REPORTER: Amy Bounds
PUBLISHED: November 2, 2022 at 10:21 a.m. | UPDATED: November 3, 2022 at 5:07 p.m.
Boulder’s Watershed School recently bought a building in Gunbarrel, moving closer to its goal of a permanent campus. The small private school, which serves middle and high school students, started in 2004 with a rented building on Canyon at the western edge of Boulder. As the school outgrew the space, it moved to its current location, renting its space on 1661 Alpine Ave. from Mt. Zion Lutheran Church.
Seventh grader Isaac Tippett, left, speaks during a rehearsal for a presentation at Watershed School in Boulder on Thursday. Watershed purchased a new building at 5400 Spine Road in Gunbarrel for the first phase of a new campus and future permanent home. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Head of School Tim Breen said the school is again outgrowing its space, with 110 students and a waiting list. During the next seven years, the plan is to grow to between 130 and 150 students. Plus, he said, owning a building will give the school both independence and security. “Owning our own space allows us to really control our future and put down roots,” he said. “That matters a lot to us because one of our main goals as a school is to challenge our students to contribute to the community.”
After a six-year property search and fundraising campaign, the school recently purchased a 16,726-square-foot building at 5400 Spine Road in Gunbarrel for close to $5.4 million. Breen said the building purchase is only the first phase of moving to a new campus. The school now is raising money for renovations and looking at potentially purchasing another nearby property. School leaders also plan to work with architects, students, staff members and families on a design that will turn the new industrial space into a school. “It’s a big open space,” he said. “There’s a lot of flexibility in how we design it.
From left: Eighth graders Eamon Ferguson and Ada Guiotto rehearse for presentations in a classroom set up in the gymnasium at Watershed School in Boulder on Thursday. Watershed purchased a new building at 5400 Spine Road in Gunbarrel for the first phase of a new campus and future permanent home. (Matthew Jonas/Staff Photographer)
Watershed is looking at moving into the new building in the fall of 2024. During that time, Breen said, the school may hold a class or two in the building, offer tours and work with Gunbarrel neighbors to develop partnerships.
Chris Carithers, Watershed’s academics director, said partnerships with the community is a key component of Watershed’s program. “Many of our courses are driven by real challenges in the world,” he said. “Students are pursuing real questions that matter. It’s not just work that’s for school. It’s very experiential. Students learn firsthand from experiences and experts.” Along with allowing students to deepen their learning, he said, community partnerships are part of the school’s mission. “We’re trying to make it so our school is contributing to the common good in the community,” he said. “We’re really looking at a vision where we are making tangible contributions. What’s exciting is really thinking about how schools can play a different role in our communities.”
Link to Daily Camera Article.
