3.1 Communication

3.1.1 Communication Overview

All parents and students must join the ASA communication channels so they can stay informed of what is happening at ASA. (Article V.1.e)

These communication channels include email and Slack. Announcements, assignments, teacher instructions, payment deadlines and more are all announced regularly through these channels.

A member of the Tech Committee works with new and current families to make sure everyone is able to receive all communication from ASA. Prior to the start of each year, a member of the Tech Committee sends an invitation from each communication channel to new parents and students and confirms that they have joined. 

3.1.2 Contact Information 

Contact information for students and the parent who is the main contact for the students is provided at registration in the ASAP system. Parent contact information may be used as the main contact for a student if they do not have their own contact information (e.g., email, cell number)

Parents should check their contact information each time they register to ensure that it is up to date. Once students get their own email and cell numbers, their information should also be regularly reviewed.

The Tech Committee compiles a reference document of all up-to-date contact information and makes this available to all families, using a method that allows for both easy access and the ability to keep the information as confidential to those outside the organization as possible.

3.1.3 Slack

ASA uses Slack as the way for families, mentors, leaders, and students to communicate. Slack can be accessed as an app on a phone, on a desktop or on a browser.

ASA maintains two Slack workspaces, one for parents and one for students. This allows parents and leaders to discuss information related to students without students observing since some channels are accessible to all members.

The student Slack workspace is StudentsofASA.

The parent Slack workspace is Aspire Scholar Academy.

Both Slack workspaces have channels set up for specific topics. Channels can be open for anyone to join or can be set to private so they are only available to people who have been invited. Students may request that a channel in the StudentsofASA workspace be created so they can communicate about a specific topic but only the adult administrators of the workspace may create channels.

However, the app allows any member to create a private Direct Message (DM) with any other member, because these cannot be monitored by adult administrators, it is up to parents to be aware that any Slack communications that their student is participating in is appropriate and follows ASA guidelines.

Classes should create their own channel to send class-specific information. All students and their parents should be invited to join a class-specific channel.

3.2 School Spirit

3.2.1 Purpose

The purpose of the following School Spirit items is to help build community at ASA and to transmit the vision of ASA to the students through words and symbols. Whenever possible, students should be invited to participate in creating items related to School Spirit.

3.2.2 School Themes

The overall school theme is Aspire Higher. This theme encourages students and parents to choose to push outside their comfort zone and aspire to be more than they currently are.

3.2.2.1 Yearly Theme

Each year the Board selects a theme that helps set the tone for that school year. The yearly theme encapsulates a specific topic or idea that the students will focus on. The theme is introduced at the Vision Retreat and creates the foundation for topics covered in student activities and other times that students are gathered together.

When selecting the theme, the Board considers the ASA school theme as well as ideas that are relevant to the current needs of students. 

Committees should also consider how to incorporate the theme into events, activities, or trainings for parents.

3.2.3 School T-Shirts

Each year, the Family Support Committee can choose to create a school t-shirt that families can buy. This can further help create a sense of unity among students, mentors, and families. 

The FSC can either create a design themselves, or they can hold a t-shirt design contest for the students to submit their designs. Students can consider incorporating the new year’s theme as part of the design, as well as the date of the new school year.  This is sometimes done in March. Students then have the opportunity to vote on which design they like best with the winner announced in April before the school year ends. 

Designs should avoid clipart or other design elements that would be considered copyright infringement, should be appropriate in nature, reflect ASA in a positive light, and align with the ASA mission, vision, and principles. 

The cost of the t-shirt should be kept as reasonable as possible. Multiple color options or a sweatshirt can be considered.

Orders for t-shirts are done through ASAP to simplify bookkeeping. An FSC member usually creates a survey-type order form (Google Forms) to send out to families to choose sizes, colors, t-shirt vs sweatshirt. T-shirts are usually handed out the first day of school or at the Fall Retreat.

Previous designs and order forms can be found in this folder.

3.2.4 School Mascot

The ASA school mascot is a Barn Owl. 

When ASA still met at The Barn in LaRayne Miller’s backyard, the students chose the Barn Owl as their school mascot because it represented the location of the school and because of the Barn Owl traits of intelligence, determination, and wisdom.

3.3 History of ASA

In 2009, Molly Christensen saw the need to create something for her 13-year-old daughter -- a new kind of co-op that focused on teens versus younger kids. She wanted to create an experience where her kids and other teens could have a solid teen scholar experience, growing in scholar skills as they also matured through their teen years.

Molly met with several other families and decided to form a co-op called “Scholar School.” This inaugural year met in Molly’s house with 10 families and about 18 teens. After 3 years, they had outgrown Molly’s house, and LaRayne Miller graciously offered to let the school move to an outbuilding on her property, which lovingly came to be known as “The Barn.” 

The next year “Scholar School” became an official commonwealth, renamed Aspire Scholar Academy (ASA). A commonwealth is similar to a homeschool co-op in that each family contributes to the overall success of the group -- whether through teaching, helping put on activities, or in other ways. However, a commonwealth is designed to sustainably outlast its founder, with clear succession guidelines and solid governing principles. To make this happen, the executive board, led first by Molly and then by LaRayne, created the first set of ASA bylaws and founding principles. 

Through the next several years, ASA continued to grow and develop -- launching a new website and a new online registration system, developing class schedules that still serve as the framework for classes held today, and selecting the barn owl as the mascot. ASA also nurtured a culture of inspiring students to take responsibility for their own learning, creating engaging classroom experiences and an inclusive academic environment, while continuing to increase the academic rigor and quality of the classes that were offered.

From 2012 to 2017, ASA grew until it reached its capacity of 40 families and approximately 70 teens. ASA had outgrown The Barn, and it was time to look for a new location. Over the summer of 2017, a facilities search committee headed by Sarah Reinwand scoured all of Utah Valley for a new place to call home. Finally, St Mark’s church (a Lutheran denomination) provided a space. 

However, only 4 months into the school year, St Mark’s announced that they were selling their property. This development led to a prayerful scramble as the ASA leadership looked for yet another new building. Through a series of miracles, ASA found their current gracious host at the PAC -- a Seventh-Day Adventist church building in South Provo. 

In 2018, ASA’s leadership, led by Angela Silva, determined it was time to take the leap to becoming a non-profit 501c entity. This shift ensured that ASA would be on strong financial footing and more sustainable and helped further codify ASA’s structure, ensuring its ability to continue to serve its community for years to come.

In March of 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic caused the immediate shutdown of all ASA classes. With an uncertain future ahead, and with several members of the community at high-risk if they contracted the disease, the ASA leadership -- now led by Brenda LaMont -- found an elegant and creative solution to keeping ASA a place where everyone could participate in classes during the 2020-2021 school year while still fulfilling the founding principles. 

For the entire 2020-2021 school year, ASA met outside under canopies -- whether it was 30 degrees or 90 degrees. Teachers taught with the wind blowing, and students took notes with freezing fingers. Camp chairs replaced folding chairs and tables. ASA was even featured in The New York Times for their creative classroom idea.

In 2022, the ASA Board determined it was time to revise the bylaws and policies of ASA. For the next two years, they revised the vision and mission statements and existing bylaws, restructured the leadership, and began creating the ASA Handbook. In April 2023, the ASA Bylaws were officially adopted by the ASA membership.

Throughout the years, ASA has been committed to providing fabulous social and educational experiences. Looking forward, ASA will continue to create a unique haven for homeschooled families who are looking for community and academic rigor in an accepting and nurturing environment, while continuing to reference its mission and vision -- and remembering all the amazing families who have helped make ASA what it has become.