Global Village Academy

Classroom instruction in Chinese is fantastic! Teachers are caring and kid-focused. My kindergartener can converse with teachers from other classrooms and has impressed numerous other native speakers in other venues. Math instruction is accelerated with 2-digit addition w/o carrying and single digit subtraction by January of kindergarten. Cannot disagree with the reports of chaos - the K-2 building is not designed to be a school and to encourage parental communication they allow parents in the building both before and after school so the negative is canceled by the positive in my book. The principal (also bilingual) is responsive when issues arise. Staff (some bi-lingual) are dedicated and truly want to be there. Parental participation in our classroom is very strong. The school has only been open 4 years and has probably grown a little faster than they should have, in hind sight. Our pediatrician was enthusiastic about my son's enrollment: second language instruction has research to support the positive impact on increased brain development. With the global economy we are watching birthed right now, who wouldn't want to prepare their child to be successful in it ??
--Submitted by a parent

I love love love this school, this is my first year in GVA, my daughter goes to Kindergarden French she already knows how to count to 1 -30 in french, she knows between 4 to 5 songs in french, she knows her abc's in french parts of the body and she is always trying to teach me french this is a great school, the staff is super friendly and helpful especially Cinthia at the front desk, Dennises' teacher is super involved with the kids and very sweet with them, I will DEFITNELY going to enroll my child in first grade the next year. About the issues that the school have let's remember that it is a charter school and does not have the same financial support as a public school, but I'm a witness that the school is working super hard in getting the financial support by raising money for the benfits of our children, also as a Room Parent I'm extremely sad with the lack of parental involvement, so let's face the situation the problem is not the school is the lack of parental involvement a lot of parents do not want to do their VOLUNTEERING HOURS always making excuses for not doing them. We have a wonderful gift for giving our children the opportunity to learn a new language for free.
--Submitted by a parent

To the parent who claims their child will have an edge over ours because she kept her kid in a mediocre Spanish immersion program...I've got news for you..My kid has been bilingual since birth...she was fluent before she ever hit the program. So don't be so quick to assume you know what you're talking about. We don't need our children to be in a Spanish immersion program to learn the language...because we're already bilingual and can educate them as we have since birth. And, there is at least one other public Spanish immersion program in the Denver area....do your research before you make such a claim. You can ask many other parents...the Spanish immersion program lacks substantially...just look at the high turnover of teachers. We're not the only ones that feel this way and it shows in the low enrollment numbers this year. It really is too bad...the school could be doing so much better, but it's not!
--Submitted by a parent

I am a parent at GVA and I am completely satisfied with all that they have to offer. My child loves his teacher and the staff is so helpful and friendly! Everyday when my son and I go to school they greet him by name. I disagree with the parent that said that the French and Spanish are like the "red-headed step child of the school." My son is in the Spanish program and he is learning the Spanish language quite well; I am impressed with the level of dedication that his teacher has for her students. I have volunteered in the classroom several times and the teachers are always talking in Spanish as well as encouraging the students to speak in Spanish. I also really enjoyed the Smart Board in the classroom, what a cool piece of technology!! I wish that we had those when I was in school. I agree that the traffic situation is not optimal but it is what it is and every school is just as bad. I've had to pick up my nephews at a public school in Parker and it took me 20 minutes to get through the line! It is ridiculous for parents to dwell on the negative when their child is getting language immersion which is not provided in any other schools in the Denver area.
--Submitted by a parent

My son is in the French Kindergarten program. I am amazed at how much he has learned in the short time he has been there. He already knows quite a bit of french and is even trying to teach me at home. His teacher seems awsome and caring. He loves going to school, he enjoys both the before and after school program very much as well as his classroom time. Everyone know's him by name and we are always greeted when he arrives. The only reaon I did not give the school 5 stars is because of the disorganization, not all of the time but at back to school night and open houses it is very disorganized.
--Submitted by a parent

I have to agree with the disorganization, however I have to believe that this will smooth out during the upcoming months. I have a Kindergartner and he is really thriving in the environment. Already have a bully issue, but I feel it is being promptly addressed.
--Submitted by a parent

Love the Chinese language immersion program and the singapore math. This is our third year at the school and my two daughters are thriving and are both a year ahead in math. They enjoy going to school and love their teachers.
--Submitted by a parent

my son is attending kindergarten this year at GVA, he is doing so good and the teacher is doing her best to assist him with everything. The school is very disorganized and I think they need more progress on that.
--Submitted by a parent

What a disorganized mess. Had my doubts after the chaotic new student back to school night...where the principle seemed to be MIA. I withdrew my Kindergartener within the first week. I have never seen such a barren Kindergarten class ever. Not even some letters up on the wall. Seems like most of the "specials" they say they have are actually afterschool programs that the parents pay for. Instead of building new building they should have cut enrollment to a smaller size and fix up the classrooms .
--Submitted by a parent

. I love the cultural nights, and the Science Fair has really grown this year.My daughter is taking violin. They also added dance/drama this year, so I feel she is getting a lot more than she would at the district, especially with their budget cuts--learning a second language, arts, PE, and good afterschool program.. Parking and pick up are still bad, but they were at my last school as well. GVA is building a new building for next year right behind the current one.
--Submitted by a parent