Boulder Prep raising money to buy more space for hands-on programs

Jun. 28—Boulder Prep is seeking to raise money to buy the remaining unit in its three-unit building, giving the charter high school in Gunbarrel more space for experiential classes.

The school now occupies the building's other two units, with one owned by the Boulder Valley School District and the other owned by the school's nonprofit — with $125,000 left on the mortgage. Combined, the two units total close to 6,000 square feet, giving the school less space per student than other Boulder Valley high schools and less than what's recommended by the Colorado Department of Education.

The current space has six small classrooms and no offices for teachers, who use mobile desks to store supplies.

Boulder Prep needs to raise at least half of the $700,000 price tag to move forward with the purchase of the third unit, according to school leaders, allowing enough of a down payment to make the mortgage affordable.

The school's board also has allocated $150,000 for the renovations that would be needed for the 2,470-square-foot space, which will be available Aug. 1.

Boulder Prep Headmaster Lili Adeli said the school isn't looking to add students, noting the school's model is designed to serve between 100 and 110 students. The school generally enrolls around 95 students a year.

Instead, she said, the school wants to expand its experiential, hands-on options.

"With our space being so small, it's a challenge to get kids moving and doing those hands-on projects that need space or equipment," she said.

She gave the example of a sewing class the school offered last winter.

"We had to dedicate one classroom for the whole term to just sewing because it was such an ordeal to pull sewing machines out and then try to package them up for another class to come in and use the space," she said. "This type of class is rare because of the space, so we save the real experiential ones for the summer."

In the summer, Boulder Prep offers a class a week during its "intensive" program, allowing for more experiential opportunities and community partnerships. This summer, classes include mural art, botany, equine leadership, art therapy and sailing.

Adeli said an expansion also would allow the school to better meet the needs of the increasing number of students interested in trade or technical education, as well as allowing for more hands-on learning.

"Math is so two-dimensional," she said. "While we do pull out manipulatives, it still doesn't teach geometry concepts quite like building a bench or sewing an apron does."

Adeli, who is teaching a summer class on botany, said another possibility would be adding an indoor garden using "tower gardens" to teach botany, environmental science, mycology, engineering and other science classes.

Other possibilities include a 3D printing lab; maker station for sewing, jewelry and art; a bike and skateboard mechanics workspace; and a multisensory intervention space to support students with special education needs.

"We do a lot with the space we have, but it sure would be nice to get that extra unit," Adeli said.

Along with raising money to buy the building unit, the 26-year-old school is seeking donations for its charitable trust to ensure sustainability, as well as asking the Boulder Valley School District for additional financial support. The request is part of Boulder Prep's contract negotiations with the school district, which are ongoing.

School leaders say 95% of the school's students are identified as "high risk" based on the state's criteria.

"Our staffing numbers right now are not enough as everyone is managing one crisis after another on top of widening skills gaps," school leaders wrote in the charter school renewal application.

The contract application also noted that grants that cover three staff members' salaries are ending next year. Additionally, the application states, the school has exhausted all state grant options and won't be able to keep those positions without help. Proposals suggested by school leaders include providing an additional $1,000 per student in funding to sustain grant positions and programs.

The school also is seeking money from the capital construction bond issue that Boulder Valley is planning to place on the November ballot to help with the cost to purchase the third unit of its building.

District spokesman Randy Barber declined to comment on the specifics because it's the subject of active negotiations, which the district expects to be complete in the next few weeks.