Skip To Main Content

Home

Students balancing cookies on their eyes
Students playing games on the gym floor
Teachers holding up homemade ornaments
Students exploring a cave
Students gathered in a helicopter
Preschoolers shoveling at a ground breaking ceremony
Students holding a thank you sign for the army national guard
Teachers standing around a table stacked with pizza boxes
Young students looking at a clipboard with their dad
student giving a flower to resource officer

Wamsley Elementary School

Welcome to Wamsley!
WES logo graphic
Our school is focused on creating the best culture and climate for our staff, our students, and our families. We emphasize inclusion because if our students feel loved, our teachers feel supported, and our families feel welcomed, students feel free to learn and explore, teachers are creative, and families support their child's development.
Experiential Education
Student building a wooden deer
Experiential Education is a style of teaching where educators purposefully engage with learners in direct experience and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop skills, and create community. Once a week for 3 hours, Wamsley Wildcats are immersed in experiences that encourage them to challenge themselves while allowing them to hone their strengths.
Overnight Field Trips
Elementary school students taking a group photo at a Mill

As a part of EE, students are given the opportunity to go on an overnight camping trip every year. These trips become our classrooms where we teach students skills like archery, fire safety, tent building, cooking, hiking, and overall camping skills/preparation.

Assemblies and the Spirit Stick
Students taping principal to the wall
Every Thursday morning, we have a pep rally style assembly for the entire school. Students volunteer to host the assembly and those students run the entire agenda. At these assemblies, we honor students and staff who have done extraordinary things from the past week. The grade with the most spirit during these assemblies earn the "Spirit Stick" based on student and staff judges. They earn the honor of putting a new symbol on the spirit stick for the next week by performing their chant well, having great enthusiasm, and great behavior during the assembly.
Cooking and Gardening
Students cooking chili
At Wamsley, we have a school garden that is taken care of by the students during EE. Students plant many different types of fruits and vegetables that are entered into the fair every year. Students also learn to cook in our kids' kitchen throughout the year. From learning to read and follow recipes to using a variety of different measurement and kitchen tools, students learn to cook new foods and even serve their finished products to staff and parents!

News & Events

Check out all the great things happening around WES!

Photo of Kirk Banghart

RIFLE, CO - The Garfield Re-2 School District is pleased to announce that Kirk Banghart will serve as the next Superintendent beginning July 1, 2025. His contract was unanimously approved at the April 9, 2025, School Board meeting. Mr. Banghart will take over for current Superintendent Heather Grumley, who is retiring at the end of the school year after five years in the superintendent role and over 30 years in the Garfield Re-2 School District.

Mr. Banghart brings a passion for continuous improvement, a deep respect for the great work happening in Garfield Re-2, and a commitment to listening and learning from the community. His contract will officially begin July 1, 2025, and he will begin spending time in Garfield Re-2 a few days a month, specifically to support critical hiring decisions and get to know the staff of the District. 

Read More about Kirk Banghart approved as next Garfield Re-2 Superintendent
Child hanging a christmas ornament on a tree

Wamsley Elementary first graders brought a busload of holiday cheer to the Hotel Colorado when they visited just before Thanksgiving break. These tiny tree trimmers helped the Hotel Colorado staff fill the halls with Christmas spirit. 

Armed with handmade ornaments resembling tiny, colorful ski hats, glittered pine cones, and clay-crafted snowflakes and candy canes, these holiday helpers transformed two of the hotel’s iconic Christmas trees into dazzling displays of warmth and community spirit. Their thoughtful contributions now sparkle among the more than 60 decorated trees and boughs of holly that fill the hotel, as they have for over 130 years. 

Read More about Building Community Connections: Wamsley First Graders Spread Holiday Magic at Hotel Colorado
Photo of teacher teaching elementary students

Every day in school is critical. 

As a four-day school week, if a Garfield Re-2 student misses just two days a month, that is about 30 hours of math instruction and 60 hours of English Language Arts instruction that they are missing. 

“We know that the best indicator of student success is having a great teacher in front of students. We want all of our students in class if they are healthy,” said Assistant Superintendent Lisa Pierce, who facilitated the concerted effort by the District to support improved attendance.

Read More about Garfield Re-2 School District sees significant improvement in student attendance
Wamsley Elementary opens after delayed start

Hudson Parrington wanted to start school on Monday, August 12, like all of the other students in Garfield Re-2.

“I am excited to see my friends again and be with them,” said the newly minted Wamsley Wildcat 5th grader.

When classes at the other nine schools within Garfield Re-2 began on Monday this week, Hudson and his 400 other classmates got an extended summer break while construction crews put the finishing touches on a multi-million dollar summer facelift for the school.

Read More about Wamsley Elementary opens after delayed start

Words of Kindness

See what our families are saying about Wamsley Elementry School!

Wamsley is a very welcoming school...

I love the Experiential Education part of the school. My children have made a lot of progress and are very happy there! The teachers and staff love each one of their students.

My kids love going to school!

EE is an amazing program and most of the staff are wonderful!

The teachers and staff love my children as their own...

I feel very lucky to have them teaching my children!

Best teachers...

in the valley!