Aspire Middle School

Posted: April 18, 2026

I used to be a student at Aspire middle school and my experience all through out the years were disappointing I was one of the few African American kids and a girl in the school and I have to say this school really made sure to remind me so I’ve had encountered racism from students AND teachers and sexism as well. My little sister also attended the school and faced the same treatment unfortunately the principal didn’t not if fact protect his female students from the mistreatment from male students due to his favoritism many students (female) has reported the problem to parents and yet no action has been taken. Yes the school is good for education and preforming arts but it’s hard to do any when you feel unsafe in an environment.

Posted: April 18, 2026

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Posted: February 21, 2026

I would give 5 stars especially due to the passion that the principal gives to his work and the care he gives to the students! Having schools focused on music and arts as well as academics is a great thing!

Posted: February 21, 2026

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Posted: February 18, 2026

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Posted: February 18, 2026

a kid brought drugs, alcohol, and other things that should not be in a school environment to school basically the entirety of their 6th grade year. This same child made racist comments towards other students such as calling them their slave and also made a KKK bracelet. has sexually harassed AND assulted other students. they have done way more things i don't have the space to type. they were not expelled/ removed from the school until a year later. the staff are horrible with considering both sides of the story when it comes to reports, often only acknowledging the problems side and still getting the non problem in trouble with their parents, they also call parents over false reports and explain it to the parents as if it was true. staff often listen into students conversations, misunderstanding it then getting the kids in trouble. This schools social emotional support is horrible in my opinion. some of the teachers also favor students, spending most of the class time talking to them making them seem unavailable to other students,

Posted: December 10, 2025

They've had a child who's threatened to shoot up the school, vaped, and brought alcohol to school. And the student wasn't expelled until a year and a half later. The staff was FULLY aware of what the child said and did, but despite that they let the kid stay. The kid also sexually harassed other students.

Posted: December 10, 2025

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Posted: November 16, 2025

Good school, idk what else to say

Posted: November 16, 2025

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Posted: August 25, 2025

Great education, small group of kids, amazing support for all.

Posted: August 25, 2025

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Posted: October 9, 2021

I am so grateful that my daughter goes here. They have a supportive and kind staff. The school community is positive and strong.

Posted: October 9, 2021

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Posted: December 4, 2019

My daughter goes here. Aspire is a great school. It is small and has a great sense of community. There are lots of activities for students and ways to get involved.

Posted: December 4, 2019

Posted: December 4, 2019

Teachers at this school know their students and help them. There are extra groups before school to help with certain subjects.

Posted: December 4, 2019

The culture at this school is amazing. They encourage the students to be kind and have character. They have a lot of activities around this.

Posted: December 4, 2019

Posted: December 4, 2019

I have no experience with this so cannot rate it

Posted: December 4, 2019

Posted: October 21, 2019

Best school within a 50 mile radius.

Posted: October 21, 2019

Busy tween. She has a bunch of homework every night.

Posted: October 21, 2019

Ms Dhamers is probably the best math teacher in Thurston County

Posted: October 21, 2019

Our daughter was picked on by a few mean girls the first week. The school dealt with it quickly and effectively. Zero room at Aspire for bullying. No problems since.

Posted: October 21, 2019

Teachers like Ms Bivins get kids involved and in leadership positions to create a great atmosphere for all students

Posted: October 21, 2019

I haven’t seen any kids with challenges so I can’t comment.

Posted: October 21, 2019

Instant smack down on bullying. Zero tolerance. Impressive.

Posted: June 11, 2019

NOTHING BUT POSITIVE EXPERIENCES. SCHOOL HAS A SUPPORTIVE AND BUSY PTO

Posted: June 11, 2019

SOMETIMES TOO MUCH ON NIGHTS WITH BAND/ORCHESTRA/CHIOR CONCERTS

Posted: June 11, 2019

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Posted: February 3, 2019

My daughter was bullied by a mean girl he first week of school. The principal immediately called in the girl and her parent. No bullying has happened since.

Posted: February 3, 2019

Awesome. Just awesome. What a great gift to the kids hat are lucky enough to get into this school.

Posted: February 3, 2019

Challenging load of homework to keep kids engaged.

Posted: February 3, 2019

Fantastic group of rock star teachers all super committed

Posted: February 3, 2019

My kid cannot wait to get to school.

Posted: February 3, 2019

Great principal, great teachers. My kid was bullied and they dealt with it quickly and effectively.

Posted: February 3, 2019

Haven’t experienced any kids with learning issues

Posted: November 15, 2018

I haven’t noticed any intellectually challenged students

Posted: November 15, 2018

My kid was bullied and the staff immediately intervened and ended it. Great job!

Posted: November 15, 2018

Excellence throughout. I am just sad that not all kids will get a chance to visit this school. It’s a roadmap to success in academics.

Posted: November 15, 2018

Difficult homework that makes students think and solve problems.

Posted: November 15, 2018

Excellent staff. All star team. Great teachers that really care.

Posted: November 15, 2018

Lots of extra activities, hey promote respect and friendship.

Posted: November 15, 2018

From the principal to teachers, they are great at engaging students and promoting a healthy learning environment

Posted: May 10, 2016

Non Challenge Academy teachers have been great. CA teachers have been very difficult, confrontational and poor communicators.

Posted: May 10, 2016

Posted: May 10, 2016

The onslaught of pointless homework makes it nearly impossible for students to stay on top of it, and the poor communication of teachers about student progress and grading makes it difficult to say that anyone is operating with honesty, integrity or fairness.

Posted: May 10, 2016

The Challenge Academy at Aspire has been nothing short of a complete let down. Entitled, angry, poorly socialized students and teachers who use outdated curriculum and teaching methods. This is not a gifted program, it is just a ton of homework.

Posted: May 10, 2016

I mentioned Bloom's Taxonomy to a teacher there and she looked at me like a was growing a third arm out of my forehead. She'd never heard of it.

Posted: May 10, 2016

If the teachers would grade the homework or at least tell the kids if their answers are wrong or right, then maybe the homework would have some meaning.

Posted: May 10, 2016

One of the other parents posted a negative review on this website and the school reported it and had it taken down. Honest people don't maneuver to have information suppressed just because it is negative.

Posted: May 10, 2016

Challenge Academy is located inside Aspire. They promote it as a school for gifted kids, but the quality of education is below what you would get in a regular school. According to Bloom's Taxonomy, we should see these kids analyse, apply and understand information. Instead, they just do tons of mindless memorization and busy work. Hours of homework every night in exchange for no grades, feedback or any other indication that they got it right or wrong. This year the regular students and Chinook Middle School did more project-based assignments than the Challenge Academy. If you wonder how little they care about their "gifted program", at the time of this writing, you can't even tell that the Challenge Academy exists when you go to Aspire's website with the exception of the letters "CA" next to the two teachers who teach in the Challenge Academy.

Posted: March 4, 2016

Challenge academy is not accessible to low economic status families (i.e. poor people). Much of the curriculum is web-based, so kids who don't have regular access to the internet have to come in early or stay late, and this remedy only lessens their disadvantage. Yet they are still at a disadvantage.

Also, parents are required sign an agreement to bring their kids to events in the evening, which eliminates families without transportation and families that don't support themselves with 9-5 jobs. Parents who work swing- or graveyard-shift are out of luck.

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Posted: November 22, 2014

Last year was my last year at Aspire and I'm really glad I went there. In my freshman year of high school, I am taking geometry and I learned all of the things that we have gone over so far in the class in my years at aspire.

Posted: August 5, 2014

This is a great school with an emphasis on performing arts where all the kids thrive.

Posted: June 19, 2014

Amazing!! Great to have smaller class size. Truly challenging at all levels. All kids leave this school ready for what's next in life!

Posted: February 10, 2014

This school is by far the best I've been too. I am graduating this year, '14. I've made such good friends and you have so many opportunities for activities, such as dancing,singing, acting and instrument playing. Also, we have a challenge academy program and it is for kids who exceed there grade level standards so they learn higher grade level stuff. All in all this school is by far the best!

Posted: September 2, 2013

My 12 year old daughter will attend Aspire Middle School (challenge academy) for the 2nd year. It is truly amazing. I was shocked by the amount of after-school work she brought home last year, but after several months she figured out how to balance her time better, and the workload is not as bad for her now. The teachers are amazing, and really push the kids. Overall my wife and I are VERY impressed with the challenge academy.

Posted: May 28, 2013

Fantastic school, North Thurston school did a awesome job to bring challenge academy in Aspire. Kids are way ahead in maths & science. I wish if all school will have same type of curriculum as Aspire has.

Posted: May 27, 2013

Great school. Great teachers. The teachers go above and beyond to teach the kids the best they can. They put lots of time after school for after school activities and improvements and they do hard work to be the best school ever.

Posted: October 28, 2012

My son was in the Challenge academy which is located in Aspire Middle School. We found that it was a weird mix of Academically gifted children and performing arts children. For 7th and 8th grade the standards were high but the homework load is what we found unrealistic. My son left after completing 6th grade and 1 quarter of 7th. He was miserable.

Posted: May 30, 2012

This is truly an exceptional middle school. Aspire is a magnet school and they have a high ratio of challenge academy and TAG teachers who don't seem to alter their curriculum down for the "regular" kids. This translates into a tough but effective curriculum for the kids. If your kids get in, prepare for a heavier load than other schools. The school has a focus or emphasis on the performing arts, so the drama, dance and music programs are exceptional indeed. You should hear and see the talent of the kids there - it's phenomenal! Mark my words, some of them will be famous artists and entertainers some day. The only downside, is that parent involvement doesn't seem to be quite as easy or welcome as in elementary school - maybe that's just a middle school thing. The principal hasn't seemed open and friendly to me really, but the success of the school speaks for itself regardless of what my impressions of her are. There is a long waiting list to get in. Our older son got in, but the younger one was in the low 20's of I think over 200 on the waiting list - it's taken a year to move 14 places. Why can't this be the standard for other schools?