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.
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.