5 Reasons to Make the Switch to a Top Denver Private Middle School like Aspen Academy

Considering making the switch to a top Denver private middle school for your child? The decision to provide them with a quality education at one of the best private schools in Denver can shape their future academic success and personal growth. Let's explore five compelling reasons why choosing a Top Denver private middle school could be a transformative step for your child.

1. Individual Attention: Top Denver private middle schools prioritize personalized attention, offering smaller class sizes that allow for a more immersive and tailored learning experience. Teachers can engage deeply with each student, identifying their strengths and addressing any academic challenges effectively.

Individual attention plays a crucial role in middle school education, benefiting students in various ways. Research has shown that personalized attention enhances learning outcomes and promotes academic and social-emotional growth among middle school students ¹. It allows teachers to understand and address the unique needs of each student. This personalized approach helps students grasp difficult concepts, reinforces their strengths, and fosters a positive and supportive learning environment. When students feel seen and valued by their teachers, they are more likely to engage actively in the learning process, ask questions, and seek assistance when needed ¹. This sense of belonging and connection can contribute to higher student motivation, self-confidence, and overall academic performance².

When teachers have a better understanding of students' unique personalities, interests, and challenges, they can provide appropriate guidance and support, helping students navigate the complexities of adolescence while building strong interpersonal skills².

Individual attention in middle school allows teachers to tailor instruction, address individual needs, foster a positive learning environment, and support students' social-emotional development. The research suggests that this personalized approach leads to improved academic outcomes and overall well-being for middle school students^1,2.

At Aspen Academy, our classes are capped at 18 students and our ratio of students to faculty is 8:1. Our goal is to create a community where students feel a sense of belonging and one where they are challenged to achieve their potential. High School administrators often share that our students, “know how to advocate for themselves in high school in a healthy way.”

A middle school student stays after class to clarify a question with an Aspen Academy faculty math teacher.

2. Empowering Academic Rigor: Enrolling your child in a top Denver private middle school means exposing them to enriched curricula and advanced placement programs that foster academic excellence. The rigorous academic standards set by these schools prepare students for future success in higher education and beyond.

“A rigorous curriculum challenges students at all levels to think in innovative ways and develop more sophisticated understandings of important ideas³.”

Finalists shake hands following a recent Aspen Academy Speech & Debate competition.

A lack of rigor in middle school contributes to decreased student motivation and a lack of preparation for subsequent educational stages⁴. Middle school is a transitional time before high school, and coupled with the changes students experience during puberty, this time carries numerous physical and emotional changes for middle school students. When middle school students begin underachievement, it increases the likelihood they’ll struggle to reverse that pattern, impacting their high school, college, and ultimately career success⁵.

According to Dani Tinkel’s article, “Underchallenged and Overly Board: Why Rigor is Important in the Middle School Classroom,” the author shares: “Middle schools must be able to integrate rigorous learning opportunities with supporting students socially and emotionally. … if we are not careful to review our curricula with both needs in mind, students will continue to experience boredom, achieve below their potential, and fail to see the value in the content they’re asked to study.”

Private middle schools should put their curricula to the test frequently, ensuring students have the best to foster their lifelong learning and lessons that support their ability to build self confidence, resilience, and friendships.

In addition to reviewing all our domain curricula every five years at Aspen Academy, we stretch our students by incorporating aspects of learning across subjects, by giving middle school students real-life applications and projects. We offer engaging and healthy competitions from Mathematics to Speech and Debate. We give students numerous opportunities to showcase their aptitude in a variety of subjects.

Teaching staff gather before school to review curricula, in addition to every domain being reviewed each 5 years to ensure a high quality curriculum and next generation education for Aspen Academy students.

3. Enriched Extracurricular Opportunities: Aspen Academy and other top Denver private middle schools provide a diverse range of extracurricular activities that cater to students' interests and talents. Whether it's sports, arts, music, or community service, these opportunities contribute to your child's holistic development and help them build essential life skills.

The Aspen Academy Boys Basketball team camaraderie before a home game.

Research has consistently shown positive relationships between participation in extracurricular activities and cognitive, psychological, and social outcomes for children and adolescents⁶. These activities offer a variety of advantages for middle school students, including:

• Improved academic performance⁷ through enhanced time management skills, discipline, and opportunities for students to apply and reinforce what they have learned in the classroom.
• Social skills development because extracurriculars give middle school students the opportunity to interact with peers who share similar interest, form friendships, improve communication, teamwork, and leadership abilities.⁸
• Personal growth via exploring new interests, talents and hobbies which contribute to nurturing self-confidence, self-esteem, and a sense of identity⁹.
• Increased well-being and mental health: Research suggests that involvement in extracurricular activities is associated with improved psychological well-being and decreased risk of negative mental health outcomes¹⁰. These activities provide students with a sense of belonging, purpose, and support networks outside of the classroom.

Aspen Academy hosts over 40 extracurricular activities for students each semester. Students in 5th-8th Grade select from a catalog of options that enables them to learn within a cohort of other 5th-8th grade students and explore subjects they love, as well as new opportunities for learning.

Student actors in a recent production at Aspen Academy. The school offers two performances annually in addition to a catalog of theater-related elective courses in Middle School.

4. Community Cohesion and Support: At the best private middle schools in Denver, a strong sense of community and support prevails among students, teachers, and parents. The close-knit environment allows for meaningful connections, fostering emotional resilience and a sense of belonging during the crucial middle school years.

A sense of community contributes to improved academic outcomes. When students feel a sense of belonging and connectedness within their school and community, they are more motivated to engage in their learning¹¹. Research suggests that strong community-school relationships can lead to higher attendance rates, increased academic achievement, and improved graduation rates¹¹.

Aspen Academy students participate in a student mentoring program that builds community across grades within the school. Mentors and mentees meet Friday to watch a student-led performance or complete projects with one another.

Community cohesion and support play a crucial role in students' social development. When students feel a sense of connection and support from their community, it enhances their social skills, self-esteem, overall well-being, positive relationships, empathy, and practicing their communication and collaboration skills¹².

One way we bring community to life at Aspen Academy is through our Student Mentor Program. The program provides structure and leadership opportunities for 5th through 8th grade students to have mentees they coach, support, and teach. These mutually beneficial relationships foster a sense of community across grades, families, and our community.

5. Preparation for Future Success: Top Denver private middle schools like Aspen Academy have a proven track record of preparing students for high school admissions, college admissions and future endeavors. These schools can equip students with the tools and knowledge needed to thrive academically and professionally.

Private middle schools that provide smaller class sizes, individualized attention, specialized programs that cater to different interests, and a rigorous academic curriculum can lead to improved academic outcomes and can better prepare students for the challenges of high school and higher education¹³.

In addition to academics, top private middle schools often prioritize the development of essential life skills and character traits, such as leadership, critical thinking, and interpersonal communication¹⁴. At Aspen Academy, we’ve identified the top 10 skills included in actual job listings to ensure our students are receiving education in these “durable skills.” These skills are increasingly recognized as important predictors of future success in various career paths and are therefore valuable for students' long-term prospects¹⁴.

Private middle schools may also provide career exploration programs and mentorship opportunities to help students gain exposure to different professions and industries, which can guide their future academic and career choices¹⁵. Such early exposure has been linked to greater clarity in career goals and improved decision-making regarding educational and professional pathways¹⁵.

It is important to note that while these findings are supported by research, the effectiveness of private middle schools in preparing students for future success may vary based on individual school practices and student needs.

A parent volunteer meets with an 8th Grade student to review and support her with her business plan.

Considering the switch to a top Denver private middle school is a significant decision that can positively impact your child's educational journey. By prioritizing their personal growth, academic success, and overall well-being, you can set them on a path to a fulfilling and prosperous future.

Wish you could have had leadership and financial literacy earlier in life? Learn more about what makes Aspen Academy a unique top Denver private school here.

Sources:

1. Keller, A. S., Davidesco, I., & Tanner, K. D. (2020). Attention Matters: How Orchestrating Attention May Relate to Classroom Learning. CBE-Life Sciences Education, 19(3), es9. Read more
2. Semple, R. J., Droutman, V., & Reid, B. A. (2014). Mindfulness Goes to School: Things Learned (So Far) from Research and Real-World Experiences. Psychology in the Schools, 51(3), 1-15. Read more
3. Tinkel, Dani. (2022). Underchallenged and Overly Board: Why Rigor is Important in the Middle School Classroom. Read more
4. Snyder, K.E. & Garcia, L.L. (2013). A developmental, person-centered approach to exploring multiple motivational pathways in gifted underachievement. Educational Psychologist, 48 (4), 209-288.
5. McCall, R.B., Evahn, C., & Kratzer, L. (1992). High school underachievers: What do they achieve as adults? Sage Publications, Inc.
6. Mahoney, Joseph L., Reed Larson, Jacquelynne S. Eccles, and Allan Wigfield. "Extracurricular Activities and Student Outcomes in Elementary and Middle School." Child Development 90, no. 3 (2019): 812-828. Read more
7. Little, Patrick. "The Benefits of Participating in Extracurricular Activities." Journal of Youth Development 14, no. 4 (2019): 79-89. Read more
8. Mahoney, Joseph L., Reed Larson, Jacquelynne S. Eccles, and Allan Wigfield. "Extracurricular Activities and Student Outcomes in Elementary and Middle School." Child Development 90, no. 3 (2019): 812-828. Read more
9. Wang, Ming-Te, and Jacquelynne Eccles. "Effects of Extracurricular Participation During Middle School on Academic Motivation and Achievement." Journal of Educational Psychology 101, no. 2 (2009): 262-274. Read more
10. Mahoney, Joseph L., Reed Larson, Jacquelynne S. Eccles, and Allan Wigfield. "Extracurricular Activities and Student Outcomes in Elementary and Middle School." Child Development 90, no. 3 (2019): 812-828. Read more
11. Check, Joy, Diana Bowman, and Tom Byrne. "Schools and Communities Working Together: Features and Impacts of Community Schools." Evidence & Impact, Pennsylvania State University, n.d. Read more
12. Harvard Graduate School of Education. "The Case for Strong Family and Community Engagement in Schools." Harvard Graduate School of Education, March 23, 2021. Read more
13. American Student Assistance. "A 50-State Analysis of Middle School Career Exploration." Accessed July 21, 2022. Read more
14. American Student Assistance. "Improved Student Outcomes in Middle School Career Exploration." Accessed July 21, 2022. Read more
15. Strauss, Valerie. "Are private schools really better than public schools? A look at the data." The Washington Post, March 27, 2018. Read more