I have seen Rivendell School almost every week when I drive by to deposit my recycling. They have a…read morebrightly colored playground and a huge peacock statue that was once was covered in CD's which was very very creative! It reminded me of a real peacock! It has since lost the CD's and is now dressed Hawaiian style. About a week ago I saw that Rivendell has signs up for a book sale. The prices looked very reasonable. About 50 cents to 2 dollars, depending upon what type of book. I went in and looked around the place. I was very impressed! The school is fairly small and the main room is covered in books. A very impressive library! I bought about four or five books all for a very good price and the ladies that were working there were all very nice and sweet. After going to the book sale I decided to investigate more about what Rivendell School was about. I saw that they have been around Fort Collins since 1976. They are a nonprofit, secular private school. They have a huge emphasis on respect. They teach children how to respect the teachers and each other no matter how different you may be. In other words they don't let the cliche's run wild like at regular public schools. Their curriculum is less 'goal oriented' meaning they don't primarily focus on test scores and make things so directional. If a child needs a little extra attention then they can get that extra attention because of the small class size. Wow! How I wish I could have gone to a school like Rivendell! I was not impressed or amused overall with my public school experience and think I would have done much better in a place like this. While I don't have children I would highly recommend this place to friends that have children that are about to start school. I think they could greatly benefit from it. I also will be keeping tabs on the school's events and would love to continue to support this place! There really, really needs to be more schools like this!

Both of my children attend or attend here. The teachers are wonderful, caring, and highly…read morequalified. The curriculum allows students to progress at their own pace. The low teacher/student ratio provides a wealth of time for individual instruction in literacy, math, foreign language, science, and social studies. The school has a tight-knit community that fosters a life-long love of learning,, a trait that is more than worth the cost of tuition.

2 Hearts Academy offers free Pre GED testing and classes to students who have dropped out of high…read moreschool and want to pursue a GED and higher education. Classes are small and conducted in a safe, loving environment with wonderful, community volunteer educators.

My son has always struggled with being away from me. He hated daycare, preschool, and kindergarten…read more At one point, I even chose to homeschool him because of how difficult school experiences had become for him emotionally, We also tried therapy and many different schools and programs, hoping to find the right fit for his needs. Then we found Axis International Academy! From the very beginning, the staff went above and beyond to support him. They worked closely with his 504 plan and even adjusted it as his needs changed when he began vision therapy on top of behavioral therapy. Every single person treated him with kindness, patience, and understanding like he was their own child, enough that his therapist felt like he was finally over that bump and no longer needed to continue our sessions (twice a week at that point) As a former teacher myself, I have high expectations when it comes to schools and educational environments. For us, it was never about whether he was capable of learning. It was about understanding why he hated school so much and helping him feel safe, supported, and understood. Axis did exactly that. Yes, there were challenges along the way, but the way each staff member handled those challenges made all the difference. For the first time in his life, my son genuinely loves going to school. These are the last days before summer break, and he is actually sad he won't get to see his teachers and staff every day.. on top of his new friends of course. I never thought I would hear those words from him! At this school he is spoken to in a way he can comprehend. He is celebrated, respected, encouraged, and loved. No other school we experienced compares to the level of care and commitment we found here. I also want to say this honestly.. schools cannot do it alone. A school is not there to raise a child. it is there to teach, guide, and support families. Axis has done a phenomenal job doing exactly that, not just for us, but for many other families I've had the pleasure of meeting there. In my opinion, a 2.3 star rating does not accurately reflect the heart, dedication, and support this school provides. Sincerely, A grateful parent

The education my child received at AXIS in the years he was there was far beyond your typical…read morepublic school setting. The language and cultural enrichments changed his would view and made him a more well rounded student. His academics thrived and his assessments always matched or exceeded the State and District. Very impressive to be bilingual as a 5th grader. We are proud of him and so very happy we found AXIS!!!

One of the best Christmas presents I've ever received was an 8 week package of pottery lessons at…read moreSmokestack Pottery! Each week we get a short lesson focused on one piece, then we are let loose to create, throw, trim, and glaze. During the days between lessons you can come in to practice. Sue has the best teaching style and is positive and encouraging. The atmosphere is amazing with lots of great people and music and you are allowed to bring drinks and food, if you wish. I love the therapy of clay and when a piece turns out, I'm grateful and surprised. Chewy is the studio dog and greets everyone with love and good will before he goes to nap. It's a place you want to be.

A group of 10 of us went to Smokestack Pottery for a fun pottery night out and it was great! Sue…read moreand Joey were there to help us, and after a short demonstration, we were freed to make our pieces. I took a semester of ceramics in high school and while I was never good, the muscle memory was apparently still there because I picked it up again relatively quickly. And they turned out way better than the things I ever made! Must be the good teaching and the smaller lumps of clay :) Sue and Joey were very patient and helpful when it came to centering, providing instruction, and helping us fix our pieces. We were allowed to make 4 pieces of pottery within an approximately 2 hour period, after which we cleaned up and picked our glazes. Music played throughout the session and some cheese and crackers were provided for snacks - it really was wonderful and relaxing. The pieces should be available for pickup in about 4 weeks I think - hopefully they turn out well! I've already talked to some of my other friends and hope to go back again. It's normally $35 for a session where you can make 4 pieces, and $5 per piece after. They also have 7 week classes for $200. I definitely recommend stopping by, it was tons of fun!