Middle School (5th-8th Grade)

Aspen middle school students find a “home base” daily in an Advisory group of approximately up to 18 students in grades 5-8 overseen by a faculty advisor.  This designated time creates space for students to build deep and meaningful connections with peers in their advisory group and with their advisor. Once a month, students in advisory compete against one another in engaging challenges that leverage their LiFE learnings to earn the prestigious "Academy Cup."

Research shows the connection to play having a meaningful impact on physical and mental health for middle schoolers. That's why at Aspen, middle schoolers still have recess daily.

In addition, we're committed to students enjoy learning outside and celebrating the 300+ days of sun we benefit from in Colorado. Numerous outdoor learning spaces provide students the benefits of learning inside and out.

At Aspen, your middle school student will embark on a journey of self-discovery guided by our expert Director of Middle School, Director of LiFE, and LiFE Manager. Together they support students in identifying local high school or boarding schools that gives your child a sense of belonging, compliments who they are, and facilitates their aspirations. Beginning in seventh grade, we assist families through the secondary school application process.

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Leadership skills are developed and honed through thoughtful risk-taking, self-reflection, and collaboration. In Middle School, students begin to take on increasingly robust leadership roles with their peers, from leading Bear's Student Enterprises cohorts to Student Civic Organization to Student Inclusion & Leadership Club (SILC). 

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Learn More About Athletics and Fitness 

Learn More About Innovation and STEAM 

Learn More About Spanish 

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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.

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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 LiFE (Leadership, Finance, Entrepreneurship) program.

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Expeditionary Learning opportunities are intentionally designed to support a variety of curriculum content and provide students an opportunity to apply, extend, and enrich their learning within the world.

We travel with purpose and encourage our students to live their lives with intentionality. Our experiential learning opportunities are provided for students to see their classroom learning in a real world setting, for them to have the opportunity to apply their skills in a real and authentic way. We create a culture of setting and achieving goals and choose opportunities for our students to define, experience and expand their own personal mission, vision and values.

• LEADERSHIP RETREAT (5th-8th Grades Only): Students begin their school year with an unforgettable retreat in the landscape of our beautiful Colorado Rocky Mountains. Whether they are collaborating in a kayaking challenge (can they hold their boats steady so one classmate can run across the front?) or completing leadership games with friends, we encourage risk taking, community building, and outdoor education.
• ASPEN ADVENTURE WEEK (5th-8th Grades Only): Trips to Moab, UT, Washington D.C., San Francisco, CA, Costa Rica, or local options of Outdoor Education, Film and Video Production, or Cooking.
• Expeditionary learning includes a myriad of place based learning.