Polaris Expeditionary Learning School

We hope you are having an absolutely incredible summer filled with adventures, relaxation, and plenty of sunshine. While we know everyone is busy making memories, it's also the perfect time to start looking ahead and getting excited for the 2026/2027 school year! 🎒✨
Did you know that Polaris still has select openings available for incoming 6th graders and High School students? 🏫🏔️
If you’re looking for a public school of choice within the Poudre School District that feels like a tight-knit community, centers on expeditionary learning, and prepares students for real-world success, this is your sign to join the crew! From hands-on community service to earning free college credit through Campus Select, we help students navigate both success and failure as opportunities for the future.
Don't wait until the summer ends—spaces are limited!
🔗 Head over to our website to learn more and secure your spot today: https://pol.psdschools.org/

I see our own amazing kitchen manager, Lindsey, hiding in the back! Thanks for all you do to keep our Penguins nourished and ready to tackle learning opportunities.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1D4AKhnieC/?mibextid=wwXIfr

📚✨ Our Child Nutrition team is at the Colorado SNA Conference, learning, growing, and bringing back new ideas to better serve our students!
Thank you to our dedicated team for investing in professional growth that helps us improve our programs and everyday practices.

☀️ Summer Update: What a Year, and What's Next! 🚀
Wow, what an incredible school year we just wrapped up! From deep-dive learning expeditions and meaningful community service in every grade to our high schoolers earning so many free college credits, our students truly exemplified what it means to be crew, not passengers. 💙🏔️

As we soak up the summer sun, we are already gearing up for an absolutely amazing 2026/2027 school year.

🎒 Looking for a School that Fits Differently?
If you want an education that goes beyond desks and standardized tests, Polaris is looking for you. We are a 100% Public School of Choice within the Poudre School District (not a charter school!) rooted in the powerful EL Education model.

We still have limited openings for the upcoming school year in two critical transition levels:

6th Grade: Perfect for students ready to build incredible public speaking skills, dive into hands-on learning, and thrive in a tight-knit community.

High School (9th-12th): Ideal for students wanting a head start on their future.

✨ Why Choose Polaris for Middle & High School?
Free College Credit: Over 35% of our high schoolers take Campus Select courses each year, saving thousands on college tuition before they even graduate!

Unique Pathways: We host the only Outdoor Recreation CTE Pathway in Northern Colorado (and one of only five in the entire state), offering concurrent enrollment credits.

Character & Community: We don't just teach academics; we support students in navigating both success and failure as vital learning opportunities for the future.

🚨 Spots are filling fast!
Don't wait until the school year starts to find your crew. Give your student an environment where they can truly be known, challenged, and supported.

🔗 Take action today: Learn more and apply through the PSD School of Choice portal at pol.psdschools.org or contact our front office to secure your spot!

We are lucky enough to expand our integrated services team this year with a 6th grade 70% Teacher Secondary Special Education-Polaris Expeditionary Learning School.

Feel free to spread the word to your community.

finding teaching jobs and other education jobs Search or browse thousands of teaching jobs and other school jobs from dozens of education job sites in one easy search. Sign up for daily or weekly job alert emails and apply online!

We are still riding high on graduating so many amazing seniors! Take a moment to look through some new photos we have from graduation.

Polaris 2026 Explore this photo album by PSD (Poudre School District) on Flickr!

Polaris juniors, Lillie and Mila, performed for the Take Note Colorado event at the Governor's Mansion alongside Isaac Slade from The Fray and Wes Schultz from The Lumineers, and speakers, Governor Polaris and Senator John Hickenlooper. Take Note Colorado's mission is to ensure all Colorado youth have access to free, student-centered music education.

Take Note Colorado 2026, short version Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

More graduation pics of our amazing ceremony!

Polaris 2026 Explore this photo album by PSD (Poudre School District) on Flickr!

This week, students across Colorado finished out the school year with hands-on final projects:

📜 Civic students at Abraham Lincoln High School in Denver Public Schools hosted and observed a real-life hearing for an active court case with Judge Jon Olafson of the Denver Second Judicial District;

🐣 Third graders in North Park School District studied the chicks from the eggs they incubated;

🪡 Seventh graders at Carbondale Middle School in Roaring Fork School District sewed their own hacky sacks; and

🛍️ Students at Polaris Expeditionary Learning School in Poudre School District made custom tote bags for a local food-bank at the Richardson Design Center at Colorado State University.

🌟 What a Way to Finish! One-Day Intensives at Polaris 🌟
There is no "last day of school" quite like a Polaris last day! Our 6th–12th graders spent today diving deep into unique one-day intensives, proving that learning doesn’t just happen at a desk—it happens in our community, in the wild, and in the studio.

Here’s a look at the incredible adventures our students tackled today:

Design for Good: Students headed to the Richardson Design Center at CSU to design custom tote bags for a local non-profit Food Bank. Combining professional design tech with community heart! 🛍️❤️

Creative Craft: A group of makers spent the day in a Jewelry Making intensive, turning raw materials into wearable art. 💍✨

The Great Outdoors: Our High Schoolers hit Lory State Park for a day of hiking, fishing, and much-needed "fun in the sun." 🎣⛰️

Digital Worlds: Future developers spent the day Video Game Designing, leveling up their coding and logic skills. 🎮💻

Middle School Bonding: Our MS crew enjoyed some classic "Fun in the Sun" bonding time, strengthening the friendships that make our school a family. ☀️🤝

🍎 A Massive Thank You
None of this happens by accident. A huge shout-out to our incredible teachers who went above and beyond to pull off these fun, high-energy experiences on the final day of the year. Your dedication to giving our students these "crew" moments is what makes Polaris a 100% school of choice!

📅 Looking Ahead To Next Year
This one-day intensive was a unique opportunity that came about due to our 25-26 PSD calendar. While 1 day of intensives are fun, we look forward to having 3 weeks of adventures/intensives next year to create even more memories for our students!

We still have a few spots available for our upcoming WFA class.

Level Up Your Backcountry Skills!🎒🩹
This class is open to anyone in the Fort Collins Community, so please consider sharing!
Are you ready to be "Crew" in the wild? We are beyond excited to announce that our very own Sarah Bayer will be leading an upcoming Wilderness First Responder (WFR) course at Polaris!
Whether you’re a professional guide, a weekend warrior, or a student in our Natural Resources & Outdoor Leadership CTE pathway, this is your chance to learn from the best.
Why take this course?
✅ Master patient assessment in remote environments.
✅ Gain the confidence to manage medical emergencies when help is miles away.
✅ Earn an industry-standard certification recognized worldwide.
✅ Learn through real-world simulations (the Polaris way!).
✅ If you support fieldwork or intensives/adventures at Polaris this is a handy thing to have.
At Polaris, we believe in being "Crew, Not Passengers." This course is the ultimate way to take the lead in your own safety and the safety of those around you.
📍 Location: Polaris Expeditionary Learning School / Field Sites
🗓️ Dates: May 28-29 or Full 2-Day Session
🔗 Register/More Info: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfGZK8MVsTLHnIWLAB5WmxJseWTlr2XAuundGkVMBwaW5GH6g/viewform
Price: Free for Polaris teachers, discounted rate for our community. We will email you when the price is finalized.
Don't just go outside—go outside prepared.🌲🌲