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Welcome From Our Headmaster
A Philosophy Rooted in Tradition
"Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about." — G.K. Chesterton
Family is Fundamental
Parental Responsibility for Education
Liberty Common School honors “The Universal Truth” of education – it is the right and responsibility of parents to direct the education and upbringing of their children. This responsibility begins when families choose the school, its educational philosophy, and its corresponding academic strategies. Parents lead in ensuring fidelity to the school’s tradition and philosophy by staying informed, volunteering, and reinforcing aligned educational goals at home.
Classical, Proven, and Timeless
Education for Intellectual and Moral Excellence
Liberty’s academic objectives pursue the direct acquisition of knowledge. The school’s classically oriented, liberal-arts emphasis aims to provide students deep and broad intellectual orientation toward the good, the true, the beautiful, and the perfect. The curriculum strives to equip young scholars with the skills to become thoughtful, moral, and engaged leaders in the American Republic. Liberty’s fidelity to these enduring principles produces consistent, remarkable results.
Virtue Education
Building Character for Lifelong Citizenship
Virtue education is essential in the complete development and formation of young scholars at Liberty Common School. Liberty invests thirteen years of intentional character education in its students—reinforced through classical literature, case studies, biographies, and through a direct emphasis on the cardinal virtues. This classical tradition encourages young citizens to act with integrity, empowering them to make prudent decisions based on ethical principles and authentic wisdom.
True Professional Educators
Excellence in the Classroom
Liberty Common’s team of professional classroom instructors is widely regarded as among the nation’s best. Instructors are professionals with high-level subject-matter expertise and philosophical alignment. Members of the faculty are caring and supportive educators committed to providing the very best educational experience for each individual child. Professional classroom instructors are carefully selected from fields of nationwide applicants. The benefit for students is stunning.
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Three Campuses
Liberty Common School consists of three academic campuses in Fort Collins, Colorado. Two elementary-school campuses serve grades K–6 and one combined junior-high and high-school campus serving grades 7–12.
Campus Image Callouts
“Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”
― Aristotle
"The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things."
― Plato
“Intelligence plus character-that is the goal of true education.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
"The shortest and surest way to live with honour in the world, is to be in reality what we would appear to be; and if we observe, we shall find, that all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice of them."
― Socrates
Campuses Locations
Elementary - Aristotle Campus
Grades K-5, Southwest Fort Collins
Elementary - Plato Campus
Grades K-6, Northeast Fort Collins
Junior High
Grades 7-8, East Fort Collins
High School
9th-12th Grade, East Fort Collins
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Explore Our Opportunities
Discover the core curriculum at Liberty Common School. It is supplemented by a wealth of enriching programs designed to nurture personal development and empower students for future success.
K-12
Grades Offered
1
Unique Order and House System
23
Sports Offered Grades 6-12
100
Classes Offered (17 AP Courses, 22 Honors, 7 Dual-Enrollment)
40
Student Clubs and Organizations
19
Classes Offered In The Arts
3
Campuses
1350
Students
26
Years of Excellence
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News & Events
Featured News
![lockers being installed at high school]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1687185798/libertycommonorg/dk6qc4wpzvc1myirayfh/lockerinstallation15.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1687185798/libertycommonorg/dk6qc4wpzvc1myirayfh/lockerinstallation15.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1687185798/libertycommonorg/dk6qc4wpzvc1myirayfh/lockerinstallation15.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1687185798/libertycommonorg/dk6qc4wpzvc1myirayfh/lockerinstallation15.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1687185798/libertycommonorg/dk6qc4wpzvc1myirayfh/lockerinstallation15.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1687185798/libertycommonorg/dk6qc4wpzvc1myirayfh/lockerinstallation15.jpg","width":2048}])
History of Liberty Common High School (Part 2)
Mrs. Michelle Provaznik and Headmaster Bob Schaffer, Founding Parents
The central question was obvious: Now that Liberty has the authorization to expand, can it afford to actually do it given the dire financial situation and the volatile economy at hand?
Convinced there is no greater priority than the education of their children and buoyed by the strong support for a high school among the Liberty parent population, the Board decided to go forward with the plan.
![historic photo of high school]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1687185793/libertycommonorg/atdvuyw6dvxee3llqrtm/historicphotoofhighschool.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1687185793/libertycommonorg/atdvuyw6dvxee3llqrtm/historicphotoofhighschool.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1687185793/libertycommonorg/atdvuyw6dvxee3llqrtm/historicphotoofhighschool.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1687185793/libertycommonorg/atdvuyw6dvxee3llqrtm/historicphotoofhighschool.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1687185793/libertycommonorg/atdvuyw6dvxee3llqrtm/historicphotoofhighschool.jpg","width":1239}])
The History of Liberty Common High School (Part 1)
Mrs. Michelle Provaznik and Headmaster Bob Schaffer, Founding Parents
In May of 2013, Liberty Common High School graduated its first senior class. This was the culmination of an epic effort started in 2008 when Liberty Board of Directors Chairman Craig Horton and Board Member Michelle Provaznik attended a charter-school conference in Denver.
![first day of plato campus openining]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1687185767/libertycommonorg/q0tilshifn93wllguwzh/firstdayofplatocampusopenining.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1687185767/libertycommonorg/q0tilshifn93wllguwzh/firstdayofplatocampusopenining.jpg","width":466}])
History of Liberty Common School (Part 3)
Dr. Maureen Schaffer, Founding Parent
It was June of 1996. Advocates for the Core Knowledge Charter School had come up short after being legally out-maneuvered by the school district. The parents faced a $5,000 debt for legal filings and newsletters to its growing list of supporters.
![photo of the Colorado State Capitol]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1685656658/libertycommonorg/ewwm66hfmcmjuu5stixt/washingtoncoreknowledge.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1685656658/libertycommonorg/ewwm66hfmcmjuu5stixt/washingtoncoreknowledge.jpg","width":277}])
History of Liberty Common School (Part Two)
Dr. Maureen Schaffer, Founding Parent
The huge demand for the educational program offered at Washington Core Knowledge School prompted the school’s founders to begin drafting an application for a Core Knowledge charter school under the newly passed Colorado Charter Schools Act.
![Everett Family Circa 1993]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1685655581/libertycommonorg/fpf7joni7rqsuoeolfwe/EverettFamilyCirca1993.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1685655581/libertycommonorg/fpf7joni7rqsuoeolfwe/EverettFamilyCirca1993.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1685655581/libertycommonorg/fpf7joni7rqsuoeolfwe/EverettFamilyCirca1993.jpg","width":797}])
The History of Liberty Common School (Part One)
Dr. Maureen Schaffer, Founding Parent
Liberty Common Elementary School first opened its doors in September of 1997, but the story of The Liberty Common School dates back much further.
