool ways. Truly, a unicorn of a school. I give it my absolute highest recommendation!

Posted: February 10, 2026

ISD has exceeded all of our expectations. Within a year, our child has become proficient in the target language and has the confidence to use it around native speakers. We love the international and worldly community and have found the ISD environment to be so warm and welcoming. Can't say enough good things about ISD and our experiences with the school.

Posted: November 30, 2025

Our son joined in K2 Spanish and we've had such an incredible experience at the International School of Denver. The teachers are so engaging with the student and parents. Our son absolutely loves his days of Spanish immersion and also enjoys the afterschool clubs and programs that he participates in. The families and community make this school extra special. We are so happy we found this school and cannot recommend it more highly.

Posted: November 23, 2025

Our AuDHD kiddo has been with ISD since 2016 at age three so this is her home away from home. At every step of growth she has been supported and encouraged to be herself and find the things she loves about learning. The IB learning model really supports the students in finding their strengths and understanding the different ways of developing knowledge as well as supporting and understanding weak areas for improvement. Added to the world cultural language learning and travel I see all these middle schoolers that are well rounded and happy to be learning.

Posted: November 19, 2025

We have been a part of ISDenver for going on 9 years and are thankful to be a part of the ISDenver community. Our teachers and staff go above and beyond for our kids.

Posted: December 11, 2024

As parents of three young children, we couldnt be more grateful for ISDenver!! The IB dual-language program is a gem, providing an exceptional foundation for academic, social, and personal growth. The inquiry-based curriculum fosters curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving, while dual-language gives our kids the gift of bilingualism and cultural understanding.

What sets ISDenver apart is its incredible IB program and strong community. The IB framework develops globally minded, compassionate thinkers prepared to excel in any environment. Small class sizes, personalized attention, and a supportive environment make it feel like an extended family. Teachers and staff truly know and care about each child, and the schools diversity broadens their perspectives in meaningful ways.

This investment is preparing our kids for success in an ever-changing world. ISDenver isnt just a school- its where kids grow into capable global citizens!!

Posted: March 6, 2024

As parents who have watched our children blossom at ISDenver since pre-k, we can confidently say it's an exceptional international school. It's more than just academics, it's a nurturing environment that fosters a love of learning and a global perspective.

This became especially clear when our children spent two years in France during the pandemic. While the experience of living abroad was invaluable, upon returning to ISDenver, we saw a remarkable shift. The warmth and welcoming nature of the school truly shone through. I will also say that our children were able to attend French schools while in France, thanks to their years in ISDenvers French program! They are bilingual.

Two of my kids are now in high school and are thriving. ISDenver did a great job preparing them academically. We will miss the school once our youngest graduates from middle school!

Posted: December 5, 2023

ISDenver is an incredible school. It's more than just language immersion. IB Programming is a unique way to learn; every teacher offers a fantastic skill set. Our child has been exposed to so much culture, diversity, and love at this school. We cannot express our gratitude enough as to how this school excels.

Posted: December 1, 2023

I had one child attend ISD for 11 years from K1-8th grade and currently have another in his 7th year at the school. My daughter is fluent in Spanish and proficient in Mandarin. She applied to and was granted admission to all three private schools to which she applied. She is currently in 9th grade and feels like she is at a commensurate ability or ahead of her peers from other schools in math, reading/writing, and language. My son, who is currently in fourth grade is very engaged at school and looks forward to attending each day. This is no small feat!

ISD has made a point about increasing its emotional and well-being staff to support its students, which provides a tangible benefit to the educational and emotional growth process that is often overlooked, but has become a best practice at independent schools.

As a biased parent, I find that ISD students are uniquely engaged listeners and active participants in conversations in ways that other similarly aged students are not.

Posted: November 15, 2023

We loved the full immersion Mandarin program for our two pre-K children. The teachers are caring and effective in teaching the little ones a new language. The IB program and onsite cafeteria which offers healthy, organic meals to the students are a huge bonus.

Posted: June 27, 2023

First, the positives:
1) it's a lovely campus
2) we found many parent friends and truly enjoyed getting to know all the parents of children in class
3) the teachers in ECE were excellent teachers, kind and also challenged our kiddo to grow academically
Now, the growth areas for the school:
1) the administration is unprofessional and disorganized. Seemed like every email had a broken link, or unedited information, or was wrong about a date or time for events. Sometimes we even got emails entitled "test." For years this went on
2) teacher retention seems to be an issue, in the upper grades especially
3) retention of students is lower than expected for a good private school. I think that says enough on its own
4) least diverse Board I've seen (almost zero BIPOC representation) and unclear opportunities for joining the Board or nominating other folks, which is really unacceptable w increased knowledge about problems that arise when a Board doesn't reflect student population
5) social/emotional development education, while a stated value, wasn't in our experience, a value in practice
6) ISD is cagey about the well researched phenomenon of kids being behind in reading when studying at an immersion school. They need to be more honest about this and develop a stronger reading program to address this in K3 and G1 especially
7) administration tolerance for teachers who are unprofessional (using strict and sometimes downright mean methods to maintain classroom control) is too loose--maybe bc teachers are hard to find? This can cause a fair amount of bullying and emotional distress
8) school is not open to feedback from families
9) the ways in which they describe teaching (collaborative, project based learning) are not the ways in which they actually teach. Lots of worksheets. Boring and uninspired

Posted: November 4, 2022

I'm a parent of two kids currently enrolled at ISD. This is the second year for both of them. We moved here from a neighboring state in August of 2021. The kids love the school. I believe it's a productive, formative environment that's truly benefiting my children. I've been impressed with the teachers; they care and pay attention to my children's development. There's really nothing negative in our experience at all; I would characterize this experience as outstanding and plan for the kids to go through their years here. Both had actually gone to public school prior to ISD and we've noted many remarkably positive aspects in comparison to their public school experience. The kids had gone to a 9/10 rated public school but the kids and I notice how much better ISD is to their former school. I've been so compelled by my children's affection for ISD that I donated several thousand dollars to their annual fundraiser. This school is a superb experience for my kids and I've noted the teachers and staff as being highly competent.

Posted: June 10, 2022

Im a current student at the school and have been since k1 I am now a 7th grader that is fluent in Spanish. Isd has amazing teachers and staff that are here for me when I need help mentally and with work, Ive had a great time here I would highly recommend it to any family who wants to put there child in a international school. Ive made so many friends and the teachers are amazing and if I ever feel I need mental health I know that we have great teacher and ms Annie there to help. I am yet to have a bad experience here. Highly recommend from a student. Also the new building is amazing and I feel very safe and more free inside. Its a great space to learn in and again highly recommend.

Posted: February 10, 2022

This school is special. I was implored to write a review because I was candidly shocked by some of the negative reviews on here. We have two girls who started in K1, and now are in grades 2 and 3. They are completely bilingual, and well-rounded individuals due to the mix of academics, life skills, and emotional skills and tools they have learned in school. The teachers are nothing short of remarkable human beings. During the pandemic, the school did everything it could to provide some "normalcy" to our children's lives. The teachers stepped up and did virtual when necessary, and the school did everything they could to be open and transparent through what we all know is an unprecedented time. My youngest is Dyslexic, and she has two support teachers, both English and Spanish, providing specific work to tailor her needs. They meet regularly with her Dyslexia tutor to make sure they are all working off the same goals. While I look forward to the day we can bring back the in-person community the school provided pre-pandemic, I am proud of the effort it took in putting the children first. I am overly proud to have our children at this school. A school should always be in transition. I am a big believer that if you are not iterating and transforming, you can't grow and morph with the changing world. I would recommend this school to any family!

Posted: February 10, 2022

Posted: January 23, 2022

The school does not meet kids' social-emotional needs. Poor integration for new students. Poorly run front office and administration. Not a true immersion school.

Posted: January 23, 2022

Posted: December 28, 2021

Oppressive! This is not a great environment for a child to thrive. We lasted there a month. Although we are having to pay out the rest of the tuition, we couldn't stand it a moment longer. This is a very rigid, rude and condescending group of people. I would think twice about sending a child there. My daughter went to school crying every morning and got in my car crying every afternoon. Thankfully we didn't prolong the agony and pulled her out. I would not recommend this school to anyone. Save your money and go elsewhere..

Posted: December 28, 2021

Posted: March 14, 2021

We love everything about this school and the education both of our children are getting here. The school has done an excellent job handling the pandemic, they are taking active steps to be leaders in diversity and they are successfully creating global citizens. The teachers are warm and accepting and do a great job of communicating with parents when the kids need accountability.

Posted: March 14, 2021

Posted: March 6, 2020

We have seen first-hand another child dealing with bullying over the past 2 years and it still has not been addressed.

Posted: March 6, 2020

It used to be a really good school, sadly it now isn't. We pulled our child out last year and there is no chance that we will return.

Posted: March 6, 2020

Homework seemed to be in line with norms

Posted: March 6, 2020

The teachers are only as effective as the leadership and board allow, which is rapidly declining. This shows by the numbers of teachers who are leaving. The really good ones have already left. The rest of them seem very frustrated.

Posted: March 6, 2020

The school leads by example, as such, it fails in this regard.

Posted: March 6, 2020

I've never seen a more dysfunctional leadership team. The board is run by a tyrannical person who cares more about silencing parental dissent than actually running an effective school. The Head of the school just follows her orders. They will flat out lie to parents and seem to think that it's ok. They are reducing language instruction to the point that the name of the school is a falsehood. The head of the school actually admitted to me that they intend to be another Graland, rather than an language-focused school.

Posted: March 6, 2020

I've not been in a position to judge as my child doesn't have this issue.

Posted: December 23, 2019

A perfect 10 or 100, whatever is best, we could not be happier. I feel grateful and happy to be at ISD Denver.

Posted: December 23, 2019

They are of course teaching all the class in the target language but it's their passion and approach they make them effective. Most teachers have been at the school for over 10 years. They do love their jobs.

Posted: December 23, 2019

I chose this school 1st for language and second because they teach kindness and compassion from a globally minded perspective. They also have a service learning component for kids and parents to participate in, volunteering around town, to help others is an important part of growth as a young adult. Learning to look beyond your own individualist concerns to the larger concerns of society is a tenant of a good life.

Posted: December 23, 2019

The school President and Director are dedicated and are constantly pushing for the school to have world class status. They are active in the community and the communication between the school and the parents is excellent.

Posted: December 23, 2019

I assume so I just do not know about this, please call to get more information.

Posted: December 23, 2019

I'm not sure about this, as we have not encountered any but I imagine it would be dealt with in an effective and gentle way and is in general not over looked or tolerated.

Posted: December 23, 2019

My daughter is only 5 and does not have traditional, set aside time, for homework but she still does end up bringing home project work. She recently did a study on dinosaurs and we made a sculpe clay "salad" food, something a long neck dino eats. Then after a semester of study the culmination was a presentation to the parents with some students taking on the role of a Palentologist. The projects for 5 year olds is impressive and it has been since K-1 which is the level before pre-k. I've been very pleased with the casual, education approach to learning. It's amazing.

Posted: December 19, 2019

This school is special in so many ways. Its not just a second language our kids are learning here, but also a whole other culture, and a respect for differences between people from different backgrounds. The parents and teachers have all become wonderful friends, simply because they are such interesting, fun, and accomplished people. We couldnt be happier with how loved & supported our kids have been at ISDenver.

Posted: December 19, 2019

My kids are still to young to be assigned homework.

Posted: December 19, 2019

There is a strong, inclusive community at ISDenver that makes it unlike any other school weve experienced.

Posted: December 19, 2019

I have mixed feelings about the leadership at the school. Im not sure the administrations priorities always reflect the parents priorities or the teachers best interests.

Posted: December 19, 2019

I dont have a lot of experience with this personally, but, Im not aware of any special-needs resource teachers or gifted & talented programs at the school.

Posted: July 29, 2019

After a few years of poor leadership while the school was growing from a 'family run' type place to a more professional type school ISD now has a much stronger leadership group in place. The current Head of School is dynamic and engaged and keen to have a strong administrative group under him. The kids are always top of mind in decision making and changes have been for the better. Parents who have chosen to leave because they cling to outdated views or believe that their opinions on education count more than the actual educators are not missed.

Posted: July 29, 2019

I am impressed with how teachers look out for kids who may not be on the same level as their peers and for the resources that they have available to get kids up to speed. One criticism I have is that there is a focus on helping kids with advanced skills in math accelerate very quickly leaving a big gap to the kids who have 'normal' math comprehension. I would like to see more emphasis on bringing the average kids up to the higher standard.

Posted: July 29, 2019

We have three kids who have been or are at the school and are continually amazed at how well rounded, worldly and impressively bilingual they all are. We could not be happier and are thrilled to see that the community shares our appreciation as the school continues to grow.

Posted: July 29, 2019

Teachers do a good job of communicating expectations and requirements to parents. Homework amounts are not onerous.

Posted: July 29, 2019

Despite the turnover that is a fact of life when hiring teachers from abroad, the quality of teachers at ISD remains top notch year in and year out.

Posted: July 26, 2019

ISD provides students after-school study halls where students can work with a teacher to complete homework, ask questions and even focus on additional problem sets or reading. Homework is minimal in the lower grades and picks up in middle school with frequent project-based learning students sometimes must complete in teams with their classmates. Our family experienced a lot of fun challenges together and never felt burdened by homework. The perennial concern was always that teachers, especially in middle school, more thoughtfully coordinate project-based assignments.

Posted: July 26, 2019

Individual teachers are fantastic, and when we had concerns about a teachers effectiveness, we always felt we could speak with that person directly and as if he/she was a genuine extension of our parenting team. We watched our children make continual gains in all of their studies, including math and English. Our children are taking courses for college credit in their target language and have tested into high school honors classes.
However, we also know our children received this fantastic instruction DESPITE the schools administrators and what everyone with significant history at ISD knows is an upcoming time of terrible turbulence. Teachers effectiveness today cannot be guaranteed much longer because
ISD unfortunately is horribly hamstrung by a weak to unqualified senior administration and a board that needs to be substantially turned over. Longtime and highly experienced teachers are leaving and making plans to depart after the 2020 academic year. They see what we do: a school that has lost its focus, lost its core mission and is directed by people who dont have the professional experience and knowledge to lead an international school that traditionally has focused on helping children acquire a second language with native proficiency.

Posted: July 26, 2019

Because ISD is in a state of great flux, this is a difficult question to answer. What has happened in the past cannot be guaranteed. Though the school emphasizes these values, how administrators have behaved in recent years has sent horribly mixed messages to older students, who know classmates who have been refused re-enrollment because their parents have done nothing more than ask good questions that made too many administrators, board members, and the parent friends of administrators and board members uncomfortable. ISD is no longer the cohesive community it once was, but rather one that acts along tribal battle lines. As students get older, they see the hypocrisy and sense the superficialities of administrators and board members who profess to put students interests first.
The SEL curriculum also needs some work, as does ISDs approach to discipline, which has been highly inconsistent.

Posted: July 26, 2019

ISD needs an almost complete overhaul of its leadership, and its tough to call it leadership. The schools board is notoriously insular, non transparent, unresponsive, and unaccountable. Its composition (all parents, which begs for conflicts), structure, and governance are highly problematic. Ask to see the boards selection process, bylaws and meeting minutes, and dont take no for an answer. Ask whether these board members sign ethics statements that would prohibit them from self-dealing and/or receiving kick-backs from vendors to the school. Ask to see how much of the boards business is conducted in closed session. Ask how many times a year the board meets with teachers and parents to hear or address concerns. Also take the time to study public filings, which outline aspects of school finances and compensation for individuals. There are very good reasons to ask these questions about ISD.
Anyone who tells you individual board members dont act in retaliatory ways from shadows is ignorant or misleading. Teachers, staff, parents we all have seen this behavior and its impact. We know students whose contracts were threatened or terminated because their parents asked too many reasonable questions about board and administration decisions.
The schools administration is an extension of this board and does not act as independently as it claims. For example, the Head of School is there to do exactly what he is told if he wants to keep his job and some benefits parents should also ask about when examining school spending.
ISD administration has individual, good staff members but also needs an overhaul. A series of bad board decisions become painfully obvious here, where those decisions have been compounded by about five years of instability and people who were never ideal candidates to assume the helm of an international school as unique and promising as ISD was.
Collectively, the board and administration have created a culture that does not allow teachers and parents to express criticism or have a genuine voice in decisions or development and improvement of curriculum. This has become a school where parents who seek group discussion and ask too many of the wrong questions are often branded as troublemakers when they are nothing of the sort. ISD is simply plagued by administrators who havent a clue how to address many areas of reasonable concern.

Posted: July 26, 2019

ISD used to do a much better job in this area. It has taken on students with autism, dyslexia and a wide array of other learning differences, but those days are over for the foreseeable future.

Posted: July 26, 2019

A thousand times no, and this is a problem stemming from the schools inconsistent approach to discipline. The school also is notoriously bad about keeping records that document student behavior over the years, which allows students with chronically bad behavior to get away with causing more harm. While this is a challenge at a lot of schools, a lot of schools are also not charging almost $20,000 in tuition. ISD Parents should be able to expect more in this arena.

Posted: July 26, 2019

Prospective parents need to understand that ISD is a school in transition, and that the wonderful school many families experienced no longer exists. The impacts of bad board and administration decisions made about five years ago are now erupting. The current Head of School arrived in 2019 and has already announced more bad decisions, including a drop in target-language instruction to 50/50 in Grade 3, which is below the exposure provided by many public schools (Administrators efforts to spin this quality over quantityare a very bad joke.) ISDs curricula are confused with the introduction of PYP materials, which in just one academic year has greatly undermined target-language instruction. (Previous experts in language-immersion education studied this carefully and rejected use of PYP years ago for this reason. PYP is the cheaper way for the school to lay claim to providing international education to non discerning parents.). Some parents now openly say they dont really care if their children to not achieve language fluency, a mentality that once was anathema but is spreading and will take the school in still more sad and ill-focused directions. People who thought the ISD of years past was only a language school they needed to improve by steering away from its immersion formulas and national curricula from France, Spain and China never understood the place and have succeeded in destroying its once formidable standing in immersion education. If parents want a pricy private school that is fast becoming less socioeconomic diverse and is plowing more resources into capital building than into its underlying curricula, target-language learning opportunities, teacher salaries and professional development, then you definitely belong here.
But if you realize your child needs stability in the mission-critical elementary and middle-school years and you want to make sure that happens in a school community that is mature enough to give your family and its faculty and staff a voice, go elsewhere.

Posted: July 15, 2019

Leadership from the top down is horrible. Parents concerned with various topics are pushed back upon and, in several cases, pushed out of this school. The board of directors has insulated itself, starting with its form of governance and going on to how it/they interact with parents. They are infuriating to deal with, including the head of school and marketing/admissions personnel (who are merely a puppets for the board). It was certainly not worth investing further money on tuition. We left to pursue higher levels of everything, from effective teaching to school/parent dialogs to a better lunch program. Across the board and in all categories, leaving will be better. My advice: don't start here.

Posted: April 1, 2018

Great so far. Well organized and encourage community building.

Posted: April 1, 2018

Our daughter hasnt been there for the past row years and we have been really impressed with the schools staff. We love all of her teachers so far!!

Posted: April 1, 2018

Posted: February 9, 2018

My family loves this school! Our daughter is a bit of an introvert and her teachers have really helped her come out of her shell and find her voice. We love the culture and the international flavor of the school. We could not be happier.

Posted: February 9, 2018

I have two kids in the Spanish program (K3 and 2nd). We came to the school for the language immersion but have stayed for the international perspective it gives our children and for the quality of the education.
With the diversity in programs and the faculty, the school has a cultural richness that is hard to find elsewhere. In addition, over the last few years the school has been investing in STEAM and focusing on the English program. I am very pleased that both of my children read in two languages and are at the appropriate reading level for their age in both. With the schools increased focus on STEAM in the last few years, I can't imagine there is a better or more well-rounded program available. My kids are confident, speak fluently in two languages, read in two languages, are excited about math and science and feel loved and supported in the school environment. In addition, my kids both have an amazing global perspective and understanding that there are different cultures and people in the world. Its really cool to see that develop so early for them. Its just become part of who they are thanks to ISD.

Posted: September 22, 2017

We have 3 children at the school and our oldest is in the middle school. Every school year is better than the last (and I thought my oldest had a great experience). The middle school is rigorous, yet with supportive teachers we have had no issues. In spite of (or maybe as a result of?) the immersion my child scored in the top decile in both verbal and math. The school has added significant resources to support struggling students and also challenge gifted children. The school recently underwent a leadership change and I am particularly impressed with the interim HOS who was previously at a well-regarded private K-12 school in Chicago. The school was lucky that he came out of retirement to steer it through the transition and having him on board for over a year and a half will leave the school in great shape for the next HOS.

Posted: September 22, 2017

Posted: May 18, 2017

We are just coming up to the end of our first year at ISD. Our children are in the French program, we had transferred from the Lycee in San Francisco so we are well positioned to compare experiences. Firstly, one of the selling points for us of enrolling in the french ministry of education program was that the curriculum is the same regardless of the city or country where you enroll. This has proven to be true, they picked up right where they left off. Noteworthy for us, the campus is wonderful and really a luxury compared to schools in other cities (I'm looking at you San Francisco!). Space to run around and play, but very secure no one can get in or out other than through the front office. They ahve their own fleet of school buses which allows for ample opportunities to attend regular field trips throughout the year. Regarding the educational experience, we have been thrilled with the teaching. My son was entering K3 (kindergarten) and really struggling verbalizing his french, our fund at our first parent teacher interview that they were taking him out and having him work in small groups with a french tutor. His french has come along in leaps and bounds. My children have also started to get some exposure to Spanish/Mandarin through the after school clubs, where they interact with kids and teachers from the other programs. The parent community is a wonderful mix of nationalities, cultures and religions, all very invested and involved - the work bond hours that each family commits to encourages collective involvement. In summary, we feel our children are very lucky to attend this wonderful school. I'm living vicariously through my kids, I would dearly love to have acquired foreign languages so naturally and so young!

Posted: April 28, 2017

Words can't express the way I feel

Posted: March 23, 2017

Posted: December 12, 2016

We have been happy with ISD. Our teachers in both Spanish and French have been amazing. Our kids are both bilingual. Our oldest recently scored very well on his standardized exam in English. His most recent English reading assessment was above grade level. I disagree with the previous parent's assessment of the class trip. Our child actually went on the trip with 2 incredible teachers who were enthusiastic about sharing their culture. He learned a lot and had a great time. Other parents whose children participated were also pleased with their child's experience. The reason why the school did not accommodate parents who decided to skip the trip is that it is part of the curriculum and the culmination of the elementary learning experience. No extra money is required for the trip. The school has had head of school turnover in the recent year. However, it is not in a "downward trajectory". I would urge any parents interested in bilingual education to visit the school, meet the teachers and decide for themselves. Nothing is perfect and bilingual education is a commitment. However, our experience has been well worth it.

Posted: December 12, 2016

Posted: August 19, 2016

Great school - my daughter has been there for four years now. She is flourishing both in her target language (Spanish), math and science. The communication from her teachers has also been excellent.

I want to also give another parent opinion of the the negative reviews. The school is growing and must have policies in place to operate. The head of school makes herself available. She cannot operate a school of nearly 700 kids the same way it used to be run when it was smaller and cater to the constant requests from parents. I also think some parents will never be happy and micromanage.

The academics are strong and my daughter is happy. If the result is excellent I am more than fine with the school's approach.

Posted: August 19, 2016

Posted: July 15, 2016

I just saw some of the scathing reviews on this website and had to respond as a parent who truly loves this school. The school went through a lot of change in the past year and is truly not a small school anymore. Change is hard for people, but I personally see these changes as positive and necessary. I also think more change is necessary to be a truly great school - the idea of constant improvement is a good one. I personally have never had an issue getting a meeting with the head of school and also attended several open focus group meetings with her - along with many other parents - and did complete at least 2 surveys from the school providing feedback, one during the year and one over the summer. I suggest that anyone truly interested in the school come and see it for themselves and talk with parents like me who are still here and love it.

Posted: June 30, 2016

After many years at ISD beginning in Pre-K, like many others we were finally forced to leave after last year. This was largely due to the dramatic lack of focus on retaining faculty and staff, as well as families under new and inexperienced staff in leadership positions. There have been so many changes this year in Carole's first year here as Head of School, it has been tough to get our bearings. One of the major changes she and the board made was to increase the academic school year by two weeks! This not only impacted tuition, but also summer vacations that were already planned out. The reason was based on more "successful" schools being in school longer- yet without the Board or Head of School finding anyway to measure that. (I doubt they have stepped foot in the classrooms!) She does not allow more than one person to confront her about issues, as a previous reviewer noted.

In an effort to provide transparency, most private schools provide surveys (as we have done EVERY year that I have been a parent here) and an annual report to it s constituents, and even posts e-mails the results of those surveys to families. Under the new leadership of Carole Denny, and in conjunction with a very political Board, ISD has failed to do this, not providing a school wide survey for this past school year and as of this posting, publishing no annual report for last year. We personally know many other old ISD families who are switching to other schools this year after their frustrations went unaddressed by leadership at ISD as the school appears to be switching its focus towards growing the infrastructure and signage, than maintaining a close-knit community where teachers and parents were happy!

The amount of turnover that occurred amongst faculty and staff this past school year was ASTOUNDING and very telling of the state of ISD. So sad to see what was once such a great school in such a tailspin right now. It went from a democracy, where every voice was heard, to a complete and total dictatorship! People no longer feel valued here- families and teachers alike and it is really tough to want to stay when the administration and board don't care if you stay or leave. We are SO sad to leave what was once an amazing school that felt like a second family to us.

FYI: The over-the-top comments written about Carole on Nov 16th had to have been written by a board member!!

Posted: June 30, 2016

Posted: May 26, 2016

There are big problems ahead for ISD due to big bets placed by the current self-serving board who foolishly invests in new buildings and school signage rather than investing in the underlying academic programming and better teacher salaries that would lead to improved student outcomes. If the board worked instead to improve the English program, they would then solve their problem of low retention rates from K-5 into their middle school. Currently, numbers are down and they cannot get lift-off in their middle school because parents lack confidence in the school's ability to get their K-5th graders to grade level in English. Of course, learning a target language is the big draw for the school but parents do not want their children lagging behind their American peers. The school constantly posts information about bilingual benefits, and that students "catch up" in English in later grades, but that is not enough for most parents at the school. The administration is completely unresponsive to such academic issues in the early grades, and the head of school instead has focused on writing mission statements and cosmetic school changes rather than on creating a cohesive English curricula for K-5 students. Additionally, the administration refuses to provide math supplement in the English program to bridge any gaps between language programs, and as a result, there appears to be differences in math performance between programs. Moreover, the writing program in English is weak -- there are very few writing assignments given in early grades, and there are no teacher edits or grading of student written work. In fact, nothing has come home from class to show written work done by students. The students who are excelling in English and math go to Kumon or Mathnasium and / or have parents who work with them in these subjects at home. The language teachers' herculean efforts are undercut by the board's lack of focus on improving the one thing that matters long-term, a great American education with experienced teachers to complement the amazing immersion experience.

Posted: May 11, 2016

This used to be a "great school" but unfortunately now has become simply awful. The early grades are still reasonably okay because the teachers are good. BUT starting from 4th grade on, there is a general disarray with multiple teachers who despite small class sizes have no idea how individual students are doing, unresponsive administration, dysfunctional and highly political board. I can't wait till this year is over and our kids go to a proper school. Unfortunately I believe that other than in language, they will be very unprepared for entry into the American school system especially in science and math and even basic social skills.

Posted: November 16, 2015

I agree with this statement because of the way the school tries to promote international mindedness.

Posted: November 16, 2015

Genuinely the only truly 'International' school in Denver. A wonderful new Head of School and Assistant Head have arrived this year and they are bringing wonderful expertise to an already fantastic school. As a parent I feel as though my children are benefiting from a multicultural and multilingual education.

The fees are remarkably inexpensive for the quality of education offered. The class sizes are small and the attention given to each student is really excellent. I feel that my children are growing each day.

The new Head of School, Ms. Denny, is a strong supporter of Carol Dweck's work on a growth mindset and she shared this with the parent community at a recent event. I find this to be a very exciting turn of events of ISD as there seems to be genuine thought leadership at the school presently.

I have noticed an improvement in recess supervision and general student behaviour this year. The school leaders quickly respond to queries and act in a very thoughtful way. The learning environment is excellent this year. I like how the young people are learning about how to be risk-takers, inquirers and reflective learners.

Many parents still have a concern regarding the quality of math and science teaching. The school have tried to address this topic this year but I understand there are difficulties in finding the best fit between the different national curricula and parental expectations. It was pleasing to hear at a Middle School entry night that the student exit Grade 8 with outstanding terra nova scores in Math.

Posted: November 16, 2015

I think that all students in all schools get to much homework. When I bring this up with school administrators I hear that I am in the minority in thinking this.

Posted: October 4, 2015

We moved to Colorado to get our girls in this institution. We saw it won recognition as a great Spanish School. My girls Spanish is good, we are native speakers. However, the non Spanish speaking children have serious weaknesses in their language skills. After two years in this school, my girls developed some issues in their oral expression.
Beyond the lack of good Spanish instruction, this school lacks supervision, kids run wild during recess, bullying, accidents and other incidents are common. Curriculum is weak. It is true what others said, changing schools is hard because the level of English is even worst than the Spanish they teach.
My girls are now in a caring, nurturing school. They have tutors there to help their English, not only the language arts, but also the science and math that was far behind their peers. We only regret not leaving sooner.

Posted: October 4, 2015

Incidents between classmates and other peers are not properly addressed. Many incidents go unreported. The school has a "don't ask, don't tell" attitude to keep parents from knowing.

Posted: March 30, 2015

This school is truly amazing. Our daughter is enrolled in the ECE Mandarin program and we don't have anything negative to say about our experience this year. We lived in France prior to this where our daughter attended two different International schools, the last of which was IB Middle Years certified and while it was a decent school, I can say that ISD is lightyears ahead of it in almost every respect. The teachers are caring and truly dedicated to the students' educational and emotional needs. With very small classroom sizes (14 total students), the teachers can truly cater to the individual needs, providing more assistance for those kids struggling in an area and giving more advanced work to those who are ready. Curriculum is challenging and you can truly see your child learning, not only the chosen language, but all areas of academics; arts, music, math, science, English. The focus on cultural immersion, not just language, is impressive. The communication to parents from the administration is outstanding and the parent-involvement is impressive. I would recommend this school to anyone who wants to give their child the gift of an international education and bilingualism.

Posted: March 24, 2015

I totally agree with the parent who submitted his/her post back in 2011. "It is not great. Some of the teachers are good but the professional development is horrible and many of the teachers are very young and very inexperienced. . The curriculum is also very weak. Many of the kids that graduate struggle with middle school. The school has tremendous potential but will never live up to it with such a weak administration." All of this is spot on. If only I was proactive enough and had carefully read the reviews before enrolling our 2 kids.

Posted: January 21, 2015

Not a safe place for your kids. Make sure you ask these questions before you enroll: 1- how many injuries that requested ER intervention happened so far? 2- Are your caregivers qualified? What degrees/experience do they have? 3- How do you prevent the bad safety accidents from happening again? The answer to these questions is blahblah. They just do lip service without documents you can look at.

Posted: July 19, 2014

I visited this school because I thought the idea was interesting but it it is glaringly obvious that the school needs much growth. The answers I received for questions about academics were vague and not thoughtful. I felt the school mirrored a start up school not one that has been around for 40 years. Underwhelmed by my experience.

Posted: September 17, 2013

DMIS is an awesome place - the middle school is fantastic - my daughter will be graduating from 8th grade this year, speaking both French and Mandarin, and being an IB self-directed learner. The excellent and dedicated teachers, coupled with the amazing and diverse students and parents make it, I believe, one of the best schools in the country.

Posted: May 29, 2013

I visited this school and I honestly would not send my children here. Beacon county has a far more superior education. They teach french and the kids seem to be better prepared for high school.

Posted: November 28, 2012

I have two children at the school and cannot say enough wonderful things about it! Mu kids love school, the teachers, staff and administration are wonderful and understanding. The school has a real sense of community and global awareness which is critical in this day and age. Wonderful academics and language immersion which is exactly what I am paying for. Couldn't be happier!

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Cherry Creek	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Denver	CO	3 mi
2	Sterling Hills West	Area of Town	Aurora	CO	7.7 mi
3	Forest Lakes	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Monument	CO	45.6 mi
4	Flying Horse	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Colorado Springs	CO	49 mi

#	Name	City	State	Overall Rating	Distance
1	Loveland	Loveland	CO		47.5 mi
2	North Gate Blvd	Colorado Springs	CO		48.1 mi

Base	Distance
Buckley AFB	7.2 mi.
US Air Force Academy	49.7 mi.

International School of Denver

Denver, CO 80230

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International School of Denver

Denver, CO 80230

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