3068 Thistlebrook Cir
Highlands Ranch, CO 80126

I have had three children attend Heritage Elementary over the past 13 years and I have been so very impressed with the education and experience our family has had. The community feel is so welcoming and inclusive, the PTO continually offers events that bring the families, teachers and students together. It is a top-notch school in Highlands Ranch!

I was here two years ago, and this is how my experience was in the most honest way possible. I hope someone finds this helpful if they are considering enrolling their kid into MRMS.Culture / Social Experience: The culture at this school is absolutely horrible based on my experience when I went here. I never felt respected, uplifted, or encouraged academically or socially. People do not respect minorities, and are often racist to them. It is a primarily white school. Bullying is very common. There has been some effort to try and change the culture, (via bullying / vaping / encouragement slideshows), but honestly, no teenager is ever going to care or change because of that. Academically: I would say it's okay. I've noticed, however, that there is practically not a lot of learning throughout the quarters, until at the very end. It seems like all the teachers cram all of the actual learning intended to last the quarter into the last two weeks. I would say that the social studies, english, and science programs were pretty decent. However, the math program, which I remember them using "Maneuvering the Middle" did not set me up for high school math whatsoever. It was way too easy, and since math skills build on each other, it was not helpful. If you want your kids to go here, I would maybe have them do some extra math skills on the side to become better prepared.Policies / How things are run: They are extremely strict when it comes to phones. Anyone caught using a phone, (even before school starts, they are just in the building), will have to turn it in. Lots of people have said they run the place like a prison, and that is sort of accurate. But in the school's defense, they have to. The kids do not listen, and do not care, so running it like a prison is the only way to regain control. Also, something weird about this school is that it uses a before school bell and after school bell. In between periods, they never use it, which causes teachers to loose track of time and let kids out late. I've been late to class multiple times before this.In a nutshell, I would not recommend this school. Honestly, it was a horrible way to start of my days of being a teenager, and I wish I went to a place that had less of a toxic environment, as well as a better structure overall. The high school it feeds into, Mountain Vista, is amazing. But, don't pick this feeder. There are better options out there, and I wish it set me up for success.

As a parent of 3 children who have attended and attends Vista, I cannot say enough good things about this school. The administration, academic counselors, and some very devoted teachers are above par. My children have enjoyed this great high school (with the great view) for 7 years and counting. So glad we are in a neighborhood with a fantastic public high school!