Prospective Students
Why Highline Academy?
- Emphasis on inclusive excellence, creating academic, personal and civic excellence for all students
- Rigorous, content-rich, academically challenging liberal arts curriculum
- Successful Core Knowledge program, featuring a sequential and integrated approach to learning
- Performance Grouping in math and literacy, allowing all students to receive instruction appropriate to their current performance
- Character development, respect for diversity and a sense of responsibility toward community
FAQ’s
Read answers to your most common questions by clicking on a question below:
- What’s does a liberal art curriculum include?
- What’s a Charter School?
- What’s REACH?
- What is Core Knowledge?
- Who started Highline Academy?
- Does Highline Academy take the same standardized tests as Denver Public Schools?
- What are the typical class sizes?
- Are there foreign language classes available? When does that start?
- What is Performance Grouping?
- How do I enroll? Is there a waiting list?
- What’s the tuition?
- Who are the teachers at Highline?
- Does Highline Academy have a religious affiliation?
- Does Highline have a Middle School?
What’s does a liberal art curriculum include?
We offer an integrated curriculum in which art, music, science and social studies are considered rigorous disciplines. Our curriculum is integrated across disciplines so that students gain in-depth knowledge and perspective.
What’s a Charter School?
Existing now in 34 states, a Charter school is a free public school of choice with high parent and community involvement offering an alternative to one-size-fits-all public school system. They are funded by state and federal governments and foundations. Trading greater autonomy (site-based control) for higher accountability, Charter schools have flexibility to select a specific philosophy and curriculum, hire their own staff, and manage their own financial resources. Charter schools often outperform non-charter schools on standardized tests such as the CSAP.
What’s REACH?
We actively prepare students to succeed in the diverse environments that await them—in college, in the work place, and in community life—by teaching them about responsibility, empowerment, aspiration, citizenship, and honesty. These are the five key character traits emphasized through our REACH program.
Every month, students who consistently demonstrate the school’s REACH goals are nominated by their classroom teacher and chosen by the school administration to add their handprint to Highlines’ REACH for Success Wall located in the middle school cafeteria. During a celebration ceremony, three different awards are given:
Reach Up: The Booker T. Washington Award
for outstanding achievement in academics.
Reach In: The Alduous Huxley Award
for recognition of self-growth.
Reach Out: The Margaret Mead Award
for service to the community.
What is Core Knowledge?
Core Knowledge is an evolving and innovative educational approach to ensure high literacy, carefully sequenced curricula and specific lessons to prepare your child for life in a multicultural world. The Core Knowledge program helps Highline decide within language arts, social studies, science and fine arts, what lessons to teach and when they should be taught. Read more here.
Who started Highline Academy?
Highline Academy was started in 2003 by a group of parents and community members in Southeast Denver. The founding committee believed that by offering an academically rigorous curriculum that also focused on character development, the school could shape students to be successful in competitive high school programs, and eventually effective leaders in our own community.
Does Highline Academy take the same standardized tests as Denver Public Schools?
Yes. Students take several standardized assessments each year, including the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP), the Stanford 10, and literacy assessments mandated by the Colorado Basic Literacy Act (CBLA). These help Highline Academy strategize for individual student and school-wide improvement.
What are the typical class sizes?
We provide a small, safe, structured environment where all students are known, respected, and valued as individuals of great potential. We have two classes per grade level with an average of 23 students per class. In the 2007-2008 school year, Highline is offering over fifty academic classes with twenty or fewer students. Our average middle school math class is 14, while our average middle school language arts class is 17.
Are there foreign language classes available? When does that start?
All students receive Spanish instruction beginning in kindergarten, focusing on exposure and vocabulary development. As students emerge into the middle school, Spanish becomes an increasingly significant focus of academic study.
What is Performance Grouping?
Performance Grouping allows all students to receive instruction appropriate to their current performance, effectively challenging accelerated learners and providing individual assistance to those who are struggling.
Read More Here
How do I enroll? Is there a waiting list?
Highline Academy Charter School’s students are lotteried into the school only once—at the time at which they initially enroll. Thereafter, enrolled students are guaranteed seats providing they claim them during the open period. Open enrollment takes place in January of each year. Neither in-district nor out-of-district students are given priority in Highline Academy Charter School’s enrollment process.
What’s the tuition?
There is no tuition for 1st - 8th grades. Highline Academy is a free public school of choice. However, we only offer a full day Kindergarten program that is tuition based. The tuition structure is the same as any other DPS school full day Kindergarten program. There are a limited number of scholarships available to those who qualify. Scholarships are awarded on a first come, first served basis with proof of income.
Who are the teachers at Highline?
Highline has a high-caliber faculty. Fifty seven percent of our educators possess or are working toward advanced degrees.
Does Highline Academy have a religious affiliation?
No, Charter schools are non-religious educational institutions.
Does Highline have a Middle School?
Yes, Highline Academy has a 6th, 7th, and 8th grade program for middle school-aged kids. |
