Grand Peak Academy

Posted: July 27, 2025

While the academics may be solid, the school culture leaves much to be desired. Some staff members have been known to speak harshly to students, embarrass them in front of peers, intimidate them without parents present nor contacted, or treat certain kids unfairly. Discipline is often inconsistent and feels more personal than policy-driven. When parents raise concerns, they're often met with defensiveness rather than collaboration. It has been referred to as a social club - the teachers and leaders have each other's back even if they're in the wrong. "Investigations" into concerns typically end with "no findings" even with proof. If Your child requires accommodations, don't expect them to comply. Rather, some teachers get annoyed by the extra responsibility. Students deserve a safe, respectful environment, and that starts with the adults in charge.

Posted: July 27, 2025

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Posted: July 24, 2025

This school has the most terrible experience for my child I have ever witnessed.My child has came home saying his teacher were verbally abusing him and making his life difficult do NOT BRING YOUR CHILD HERE IT IS A HORRIBLE SCHOOL

Posted: November 6, 2024

Teachers and counselors are wonderful. Kids are offered many different choices for classes wonderful new school, wonderful environment and new neighborhoods.

Posted: November 6, 2024

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Posted: May 29, 2020

It has been an amazing experience and I just wish I had moved them here sooner. Both children have flourished and we no longer have issues with bullying that we once had. Highly recommend this school.

Posted: May 29, 2020

Not too much homework, but there is some. It gives me an opportunity to see what my children are working on and where they are struggling so I can help before it becomes an issue.

Posted: May 29, 2020

The teachers are great at communicating and genuinely care about the students.

Posted: May 29, 2020

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Posted: May 29, 2020

We switched from a D11 school where my son was bullied. No one ever did anything and it just kept happening. We moved to this school and could not be happier.

Posted: December 12, 2019

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Posted: December 12, 2019

Great caring teachers, good academic focus. My student is excelling.

Posted: January 25, 2019

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Posted: January 25, 2019

Caring, Academic Focus, Classic Education, Encouraging with Challenge.

Posted: September 18, 2017

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Posted: September 18, 2017

We have been blessed by the teachers at Imagine! It has been a joy to watch our kids thrive and grow! The school offers a great curriculum and fun activities year round! It's a very family friendly environment!

Posted: September 18, 2017

Posted: September 18, 2017

We are blessed with amazing, dedicated, and caring teachers at Imagine!

Posted: September 18, 2017

Character building is of high importance at Imagine!

Posted: September 18, 2017

We have a fantastic Principal, Vice Principal and administrative staff!

Posted: May 4, 2016

My oldest has attended this school for four years now and we are really impressed by how well the staff (including the administration) goes out of their way to work with us. Our oldest is very advanced in math, several years ahead of his grade level, and the faculty went out of their way to get him specialized instruction up to his capabilities. We have a younger child with them this year in Kindergarten and overall, we are just amazed by how much they go out of their way to work with us in our unique circumstances.

Posted: May 4, 2016

Just the right mix of tough love and encouragement. This is not a "ribbon for participation" environment, but it is also not so far on the other end of the pendulum that our sons are ever discouraged.

Posted: May 4, 2016

While both of my sons (5th grade and Kindergarten) have homework, my youngest has just enough to refresh his memory about the day's lessons, and my oldest has an amount commensurate with acclimating him to put in sufficient work to foster excellence and solid study habits. We want our sons to learn that their education requires actual work, and it is not just a pencil-whipping exercise. I believe our sons will be well prepared for the level of work that will be required in higher education.

Posted: May 4, 2016

Posted: April 18, 2016

My kindergartner should not have 3+ hours of homework plus "computer time" every night. He is in kindergarten, not high school. He has more homework than I do and I'm going to school to get a masters!

Posted: April 18, 2016

My son has come home almost every day with TONS of homework. It is surprising to me that so many people have shared the same frustrations about bathroom time, and a teacher being rude and how all she does is yell. Seems like we have the same teacher for our child. I tried to pull my son out and that didn't happen, and I tried to contact the teacher, and that took forever. Needless to say, my child will NOT be in this school next year

Posted: April 15, 2016

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Posted: April 15, 2016

Every month they focus on a different characteristic and recognize students that demonstrate them throughout the month.

Posted: April 15, 2016

My daughter has attended this school for four years. We have loved all the teachers she has had and the administration is amazing!

Posted: April 14, 2016

I love the Core Knowledge curriculum that is used at Imagine Classical Academy! Everyone on staff and in teaching does their very best for my kids. We're really building a community environment at Imagine with loads of incredible educational experiences for the children. It's got rigorous academics and high expectations, so if that's what you're seeking for your children, please try out Imagine Classical Academy!

Posted: April 14, 2016

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Character traits are very important to the school, each month a different trait is focused on throughout the school.

Posted: April 14, 2016

This is our 4th year at Imagine Classical Academy, my daughter started in Kindergarten. We love the school, the staff and the new administration! All of the teachers we have had are amazing. I am constantly impressed with the various activities each grade level includes to support and improve the already solid core knowledge sequences they are work on through the year. I have no regrets sending my daughter to this school. It has been a GREAT experience for us.

Posted: April 11, 2016

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Posted: April 11, 2016

As a teacher at Imagine, I feel you should know what I have experienced at our school. I am writing this review anonymously because I have not been asked to support my school; I simply want to share how I truly feel about our community.
We work diligently to provide rigorous academia that shapes minds. We live what we teach with our core virtues and character education. All classrooms are staffed with top performing teachers and teacher’s aids. Our new administration continually adds new technology, relevant professional development for all teachers, and support for all students and staff members.
Imagines turnover is the lowest it has ever been because we collectively believe in what we are providing for our students and for one another. Our school is close knit, imperfect, and caring. Together have created a nurturing learning community where students do not get lost in the crowd. I am proud to be a teacher at Imagine.

Posted: April 8, 2016

testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing, testing,
testing, testing, testing, testing

Posted: April 7, 2016

My daughters teacher this year is just down right mean. She goes to school every morning crying bc she doesn't want to spend the day with this woman bc all she does is yell. I've tried to get her switched out of the class room all year, but the principal won't allow it

Posted: April 7, 2016

I feel like some homework is acceptable. But my daughter comes home with about 2 hours of homework. The evening time should be for family time. My daughter also brings home consistently on weekends which I've never seen any teacher in this district do that. Her teacher doesn't seem to value family time or isn't using her class time adequately to get school work done

Posted: April 7, 2016

Posted: April 7, 2016

My daughter has attended this school for 2 years, as we have waited to get into the better charter school in the area. There hasn't been one positive about that school this year. most teachers are pissy in the carpool lane and get upset with her if I am out there waiting for a minute before she gets out. Her teacher is the most negative person I've met and she shouldn't be working around children with her attitude. My concerns have fallen on deaf ears to the principal when I've brought them up. My daughter hasn't gotten a whole reason this entire year. They are punished as a class and as a result have had to walk all or part of recess. I've had to confront 2 teachers now about them telling my child she is not allowed to go to the bathroom, because as fourth graders, they should be able to hold it. No teacher should EVER TELL A STUDENT THEY CANT USE THE RESTROOM. the school has no library, and my daughters teacher doesn't take them to the book mobile despite requests to do so.

There are so many problems with this school, bottom line its overcrowded and staff doesn't know how to manage it. There are other charter schools in the area that cap out. This schools class size limit is so high that it doesn't. Or there aren't enough people that want to go here. It's been such a huge mistake pulling my kiddo out of the elementary schools in the area. Ridgeview, odyssey, springs ranch, and Stetson are such better schools than this one! Don't make the same mistake I did

Posted: September 18, 2015

My first grader surprises us everyday with new words terms and math facts which he understands and can do

Posted: September 18, 2015

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Posted: September 18, 2015

I love this school. My 3 children really get great opportunities . I love that my daughter learns 2 languages and how to play the guitar in school.my first grader really loves his teacher and wants to become a teacher too. My kids visited many schools (we're military) but imagine is by far the best one.

Posted: August 6, 2015

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Posted: August 6, 2015

Excellent teachers, character education, strong values, high level education, wide range of electives for Middle School for a small charter.

*I have had children in this school for 7 years.

Posted: July 26, 2015

This is marketed as an enriched educational environment with the purpose of preparing children for college. Because of the "charter" status the school is NOT required to hire teachers who have their teaching licenses, the curriculum is filled with busy work and bullying is a tolerated behavior! Starting with the school secretary, the parking lot enforcement agency, to the administrative staff, any opposing viewpoints will land your child and you with a target on your back. The dress code is a joke, only if they choose to pick on your child will any uniform compliance be enforced. Everytime you turn around you are paying another fee for this "public" charter school. There is no balance between academic and physical activity. They don't even have any grass go children to play on. Their version of field day is in the dirt and weeds (where are my fees going)! If you're looking for the "uppity", "clicky", "mean girl/boy" experience then this is the school for you. Save the investment of your time, money and aggravation and stick with the regular public schools is D49!

Posted: July 26, 2015

My child writes and papers and works on projects until 8/9pm most evenings. Due to the busy work given. This teaches NOTHiNG!

Posted: July 26, 2015

Posted: July 26, 2015

Poor administration and curriculum! Bullying is the name of the game for this underperforming D49 school!

Posted: April 12, 2015

This is my sons second year at Imagine, and we love this school. As he walked down the hall his first day back, all the teachers said hi to him by his first name. Made him feel very special. His teacher, Sabrina Anderson is absolutely fantastic. He has made leaps and bounds this year in 1st grade. We could not be more proud. We highly recommend Imagine Indigo Ranch.

Posted: October 24, 2014

I could not adequately review the whole school but probably just 3rd grade. My kiddo is in Ms. Ragsdale's class. A major challenge for us last year was spelling; this year the whole spelling list for the whole school year has been posted on the class website which is really helpful for us. Also the teacher makes math easy for the kids and a parent may not need to reteach as this teacher's class feels like a tutorial session. The front office staff is really friendly aswell.

Posted: July 26, 2014

I hope the new administrative team can change things around, but I m doubtful. Priorities have been in the wrong place for years. The prior principal manipulated situations, withheld information, and bullied to get what she wanted. Regional leaders are not any better. It seems like all they care about is the bottom line, and let her destructive behavior continue for too long. Class sizes are also too big. These are just some of the reasons for the drastic turnover experienced each year. It also says a lot about someone when their spouse comes to a board meeting and swears at board members and staff. He also informed everyone that the administrator s new job is much better because she will work less hours, and get paid more . It s ironic, this is what the staff has been saying for years? They re overworked and underpaid! Several great staff members have come & gone. Others remain hoping this year will be better, but it will take a long time to rebuild the trust that has been lost.

Posted: June 15, 2014

My family LOVES this school! We have been to other schools and none compair to this one! I have never experience teachers that care more or give more to their students than those at Imagine! This is a school of choice and that means that the families that attend choose to be here and parents put much more effort into their children's success and are much more involved than parents in other schools. It isn't a perfect fit for everyone and if it wasn't a good fit for your family there is no reason for you attack the school with your posts. I can't imagine having my kids anywhere else and I know many more families that feel the same way. If you want to partner with your child's teacher and be a part in your child's academic success, this school is for you!!

Posted: June 14, 2014

This school has a family atmosphere that is a rare find in a school setting. The teachers care about each other, the families, and the students. The teachers push the students to do their very best and while there is much more homework and at home activities than a standard public school, students learn material a year a head of schedule. I would highly recommend this school!

Posted: May 3, 2014

This school is horrible. This is my son's 3rd and LAST year here. Every year the teachers take no pride in their teachings and are ok with letting their students fall behind. In fact, they even tend to blame the child instead of trying to work with them. They do not care to see a student excel in anything. They create favorites and i've come to believe that they may even be racist there. My son has had issues with racism there all 3 years he went there. I wanted to hope that it wasn't true but after 3 years, I see that it is true. The turn over rate for the staff is unbelievable. The front office staff is rude and are very irresponsible. They let someone that was not on the authorized list pick up my son from school!!! My son will NOT spend another year at this school. I would NOT recommend this school for anyone.

Posted: April 28, 2014

My child went to this school when it first opened before the building was built on Peterson, and I did nothing but RAVE about how well it was! But for some reason the moment we expanded it declined, and that was in 2010! So I can only imagine what it's like now. My child did one more year and that was it, and let me say that I loved the teachers and I loved the curriculum but we left because of the ADMINISTRATION! Mean, rude, drama starting, lying administration! My child started a new school in second grade and has been happy ever since and so have I! I still had many friends that remained at Imagine and slowly one by one they would disenroll their children and I've heard nothing but complaints since we left about the administration. I hope this school can recover with a new admin team in place!

Posted: April 24, 2014

My family just transferred from another imagine school a couple weeks ago. We absolutely loved the school there and were excited to come here. So excited in fact that we drive out of our way and have quite the commute to attend. Since being here I myself have noticed how rude the front office staff is, have not meet the principal, and my kids come home everyday composing about how much the teachers yell at other kids. Out sounds as though the music teacher is the biggest offender which breaks my heart as a musician myself. I was looking forward to attending next year as a family, however at this point I am just anxious to finish the last month as we find a better fit. I am truly amazed at how fast I have learned how inappropriate

Posted: April 22, 2014

Worst school ever!!! My child didnt learn anything at this school..The students run the school. There is no discipline. Administration needs serious help. The staff in front office are not friendly. The teacher turn over is unreal. . RUN!!!

Posted: April 14, 2014

We are finishing up our first year here and even though my children are excelling, I have major issues with administration and special education needs. The turn over is atrocious and since we live so close my husband and I decided to give the school a chance. I'm definitely having second thoughts. My children's teachers are wonderful but the school atmosphere, especially in the higher grades is much to be desired. How can my kids learn when there are other kids disrupting class and giving teachers a hard time? My kiddos are A students because of the amount of work we do at home. They both have jumped a math grade, but I have to re-teach almost every night because there are times that the math teacher cannot teach because of the disruptions in the class! I have spoke to admin about this & the frequency of incidents have decreased but short-lived. I honestly do not know what to do about next year.I agree with the administration having to be replaced. We were three months into school before my children knew who the principal was! The principal at our out-of-state school that we came from was stellar & every single child knew him & he knew them by name! We had such high hopes.

Posted: March 24, 2014

this school has one of the worst administrations ever and bullies get away with almost anything - unbelievable- not a pleasant school environment! Good teachers don't stay for longer than a semester - this school has received consistently low parent ratings for at least 3 years and doesn't deserve the cumulative 4 stars - save your child some serious unhappiness and send him or her to a public school instead!

Posted: March 13, 2014

Many of the teachers here are great but many have left. There has been a high turn-over for the last two years. (50% each year) The Principal is to blame for this! She does not support all the teachers equitable. She has her "pets" but if a teacher disagrees with her, they are treated differently. My daughter's teacher last year went to the Principal with a problem but the Principal refused to do anything about it because it involved one of the PTO parents that the Principal liked. If you are not a supporter of the Principal, she will not talk to you. Althought character is taught at this school, it is selectivly practised by the Principal. NOT a good role model for our children or the teachers. That's why there is a high turn-over. The Board will not do anything because some members of the board are close personal friends of the Principal. This administration needs to be removed. I will probable not have my children return next year.

Posted: March 13, 2014

If your student has behavior problems that you support, you've found the right place, I have never found an organization that permits people to walk all over their paid professionals or bend policies like this one. Did your student earn detention for misbehavior at lunch? Just whine to the principal, she will cave and blame the teachers. Want to talk to the principal or vice-principal about a classroom issue? Good luck finding them -one works from home every other week and the other is on trips to Arizona or attending "symposiums". "This is a great school despite its administration" - direct feedback from their last accreditation. I wish I had these teachers and this curriculum when I was in school, but I have never worked with such unsupportive, unaccountable "leadership" in my life. Sadly, the administration cares more about the money each student brings in more than the academic and character education the students receive and will therefore sacrifice these for any parent who threatens to disenroll their student. "Shared Values" are shoved down the staff's throats, but not demonstrated by the admin. Prospective teachers, you have been warned.

Posted: February 20, 2014

The administration does need to change or be replaced. There was cutting and in appropriate interaction between the boys and girls of the middle school happening at the school and it was never addressed and the staff and faculty acted like it did not exist. Also the front office staff is very harsh. My children begged me not to have them wait in the office by them. I pray for this school, it has so much potential but we have pulled our kids and will not be recommending it to any one else until the administration changes and there is some teacher stability.

Posted: January 4, 2014

It's ashame to see all of these negative comments about Indigo Ranch. This is the first school my kids have attended and we still like it. It is a challenging and rigorous school and I do see the teachers overworked. They even have to sweep up after their class in the lunch room which I think is wrong. I also do not agree with the markings on the spelling; a bit overkill for small kids but my kids can do it. Parents definitely have to be involved but there are still many good hard working teachers who care here. The carpool situation is still ridiculous, but the school is just not in a good location with two main roads connecting it. I still think overall it is a great school, but it's your "choice" and that's the good thing about Colorado. Maybe the D49 board needs to take a closer look at administration since there are so many complaints about them. Write to your board; only way to resolve any issues. When my kids come home unhappy; it's time to change, but right now they still have great teachers and love school so I'm not changing. I've heard of the "higher-rated" schools constantly testing the kids so the schools can rate higher, that is not right either.

Posted: January 3, 2014

This school is lacking in resources. It is too advanced for children in the lower grades. I have not had a good experience with this school. My daughter hated going to school and brought home an hour in a half work of homework every night that we ended up having to reteach. I am a certified teacher myself and did not agree with the phonograms coding to teach spelling. This continues onto 3rd grade where spelling words are marked wrong if incorrectly coded even though my daughter spelled the words correctly. We do not use this coding in the real world so this was the final straw in deciding to move my daughter back to public school. She also had 24 kids in her class and now she has 18. She is much happier at the public school and not as stressed out. They lack resources such as a gym, visual paperwork for the students(they make them take a crazy amount of notes) and support staff. That is why they rely on parents to volunteer to make up for this lack of resources. I know I made the right decision to move my daughter back to a public school where she will be better served.

Posted: November 11, 2013

After enrolling one of our children at IIR in 2011 and having a fairly decent year, we enrolled our second one in 2012. Things went downhill that year. The classrooms were packed. As creative, talented teachers left they were replaced by what I consider to be "classroom managers" -- adults who specialize in posting assignments and ensuring students stay on-task but either have no time or aptitude for actually TEACHING and mentoring kids. The result was stressed, confused kids ... and meetings with staff ultimately featured the "well we let the kids know what is expected of them" line. Staff-parent communications were poor, and we felt that we were spending most of our evenings re-teaching subject matter to our kids because they were pushed so fast through the material merely so a "completed" box could be checked by somebody in Administration. One of the final straws came on the last day of the 2012-2013 school year, when our youngest brought home an F in a subject we expected a C in. The teacher's note: "sorry, wasn't aware his grade was that low." We now home-school. IIR is a train wreck, and not any better of an experience for your child than a "regular" D-49 school.

Posted: October 13, 2013

Very good school, although i find it not to be challenging, the staff is wonderful

Posted: August 11, 2013

not sure what is going on at the school - it used to be good at the beginning but the last two years it went downhill. Had to take our daughter out of the school as she hated to come to school ever day- she is in a public school now and a complete turnaround - she loves school again ...

Posted: August 5, 2013

This is our second year and I really did not want to return. The core curriculum is what we wanted to challenge our student. However, the administration is severely lacking. They don't even follow their own mission statement that says character is modeled and promoted. I'm very dissapointed in their handling of situations which involve student to student problems. Half the year went by with no resolve on one issue then a more severe issue regarding harrassment was totally ignored. I will not be as lenient this year in letting them ignore issues. I belive in second chances but it's gonna be a short leash this year!

Posted: May 25, 2013

Imagine Indigo Ranch My two older,children began attending this school before the building at Peterson even broke ground. We left for a year and a half and my youngest also began Preschool there this past year. I am very disappointed by the constant turnover within the faculty. We have had some of the best teachers work at this school and they do not stay because of the administration. The principal, Dean of Students and the previous Vice Principal are all poor leaders who do not follow through when there is any conflict among children, families or faculty. With the exception of the gentleman in the front office, the office staff is unfriendly and often unorganized. He has been an active parent volunteer since the school opened. He has been a great asset to the office staff. He is kind, patient, organized and professional. With a new administration and front office staff, this school would be phenomenal. The curriculum is great! My children are academically ahead of friends of theirs in other public schools.

Posted: May 14, 2013

I have three children who attend this school. I have been very involved in each of their classrooms and activities. We have been fortunate to have good teachers. My main complaint about the school is bullying that is not addressed. My daughter that is in middle school has been chocked by a student and the student was told to keep her hands to herself. The student had been involved in several physical altercations in one form or another. The administration didn't take any action towards resolving the bullying. The student was not suspended or expelled until this week. Two weeks remaining of school and our children have had to endure this student's behavior for the entire school year. This is unacceptable, the administration was aware of the issues throughout the year.

Posted: February 25, 2013

When a your child says to you respect means to treat people everyone with high regard Hmm I think the school has something right. Some adults have still not learnt all people must be treated with respect...that did it for me! There should be more schools like this in the city. Colorado Springs needs to learn that!

Posted: February 10, 2013

Choose wisely. This school has potential but until the administration is replaced there will continue to be a high turn over rate with teachers and families. The teachers are great but unhappy. Happy staff does not leave in the middle of the year. If you want a school that will differentiate this is not the place. If the curriculum doesn't work for your child they will not modify it. I have pulled my child from this school and glad I did so.

Posted: November 28, 2012

My children have attended this school for several years now, and while it is a decent school there are things that severely need fixed. For example, they charge a student fee at the beginning of the year which is supposed to be used towards teacher supplies, more school supplies for the teachers, and a field trip shirt. However, along with sending school supplies with your children at the begging of the year they still mange to nickel and dime the parents for more school donations of copy paper at various times throughout the year. On top of all this now, they want us to print out the children's reading logs which some teachers require to be turned in monthly to be printed out at home, and used to come home in there Thursday folders, at the begging of every month. This is ridiculous. Also the guy in the administration office is very rude and condescending. He is very nosy, when it come to things that do not concern him, and treats people who have probably been there way longer then he has, as if he owns the place, and is the gate keeper of all things Imagine Indigo Ranch. Well at least we should be grateful that he is no longer policing people on parking for the most part.

Posted: November 7, 2012

I have had my kids in this school for three years now. I hope they are able to expand into high school before my daughter gets there. There have certainly been growing pains as they deal with being new (new school building, new charter, new location). My kids are excited about going to school each day and learn a lot. Class sizes are limited (probably at a higher limit than I would like) but that does not seem to have negatively impacted my kids experience. -Teachers have been very responsive any time we have asked questions or concerns. Usually it is asking what we need to work on at home -There have been some parent initiatives to start some basic sports programs I would recommend the school

Posted: September 18, 2012

My child has attended this institution since its inception & overall i would rate it average. Administration & office staff (as previous posters have mentioned) are indeed condescending & rude. My childs schoolwork i would put as average. There are no sports programs & none in the works. I can speak from personal experience that admin is more concerned with keeping their charter than with educating our children. Class size is same as you would find in most suburban schools throughout the US. This is last year for us we will be moving on to better next year.

Posted: September 6, 2012

I do believe their are great issus at this school was just picking up child and sent three times around in a circle then hollored at for not getting the child just needed to know wher the unmarked office was and no help at all. has no parking and if they get so much money where are the buses plus being on two busy streets with no way to go back the way you came is just ridiculous. They ned proper signage and maybe better people to control the traffic.

Posted: August 26, 2012

To the previous post: More students means more money and it seems more and more over the past couple years at this school that money is an issue. Student used to be able to wear jeans for free now they have to pay $1 on jeans day to wear jeans, Student fees more than doubled last year (so much for a free charter school) and now they are asking for money in place of volunteer hours. So class size is all about the money. As far as buses for your kids, they can use the d49 bus system it does drop and pick up right by the school.

Posted: August 10, 2012

I agree with the previous poster...choose wisely, but they lost a whole lot more than 1/3 of their teachers. It's was more than 1/2. About 15 teachers left! That says it all. In addition, I'd love to see the percentage of families who pulled their children because it is huge. The principal can't blame military moves this time! I truly feel sorry for the teachers who joined this school this year and for the families starting who are walking into chaos.

Posted: July 30, 2012

My thoughts: Imagine Corporate, Imagine Board, and D49 are just as responsible for the lack of professionalism that plagues the imagine administration. They are all fully aware of what is and has been going on at this school, and refuse to do anything about it. I know, because I provided them all the evidence they would need to make some changes and they turned a blind eye. Because they are a charter school, and the state of Colorado failed to put any real oversight in place when drafting a contract, Imagine can get away with almost anything they want, and not be held accountable. They are not much different then any other Corporation out there that is trying to turn a profit. They do not care who they hurt in the process, including your children.

Posted: May 23, 2012

My wife teaches here, and my son just graduated from this school. Obviously my opinion is a little biased, but...the teachers are great! Have a great summer!

Posted: May 22, 2012

Awesome school The best thing that happened to my son last year was Imagine charter school. 1. No racism tolerated 2.High standard to challenge kids 3.Parent involvement 4.We love Mrs Panek she's so fair

Posted: May 14, 2012

Academically the school is good. My daughter was learning well above her grade level. As far as everything else goes - I can't fathom the problems a child would have transitioning to a public high school from TICA! These kids are micro managed down to where an 8th grader has to stand and wait for mommy & daddy to pick them up. The staff has no common sense when it comes to traffic for pickup after school. The principal is severely overshadowed by the Assistant Principal who is one of the better staff at this school. None of the staff at this school will take parents concerns seriously or even acknowledge you but instead will only send you a generic email referring you to the parent handbook with a generic answer! Overall I fear for my child at this school, if they are not going to a private high school, TICA does not prepare them for the real world!!!

Posted: May 13, 2012

The school seems alright, this is my son's first year there, the teacher is very nice and my son likes her and likes learning. The Principal Mrs. Leone is more concern about where the parents park, following them out of the school grounds, than taking care of the educational part. I saw her taking pictures of the cars license plates to turn give them to the HOA. She even made a child cry because one morning his dad dropped him off on the street that Mrs. Leone doesn't want parents to park or stop, since his dad left before she could talk to the parent.

Posted: March 1, 2012

This is an excellent school. Probably the best acdemically in the area. Our kids have attended Ridgeview Elementary, TICA, and BLRA. TICA is where our kids learned the most over the course of a year. The largest downside for TICA is parents of kindergartners have to pay for kids to attend full day - but our experience was that our child learned and advanced more in half day at TICA than full day at BLRA. The RIGGS system is TREMENDOUS for kids learning to read and write - but ironically, the math advancement is slower and redundant. The traffic and parking is the biggest challenge for them to solve. In short, TICA has great teachers and academics with some fun, inventive staff but is situated poorly to handle the traffic.

Posted: February 25, 2012

Real 411 if comparing schools. 1. Principal. Compassionate and gentle. Management is MBWA. By the book. Does not cave to parents with unreasonable demands. 2. Vice P. Combo counselor, cheerleader, and glass is half full guy. Busy but approachable. 3. Staff in 3rd year now. In 2nd Year too many military moved away and never told the school so they had less students on opening day than expected. Had to lay off some teachers to balance the books. This year the art teacher came back and class sizes are normal. 4. Parking. A militant parking person was hired Jan 11 when police started enforcing no parking on the main streets at the same time Vista Ridge is cutting loose. If you get in line after classes are dismissed like the rules say, you will have a normal experience. If you get in line before classes are done on the days he is working, he will ask you to come back after the kids come out. 5. Middle school is underrated. A very safe, insular, controlled climate for 6-8th graders (the focus is on studies, not the latest trends at the mall or on cable). 6. Very good school if you ignore the lack of parking and the small percentage of parents who are never happy.

Posted: February 20, 2012

This an excellent school and I feel lucky to have my children enrolled. I think the administration goes out of its way to make sure a parent receives a lot of communication. I am never in the dark about school programs or initiatives because they send a lot of emails about what is going on. My children love Imagine.

Posted: February 17, 2012

We think 5% of parents are not happy and 95% think it s a fine school. If our kids are laughing as they get out of the car and pass the teacher with the fun hats, then they probably are going to have a good day too. We don t understand many of these negative comments, but we do know our kids like going to school each day. It is true the homework is heavy sometimes and I m more involved in their homework than I want to be at times, but this goes with the territory of the Imagine coursework program. We have not had any problems with the 4 teachers in 2 years. Like others said, it s not a perfect school, but they have 800 kids for a reason.

Posted: February 7, 2012

We have been at Imagine for 3 years now. My children have received an outstanding education. It can be difficult, but with the support of parents kids can truly excel. My number one complaint about this school is the handful of very difficult, hard to please parents. No matter what the teachers, admin, and PTO do there are parents who are plain hateful and NOTHING anyone does can make them happy. As the previous poster stated, this is a choice school. If you don't like it, go to your neighborhood school or opt in somewhere else. It's quite easy to spot the reviews of disgruntled parents who feel everyone has wronged them. People posting negative, hateful reviews as "revenge" are hurting our kids and our school. If you're researching schools, come check ours out and form your own opinion. I think you'll like what you see/hear.

Posted: February 1, 2012

I have been a part of this great school for 3 years. The level of education that has been provided to my son has been outstanding. The teachers genuinely care for their students. I have seen this first hand as I have been actively involved in volunteering at the school and have never seen a teacher mistreat their students. Have I had frustrations on a few issues or policies, yes. Have I voiced those options and had resolution , yes. This is a choice school. You make the choice to send your child every day. If you are not happy and feel this is such a horrible school then simply do not make the " choice" to send your child to the school. There are politics in every school. That is the simple truth but at the end of the day it is about providing an exceptional learning environment for our children. That is what is most important. That is what needs to remain as the focus of our energy as parents not wasting energy talking about how horrible things are. If you dont like the school then dont stay...plain and simple. Angry parents make angry kids.

Posted: January 24, 2012

If your student has behavior problems that you support, you've found the right place, I have never found an organization that permits people to walk all over their paid professionals or bend policies like this one. Did your student earn detention for misbehavior at lunch? Just whine to the principal, she will cave and blame the teachers. Don't like your student's grade? When the teacher doesn't bend, the admin will - if they are actually at the school that day. "This is a great school despite its administration" - direct feedback from their last accreditation. I wish I had these teachers and this curriculum when I was in school, but I have never worked with such unsupportive, unaccountable "leadership" in my life. Sadly, the administration cares more about the money each student brings in more than the academic and character education the students receive and will therefore sacrifice these for any parent who threatens to disenroll their student. "Shared Values" are shoved down the staff's throats, but not demonstrated by the admin. Prospective teachers, you have been warned. To the recent posters, yes, parents are encouraged to market the school on this site.

Posted: September 6, 2011

Beware of this school. Yo uthink Charter means more oportunity, smaller class sizes and better education, yet based of test scores they came in at the same as other public schools in the immediate area, they laid off teachers increasing class sizes to at or near regular public school sizes and cut all funding for the arts. They are continually hitting parents up for money, yet show no frugality with the way they spend and have little regard for the child as a person, but as a commodity. The principle is condescending to the parents (her customers!) and has a poor sense of priority. I have endured for 3 years, I have volunteered to help correct issues and I can't do it any more. If I can get as good of an education, the same class size and more access to extra curricular opportunities at nearby elementary schools why would I stay and put up with the elitist attitudes. I can not wai for the end of the year, I am transferring my daughter out as fast as I can.

Posted: August 18, 2011

This school does not have a band/orchestra or choir program even for its middle schoolers. It is offered for an additional fee through their childcare program not through the school itself.

Posted: June 26, 2011

Why so many Great Schools reviews? The two closest Neighborhood Schools (NS) received 15 and 17 reviews since 05. The closest Charter School has 64 since 07 while Imagine shows 101 (21, 42, & 38 since 08). Why do the two local charter schools have many more reviews then the two local NS? NS do not need to advertise because they have a population base in their neighborhood; the opposite is true for Charter Schools as 100% of the families have to "choose" to attend via word-of-mouth advertising (Less than 10% of Imagine s students are within walking distance) Also, charter schools require parent involvement so it's a natural tendency to submit a review to help with advertising. D-49 pools their SPED funding received from all schools and distributes the instructors and $ as they believe best. Imagine paid D-49 about $495,000 for SPED instruction last year. The public budget shows $497,995 going to D-49 next year. Students up to 3rd Grade are tested in Saxon Math every 5 school days. Students receive 2 pages of math homework 4-5 days per week. Imagine started with 684 kids last year and had a 5.7% withdrawal rate. There are no class standing figures.

Posted: June 26, 2011

The math is rigorous, the uniform rules are enforced, some teachers are strict, they don't have a lot of money, the parking guys are rigid, yet all the kiddos I know are thriving. When I call the office the receptionist is polite and helpful so enough complaining on them. Like others have said the school might not be right for everyone but it seems like they have 600 happy families and we are one of them.

Posted: June 24, 2011

To the June 20th poster, there's no need to be nasty to the "Isn't it ironic..." poster. The parents complained not because of unrealistic expectations but because they and their kids had bad experiences with this school. I know lots of families who withdrew their kids because there's no special education assistance and because of the unresponsive, uncaring administrators. I know some kids who literally have anxiety attacks because they're so afraid of getting in trouble with the school's extremely strict standards set upon them (i.e. getting sent to the principal's office for failing to tuck in polo shirts or failing to stay in line). There's also a powerful mommy clique that tries to control the school's PTO and drive others out. People need to see both positive and negative reviews to make the best possible decisions for their kids.

Posted: June 7, 2011

My child just graduated from TICA, and I'm fully confident he is prepared for great success in high school and beyond. The teachers do more than adhere to a curriculum...they contribute real-world experience and build relationships.

Posted: May 26, 2011

Isn't it ironic that for every negative comment made quite a few positive ones are made? I dont know of another school that has so many reviews. It's almost like this school has a taskforce of parents that view this frequently to be sure to up the rating....?

Posted: May 25, 2011

This was our first experience with a public school and could not be happier. The school is still new and is working out some of the kinks of being new but overall it was a great experience. I'm glad we had the opportunity to enroll our children there. The curriculum is challenging but both of our girls excelled academically. I would definitely recommend.

Posted: May 2, 2011

The curriculum and homework load at this school is a bit overwhelming. The front office staff is very unfriendly, every time I enter office I am never greeted, each time I've had to greet them. This will be my children first and last year attending Imagine. This has been one of the most stressful years in school my children have ever experienced. I am very disappointed that the school expects every kid to learn at the same level. As a parent who is very involved in my children's education want learning to be a joy and not a burden!

Posted: April 25, 2011

It is a great academic school. We are investing in our children's future by monitoring or helping with homework after school. The challenging homework now will pay off later. We like the school.

Posted: April 25, 2011

We love Imagine our daughter has attend since kindergarten (she is currently in 1st grade) and is excelling at Imagine, yes the curriculum is challenging but like her kindergartener teacher expressed children's brains are like sponges they will absorb it all very quickly. Because the curriculum is challenging my daughter is never bored at school and enjoys going everyday and especially excited about going back after school breaks.

Posted: April 24, 2011

I have two children at Imagine and really like the school. Yes, the curriculum is challenging, and parent involvement is expected. No, Imagine isn't for everyone. But I am in awe of what my children are learning and how well they are doing. I think our public schools, in general, have been so watered down to accommodate those who struggle. Those who can excel have been left behind. Imagine is a good alternative for those who need the challenge. I appreciate the school's curriculum, the focus on character and the atmosphere. I have found the teachers to be caring and structured. But I do want to add that I'd like to see the art program restored, paid teacher's aides (teachers and parent volunteers can do only so much!) especially since class sizes increased due to lay-offs, better SPED, and for the administration to be more in touch with the needs of the students and parents.

Posted: April 17, 2011

The Imagine Classical Academy has been a fantastic beginning for my kids' education. The academic curriculum has been much better than I ever imagined. My five year olds are both reading well, and their approach to math has been very successful with both of my children. They enjoy learning and seem to be challenged but not frustrated with what has been asked of them. Their teacher has done a fantastic job of emphasizing the moral values held by the school, and she is truly dedicated to her responsibility as a role model to the students. In addition, parent participation is encouraging. Most if not all of the parents of kids in my children's class have been involved with assisting the teacher this year. The school has a personal feel and I would highly recommend it to a family that wants to be involved in their child's education.

Posted: April 10, 2011

I have had children attend both the local public schools and Imagine. I agree that the school isn't perfect, but there is no perfect school. There will always be something we don't like. Removing the art program was disappointing, but unfortunately necessary at the time. I hope to see it come back when our financing is in better shape. My child receives an excellent education at this school. He will thrive when he has to go to a local public high school and for that I am grateful. My son's teacher is fabulous and I do understand that finding a teacher that is a good personality match for your family is hard. I also know that they ask about your child's personality and strengths/weaknesses so they can pair you up with the best possible match. The more involvIed you are at the school, the more you will understand the workings at the school. This school requires parental involvement in some form or fashion. As long as you can contribute to your child's education, you will see your child thrive. If you simply want to send them to school and be done with it, I suggest one of the local public schools.

Posted: April 10, 2011

In regards of the post on March 17th... the posts are not false infromation. Maybe you have been one of the lucky parents who haven't had experiences such as the ones posted previously. Please rember not every child/family is going have the same experiences in this school that your child has had. Nothing I posted has been untruthful, I do think this school has some good teachers, and teachers who's efforts aren't recognized. But their are things that have happend that you didn't see or experince, don't tell me I'm lying!

Posted: April 10, 2011

Our family has attended TICA since its' founding days, and we couldn't be more pleased. The curriculum provided to the students is unrivaled, the staff are caring and professional, the atmosphere is one of focused learning, and the community is friendly and welcoming. This school recently received very high marks from a site visit conducted by a branch of CDE. Curriculum is designed and parents are expected to take an active part in their child's learning, which is so important in academic success for students. Students are also taught and expected to display positive character values. Qualified teachers oversee the structure, direction, and rigorous content of learning. There is not a better place for a child to be than in this community of staff and families dedicated to classical education, college prep, and character education.

Posted: April 9, 2011

This school is so demanding of my fifth grader, he has had to quit sports and church activities to keep up with homework. Much of the teaching is done at home. There is little support for a struggling student and they have no problem with retaining a student at this age instead of helping him/her to succeed. Teachers show little compassion--very military. My son has had to change schools.

Posted: April 2, 2011

LOVE the teachers at this school but, recently they laid off 5 teachers causing huge classroom sizes. Also, they really need to work on providing services for special needs. I would also like to see a library, and return of their Art program. Also, the teachers are very overwhelmed with no teachers-aids. They depend on parent volunteers for almost all of their assistant needs. Haven't decided if my daughter will be returning.

Posted: March 26, 2011

Excellant teachers with amazing support from parents. If your child is not ready for a challenge and not ready to be held accountable for their behavior, then this is not the school for your child. It is not the teachers or the schools job to raise your child, their job is to "EDUCATE" your child. We the parents should support our teachers and do our jobs as parents and provide home training for our children. Again, the education at this school is "OUTSTANDING" and so are our "TEACHERS!"

Posted: March 16, 2011

I must say I am extremely shocked but many of the reviews of our school. This school has one of the best, most supportive environments for students, staff, and parents. The teachers ALWAYS go above and beyond for their students. They tutor for free, differentiate learning, and seek the best possible strategies to help all students achieve success. They genuinely care about each and every child. I have NEVER, EVER heard the principal nor the vice principal scream or yell at anyone, including the staff. They are highly qualified and I would invite you to check their credentials with the district; I'm positive you would be very pleased with the information you would find. If you are a parent, please do not believe this false information, come to our school and observe any classroom, at any time of the day. We welcome parents to observe and see for themselves why our school is different. Please also try to come to our meet and greets to get to know our principal and vice principal. If you choose this school for your child, your child will receive the best public education in this area by far, hands down!!

Posted: March 14, 2011

I absolutely love this school. My son is in third grade this year and this is his first time at TICA. We love it. He has done very well for his first year. The teachers work very hard and do a great job. I would reccomend this school to anyone. The curriculum here is challenging but attainable for all students. On a side note, I read some of the reviews here that were negative. If you have such an issue with the school, you should speak to someone there. Also, whoever wrote about TICA CSAP scores being the lowest, you might want to check your sources. TICA was the number one school in the district for CSAP scores. It is posted on the D49 website. We are very proud of our school! The teachers are amazing and wonderful!!!

Posted: March 10, 2011

This school is terrible. My daughter hates this school. The principal yells at students, the teachers don't care, and the music teacher has more attitude than the kids. My daughter has attend this school for the first time and hates it. The assistant principal screams at the children and I've been yelled at before too. My daughter comes home crying because the teachers are mean. The students are rude too.

Posted: February 26, 2011

Teacher complains about job, only cares about few favorite kids, and leaves it to volunteers to teach the low kids(from personal exp. volunteering every week). Instruction is lecture style in Kinder! My kid's been reading for a year before entering K. Now 3rd quarter and no reading groups, she s bored! There's NO differentiation, no art, no language, no library, and computer time s a joke! Character ed. sounds nice, but doesn't exist. Teacher falsified grades b/c she dislikes me. I ve emailed the teacher 9 times, principals 5, and left 2 msgs. and have NEVER rec d a response. If you go to the school to speak with someone, all you ll get is lip service. The admin. is delusional as to what s taking place at this school. Bullying occurs daily and is not addressed. My kid broke 3 ribs falling from monkey bars, and nobody felt it necessary to notify me. Found out after school in the ER b/c she was in so much pain. Parents are expected to tutor their child with the RIGGS curriculum; yet the training for parents has been canceled until further notice...it s March. The constant fundraising and soliciting for supplies is ridiculous. As an educator and a parent, I would NEVER recommend TICA.

Posted: February 19, 2011

My daughter is in the 1st grade at Imagine (her 2nd year here) and we have recently decided that she will no longer attend this school next year. I cannot spare my childs education while this school "gets its act together". Art programs have been canceled, there seems to be a revolving door of teachers and the city has not been very supportive of traffic generated by the school since it is located on two busy streets in town. We are also very disappointed that this school does not employ teachers aids. There are 31 students in my daughters first grade class with one teacher and sometimes a parent volunteer. That is just too crowded for anyone to be able to sit and concentrate and learn. I'm sure the growing pains will all work themselves out in the years to come but we won't be there to find out.

Posted: February 11, 2011

If you are looking for an elite compound this school is for you! Only cookie cutter children are welcome at this school. A common practice from the administration is intimidation and discrimination. They do not care about the children unless they fit the mold; if your child doesn t they will do what they can to get your child out of the school. There are teachers that practice misconduct; for example the middle school Science teacher threatening the class with fire because he cannot control them. The Assistant Principle uses intimidation and humiliation on a daily basis. My child was taken into his office for not standing up straight. He proceeded to bully my child and then when I confronted him he tired to bully me. It is unclear if he even has the proper credentials to be in the AP position. The Principle allows the AP to run the show which makes her appear helpless and ignorant. I pulled my child out of this school because it is UNSAFE for any child to be subjected to such misconduct. I would not recommend this school to anyone and I believe District 49 could solve their budget problems by closing this school. It is honestly a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Posted: January 31, 2011

We switched our children from another D49 school due to issues with the dysfunctional district. Our children are receiving a phenomenal education and are so very happy. Their teachers are absolutely incredible, have excellent communication with the parents and provide the just right challenge for the children. We are hopeful that the art program will be brought back next year. We feel very lucky to have our children here.We love TICA! We highly recommend it to everyone.

Posted: January 29, 2011

This was my children's 2nd year here at TICA but I pulled them in the middle of the year because the administration & principal did not support me at all when I needed them most. Although many parents were complaining, I tried to overlook it since my children were excelling and doing very well at TICA. TICA has a very challenging cirriculum and I believe there needs to be more support for the teachers, especially when so many children are falling behind and literally failing the majority of their classes. My experience was good until I had a problem and then realized that what these parents have said - is very true! This school denies students after the October 1 count day because they do not receive funding for these new students. I find that to be unethical and that shows me that this school only cares about the funding and not the children. It's very sad and unfortunate. Research before you enroll your child.

Posted: December 14, 2010

Be careful with this school. The principals claim that they do not favor the founding families but they do grant special favors/privileges to certain families that donate the most money, are well-liked, and hold high positions in the PTO. The special favors include excused absences for family vacations during scheduled school days, teacher selection, and better treatment of kids of popular parents in terms of discipline and grades. This promotes an school atmosphere of elitism, snobbery, and hypocrisy. Parents who question the administration are forced to withdraw their kids. This school is all about the "image" and is starting to "teach to test" to try to improve the disappointing low CSAP scores. The administration doesn't take any personal interest in the students, they're so worried about numbers and academic standing. If parents seek help for their students being bullied, the administration asks "what is your child doing to get bullied" as if it's the victim's fault. Think twice about enrolling if you don't want to deal with favoritism, politics, over-competitive parents, and snobbery.

Posted: December 12, 2010

This school is an excellent school. The teachers at this school give all they have and are asked to do so much more than at most d49 schools. They are caring and thoroughly knowledgable about their subject matters. Both principles are out of touch with the needs of the junior high and tend to blow off parent concerns. They school would be a superior school if the principles would welcome parent feedback and act on negative fedback as a way of bettering the school rather than shying away any negative critique. Many good families have left this school due to the out of touch Principles. Our family stays because the education is unmatched in the Springs and our children are well plugged in socially. They need to have basketball, football and cheerleading too. The JuniorHigh would thrive it they did.

Posted: December 10, 2010

So many parents are pulling their kids out of TICA this year because of the principles. They are very condescending to parents. They don't want to deal with IEPs or any kind of special needs. The staff takes Zero responsiblity if a student begins to struggle in any way. If a parent brings a concern to the administrators, they turn their backs. The staff do not exemplify the character traits that is so highly emphasized for the students. Very discriminatory.

Posted: December 2, 2010

The curriculum at this school is very good and teachers are the best of the best. However, the administration is so focused on trying to open another new school, that they have lost sight of the mission for this school and of their role in establishing it . So many families have pulled their students out during this school year. Student retention does not seem to be a concern to the leadership. Due to lower than planned for student count this year, teachers have been let go and the Art program has been dropped.

Posted: November 17, 2010

This school has potential but a lot of families are having trouble with the administration. Recent cut backs were made because not enough students were enrolled and therefore the Art program was dropped along with some of the teachers. This has caused some grades to have very large class sizes which is not normally common in a charter school enviroment. I think eventually it will be a good school if they can make it through these growing pains. The question you should ask yourself if you are thinking about in enrolling is if you want to go along for the ride. Plan on it being a rollercoaster!