Soaring Heights is a PK-8 school in Erie, Colorado. We are located in a state-of-the-art building that is equipped with warm, naturally-lit classrooms, two makerspaces, a large media center, science labs, four music rooms, two gyms, a track, and a baseball field.
We are a STEM-focus school with an emphasis on Neuroscience where students have access to daily Innovation Time. Soaring Heights PK-8 is committed to fostering the needs of the whole child by encouraging each student to reach their unique potential both academically and socially.
Mission
Soaring Heights PK-8 is committed to fostering the needs of the whole child by encouraging each student to reach their unique potential both academically and socially. We will empower students to achieve academic growth, inspire them to become engaged citizens ready to contribute to our world and to prepare them to live out the core values of the school: responsibility, integrity, and service.
Vision
We believe it is imperative to prepare students to succeed in a rapidly changing world and highly competitive international economy. Beyond participating in a rigorous academic curriculum, students must acquire the ability to think logically and critically, communicate effectively, give and receive feedback, and show empathy towards others. We believe that students, teachers, and parents are all essential to and are responsible for the learning process.
Core Values:
Responsibility (Accountable for Choices, Discipline, Time Management, Safety)
Integrity (Honesty, Character, Commitment, Effort )
Service (Citizenship, Community, Leadership, Kindness)
Excellence (Independent, Self-directing, Confident, Achievement)
What are the Strengths of a PK-8 Model?
While there are numerous benefits to a PK-8 model, four main strengths are:
- Curriculum acceleration: Our PK-8 model offers the opportunity for student’s needs for advancement to be met in our building or by simply walking next door to the high school. For example, a 5th grade student could take a 7th grade math class or an 8th grade student could take Algebra II at the high school.
- Diverse programming options: As part of a large district and economies of scale, Soaring Heights offers the same kind of core classes, electives (band, choir, orchestra), and enrichment programs (robotics, coding, etc.) available at a traditional middle school. Therefore, students are able to gain the benefits of a small school without sacrificing the kind of programing available.
- Smoother transitions: The middle school years can be stressful for students and families as children grapple with the physical and emotional changes of adolescence. Some of this stress and anxiety comes from a change in physical environment from elementary school to middle school and from middle school to high school. In a PK-8, a completely new building culture, new teachers and students is minimized as all of these variables will be the same. Collaboration between teachers to support students will be as simple as walking down the hall. The proximity to Erie High School allows for similar benefits from 8th to 9th grade.
School Leadership Team
Apple Distinguished School
We’re pleased to be recognized as an Apple Distinguished School for 2025-2026 for inspiring, imagining, and impacting teaching and learning school wide through
continuous innovation.
Our Story
At Soaring Heights PK-8, we empower students to understand how they learn through a neuroscience-based framework that builds strong habits, resilience, and self-awareness. This foundation is paired with daily Innovation time, makerspace learning, and project-based experiences where students design, create, and apply their thinking in meaningful ways. Through the use of technology, students take ownership of their learning—creating, collaborating, and sharing through videos, design projects, robotics, and multimedia production. Our approach fosters creativity, accessibility, and student voice, ensuring every learner can fully engage while developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Inspire
At Soaring Heights, we inspire students to lead, learn, and thrive by grounding our work in a clear vision: preparing young people for a rapidly changing world. Through a STEM- and neuroscience-rich approach, students learn how their brains work, empowering them to think critically, communicate effectively, and collaborate with empathy. Daily Innovation time allows students to pursue their interests through design thinking, fostering creativity, ownership, and leadership. Our intentional alignment of vision, teaching, and learning builds a community where students confidently explore ideas, solve meaningful problems, and take an active role in shaping their future.
Imagine
At Soaring Heights, students and staff are empowered to imagine new possibilities through a culture that values agency, collaboration, and creativity. Our 1:1 iPad environment enables learners to explore ideas through digital creation, real-time collaboration, scientific data collection, AI-supported coaching, simulations, robotics, and daily multimedia production. These tools amplify student voice and allow them to design solutions, test prototypes, and iterate using the design thinking process. Grounded in STEM and neuroscience, our learning culture encourages curiosity and innovation, inspiring students to envision and create meaningful contributions within and beyond our school community.
Impact
Soaring Heights empowers every learner through a universal design approach that ensures full participation and equitable access. Students use iPad accessibility features—such as speech-to-text, visual supports, alternative formats for demonstrating learning, and tools that enhance communication for nonverbal students—to personalize their learning. Through interdisciplinary STEM and neuroscience-based instruction, students engage in design thinking challenges that address real-world issues connected to our themes of oceans, land, and space. Our inclusive practices, high expectations, and culture of innovation positively impact our school community and prepare students to contribute meaningfully to the wider world.
