North Star Academy

16700 Keystone Boulevard

School District

Douglas County Re 1
Grade

K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:18
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 November 24, 2024

The love of learning is lost at this school, they take every bit of fun out of learning.
Submitted by parent on May 06, 2024

My children transferred from a neighborhood school last year. One of my children has an IEP. Some of these comments made me nervous about sending that child to North Star, but we have nothing but positive experiences. I was just telling a friend, last year my child struggled with basic addition and this year my child is doing long division. My child receives support in areas of concern and the teacher is very understanding. That doesn't mean my child gets a free pass. Leniency, yes. But not a free pass. My child receives a modified math assignment each night and less stringent grading standards on other assignments like writing (which is written into my child's IEP).With a lot of parents involvement, some extra tutoring (our choice, not required by the school), and good teacher communication my child is thriving! At our prior school, there was a lot of discussion at a young age about what brand kids wore and their clothing choices. I never thought I'd like uniforms, but I truly love them! And there are a few different polo options and ways for kids to wear their uniform differently throughout the week.
Submitted by other on February 10, 2023

I was a student here and it was an AWFUL experience, I had a very difficult time because I couldn't have the accommodations I was supposed to have and as a result my grades and self esteem suffered.
Submitted by parent on May 17, 2021

I had three children go through North Star Academy (the youngest graduated last year), and it was a wonderful experience for all of them. The tight-knit, supportive community created an environment in which my children felt safe and supported. The teachers, staff, and administration are incredibly warm and approachable. The rigorous curriculum is challenging, and it provided my children with the skills and work ethic they needed to be prepared and successful in high school. There was always ample support, both academically and emotionally. We couldn’t have picked a better school for our family!
Submitted by parent on May 17, 2021

Great school! The teachers are amazing .
Submitted by parent on May 15, 2021

Our girls have attended NSA for 7 years. They love NSA and their teachers. So much, that they visit their previous homeroom teachers from years prior just to say “hi” or check in. The level of education is excellent: Our oldest was not challenged enough at our local elementary school (1st grade). NSA has a rigorous curriculum that challenges the kids to grow. From an early age, students are taught to give presentations to the whole class on various topics in the news and history. Finally, the school is much smaller than the neighborhood schools. As a result, the teachers actually got to know our kids really well; they were never just a number. I highly recommend NSA.
Submitted by parent on May 15, 2021

My family has been at NSA 2016. When evaluating schools in the area we were looking for a school that had an amazing community as well as an excellent curriculum. NSA has all of those things and more.On top of having a wonderful curriculum that challenges students, the school offers a wonderful Spanish program starting in Kindergarten. The school also has a heart for giving back to the community and does so by completing a quarterly service project that includes all grade levels.NSA has a teacher retention rate well above 90% and a student retention rate over 80%. This contributes to the NSA community feeling like a family. My kids have made wonderful life long friends in their tenure at the school.The teachers and staff are all amazing people who care about each other and the students. Every teacher goes above and beyond for their students. They are always there for a hug or a helping hand. The staff is equally as great from the lunch supervisor with her amazing jokes to the building engineer who captures all the students hearts with his kind spirit.I feel so blessed everyday when I drop my kids off at school that we are fortunate enough to get to be apart of this community knowing my kids are challenged academically in a warm and caring environment.
Submitted by parent on May 14, 2021

I have been both the husband of a teacher and parent of a student at North Star Academy since 2013. We are so grateful to be a part of the North Star family. I have watched my son grow to become an outstanding young man, and everyday, I am so proud of him. This will be his final year at the school and I don't think he could be any better prepared for the next stage of his life. The staff at North Star has been a wonderful part of his life and have given him the skills to succeed. My wife has never been happier in her career and loves working with the entire staff at North Star. And it’s nice to see them both come home happy everyday. I want to say thank you to the entire North Star Academy family for being such a positive influence in our lives!!!
Submitted by parent on May 14, 2021

As a parent with two children in North Star Academy's middle school and one child in NSA's elementary school, I would wholeheartedly recommend this charter school to anyone. Upon entering, you can feel the warmth of the school, starting with a welcoming greeting from the front office staff, extending to the student work and art-filled hallways, and ending with the positive relationships among students and all staff members. The school itself is very well-maintained, and the teachers and administration know students by their first name. The measures put in place to ensure safety are top-notch. The administration communicates weekly with families, always making sure that they are aware of what is going on at school. Elementary students participate in a rotating schedule of daily "specials"- music, art, and PE, in addition to daily Spanish classes. Middle school students have daily core classes in addition to an elective and Spanish, allowing them to begin Spanish 3 as 9th graders. You will find the middle school vice principal grilling lunch for students on Fridays, as well as stopping them in the hallways just to check in and ask how they're doing. All staff truly cares about the students, challenging each at his/ her own level, and providing support when needed. Students and families participate in quarterly service projects. The administration has an open door policy and is always available to support students and meet with families. The school also has an amazing behavior coach, counselors, and psychologists. 6th grade students venture to Camp Timberline each September, 7th graders have a service learning day, and 8th graders partake in an unforgettable five-day trip to Washington DC. I would highly recommend North Star Academy to any family!
Submitted by parent on May 14, 2021

We started North Star Academy in 2007 and I chose this school for three reasons: First: They begin teaching Spanish in Kindergarten. Studies have shown that students who are bilingual tend to be better at Math and Sciences and are faster learners. Second: The AR reading program. My oldest daughter was being held back in the public school system because she was a more advanced reader, but the public schools aren't equipped to allow these students to progress at their own pace. Third: The math program. Students are tested and placed into a math class that moves at their level. This again was an issue for my daughter in public school as she was being held back. All of the teachers at this school spend many after school hours developing a program to help encourage and engage their students. They do not approach their teaching in a cookie cutter style. The classrooms are engaging and hands on.The principal has been with this school in some capacity since it's inception. She has grown and improved the program tremendously. She is very focused on each student's education and the success of the students and teachers as a whole. There can at times be a significant amount of homework, however, my daughter spent 4-5 hours a night at dance and never had an issue keeping up with the homework demands. Every grade offers a "study period" allowing students to get work done in class and with a teacher there to ask questions if needed. If students are coming home with work, much of the times it's because they didn't use this time wisely.I was shocked to read a prior review regarding the middle school teachers as both of my daughters loved these teachers (and longingly refers to them even today). Many of these teachers (as well as the elementary teachers) spend much of own lunch period helping students and walking them through a lesson that they may not have understood. I did take off one point as my youngest was bullied, however, teachers can't do much about this if they are not aware of the issue. The girls who bullied my daughter did so in a sneaky and mental way behind the teacher's backs. This is an issue no matter where your child attends, so I do not hold the school accountable, only recognize that it can happen anywhere.
Submitted by parent on April 26, 2021

I would definitely recommend the elementary school but unfortunately, the middle school is absolutely terrible. There is one amazing teacher but the rest are horrible. The way they speak to the kids is awful and they lack common courtesy. They shove their politics down the kid's throats. The vice-principal sets horrible standards. He rarely works and when he does he sets the bar low for his teachers. I used to love the school but unfortunately, middle school ruins it. We have had many people leave the school in the last few years for the same reasons. I would stay away personally, there are many other amazing schools in Douglas to choose from
Submitted by parent on March 10, 2021

Overall, I would recommend the school but would strongly caution any parent of children who are not advanced, young for their grade or who have any type of learning disability to carefully consider their choice. TeachersThe teachers at this school are amazing. In the four years our daughter has been at the school, she has always had stellar teachers who are smart, caring, engaging and deeply committed to their students.LeadershipI've had good experiences with all the administration at the school. I believe they are very dedicated to making NSA a great place for children. CharacterThis is definitely a strong suit of the school. Character is one of the core values taught by the school and this manifests itself continually in classroom and other school practices. My child has been exposed to wonderful lessons about having a growth mindset, volunteerism and the importance of right conduct in school.Learning DifferencesIn spite of NSA being a public school that must accept and teach children of all abilities, the level of the curriculum and the speed with which they move through it may not serve your child well. The school does do ability grouping to account for differences in children, but almost all core subjects are taught one year above grade level, regardless of your child's ability. I believe this race through subjects in the name of challenge is done at the expense of mastery. I've had to spend a good amount of time at home back-filling and strengthening math skills that were flown past in class. Lower ability groups do get more instruction time in their class but the amount of homework assigned to all ability groups is the same, so the cost of the extra instruction time in class is more homework in the evening, as the higher ability groups get less instruction time in class and more time to get a jump on homework. If your child falls behind or has a learning disability, the school is generally quick to recommend retention rather than meaningful intervention plans, which seems uncalled for when so much of what is taught is a grade level ahead. HomeworkStarting from kindergarten my daughter has had 1 - 2 hours of homework per night (sometimes even more). The homework generally requires heavy parental assistance, especially at the lower grades, so be prepared to spend a substantial part of your evening doing homework. I seriously question the value of this much homework, especially when children are young.
Submitted by parent on July 02, 2020

Starting our son's 4th year at NSA and feeling very blessed for the opportunity to be a part of this curriculum. Finally, a school that dares to challenge kids to elevate / accelerate their level of learning specifically in core subjects such as math, reading, linguistics. NSA faculty provide the right balance of care and strictness to ensure kids are both comfortable and disciplined enough to maximize their learning experience. This is most evident in NSA's 0 bullying tolerance rules which we support and welcome. We appreciate of the open door policy of teachers and principles allowing us to voice any concerns or to simply inquire about our son's progress throughout the year. The amount of work kids are expected to complete to stay up to par requires more parental involvement than other schools (in comparing to friend's kids from other schools) but this is very advantageous because it keeps us aware and up to date on what he is learning and provides us the opportunity to remedy any complications, academic or personal, he may experience in a timely manner throughout the year.
Submitted by parent on March 13, 2019

I don't know if there is a perfect school, but North Star Academy is close. The atmosphere is incredibly positive and the teachers are amazing. The students are immersed in positive, character building activities and their academic growth continues to amaze me. A++
Submitted by parent on September 09, 2018

I feel incredibly lucky that my son is a part of this school community and cannot imagine taking him anywhere else! The academic and social/emotional growth he has made and is continuing to make is amazing and it's all due to being a part of a wonderful school community.
Submitted by other on September 07, 2018

On a scale of 1-10, a 100! While we know that no school can be perfect, North Star is a place that comes pretty close! Through working as a community, N.S.A. promotes respect, integrity, and excellence! We love our school!
Submitted by parent on June 22, 2018

If I could give a zero I would. I believe we have to have a positive number so then by default I would give it a 1.
Submitted by parent on March 31, 2017

The staff is nice and effectively helped us feel welcome and showed us the ropes. The transition was difficult for us but my daughter is slowly adjusting. I like the teaching concept and method.
Submitted by parent on September 08, 2016

This school truly is a family environment. One where teachers support parents and parents support teachers. A lot is expected of my children, and they are growing so much. It amazes me what my kids are capable of, and now that they are here, they are having opportunities to progress instead of getting stuck and staying stagnant. I would highly recommend!
Submitted by parent on August 20, 2015

I have had children at NSA since its inception in 2006. I wouldn't want my kids anywhere else. Yes, NSA is a structured environment and yes, children are expected to behave in such a manner and there are consequences if they don't. Is that a bad thing? Absolutely not! Not only is the curriculum amazing, the staff members are too. I always feel welcome in the halls at NSA. I believe both my children have grown significantly and will benefit later in life because of what they have learned at North Star Academy both academically and personally. As we all know, every child is different and one school may or may not be right for them so please check out any school for yourself before relying on reviews you may read!