The Big Red Barn Early Learning Center

Advantage Learning Center, located in Lakewood, Colorado, is dedicated to providing a nurturing and enriching educational environment for preschool-aged children, including those with unique learning needs. Serving families in Jefferson County and Denver County, this private school is committed to fostering a love of learning through its accredited programs. With a focus on early childhood education, Advantage Learning Center holds NAEYC accreditation, a distinction awarded to only 8 percent of preschools nationwide, underscoring its commitment to high-quality education. The center offers a range of tailored programs for children from infancy up to age seven, including infant care, toddler classes, preschool, kindergarten preparation, and summer day camps. Each program is designed with individualized care in mind, utilizing creative curricula that promote engagement and school readiness. What sets Advantage Learning Center apart is its low student-teacher ratio and strong emphasis on family partnerships, ensuring that each child receives the attention and support they need to thrive. This holistic approach not only prepares children academically but also fosters emotional and social development in a supportive community atmosphere.

From preschool through twelfth grade, Denver Christian School in Lakewood organizes learning around its Christ-centered Six Spheres of Learning. Students develop spiritual, cognitive, physical, creative, personal, and social capacities through a framework that connects faith, academics, wellness, and relationships. In the classroom, the school links critical thinking and problem-solving to a biblical view of the world. Students also create original work, care for others, and practice service as they grow. The same framework follows children as they move from preschool to elementary, middle, and high school, with expectations suited to each stage.

Fletcher Miller School is a Jeffco Public Schools school on Kipling Street in Lakewood for students with significant support needs, from preschool through 12th grade and transition services. We are part of the district's continuum of alternative special education placements, and students come to us through the IEP process. Our students work toward Extended Evidence Outcomes aligned with the general education curriculum and Colorado Academic Standards. Instruction covers literacy, functional communication, math, science and social studies, along with adaptive physical education, music and art. We provide intensive physical, occupational and speech therapy so students can access their learning, and staff work in multidisciplinary teams. Students also take part in art shows, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and adapted athletics, and we use PBIS schoolwide. Our Lighthouse Program serves students from sixth grade through transition age whose complex behaviors make a neighborhood school program a poor fit. Small classrooms with paraprofessional support focus on functional communication, behavior and sensory regulation, backed by speech and occupational therapists, registered nurses and mental health providers. Preschoolers attend morning or afternoon sessions, and district buses serve our students.