Sunset Middle School offers robust and rigorous academic programming to best prepare students for high school and future success. We offer multiple academic pathways, including:

Advanced – This pathway is appropriate for students who are working to attain mastery of the curricular goals in a given subject.  Students in this pathway should have strong organizational skills and mature work habits.  This pathway offers students the opportunity to meet their academic goals in a supported, yet independent environment.  

Honors – This pathway is appropriate for students who desire a challenging academic environment.  They will be expected to be self-motivated, curious, engaged learners who are planning to enter the IB program in high-school.  A commitment to community service is required.  Students who meet the requirements of this pathway will gain automatic acceptance to the Niwot Pre-IB Program.

Requirements –  All classes in Honors pathway, 3.0 GPA & teacher recommendations

Academic Highlights

• Sunset Middle offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme which builds from the IB Primary Years Programme and prepares students to successfully complete the rigorous, two-year IB Diploma Programme at Niwot High School
• All Sunset Middle students are enrolled in the IB Middle Years Programme rigorous course sequence which engages students in a global educational perspective rooted in the 10 attributes outlined by the IB learner profile and inquiry-based learning
• Sunset Middle offers two world language options in French and Spanish
• Students have access to advanced core content options for every grade level, including Algebra I and Geometry
• Sunset Middle’s recent student achievements include: competitive robotics programming with three-time consecutive qualifying state robotic competition, two qualifying teams attended world competition, and Vex IQ Robotics Competition winners; District Geography Bee winners; two-time winners of the ReNew Our Schools Energy Competition
• The Sunset Middle 3E Learning Philosophy is to drive excellence through an engaged and empowered student community (#3E philosophy)
• Eighth grader students participate in a capstone community project focused on creating real-world solutions with the goal of empowering students to become active agents of change rooted in empathy within their communities
• Diverse learning opportunities for Gifted and Talented students in core content classes and through Universal Middle School
• Where Everybody Belongs (WEB) is a middle school orientation and transition program for students