As Catholic School Week kicks off this week, it begs the question: What kinds of options are available to Catholic school students in Denver?
Quite a few, it turns out.
As several new local Catholic high school options have become more available in recent years throughout northern Colorado, parents of elementary-aged children through middle school also have a wealth of options when it comes to giving their kids a Catholic education.
A handful of the Catholic schools in the diocese, 35 of which are directly overseen by the Office of Catholic Schools and five affiliated but run by various religious orders, adhere to specialized models of education that fall outside the traditional parochial school models, which contain their own rigorous curriculum and conform with archdiocesan standards. There are also a number of other unaffiliated Catholic schools which offer educational models that are just as valuable.
No matter which school a parent may choose to send their child to, one element remains constant: the school must be authentically Catholic.
For a full list of Catholic schools overseen by the archdiocese and more information about the many benefits of a Catholic education, visit denvercatholicschools.com.
Classical
The Archdiocese of Denver is currently home to four Classical schools: Our Lady of Lourdes in Denver, Frassati Catholic Academy in Thornton, St. Therese Catholic Classical School in Aurora, and Bishop Machebeuf High School, which has an Integrated Humanities program, providing a holistic and interdisciplinary formation of the human person.
The classical model dates back to as early as the 6th century and is built upon three primary pillars: grammar, logic and rhetoric. The study of Latin, art and music are integral to a classical education, and in the case of these two schools, faith is the foundation upon which the curriculum is built.
S.T.E.M.
S.T.E.M. is a model that places emphasis on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. It was developed in response to the growing fields of engineering and technology in the modern age to help equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in those fields.
Sts. Peter and Paul transitioned to a S.T.E.M. curriculum in 2018 to great success. Additionally, a few schools have integrated S.T.E.M. elements into their classrooms.
Dual-language
Escuela de Guadalupe is currently the only dual-language Catholic school in the archdiocese, but with an ever-increasing need for bilingualism, that number could very well increase.
Dual-language schools essentially teach students to learn in English and another language; in the case of Escuela, its students learn in both English and Spanish. Some classes are in English, others are in Spanish, and some switch languages between days.
Visit escuelaguadalupe.org for more information.
Montessori
Sophia Montessori Academy is the first school of its kind in the Denver area.
The Montessori method has grown in popularity over the years with its emphasis in hands-on learning, but a Catholic Montessori school is a rarity.
“It’s very unusual for Denver to incorporate the Catholic faith in its fullness into a Montessori school,” said Pauline Meert, one of Sophia’s co-founders. “Montessori teachers in general do incorporate a spirituality aspect, but without actually naming the Lord and the saints. We wanted to be able to talk about God and the saints.”
Founded in 2017 by Meert and Irene O’Brien, Sophia practices the Byzantine tradition of the faith, adding to its singularity. Mixed age groups are one of Montessori’s hallmarks, as is the hands-on approach. Just this year, the school moved its location to meet at a larger space next door to St. Francis de Sales Parish in Denver.
Visit sophiamontessori.com to learn more about the Montessori method.
Homeschooling
If a parent would rather homeschool their child in a Catholic environment, there are resources to assist with that, too.
Groups such as the Denver Area Catholic Home Educators offer support and encouragement to local Catholic homeschool families and help connect homeschooling communities to groups closer to their geographic area. They help run cooperatives and programs at various parishes and homes.
Additionally, yearly home educators’ conferences such as the Rocky Mountain Catholic Home Educators Conference and the IHM Colorado Homeschool Conferences are designed to help parents who double as their children’s teachers develop their skills and learn best practices of being your child’s academic educator.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published in October 2017 and updated in January 2024.
