Horizons K-8 School

4545 Sioux Drive

School District

Boulder Valley Re 2
Grade

K-8
Teacher/Student Ratio

1:13
Type

charter

School Map for Boulder Valley Re 2 School District

GreatSchools Rating

The school rating calculation is based on four ratings: the Student Progress Rating or Academic Progress Rating, College Readiness Rating, Equity Rating, and Test Score Rating each designed to show different facets of school success. Learn more about GreatSchools Ratings

Reviews

Submitted by parent on January 26, 2025

Horizons is a good school. Its has a heart and that can be felt. It has problems like any school but because it is a very white entitled school, it is often smug about handling them. I would not discourage anyone from applying- your kids will receive a good education (not stellar). And the relationship-based focus is undeniable. Two things- for some reason, the # of kids needing special ed support is quite high, which is fine, but the school does not do a great job of teaching executive functioning skills. And, be prepared to be asked for money constantly.
Submitted by parent on December 16, 2024

We've had a wonderful experience at Horizons. The project based learning drew us to the school. Also the school's emphasis on social-emotional learning made a huge difference for our children. The teachers are incredibly supportive and take the time to understand each student as a whole person - not just academically but socially and emotionally as well. They create a nurturing environment where students feel valued and supported.Our children grew not only in their academics but confidence and self-awareness, thanks to the dedicated teachers. The school also prioritizes overnight outdoor education experiences, where the students are able to challenge themselves outside of the classroom. We are happy with the well-rounded education they are receiveing at Horizons. Highly recommend!
Submitted by parent on December 12, 2024

I have two children at Horizons and am so happy that I chose to enroll them here. We have had a wonderful experience with every single teacher at every grade level. I have volunteered in both of my children's classrooms, and I am continuously amazed at the ingenuity, patience, and passion of each staff member. Having been a teacher myself before having children, I know how rare it is to have a school in which every staff member exudes such dedication and passion. I am also impressed at how they manage to provide so many outdoor educational opportunities, from overnight trips to the YMCA to simple pond walks. I am also impressed with the amount of independent, project-based learning that takes place, and the high standards all students are held to. I know from talking to parents in my neighborhood that my children are getting educational opportunities that are simply not happening in many other schools.
Submitted by parent on December 09, 2024

I have two children at Horizons and have had a great experience. My children's teachers have been absolutely amazing since kindergarten. They are kind, engaged and interested in their students which is not always the case in public school. The social-emotional support that the school provides to help children navigate conflict is fantastic and something that I wish that I had when I was a child. My children are learning mindfulness skills for emotional regulation and interpersonal communication skills on a daily basis which will serve them well in all aspects of their life. The project based learning has also been really helpful for my children as it allows them to be collaborative with their teachers and helps them to enjoy learning. My children enjoy going to school every day and look forward to seeing their teachers after breaks. I highly recommend Horizons if you are looking for a school for your child.
Submitted by parent on December 09, 2024

I have had two kids in this school for several years. All of the teachers and paras have been wonderful. The school also has a wonderful community of parents.
Submitted by parent on November 16, 2024

We love the small class sizes and paraeducator support. The teachers and principals are fantastic! My child feels very connected to the school, like part of a family. She is excited to go to school every day and is learning a ton. We also love that the kids eat lunch outside and have a lot of outdoor experiences!
Submitted by parent on November 15, 2024

Kindergarten was wonderful. Now in our third year, things have changed drastically and none for the better. There is an overwhelming and toxic obsession with "equity" but in ways that are not equitable at all - a buzzword to signal the virtues of its use. The professed affinity for parent-led governance and respecting "core values" are talking points, as well, and hardly honored in practice. The Fundraising is constant, but only for outcomes deemed worthy by the staff - 37 parents in Grades 1 and 2 were told we couldn't clean the classrooms professionally because some parents felt it created "questionable power dynamics". The number of in-service days is absurd - you'd better have lots of PTO saved up. The Grade 1 and 2 classes have a "well-known" and years-long issue with rodents; teachers and staff punt this issue onto the parents by asking for volunteers to clean the classes. The physical security of the vast majority of the building is non-existent, with windows facing unimpeded access to the streets - but at least the staff is safe in the main building behind the locks you'll hear a lot about. The facilities are tired and old, and besides a relatively nice playground there are next to none - unless you count an overgrown baseball diamond. We had an extremely strange experience with MTSS where teachers collected data on my child without my consent - and then refused for months to show me the "results" of what they had collected. The parking and morning chaos of drop-offs is impressive only in that it's remarkable no kids have been hurt yet. The neighborhood is covered in orange "don't park here" cones, giving you that true sense of Boulder hospitality for having to inconvenience homeowners for the 30 minutes a day kids go to and come from the school they all moved next to. I cannot counsel strongly enough to avoid this school at all costs.
Submitted by parent on November 14, 2024

My family absolutely loves Horizons K8. My daughter is thriving, both academically and socially. WE have loved all the teachers, and the fact that she gets to spend 2 years with her teachers (after Kindergarten) is such a blessing. They really get to know her and are able to provide such individualized learning opportunities. The community is amazing and all the parents are really passionate about making the environment enjoyable and successful. I cannot say enough good things about Horizons.
Submitted by parent on September 21, 2024

We love that this school is led by teachers (the administration and parents have a large role too, but the teachers get to generally do what they feel is best for the kids).
Submitted by parent on September 19, 2024

I am so happy that I came to Horizons. I have two children that are neurodivergent and the program at Horizons meets ALL of their needs. Horizons truly is a place where teachers and staff teach from their hearts and students and families are encouraged to take ownership of the school and have a voice in what happens. Horizons has been a blessing for my family, and I would choose this experience for my two, ten-fold.
Submitted by parent on September 19, 2024

We’ve been very happy with our experience at Horizons. Both of our elementary aged kids love it. Strong sense of community and teacher-led curriculum are stand outs, as is the primary emphasis on social-emotional learning. We appreciate how the school encourages students to take ownership of their learning experience. Possibly not as many overall resources as a traditional (non charter) school but they seem to makes the most of what they have. We had the chance to switch back to our neighborhood school (Creekside) when our youngest enrolled in kindergarten but stayed the course with Horizons and have no regrets.
Submitted by parent on September 18, 2024

Horizons is a wonderful community to be apart of for students. Our academics are rigorous, our social emotional emphasis is top-notch, and our teachers are the absolute best. This is a school/community that truly cares about each individual that passes through the doors. I feel as though both of my children are seen, heard, appreciated and honored here. It's a public option which is absolutely amazing - it has a much more private school, individualized energy. The class sizes are the smallest you can find in BVSD and each classroom has a para-educator that also has amazing qualifications and skills. It's everything you could want for a school experience!
Submitted by other on September 17, 2024

We are so happy with Horizons for our two daughters. Teachers that work at this school are incredibly committed and skilled. The community is supportive and connected. We feel very grateful to have found a school like Horizons. The outdoor Ed component of the school is an added bonus!
Submitted by parent on September 17, 2024

We chose Horizons 3 years ago for our now 3rd grader and our second kid just started in Kindergarten. We couldn’t be happier. The teachers are amazing, the combined 1/2, 3/4, 5/6, 7/8 grade system is fantastic for the kids to learn at their own speed and get challenged above their grade level if they excel in an area and the Horizons community makes you feel welcome. There are tons of events during school time (library trip, Jeff&Paige, Denver mint, museums, theater, overnight outdoor education trip, winter sport trips etc) and outside of school time (community events like a chili cook off, pancake breakfast, fall dance, clothing swaps and more).
Submitted by parent on September 17, 2024

So glad we discovered Horizons K-8. We moved to Boulder and went straight into a private Waldorf school. (Disaster! )Then, just in passing, a woman mentioned Horizons K-8. I wish I could thank her for telling me about Horizons. My kids thrived, made friends, played outdoors, experienced outdoor education and small class sizes. Sure, it was a bit of a transition from Waldorf to a charter school, but the teacher's understood where they were coming from and helped them transition. As my 8th grader has said, Horizons School is "approachable" and welcoming. All kids are welcomed and valued. We are so thankful for the opportunities we have been given at Horizons.
Submitted by parent on September 17, 2024

This school has been a balm to my daughters existence. They push for social-emotional connections, right from the beginning, meeting each child at the level they need in their educational journey. Fabulous teacher support. They have been amazing with my child's neuro-divergent needs. An FYI- this school DOES require the parents to participate and to pay some fees at the beginning of school to support the children's education but they do offer a heck of a great curriculum. My daughter just left to "camp" for the next few days in the mountains, with her schoolmates! I can't recommend this school enough.
Submitted by parent on April 25, 2023

My child (last of three) graduated last year and was actually not prepared academically. Her deficits were not addressed adequately at Horizons. The counselors at her current school have pointed out how she was under-serviced. There have been multiple insinuations that the MTSS program at Horizons is "inefficient". When comparing what students from other schools have learned, my child did not have the fun, hands on experiences that at one time, Horizons was known for. Socially she was not prepared at all. It is still a good school but no where near the kind of broad, child-centered experience my older two had. It seems tired. I have asked many clarifying questions of both the registrar and AP, and received vague answers or I don't know. We felt lost the last two years. Lastly, the pressure on parents to fundraise is endless. We were tired too! The teachers seem very burned out. Tired! Horizons was a great school. Electric creative learning. If we were to enroll our last child again, we would have gone to our neighborhood school, Bear Creek.
Submitted by parent on March 20, 2023

Horizons is our 3rd school at the elementary level in Boulder County. The first was a private school, and the other (short-lived) experience was another BVSD school. Horizons offers far and away the best educational experience we’ve had in Boulder. My kids complained of not being challenged at their other schools. In contrast, at Horizons, teachers are adept at meeting the children at their academic level - stretching those who need it and helping those who need support - in a seamless fashion. Everyday at pickup I am greeted by happy children who cannot wait to tell me about their day. I cannot sing enough praises about the teachers. The combined classes is a model that has worked well for our kids. In addition, the school has a strong buddy system, with kids serving as buddies to younger children and being buddies of older children. My children are thrilled to be responsible leaders in the eyes of younger children and thrive under the attention and mentorship of the older children. The social-emotional component of the curriculum is very strong. Kids are frequently engaged in activities that foster mutual respect and support. These learnings permeate their interactions at home as well.We feel like we won the lottery being accepted into Horizons, and feel that we are getting the equivalent - if not better than - a private school education at the school.
Submitted by parent on March 20, 2023

Our family has had children at Horizons k-8 for many years. We absolutely love the school for the incredible teachers and paras, small class sizes, and social-emotional learning. The project-based learning at Horizons is great for certain children who like learning material more deeply. We felt very fortunate to have received spots at Horizons for our children.
Submitted by parent on March 20, 2023

My kids (kindergarten and second grade) just started at Horizons this year and have had a great experience. The teachers have been absolutely great and very responsive to me as a parent. Additionally, the social-emotional component of Horizons has been really helpful for my kids to learn to navigate conflict and emotionally regulate. Additionally, the school community has been very welcoming and warm to both my children and I. I highly recommend Horizons to any parent in the Boulder area.