Dear Parents

This book is a commemoration of the spirit of Stanley British Primary School, a K–8 independent school in Denver, Colorado, as captured through the eloquent voice of Stanley's Head of School Tim Barrier in letters penned to parents for "The Weekly Bulldog" over the 13 years he served in his leadership position. Within his letters are kernels of wisdom spanning from child development to parenting to teaching, as well writings about the British Primary teaching philosophy.

This book is a commemoration of the spirit of Stanley British Primary School, captured through the eloquent voice of Tim Barrier in letters penned to parents for "The Weekly Bulldog" over the 13 years he served as Head of School. At the end of Tim's tenure, a group of parents came together to curate a selection of their favorite letters into this book. You'll find that some of his letters capture kernels of wisdom, the Stanley British Primary philosophy, educational and parenting knowledge, while others serve as reminders to pause, reflect, laugh, and remember the important things in life. Perhaps most importantly, we get a beautiful glimpse into the world of our children, with an intimate look into their uncompromising drive to learn through play and exploration. Whether you revisit old favorites or find new letters to treasure, we hope that this book helps you better understand the amazing environment the teachers of Stanley create daily for our kids, and how to extend it into your own life.

Tim Barrier joined Stanley British Primary School in 1995 to help create a middle school extension program as the school became the first tenants to move into property at the just-decommissioned Lowry Air Force Base. When Stanley's founder Carolyn Hambidge retired as Head of School in 2007 to return to teaching K12 children, Tim became the second Head of School, where he served until June of 2020. After graduating from Brown University, he taught history at a boarding school in Connecticut before moving to Colorado to teach 4th grade at another independent school in Denver before his Stanley chapter began. Tim is currently demonstrating his commitment to lifelong learning by exploring the craft of building handmade guitars. He also enjoys spending time with his wife and two daughters, playing music, and cooking and baking. He's lived in many parts of the country — New England, North Carolina, Oregon — and is glad to have settled in Colorado and call it home.