About Rise In June of 2000, a family in Denver gave birth to a son with Down syndrome. A few days later they received a phone call from a friend in Dallas congratulating then on the birth of their son with Down syndrome. The friend also told them about the Rise School of Dallas which had been started in 1995 by a Dallas family whose child had also been born with Down syndrome. In 2003, a group of six families began meeting regularly to discuss the educational options available to their children with special needs. The first step the group undertook was to understand the existing options available in the Denver metro area. These parents investigated and visited a number of public and private schools offering pre-school programs for children with special needs and found that none of the existing programs provided all of the elements offered by the Rise School. Several of the families made trips to Dallas and/or Houston to visit the Rise Schools and observe the program in action. These families also came back convinced that a Rise School was needed for children with special needs in Denver. The Rise program focuses on the needs of toddlers and preschoolers who have developmental disabilities. Under the leadership and influence of Martha Cook, ED.D Rise has developed and implemented an effective early childhood program. A unique combination of teacher support, longer days and the integration of children with developmental delays and typically developing peers has resulted in individual achievements far beyond expectations. The program develops the social and physical momentum of the children so they are successful in their next educational environment and establishes a foundation of life skills. After much deliberation and consideration of the organizational and fundraising challenges they would face these families made the commitment to start a Rise School in Denver. A non-profit corporation was formed for this purpose and 501(c)(3) status was obtained. Fundraising efforts began in November of 2002 and in April of 2003 the Rise School of Denver opened in space donated by the Church of the Risen Christ with one class of eight children. Today, The Rise School of Denver operates four classrooms serving approximately forty children ranging from fifteen months to six years in age. We are located at:
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