Dear ASD Families,
Welcome back!
I hope you all had a wonderful summer and are as excited as we are for the 2024-2025 school year.
We’re thrilled to start the year with some exciting news: Aspen Elementary School has been officially authorized to offer the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme!
This achievement makes the Aspen School District the only district in the state fully authorized with IB programs from Pre-K through 12th grade. Through diligent effort of our IB coordinators and principals, both teachers and students now have access to a world-class, international curriculum.
As a district, we have wholeheartedly embraced the IB framework and its philosophy of inquiry and international-mindedness. This means our students will be immersed in a tradition of inquiry, becoming exactly the kind of critical thinkers we hope for.
To lead our IB programs, I’ve appointed Harpreet Mehta as the Director of Student Learning. Last year, Harpreet worked closely with AES Principal Ashley Bodkins and her team to fully implement the PYP program and navigate the official IB authorization process. Harpreet will be a valuable asset across the district as she collaborates with our principals, IB coordinators, and content lead teachers to ensure a streamlined, fully integrated, and aligned PreK-12 educational program.
Our goal is not just to train students but to nurture thinkers.
We believe that with the IB system, we have designed a program that will do just that.
In addition to our IB success, we’re delighted to announce that our Outdoor Education Program, led by Katherine Gleason, has earned accreditation from the Association of Experiential Education (AEE). This makes Aspen School District the only public school district in the country with this prestigious accreditation! According to AEE, this accreditation is a strong testament to our commitment to quality, safety, professional standards, and continued excellence. For us, it means we will continue to build on one of Aspen’s most cherished traditions—providing the best experiential and outdoor education program in the country.
Supporting our mission to be a world-class school district is the Aspen Education Foundation (AEF), which generously enhances educational opportunities across all our schools.
This year, thanks to AEF, every high school student will receive a new Chromebook Plus to support their classroom work. We are excited about this rollout, as it will enhance student safety, help teachers with classroom management, and ensure equity among all Aspen High School students.
We’re also proud to partner with esteemed community organizations like Theatre Aspen, Aspen Flight Academy (where students can aspire to become pilots), and Aspen Family Connections, our dedicated family resource center, to foster both educational excellence and personal well-being.We encourage you to explore our website and reach out with any questions.
We want to ensure you have all the information and resources you need to make this school year a wonderful experience for your entire family.
We’re so glad you’re here, and we can’t wait to see what unfolds in this 2024-2025 school year!