Connections

Our Connections Teachers develop classroom content that incorporates diversity, interdisciplinary curriculum, and 21st century skills. Our talented teachers, all experts in their fields, endeavor to meet the needs and encourage the creative passions of each and every student through innovative lessons in art, foreign language, music and physical education.

  • art

    Art

    Students will focus on the technical application of materials, finding their creative voice and confidence through experimentation and persistence.

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    Foreign Language

    Students in 4th grade-8th grade will learn to speak, read, and write in the chosen language and cultivate an appreciation for its culture and history.

  • music

    Music

    Students will learn multi-cultural music that tells a story from countries across the world through rhythm and beat.

  • PE

    Physical Education

    Students will participate in activities that incorporate physical movement and social and emotional wellness.

 

Meet our Connections Teachers

 

Foreign Language

  • Bouchra Rifki- French

    She/Her/Hers
    French Teacher
    B.A. French and English Linguistics, Caddi-Ayyad Univeristy (in Morocco)
    M.A. in Educational Psychology, Univeristy of Colorado at Denver
    Bouchra.rifki@du.edu

    Bouchra is originally from Morocco and moved to France as a young child, where she lived for seven years. Since coming to the United States, Bouchra has taught French at the elementary, middle and high school levels. She likes to help students experience the joy of learning a new language while also accumulating a strong knowledge about the French culture. Bouchra is trilingual in French, Arabic and English. In her spare time, Bouchra likes to spend time with my family and travel to other countries experience the cultures different from my own.

  • Francisco Gallegos - Spanish

    B.S. Elementary Education TESOL, CLDE

    M.A. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Education (Spanish Specialization)

    Francisco Gallegos honed his skills as a bilingual elementary educator working exclusively in Title I schools with Latinx students. He engages students through multiple disciplines like music, drawing, dancing, literacy, mathematics, and science. He always strives to build trust with students in order to help them develop and grow in a constructive way. Fun and learning go hand in hand in his classroom where he empowers students by teaching them to embrace the community around them. 

  • Miwako Winters - Japanese

    She/Her/Hers
    Japanese teacher
    B.A. in English Literature and Japanese pedagogy (in Japan)
    M.Ed. in Self-design with focus on differentiated instruction, Regis University
    Licensed in Japanese, Language Arts, and Linguistically Diverse Education in Colorado and Japan
    miwako.winters@du.edu  

    Born and educated in Japan, Miwako began career as an educator teaching English in Japan for over 10 years. Since coming to the United States, she has taught various levels of Japanese at a community college as well as various high schools and middle schools in the Denver Public and Cherry Creek School districts. Miwako developed and implemented Japanese curriculum for the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme and was awarded for Excellence in Education from the Aurora Gateway Rotary (2019) and for Dedication and Enthusiasm from the Colorado Japanese Language Education Association (2010). Miwako believes that through teaching a foreign language she helps students become global citizens who are willing to cooperate with people from diverse backgrounds. After retiring from public schools, she is excited to be back in the education field and enjoys teaching at Ricks. In her spare time, Miwako enjoys hiking, biking, traveling, and playing with her granddaughter.

 

Music

  • Carol Smith

    She/Her/Hers
    Music Specialist
    B.A., Piano Performance, Carthage College

    carol.smith@du.edu

    This will be Carol's 25th year teaching at Ricks. Along with her 30 years of music teaching experience, Carol has studied graduate level piano at Florida State University, piano and choral conducting at the Lamont School of Music, as well as gifted education through the Morgridge School of Education at DU. She is a licensed Musikgarten instructor and participates in Orff teacher training workshops. In addition to sharing her passion for music with gifted children, Carol enjoys teaching singing classes for disabled adults, providing piano performances at nursing homes, and teaching her private piano students. Carol loves to play piano, hike in the mountains, golf, and spend time with her family. 

 

Physical Education

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Student Support

For students in need of accommodation, discover how our Student Support Team provides tailored strategies in multiple disciplines to aid in the success of our students. 

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