Preschool Classroom Web site
https://sites.google.com/jeffcoschools.us/grepreschool/home

Registration
Families of child who are four years old, should start on the state's Universal Preschool (UPK) Web site: https://upk.colorado.gov/ and then complete Jeffco's application at EnrollJeffco.org.

Families of children who are three years old should begin with EnrollJeffco.org.

Our Preschool
Founded in 2023, our preschool has two multi-age classrooms.  These classrooms consist mostly of four-year-old students with a handful of three-year-old students.  Each classroom has both a licensed early childhood teacher (birth through eight years old) AND a certified early childhood education partner (ECIP).  This maintains a 10:1 ratio (students:adults).

We believe in teaching the whole child with attention give to all areas of development including social-emotional and content knowledge.  With student interest and experiences guided decision making, our standards-based curriculum is brought to life in play.  Teachers create a caring, equitable, and inclusive community of learners where information is available through a variety of materials and experiences.

Children are naturally curious about their environment and therefore, play is an essential component of their experience.  In an ever-evolving, purposefully designed environment, children experience self-directed learning opportunities where they practice skills aligned with their needs and development.  Play promotes a language-rich environment that fosters problem-solving skills, self-regulation, and cognitive and social competencies alongside learning of content knowledge.

Preschool lays the foundation for our children to become critical thinkers, gain the necessary executive function skills to be academically successful, and to continue their educational experiences with confidence and enthusiasm.  We want our children to not only be successful in their future academic career, but to look back at their experience with a sense of belonging and fondness for their time spent in our preschool.

For questions about curriculum, please contact:
Suanne Hawley, Director of Early Learning
[email protected]
303-982-9576

For tours of GRE and general PK-5 school questions, please contact:
Ryan Lucas, Principal
[email protected]
303-982-4625

Tuition Schedule
2023-2024 Tuition Schedule

	Mr. Johnny Arnold, Teacher [email protected] Mr. Arnold is new to GRE, but not new to teaching. He has a master's degree in curriculum and instruction and is licensed to teach birth to sixth grade. He has been teaching in Jeffco for 28 years, mostly in kindergarten but also 1/2 multi-age, and K-1 multi-age. He has a wonderful wife named Shannon, who also teaches at GRE, and he loves to spend time with her, his daughter Ella (20), and his son Sam (17). He spends time listening to music and singing, travelling, and cheering for the Broncos. He also has a crazy dog named Ollie, who keeps his family busy. Mr. Arnold is looking forward to being a part of the Governor’s Ranch community and creating a fun environment where young kiddos can thrive and grow.
	Ms. Riley Dougherty, Teacher [email protected] Ms. Dougherty is excited to start her first year teaching at GRE! She has worked at GRE in the SSN classroom and before and after care. Ms. Dougherty graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelors degree in Business Administration. She then went on to get her masters degree in Elementary Education. In her free time she enjoys hiking and being outdoors. Her favorite place to be is somewhere warm with a beach!
	Jackie Ellis, Early Childhood Educational Partner [email protected] Jackie is so excited to be a part of the GRE community as a member of the preschool family. What Jackie loves most about teaching in preschool is getting to be a part of helping our youngest kiddos find the joy in learning and being at school. Jackie has been in the Jeffco ECE program since 2015. All three of her children received their education in Jeffco. David is almost 30, a Law Enforcement Agent in Lakewood, married to Jacque, a Special Ed teacher and he's daddy to Leon. Grasyn, 20 soon, is exploring a career in the vet tech field while working at a local vet clinic. Josie just turned 12 and is a typical bubbly preteen, a student at Ken Caryl MS and helps to keep Jackie young while simultaneously making her feel old. Jackie enjoys spending time with her family, crafting, reading, taking walks and binge-watching documentaries.
	Angie Thomas, Early Childhood Educational Partner [email protected] While Angie Thomas was completing her masters in Applied Mathematics she was a classroom volunteer in her eldest son’s preschool class; this is where she found her passion for early childhood education. It’s been 28 years in Jeffco’s Preschool Program and five children later! She has two sons, Mitchel and Brisen and three daughters, Sierra, Jaidyn and Ryker. When she’s not teaching preschool she’s spending time with her children with their sports, theater and school activities. She also loves to hike, travel and just hang out with her family playing games, watching movies and creating lifelong memories together! Even though this will be Angie’s first year at Governor’s Ranch Elementary, she is looking forward to a lasting partnership with the GRE community.
	Heidi Crawford, Early Childhood Special Educator [email protected] Heidi Crawford is very excited to join the preschool team at Governor’s Ranch Elementary as the Early Childhood Special Educator. Heidi began as a parent volunteer in Jeffco when her two boys attended preschool. Over the past 16 years, Heidi has worked in Jeffco preschools as a volunteer, substitute teacher, classroom aide, paraprofessional and a lead teacher in a center-based preschool program. This is Heidi’s seventh year as an itinerant preschool learning specialist. She loves preschool and the students, families and staff members she gets to work with every day. After living over 20 years in the foothills, she recently moved back down to the city. Her oldest son attends Colorado College and her youngest son attended Warren Tech’s precision machining program and is currently completing his associates degree at Red Rocks Community College. She loves to spend the summers traveling, camping and hiking.