Middle School Experience Redesign for 2026-2027
At Eldorado PK–8, our 6th, 7th, and 8th grades are intentionally designed to give every student the full middle-school experience—with the care, relationships, and community advantage of a small school. Students are known, supported, and challenged as they grow into confident, capable young people ready for high school and beyond
We're here for LEARNING.
Elevated Core
All of our middle schoolers take eight classes, including core subjects of Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies, and PE/Health. In 2026–2027, we launch Elevated Core for all, with every student in Advanced Math and Accelerated ELA.
6th Grade Transitions
Our new 6th Grade Transitions class will jump-starts success with explicit instruction in Executive Functioning, Stress and Time Management, and Leadership and Social Skills.
We're here for EXPLORATION.
All middle schoolers take an Exploratory Pathways class — a year-long course of four rotating 9-week pathways. The pathways are: Skills for Life, Design Thinking, Communication Arts, and Digital Landscape. At the end of three years, students will have completed 12 intentionally designed, future-ready electives that build real-world skills.
Our New Exploratory Pathways
|
SKILLS FOR LIFE |
DESIGN THINKING |
COMMUNICATION ARTS |
DIGITAL LANDSCAPE |
|
|
6th |
Adventures in Babysitting -CPR/First Aid- -Budgeting- -Marketing Yourself- |
Mechanisms & Circuits -Simple Machines- -Basic Electronic Circuits- |
Conversations & Presentations -Build Confident Communication Skills- -Public Speaking- |
Robotics -Mechanical Interfaces- -Digital Interfaces- |
|
7th |
Top Chef -Cooking- -Setting a Table- -Washing Dishes & Kitchen Clean Up- -Budgets & Groceries- |
Tools of the Trades -Tool Identification & Use- -Shop Safety- -Basic Structures- |
Debate: Agree or Disagree -Building Skills of Persuasion- - Think Critically- -Using Evidence- |
Game Design -Logical Thinking- -Software Engineering- -Coding- |
|
8th |
Survivor & MacGyver -Outdoor Skills- -Basic Independence Skills- Fixing Things- |
Prototypes & Projects -Ideas Into Prototypes- -Project Management- |
Think on Your Feet (Improv) -Sharpen Quick Thinking Skills & Creativity- -Boost Confidence- |
Intro to Cyber Security -Digital Citizenship- -Cyber Rangers- -What is Cyber Security- |
We're here for PASSION.
Students can dive deeper through year-long electives that build advanced skills and nurture genuine passion. With a full year to learn, practice, and create, students gain a stronger sense of mastery, purpose, and identity in their chosen area.
We're here for BELONGING.
Every week, DURING THE SCHOOL DAY, kids will join an interest-based club to build community and boost engagement. Each club will be inter-mixed grades and last just 4 to 6 weeks. This will help kids build community across grades and find others who share their non-academic interests.
We're here for FUN.
We offer interscholastic middle level athletics, including:
- 8th Boys Basketball
- 8th Girls Basketball
- 8th Co-ed Flag Football
- 8th Girls Volleyball
- 6th/7th/8th Cross-Country
- 6th/7th/8th Boys Soccer
- 6th/7th/8th Girls Soccer
- 6th/7th/8th Track
- 6th/7th/8th Wrestling
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Starting next year, the four PK-8 schools in the district, Eldorado, Monarch, Aspen Creek, and Meadowlark, will be participating in the K-8 League of Champions. These leagues will be just 3-4 weeks long and culminate in round robin tournaments hosted at one of the four participating schools. This will give our 6th and 7th graders more opportunities to participate in school sponsored sports as well as fostering some healthy competition between the K-8s.