Individual Learning Goals - Horizons students collaborate with teachers and parents to identify individual learning goals. Homeroom/Community teachers conference with the student and his or her parents twice during the school year to review student progress. Each student's abilities, strengths, interests, and learning styles are used to establish challenging, achievable learning goals. Horizons students have the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of learning in a variety of ways, including projects, presentations, exhibitions, portfolios, and test performance.

Arts & Sciences - Throughout the year, students in grades K-8 are offered a variety of classes based on student and teacher interest, often integrating and enhancing current curriculum. Arts & Sciences elective classes are taught by Horizons teachers, middle school students who are supervised by a Horizons teacher, parents, and experts from the Boulder community. Over the course of the school year, students are asked to choose from a broad range of offerings. As a result, multiple intelligences are reinforced and students are able to discover and pursue individual talents and interests. Arts & Sciences electives are financed with funds raised by the Horizons community and managed by the Horizons Council.

Service Learning - Students participate in a wide variety of service learning projects. The goals and priorities of service learning reflect two central themes: (1) to create and expand experiences of making a difference in the world, and (2) to contribute to community needs in a creative and educational manner.

Outdoor Education Week-   Through outdoor education, Horizons students and teachers have the opportunity to develop their appreciation for and understanding of ecology, life sciences, and geology, as well as recognize and develop their individual and group roles by taking risks and participating in team building. One week during the year is devoted to outdoor education.

Winter Sports Program - It is our intent to instill in our students a life-long practice of physical activity. To that end, Horizons sponsors a winter sports program allowing students to ski at Eldora Ski Mountain, skate, . Students may choose instruction in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, skate skiing, or snowboarding. The Horizons Philosophy

Our Vision
Our vision is to share a commitment to educational excellence that supports parents, students, staff and community members in creating a stimulating and supportive learning environment at Horizons. Students and adults work together to strengthen their skills and maximize potential.

Our Mission
Our mission is to guide students to become self-directed learners and community contributors in a respectful learning environment.

Our Goals
The Horizons K-8 School community is committed to:

• Maintaining high academic and behavioral expectations for all students
• Addressing the learning needs of the whole child in multi-age settings through a challenging, developmentally appropriate curriculum
• Identifying and developing the interests and strengths of every student through active, personalized, authentic learning activities

Horizons Guiding Principles

Authenticity
We strive to provide authentic learning experiences through a curriculum that is personally significant, and relates to the real world.

Respect
We believe in creating a community of life-long learners by including and accepting all individuals (parents, students, staff, and community members). Respect is modeled, practiced, and expected throughout our community. We value open, caring relationships among community members.

Diversity
We value and embrace diversity; therefore, we believe that unique ideas, experiences, and learning styles within and outside our community cultivate and inspire our relationships.

Flexibility
We believe that a community of learners must evolve by periodically re-evaluating its structure and learning experiences. We support and encourage all community members to innovate, grow, and strive for quality.

Responsibility
We believe that a community of learners promotes an individual sense of purpose and contribution, creating a sense of commitment to self, school, the environment and the larger world.

Quality
We intend to uphold the mission and goals of the school by establishing criteria of excellence and eliciting from each student a desire to achieve their own highest standard and quality of academic work and community contribution