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About

New Vista High School

New vista high school

New Vista is a high school within the Boulder Valley School District. Located in Boulder, Colorado, this tuition-free co-educational public school serves 330 diverse students in grades 9-12.  
We acknowledge that New Vista High School sits on land that was brutally taken from the Arapaho, Cheyenne, and Ute tribal nations. While white settlers were originally peacefully welcomed by Chief Niwot into Boulder Valley in the fall of 1858, he and his people were forced off the land, and then attacked by Col. John Chivington and his cavalry in the horrific Sand Creek Massacre on November 29, 1864. As educators dedicated to the work of equity and social justice, we must face this ugly truth before we can begin. 

How did New Vista "break the mold" of conventional schools?

New Vista High School was created in 1993 and approved by the Boulder Valley Board of Education to “break the mold” of conventional secondary education. Today, New Vista is a small, diverse public high school built around a simple but ambitious premise: students learn best when they are challenged, known, and given meaningful responsibility for their education.

New Vista combines rigorous academics with an unusually high degree of student choice and agency. Students develop individualized paths that allow them to pursue their talents, interests, and goals while meeting demanding academic expectations. All students are expected to produce high-quality work and earn A’s or B’s in their core coursework. The school emphasizes critical thinking, interdisciplinary learning, revision and practice, collaboration, and the ability to apply learning beyond the classroom.

Learning at New Vista extends deeply into the community. Students participate in Community Experience, internships, service learning, workshops led by community experts, independent studies, and other off-campus learning opportunities. These experiences encourage students to explore possible futures while developing the self-advocacy, organizational, interpersonal, and problem-solving skills needed to navigate college, careers, and civic life.

Every New Vista graduate also completes a rigorous, self-designed Culminating Project requiring a minimum of 120 hours. Students identify a question, passion, or area of personal significance and pursue substantial original work that connects their high school education to their future. The project requires research, sustained independent work, reflection, and public presentation, and serves as a capstone demonstration of the independence, creativity, and intellectual curiosity that New Vista seeks to cultivate.

Underlying all of this is a strong commitment to community, social justice, environmental stewardship, multicultural understanding, and meaningful relationships. New Vista’s goal is not simply to prepare students for graduation, but to help them become lifelong learners who can identify what matters to them, pursue it with rigor and purpose, and contribute thoughtfully to the world around them.

Why New Vista?

front view of old New Vista building with planter
Is New Vista the Right School for You? (opens in new window/tab)

New Vista High School provides rigorous, student-centered learning within a supportive culture. The school empowers students to guide their own education through flexible program choices, project-based learning, and community involvement. 

In exchange for this independence, students must take responsibility for their success by earning an A or B in all core classes and completing a unique senior culminating project.

MORE about Is New Vista the Right School for You? (opens in new window/tab)
2 male students backpacking outside, thumbs up
Matching the School and the Students

New Vista works well for students who want more responsibility for their own learning, show that they can handle the responsibility, and want to consistently produce high quality work. Experience has shown that New Vista does not work well for students who do not usually make appropriate behavior choices, who need a great deal of adult supervision to do their school work, or who just want to "get by."

MORE about Matching the School and the Students
students smiling in hallway
Valuing Diversity

New Vista High School values diversity and prepares students to function well in a multi-cultural society.  We do this by employing a diverse staff, personalizing learning, using heterogeneous and cross-age groups of students, and implementing a full inclusion model for students with disabilities and English language learners.  We also offer a curriculum that actively includes perspectives from diverse cultures within the United States and across the globe and we explicitly teach the skills and understandings needed for cross-cultural competency.

MORE about Valuing Diversity

What Puts the "NEW" in New Vista?

New Vista student excited in classroom.
graphic to demonstrate the difference between equality and equity

Equity Program

At New Vista High School, our Equity Program fosters a commitment to respecting all individuals as complex thinking and feeling human beings with diverse backgrounds, circumstances, and values.

We educate students and staff on rights and justice by recognizing historical patterns of systematic mistreatment. To ensure every student can live a fulfilling life, we actively work to remove these barriers and provide the individualized opportunity and support they need to succeed.

Students sitting in a circle getting ready to drink mate.

Natural Highs

"Natural Highs" is a holistic, interactive program for teens created by local substance abuse specialist, Avani Dilger, LPC, CACIII, MINT. This  interactive, strengths-based educational program integrates traditional and alternative approaches to substance abuse prevention and intervention. 

For more information about the Natural Highs Program, please visit the Natural Highs website.

Student members of our restorative justice team on a retreat

Restorative Justice

New Vista High School uses Restorative Justice (RJ) to resolve conflicts and disciplinary issues. Instead of relying solely on traditional punishment, our program invites everyone involved in an incident to share their perspective, listen to how others were affected, and collaborate on a plan to repair the harm. This process encourages active accountability and long-term personal growth.

Our RJ program is built on the 5 Rs:

Respect, Relationships, Responsibility, Repair, and Reintegration.

Visit our Restorative justice page

Students in the New Vista auditorium

Community Gathering

What better way is there to foster a sense of community than by bringing EVERYONE together in the Auditorium for 30 minutes of news on Monday morning?  

Our agenda includes; inviting in outside speakers;  announcements from students and staff about upcoming events; getting important information out to the entire school at the same time; and of course Sheryl's raffle! 

Before we part, we send everyone out with the same message..."Go out and...MAKE GOOD CHOICES!"

Student presenting a culminating project with a slideshow in the background

Exhibition Day

In lieu of Finals Week, students at New Vista have the opportunity at the end of every quarter to demonstrate their learning by presenting something they've learned to their fellow students, staff and parents on Exhibition Day.  

Students can choose to present in a classroom to a small group or to the entire school in our Auditorium.  Students decide the topic of their presentation based on the content of the classes they are enrolled in.

Learn more on our Exhibition Day page

Student presenting a culminating project with a slide show in the background

Culminating Project

Every senior is required to
design and produce a rigorous
Culminating Project which builds
a bridge between high school
studies and the student’s chosen
future. The Culminating Project is an opportunity to undertake a major piece of rigorous, original work in an area of great interest and personal relevance to the student.  It may involve work directly connected to the student’s intended path.  It may involve exploration of path alternatives.  Or it may be a personal passion unconnected to the student’s stated path. 

learn more on our culminating project page

New Vista at a Glance


We asked our seniors:

What are some of the best things about New Vista?

Student Testimonials


Thank You New Vista!

Video by Aidan Sockrider, Class of 2022

 

The teachers are so amazing. If every single school had teachers like NVHS, the world would be thriving. I appreciate the relationships I have with them, so much. Even though equity leans to one side, I appreciate the program and the different perspectives. I've learned to assume positive intent and try and have empathy for others.eden latham, class of 2020

Advisory- it builds a community that's closer than you'd get anywhere else. Having an advisor to help you get things done and hold you accountable. CE's and workshops are really beneficial- learning in the real world and getting real world experiences. ellie sullivan, class of 2020

Community is a major one. The teaching staff is the best. There's the most support from counselors. If you ever need help, the ratio of teachers to students is high. It's easy to get to. The classes are unlike the classes at other schools. I've been able to take classes about things that actually interest me. The lack of testing versus actually learning things, presenting and public speaking. You meet a diverse group of people, and you're forced to work with people you wouldn't otherwise work with. ellis ashmore, class of 2020

Maintaining that sense of community. Making sure that students needs are met. Core values, keeping everyone respectful. It's something really special about this community. Also the classes are just really cool. Allowing for students to take charge and make sense of their education in a way that fits them. sela dombrower, class of 2020

 I will miss the connection that you get to have with the teachers at New Vista. I have always felt like the teachers at New Vista really want to make sure and at times go out of their way to make sure that you understand the content, and how to apply it outside of class. I feel like because of the small class size, you really get an opportunity to connect with your teachers on a different level.finn O'Sullivan, class of 2020