Crown Pointe Academy Made Room for 275 More Students. It may not be Enough.

For more than a decade, leaders at Crown Pointe Academy have wanted to do something families were asking for: make room for more students.

This school year, that vision became reality — and the new space is already filling faster than expected.

The Westminster charter school opened a new 26,000-square-foot PreK–2 building directly across the street from its existing campus, adding 14 classrooms and capacity for 275 more students. The expansion also launched a tuition-free PreK program, and demand for those seats is already more than twice the space available.

“We will be at capacity in the next 24 months, well ahead of schedule,” Executive Director Keith Ouweneel said.

For Crown Pointe, which has served Westminster families since 1997, the expansion is the result of years of searching for the right opportunity.

“For many years we'd been looking for a suitable site for expansion without luck,” Ouweneel said.

Four years ago, property directly across the street became available. The timing coincided with plans for Uplands Colorado, a nearby development expected to add approximately 2,200 homes, as well as continued interest for Crown Pointe's existing program.

The resulting $17 million project broke ground in May 2025. Designed by Jeffrey Scott and the local team at EVstudio and constructed by Roche Constructors, the new building marks Crown Pointe's third major expansion and has created 30 new full-time positions.

But school leaders were intent on growing without losing the relationships and culture that have shaped Crown Pointe over nearly three decades. Many students spend their entire K–8 education at the school, while numerous staff members have served there for years — longstanding relationships that Ouweneel says created the trust and community support needed to pursue the expansion. 

Leveling the Playing Field

Crown Pointe's Core Knowledge curriculum emphasizes math, literature, science, reading, writing and social studies, alongside daily Spanish instruction and programs in music, art, physical activity and health.

The expansion gives more families access to that model — and, through the school's new PreK program, allows Crown Pointe to begin working with students earlier, a point that Ouweneel says is critical.

That’s because school leaders regularly see significant differences in academic readiness among students entering kindergarten.

“We have students coming to kindergarten already reading, and we have students who don't know their letter sounds,” Ouweneel said.

Offering PreK tuition-free is intended to help close that gap by making early learning accessible regardless of a family's ability to pay.

“This was our way of ‘leveling the playing field’ for kids and families,” Ouweneel said. “A high quality PreK experience allows children an opportunity to start school off without socio-economic barriers or lack of previous experience holding them back academically.”

Ready from Day One

Crown Pointe received a $944,766 subgrant to help support the expansion. The funding is part of the federal Charter Schools Program and is administered through the Colorado League of Charter Schools' Great Schools Colorado project.

While construction financing paid for the building itself, opening a new school required another layer of investment.

“Starting a new school, a new program (PreK), and adding new students is expensive,” Ouweneel said. Beyond desks and chairs, Crown Pointe needed everything from kitchen ovens to laminators and vacuums.

“GSC allowed us to get the building furnished day one, instead of piecing items together over a long period of time,” he said.

In other words, the grant helped ensure the new school wasn't simply built — it was ready to fully serve students from day one.

Making Room — for Now

The response from families suggests Crown Pointe's expansion arrived at the right time.

The school has already added four classrooms plus two more classrooms in its new PreK program. Interest in PreK is more than double the number of available seats — even before much of the anticipated residential development surrounding the school is complete.

For Ouweneel, seeing those classrooms fill represents the realization of a goal more than a decade in the making.

“To finally be able to offer more families an opportunity to enroll is something we've wanted to do for over 11 years,” he said. “It is great to finally be able to meet the demand for our program, even if it is temporary.”

After waiting so long to create more room, Crown Pointe may soon find itself short on space again.

With the new campus expected to reach capacity within two years, the expansion offers a clear indication of the demand Crown Pointe spent years trying to meet — and the continued appetite for more high-quality public school options in the Westminster community.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a charter school?
A charter school is a tuition-free public school that operates with greater flexibility than traditional district-run schools in exchange for increased accountability for academic, financial and operational results. Colorado charter schools are open to all students and are governed by independent boards.

How many students can Crown Pointe Academy’s expansion serve?
The new 26,000-square-foot PreK–2 building adds capacity for approximately 275 students across 14 classrooms. School leaders expect the expanded campus to reach capacity within about two years.

Does Crown Pointe Academy offer free PreK?
Yes. The expansion includes a tuition-free PreK program designed to give more children access to high-quality early learning regardless of their family’s ability to pay. Demand for the program is already more than twice the number of available seats.

What is the Charter Schools Program, and how did it support the expansion?
The federal Charter Schools Program (CSP) provides funding to support the creation and expansion of high-quality charter schools. Crown Pointe received a $944,766 subgrant through Great Schools Colorado, administered by the Colorado League of Charter Schools, to help equip and prepare the new facility to serve students.

What curriculum does Crown Pointe Academy use?
Crown Pointe uses the Core Knowledge curriculum, with an emphasis on math, literature, science, reading, writing and social studies. Students also receive daily Spanish instruction and participate in music, art, physical activity and health programs.