TESTIMONIALS

"I have known Dan Marcus since 1978 when I was a sixth-grade student of his at Acres Green Elementary. At the time, I was a child with many interests but suffered from a lack of focus and confidence, which caused me to direct my energies in ways that were not always positive. Unbeknownst to me at the time, Dan Marcus would identify my gifts and harness many of those energies to provide me with a better foundation, which I still stand on and am proud of today. Before I met Dan, a teacher was just a teacher. It never really occurred to me that a teacher could be someone that you could talk with and share experiences with and have them care about what was being exchanged. Dan taught me by sharing who he was and by communicating his thoughts and experiences and passions about the importance of education in an individual’s life, and that made all of us more eager to listen. Dan taught me that communication was the key to opening the mind to opportunities and in turn, find success in so many things. Dan never had to work at communication—it never seemed forced. I don’t even believe it was any part of a teaching strategy. For Dan Marcus, communication was and still is a natural part of who he is, and he has used that natural gift to help others get everything they can out of themselves. Although I was not able to truly appreciate Dan’s gift as a teacher at the time, I did have a great deal of respect for who he was and did not want to disappoint him. Dan was the first teacher I felt ever truly noticed me for what I felt I was. Dan acknowledged me, so I acknowledged him in return. Dan taught to me, not at me. Looking back, I can say that he likely did this with all his students. Dan taught to all learning styles. Dan brought life to learning. Instead of teaching ancient Egypt from a book, we built King Tutankhamen’s tomb in the school’s gym basement, creating a museum exhibit for other classes to experience. Instead of making us stare at a map for geography, he first helped me understand why geography was important by playing the game of “Risk.” When he learned that I was intrigued by the mystery of UFO’s, Dan managed to turn it into a science project to help me evaluate information more critically, without hindering my imagination. Dan taught me to appreciate the value of history and to think more critically about the big picture." (Troy 1978-1979)

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"Mr. Marcus unwittingly helped me through the very toughest time in my life as a 7th, 8th and 9th grader.  Through his encouragement, compassion and humor, I have bloomed into a confident man and business owner.  Brian (1986-1989)

"Dan Marcus is the Michael Jordan of education. I'm 46 years old, and I had the opportunity to have Dan as a teacher in middle school, and he was my JV baseball coach in high school. Dan inspired me to be an educator and TV productions teacher, and when I got a chance when I was a head baseball coach for Highlands Ranch, I hired him to be my assistant varsity coach. He is absolutely the best." John (1988-1993)

"Mr. Marcus is just an incredibly gracious and kind man, who genuinely cares about his students." Joshua (1995-1996)

"Dan was always transparent. He let you know when you were doing a good job and let you know when you needed to step it up." Justin (1995-1999)

"Mr. Marcus was a critical influence on my life. I had him in 7th and 8th grade for film production as well as one year of twice-accelerated mathematics. He set me on a path of excellence in mathematics, including acing the math portion of the SAT. His tireless patience and passion instilled in me a great appreciation for mathematics that would blossom into me becoming a grade-school mathematics tutor while going to school for Mechanical Engineering. Mr. Marcus's biggest impact on me was during LPTV, the school’s video production class/club. I found an incredible passion for filmmaking.  Throughout my life, I have found balance and stability in the hobbies and side passions that I can credit back to Mr. Marcus. Mr. Marcus was a critical figure during difficult years of my life, and I can trace much of who I am back to his kindness and mentorship." 

Nate (2007-2009)

"Through all my years of education, Dan Marcus has always remained my favorite teacher. His passion for teaching is unparalleled and he makes each student feel valued, important, and understood. He is truly one of a kind and I can't recommend him enough. He makes learning fun and relatable and you'll always go home with a smile on your face."   Darby (2007-2009)

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"The growth Mr. Marcus cultured in me has been a cornerstone of all of my successes since. I couldn't have arrived at where I am without your help, sir. Thank you." 

Brianna (2010-2012)

"Mr. Marcus was one of my most influential teachers in my educational career. I learned both video editing and mathematics from him; and my skills grew immensely as a result of his dedication and teaching style. The hands-on experience I gained from video editing enabled me to expand my creative horizons and be recognized for some of my films at national and regional film festivals through his course. Additionally, video editing helped me first get acquainted with technology/computers and develop a real passion for them (now I graduated in electrical engineering and have my dream internship!). Thank you, Mr. Marcus, for your mentorship and commitment to providing stellar education!"  Savannah (2010-2012)

"Mr. Marcus was a teacher whom I always knew I could communicate with. He would tell students the truth about their creations using positive criticism and helped create a positive environment of communication in his classes. Students felt comfortable to speak their minds and were willing to accept criticism because they knew it was Mr. Marcus truly caring about our success." Hayden  (2010-2012)

"Dan Marcus is one of the best. He is so much more than a teacher. He has this incredible ability to connect with students and influence them in so many positive ways. Over the years Dan Marcus was my teacher, mentor, and most importantly my friend. I have no doubt in my mind that no matter what class you attend with Dan Marcus, you will not only gain a wealth of knowledge in the subject matter, but you will come out of it a better person, striving to influence the lives of other as he does. I would recommend Dan Marcus as a teacher and a mentor to anyone and everyone."  Alex (2007-2012)

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"I only had Mr. Marcus as a teacher for one year, but in that year Mr. Marcus helped me grow exponentially.  His wisdom has stuck with me to this day.  When I think of the influential people in my life Mr. Marcus is up there on my list."   Jesse (2011-2012)

"Dan Marcus is an incredible teacher. He is great with all students; I have taken math classes and film classes with this teacher, and I could not recommend him enough. He truly cares about each of his students and helps them achieve their best. He is always supportive and ready to help." Megan (2014-2017)

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"Dan Marcus was my teacher and father figure for two years of my high school experience. During this time he inspired me and challenged me not only to follow my dreams, but to challenge what I see in the world. His kindness and selfless actions made me a better person. And that is to say nothing of the value of education he granted me. Forty-years of experience flows through this man. There isn’t a subject he doesn’t have full command of. There isn’t a piece of math or filmmaking he couldn’t describe in great detail. I cannot recommend Dan Marcus enough." Hunter (2014-2017)

"Mr. Marcus has been a big influence on my life, ever since I was freshman to three years after graduating high school he has been there. From helping me with math to introducing me to film which led me to meeting three of my best friends that I now call brothers. I am proud to call him a friend. I couldn't imagine my life without Mr. Marcus, and I couldn't imagine a better life for him. Through the good and bad Mr. Marcus will always be there for anyone. He is the kind of man that will give you the shirt on his back for you with a smile on his face."  Kyle (2014-2018)

"Mr. Marcus was my film teacher my freshman year. I only had him for that one year, but he didn't only help me develop film skills he helped me develop confidence in myself. He is truly one of the most amazing teachers and people I have ever met." 

Nora (2017-2018)

"Dan Marcus is by far the best teacher I ever had. I always wanted to create cool movies, but I didn't know how to use iMovie that well. I decided to take a class with Dan Marcus and I was mind blown! I am now able to create videos from iMovie without being confused.  Dan Marcus teaches with so much passion and love which is why I really enjoyed having him as a teacher and he also made the class fun as well with his positivity.  He was able to inspire me to help others and to never give up. Thank you so much, Mr. Marcus for being an amazing teacher and inspiration!" Peter (2020)

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"When I first saw that I had an online class I thought that learning would be impossible, and my grade would reflect it. But after the first week with Mr. Marcus, I knew it would be smooth sailing from there. His passion for his job is unbelievable and he makes sure that no students ever struggle. His learning makes me feel like he’s right next to me helping me. He is kind, unselfish, supportive, and determined to teaching his kids.  Mr. Marcus isn’t just my favorite teacher, he’s my friend." Ezra (2022-2023)

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