The Best Private Schools in Crestone, Colorado
Discover 3 exceptional private schools in Crestone. Find the perfect educational environment for your child with our comprehensive reviews and ratings.
School Overview
Top-Rated Private Schools
Crestone Charter School
Crestone Charter School
Crestone Charter School is a tuition-free public charter school serving the Crestone community with a focus on expeditionary learning and outdoor education. Located in the heart of the San Luis Valley, the school emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning that connects students with their natural environment. The school serves grades K-12 with small class sizes and personalized attention. Programs include college preparatory coursework, environmental science, arts integration, and community-based projects. The school has strong parent and community support with a focus on developing well-rounded, environmentally conscious students.
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Longfellow Elementary School
Salida School District
Longfellow Elementary School in Salida serves as a regional option for families in the Crestone area seeking high-quality private education alternatives. While part of the public school system, it offers exceptional educational programs that compete with private institutions. The school features comprehensive elementary education with strong emphasis on literacy, mathematics, and social-emotional learning. Special programs include gifted and talented education, special education services, and extensive arts integration. The school boasts modern facilities, experienced educators, and high parent satisfaction ratings. Many families from surrounding mountain communities choose Longfellow for its academic excellence and supportive learning environment.
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Mountain Valley School
Mountain Valley School District
Mountain Valley School serves students from Crestone and surrounding communities in Saguache County. This public school offers comprehensive K-12 education with strong academic programs and small class sizes. The school features modern facilities including science labs, technology integration, and agricultural programs that reflect the region's heritage. Extracurricular activities include sports, FFA, and community service projects. With a focus on college and career readiness, the school offers dual enrollment opportunities and personalized learning plans. The school is known for its dedicated teachers and strong community involvement.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about private schools in Crestone, Colorado
What are the specific private school options available for K-12 students in Crestone, Colorado, and are they all located within town?
Crestone, Colorado, has a unique educational landscape. The primary private option is the Crestone Charter School, a publicly funded charter school that operates with a private-school-like model and focus, serving grades K-12. It is known for its experiential, place-based education. Mountain Valley School is a public school in the neighboring community of Saguache, and Longfellow Elementary is a public school in Salida; they are not private institutions. For traditional private day or boarding schools, families in Crestone often look to larger nearby areas like Salida, Alamosa, or even Colorado Springs, as there are no conventional, tuition-based private schools physically located within the small town of Crestone itself.
How does the tuition-free model of the Crestone Charter School work, and what are the typical "non-tuition" costs for families?
As a public charter school, the Crestone Charter School does not charge tuition. It is funded through state per-pupil revenue, similar to district public schools. However, families should budget for other costs common to the Crestone area. These can include activity fees for specialized programs or field trips (which may be higher due to the school's experiential focus), transportation costs if living outside the immediate bus route, and supplies for outdoor/expeditionary learning. Additionally, the school often encourages voluntary family contributions and fundraising participation to support its unique programs and small class sizes, which are vital in a remote community like Crestone.
What specialized academic or extracurricular programs do private educational options in the Crestone area offer that leverage the local environment?
The Crestone Charter School capitalizes on its location at the foot of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Its curriculum is deeply integrated with place-based education, including programs in environmental science, sustainability, wilderness skills, and local ecology. Students regularly engage in outdoor expeditions, gardening, and land stewardship projects. The school's focus on social-emotional learning and community involvement is also tailored to the tight-knit, spiritually diverse Crestone community. For families seeking private religious education, this is not typically offered locally; such programs would require commuting to cities like Alamosa or Pueblo.
What is the enrollment process and timeline for the Crestone Charter School, and are there preferences for local residents?
The Crestone Charter School has an annual open enrollment period, typically in the early spring (e.g., January-March) for the following academic year. As a charter school, it is open to all Colorado students, but due to its small size, it often has a lottery system if applications exceed available spaces. The school does give enrollment preference as mandated by state law, which often includes siblings of currently enrolled students and children of school employees. While not always a formal preference, children residing within the immediate Crestone and surrounding Baca Grande subdivision area are highly encouraged to apply, as the school serves as the community's central educational institution. It's crucial to contact the school directly for exact dates and application materials.
For parents considering a move to Crestone, how does the educational approach of the Crestone Charter School compare to the local public school alternative?
The key distinction in Crestone is between the Crestone Charter School and the assigned public school district, which would typically be the Moffat School District (Moffat Consolidated School K-12), located about 30 miles away. The Charter School offers a much closer, community-centered alternative with a progressive, project-based curriculum emphasizing the local environment and arts. The public district school provides a more traditional, comprehensive K-12 program with potentially broader extracurricular offerings like sports teams. The decision often hinges on commute (a significant factor in rural Colorado), desired educational philosophy, and class size. Many Crestone families choose the Charter School for its intimate setting and alignment with the town's unique cultural and ecological values.
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