As I begin my sixth year here at Aspen View Academy, I want to reflect on our amazing middle school. I have had many people ask me what makes AVA’s middle school so special? The answer to that question could take quite a while to answer as there are so many things that make our middle school special. It is easy to brag about our middle school and our students and staff.
As I walk through the halls of our school, I see students that are genuinely happy to be here and are glad to have a sense of normalcy returning to their school routine. The transition from elementary school to middle school is a big step. However, there is plenty in middle school to keep students engaged as well as active.
I am happy that our students will be able to participate in the outdoor education programs where they will spend a couple of days in the mountains. This is a wonderful time for students to form new relationships with their classmates. In the spring, our 8th graders will have the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. and New York to visit the sights and make real world connections from what they have learned in the classroom while in middle school.
We have wonderful sports programs for our middle school students. Boys’ soccer, girls’ volleyball, and co-ed cross country are up and running! Soon we will have girls’ and boys’ basketball, girls’ soccer, and boys’ volleyball. The ability to have these programs as an option this year has been a wonderful outlet for our students and has helped minimize some discipline issues in the classroom.
Middle School students also have the privilege of selecting some of their classes with our electives program. They have the opportunity to be a student mentor to younger students in the classroom or maintain our recycling program here at AVA. Students can participate in band & orchestra. We surveyed our students last year to get their input on what electives they would like to see, and we were able to implement some of their ideas and offer elective classes that they wanted. With almost forty elective classes to choose from, they are sure to find something they enjoy.
The teachers also make our middle school incredibly special. In my 26 years in education, I can honestly say that Aspen View Academy has the best teachers around! They are caring & nurturing. They are supportive in their approach yet allow your student to be a risk taker. They set high standards and push your student to achieve their best. You will not find a better group of teachers anywhere! Their commitment and dedication are second to none.
Finally, it is our students who really make the AVA middle school so special! Each and every one of them are special. I enjoy interacting with the students whether it be in the halls during passing time, in the classroom, or at lunch/recess. Each of them is an important piece to our middle school puzzle. Your student is truly why we do what we do. It is not only our middle school that is special, but all grade levels here at AVA are special. Everything we do here at AVA is for your student. We will continue to support the growth and learning of your middle school student. If you do not currently have a middle schooler, we cannot wait to share with them everything that makes AVA Middle School special. We know we are doing our job right when we see students smiling as they arrive in the morning and smiling as they leave.
Bob Barber
AVA Principal
