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Becoming A Non-Profit
 The Patchwork School started out, in 2007, as an LLC (a Limited Liability Company). We are now in the midst of transforming into a Non-Profit Corporation. We incorporated on January 28th, 2008 and are working on obtaining non-profit status. We expect to receive our 501(c)3 tax-exempt status by January of 2009, which will be retroactive to the date of our incorporation. Thus, any donations received after January 28th, 2008 will be tax-deductible. As part of becoming a corporation we had to create a board of directors which has now been entrusted with ensuring that The Patchwork School remains true to its mission. In creating the board, we felt that it was important to have voices of both staff members and parents, so our bylaws require that we always have at least three of each. In addition, we wanted to make sure that the administration never became too far removed from the day-to-day workings of the school so the bylaws also require that at least one of the school directors be a teacher. We are confident that this amazing group of people that we are starting out with is well-equipped to guide us through this formative period. Please feel free to contact us if you would like to get in touch with a board member or would like to help out with a committee!
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Elizabeth Baker - President, Executive Director, Teacher
You can find more information about Elizabeth on our Faculty page. Elizabeth's qualifications are: B.A. Philosophy from Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO; M.A. Educational Psychology from University of Colorado at Denver, Denver, CO; Initial Teacher License in Early Childhood Education from Colorado Department of Education; 3 yrs teaching experience: Albany Free School, Albany, NY, Tamariki School, Christchurch, New Zealand, Boulder Journey School, Boulder, CO and The Patchwork School, Broomfield, CO
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Michele Beach - Vice President, Treasurer, Executive Director, Teacher, Parent
You can find more information about Michele on our Faculty page. Michele's qualifications are: B.A. Computer Science from Stanford University, Stanford, CA; M.A. Educational Psychology from University of Colorado at Denver, Denver, CO; Initial Teacher License in Early Childhood Education from Colorado Department of Education; 2 yrs teaching experience: Boulder Journey School, Boulder, CO and The Patchwork School, Broomfield, CO
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David Beach - Technology Committee Coordinator, Parent
David Beach is currently a Construction Project Manager with the General Services Administration in Denver, Colorado. Originally from New Jersey, he studied Mechanical Engineering at Rutgers University and Purdue University. He worked for ten years in software development, first at GE in Schenectady, NY, and later at Level 3 Communications in Broomfield, CO. Desiring a career change, he received a degree in Real Estate and Construction Management from Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver in 2007.
David and Michele's son Cameron was a student in the Patchwork School's inaugural class in the fall of 2007.
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Brooke Bell - Grant-Seeking Committee Coordinator
Brooke Bell is currently staying home with her two-year-old daughter. She went to Elon University in N.C. and received degrees in Philosophy and Religious Studies in 2002. Attending the Stanley British Primary teaching internship program, she completed her teaching credentials in 2006 and is certified to teach elementary education. She worked part time at the Logan School for Creative Learning in 2007-2008. In May of 2008, she completed her M.A. in Educational Psychology from the University of Colorado, Denver.
Brooke has a true passion for teaching young children and focuses on the social, emotional, and spiritual lives of children. She believes in providing environments that nurture children’s “big” questions about life and that support healthy relationships.
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Jeremy Bendik-Keymer -Advisor
Jeremy Bendik-Keymer teaches philosophy at Le Moyne College, Syracuse, N.Y. He studied at Yale, University of Chicago, and taught at Colorado College. From 2004-8, he helped build one of the best universities in the Arabian Gulf -American University of Sharjah, next door to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. In 2006, he published The ecological life –discovering citizenship & a sense of humanity, and wrote the essay "Le citoyen apathique: quand les institutions étatique ne reflètent pas les droits de l'homme avec cohérence" for the University of Paris's annual of international relations scholarship. In 2001, he won the Wayne C. Booth Prize for excellence in teaching from University of Chicago. Currently, he is preparing a book on conscience.
Jeremy's relation to early childhood education is old. His mother set up one of the first Head Start Schools in upstate New York in the early 1970s. From high school on, he volunteer taught elementary school children. In 2004, he worked on one of New York's experimental coalition schools. Then, from 1999-2002, he studied the Chicago Commons Head Start Reggio Emilia schools and contributed to a forthcoming volume on these schools from Teachers College Press, Columbia University. He has published two essays in the philosophy of education, one for the World Bank and the Arab Urban Development Institute on incorporating families into learning communities.
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Michelle Cowan - Marketing Committee Coordinator, Parent
Michelle Cowan is a native of Colorado, currently living in North Denver. Her background includes an Assoc. Degree in Graphic Design, and a BA and MA in Philosophy. Michelle has worked for about 10 years as a graphic artist, copywriter and marketing program manager. Now, she enjoys staying home with her two children, Abby, age 6, and Nate, age 4. In her spare time, she paints and creates mosaics. And she loves to read! Current areas of interest include educational philosophies and the history of religions.
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Nicki Heathwood - Secretary, Location Committee Coordinator, Parent
Nicki Heathwood was born and raised in California. She stays at home
with her two sons, Henry (4 years) and Charlie (2 1/2 years). Nicki
used to work as an autism consultant before her boys were born. She
trained therapists, parents, and teachers on ways to foster the
social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development of young
children with autism. Nicki attended the University of California,
San Diego where she received her degree in Psychology. She now
enjoys her time at home with Henry and Charlie. In her free time,
Nicki enjoys baking, hiking, traveling, and hanging out with her family.
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Sarah McCurdy - Parent Outreach Committee Coordinator, Parent
Qualifications: B.M. K-12 Education from University of Northern Iowan, M.M. CU Boulder; 10 years teaching experience including public, private studio, and community college.
Current Occupation: Classical singer & voice teacher
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Sarah Purdy - Fundraising Committee Coordinator
Qualifications: B.A. in Psychology with emphasis in Pre Med from Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO; M.A. Clinical Counseling from University of Northern Colorado, CO
Current Occupation: Student, House Manager/Nanny, Intern MDS Counseling, Denver, CO
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Jen Rudkin - Advisor
Jennifer Rudkin works as a ceramic sculptor, community psychologist, researcher, writer, and educator.
I received a Ph.D in community psychology from the University of Virginia and wrote a textbook for the field (Community Psychology: Guiding Principles and Orienting Concepts, Prentice Hall/ Pearson, 2003). I completed a postdoctoral fellowship in developmental psychology at the University of Denver and for the past 10 years have worked in education.
My research, teaching, and writing have focused on issues of diversity and equity. I have conducted research on such topics as: children’s development of race and gender concepts; girls’ underachievement in math and science; and risk and resilience in gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender adolescents. I recently received a grant to explore photography as a tool for urban youth to discover and convey what they deem important about their neighborhoods (see ttp://thunder1.cudenver.edu/cye/abstract.pl?n=1837). I have taught classes on the dynamics of social change and children’s rights. I am currently completing a book (with the Director of Boulder Journey School, Ellen Hall) entitled, Seen and Heard: Young Children’s Voices, Young Children’s Rights which we hope to publish this book this fall.
I am also a ceramic sculptor. My work can be seen at www.jrudkin.com.
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Haley Sladek - Advisor, Teacher
I am currently a junior at CU- Boulder, I am majoring in cultural anthropology and am earning a double minor in Leadership Studies and Peace and Conflict Studies. I have experience in “alternative education,” in which I was a student and this most recent school year as an intern with the Patchwork School. When I was a student at the ELOB school, I was very active in starting student groups and organizing some of the administrative aspects of the school. During my time in college, I continue to be active in the community and have oriented a lot of what I do towards children. To highlight a few, I was active in bringing the nonprofit Invisible Children to the CU campus to raise awareness about child soldiers in Uganda. I am currently active in a two year program, INVST Community Studies, which focuses on empowering student leaders so they can lead the change towards a just and sustainable world. I have experience in grant writing, facilitation, fundraising and general nonprofit operations because of INVST. I also have experience working with the Dine people in Northeastern Arizona, youth leaders from all over the country and with a variety of non profits along the Front Range. In the future I hope to do international nonprofit work in the field of education reform. I am still in the developing stages on my vision of education but I do know that learning should be exciting, community based and should have a focus on experiences. And because of my natural curiosity and desire to learn, already I have traveled all throughout the American Southwest, to Greece, Canada, Mexico and I have even backpacked through portions of the Grand Canyon and have white water rafted down Lodore, Cataract and Desolation Canyons!
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