About

School Overview

James Irwin Elementary School - Howard  is a Kindergarten through 5th grade elementary school with the James Irwin Charter Schools’ brand of academic excellence and character development. Key to this excellence is the teaching of Core Knowledge™ using Direct Instruction™. The curriculum and methodology have been successfully used in other James Irwin Charter Schools, and this has been enormously successful in producing high academic performance. James Irwin Elementary School was honored to be named as a John Irwin School of Excellence Award in the State of Colorado, meaning they all have measured success that places them in the top 8 percent of schools in the State.

School Administration

Kimberly Nabeta - Principal

Kimberly Nabeta’s passion for teaching children led her to James Irwin Elementary School - Howard Campus in December of 2014, where she began her journey as a fifth-grade instructional assistant. The following school year, she transitioned to a fifth-grade classroom teacher and later that year, accepted the fifth-grade lead teacher position. Her love for teaching children grew to include her fellow teachers. Due to her desire to guide, encourage, and train-up her peers, she acquired part-time coaching and training experience over the next two years, all while fulfilling her classroom and lead teacher duties.
 

The 2019-2020 school year marked another significant change in her focus to full-time coaching as she transitioned to her new role as the Instructional Coach at James Irwin Elementary School - Howard Campus. In this role, she will work closely with teachers by providing training, professional development sessions, side-by-side coaching, and mentoring them to be their best for their students.  Kimberly transitioned to  Assistant Principal in 2022 and then Principal in 2024.

Kimberly earned her B.S. degree in Biology from Pensacola Christian College (2002) and a M.Ed. degree in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon University (2018).

Ami Brinlee - Assistant Principal

Ami Brinlee has known that she wanted to be in education since the time she was in the first grade and, after receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in English with an emphasis in Elementary Education at UCCS, began her journey as a James Irwin teacher in 2013. She started as a fourth-grade instructional assistant at James Irwin Charter Elementary School and then became a third-grade classroom teacher the following year. After five years as a classroom teacher, she became the lead teacher for third grade and remained in that position for the next five years. During those five years, her passion for helping teachers feel successful in the classroom continued to grow and upon entering her eleventh year at James Irwin, she moved into the assistant principal intern position at the Howard Campus in2023 and then the assistant principal in 2024.

Jenice Bosch - Dean of Students

Jenice Bosch began her journey with James Irwin Elementary School - Howard Campus in the fall of the 2016-17 school year.  She came in as a 4th grade instructional assistant and continued that path for two years.  At the end of the 2017-18 school year, Jenice was offered the Dean position, which she humbly accepted.  Jenice is fueled by her passion and understanding that no student should be left behind, but rather all students can learn and will succeed when the right amount of tools are combined with love, support, and positive motivation.

Jenice has a strong background in classroom management, positive behavioral support, and restorative discipline practices ranging from Pre K to 5th grade.  Mrs. Bosch aspires to further her passion in mentoring teachers, serving students, and continuing her partnership with parents.

Jenice earned her Associate's of General Studies from Pikes Peak Community College.