About Aspen Academy
In 2005, three women looked at education in Colorado and said: This isn't enough.
Not enough leadership. Not enough character. Not enough preparation for the world their children would actually inherit.
So they built something different. From a 10x12 office in Littleton. With 100 students. And a belief that refused to bend.
Twenty years later, that belief is Aspen Academy.
What Is Aspen Academy?
Aspen Academy is a Preschool-8th grade private school in Greenwood Village, Colorado, offering the nation's first fully integrated Leadership, Finance, and Entrepreneurship (LiFE) curriculum. Our students perform 2-3x above state and national benchmarks - not through test prep, but through an education designed to build capable, ethical humans.
This isn't a school that happened by accident.
Every decision - from our curriculum to our class sizes to our faculty - reflects a single conviction: what you know matters, but who you are matters more.
Our three pillars guide everything we do:
- Next Generation Education - Academics that prepare students for a world we can't yet imagine
- Leadership and Entrepreneurial Development - Real skills, practiced daily, starting in Pre-K
- Community Strength and Service - A family culture where everyone belongs
We're not trying to be the biggest school in Denver. We're trying to be the one that produces humans who lead with integrity, think with clarity, and contribute with purpose.
Who Founded Aspen Academy?
Aspen Academy was founded in 2005 by Kristina Scala, Lynda Sailor, and a third visionary educator who believed Colorado's educational system wasn't keeping pace with global changes. Two of our three founders still guide daily operations, ensuring our original mission remains alive in every decision.
Meet Our Founders:
Kristina Scala - Founder, President and Head of School
- U.S. Patent holder for educational innovation
- Colorado Titan 100 honoree
- Colorado Women's Chamber Top 25 Most Powerful Women
- Thrive Global Top 15 Women to Watch
- Denver Business Journal Leadership Trust Member
- Featured in PBS series "Exceptionary Women"
Lynda Sailor - Founder and Business & Operations Director
- NBOA Will Hancock Unsung Hero Award recipient
- NBOA Board Member
- Architect of Aspen's financial model that keeps tuition 17% below Denver market average with a balanced budget every year.
They didn't start Aspen to build a business. They started it because they were mothers who saw what their own children needed - and couldn't find it anywhere else.
That's still the lens through which every decision is made: Would this be good enough for my own child?
What Makes Aspen Academy Different from Other Denver Private Schools?
Aspen Academy is the only Preschool-8 school in the nation with a fully integrated daily curriculum in Leadership, Finance, and Entrepreneurship. While other schools add leadership as an afterthought, we built our entire program around developing capable, ethical leaders who can navigate uncertainty and create opportunity.
Here's what you won't find anywhere else:
- The LiFE Curriculum - Every student, every day, engages in structured learning around leadership, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. This isn't an elective. It's the foundation.
- Student-Run Businesses - Middle schoolers operate real businesses through Bear's Student Enterprises, generating over $76,000 in revenue last year. They learn accounting, marketing, customer service, and failure - all before high school.
- 200+ Hours of Financial Literacy - By graduation, every Aspen student has completed more than 200 hours of personal financial education. Most schools don't offer this until high school - if at all.
- Professional Mentors - 8th graders work with real business mentors: serial entrepreneurs, IPO veterans, EO/YPO members who connect students with industry contacts and real opportunities.
- Academic Excellence - Students perform 2-3x above state and national benchmarks in reading and math. 99% are on track for grade-level reading. Not because we drill them, but because we challenge them with problems that matter.
How Did Aspen Academy Start?
Aspen Academy began in August 2005, with 100 students in Pre-K through 4th grade, operating from temporary space in Littleton, Colorado. By 2007, enrollment exceeded capacity, leading to the purchase and renovation of our current Greenwood Village campus.
Key Milestones:
| Year | Milestone |
| 2005 | Founded with 100 students in temporary Littleton space |
| 2008 | Purchased current Greenwood Village campus |
| 2009 | Bear's Student Enterprises founded |
| 2011 | AdvancED "Top Scoring School" - top 1% nationally |
| 2012 | Aspen Youth Leadership Institute created |
| 2013 | Financial Literacy curriculum developed with National Financial Literacy Council |
| 2015 | Head of School featured in PBS "Exceptionary Women" |
| 2019 | Kristina Scala receives United States patent 10,390,629 B2 for her MODI Move + Discover Educational Furniture line, developed with Aspen Academy 1st Graders |
| 2020 | Full virtual pivot within 12 hours of COVID closure; 94% met/exceeded growth |
| 2025 | 20th Anniversary celebrated; Early Learning Campus opens |
Today, Aspen Academy serves 400+ students and is recognized as one of the fastest-growing independent schools in the country by the Association of Colorado Independent Schools.
What Are Aspen Academy's Values?
Four values guide every interaction at Aspen Academy:
Be Kind, Do Good, Work Hard, and Make The World Better.
These aren't words on a wall - they're enforced daily, referenced in conversations, and lived by students and faculty alike.
Our Values:
- Be Kind - Compassion isn't optional. How you treat others defines who you are.
- Do Good - Action matters. Character shows in what you do, not what you say.
- Work Hard - Effort earns outcomes. There are no shortcuts to real achievement.
- Make The World Better - Leave things better than you found them. Always.
Our Mission: To edify and inspire students, parents, and educators to grow, learn, and lead.
Our Vision: Every child deserves to feel seen, challenged, and supported - not just through school years, but into life.
How Does Aspen Academy Impact Education Beyond Its Campus?
Since 2016, Aspen Academy has mentored public schools and administrators, supporting 130+ Moonshot edVentures Fellows who have generated $6M in annual economic impact and have created 165+ jobs through alumni-led organizations. Our work extends beyond our walls because we believe transformational education should reach every child, regardless of their school.
Beyond Greenwood Village:
- Moonshot edVentures Partnership - 84 Fellows supported
- Public School Mentoring - Direct support for administrators seeking to innovate
- Durable Skills Project - Participating in America Succeeds PathsmithTM initiative for future-ready skills
- MODI Furniture - Patented Move and Discover furniture used in other Colorado schools
We don't hoard our innovations. We share them - because the goal was never to be the only good school. The goal was to prove what's possible.
Is Aspen Academy Accredited?
Yes. Aspen Academy received Cognia accreditation (formerly AdvancED), earning "Top Scoring School" designation in the top 1% nationally in 2011 and is accredited by the Association of Colorado Independent Schools (ACIS). We're also members of NAIS.
Accreditations and Memberships:
- National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS)
- Association of Colorado Independent Schools (ACIS)
- Cognia Accredited (Top 1% nationally)
- National Business Officer Association (NBOA)
- Colorado Shines Level 4 Rating
- National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Awards and Recognition:
- Niche.com A+ Rating
- Colorado Sun Reader’s Best: Best K-8 Private School in Denver Metro
- Denver Gazette Best Elementary, Middle School, and Preschool
- Colorado Parent Top 5 Family Favorites
- US Department of Education Green Ribbon School
- Denver Business Journal Best Places to Work
- ColoradoBiz Magazine Top 200 Private Companies
- National Wildlife Foundation Certified Wildlife Habitat
- Denver Startup Week Pitch Competition Top 3 Finalist
Student and Alumni Awards:
- 2025 YouthBiz Stars Competition Finalist (Morgan Calleigh Friedman, M's Eats)
- 2024 YouthBiz Stars Competition Finalists (Morgan Calleigh Friedman, M's Eats; Lara Leonard, Honey Bites)
- Carson Scholarship Award Winning Students (2024, 2023, 2021, 2019)
- 2024 Teen of Impact Colorado & Wyoming (Morgan Calleigh Friedman)
- 2023 YouthBiz Stars Competition Winner (Sophia Kohls, Sophie-Rose Lip Balm)
Ready to See Aspen Academy for Yourself?
Transforming Education
"Aspen Academy is a second home. It has pushed me so much out of my comfort zone and I want other kids to feel the same way about the school. It has helped me grow into a more mature person. I feel that the administration and staff are always kind and thoughtful. This has helped me feel taken care of and appreciated." - Current Student.
"Aspen Academy cares about the whole person, not just the academics. We believe education is more than tests and books and Aspen shares this value. The teachers and administrators see our kids for who they are as a whole and help them grow as a whole." - Current Parent.