Aspen View Academy

2131 Low Meadow Boulevard

School District

Douglas County Re 1
Grade

PK, K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:17
Type

charter

School Map for Douglas County Re 1 School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on December 25, 2022

We ended up pulling our kids from this school due to lack of integrity and transparency of charter administration / board.
Submitted by parent on December 21, 2022

As a mother of a student who went here, she got bullied and teased. I will not be going back.
Submitted by parent on September 11, 2022

My daughter attended Aspen View from the 2nd year it was open all the way through 8th Grade. I was so disappointed to move from her original charter, but very excited we found AVA. The school had a few hiccups to work through in our beginning years at AVA, just like any new organization, but are now flourishing! The staff, education and values being taught are paired with a smaller learning environment which is wonderful! There is low staff turn over since the current Principal has been at the school for the last 6 years and he provides a supportive, trusting, and safe environment for students and staff. The school and staff are always working hard to provide the best learning environment for students! It’s not perfect, but the care and effort made for each student shine!
Submitted by other on February 11, 2022

We transferred in to this school when my son started 4th grade (he is now in 6th), coming in from Maryland. Although he enjoyed his school in Maryland, starting in 1st grade he kept informing his teachers that 3rd is his last year and that we are moving (military family). We plan to move near C-Springs to be closer to my husband's work, and I have to say my son is devastated! He doesn't want to leave Aspen View. Immediately upon starting at AVA he felt welcomed by the teachers, staff, parents and other students. We were a tad worried because with the school not closely associated with the military, we were concerned regarding kids accepting him as the new kid and not the kid they knew since they were toddlers--but no fear! The staff is very involved in school activities, with on occasion a DJ out front greeting kids in the morning with fun activities. The elementary kids are not released from class until the assigned pickup person arrives, which reduces the chance of a parent, other family member, or others kidnapping the kid (this is actually a bigger problem than people realize). The kids are grouped together based on learning and skills. The kids are regularly tested to monitor progress. The teachers are great keeping in touch with the parents. The school rolled with COVID remote learning very well. The first year, in 2020, the school developed a learning plan within a week of being directed to go to remote learning. A chrome book is provided to each family, and families without Internet can apply to the school for a hotspot. The teachers got very creative. They made videos at home of reading, math (even using sketch pads to work through problem examples), and PE included riding bikes, hiking, and technology class included teaching a family member something new. Speaking of technology...all kids have technology, art, music, PE, and soon theater--for all grades! Language is normally taught with a choice of French, Spanish, and Latin. However, COVID is impacting getting teachers reliably for these things. The school is involved with the community. Every month is a pay to dress clothes of choice (normally the kids are in school uniforms) with the money going to a charity identified by the school population.
Submitted by parent on February 22, 2021

We moved here from out of state and were very excited to see a school right here on our street. Our youngest two daughters were immediately accepted to 5th and 7th grade at Aspen View. I soon found out why the middle school had no wait list. Their middle school program, and teachers, are significantly lacking in many areas. My 11 year old’s teacher was actually allowed to have her own daughter in her class. The blatant favoritism of her own daughter all year was appalling. When her daughter began to bully other children in the class, administration still did not remove this child from her mother’s class. I thought at the very least that my kids would come out of this school better prepared for high school. However, after two years of Spanish at Aspen View, my rising freshmen will still have to begin in Spanish 1 at Castle View next year. She will also have to begin in Math 1. My older two kids that attended public middle school were able to go straight into Spanish 2 and Math 2, and neither of them are as strong in math as my rising freshman. Lastly, we were hopeful that the small class sizes would be a blessing. However, this school is extremely “cliquey.” If you’re not in a group, you’re solo. My younger daughter felt very much alone and left out at this school, even after two years. Do yourself a favor and go with the public schools or private schools.
Submitted by parent on June 03, 2020

My child has shown great progress and also has enjoyed her time spent at Aspen View!
Submitted by parent on May 13, 2020

My child loves his teachers and so far the experience has been great.
Submitted by parent on February 20, 2020

Aspen View has had it's ups and downs with leadership, but the teachers are committed to the students and know them well. There is a great deal of focus on individualized learning. Students are excelling and have a very positive peer pressure.
Submitted by parent on February 20, 2019

This school has been great for our daughter and we have two young sons who will be going there as well.
Submitted by parent on December 17, 2018

We are very happy at AVA! Love the teachers and my kids are getting an incredible education. AVA's values also align closely with how we are raising our children.
Submitted by parent on August 20, 2018

Best school in Castle Rock. Had a few hiccups when it started, but is on a great path now.
Submitted by parent on November 06, 2017

We have been in this school since the beginning, but are now considering pulling our children out. The homework is so extensive, that sometimes our lower grade level children do 1.5 - 2 hours a night. Tests almost every week that require extensive studying. The kids are not having time to be kids. We've addressed this with their teachers and homework is not letting up at all. We've discussed it with leadership and we are just put off and told to "take this up with your teacher as we have no say in homework". I've heard from countless other parents sharing this same concern. Kids are super stressed, family time severely compromised. I agree that children should be encouraged and pushed to excel - but not to the point that they are stressed out, crying, getting sick, and not having any time for play. The issue of homework has been brought up SOOO many times and everyone in leadership is ignoring the parents. Maybe when enrollment continues to drop they will decide to help us out. This school has the potential to be so good! Work with us.
Submitted by parent on May 25, 2017

The School has experienced a 60% turnover rate in instructors during the past two years, resulting in the middle school education deteriorating greatly in to the point where a majority of students have chosen not to return. 3rd principal in last 4 years will soon start. Major turnaround is needed. or school will not continue.
Submitted by parent on April 13, 2017

I have been a part of this school since its inception: from groundbreaking, to building, to working on its grant writing committee, to opening day. Yes, the turnover with the leadership is less than desirable, but is a function of two things: a school board (that has not turned over) with an ever-changing agenda (more in a moment on that), to the function of the growing and competitive charter school landscape nationally. Put more simply: good leaders are being head-hunted away and enticed with great financial packages. That's quite simply a function of a market-based, competitive economy. With respect to the board, it has been really frustrating to be attracted to the school for its original intent to be a Latin and Greek based program only to have the board "change their mind." I am a linguist and know first-hand the power that language learning has on the growth of particular parts of the brain, including the science and mathematics core of the brain. Yes, it bothers me that this has changed mid-stream. However, from an academic perspective I cannot emphasize enough that Aspen View excels with its program. The children are challenged academically, languages or not. The pace is fast and is ability based. This is important with respect to peer-based learning and creates a wonderful social environment of ownership between peers (at all grade levels), and enough positive pressure for all children to reach for higher levels of cognitive and academic growth. As a new(er) school, I was fully aware that there would be some growing pains and necessary, for lack of a better term, kinks to be worked through. This has happened, but I am more than satisfied with the remaining curriculum, absent language program aside. For those in this forum that have complained, the trend I have noticed is two things: teacher turnover, and "my kid is treated unfairly." To those two points I will say this: turnover is a function of a good economy (typically) or a sign of a bad environment. Aspen View is not a bad environment. Period. To those with "unfairly treated kids," perhaps the problem is within the family and not the school. I've been around long enough and raised enough children (oldest is 24, youngest is 2) to know that any time you have a sample population, forming a bell curve, a few of you will be one or two standard deviations to the left...
Submitted by parent on March 31, 2017

The only thing that has been constant is the board and they are very controlling and not in a good way. Horrible teacher retention, the good ones always leave after one to two years. It was a wonderful school the first year but each year gets worse on delivering what they promised our students and family. We came to AVA because of their wonderful Latin program but since the second year it has practically been nonexistent. And don't get me started on middle school languages. The school is on it's 3rd principal in 3 years and I don't think the issue is with the Principals but with the boards need to micromanage the administration and the teachers. We have removed all three of our kids for the next school year. I would think twice before sending your kids to this school. On a positive we have had a few amazing teachers but that being said the teachers don't stay long.
Submitted by other on September 15, 2016

Good staff, curriculum and administration. Every teacher we have had appreciated our son and we appreciated th consistent expectations.
Submitted by parent on February 26, 2016

The curriculum and teachers are very good but the administration lacks understanding and experience with middle school students. We pulled both of our kids out of this school due to issues with the administration not properly notifying us of issues they felt warranted suspension, offering no discussion of what was actually happening. We felt it was not a good environment for our kids.
Submitted by parent on February 26, 2016

Academically, I think the school is great and the teachers are fantastic.Administratively, that's where the school gets it's mark. Be careful if you have a middle school aged child.In my experience, the school has failed to follow its discipline policies that are clearly outlined which lead to severe punishment of my child and took it to the point that I was afraid my child would be expelled for the next reported offense (whether true or not).