We are pleased to report that Balarat survived the Calwood fire! Thank goodness our physical structures are still in good standing, but the Balarat landscape has many new blemishes that need our immediate attention. We are asking for your support so that we may repair and re-seed damaged vegetation due to the scars left from the fire lines and the actual fire that made its way on to the Balarat site.
Join The Balarat Council on Saturday, November 21st from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm for an “all hands on deck” clean up day. Bring your masks, some work gloves and a rake if you have them, and come on up to help! Let's jump in to do what we can to show Balarat some love!
f you are interested in participating, please CLICK HERE to sign up.
Lunch will be provided which includes a hot dog, chips, and fruit. Feel free to bring your own non-alcoholic beverages to enjoy throughout your day.
We need your help and the time is now for us all to make a positive difference in the future of Balarat, a place that connects curious minds to the earth and open sky…a place where learning happens naturally…a place that is loved by so many.
If you can't make this event don't worry! You can click the icons below to like our Facebook page, follow us on Instagram, and / or make a donation via Square. We appreciate your support!
Who are we? Interested citizens dedicated to the Balarat mission
Alumni who attended Balarat when they were in elementary or high school
Anyone who cares about kids learning about our natural world
Denver Public School staff past and present
What are we? The Council is a citizen’s advisory group created in 1972
that is committed to helping Balarat whenever Balarat needs us
Why? Because we care about....
kids experiencing the natural beauty of the outdoors
kids discovering how our environment impacts us all
kids learning the connection between nature and healthy living
preserving wilderness
kids learning and growing in a community of other kids
creating learning experiences that last a life time
young minds getting the opportunity to see a deer, a chipmunk, or a ponderosa pine
kids experiencing wonder
kids having an adventure like never before
our future generations
How do I get involved? If you care about these thing too, and you would like more information about how you can become a member of the Balarat Council, please fill out THIS FORM. Your energy and new ideas will help us insure that Balarat lives a long and fruitful life for many generations to come!
While our in-person programs may be temporarily paused, we are continuing to advance our mission in creative ways! The Balarat team has created interactive online programming, and we are working with our school partners to understand how we can best support them during remote learning.
In the Spring, our instructional staff created a video library of asynchronous Balarat lessons.....everything from science and nature journaling, to some of our traditional Balarat programming such as Mining, Pioneer Biscuits, and the bison at Genesee Park. We also developed Backyard Balarat videos, where students can participate in a morning hike, night-time activity, and brain breaks in their own backyard. Check out and subscribe to the Balarat YouTube channel!
At the start of this school year we decided that our focus should be on synchronous remote learning. Our first few weeks were spent on curriculum development and a lot of practice with Zoom, Google Meets, PearDeck, and Playmeo. Starting in early September we launched Balarat Synchronous Learning!
Everyday, for six hours a day, we are providing interactive learning that includes: small group team-building activities that support social-emotional learning, science activities with an emphasis on place-based observations and scientific phenomena, and closing activities that encourage students to continue learning about their local environment with follow-up activities and resources. Our latest remote learning lesson will be centered around the fire, using actual footage of some of the burned areas at Balarat!
