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Granby " Indian Peaks Charter School takes to the field until new building is finished

KATIE LOOBY
SKY-HI DAILY NEWS
Courtesy photoIndian Peaks Charter School students listen Wednesday as a Rocky Mountain National Park ranger teaches them about the Park. The school is holding classes in Granby's indoor soccer facility or conducting field trips until construction on the school's new building is complete. Officials expect to be in the new building by Monday.
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Indian Peaks Charter School students started school Tuesday inside the indoor soccer facility in Granby, Wednesday they continued their learning at Rocky Mountain National Park and they’ll see more animals today at the Denver Zoo.

Indian Peaks Principal Polly Gallagher said that instead of delaying school and waiting for construction work to be completed, they decided to learn in other environments.

They went on a hike and learned about wildlife, their habitats and adaptation on their field trip to the Park.



“They had three different stations set up for us,” Gallagher said.

Students normally go on field trips in Grand County once a month to learn about the history and any issues the area faces.



The school’s nine staff members and eight parents joined them.

“It’s a good day for the kids to get to know each other,” said Kim Hanna, Indian Peaks School Board president. “We’re really excited to go to the zoo.”

They weren’t scheduled to go to the zoo until the end of the month, but decided to bump up the trip.

Gallagher said community members are helping them as they transition into the expanded school building. The Granby Library invited students to learn how to use its resources on Monday, the Granby Rec District is allowing the school to use its indoor soccer facility, and parents will help set up the classrooms this weekend for school to start Monday.

“Our families are great,” Gallagher said. “The school district’s been very supportive.”

Teachers also have been organizing their classrooms.

Indian Peaks has 57 students enrolled, an increase from last year’s 38.

Gallagher said she thought more people were enrolling because of the addition, but found out it’s because of the school atmosphere.

“It really is a community,” she said. “The older kids are taking care of the younger (students).”

The school can accept students from any neighboring district. They have room for 15 students per class, and still have space available in some of their lower level grades.

East Grand School District budgeted $325,000 to purchase and deliver six modular classrooms on the south side of Indian Peaks Charter School’s site in Granby.

Workers built a $75,000 attachment to the charter school’s existing modular classrooms to provide the charter school with an indoor multi-purpose/lunch room.

The building is expanding from 2,500 square-feet to 7,500 square feet, Gallagher added.

” Katie Looby can be reached at 887-3334 ext. 19601 or e-mail klooby@grandcountynews.com.


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