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Kathy Zarifis has always known her daughter Madrid was gifted. “She started talking really early, and always seemed to point out things that kids her age shouldn’t understand,” said Kathy. “She can’t read yet, but I can tell she is close. She does really well with her numbers, and her spatial reasoning in regards to coloring and building things with blocks is quite remarkable.” Kathy says her and her husband aren’t the only ones that can tell Madrid is special. “My mom will even notice little things she does and point out how amazing it is,” said Kathy. “The neighbors will notice things and let us know how impressed they are with her. She is pretty special.” Madrid has been enrolled in preschool at The Creative Learning Preschool for the last two years, and now is headed to kindergarten. “She has thrived at preschool, and I know she is ready for kindergarten,” said Kathy. “She of course has friends her own age, and I can tell she is much more advanced than them. I am sure her new teacher will notice the same things.” Madrid begins kindergarten this year at Isabella Bird. “We chose Isabella Bird because we feel they provide the best learning environment to continue to foster her genius and continue her advancement. We definitely think it’s the best fit for her.” Kathy is ready for the first parent-teacher conversation, and is pretty confident of the direction things will go. “I mean, most certainly they will bring up how smart she is and how great she is doing in school,” said Kathy. “Then, obviously, they will want to know if we are interested in moving her up a grade the next year. We haven’t decided on that yet. I think the biggest thing if you are in a position like us, the parents of a gifted child, is just to be gracious, and give a short, prepared speech.” Kathy also says that the school doesn’t owe them any ‘thank you’s.’ “I’m sure the principal will want to meet us and thank us for enrolling Madrid there. But, hopefully it will be a win for everybody. We knew it would be a win for the school.”]]>

Construction will soon begin on the 26th Ave. Park, and the first step may be the hardest. “Before doing anything, we need to get rid of the prairie dogs,” said project manager Jim Richardson. “We know that will be a little controversial, but that’s really not our decision and someone else is handling that portion. So, understand that, everyone. The construction crew is not responsible for anything having to do with the prairie dogs.” Forest City Spokesperson Janelle Ayers says a very specific vendor has been hired for that job. “We found a company named ‘Prairie Dog-Gone’ and they seem to be the leader and most reputable company when it comes to removing prairie dogs from an area,” said Ayers. “They will be handling the removal of the rodents.” [Read more…] about Residents to Receive Stuffed Prairie Dog from 26th Ave. Park

Stapleton is full of highly successful men, many of whom are the lone income provider for their families. Oftentimes, being successful means being busy. “I travel a lot,” says successful Stapleton dad Greg Saar. “And when I am not traveling, I am working late. By the time I get home, it’s dinnertime, then we have to get the kids in bed. So, I don’t get as much time with the kids as I would like.” Such is the case with many Stapleton men, and “Rent-a-Dad” saw the need for their services in Stapleton. “We don’t necessarily think that kids need a father figure,” said business co-owner Justin Trebon. “We don’t promote that a father figure or influence is something that everyone needs. We are simply offering it to those who do think it is necessary or want it.” [Read more…] about New Business Spotlight: “Rent-a-Dad” Business Comes to Stapleton

The much anticipated opening of Stapleton’s High School, Northfield High, is finally here. There have been some bumps in the road, and there will continue be a learning curve, but school administrators are excited for the upcoming year. “We are extremely excited for the year,” said Principal Avi Tropper. “We have a great group of kids, and we know their first year will be the beginning of great things here at Northfield High.” Tropper says that the Northfield High class of 2019 is currently at five students. “It is slightly smaller than we expected,” said Tropper. “But we know a lot of people are on wait and see mode. After this year, we not only expect that class to grow, but of course, the subsequent classes as well.” [Read more…] about Northfield High to Have Small First Class of Five Students

After careful consideration, the MCA has determined Stapleton will be a safer neighborhood if residents are allowed to openly carry firearms. “After looking into gun issues we have had in this country, it becomes more and more clear that the more guns we have, the less likely we will have gun violene,” said MCA spokesperson Liza Kampstra. “This was a challenging issue, and we know people are going to disagree with the decision. But, the truth is, the numbers prove it. If we have more guns, we will have less gun violence. That’s just science.” The discussion came up within the MCA and SUN after Rick Perry discussed a safer America. “We needed guidance, and the place most people look, of course, is Rick Perry,” said Kampstra. “He just makes a lot of sense.” [Read more…] about MCA Okays ‘Open Carry’ to Create Safer Stapleton

Each school year the Denver Police Department hands out thousands of speeding tickets to people driving too fast in school zones. “Our priority is to keep the children safe, obviously,” said DPD spokesperson Brad Cavin. “So, during the school year, we of course have a push to give out speeding tickets to those not obeying the posted traffic limits. Slower traffic means safer kids.” Of course, Stapleton has a large number of schools, so speeding tickets in school zones there are more abundant. “We definitely hand out more school zone tickets in Stapleton than any other area of Denver,” said Cavin. “But, obviously, that is just a numbers thing. We aren’t against residents there or anything.” [Read more…] about Stapleton Drivers Enjoy Final Month Without Speeding Tickets in School Zones