a unique Arts and Science Charter school
for unique minds
Welcome to Sky Islands High School! We are more than an arts and science charter school – we are a community focused on inspiring our students to be lifelong learners.
At Sky Islands, a small, passionate group of teachers build deep supportive relationships with students, and students develop deep friendships with one another. We prepare students for their journeys in life not through emphasizing drills and tests, but by teaching them to think, question, discover their own passions and beliefs, and find their true north. Our students leave well-prepared by any academic measure, but – far more importantly – they leave with an understanding of themselves, and the world in which they must make their way. Along the way, they lean in, and support (rather than compete with) one another. Together they discover, debate, and evolve – learning to be inspired by the courage of ideas, ideals, and the people seeking to make the world a better place.
Critical Thinking
&
Creativity
At Sky Islands students are encouraged – and expected – to excel. But our definition of excellence is different.We help students to be successful in the traditional subject matter of high school – but we also encourage a broader perspective. Teachers work together, across subjects, to integrate ideas, and apply them to real-world, current problems. Students pursue projects, in groups, working together to find solutions. They learn to think proactively, developing strategies for solving problems: seeing the traditional subjects as a tool kit, and learning to choose and apply those tools thoughtfully. Our goal is to educate students as citizens – participants in creating a better world.
College and Beyond
Sky Islands aims to prepare students for college success. We realize that getting into a college is only part of the story. Integrating social and emotional competencies into academic content is equally important to college and career readiness. Skills in collaboration, problem-solving, and creative thinking are as necessary as skills in literacy and math.
After graduation our students pursue a wide variety of pathways as they build their futures. Some attend prestigious four-year colleges like the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, Prescott College, and Oregon State. Others focus on community colleges like Pima Community College and Northwest Florida State College.
Focused On
conservation
The Sky Islands curriculum delivers excellence in the mainstay subjects – English, Mathematics, Science, History – but our focus goes beyond those confines. We offer courses, and hands-on learning, focused on the core interest and concern of this generation: sustainability. Through our Environmental Science curriculum, we’re proud to provide students with the tools and experience necessary to be prepared to help make substantial change in the world. Students learn how to responsibly farm and engineer supporting infrastructure to improve our environment. Our horticulture program not only teaches students how to produce organic food but to cook it as well. Students’ experience in these areas develops habits of thinking that we consider essential to good citizenship: recognizing inter-dependence, and working together.
Academics at Sky Islands High School
Our carefully crafted school curriculum integrates skills in collaboration, problem-solving, and creative thinking.
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Creativity is a crucial skill, so we offer a variety of art courses in culinary arts, visual/ performing arts, and guitar.
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Students learn to propagate seedlings in the greenhouse, plant vegetables, install irrigation, and even more.
Learn MoreNews & Events
Next Board Meeting To Be Held Thursday, 7/25/2024
Governing Board Meeting Blue Adobe Project dba Sky Islands High School 6000 E. 14th Street, Tucson, AZ 85711 Meeting Date: Thursday, July 25, 2024, at
Meet Our Staff
My name is Veronica Duran, and I am excited to serve as the new Head of School for Sky Islands High School. It is an honor to lead a school with proactive students, an extremely dedicated staff, and a supportive school community...
Kat joined the Sky Islands’ team as Student Support Coordinator in 2023. She is originally from Colorado and attended the University of Denver where she received her Bachelor of Arts...
Mayra joined the Sky Islands staff in 2023. A native of Nogales, AZ, Mayra worked for Nogales Unified School District #1 for 22 years as an Administrative Assistant...
Russell joined the Sky Islands team in 2023. As an Arizona native, Russell moved to Tucson in 2019. Prior to that, he lived all over Phoenix. Russell has twenty-three years in the construction trades and has worked on numerous...
Jennifer joined the Sky Islands team in 2022 as the assistant to the farm and horticulture program. She hails from the border community of Douglas, AZ..
JoAnn joined the Sky Islands team in 2024 as the monitor for students. She is from Michigan and one of her favorite things to do is to watch hockey. She retired in 2022 after 15 years at Academy of Math and Science where she was the Office Manager, Nurse and Registrar...
Peter joined the Sky Islands team in 2024 as the ELA and Photography teacher. Peter is a Tucson, AZ native but has a love for big cities. He graduated from the University of Arizona with his BA and received a Master’s Degree from Grand Canyon University for Communication...
Matthew joined the Sky Islands team in 2024 as the Math teacher. He has lived in Tucson his entire life and attended both The University of Arizona as well as Pima Community College. He obtained his bachelor’s degree in Mathematics...
Erin joined the Sky Islands team in 2024 as a Science Teacher. Erin is a Tucson native and graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in Natural Resources in 2024...
Testimonials
