10 Reasons to Choose Novastar: Centennial's Tuition-Free Independent School
You've googled "best schools near Centennial CO" more times than you'd like to admit. You know the Cherry Creek school district deadlines, you've sat through two school tours that felt like sales pitches, and you still have that nagging feeling that the right option is out there, but you just haven't found it yet. If you haven't heard of Novastar yet, you're not alone. Families who find us tend to wonder why it took them so long.
Here are 10 reasons families are choosing Novastar for the 2026-27 school year.
1. Completely Tuition-Free K-8
Let's start with the one that surprises people most. Novastar’s independent K-8 school is completely tuition-free. No financial screening, or applications based on ability to pay. We believe that a high-quality, innovative education shouldn't be reserved for families who can afford it.
2. Your Child Learns at Their Own Pace
Most schools move everyone through the same material at the same speed, regardless of where each child actually is. At Novastar, we don't group students by age or grade level. We group by ability and skills, which means a child who is reading above level is challenged, and a child still building math confidence gets the support they need, without anyone falling through the cracks or being held back.
3. Flexible Learning Options including Homeschool & Hybrid
Not every family fits the traditional five-days-a-week mold, and Novastar was built with that in mind. Whether you want full-time campus enrollment, a middle school hybrid schedule that blends home and classroom learning, or K-12 homeschool enrichment support, there's a path at Novastar that works for your family's life. Flexibility isn't an afterthought here. It's part of the design.
4. Forward Thinking STEAM Curriculum & Technology
At Novastar, project-based STEAM learning is taught through hands-on projects rooted in international academic standards, covering science, technology, engineering, arts, and math in ways that connect to the real world. Technology including AI and coding are woven into the curriculum starting in preschool, giving every child a head start on the skills that will define their future.
5. Small Class Ratio
With a 1:10 student-to-teacher ratio, your child will never be just a number. Teachers at Novastar know their students, their learning style, their interests, what makes them frustrated and what makes them light up. That kind of relationship doesn't happen in a classroom of 28. It happens here.
6. Childcare, Preschool & K-8 Under 1 Novastar Umbrella
Most families have to start over every few years: new school, new teachers, new community. At Novastar, you don't have to. Novastar Kids Co childcare and preschool and Novastar Academy's tuition-free K-8 program operate under the same umbrella, with campuses in Aurora and Centennial, so siblings grow up in the same community, families put down real roots, and when it's time for your youngest to move from daycare into kindergarten, the transition feels less like a leap and more like coming home.
7. A Facility That Has to Be Seen to Be Believed
A library with a live aquarium. A fully equipped culinary arts kitchen. A performing arts space. A STEM lab. An art studio. A gymnasium. A bowling alley. An indoor playground. Novastar's campus in Centennial was designed to make learning feel like an adventure! When a child walks through these doors every morning, the building itself tells them that what happens here matters.
8. Early Career Exploration Starts in Preschool
Something you won't find at most schools? Real career and technical education that starts on day one. Culinary arts. AI. Graphic design. We introduce Early Career Orientation not as vocational tracking but as a way to spark curiosity, build confidence, and give every child a sense of what they're capable of, years before they're asked to choose a path.
9. Every Family Is Welcome Here
Novastar serves a diverse community of families. We have multilingual staff who speak Spanish, Ukrainian, Russian, and Arabic, and we actively work to make sure every family, regardless of language, background, or learning needs, feels seen and supported from day one. Our open enrollment means no barriers. If you want to be here, there's a place for you.
10. Caring Community
Great schools aren't just built on curriculum, they're built on connection. At Novastar, small class sizes, dedicated teachers, and a tight-knit school community create an environment where kids feel safe, seen, and genuinely excited to learn. Parents can stay and talk with teachers directly at pick-up and drop-off, because at a school this size, that kind of access is just part of the culture. At Novastar, belonging isn't a program, it's how we do everything. Students, families, and teachers show up as a team every day.
Ready to see it for yourself? Novastar is now enrolling for the 2026-27 school year, tuition-free, open enrollment, and no waitlist. Seats fill on a first-come basis, so don't wait. Enroll today at www.novastar.education. Or call us at (720) 989-0704 to learn more or schedule a campus tour.
About Novastar:
Novastar Kids Co and Novastar Academy together serve families from infancy through 8th grade across two campuses in the greater Denver area. Novastar Kids Co offers daycare, preschool, and PreK at our Aurora campus, building the foundation for every child's learning journey. Novastar Academy is an independent K-8 school in Centennial, combining personalized, mastery-based learning with a STEAM-focused curriculum, completely tuition-free. Through flexible learning options including a full-time campus, online & homeschool programs and hybrid learning with flexible schedules, Novastar Academy prepares students to thrive as creative, curious, and confident learners. With a low student-to-teacher ratio, state-of-the-art facilities, and a rigorous curriculum, we are redefining what education can look like from day one through 8th grade. Get to know us on social media @novastar.education and on the web at www.novastar.education – Join Us!