Hulstrom Options K-8 School

11551 Wyco Drive

School District

Adams 12 Five Star Schools
Grade

K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:18
Type

public

School Map for Adams 12 Five Star Schools School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on October 28, 2024

Definite bias based on race, family origin even if you’re European but not American Caucasian. There is no explanation nor understanding on why a child is kept behind and asked to repeat a whole year despite having received 4’s and 3’s and scored in high 90’s percentile on standardized tests. Principle constantly contradict herself with the stats and scores she requires for advanced math and doesn’t look at any body of evidence provided to help a student flourish while other white kids with lower test scores get to keep up with the same advanced trajectory. The level of bias and discrimination in this school is absurd so be aware if you have students with minority background. There is an absurd trophy ‘star student’ award which the principle filters out no matter how good the students of certain race behave or perform and she doesn’t allow the award based on the teacher’s testimony. Turn over rate is huge as most good teachers left after the new principle took office and she doesn’t respect anyone’s opinion or criticism or needs which are opposed to her own. Ironic that school with the title ‘school of advanced learners and gifted and talented’ used to have two thirds 2/3 with advanced level learners but now with the new principle it degraded to actually 2/3regular grade level students while the principle doesn’t admit most siblings unlike the past years due to apparently not meeting the ‘high academic standards’ and giving families so much grief for school drop off/pickup/ logistics. She only accepts complements on the school grade facebook page and communicates fund-raisers, and volunteering needs directly with parents but not the actual conferences and communication with families which are only done through a newsletter which is often blocked by firewalls at corporate world or doesn’t even open on the smart phones. Field days are supervised by 8th graders who are kids themselves and can't manage other kids and many kids end of with sever injuries, concusion due to lack of proper supervision. Stay away from this school as much as you can and look elsewhere if you have actual gifted kids.
Submitted by parent on August 30, 2024

Hulstrom has a wonderful sense of community. The atmosphere among the staff, teachers, and administration is one of optimism, encouragement, and friendly comradery. They're here for the kids, and they truly care about their calling in gifted education. The staff work together as a team with parents to ensure that each child's individual needs are met. In addition to the teachers in general having excellent education and experience, Hulstrom also has a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) team with degrees, credentials, and experience specifically targeted to support the diverse mental and emotional needs of gifted kids.We have two girls at Hulstrom. Our first is currently in fifth grade, and very much needed the collective wisdom, patience, experience, and compassion of this supportive SEL network when she first started school. Having the SEL team meant that the care our daughter received was on-demand and specifically tailored to her needs and experiences at the school. It was truly a lifesaver to have such caring and experienced professionals readily available to her. Our daughter has continued to go to the SEL team in the years since whenever there is an issue she wants to talk through, and they are always wonderfully caring and insightful with their assistance and recommendations. Each time someone from the team talks with her they send us a summary email, so that we are up to date and can work with them to address any big feelings and resolve any issues. Hulstrom truly is a school not just of gifted children, but for gifted children.In addition to the whole-school mental and emotional support of the SEL team and other staff, Hulstrom's curriculum is excellent. The current U.S. News & World Report Education rankings list Hulstrom as the #1 elementary school in Adams 12 (#7 in Colorado) and the #1 middle school in Adams 12 (#6 in Colorado). The Colorado Department of Education has some nice stats you can check out as well.I have read every Hulstrom review I can find, and I couldn't find a singe negative claim that resonated with me. I'm guessing issues can arise when there is insufficient communication between parents and staff. You should always proactively advocate for yourself and your kids. No one can fix a problem they don't know about. These compassionate and experienced professionals are here to help, so utilize them.No school is perfect, but in our experience, Hulstrom is the best it gets. And the best it gets is pretty darn good.
Submitted by other on September 28, 2023

I went to Hulstrom for 7 years and left after my 6th grade year and here is why. Reason one the lack of support, the councilors their say they can support whenever you need it but really they just only talk to the same kids over and over again. Reason two the curriculum, the curriculum they use at Hulstrom is not engaging or fun it basically has a screen teach for the teacher then the teacher gives you test which is complete not what the kids want they even take poles on stuff like should we do more hands on stuff and yet they still haven't change. Reason three all the school cares about is test scores and where they rank in the state the don't teach you to apply thing in real life they just teach you it so you get a good score on the test.
Submitted by parent on September 24, 2023

Hulstrom has been a fantastic find for our children, who have attended from Kindergarten all the way through Middle School. The school focuses on advanced and gifted learners, and offers a "whole child" approach to learning, providing strong emphasis on social-emotional learning and executive functioning. It has a rigorous and challenging curriculum but ensures no child is left behind with a customized focus on learning needs and styles. The teachers and staff are dynamic, engaged, and caring.
Submitted by parent on September 14, 2023

This school fosters community, emotional well being and appropriate academic programming for gifted students. My kids are thriving in this environment. They have made good social connections and are challenged academically. They learn and grow everyday.
Submitted by parent on July 29, 2022

It saddens me they only care really about those who are already in the district and Caucasian. If you are a minority beware they will not protect your child and do not do any cultural sensitivity training. I waited 2 yrs to post this hoping the admin would recognize they did not protect minority Asian/black students but never heard back after withdrawling my children. But somehow the caucasian family associated with the school and the district in which he is employed had no disciplinary action. They were allowed to dhare their "perceptions" on social media giving my child a nad reputation. As a respectable adult I omitted from commenting or engaging in those comments. Now I will admit as moth an Asian and African American minority I feel I and the school taught my children they were at fault simply based on their race and size. It took me 2 yrs to realize the effect on my daughter and unfortunately I am now standing up for her so yes bad mom moment. But realize now the impact of her informative years. Fyi not that it matters but she placed in the top 10% of the state for cmas the year she was with Hulstrom. I had spoken to the counselor before we left but my guess is it didn't matter since the other family was an employee of the district so we got double blinded.
Submitted by parent on August 09, 2021

Great school for advanced learning. We have been very happy there with two kids, both of whom excel in this environment.
Submitted by parent on April 18, 2021

Hulstrom is a wonderful community that grows students academically and socially. The social and emotional support is superior to any school.
Submitted by parent on November 18, 2020

Hulstrom has been an incredible learning community for both my kids. We could not have asked for a better environment to challenge them and prepare them for high school while catering to their specific GT needs all along the way. There is flexibility for unique needs and differentiation for students that need it.
Submitted by parent on November 04, 2018

Hulstrom needs to either be G&T or not. Leadership typically falls back on standardized test scores vs other schools as a benchmark. Any school administrator, especially for a supposedly G&T leaning school, needs to be replaced if that’s their fallback because they’re playing with a stacked deck. Other G&T schools in the area are actually challenging stsudents. The Adams 12 district is totally mismanaged. Everyone needs to be replaced at the leadership level. They are incompetence personified. The problems we are encountering were years in the making and easily avoidable. Aside from competency, the other key issue is spending efficiency. For example, the district cannot afford to buy athletic supplies for certain schools but maintain a staff of 25 teachers who inservice other teachers. That could be offloaded to consultants and save the district the coast of carrying fully loaded staff.
Submitted by parent on December 11, 2017

Hulstrom has been a positive experience for our son and for our family. Our son is the oldest of four, and it is our intent to enroll all of our kids into Hulstrom. On paper, Hulstrom is THE top school in Adams 12, and a Top 5 school in the State of Colorado (via SchoolDigger rankings). But the Hulstrom community is so much deeper than that, and the leadership/teacher/parent involvement is very inspiring. Admittedly, the academic rigor was a little overwhelming at first--but our son has really thrived, loves school, loves his classmates and loves his teacher. Hulstrom does require a significant amount of parent involvement academically, and may be challenging for some learners. We have been fortunate that Hulstrom has been a great fit for our son, and we are hoping that will extend to our other children as well. Now that we have a better understanding of what to expect, the transition to kindergarten for our younger children will hopefully be that much easier (fingers crossed). I would say that the only downside is that Hulstrom is a K-8. I wish it was a K-12. Which is to say, its great.
Submitted by principal on November 30, 2016

As the new principal at Hulstrom K-8, I wanted to respond to the comments posted on 10/17 since many of the comments are not accurate. Instruction delivered in classrooms is based on the Colorado Academic Standards, using the Adams 12 Units of Study. Teachers are required to teach the standards to ensure our students meet or exceed the standards. Teachers are encouraged to extend the learning well beyond the grade level standards. The PARCC and CMAS tests are very important and are a true measure of a student's ability to meet or exceed the grade level standards. The Hulstrom students did an outstanding job meeting and exceeding the expectations. We even had several students get perfect scores! This is an incredible feat, given the difficulty of the tests. A celebration assembly was held to congratulate all the students for meeting and exceeding the expectations. Tips were shared on how to prepare for the upcoming exams. At no point were any students "shamed" for not doing well on the assessments. This is not my style, nor has it ever been. The credit for the excellent scores goes to the students and the teachers, not me. We received the results of the most recent assessments given and once again, Hulstrom students did an amazing job, soaring above other district and charter schools! One thing we are especially proud of this year is the achievement growth of our students in grades 4-8. As we continue to examine formative data, our growth and achievement will continue to increase. Differentiating instruction will continue to be an area of focus for us this year as we work to meet the needs of all learners. We hired some extremely knowledgeable and talented teachers this year who are already making a tremendous impact. Finally, I encourage all parents to reach out to me when they are frustrated with a situation or have feedback. The only way to improve as a leader is to know about a concern, reflect, and make any changes needed.
Submitted by other on October 17, 2016

What used to be a great school, is now a massive disappointment. The new administration's focus appears to be on test scores and not on what is in the best interest of the students. This has been incredibly frustrating. Everything taught in class directly relates to what is expected in the state test. Last year, the principal publicly celebrated test scores in an assembly and called out every student who met or exceeded expectations, while shaming those that didn't quite meet the standard. My child came home so upset because a friend was not called upon to stand and really felt bad for the friend. This was a clueless and classless "celebration" of a principal who is clearly impressed with herself for achieving top scores. Could it be that Hulstrom receives top scores because half of the kids are GT, and the other half are high achieving kids who were hand selected to attend Hulstrom? I'm certain the credit goes to the kids, and being that these kids are thoughtful and sensitive I believe they would not choose to celebrate in a manner that publicly shames their peers. The bottom line is that these kids are smart, and they would do well even if the school did not teach to the test. To make matters worse, Hulstrom is not truly a GT school as the principal does not seem to understand the needs of GT kids (based on comments she has made) and there is no differentiation or in-class enrichment opportunities. Hulstrom simply accelerates in math and reading, and that is all the kids get. If there was differentiated teaching instruction as promised, perhaps the kids who did not quite meet the standards would have done better on the state test. I do believe the teachers are great and really care for the kids, it must be awful for them too. We lost some excellent teachers this year and one can only wonder why several of our top teachers left after spending so many years at Hulstrom. It bothers me that Hulstrom can be a great school, as it once was. I feel compelled to give Hulstrom a bad rating based of the direction of the new administration and their lack of understanding of the needs of GT students - it is heading in the wrong direction. Teaching to the test needs to stop, period. I would rate the teachers between good and great because they really are!
Submitted by parent on November 29, 2015

This is our first year at Hulstrom and we are so thankful to be a part of this school and community. My son has advanced rapidly in his reading, math, writing and spelling. He absolutely loves going to school. My son's teacher and staff have been top notch. Principal Madsen goes above and beyond to get to know the students and parents. We feel extremely blessed to be a part of this outstanding school!
Submitted by parent on September 13, 2015

I believe the common core Math curriculum hurts the GT kids in the sense that they don't pause at each topic long and deep enough to fully grasp it. They introduce calculators to kindergartners to use for that level of math which I think is criminal. Any child regardless of being GT or not, should be able to and be taught to do basic manipulations including the four major operations (add, subtract, multiply, and divide) in their head not by the aid of a calculator. These kids can do so much better than this and I believe it's the matter of the teachers not having enough training to 'teach' math. I am a mathematics college instructor and it just frustrates me to see these bright kids' talent go to waist. My son prior to coming to Hulstrom, was capable of doing basic math operations in his head but now thanks to the Kinder teacher has learned to use only fingers . This is a problem for our nation and we're leading the path for being dumbed down everyday and the bring your own device and Ipads with calculator apps and not enough recess and lunch time( 15 min each) is not helping these kids get all that extra energy out and help concentrate either. The school district also refuses to offer basic bus service transportation for these kids with ALP yet they continue to offer special transportaion for kids with IEP on the opposite side of the spectrum. What a discrimination and lack of care. Our country seems to want to only make sure that 'no child is left behind' from the bottom of the curve and not for its brightest and most neglected minorities!!
Submitted by parent on June 10, 2014

GREAT school for GT learners! I has been an amazing answer to our concerns for getting our children a challenging, yet enlightening education. Our children get to be "normal" by being with other kids that thrive on learning and being challenged, with a variety of interests. Most of the teachers thrive on excelling and keeping up with the latest trends. Technology is being incorporated throughout the classroom. Also it is a good mix socially and very diverse.
Submitted by parent on May 14, 2014

This is a great school to be for the all students who have a good motivation to learn.
Submitted by parent on July 27, 2013

This school is just a wonderful place, especially for a GT learner. We have felt so welcomed and part of a community of talented teachers and students. My gifted son really needed the differentiation and extensions to the curriculum as well as the social emotional support provided at this school. The teachers could not be more dedicated and committed to helping each child reach his or her potential. What a special honor it is to be here!
Submitted by parent on November 27, 2012

The gifted and talented program is by the far among the top programs in the country. My kids recently transferred from Hulstrom to another regular but highly ranked school district in a different state. They are so far ahead in nearly every area of learning. They were challenged, encouraged and empowered in every possible way by Hulstrom's quietly intelligent teachers. It is a task to challenge them similarly now. To say that we miss this school is an understatement. I want to thank the school and the teachers for all they have done for my kids and wish them the best for the coming years.
Submitted by parent on October 30, 2012

Both of my children have attended Hulstrom since kindergarten and have been there for almost five years. I can not express enough how amazing our personal experiences have been and how pleased we ALL are with the school, teachers, parents, administrators, and staff. It's true, the academic pace is fast and best suited to children who pick up new information quickly, retain it well, and make use of that information readily and without much repetition. While there are many areas for a child to excel, this is a school for the academically gifted, highly intelligent, fast learner. Hulstrom does have wonderful "specials" opportunities in music, art, and Chinese; however, if one of these areas is the primary discipline your child is "gifted" in, they are going to drown in their classroom and possibly suffer with self-esteem issues due to the ever dreaded "peer comparisons." Some reviewers have complained about the amount of homework, but it's not overwhelming to kids who do it quickly. Bottom line, know both your child and what you are getting into before starting here.