Middle School
Our academics, partnered with a focused leadership development sequence, prepare students for the most demanding secondary schools. Students thrive as they build lasting relationships with peers and teachers through small class sizes and a community focus. Aspen Academy intentionally and consistently cultivates:
- Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving
- Collaboration Across Networks
- Agility and Adaptability
- Initiative and Entrepreneurialism
- Effective Oral and Written Communication
- Accessing and Analyzing Information
- Curiosity and Imagination
LETTER FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR
Welcome to Middle School! We are thrilled for you to experience our program where students learn that they are truly valued for their inherent worth and unique potential in this world. We recognize that the greatest learning will take place when a child in their adolescent years feels seen and has a deep sense of belonging. Through our intentional approach to leadership development, students recognize their own gifts and talents and offer them to their community. They take risks in our Entrepreneurial Program, exploring the idea that their thoughts can become things.
Our Academic Program is challenging, integrated, and highly engaging, with project-based lessons, a real-world lens, and a unique offering of electives. We see that our students are prepared for the high school transition that awaits because their love of learning and their personal confidence is developed not for school, but for life.
- KATIE BECKER, MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTOR
MIDDLE SCHOOL ACADEMICS
MATH
Aspen Academy fifth through eighth graders grow to love the beauty of mathematics that comes from an inherent sense of how easily they can develop mathematical intuition. Students are taught to look for mathematics everywhere. For example, in athletics classes, items like force, motion and angles are discussed. Singapore Mathematics has produced the highest-performing math students globally. In seventh and eighth grade, students are transitioned to high school level mathematics in algebra and geometry to allow for honors or advanced placement opportunity once the student enters high school.
In addition to our foundational curriculum, Aspen Academy is preparing each and every child to be competent in the realm of financial literacy, self-management and self-sufficiency as well as to be able to understand and manage personal and business finances.
Language Arts
Student choice and ownership are at the forefront of our language arts curriculum. At Aspen Academy, all of our language arts teacher prides themselves on tapping into the personal interests and learning styles of each and every one of their students. The workshop model, which consists of a short, whole-group lesson and extended time for differentiated-partner, small group and individual learning time, allows for each student to reach his or her full potential. Providing choice for both reading and writing creates an authentic learning environment full of passion and excitement in each language arts classroom. These choices provide an opportunity for critical thinking, self-reflection and decision-making unmatched among other programs in the nation.
Social Studies
The world is changing faster than we realize, and preparing our students for a world that is global, dynamic and complex will not look the way it used to. Our Social Studies program doesn’t just teach history; we pride ourselves on an approach of learning about the world through history, geography, economics and civics. We focus on studying our world not just in a textbook and the classroom, but in context so that our students can go out into the world to apply the lessons, critical thinking and passion to the greater society.
Science
After an extensive teacher-led research process, Aspen Academy has adopted the latest, most innovative and relevant standards in the nation. The Next Generation Science Standards are used from grades K-8, making Aspen Academy one of the only schools in the area to use these cutting-edge standards school-wide.
Essentials
Our Essentials Program offers performance-based courses that continue to build leadership, confidence and pride for each student. We realize world language, performing arts, visual arts, technology and fitness, along with the academic content classes, create a space for students to grow and learn in all areas of their school life as well as discover their individual passions and gifts.
INNOVATION & STEAM
Can you imagine a space where kids are coding as young as four years old? A place where they take an ordinary picture they’ve drawn and use technology to make their picture come alive and talk? A space where they have to work as an engineering team to design a new invention? A place where students are taking their 2-D drawings and making them come to life through a 3-D model? You don’t have to imagine any of it as this type of space is a reality for all Aspen Academy students from Pre-K through 8th grade.
Entrepreneurship
In alignment with our purpose of developing extraordinary leaders, our focus on leadership development, character education and service learning are integral parts of life at Aspen Academy. Our students learn that at the very least, they are accountable for leading themselves through our Aspen Youth Leadership Institute (AYLI) and Aspen Entrepreneurial Institute (AEI) programs.
Accreditations
