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Hailed as One of Denver's Most Gifted Educators and a Leading National Voice for Children with Learning Differences

DENVER, May 27, 2008—James Loan, one of the most highly influential educators in teaching students with learning differences, will retire as Head of School at Denver Academy on June 30, 2008 after more than 30 years of service.  He will be recognized at a gala event on June 3 in Denver, attended by students past and present, as well as leaders in the Denver community.

Loan joined DA as Associate Director in 1972 when the school had less than 50 students, six employees and was leasing a small elementary school connected to St. Francis Church in Denver.  Today, DA occupies 17 buildings on 22 acres near the intersection of Iliff and Colorado on what has been hailed as one of the most beautiful school campuses in Denver and serves more than 450 students with 120 employees.  It is one of the largest schools of its kind in the world and has received international recognition as a model in aiding intellectually gifted students with unique learning profiles experience success in school. 

"Jim Loan has gained respect locally and nationally for the length of his tenure as head of school and the impact the school has had on the students it serves and the broader educational community," said Philip Johnson, chair of the Denver Academy Board of Trustees and partner at Bennington, Johnson, Biermann & Craigmile, LLC.  "He has helped shape Denver Academy into a unique and creative place of learning, where students discover their boundless potential."

Under Loan's stewardship, the school developed an academic program that serves a wide variety of differentiated learners--from students who have specific identified learning challenges to students who have different learning styles.  Now, families from out-of-state regularly relocate to Denver to enable their child to attend Denver Academy and benefit from this and other innovative learning approaches.

Graduates of DA recognize the impact the school has had on their lives.   "Without Denver Academy I probably wouldn't be as successful as I am," said Dylan Geller, who attended Cornell University and is now district manager for Summit Distributing. "It was nice to have someone there who could identify how I learned best."

 "With Jim Loan in charge, Denver Academy has been at the forefront of understanding how students learn, how teachers should teach to individual learning styles, and what type of educational system is best for students," said Lori Hull, Dean of DA's Elementary and Middle School.  "His foresight is uncanny—while educational experts have recently recognized the value of differentiated teaching, Jim has directed this model at DA for decades."

Loan started his education career in Southern California in 1968, teaching inner city youth in a heavily populated gang neighborhood.  In 1972, he moved to Colorado and worked for the Jefferson County School District before joining Denver Academy.  During his time with the school, Jim also was involved in starting Project Intercept, a teacher training program that has been put into practice in school districts in New York, Louisiana and the Virgin Islands.  The New York program gained national recognition for its positive effect in preventing student dropout rates.  In 2007, he was selected as Administrator of the Year by the Denver Association for Gifted and Talented.

Another hallmark of Loan's accomplishments at DA has been the school culture he has fostered at DA.  "Jim has a remarkable presence that touches the whole community," said Connie Anderson, president of the Denver Academy Parents Association.  "He's helped create an atmosphere that's friendly, warm and inclusive.  From the moment you arrive on campus as a new student, you're accepted."

Denver Academy is the only coed, 1st through 12th grade independent school in the Denver metro area dedicated to teaching students with unique learning profiles.  For more information on Denver Academy, call 303-777-5870, visit www.denveracademy.org, or email admissions@denveracademy.org.