Colorado Early Colleges (CEC) and AXIS International Academy have come together to create a new preschool through eighth grade academic center of excellence.
The campus at 2130 W. Horsetooth Road (intersection of Taft Hill Road and Horsetooth Road) gives families the option of three distinct programs at one location: a private preschool, a kindergarten through fifth grade Core Knowledge through language immersion school, and northern Colorado’s second sixth through eighth grade early college middle school with a STEAM pathway program. Enrollment is now open for fall 2019. The schools are scheduled to move into the building this summer.
“The response to CEC’s current middle school program has been overwhelmingly positive, and it was time to look for the right place to expand and grow to continue helping families across northern Colorado,” said Sandi Brown, CEC chief executive administrator. “Opening the CEC Fort Collins (CECFC) West campus, and bringing in AXIS International Academy, enables us to offer three distinct programs to new families – all in one centralized location.”
CEC is unique in that its middle school and high school programs build on the common goal of preparing students for college and a career when they graduate. CEC believes that post-secondary and workforce readiness begins in middle school and culminates at high school graduation. All eighth-grade students at the CECFC West Middle School will matriculate to the CECFC High School for ninth grade.
The CECFC West Middle School is CEC’s second Fort Collins middle school. CEC came to Fort Collins in 2012, opening its early college high school campus first, followed by its middle school in 2015. The goal of CEC’s middle school program is to help students build a solid foundation for success in preparation for earning their associate degree in high school. In fact, CECFC Middle School students who matriculated to CECFC High School had a 95 percent completion rate in their college courses in the fall 2018 semester. And 81 percent of CECFC High School’s 2019 graduating seniors are on track to earn an associate degree and/or post-secondary certification.
AXIS International Academy is a kindergarten through fifth grade public school offering the Core Knowledge curriculum through English and language immersion, giving students the opportunity to learn Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, or French. In addition, they will also offer AXIS International Preschool, a private Core Knowledge and language immersion preschool. AXIS International Academy and Preschool will occupy the first floor of the Horsetooth building; CECFC West Middle School will occupy the second floor.
CEC and AXIS International Academy are chartered by Colorado’s Charter School Institute (CSI) and share a similar focus: that all students deserve the opportunity to receive an excellent, relevant education in a caring, student-centered environment. Both schools welcome students from across northern Colorado.
“We are proud to be part of this new campus and look forward to working with families to prepare their young students for our global society through language immersion,” said Kari Anne Calarco, co-founder and school leader of AXIS International Academy. “We are excited to partner with CEC. They are a successful network of schools with a proven track record of producing strong student results across our state.”
The schools are hosting informational sessions at the CECFC High School campus, 4424 Innovation Drive. Upcoming meetings are scheduled for March 9, April 6, April 18, and May 11. Specific times are available on the CECFC Middle School website at fortcollinsms.coloradoearlycolleges.org under the Admissions tab. The schools will host community meetings in the new building for prospective families this summer.
“Community is important to us. Our schools work better, and our students thrive when we can be good neighbors,” said Brown. “We look forward to connecting with families in our new neighborhood to build relationships and address any concerns.”
About Colorado Early Colleges
Founded in 2007, Colorado Early Colleges (CEC) is a network of top-tier charter schools located along the Front Range. CEC is the state’s largest charter school network and the only early college middle school and high school network. The CEC network is comprised of charter schools that provide tuition-free public education that gives all students the opportunity to earn an associate degree in high school for FREE. CEC schools are located in Aurora, Colorado Springs, Fort Collins, and Parker, with satellite offices in Westminster and Highlands Ranch. Learn more at coloradoearlycolleges.org.
About AXIS International Academy and Preschool
AXIS International Academy is a kindergarten through fifth grade, public, tuition-free charter school that offers the Core Knowledge curriculum through language immersion in English and your choice of Spanish, French or Mandarin Chinese. AXIS International Academy also offers a private preschool for ages two through five. Learn more at AXIScolorado.org or call 970-372-2374.
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