KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy (5 – 8)

What We Do

KIPP Sunshine Peak Academy (KSPA), founded in 2002, is a tuition-free middle school in Southwest Denver serving grades 5 through 8. We exist to provide a loving and rigorous educational experience in partnership with families so students have the skills and confidence to pursue a life of purposeful choices. By fostering a student-centered environment that is committed to racial equity and inclusion, all students experience the highest levels of academic, character, and social-emotional learning.

Our Core Values

Belonging

We include our community, ensuring they feel seen, known, and valued.

Excellence

We strive to be the best version of ourselves by continuously learning and always seeking to improve and grow.

Advocacy

We disrupt deliberately to champion for positive change in our communities.

Courage

We reflect on what is not working and demonstrate the vulnerability and strength to reimagine what is possible.

Belief

We communicate our confidence in the infinite potential and brilliance of our students.

Cafecitos & Collaborative School Committee (CSC)

During Cafecitos, caregivers meet monthly with Principal Raybon to discuss updates and upcoming events.

Parent and staff committee members are elected by their school to participate in quarterly meetings to discuss the school’s priorities, progress, and practices in order to ensure they are inclusive of family, student, and staff voices. School leaders make decisions about their schools with input from their CSC.

Click here to learn more or get involved.

Academics

Math

Math instruction is offered through a Workshop Model that meets students at their level and integrates that work into the grade-level standards. Students are taught through whole group instruction, small group instruction, collaboration and discourse, mathematical writing, problem-solving and critical thinking.

Art & Music

Our students will deepen their understanding of music and musical theory, as well as engage in hands-on art lessons to excite the mind.

English Language Arts

Our ELA program focuses on teaching students that readers are writers and writers are readers. Through whole group and small group instruction, students become critical thinkers and literate members of society.

Social Studies

Throughout their four years, students learn United States History, World Cultures, and Ancient Civilizations, through a historical responsive literacy lens. Using the Colorado Social Studies and the Reading for Information Text Standards, it is the mission of KSPA to develop the next generation of change-makers who use critical thinking in order to advocate for a more just and equitable world.

Science

KSPA Science classes place heavy emphasis on next generation science standards and investigation skills using a curriculum called Amplify. This curriculum introduces students in each grade level to experimentation in chemistry, earth, life, physical sciences, and engineering, empowering them to think critically like real scientists and engineers.

Physical Education

6th - 8th grade KSPA students participate in physical education five days a week. Students engage in active learning to develop their physical health, stamina, and personal decision-making skills regarding healthy choices.

Athletics

Volleyball – Girls
Cross Country – Boys & Girls
Soccer – Boys & Girls
Basketball – Boys & Girls
Baseball – Boys & Girls
Track and Field- Boys & Girls

Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver

Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver (BGC) offers a before-school care program at KSPA starting at 7:30 am, Monday – Friday.

BGC has a long history of providing fun and enriching programs to school-age children.

BGC will provide athletics/fun time, as well as art activities. For more information, please reach out to BGC at julies@bgcmd.org.

All Participants must register at https://www.bgcmd.org/clubs/

Black Lives Matter Commitment

At KSPA, we believe Black Lives Matter. We believe in social justice. We believe learning is a fundamental right. We believe the education system needs to change, and we will continue to use our platform to make that change. We commit to:

As Team and Family (families, staff, students, and community) we examine our systems and policies for racist language and practices. If systems and policies are found to have racist language and/or practices, we revise them or stop doing them.
We represent Black, Indigenous and People of Color in our visual culture (bulletin boards, print, walls), reflecting the racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds of our students, staff and community.
We use anti-racist language, both verbally and non verbally in our communication with each other. When we hear language that is racist we speak up and disrupt.
We provide time and space for open dialogue through forums, affinity groups and community circles for families, staff, students and our community. We recognize and honor the heavy burden that Black Lives have had to carry throughout history.
We acknowledge that white privilege has led to racial inequity and commit to naming, understanding and dismantling all forms of racism and white supremacy in our school, community and world.