Denver Academy

4400 East Iliff Avenue

Denver, CO 80222

31 Reviews

School District
Grade

2-12
Type

private

Find Homes for Sale in this School Zone

Reviews

Submitted by parent on February 23, 2024

Denver Academy is an exceptional school for neurodiverse learners. They go to extraordinary lengths to understand how your child learns best and tailors their education accordingly. The teachers are highly trained and are invested in the growth of your child. My son has truly blossomed here and LOVES going to school now.
Submitted by parent on September 15, 2022

DA has been the breakthrough our kids needed in academics, ultimately giving them self confidence and an excellent education. They struggled with dyslexia and we found no public schools that could help, having tried 3 different school districts. DA immediately turned things around for them in 5th and 6th grades, which has improved all areas of their personal well-being. We are now on our fourth year here and have two happy, engaged learners, excelling in school and excited for their futures.
Submitted by parent on September 07, 2022

Financial aid application forbids all charitable giving. All funds must go to DAT. Revolving door of low quality teachers. DAT spits on the middle class—even the upper middle class.
Submitted by other on June 07, 2022

Because of Denver Academy’s administration, I learned a harsh truth of the real world: Those with more money have more doors opened up to them in their lives. And sometimes people like me who aren’t as wealthy are left behind. The purpose of this review is not to make the school look bad. Denver Academy is terrific if you can afford it. It’s the financial aid team here that is a problem, not the school, the students, or teachers. This review is a fair warning for anyone who isn’t rich who is considering the school. I was a student at this school for a certain amount of time. My family is not poor, but also not rich. As a result, we were on the financial aid. The problem is, at DA you are expected to come up with more and more money every year because the financial aid awards stay the same while the overall tuition goes up. (So in other words, it is like receiving less aid every year.) Because of this, after some time my parents were struggling to afford the school with the financial aid, so they asked the school for more help. They gave us a swift no and never looked back, forcing me out of the school as my parents could no longer afford it. They didn’t even make my family a counter offer, just said “no we can’t give you any more aid.” The financial aid team is elitist. If you are not paying the full tuition, you are deemed a lesser priority here. Instead of making it possible for more middle class families to attend, they spend the money they raise on building a second gym when the first one was already big enough. So if you can’t afford the full tuition, I urge you to stay away so you aren’t put under financial hardship trying to afford it like my family was. It’s a shame because a school as good as this should be trying to extend their reach, not limit themselves to the rich only. The reason I am giving this review 2 stars instead of 1 is because the actual school is great and most people have a positive experience here. I did until of course, I had to leave. Don’t attack anyone over this. I am simply expressing my opinion.
Submitted by student on January 12, 2021

Even though it is a high price it is a very good school for kids it embraces any type of culture and any sexuality DA is way better than any public school especially since it goes K-12 it is the best school ever
Submitted by parent on July 09, 2020

This school has changed my kids life for the better. They are engaged, active learners who are confident in their abilities. They are making at least a year’s worth of progress every academic year and are being challenged to grow both academically and personally. I can not say enough good things about our experience at DA.
Submitted by parent on July 08, 2020

My son struggled with ADHD & Dyslexia since kindergarten. By 4th grade, he was over a year behind his classmates in reading. Additionally, we were having nightly fights over his doing his homework. He was also refusing to go to school in the mornings (which was not an option). We had hired a private tutor for him, in addition to the extra reading help that he got at school, but he was still struggling. At 4th grade, we switched him to Denver Academy. Initially, he was very sad to be missing his friends, but as time went on this got better. We were thrilled that now the homework fight no longer occurred!!! If he didn't do his homework, he would have to go to "Homework Club" after school to finish. We no longer had to fight with him every night!!! He slowly starting doing better & developing relationships at DA. He joined the theatrer program & developed self-confidence. Today, he is a Junior at the University of Arizona & thriving. I truly believe that he would not have graduated from high school without DA.
Submitted by parent on May 06, 2020

This school has been completely transformational for our student. Our student is now motivated to succeed and supported every step of the way.
Submitted by parent on April 24, 2020

Excellent. Highly recommend. Fantastic teachers and administrators.
Submitted by student on October 04, 2017

I am a student at Denver Academy. I love my teachers who are incredibly supportive and empathetic. They challenge students and get them to think out side the box it has been a amazing school and im exited to finish my high school career with this school.
Submitted by parent on June 21, 2017

This school has small class sizes but that's it. Bullying is a huge issue and is either not addressed or they try to blame the victim. They are behind in academics and if you plan on sending your child to a different school be prepared for them to be at least two years behind in core academics and in need of tutors or an iep. My child took algebra 1 at DA and had to retake it again the next year and they had never been taught/exposed any of the algebra 1 that the public school was teaching. My child would have failed going into Algebra 2 if they didn't retake this course. I would recommend attending your local public school and getting services through them to help your child with learning differences. They might struggle but at least they are getting prepared for college and not paying a huge price for small class sizes. The school doesn't offer speech therapy, occupational therapy or any other services. They do allow kids to learn in their own way but public schools will assist in this as well if you ask for the help.
Submitted by other on April 13, 2017

My son came from the public school system where he slipped through each grade under his IEP, never learning to read. He came to DA in 5th. He reads now, eagerly. He likes math as well. He loves going to school. DA is awesome!
Submitted by parent on January 23, 2015

As another parent said, you have to be realistic about your child's learning methods and it is a hard thing to do. I've had my kids in some of the top rated schools and it did do harm. A tutor once said, "if a kid develops a hate for school, you can never get that love back." That's true, unless you attend DA. This school is completely devoted to teaching in however method works best for your child. They do care and will make sure your child understands the material before moving on. There is not a overload of homework. Teachers will not penalize a child for imcomplete homework, due to not understanding the material. They will take time out and go over it instead. They do not tolorate bullying. It does occur, as in any school, but it will be addressed. Sending my kids to DA was the best decision I've ever made. It truly is a caring environment that wants the best for every student.
Submitted by parent on April 20, 2014

Denver Academy has been a great place for my son. The teachers "get" him and he enjoys going to school. Every year he has been placed with a teacher that fits his learning style. If he weren't at Denver Academy, I have no doubt that he would have failed out by now. I'm so glad we found Denver Academy!
Submitted by teacher on April 08, 2014

Denver Academy is a school that shows the love of learning. As you walk the campus, you can tell how much the students succeed by the smiles on their faces and the activities they are involved with. Rather they are studying poetry by the pond or understanding the ecosystem on the varying sites on the campus. Denver academy offers as wide variety of ways to learn and help students succeed in their learning.
Submitted by parent on January 26, 2014

If you are looking for a school for your child with learning differences, this is it. We have found a diverse population of learners getting their needs met in small individualized classrooms with specialized instruction throughout the day. The adults are very caring and knowledgeable. This is truly a home, a place for kids to belong, and an opportunity to renorm their learning experiences. Run ...don't walk to check it out.
Submitted by parent on December 04, 2013

Denver Academy is an amazing school period. I have one child in High School at Denver Academy (DA) and one in public school at Cherry Creek High School. Both are great schools but the faculty, staff, and administration at DA are in another league when in comes to crafting an individual learning plan for each student. The environment at DA is inclusive, friendly, like a family. Students show respect for each other and their teachers. I know several recent DA graduates and they are doing well in college and in life. DA is expensive but without the kind of individualized learning experience DA has given my child he never would have made it through High School. My child is extremely smart, yet public schools don't have the knowledge or inclination to educate a child with ADD and a processing disorder. Best of all the philosophy at DA is that home work is the responsibility of the student and the teacher NOT THE PARENT. That alone is worth the tuition.
Submitted by parent on November 11, 2013

Denver Academy is life changing. In one quarter, my daughter's anxiety, depression, migraines, and stomach aches she has had the last 6yrs literally disappeared. When her ADD was not properly addressed in school, these problems arose, worsened to the point that the idea of school made her physically sick. DA gave her the space to grow and learn without pressure and to truly help her learn in ways she connected to - she thrived. She has gone from hating school to wanting to be there. From hating homework to somewhat enjoying it. Most importantly there is hope for a bright future as her grades improve and she learns to challenge herself. I also personally love being a parent at this welcoming, communicative, and extremely friendly school. They welcome input, advice, and ideas. The staff is bright, creative, laid back, and truly gets kids with learning differences like no other place on earth. I have learned more in free parent support groups and school sponsored educational nights that I have in years of therapy. I feel so lucky to live in Colorado - so that my daughter can have this amazing educational experience that will last a lifetime!
Submitted by parent on October 20, 2013

Denver Academy has done wonders for our daughter who has a somewhat rare learning disability. She is very bright, yet struggled in another private school because the teachers did not know how best to help her learn. Also at her old school she had trouble fitting in socially and was bullied. Not at DA! Bullying is not tolerated, and staff works very hard to teach kids to accept each other. My daughter is excelling academically because DA teachers are trained in how to teach her and to provide just the right amount of challenge for her needs. The one-on-one attention at DA is outstanding! I feel DA staff truly care about each and every student, and they all seem to love what they do. They truly see education as a partnership between parent, student and teacher.
Submitted by parent on October 10, 2013

Denver Academy's philosophy, quality teaching staff, out-reaching counselors, visionary administrators, concerned parents, dedicated and tireless volunteers, and blossoming students make this a truly transformative environment and experience. Teachers have an in-depth understanding of their students personally and academically, as well as a broad, eclectic, yet focused, curriculum and approach to teaching and learning. With such a variety of methods utilized by both teachers and students, growth is observable emotionally and academically, resulting in happier kids and families. It is a valuable investment to help build a solid foundation for a future. In academic terms it's an A+. In Maslow's terms, it's the top of the pyramid!