Denver Academy is not the solution you are looking for. There were many situations that happened at my expense including a teacher announcing in front of the whole class that I had to be in therapy, in order to embarrass me. Another time my parents tried to write an email to the school about how it was hard for me to do a "working lunch" (where you sit in the classroom instead of going outside to complete work) because of issues with eating in the past. They completely disregarded my parents' worries until they escalated it to the principal who finally and indignantly accepted that I could sit in another room to do my work. At that point I hadn't been able to eat lunch at school for around a month. At one point during the year I finally felt comfortable eating in class and the teacher made a comment along the lines of "well looks like your parents were just being dramatic because now you can eat just fine, huh?" The same teacher later allegedly "mistook" my name in an email for someone else, (whose name sounds nor looks like mine in any way so he took me out of class during my final exam, yelled at me in his office until I was crying, threatened to expel me and told me I couldn't get into any college if I had that on my record. When my parents emailed him about it, he completely denied it and lied about it. This was what ultimately led me to have to leave the school halfway through the year and now I am completing the rest of my sophomore year online in a different program. This school takes advantage of desperate parents who want what is best for their child who has most likely been struggling in school. Their signature quote "We teach students the way they learn best" should be changed to "We teach students the way that is easiest for us". Where parents and kids think they have finally found a safe space for their kid to grow and thrive it is actually the opposite. The sheer amount of bullying from teachers and students alike that I witnessed at my time there is more than any public school I have ever been to in my life. Please do not send your child here. read more

DA has been amazing for our 7th grade son who has struggled in a traditional public school environment. (This is his second year there.) He has teachers who understand his unique needs and have the ability to support him in a meaningful way. He is no longer punished for not having certain skills, but instead those gaps are identified and addressed. He is given the room to grow and be challenged but held accountable for himself. He has found a group of friends who he really connects with and can feel comfortable around. He has tried on many different "hats" via electives and clubs, helping him pinpoint what he loves and excels at. We could have found a more academically rigorous school for him, but DA has fit well for focusing on the whole child, giving him social-emotional support, an environment of like minded kids, and teachers who see and love him as he is. read more

We were so excited for our son to go to DA, because we felt in our hearts that with his dyslexia he would finally get the help he deserved. what happened next was definitely not in the cards. Im not excusing my sons part in the incident and it was extremely stupid they did. However the girl involved was equally to blame but the min her mom found the text that's when the girl became the victim, and was all of a sudden scared of my son even though I had proof of missed calls, text, and voice messages from this girl all week after the incident. The sad truth is they expelled my son and the girl was not held to the same standards as my son, but we are pretty sure we know why. Our son is Latino and on scholarships the girl is white with money. Kids make mistakes just like adults do and that doesn't give people the right to ostracize and that is exactly what DA did not only to our son but to us. I sent several email's to Mr.T and he didn't even have the decency to respond. Then I had to drop off the borrowed computer and pick my sons belongings up, I had just had a major surgery where they broke my pelvic in three places and reconstructed it. As you can imagine I could not walk very well and I am on a walker and crutches. The office lady tells me to leave the computer on the bench and she would leave my sons chair and box out by it as if we were not ok to come in the school. I get out of the car with my mask on and my crutches and as I am trying to carry a chair in one hand and push the box with a crutch she stood and watched. At that moment I felt dehumanized, I waved for her to come out and I told her shame on you for watching me, I would never treat another human being like that. She proceeded to tell me she was not going to expose her child to anything, yet she works in the school where in person classes are taking place, she carried the box and chair out with no gloves and god only knows how many people touched it in transition, she was touching the door to the school after hundreds of hands, and she was waiting to grab the computer that I just touched after we drove off. HMMMMMMM interesting right!!! Needless to say, this incident was a blessing in disguise! read more

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. read more

I am currently an eight grader at Denver academy, do not let the one star reviews make you not let your children go here, I have seen so much happiness and support from all of the staff and teachers furthermore, the bad reviews are many years old and are most likely salty students that want to leave a bad review, honestly when have you seen a 5 star k-12 school on yelp read more

I am a former student of Denver Academy (DA) from all the way back in the late 1990's. To verify this, I actually located a copy of my old DA student ID from the 1998 - 1999 school year. Now, you might reasonably ask yourself, "what does the opinion of some guy who attended the school 20 years ago have to do with the quality of education there today?" Well for one thing, the current headmaster of the school was one of my teachers 20 years ago! And with my old friend 'Mr.T' at the helm, I'm confident that there is good reason to not only doubt in the quality of the education, but also reason to be concerned for the physical safety of the students. After all, good ol' Mr.T wasn't just an incompetent numbskull, but he also threatened me with violence back when I was just a puny 8th grader. Having come from public school before attending DA, someone must have deemed me a threat right off the bat. I was initially assigned to a regular classroom, but after the first day of class, I was quickly reassigned to the secret "bad kids" class at DA. While I was still allowed the great honor of taking Mr.T's math class, I spent most of the school year exiled to a remote classroom located at the end of a dark hallway in a distant corner of the building. The initial teacher for the class was about 37 months pregnant, an apparent medical oddity, so she ended up having to go on maternity leave right away. Nobody at DA had a plan for replacing the teacher who grew to be the size of a small humpback whale, so her "assistant" teacher, Ms. Ford, was given a battlefield promotion to full teaching status without warning. Not only did this seem to be her first teaching job, but from what I could tell this was the first "real" job Ms. Ford ever had after graduating from college. She would have been poorly prepared to handle a normal classroom, but she was woefully unprepared to handle the secret "bad kids" class at DA! That was the worst behaved class of students I've ever witnessed. Somebody threw cheese at the chalkboard one day and Ms. Ford launched into a screaming fit over it. Someone put a metal fork in the microwave, almost starting a fire. One kid had to be "home schooled" for several months, which was the excuse the class was given for why he wasn't allowed back to school until his psychiatrist could adjust his medication to make him less blatantly insane. Another kid was expelled for trying to buy drugs in class. And when Ms. Ford finally got an assistant to help her three quarters of the way through the year, he smashed a table in half the first time she left him in charge. Part of the problem was the total lack of any coherent disciplinary system at DA. The lynchpin of DA discipline was the "time out" desk in the hallway. Literally, they were using the same tool on 8th graders that public schools use for kindergarten students! This was obviously ineffective on the secret "bad kids" class, as giving us a time out just gave us more time to think of increasingly creative ways to misbehave. Eventually Ms. Ford demanded a more powerful weapon to use against us, and the school administrators responded with a "brilliant" scheme called THE BOX... They actually built a wooden cubicle in one corner of the room and used it as a second "time out" desk... this was the best idea DA could come up with! Our class actually bragged about this as if it were an accomplishment on our part, telling other students that our class had "become so bad that the school was forced to build a box around us!" I'm sure Ms. Ford was permanently scarred by her first teaching experience and likely became jaded about the teaching profession. Some times I feel bad for her, but then I recall that she wasn't any nicer to us than we were to her and my sympathy fades. Even with the drama of the secret "bad kids" class, Mr. T was still the most hated teacher in the school by far. He wasn't even in charge of anything important back in those days, but he still managed to make an enemy of every student unfortunate enough to cross his path. I'm sure he still remembers driving home in that blizzard with four slashed tires on his truck. He never did find out who did that. He also never found out who 'lawn jobbed' the field at the new campus. I'm not sure who died and decided to make him headmaster, but that had to be the mistake of the century. I could go on endlessly with more horror stories of this awful school, but this review is already quite long and I'm sure you get the idea. DA has a shiny "new" campus (ironically a former insane aslyum) and no doubt other "improvements" have been made over the years. But if my old pal Mr. T is still running the show then I'm quite convinced that the place still qualifies as one of the seven entrances into Hell. read more

Denver Academy - My student ID from 1998. - Elementary Schools Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Denver Academy is a new level educational school. The leadership driven by Mark Twarogoski translates through this educational organization. Every student is different and each teacher has the proven ability to influence, mentor, and impact every students future. Denver Academy is a life choice that will never be forgotten. read more

Don't buy, overpriced, overvalued , unable/unwilling to accommodate children with any sort of mental health issues. They just want your $30k year regardless, and are complete cop outs who can't handle a few f bombs thrown their way. Save your $ and hire a private teacher. You aren't doing your school or students any favors with no divirsity, while hiding from a mental health crisis in our country. read more

Our DA Story My son had always struggled in school. He is smart. He certainly liked learning. There was some kind of disconnect in the classroom. He struggled through elementary school with a diagnosis of ADHD. He was put in a program for kids with learning challenges in 4th and 5th grade and that was helpful as the class size was very small. Middle school was a disaster. It started out bad and got worse. His teachers loved him. He was truly their favorite flunky. They tried so hard to teach him but, they could not. I watched my son grow increasingly depressed to the point of being suicidal. He was failing on every level and had no friends. Then came DA. My son began DA as a freshman. He was nervous. Within a short period of time he was a different child. He was happy! He actually was singing in the hallways. He found his tribe and a place where he fit. After the first quarter, he no longer felt stupid. His work began to actually reflect his intelligence. He joined various teams and clubs. Once a child tastes success, they keep on going. DA built confidence. Through various modalities of instruction, the teachers know how to reach every student on the basis of how that student learns best. The class sizes are small enough to accommodate this style of teaching. Every teacher in that high school knows every student. Every employee truly cares about every student. From the Headmaster to the classroom teacher, I could turn to anyone for assistance and, I often did. DA literally saved my son's life and our family. Now he is a graduate and moving on to the next chapter. Do not let the price tag keep you from sending your child to a place where he/she can succeed. There is a tuition assistance program that made it possible for me, a single mom of average income, to make this educational opportunity possible. Yes, it requires sacrifice but, your kid is worth it. If your child is challenged by ADHD, dyslexia, or any variety of issues that make succeeding in the traditional classroom impossible, please give your child the gift of Denver Academy. I am eternally grateful for Denver Academy read more

I am a current parent of two high school students enrolled in DA and can't say enough positive things about this school, the teachers or the staff. My oldest started halfway through 7th grade, so we've been a part of the DA family, and it really feels like a family, for almost five years. This place is simply magical. Is DA for every child, no, and they would be the first to tell you. However, if your child learns differently than the public schools teach, has any of the various chronic attention limiting ailments (ADHD, ADD, etc.) or if your child simply doesn't fit the norm in your home school and possibly is being bullied or ignored to the point of being destructive you should look into DA. Please don't get discouraged by some of the other reviews. The Headmaster is a wonderful, caring individual who has the utmost concern for the DA students and family. If you have any doubt - meet him, form your own opinion. Walk the campus with him and experience first hand how he interacts with the faculty and students. Attend an open house. Have your child shadow there for a day. This is the most transparent school I have ever known and I have 5 children. Is DA inexpensive - nope. I experienced sticker shock myself. That quickly dissipated; however, when my student started wanting to do homework, read, attend school. My student started telling family and friends how much they liked school. Class sizes of 12 students having both a teacher and a full time teaching assistant cost money. But, this attention is necessary to effectuate the positive learning experience many children, including mine, need to be successful. I'm told the school offers a variety of financial aid for those in need. Talk to them. They are actually very nice people. read more

DA does not uphold it's standards of student conduct as written in the student handbook. DA failed to protect the victim of bullying but rather supported the bully. Your child's safety is, in my opinion and experience, not in good hands. If your child is not safe at school, this wipes away all positives. Shame on DA for their tolerance of bullies and lack of support to victims. read more

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. read more

I attended Denver academy from 2014-2017 while I ended up graduating, it was no thanks to the school or any of its teachers ESPECIALLY Carey Eskesen. She was viciously inflexible and seemed to try her hardest to try her hardest to shame and publicly embarrass students on the daily. After our many college meetings where I had explained and tried to discuss my future with her, at the end of the year she somehow didn't remember anything I had said and when she heard I wasn't going to college the next year, she yelled at me in front of the entire class and told me I was "wasting my life". She also told a close friend of mine that she "didn't see the point in living" when hearing that she had blown off her homework a couple times due to anxiety. She also periodically shamed me and my friend in relation to our clothes, although they fit the dress code, she would tell us that we were "making male teachers uncomfortable" and that the dress code was "different" for us due to our looks and body types- she did this(once again) in front of many other students. She did not encourage or inform us about our futures, only forced her personal opinions on us while also trying to mold us into different people through shame and bullying. This abuse was not counteracted by any other members of staff and in fact was made worse by many other teachers attitudes and behaviors towards students. DO NOT SEND YOUR STUDENT HERE! read more

We haven't seen the school during the year but our child took a class this summer. The school called before class started and asked if there were any concerns or learning styles which the teacher might need to consider. The teacher was fantastic. They covered quite a bit of high school level material without any pain. The kids were a fairly diverse group that got along well. Our kid wants to take another class next summer. read more

So, as a student here, I can defiently say it is a good school...right up until you hit senior year. The teachers junior year and below help and support your students and will make them honestly feel like they can achive anything! However, when you get up to senior year it basically crushes your soul and the teachers do not care at all wether you are depressed, sad, or literally hate your life! Except for the World Religions teacher, he is the best teacher in entire school. This school basically set us up for success and then slapped us in the face senior year with uncaring, sarcastic, and rude teachers which really demolishes any motivation for college that a student could possibly have. So, my advice is let your kid go here up until junior year, pull them out after sophmore (that will also save you on the unnecessarily expensive tuition that actually costs more than my college) and put them in a more supportive environment if that is what your child needs, because after junior year, that environment completely dissapears. read more

I've been going here since freshmen year (class of 2014) and honestly, I am impressed. I had a terrible experience with Cherry Hills Village Elementary and West Middle School (don't ever go to either!!!!) but coming to DA changed my life. I'd have to say that the teachers are the best thing about this school. Not only do the teachers actually GIVE A CRAP about their students, they will do things for you that you would actually be surprised about. My father died in January and ALL of my teachers (from 9th and 10th grade too) came to his funeral on SATURDAY, when they don't work. They didn't have to come, but they all did to support me. The HEADMASTER of the school (Kevin Smith) was an USHER for god's sake! Small classes (usually 9-14) hands-on learning experience. Each lesson is formed specifically for each kid so you know you are getting a great education that's worth the $$. If it's too much of a price range for you there's a scholarship program that you can apply to so that your kid can STILL go to the school. Some teachers I would like to point out are Bobby Duhamel, Ramsey Brookhart, James Dickison, Kathleen Booton, Luke Turnier, Carey Eskesen, Senor Vega, Senor Klock, Coach Monica Johnson, Alan Prince, Mr. Fritzche, and Fred Miller. All of these guys are some of the most compassionate adults that I have ever met. Each one of them has given me opportunities I couldn't even DREAM of if I had gone to Colorado Academy or Cherry Creek High School. If you can, get into their classes, especially Mr. Miller's. He's a HUGE history fan and he has all these cool collections of military gear from the civil war onward. He'll come to the school dressed in a korean war outfit from the USA and be 'what's up guys?' Very funny dude. The campus is very beautiful. Many of the students eat outside on the quad or go down the street to where there are many restaurants where you can eat. They have a great college-prepardness program as well. I feel ready to go to college. I'm applying to places like Northwestern University and Colorado College, whereas four years ago I was wondering if I was going to finish middle school. If you can, SEND YOUR KID TO THIS PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He/She will be SOOOOO much happier being here I swear it!!!! read more