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About Aspen

Aspen School has an enrollment of 340 students in 1st-5th grade. Originally founded as Hawthorn Option School in 1999, the school continued to be called Hawthorn Option School until the 2004-2005 school year, when Hawthorn District 73 opened a new building and moved the school to its current location at 500 Aspen Drive. Since the beginning of the 2004-2005 school year we have been known as Aspen School.

On September 30, 2005, renowned psychiatrist Dr. William Glasser visited Aspen School for a special celebration. At this celebration Aspen was certified as a Glasser Institute Quality School. To achieve this recognition, Aspen School had to meet specific criteria established by the Glasser Institute. The criteria included building relationships based on trust and respect, providing useful educational experiences for all students, all students produce Quality Work, students and staff are taught Choice Theory, students do better on state proficiency tests and parents, students and staff view the school as a joyful place. Aspen enjoyed the distinction of being a Glasser Certified Quality School until District 73 changed school enrollment to neighborhood boundaries. Though no longer a Glasser Quality School, staff at Aspen continue to focus on building relationships with students, families, and colleagues that are based on trust and respect.  

Aspen receives support from two separate parent groups. The first group is the Hawthorn District 73 Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). Each year the PTO works with the school and community to help enrich educational experiences for students. The organization of fundraisers helps to support the purchase of enrichment materials and resources for all students at Aspen. Some resources made available through PTO funds include Geography Bee, Social Skills “Superflex” materials, classroom magazine subscriptions, assemblies and additional books for the Aspen School Library.

In addition to the PTO, the Aspen Family Partnership Council supports Aspen School. The mission of the Aspen Family Partnership Council (AFPC) is to strengthen our community, bring families together and enhance relationships between students, families, teachers and staff. AFPC organizes and facilitates many activities to strengthen the community. Some of these activities include family nights, to Parent University, choice time recess activities, library and teacher parent helpers.

Staff at Aspen are committed to the Hawthorn District 73 mission statement, Learning for All.  Every One. Every Day  Aspen’s mission is to ensure high levels of learning for all. Staff at Aspen work to create a positive culture, focused on developing the whole child.  Work is founded on rigorous academic goals, where we as a community are collectively responsible for meeting the needs of all learners. In addition to our mission and vision, staff at Aspen have worked together to create collective commitments to guide our work as a staff.

Aspen School will:

  • Support growth for all by setting rigorous goals and high expectations, where learning is focused on the Guaranteed Viable Curriculum, and differentiated instruction, progress monitoring, and common formative assessments are used to promote academic success.

  • Create and support an environment where all students and adults are able to collaborate, have fun, celebrate success, and are encouraged to be flexible and take risks. 

  • Work together - interdependently - in collaborative teams.  

  • Foster the development of the whole child by utilizing student strengths as the foundation for helping them grow and achieve.  

Aspen is a school where students, staff, parents and community members work together to build trusting relationships and make the school a joyful place. zWe are proud of the work that has been done in the past to create a climate where students feel safe and comfortable and every child learns and grows. We look forward to a future where we continue to excel on state proficiency, enhance growth for all students, and work as a united community to provide meaningful learning opportunities for our children.