private high school Asheville curriculum

Here's What We Do

Start each regular school day (4 days a week) at 8:30 AM with 30 minutes of CrossFit, individual workouts, or basketball at the downtown YMCA
Shower, get ready for school, and walk to the Masonic Temple
Have a morning circle, where we meditate and center as a community
Enjoy a healthy breakfast
Create individual, written intentions of what, when, and how for the day
Academic classes meet once a week for 105 minutes (10:15-12 daily)
Study hall from 12-1
Prepare lunch on a rotating basis, focusing on great nutrition and karmically enlightened food choices
Eat lunch every day together as a community, with a blessing on our meal from any of the great human wisdom traditions
A closing circle and chores after lunch
Attend math classes
One-on-one weekly mentoring sessions to monitor progress in all aspects of a student’s life
Conduct a College Readiness class to focus on achieving exceptional success on college prep standardized tests for those seeking admission and scholarships to competitive college, and using that time for Life Readiness for those who don’t
Afternoons (when not in math, mentoring, or college readiness) are optional study halls
Spend every Friday in “Experiential Seminar,” which involves doing outdoor activities, service to the community, and/or other non-academic activities (e.g. going to local cultural events or doing performances) to enrich learning and develop the whole person
Engage in service learning at Issac Dickson Elementary every other week
Allow each student to complete a Creative Project, entirely driven by interest
Encourage and support students in their pursuit of artistic opportunities within the Asheville community
Encourage and facilitate students to do an internship with a professional in their community
Take a 2 night backpacking trip to start the school year
Take a 4-5 night backpacking trip later in the school year
Offer dual enrollment with AB Tech

A Vision for Education

At Aspire High, we seek to be the change we want in the world. We cultivate a learning community that:

promotes personal growth, balance, and spiritual grounding;
embraces a deep responsibility for self, other, and planet;
models compassionate, brave communication;
sparks personal and communal creativity and joy;
inspires a love beyond fear;
teaches a habitual pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness;
and empowers virtuous action to create a better world.

In these pursuits, Aspire High aspires towards nothing less than furthering the cultural evolution of our species, both individually and collectively.