Have a great summer. See you in August!
Welcome to Southern Hills Middle School
Southern Hills is a John J. Irwin School of Excellence Award winning neighborhood middle school located in South Boulder.
Southern Hills offers personal attention and a closely knit community based on the "Cougar Values" of Participation, Responsibility, Integrity, Determination and Empathy. Southern Hills has accelerated classes in mathematics, language arts and foreign language along with a wide array of electives. With strong programs throughout the school, Southern Hills prides itself on meeting the varying needs of all students. There are also many opportunities for students to participate outside of their school day through many student activities, clubs and athletics.
School Calendar
School News
This newsletter is an outcome of the collaborative effort between our administration and our Parent DEI Committee. Follow along here as we communicate our efforts to build a stronger sense of community, belonging, and inclusion for all students at SHMS.
Daily announcements are shared over the PA system every day of school except on late-start Wednesdays. These announcements share school-wide programs, the lunch menu, fun facts, and updates about what's happening at school. Make sure to check this daily to stay up-to-date on all things SHMS.
District News
Aligning with a trend for school districts across the nation, the Boulder Valley School District has been in declining enrollment since 2018 and anticipates a gradual decline in enrollment in future years. This drop follows a declining overall birth rate and a growing tendency for families to delay having children. In BVSD, the high cost of housing coupled with limited housing stock inhibits the ability of families with young children to live in our district. COVID-related enrollment loss accelerated the anticipated decline dramatically.
While, Boulder Valley School District Policy KI-R - Visitor Management Procedures requires all employees to wear their IDs at all times and for visitors to be clearly identified, students have traditionally been encouraged, but not required, to visibly wear their ID badges. This year, Boulder High School decided to go a step further.
The Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) was recently awarded $832,150 from the Colorado 2023 School Access for Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program. The grant amount will fund the installation of technology to boost signals for two-way radio communications as well as the purchase of two-way radios for members of the Safety, Security and Emergency Services team.
New Lockdown and Secure activation buttons installed in schools this summer, are designed to be easier for staff to see and activate when needed and reduce accidental triggers. Together with the buttons, new pre-recorded audio plays during the event and provides clear instructions on necessary actions.