Excellent school, great parent-teacher comunication. My son is happy in this school. We have no problems with bullies or anything like that. Very clean campus.
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Posted by a parent on 09/10/09
Please, be aware of this school, as well as some others in the Vail school district. I just graduated from a school as far away from any of the Vail schools as possible. I had a very rough time and was very traumatized from my experience. The old principal, vice principal, staff, and teachers were
... Read more very rude and didn't understand much. I needed accomodations that were not provided for me, and was accused of being a liar. My parents ended up calling in a representative from the state to help me get some accomodations, and I ended up leaving this school at the end of the year. Please, use caution, investigate, and listen to what your children are telling you. Read less
Posted by a student on 08/05/09
I am currently an eighth grader at Desert Sky Middle School and i hate it. The teachers are WAY too strict and picky. You can get in trouble for the smallest things. Even at lunch you can't go walk up and talk to your friends or else you can get lunch detention or have to wipe tables. The teachers give
... Read more you detention if you don't do the smallest things on your homework (like write in pencil instead of pen or use size 14 font instead of size 12). So this school is really unfair and if I were you i'd pick a different school to send my kid to. Read less
Posted by a student on 02/17/09
i think it is a wonderful school in a great area.
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Posted by a student on 10/29/08
This is an Awsome school with very good people in it and running it!
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Posted by a student on 08/22/08
I was a student at desert sky for 3 years. For the most part it was a very good school. I never once got PRIDE or a NO stamp and we were rewarded well. The school has its ups and downs, it was very very strict and they tolerated nothing. A lot of the things kids would get in trouble for seemed beyond
... Read more stupid to me and everyone else i have ever talked to. Many eight graders were very happy to finally get out. But in all the school was good : the teachers were nice, and although most will deny it if asked the PRIDE program was a good idea... Read less
Posted by a other on 06/22/08
Desert Sky Middle School is a great school. Stories of children receiving NO Stamps for small mistakes and unpreparedness are rumors for the most part. If extremes such as those are taken, they are not taken often, and are taken by teachers (it is not necessarily encouraged by the school). Desert
... Read more Sky is an amazing school, which holds high standards for its students, but also rewards it students often as well. I have been a student at Desert Sky for three quarters and really enjoy it. Both the curriculum and extracurricular activities provided by the school are great, in addition to the staff (you rock Mr. Carney). Good job DSMS. :) Read less
Posted by a student on 03/11/08
This is one of the worst schools in the Vail school district. If you plan on sending your child to Desert Sky please think again. The school is extremely unorganized.
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Posted by a student on 02/21/07
This is my daughter's second year at Desert Sky and she's never had detention. She's had PRIDE, once. As an involved parent, I know that the PRIDE (Personal Responsibility in Daily Efforts) program has helped my daughter to become a better student, ready to accept responsibility for her actions. Education
... Read more is a collaborative effort between parents and teachers. If the teachers directive is to do the assignment in pen, than you do the assignment in pen. Holding students accountable at this age is critical to their academic success, and to their success in life. Kudos to the teachers who will not settle for mediocrity. That's what makes the majority of schools in this district a success. The faculty is great! They are accessible, hardworking and dedicated. The campus is beautiful and well maintained. Receiving an 'Excelling' label is not easy. Keep up the good work, Kevin and staff. Go Cougars! Read less
Posted by a parent on 11/23/06
This School only has a 79% completion rate.. Anyone care about the other 21%? Its 7th and 8th grade.. anything but 100 is intolerable! Any school that gives an hour detention for not putting a correct date on a paper or doing an assignment in pen rather than pencil,(and the list goes on..) can not
... Read more represent itself as a good school. As adults we need to create positive environments for our children to succeed.The average student has detention 3 hours a week or more.. Read less
*The resources listed are programs that the institution is staffed to support. Staffing for a program does not guarantee that it will be offered. This content is provided by the institution and may be incomplete. The institution may offer programs not listed here. Please contact the school directly for additional details.
Advanced Placement
AP classes are college-level classes offered at the high school level. Once a student completes an AP class and passes a final comprehensive examination conducted by the College Board, the student earns college credit for the course. AP classes are specific and not to be confused with other higher-level classes such as honors classes.
Before/After School
"Extended day" programs where the school day is extended before and after school to accommodate working parents. These programs should not be confused with common after school clubs or athletic activities.
Gifted and Talented
A school system may identify 10% to 15% or more of its student population as gifted and talented. A brief description of each area of giftedness or talent as defined by the Office of Gifted and Talented:
general intellectual ability or talent - high intelligence test score (usually two standard deviations above the mean), and high levels of vocabulary, memory, abstract work knowledge and abstract reasoning;
specific academic aptitude or talent in one area such as mathematics or language arts;
creative and productive thinking, the ability to produce new ideas;
leadership ability, the ability to direct individuals or groups to a common decision or action;
visual and performing arts, special talents in visual art, music, dance, drama, or other related studies;
psychomotor ability, such as practical, spatial, mechanical, and physical skills.
Vocation/Technical Curriculum
Vocational and/or technical courses offered within a comprehensive school, usually a senior high school.
Special Education Classes
A school or program within a school that provides services and training to students with moderate to severe mental and/or physical disabilities.
Adult Education Classes
Programs offering GED or equivalent courses for adults within regular schools, whether classes are held during evening or daytime schedules.
English as Second Language
English language classes for students whose first language is not English.
Tucson schools — Desert Sky Middle School is located at 9850 E Rankin Loop, Tucson AZ 85747. 9850 E Rankin Loop is in the Rita Ranch neighborhood and 85747 ZIP code in Tucson, AZ The school district for Desert Sky Middle School is the Vail School District 20. Desert Sky Middle School is a Public school that serves grade levels 6 - 8.
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Test Score Ratings
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not provided by the state Department of Education, which may have their own rating systems.
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