Who
We Are

Thank you for visiting the Bal Swan Children’s Center website! We trust that your visit here has ignited your enthusiasm to join us in our mission and vision of fostering a more inclusive world where every individual can truly feel a sense of belonging.

About Us

For decades, Bal Swan has stood as a cornerstone of the Broomfield community, dedicated to providing top-tier early childhood education and therapeutic support to our youngest citizens. We are unwavering in our commitment to implementing the best practices in early childhood development, with the well-being of children serving as the guiding principle behind all our decisions.

We extend a heartfelt invitation to you to embrace the hope that Bal Swan brings to families and to recognize the profound, enduring impact of supporting young children and their families. With your support, encouragement, and collaboration, Bal Swan proudly affirms that "Your Child is Known" the moment they become part of our community!

Our Mission: 

Bal Swan Children's Center builds a social-emotional foundation and nurtures an inclusive learning community where each child and family grows and belongs!

Inclusive Education

Our Philosophy

There are four main cornerstones to the “Bal Swan Way” that have made it successful since 1963. They are inclusion, Interdisciplinary Teaming, Individualized Education, and Love.

  • An inclusive education setting is defined as "one that provides educational intervention to all students in a common setting and provides appropriate levels of instruction and support to meet the needs of all students.” At Bal Swan, we strive to maintain our classrooms with 1/3 children with special needs and 2/3 children with typical needs. We believe that children provide a synergy of learning within groups of varying abilities and ages. This synergy occurs when children help teach their classmates skills which, in learning theory, is one of the best ways for mastery of skills. Our children with special needs have typical models that encourage them to do things that do not occur naturally in a classroom solely comprised of children with special needs. In turn, our children develop a sense of compassion and understanding about diversity that is greatly needed in today’s society. These same synergies occur with younger and older children. It has been said that Bal Swan children can be picked out in the school system because of their wonderful acceptance of others. For more information about inclusive education (i.e., elements of quality inclusive education and research-based benefits for all children) follow the link below.

    Inclusive Education

    Elements of true inclusive education are reflected in the remaining three cornerstones of Bal Swan listed below.

  • Bal Swan employs a collaborative approach to educate our students, recognizing the importance of teamwork in meeting their diverse needs. Our educators work closely with our therapy professionals, including speech, occupational, and behavior therapists, to create an environment that maximizes the potential for every child's growth and development. These dedicated teams convene on a regular basis to strategize and facilitate your child's progress.

    At Bal Swan, we hold parents in high regard as the lifelong teachers of their children. They play pivotal roles as essential members of these interdisciplinary teams. Through a series of scheduled parent-teacher conferences, as well as informal meetings as the need arises, and the exchange of student profiles and assessment records, Bal Swan ensures a seamless flow of information between parents and staff. This collaborative, team-based approach serves as a valuable service benefiting all our students, as it equips both teachers and parents with the resources necessary to enhance and support their child's growth and development effectively.

  • Bal Swan places a strong emphasis on addressing the unique developmental requirements of each child. Be it their physical, linguistic, social/emotional, or cognitive development, our teachers meticulously evaluate each child's needs, establish clear objectives, and diligently strive to accomplish them. In our classrooms, we rely on the Teaching Strategies Gold Assessment, a comprehensive tool that guides us in planning and monitoring the growth of our students.

    This assessment tool, which has been embraced by 70% of the Colorado educational community, serves as both an evaluation and curriculum resource. We hold it in high regard and believe that you will also find it to be a valuable program in supporting and assessing your child's growth and development.

  • There's an intangible quality that defies measurement or description, yet it's something we must acknowledge. Many individuals sense a profound atmosphere of love and genuine care when they step into our center. We attribute this to the unwavering dedication of our staff, who truly form the heart and soul of Bal Swan.

Our Staff

Debbie Kunz

Executive Director

Ashley Wilson

Director of Education & Special Education

ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM



Bella Dumler

Teacher

Janine-D Strumpher

Teacher

Amy Breen

Coach/Admin Support

Nikole Ervin

Therapy/Administrative/
Billing Assistant

Delois Meyer

Enrollment Specialist

Julio Gutierrez

Facility Manager

Tiana Roberts

Receptionist

Susan Jager

Nurse

Katelyn Vickland

CPA

Shubhani Singh

Information Technology (IT) Systems Manager

TEACHERS TEAM



Pamela Campbell

Teacher

Mandy Davis

Teacher

Lizzy Masse

Teacher

Rashmi Ramaswamy

Teacher

Meredith Tracy

Music Teacher

Amy Martinez

Teacher

Azza Reinhardt

Teacher

Katie Esquivel

Teacher

Margo Aragon

Teacher

Alyssa Huerta

Teacher

Ilse Baldwin

Teacher

Sarah Rane

Teacher

Jadeyunuet Aguirre

Teacher

Tristine Henderson

Teacher

Teacher

Sherrie Dumler

Teacher

Autumn Trujillo

Teacher

Alexia Williams

Teacher

Mary Virginia Simpson

Teacher

Jami Menke

Teacher

Rick Paddock

Teacher

Zoraida Maes

Teacher

Gabrielle Johnson

Teacher

Katherine Bucca

Teacher

Kelly Levy

Teacher

Sara Pringle

Teacher

Heidy Sines

Teacher

Cameron Schulze

Teacher

Dena Kemp

Teacher

Susan Reddy

THERAPY TEAM



Dani Pasquarelli

Occupational Therapist

Kathleen Warner

Occupational Therapist

Manal Sabri

Speech Language Pathologist

Lauren Tolcher

Behavior Analyst

Meighan Connolly

Warm Water Therapist

Michelle Lurie

Speech Language Pathologist

FUNDRAISING TEAM



Jennifer Thompson

Development Consultant

Brooke Krudener

Fundraising and Events Coordinator

Board of Directors

Travis Gearhart

President

Sabina Raver

Vice President

Jonathon Tuccio

Treasurer

Kari Kirkendall

Board Liaison

Aaron Rask

Member at Large

Rachell Buell

Secretary

Ben Vagher

Board Liaison

Randi Cummings

Member at Large

Jennifer Korb

Member at Large

Sarah Coughlin

Member at Large

Sarah Goldman

Member at Large

Join Our Team

If you are interested in applying at Bal Swan Children’s Center, please submit an application using the employment form below.

Bal Swan boasts a team of two certified Pyramid Colorado trainers, and from time to time, we serve as a venue for on-site training sessions. Additionally, we have the capacity to host various early childhood training events for our community. For the latest updates on upcoming training opportunities, please refer to the listings below.

Educator Resources

Pyramid Colorado

Bal Swan takes great pride in its distinction as one of the select Pyramid Colorado Demonstration Sites. This recognition is a testament to our unwavering dedication to the Pyramid Model, a well-established framework rooted in evidence-based practices aimed at nurturing the healthy social and emotional development of young children. What sets us apart is our wholehearted commitment to implementing the Pyramid Model Approach with utmost fidelity, extending beyond our classrooms to envelop our entire school community.
Our entire staff has undergone comprehensive training in this approach, and we diligently participate in regular refresher courses throughout each school year. You can witness the Pyramid Model Approach at work in every corner of our institution, manifesting through various means such as visual supports, structured schedules, the nurturing manner in which our staff interacts with children, our resolute commitment to promoting positive behavior, and our collaborative interactions with one another, to name just a few examples.
Bal Swan extends a warm invitation to individuals both locally and from across the globe to visit us annually. Through these visits, we open our doors to showcase the Pyramid Model Approach in action within our inclusive early childhood setting.

SCHEDULE A PYRAMID TOUR

Thank you for your interest in observing the pyramid practices in action at Bal Swan Children's Center. To arrange an educational tour, kindly fill out the form provided below.

TEACHER OBSERVATION PRACTICUM

Thank you, for your interest in taking a teacher’s practicum at Bal Swan Children’s Center. All of our staff have been trained in the Pyramid approach. Please fill out the form below and a member of our team will get back to you soon.