Upper School
CA’s Upper School program prepares students for lifelong intellectual engagement and success as global citizens.
It features an innovative and dynamic liberal arts and sciences curriculum full of stimulating electives, boundless opportunities, and interdisciplinary courses.
The student-teacher relationship is at the heart of all our academic endeavors; our students thrive in an intellectually inspiring, warm culture shaped by educators who understand that authentic learning happens when students feel connected to the adults who teach them.
Walk our hallways, cross our courtyards, peek into our labs and lounges: you’ll find CA students catching up with their teachers, conversations that flow from one space to the next, and a supportive environment where kindness and curiosity intersect.
Small classes and an exceptional Upper School faculty—80 percent of whom hold master’s and/or doctoral degrees—produce a learning environment that values intellectual curiosity, originality, academic freedom, critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration. We place a premium on the development of skills that prepare our students for an ever-changing world—and we are intentional about fostering integrity and responsibility in students.
Intentional Design
Future Focus
Max Delgado
Upper School Principal
CA Upper School Curriculum Guide
Explore all Upper School course offerings at Colorado Academy!
Upper School Curriculum
Here in the Upper School, we offer a diverse range of courses, with a curriculum designed to help students put purpose at the center.
Four Stages: From Foundations to Depth
At CA, academic excellence is not defined by the volume of work a student can manage but by the depth of their exploration and ability to apply knowledge in novel ways.
We value:
Essential Skills and Habits
By exposing students to the content and habits of mind needed to engage the broader world of ideas, we spark new passions that will define our students’ pursuits in college and beyond.
Learning That Goes Beyond Memorization
By offering students methods to demonstrate their learning in ways that reach beyond traditional assessments and memorization, they gain the confidence to face an increasingly complex and changing world.
Faculty Expertise
By utilizing the specialized academic training of our faculty who shape new courses and extend our foundational curriculum, students learn from teachers who know their discipline, love inspiring adolescents, and craft their courses in ways that foster deep exploration and inquiry.
Igniting and Pursuing Passions
By allowing students multiple paths to differentiate themselves as they pursue their academic interests, they take more agency in their learning. We take pride in knowing our students and helping them shape their best journey through our robust elective offerings, Advanced Placement, and Advanced Studies and Research (ASR) classes.