It is critical that you constantly evaluate your child’s school, to ensure that he or she is in an optimal educational setting. The good news for you (but not for us, Realtors!) is that since Colorado allows for open enrollment, you don’t necessarily have to move for your child to attend your school of choice.

The Douglas County School District’s open enrollment period for the 2010-2011 school year is now open. Please click here for a list of schools that will be accepting open enrollment applications from December 1, 2009 through January 15, 2010. Click here to access the application, which has been moved online this year.

Click here for the Cherry Creek School District’s open enrollment process.

For more information on schools in the Denver metro area, please contact TeamCox Realtors – Denver real estate specialist – at 303-400-6060.

Top 25 ACT Scores in the Denver Metro Area

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FREE Denver Property Search

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FREE Denver Property Search

Since TeamCox understands the high importance of a child’s education, we constantly monitor reports that indicate which Denver metro area schools are the best. The recent release of Newsweek’s “Top High Schools,” includes several Denver metro area high schools that were recognized for their superior performance, including a high number of advanced programs and strong graduation rates. Not surprisingly, the Cherry Creek School District did particularly well with a whopping five high schools included in the list.

The schools were given a score that was calculated by dividing the number of students taking Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB) and/or Cambridge tests, by the number of graduating seniors. The top 1,391 schools were included on the list, indicating that they scored in the top five percent. The top-ranked Denver area high schools were as follows: Peak to Peak Charter School in Lafayette (40), Lakewood High School (108), Fairview High School in Boulder (235), Boulder High School (237) and Denver’s East High School (241).

The following Denver area high schools made Newsweek’s list of the “top” high schools:

Cherry Creek School District:
Cherry Creek High School (Greenwood Village)
Eaglecrest High School (Aurora)
Grandview High School (Aurora)
Overland High School (Aurora)
Smoky Hill High School (Aurora)

Douglas County School District:
Chaparral High School (Parker)
ThunderRidge High School (Highlands Ranch)

Denver Public Schools:
East High School (Denver)
George Washington High School (Denver)

Jefferson County School District:
D’Evelyn High School (Lakewood)
Lakewood High School (Lakewood)

Littleton Public Schools:
Littleton High School (Littleton)
Heritage High School (Littleton)

Boulder Valley School District:
Boulder High School (Boulder)
Farirview High School (Boulder)
Monarch High School (Louisville)
Peak to Peak Charter School (Lafayette)

Adams 12 Five Star Schools:
Legacy High School (Broomfield)

Are you looking for a home in a specific school district? TeamCox’s cutting-edge Denver MLS search system allows you to search by school district, which is extremely helpful to many prospective homebuyers. For more information on Denver area schools, please contact TeamCox Realtors at 303-400-6060 – We are your Denver real estate specialists.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FREE Denver Property Search

Two new Douglas County School District elementary schools have remained nameless – until this week!

According to The Douglas County School District, its Board of Education formally approved, “Gold Rush Elementary,” as the name for Elementary School #44. Gold Rush Elementary, Parker’s newest elementary school, will be open for the 2008-2009 school year. Parker subdivisions feeding in the new school include Antelope Heights, Bradbury Hills, Horse Creek, Newlin Meadows and Jordan Crossing. The name has historical meaning as gold was found in Newlin Gulch during the gold rush.

The Castle Rock area’s newest elementary school (formerly Elementary School #45) will now be known as “Clear Sky Elementary School.” The brand new school, located in The Meadows subdivision, will also be open for the 2008-2009 school year.

For more information on schools throughout Douglas County or in the Denver metropolitan area, please contact TeamCox Realtors.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FREE Denver Property Search

The well-regarded Douglas County School District, which serves more than 50,000 students, is the third largest school district in the state. Despite the recent slowdown in the general Denver real estate market, the district is still growing in response to Douglas County’s popularity among Denver area homebuyers.

Since the Douglas County School District has added approximately 2,500 students per year over the past five years, there are many new schools in the works for communities in Parker, Castle Rock and Highlands Ranch:

PARKER

High School #9 (Idyllwilde/Canterberry Crossing)

While it is waiting for its official name, “High School #9,” is under construction in the heart of Parker’s beautiful Idyllwilde community right off Hilltop Road. Tentatively scheduled to open during the fall of 2008, it will be the Parker area’s third high school. Please click here for more information on the new high school.

Middle School #9 (Idyllwilde/Canterberry Crossing)

Middle School #9 is under construction at the same location as the new Parker High School. It is also scheduled to open during the fall of 2008. Please click here for more information on the new middle school.

Mammoth Heights Elementary (Stonegate)

While Mammoth Heights’ classes are already in session at neighboring elementary schools, its new facility will open in January. The brand new elementary school is located on the north side of the popular Stonegate Subdivision on Stonegate Parkway. Please click here for to view the boundaries for Mammoth Heights Elementary.

Elementary School # 44 (Bradbury Hills/Antelope Heights/Horse Creek/Newlin Meadows)

Also nameless, another new Parker elementary school is under construction and scheduled to open in 2008. This new elementary school will affect the current attendance boundaries for Prairie Crossing Elementary. Please click here for to see view the boundaries for Elementary School #44.

CASTLE ROCK

Middle School #8

Castle Rock’s newest middle school is slated to open in August of 2008. Elementary Schools feeding into the new school include Castle Rock, Cherry Valley, Flagstone, Rock Ridge and South. Please click here for more information on the new middle school.

Elementary School #45 (Boundaries TBD)

There is a meeting scheduled on November 20th to determine the boundaries for the Castle Rock area’s newest elementary school to be located in the Castle View High School feeder area. It is scheduled to open in 2008.

HIGHLANDS RANCH

Stone Mountain Elementary (Weatherstone)

Stone Mountain Elementary, to be located in the Highlands Ranch subdivision of Weatherstone, is scheduled to open in 2008. Please click here for to see view the boundaries for Stone Mountain Elementary.

For more information on Denver area schools, please contact TeamCox Realtors. We realize how important education is to you and your family so we make a point of keeping updated on all new developments.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FREE Denver Property Search

Lone Tree’s motto of, "It is a great day to be in Lone Tree," is certainly ringing true these days. It is easy to understand why construction is still booming in Lone Tree. The Douglas County town’s attractiveness to homebuyers and developers alike stems from its top-notch location that offers convenient access to the new light rail system, the state of the art Sky Ridge Medical Center and the renowned Park Meadows Mall.

Here are just a few more reasons why, "It’s a Great Day to be in Lone Tree!"

RidgeGate: RidgeGate, the sought-after Lone Tree development that is self-described as a New Urbanist community, is simply booming. According to a recent article in the Douglas County News Press, there are big plans for RidgeGate including 1,100 new housing units and more than half a million square feet of office and retail space.

RidgeGate Parkway Interchange: Construction has broken ground on the new I-25 interchange to be located approximately one mile south of the overcrowded Lincoln Avenue interchange. The new interchange, slated to be completed during the spring of 2009, will provide direct access to the Sky Ridge Medical Center and will offer much relief to a very congested area.

Commonwealth Heights: Lone Tree’s new Commonwealth Heights, a $200 million development located just north of the Lone Tree Recreation Center, spans 25 acres and will offer four different types of housing. Park Meadows: Lone Tree officially annexed Park Meadows Mall (and all of those tax dollars!) in 2007.

New Lone Tree Elementary: The brand new, Lone Tree Elementary, part of the Douglas County School District, opened in August of 2007. This innovative elementary school utilizes the Integrated Thematic Instruction (ITI) method in addition to the groundbreaking magnet programs. Magnet areas under consideration include Arts and Culture, Math and Science, Microsociety and Performing Arts.

It is certainly a great day to be in Lone Tree! For more information regarding Lone Tree real estate, please contact TeamCox Realtors.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FREE Denver Property Search

Are you hoping to enroll your child in a different school other than your neighborhood school? Many Denver area families opt to do this for a variety of reasons based on a school’s reputation, test scores, specific programs, convenience, etc.

Luckily, Colorado allows for open enrollment so your child may attend any school in the state on a space available basis. The open enrollment period for the 2008-2009 school year is just around the corner so it is time to start thinking about it.

The follwing is a rundown of the open enrollment policies for the ever-popular Douglas County School District and Cherry Creek Schools:

Douglas County School District:

The Douglas County School District allows families wishing to open enroll their child(ren)  to complete an application from December 1, 2007 through January 15, 2008. Only schools that are designated “open” or “At or Near Capacity” will accept such applications. First priority is given to students who reside within the district who wish to attend a school outside the designated boundaries. The lowest priority is given to non-resident students. Please click here for more information on the Douglas County School District’s open enrollment policies.

Cherry Creek Schools:

Cherry Creek Schools will be accepting open enrollment applications starting in November. Approval is based on space availability with first priority given to district residents and lowest priority given to non-district residents. It is important to note that all approved open enrollment applications must be resubmitted each year for approval. Please click here for more information on Cherry Creek Schools’ open enrollment policies.

Are you looking for information regarding Denver area schools? Please contact TeamCox Realtors  - we would be more than happy to assist you finding the perfect school for your family.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FREE Denver Property Search

Many Denver area homebuyers, inlcuding those relocating to Colorado, are attracted to the top-notch quality of life, natural beauty and to the coveted schools in Douglas County, Colorado. Pradera, a popular community located in Parker, Colorado, has all of this so it is a natural choice for homebuyers looking for homes on larger homesites that range in price from around the half million-dollar mark to over two million.

Pradera, the site of the 2005 Parade of Homes, is an impressive golf course community that showcases the best of Colorado with its natural beauty, miles of open space, mountain vistas and architecturally stunning homes. Since construction at Pradera has been in full swing over the past few years, many resale and newly built homes are available to Pradera homebuyers. Golden Design Group and Joyce Homes are among the homebuilders at Pradera in addition to sixteen exclusive custom homebuilders.

Although Pradera has a Parker mailing address, it is nestled right in between Castle Rock and Parker and is easily accessible from both I-25 in Castle Rock and Parker Road.  Because its location, Pradera residents are able to enjoy the sought-after recreational opportunities and conveniences of both the Parker and Castle Rock areas. The community is also within the boundaries of the first-rate Douglas Country schools of Mountain View Elementary, Northeast Elementary, Sagewood Middle School and Ponderosa High School.

For more information on Pradera real estate, please contact TeamCox Realtors. TeamCox Realtors is here to assist you find a community that is perfect for you!

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FREE Denver Property Search

Many of our clients with school-aged children seek out neighborhoods with high schools participating in the coveted International Baccalaureate (IB) program. The IB program is an intensive college preparatory program that requires its students to take courses in six subjects in addition to completing many community service hours and a culminating 4,000-word essay. The IB program offers its students a rich educational experience that results in superior critical thinking and superior oral and communication skills. Some Denver area high schools with well-known IB programs include Smoky Hill High School, Douglas County High School and George Washington (GW) High School.

The Douglas County School District is implementing its second International Baccalaureate Program (IB) at ThunderRidge High School in Highlands Ranch. The new program slated to begin during the 2009-2010 school year. ThunderRidge High School’s feeder area, which is bounded by Town Center Dr. and Lucent Blvd to the north and Broadway to the east, includes multiple subdivisions in Highlands Ranch and Roxborough Park. Please click here to view ThunderRidge’s specific boundaries. The following is a list of other Denver area high schools that have IB programs:

Adams 12 Five Star Schools:      

Thornton High School (Thornton)

Aurora Public Schools:

Hinkley High School (Aurora)

Boulder Valley School District:

Centaurus High School (Lafayette)

Fairview High School (Boulder)

Cherry Creek Schools:

Smoky Hill High School (Aurora)

Cherokee Trail High School (Aurora)

Douglas County School District:

Douglas County High School (Castle Rock)

ThunderRidge High School (Highlands Ranch) – 2009-2010

Denver Public Schools:

George Washington High School (Denver)

Iver C. Ranum High School (Denver)

Jefferson County Public Schools:

Lakewood High School (Lakewood)

Littleton Public Schools:

Littleton High School (Littleton)

For more information on Denver area high schools, please contact TeamCox Realtors.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FREE Denver Property Search

The Colorado Department of Education released a report today of the 2007 Colorado High Schools’ average ACT composite scores. Since this is a very important indicator of educational quality, TeamCox Realtors combed through the data to determine the top ten highest scoring high schools in addition to the top scoring school distircts in the Denver metro area. The Boulder Valley School District fared very well with the 2007 ACT test.

Top Ten Denver Area High School Average ACT Composite Scores*

1. ‘D’Evelyn Junior/Senior High School (Jefferson County) – 26.2

2. Peak to Peak Charter School (Boulder Valley) – 23.2

3. Fariview High School (Boulder Valley) – 23.3

4. Cherry Creek High School (Cherry Creek) – 23.2

5. Denver School of Science and Technology – 23.6

6. Boulder High School (Boulder Valley) – 23.2

7. Mountain Vista High School (Douglas County)- 22.5

8. Monarch High School (Boulder Valley) – 22.4

9. Arapahoe High School (Littleton) – 22.2

10. Denver School of the Arts – 22.0

Which Denver area school districts fared the best? Here is the rundown:

1. Boulder Valley School District – 21.9

2. Littleton Public Schools – 21.7

3. Douglas County School District 20.9

4. Cherry Creek Schools – 20.5

5. Jefferson County Public Schools – 20.0

6. Adams 12 Five Star Schools – 18.3

7. Aurora Public Schools – 16.0 (tied with DPS)

7. Denver Public Schools – 16.0 (tied with Aurora)

For more information on this report or to see how your favorite high school fared, please visit the Colorado Department of Education’s website. If you have questions about Denver area schools or regarding Denver real estate, please contact TeamCox Realtors at 303-400-6060.

* Please note that this list includes only high schools in the Denver metro area. There were higher scoring high schools in other parts of Colorado.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FREE Denver Property Search