History & Social Sciences

Graduation Requirement: Three years of Upper School study, during which time Global History and Geography, U.S. History and either one yearlong History & Social Sciences elective or two semester-long History & Social Sciences electives must be completed.

Kent Denver's History and Social Sciences program is designed to prepare students for the complexities of the modern world.

By using historical methods to form and advance arguments and analyze multiple points of view, students gain a broader understanding of historical cause and effect patterns, global cultures, and of the United States, its history and its role in the modern world.

A progressive interdisciplinary approach increases students' ability to think analytically, explore history through research, work with primary and secondary sources, and express themselves effectively, both verbally and in writing.


history class


Browse a Sample of our Offerings

Filter by subject and school to see an example of the academic offerings available to students at Kent Denver School. To see a comprehensive, updated list of courses for the current school year, check out the curriculum guide at the bottom of this page! 

Meet Our History & Social Sciences Faculty

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Wesley Ballantyne

Wesley Ballantyne

Titles: Middle School Dean, History Teacher
Biography:

B.A.—History
M.A.—Social Studies Education

"My role makes a difference in students lives because it supports them so they can grow personally and academically."

Mr. Ballantyne says he chose to work at Kent Denver because of the professional opportunity and chance to live near the Rocky Mountains. After serving as an Upper School Dean for eight years, Mr. Ballantyne was named a Middle School Dean of Students in 2023. He continues to teach history in the Upper School.

Prior to joining Kent Denver, he taught at Greenwich Country Day School in Greenwich, CT and Shady Side Academy in Pittsburgh, PA.

Lee Barrow

Lee Barrow

Class of 2003
Titles: History Teacher
Biography:

B.A.—History
M.A.—International Studies and Comparative Politics
Borgen Family Distinguished Teaching Chair

"I can help students re-think how they think."

Prior to joining Kent Denver, Mr. Barrow '03 taught AP European History in Houston for four years before returning to Denver to study democratization and electoral systems. Highly motivated students, highly engaged faculty and extraordinarily supportive administration are three of the reasons he likes teaching at Kent Denver.

"Overall, I enjoy teaching because I get to participate in students' analytical development," he says, "I want to be remembered as a teacher who created engaging, entertaining and effective classrooms."

Mike Bausch

Mike Bausch

Titles: History Teacher, Director of Speech and Debate
Biography:

M.A.—Communication
B.A.—English and Secondary Education
Grier Family Distinguished Debate Chair

"I want students to feel like they had a teacher who cared about their lives, pushed them to try their best and helped them to be better people."

Prior to becoming Kent Denvers Director of Speech and Debate, Mr. Bausch served as Director of Forensics at Bingham High School in Salt Lake City and coached Policy Debate at the University of Wyoming. Mr. Bausch appreciates that Kent Denver's administration and faculty are open to new ideas and perspectives in pursuit of the best educational practices.

Lucas Carmichael

Lucas Carmichael

Titles: History Teacher, Director of Model United Nations, Upper School Community Service Coordinator
Biography:

B.A.—East Asian Studies
Ph.D.—Religion and Literature

“What I love most about history is how it helps us better understand our present and contribute to our future. My passion is empowering students to be confident expressing themselves while being respectful of others in an ongoing process of learning from and contributing to their local and global communities. I’m inspired by each students' journey toward becoming a knowledgeable, compassionate, ethical, curious, and internationally-minded leader within a dynamically interconnected world.”

Prior to joining Kent Denver's history department in 2019, Dr. Carmichael served as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he designed and taught four wide-ranging classes in the Religious Studies Department. He has also worked as a writing tutor at the University of Chicago and as an SAT, ACT and PSAT tutor for Mindfish Prep.

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