They actually engage students in learning. It is set up for students to be successful by making students partners with adults, responsible for their own learning, lots of choices for learning about subjects that students are interested in.
... Read moreRead less
Posted by a parent on 09/16/09
My twin daughters have thrived at this school with the loving and genuine concern of their advisors and many of their teachers. My only concern is that the school still strongly enforces the need for kids to be involved in the CSAP high stakes testing process which as many of the great educators know
... Read more is damaging to students. Aside from that, I would highly recommend this school to parents with kids who are outside of the mainstream cheerleader/athlete 'popular' kid, designer clothes range. Kids who are thinkers, who have been raised to have a social conscience, or who are artisic are welcomed and nourished at this school. I highly recommend it. S. Read less
Posted by a parent on 05/01/08
My son has thrived at New Vista and I strongly recommend it. The student has to take more responsibility for their learning but the teachers are excellent and strive to make it not only interesting, but inspiring. One of the best aspects is that the staff and teachers know each student as an individual.
... Read more They watch out for them and guide them toward good academic choices. The faculty and staff are very engaged with learning. The social atmosphere is much more accepting than most high schools I have seen. The students make a genuine effort to reach out to those who would be outcasts at a larger school. There is a strong commitment to diversity and justice. It has been a great school for my son. Read less
Posted by a parent on 04/19/07
New Vista offers a much-needed choice for Boulder County students: instead of insisting that all students follow generic, core classes, New Vista students are encouraged and required to branch out, discovering and cultivating their own unique interests and strengths. Each class allows students the opportunity
... Read more to demonstrate their knowledge through teaching back to the community, creating artistic displays and performances, reading papers, even teaching a class session. Parents are invited to see these student teachbacks and performances once per quarter on an all-school Exhibition Day. Once a year, the entire school breaks session to join week-long Mini-Courses, offering everything from hiking trips to pottery making. Students are also required to devote at least one afternoon a week to community experience, interning and volunteering at local organizations. Finally, the senior project provides an avenue for students to really pursue a personal interest and create their own capstone to their high school career. Read less
Posted by a former student on 09/06/06
New Vista High School is wonderful! It's very different from traditional high schools though. It's size is a major plus with less than 350 students; this means just about everyone gets to know everyone else. Respect of others & self are very important principals here. Teacher, student, parent, and community
... Read more involvement are very high here. These students are really involved in life & learning in and out of their school. Being in this very supportive environment can make all the difference when it comes to thriving, not just surviving high school. These kids are more prepared than the average student to enter adulthood succesfully, especially in today's world. This statement from New Vista's website sums them up: 'The school is designed to cultivate the unique talents, gifts, and interests of students who are ready to be more responsible for their own learning.' Read less
Posted by a parent on 05/26/06
New Vista is an interesting school. In it's own words, it was created to 'break the mold' of the traditional US highschool. It does that, in a sense, and exceeds its mission, but it is not a school for all kids. The breaking the mold refers to the non-traditional curriculum offered. Classes are mixed
... Read more between grades 9-12, and your freshman could have a senior sitting next to him. The classes also are creative in their subject matter and approach, such as Gothic Literature, or the Brain Self. They are multidisciplinary in approach and very original in content, a lot like a college liberal arts offering. But somehow this stimulating melange attracts kids with little drive, and the seniors in the class my daughter attended (9th grade) seemed to have less enthusiasm and preparation than some of the newly arrived ex middle schoolers from other schools. Read less
Posted by a parent on 12/14/05
Interesting school in Boulder where students follow a more self directed approach to education. Kids should be motivated to go to this school. Lots of great courses, and close to the univ. of colorado in case there is something missing from the curriculum.
... Read moreRead less
Posted by a parent on 10/04/05
New Vista High School has been a life-saver for our son. The combination of a supportive environment and an emphsis on independence was just what he needed. He has excelled in a way that he never could have in the large 'factory' schools. As a special-needs student, with only minor disabilities, the
... Read more full inclusion model is also perfect for him. The principal (Rona Walenski) and the entire faculty and staff are dedicated, intelligent, and are all there because they want to be. NVHS is not for every kid (our daughter preferred the large factory school!) but for an intelligent but sensitive child who would benefit from a more nurturing environment to lead them into the world, New Vista is incomparable. Read less
* In 2007-2008 Colorado used the Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) to test students' skills in reading, writing and mathematics in grades 3 through 10 and in science in grades 5, 8 and 10. The CSAP is a standards-based test, which means that it measures how well students are mastering specific skills defined for each grade by the state of Colorado. The goal is for all students to score at or above proficient on the test.
Student enrollment:
325
Students per teacher:
16
Full-time teachers:
20
Number of classrooms:
25
English
American Literature, Speech/Debate
Arts
Art
Science
Astronomy, Environmental Science, Human Anatomy/Physiology
Fine Arts
Drama, Fine Arts
Math
Statistics
Advanced Placement
Math, English
*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.
Boulder schools — New Vista High School is located at 700 20th St, Boulder CO 80302. 700 20th St is in the 80302 ZIP code in Boulder, CO The school district for New Vista High School is the Boulder Valley School District R E2. New Vista High School is a Public school that serves grade levels 9 - 12.
School information provided by OnBoard Informatics Copyright (c) 2008. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
We won't spam you. Nor will we give, sell, rent or otherwise make your email address available to third parties.
All our mailings include a link so you can easily unsubscribe. For more details, read our full privacy policy.
Parent Reviews
These reviews include feedback from parents, students, former students, administrators and other staff. This feedback
may help you further evaluate and compare schools, along with other information such as test scores, academic programs,
school resources, classroom and teacher ratios, etc. The reviews are provided by GreatSchools.
Ask a question about this school on Trulia Voices to learn more
about this school or district from residents and other local experts.
Test Score Ratings
Test score ratings are based on the most recent standardized test results reported by this state. These ratings may help
you compare similar schools in this district or area. For example, a rating of 8 indicates that, on average, students in
this school scored better than 70% of the students in the state on the same tests. We have indicated below which tests
were used in calculating these ratings. Other factors should be considered when comparing schools, including teacher
experience, academic programs, extracurricular activities, resources for special needs students, etc. These ratings are
not provided by the state Department of Education, which may have their own rating systems.
