Alpine Valley School

One week away! 🎉 Join us Saturday, July 18 from 10am–12pm for our Open House at 4501 Parfet St, Wheat Ridge. It's a relaxed morning, not a sales pitch: wander campus, grab a coffee, and talk with the students, parents, and alumni who know Alpine Valley School best.

This year is extra special. The 2026-27 school year marks our 30th anniversary, making us one of the longest-running self-directed schools in the country.
Curious what school looks like when kids help shape their own days and have a real voice in how things run? Come ask us anything. RSVP and we'll mail you our booklet, "Let Them Emerge," plus a few other goodies.

Free and open to everyone. See you there: https://www.alpinevalleyschool.com/open-house

We could tell you what Alpine Valley School is like. But these parents do it better. In their own words — what this community has meant to their families.

Where do Alpine Valley School graduates end up? Everywhere. A look at the paths our alumni have taken — college, careers, creative work, and lives they built on their own terms.

The first year at AVS is different. Alumni share what that transition was really like — adjusting to real freedom, finding your own path, and realizing you were capable of more than you knew.

At most schools, the adults make the rules. At AVS, everyone does. Students and staff create the laws of the school together — and take them seriously. This is what real shared governance looks like.

Leaving traditional school isn't always easy. Staying was harder. Students who made the switch to AVS share what they left behind — and what they found.

What if students had real say in how conflict gets resolved at school? At AVS, they do. The Judicial Committee is student-led, student-run, and one of the most powerful parts of our school community.

Memorizing facts is easy. Learning how to learn — that's the hard part. And the part that actually matters. AVS graduates and students on why this skill changes everything.

What if school prepared kids for the actual world — not just the next test? One AVS parent shares why hands-on, real-world learning isn't just a nice idea. It's the whole point.