Our Philosophy

Academics are at the core of a Colorado Rocky Mountain School education and are crucial to serving the mission of the school. The CRMS learning community is dedicated to a liberal arts education, and students are expected to pursue a challenging course of study across the curriculum; we encourage students to exceed the minimum expectations in each academic department. Our curriculum is sequenced, both to give students a firm foundation in core discipline and to illuminate interdisciplinary connections across active and academic programs and among humanities disciplines.

The CRMS academic journey begins with a Freshman Curriculum to give all students a common foundation in core subjects and allow them to adapt to an academically competitive environment. As students progress, a broader range of courses emerges, with options as diverse as AP Environmental Science, Silversmithing, and The Journalism of Food Politics. Small classes lead to intimate topical discussions, and Advanced Placement courses are offered in primary subjects. All students learn Spanish, consistent with our interest in creating a community that learns a single common language together.

Maintaining a small student-teacher ratio as well as encouraging a student-centered approach allows us to pay individual attention to all students. Students are expected to be fully prepared for and engaged in each of their class meetings. CRMS expects students to work diligently outside the classroom as well, and students typically average two to three hours of homework per evening. As part of our approach to college preparation, we expect students to budget their free time during the day in such a way that allows them to complete several assignments before evening study begins.

Because we are a residential school, our program maximizes student access to faculty outside the classroom. Teachers are available for extra help during both the curricular day and the evening. Further, faculty supervise study halls, allowing students to seek specific help from teachers other than their own. Day students are expected to take advantage of faculty availability as well, but do so prior to the beginning of evening study hall. We offer several Advanced Placement courses. Additionally, students often choose to independently study for AP or SAT subject exams to demonstrate proficiency in courses that are not AP-designated.

CRMS’s academic program inspires young minds in new and provocative ways. CRMS students gain admission to competitive four-year colleges and universities and leave campus inspired and prepared for a broad variety of paths through life. Our academic path is challenging, but so is the world it prepares students for. We’re proud to consistently turn out confident, independent thinkers who see the world clearly.