'Like Nothing You've Learned Before'

Supporting Your Student Through the College Application Process

Parents and students are invited to attend the third evening of our 6-part College Nights series with DWS College and Post-Secondary Guidance Counselor Laura Shope.

Topic: Supporting Your Student through the College Application Process—Ideal for Grades 10 and 11

Date: January 6, 2021

Time: 6:30pm MT

Location: Online via Zoom

Please register once to reserve a seat for all remaining dates.

What You’ll Learn

During this discussion-oriented evening, we will identify and explore common concerns about the college application and after-high-school planning processes. We will be working together to give you insight, tools, and resources to feel supported and equipped to navigate the process with your student. We will touch on clarifying expectations, how to work together most effectively, supporting feelings of stress (yours and theirs!), and finding a good fit for your student.

Key takeaways include:

• Perspective and real tools to help you navigate this process with your student
• Awareness around the right balance of push, pull, and wait for you and your student
• The ability to recognize that you are not alone in this process

About College Nights

Our monthly College Nights series focuses on different aspects of the college and post-secondary application process. Laura Shope designed each evening to answer questions and support parents and students in the college application process.  These meetings are open to all, although probably most useful to the grade listed with each topic.

• October 7th—Application Process 101 (Grades 10 and 11)
• November 4—SAT and ACT (Grades 10 and 11)
• December—No meeting
• January 6—Supporting Your Student through the Process (Grades 10 and 11)
• February 3—Paying for College (Grades 10 , 11, and 12)
• March 3—Making Choices (Grades 10 and 11)
• April 21—College Engagement and Success (Grade 12)
• May 4—Preparing to Apply & Making the Most of Summer (Grade 11)

About Laura Shope

Laura Shope came to DWS in 2021 via the Rudolf Steiner School of Ann Arbor, where she served as the High School Student Support Coordinator and High School Administrator for the past three years, and a parent in the Waldorf community for more than 17 years. She has extensive training in career development and personal coaching, along with having recently completed her Waldorf High School Teacher Training through the Center for Anthroposophy. Her plans for working with our students and faculty include creating a rich program of self-reflection, support, and clarity around the decisions the students make for their plans after high school.

Laura is a passionate artist and works with stone, clay, wood, weaving, and plaster to create abstract forms. She and her husband, Dale Jensen, are outdoor enthusiasts and look forward to exploring all that Colorado has to offer. They have two sons, Wilder and Corbin, who attended Waldorf schools from preschool through grade 12 (Corbin will graduate from RSSAA in 2022).

About The Denver Waldorf High School

The Denver Waldorf High School offers a liberal arts education, consciously aimed to nurture and encourage adolescent ideals. The high school experience aims to balance the students’ academic needs with their longing to find meaning in the world. Scroll down to hear from a few of our faculty members.

Engaging Body, Intellect, and Emotion

At the start of each day, movement helps spark students’ circulation and bring them together. They then engage in a long, uninterrupted seminar (referred to as main lesson in elementary and middle school) to activate their minds, followed by music and elective classes to spark emotional expression. Music classes and elective courses promote the development of healthy emotional expression through creation.

High School Music

Regarding music, all high school students participate in chorus, with the option to participate in either music ensemble or orchestra until their senior year. Students new to DWS and who have not played their instrument before are strongly encouraged to take private lessons.

Hands-On Learning of Real-World Skills

Students apply what they’ve learned theoretically to scenarios in the real world. For example, a study of soil composition could be applied to a chemistry lesson on acids and bases, as well as a close reading of The Grapes of Wrath, and a course in black-and-white photography in which they learn to develop their own film.

Rhythm of Thinking, Feeling, and Willing

Our goal is to expose our high school students to academic wealth, and demonstrate to them that all knowledge is valuable to encourage their pursuit of wisdom throughout life.

The high school curriculum revisits themes and subjects periodically to strengthen functional knowledge. Students cultivate their ability to think critically, organize ideas and information, and clearly present thoughts through an academically challenging mix of math, English, humanities, physics, life sciences, chemistry, world language, practical, industrial and fine arts, chorus, orchestra, drama, and physical education.

About The Denver Waldorf School

The Denver Waldorf School is an urban pre-K through 12 independent school in Colorado. Founded in 1974 on Rudolf Steiner’s humanitarian curriculum, DWS believes education should foster what it is to be human, cultivate lifelong curiosity, and inspire a love for the world. We are currently enrolling for in-person learning:

• Preschool and kindergarten (ECE)
• Elementary school
• Middle school
• High School

Want to learn more about us? Schedule an in-person tour of our Denver campus or join us online during our virtual events.