The Steamboat Springs School District offers curriculum and academic programs designed to give students the skills they need to compete in college or the workplace. Its mission is to make sure that all students are learning in a safe environment, are prepared to succeed in an ever-changing world, and can apply essential academic skills and knowledge in various content areas. Info: http://www.sssd.k12.co.us

Expansion Updates:

Construction on the new $52.5 million, pre-K through eighth-grade Sleeping Giant School on the west end of town in Steamboat II is progressing quickly, with opening slated for fall 2021. Other school projects also funded by a $79.5 million, 20-year bond measure are also well under way and/or finishing up. They include:

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• Steamboat Springs High School —New addition and remodel projects for art, music, science, career and technical education, and theater (completion early 2022).

• Steamboat Springs Middle School — Remodeled science classrooms, locker rooms, cafeteria addition, and new turf athletic field and track.

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• Strawberry Park Elementary — New addition for music, art and cafeteria.

• Soda Creek Elementary — New addition for preschool and additional classrooms.

• North Routt Charter School — Multipurpose room addition with classrooms (completion early 2022).

School awards

The Steamboat Springs School District has received numerous state recognitions for outstanding student academic achievement and growth. “The 2018-19 scores and awards continue to acknowledge the excellence in teaching and learning that takes place in the district,” says Director of Teaching and Learning Jay Hamric.

For the tenth year in a row, Steamboat Springs School District has earned the “Accredited with Distinction” award from the Colorado Department of Education. 

Accredited with Distinction: The 2019-20 school year marked the tenth consecutive year the district has been recognized as a District of Distinction, receiving the honor every year the designation has been in effect. The distinction measures key performance indicators reflecting student academic success: academic achievement, academic growth, reducing academic growth gaps, and postsecondary and workforce readiness. The preliminary district’s score of 78 placed it ninth out of 178 districts in the state.

Emerald Mountain School

The Emerald Mountain School ( K-8, private), located in the heart of Steamboat Springs, offers a creative environment that includes multi-age and socio-economically diverse classrooms, low student-teacher ratios, and active parent participation. The school inspires confidence and a passion for learning through a curriculum that stresses academics, personal accountability, experiential and outdoor education, and responsible local and global citizenship. Info: http://www.emeraldmountainschool.org

Steamboat Mountain School

The Steamboat Mountain School (9-12, private) is a co-ed boarding school known for its college-preparatory classes. The curriculum challenges students to think critically and creatively while preparing them for success in college and in life. The Global Immersion Studies program gives students the opportunity to become a citizens of the world while interacting with local communities, while its Sustainable Agriculture Program connects students with their environment and food system by building and maintaining a greenhouse for composting and growing. Info: http://www.steamboatmountainschool.org

Sidebar: Emerald, Steamboat Mountain Schools to Merge

With a century of combined history, Steamboat Springs’ two independent schools, Emerald Mountain School and Steamboat Mountain School, will soon form a unified K-12 school. Officials recently announced a merger of the two entities, beginning with the 2020-21 academic year and continuing over two years in phases. In Phase 1, the two schools will merge business administrations and create one board of trustees to develop a strategic vision. Phase 2 will begin at the start of the 2021-22 academic year with the implementation of the school’s unification under one mission and one name, Steamboat Mountain School. “It’s an amazing opportunity for us to think strategically about what K-12 independent education looks like in Steamboat,” says Steamboat Mountain School’s Meg Morse. The two schools will retain their individual campuses at least for the foreseeable future.

Other Public School Options

Yampa Valley High School

The Yampa Valley High School offers an alternative learning environment where students can meet their personal and educational goals. The school provides a healthy, respectful and supportive learning environment promoting cooperation and personal interaction to facilitate individual growth and academic achievement. Critical thinking, collaboration and self-direction are the foundations of its academic system and provide its students with the skills and abilities that will promote a successful and happy life. Info: http://www.sssd.k12.co.us

North Routt Community Charter School

Serving as a central educational hub for the North Routt community, NRCCS is a six-classroom, K-8, expeditionary learning school that challenges students to explore beyond four walls through expeditions and outdoor discovery. The school’s state-of-the-art, LEED-certified facility accommodates up to 100 students, maintaining an academic culture that enriches students through place-based educational programming. It strives to ensure all students are lifelong learners and exemplify the habits of scholarship.Info: http://www.northrouttcharter.org

Mountain Village Montessori Charter School 

The mission of the Mountain Village Montessori Charter School, housed in the same building as the former Steamboat Christian School, is to inspire children to learn and grow as responsible global citizens in a collaborative, peaceful and safe environment through the proven methods of Montessori education. A tuition-free public charter school, MVMCS aims to develop responsible, self-directed and resilient children who become lifelong learners and creative problem solvers. Info: http://www.mvmcs.org