Colorado Academy Student Support | Top Schools in Denver

Student Support at CA

List of 3 items.

Lower School

Students in Lower School begin to develop their academic self-concept and feelings of competence and confidence as learners. They are working on decision-making, communication, and life skills, as well as character values.
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The Lower School years set the foundation for developing the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary for children to become healthy, competent, and confident learners. It is also a time when students develop and acquire attitudes toward school, self, peers, social groups, and family. By providing education, prevention, early identification, and intervention, the Lower School counselor helps students achieve academic success, develop an understanding of themselves and others, and develop social/ emotional skills in response to issues they face.
Middle School

During this passage from childhood to adolescence, Middle School is an exciting, yet challenging, time for students, their parents, and teachers.
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Middle School students are characterized by a need to explore a variety of interests and connect their learning in the classroom to its practical application in life and work; high levels of activity coupled with frequent fatigue due to rapid growth; a search for their own unique identity as they begin turning more frequently to peers rather than parents for ideas and affirmation; extreme sensitivity to comments from others; and heavy reliance on friends to provide comfort, understanding, and approval.

The Middle School counselor helps to identify students’ academic and social/emotional needs, as well as provide education and any necessary interventions, all of which are essential in removing barriers to learning and helping students develop skills and behaviors critical for academic achievement.

Learn more about how the CA Middle School Advisory Program focuses on social and emotional health.
Upper School

The adolescent years are full of growth, promise, excitement, frustration, disappointment, and hope. It is the time when students begin to discover who they are, who they want to be, and what the future holds for them.
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The Upper School counseling program helps students to achieve optimal personal growth, acquire positive social and emotional skills, self-advocacy skills, problem solving skills, and realize their full academic potential to become productive, resilient, contributing members of the global community.

Learn more about how CA cares for students' social and emotional health.

CA Counselors

List of 5 items.

Liza Skipwith

Director of Counseling Services & Upper School Counselor
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American University - BA
Loyola University - MS
At CA Since: 2006

Liza Skipwith is originally from New Orleans, La. She earned a BA in Justice from the American University in Washington, D.C., and an MS in Counseling from Loyola University in New Orleans. Skipwith worked as a professional school counselor for 10 years at two other independent schools before coming to CA in 2006. Skipwith’s counseling experience includes working with adolescents, adults, couples, families, and groups. She also worked as an intern therapist in the Eating Disorder Unit at Tulane/DePaul Hospital. Skipwith is a certified and licensed Professional School Counselor, a certified Suicide Prevention Specialist, and a certified Grief Recovery Specialist. She is a member of the American School Counselor Association, American Counseling Association, National Board for Certified Counselors, and the American Psychotherapy Association. Skipwith provides a wide range of health and wellness programming and counseling services to the CA community. She also assists the Community Leadership Team staff in training and supervising the Senior leaders. She and her family enjoy the many outdoor activities Colorado offers.
Brooke Hamman

Lower School Counselor
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Bucknell University - BA
University of Chicago - MA
At CA since: 2020

Brooke Hamman joined CA in fall 2020 as Lower School Counselor. She loves how young children’s honesty, creativity, playfulness, acceptance, forgiveness, and resiliency allow them to be sponges in learning foundational social emotional skills. Hamman has worked as a school social worker and behavioral therapist for the Douglas County School District. She has two bachelor’s degrees, in Sociology and Spanish, from Bucknell University, and she holds an MA in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago.
Abby Johnson

Middle School Counselor
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University of Florida - BA
Capella University - MS
At CA Since: 2022

Abby Johnson has been a counselor for 20 years, for many years at the Carrollwood Day School, a Pre-K through 12 independent school in Tampa, Fla., much like Colorado Academy. Most recently, she worked at Stanley British Primary in Denver. Her approach to counseling includes providing students with a healthy balance of personal, social, and academic guidance, working to promote their positive self-concept, and guiding them in their self-discoveries.

Johnson holds a BS in Family, Youth, and Community Science from the University of Florida and an MS in School Counseling from Capella University in Minnesota. She has presented on the topic of “Shifting from Bullying to Resilience” at a Florida Council of Independent Schools convention, and she is a strong advocate of mindful behavior instruction for adolescents.
Kait Kozak

US Academic Support & Wellness Educator
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University of Miami - BEd
Springfield College - MEd
At CA Since: 2023

Kait Kozak joined the Upper School faculty as a long-term substitute for learning support, and her position became permanent in 2024. In addition to serving as an academic counselor, she also works as a Wellness Educator. Kozak brings positivity, curiosity, and fun to the learning environment, integrating mindfulness and yoga into her approach. She holds a BEd in Sport Administration from the University of Miami (Coral Gables, Fla.) and an MEd in Counseling Psychology from Springfield College (Mass.), along with several wellness certificates. With 15 years of experience leading college volleyball programs, she offers a unique perspective and extensive expertise to her role.
Kate O'Donnell

Upper School Counselor
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Gettysburg College - BA
University of Denver - MSW
At CA Since: 2009

Kate O’Donnell earned a BA in Philosophy from Gettysburg College and an MSW from the University of Denver. She did a graduate fellowship through National Jewish Hospital in Milan Family Therapy and has 17 years of experience working in the Denver Metro area in day treatment, inpatient, outpatient and private practice. O'Donnell was a clinical social worker on the Children’s Unit at Colorado State Psychiatric Hospital. She was also the Principal of an independent school for at-risk children and adolescents in Aurora, Colo., and was in private practice for six years providing clinical supervision to graduate students at the University of Denver. She was appointed to the Arapahoe County Commission on Client Rights, a board that protects the rights of clients served by the Department of Human Services. O'Donnell came to CA in 2009 after four years at a public Montessori school, where she primarily focused on peace education, experiential education, health/wellness programming and individual counseling. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a member of the American School Social Worker Association and the National Association of Social Workers. In her free time she enjoys hiking, camping, yoga and snowboarding with her family.

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Student Support

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Student Support at CA

List of 3 items.

Lower School

Middle School

Upper School

CA Counselors

List of 5 items.

Liza Skipwith

Brooke Hamman

Abby Johnson

Kait Kozak

Kate O'Donnell