Merit Academy: Undeniable Change, A Model For Our Next Victory

By Eric Gil | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice

The success of Merit Academy in Woodland Park is no secret. When your school is ranked #5 of all K-12 Colorado Public Schools, it is hard to hide. This article is a look into the origin story of Merit Academy, led by Headmaster Gwynne Pekron. A reminder that we still hold the power to shape our children’s futures and that even when faced with centralized control, a path to real change exists.

As a former charter school student and public school teacher, Merit’s story of ascension inspires me to look for ways to ensure our future.  

Increased attention toward public education from concerned parents is one of the many lasting outcomes of the 2020 pandemic and the subsequent shifts in education. In Woodland Park, this parent concern resulted in an initiative to create another educational option for their community. However, leaders like Gwynne face the entrenched obstacle of systematic resistance against parental rights and educational choice. 

Merit Academy had over 200 families eager to have a new school, despite that the 2020 Woodland Park School District Board of Education voted 4-0 against its opening. A denial against the will of an entire community of parents: the want for academic freedom and choice. 

In their unstoppable manner, Gwynne and her fellow co-founders found a way. They gained authorization for Merit Academy via the BOCES pathway through “Education reEnvisioned.” Taking the designation of a “contract school.” While this pathway came with significantly lower funding, the leadership was inclined to “find a path or make one.”

Their unique solutions to operate in 2021 was a testament to their resilience; students were taught in two different churches and, eventually, in the basement of a hardware store. They were versatile pioneers—both the educators and the students. 

One year and one school board election later, they successfully achieved charter status. This success was followed by a shared occupation of the building at 600 E. Kelley’s Lane with the district’s middle school. It was a fascinating experiment to have a classical charter academy operating in the same building as a standard district public school.

Merit Academy lived up to its promise and fostered a rigorous curriculum within a loving and supportive culture. Gwynne and her team were continually expanding to meet the growing demands of families to join their school. Eventually, Merit became the sole occupant of the Kelley’s Lane facility. 

The Woodland Park Middle School 7th and 8th graders were consolidated into the district’s high school, another building, to form a Secondary Campus. This move was driven by necessity, as the high school’s usage had fallen below 50 percent capacity. This followed years of declining enrollment trends.

The idea of working outside of the system to become undeniable resonates deeply with the American psyche. Merit Academy is now guiding positive change against the very systems that initially stymied its origin. The academy is raising the bar for teacher retention and the consistent student outcomes that follow. School boards changed recently, but Merit Academy was referenced by both opposing sides as a model for successful outcomes. Undeniable success. 

The obstacles faced by Gwynne and her fellow co-founders are not the exception to opening schools in Colorado, their victory must be leveraged to create opportunities across our great state. Our children’s future requires so much more success from those who fight for freedom.

Today you can reclaim parental rights to dictate our children’s education. Leaders like Gwynne ask that we learn when our next school board meeting is, and advocate for choice. Bring your philanthropic efforts to your local school of choice. Be unapologetic about what you build for our children; create change that is UNDENIABLE.

Eric Gil is a former public school teacher. He currently owns Strong Branch Learning, a tutoring company based out of Colorado. He has taught students from all classifications of schools (public, charter, private, homeschool, etc).

Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.