Brady Exploration School

Urban

Denver

English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Reading, Music, PE

Blended Learning

Partnership with Jefferson Menatl Health, social worker, counseling, food, bus passes, bikes

1 computer per student

yes

Brady polo shirts required

Mission: To find students who have dropped out,
been expelled, or are not attending school and get
them a diploma and off to college.

That can learn- Kids do well when they can

creating a new experiential learning school to open in the fall of that same year. With only three

Brady Exploration School opened its doors five short years ago as a K-12 option school in

Colorado's largest school district--Jeffco R1. The school was opened to fill a need for students

who attended a charter school that was closing its doors.

In Spring 2005, Troy Braley was chosen as principal and given the tremendous challenge of

months to locate and oversee the remodeling of a building, hire an entire staff and plan their

professional development, create a curriculum, build school policies/procedures, and enroll

students, the first two years were spent defining and refining the program. At the end of the

second year, Jeffco decided to remove the K-8 program; Brady became high school only and

enrollment decreased to 84 students.

Taking advantage of the change, we put in place a credit recovery program with the intention of

reducing the district's dropout rate. In 2007, we opened BradyNet, a "school within a school."

This web- and mastery-based program was designed so that students could learn anywhere,

anytime, at their own level of comprehension. As BradyNet quickly grew, discussions began with

district leadership of the desire to move all students into the web-based program and close the

weakening experiential program. Only weeks before winter break the decision was made and the

work began. When students returned at the start of the second semester, there was a computer

for each student and a choice of sessions to attend: morning, afternoon, or evening.

The mission became to find students who are non-attenders, have dropped out, or have been

expelled and get them back in to school so they can graduate and be ready for college. Our

belief is that there are numerous reasons students drop out of school. When those situations are

addressed, they are anxious to return and are usually ready to get down to business. Our

success can be somewhat measured in our anticipated 40 graduates this year -- more than

double previous years!

The three-story building is located on the border of Denver city limits in a very low

socioeconomic area. Our average student comes to us with four credits and is age 17; 65% are

Free and Reduced; 16% are homeless; more than 76% assess at below grade level in math and

reading; most have been unsuccessful in traditional schools; and many have had serious

discipline issues. Our enrollment has grown to 363 currently; our goal is 420 for 2010-11.

District schools and staff support our endeavors, as they understand the impact our school has

made in reducing the dropout rate within all of Jeffco.

Our goal is to become the premier school in the world within the next three years. Our greatest

joy is seeing the change in these students as they gain self-confidence and grow academically.

We move forward with confidence, embracing all challenges that arise with the question: "What

is best for students?