What is Peak to Peak?

(Updated 2/20/2007)

Located in Boulder Valley, Peak to Peak is a K-12 public charter school offering a liberal arts, college preparatory curriculum that gives students a foundation for a lifetime of learning and discovery. High expectations are an important part of the Peak to Peak school culture, and students are encouraged to work hard and strive to achieve their full potential. Peak to Peak students who demonstrate a mastery of knowledge and skills are challenged through appropriate placement in each subject area.

A liberal arts education has been recognized throughout history for its broad benefits and its appropriateness as a foundation for future learning. By focusing on a liberal arts college preparatory program, Peak to Peak achieves two important objectives: it prepares students to meet successfully the educational challenges of higher education, and it prepares them to be well-educated citizens in an increasingly complex world. Peak to Peak takes this time-tested education and makes it accessible to students who are interested in a focused college preparatory program, regardless of their cultural or economic backgrounds.

The school is designed from the ground up for graduates to meet or exceed the entrance requirements of top colleges and universities. The elementary, middle and high school programs have been carefully crafted as a unified, coherent and challenging curriculum, which progressively builds each student's foundation of knowledge and mastery of skills, while preparing them for university life.

Peak to Peak is small enough to ensure that each student is known and valued but large enough to provide a variety of academic, athletic, and extracurricular activities. Students' character also matters at Peak to Peak. The school's size provides opportunities to work with students as they participate in and assume leadership roles in extracurricular activities and our community.

Peak to Peak’s standards-based Elementary program is based on the nationally recognized Core Knowledge Sequence, with additional educational materials.  In addition to reading, writing, spelling, math, social studies, and science, Peak to Peak elementary students participate in P.E., art, world language (Spanish or French), music and library time. 

Students entering middle school enroll in courses specifically designed to prepare students to take and succeed in Peak to Peak's advanced college preparatory high school courses. In addition, they enjoy a variety of courses such as P.E., music, theater, art, and technology. Students are also encouraged to participate in Peak to Peak's extracurricular sports program, as well as a variety of clubs, competitions, and an annual theater production.

Peak to Peak's high school features Advanced Placement (AP) courses and the CU Succeed Gold Program, with university courses taught during the school day by University of Colorado, Denver adjunct professors on-staff at Peak to Peak. To recognize students who desire a challenging, well-rounded high school experience and indicate to highly selective colleges a student's commitment to excellence, Peak to Peak offers the "Peak Scholar Award." The high school also provides an assortment of courses in P.E., music, theater, art, journalism, and technology and will add to the course selection as the program continues to grow. Students are also encouraged to participate in Peak to Peak's extracurricular sports, theater performances, clubs, and competitions.