Welcome
Welcome to Twin Peaks K-8 School. School administration, educators, and staff thank you for choosing our school for your student's elementary grades, seventh and eighth grades.
At Twin Peaks K-8, we fill buckets, instill pride, and love learning. We are Pawsitively Proud of our Tigers and Tiger Cubs for taking education by the tail! Educators are committed to ensuring all students have the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in college, career, and life. Our school offers the highest quality, inspiring and enriching education in a safe, nurturing, and award-winning 21st century learning environment where teaching is focused on individual student achievement.
Our school is award-winning with a strong sense of Tiger Cub and Tiger pride! Our exceptional school has earned a State Board of Education “A” letter grade for 10 of the past 11 years and been named an Arizona Higher Performing School through the National Center for Educational Achievement in Science. Twin Peaks has also received the AZ Gold and Silver Award for fidelity of implementation of Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports and the PBIS Amazing Award. Twin Peaks' takes pride in the fact that families and community members selected our school as the Best School in Explorer/Best of the Northwest and also named our school the Readers’ Choice Favorite/Arizona Daily Star.
As a Marzano High Reliability School that has achieved Level 1 certification, creating a Safe, Supportive, and Collaborative culture, we are committed to transforming our school into an organization that take proactive steps to ensure student success. Level 1 certification is the foundation for every level that follows. Without such a culture, student achievement will be compromised.
Twin Peaks is the right choice for K-8 for a variety of reasons and research supports the K-8 model for middle school students. “There’s reason to believe the traditional middle school/junior high model isn’t ideal. Kids seem to learn and achieve more in schools with longer grade spans, whether the school serves grades K-8 or 6-12. In a study published in the Journal of Early Adolescence, researchers tracked 6,000 students from kindergarten through eighth grade. They concluded that starting a new school in sixth or seventh grade negatively impacts kids’ motivation and feelings about their academic ability.” - Middle School Matters by Phyllis L. Fagell
Academics and Programs
The academic offerings at Twin Peaks are rich and provide extended time for learning. Students are offered a creative and project-based learning focus within integrated content area classrooms. At Twin Peaks students are also exposed to zSpace AR/VR and Science labs where they engage in exploratory, creative, hands-on learning. The exceptional classroom setting provides students and teachers the opportunity to work utilizing configurable furniture with comfortable seating designed to support collaborative learning. Access to mobile devices supports a student’s ability to easily and comfortably connect with their teacher, fellow students, and content.
Middle school students also have access to electives, extra-curricular and athletic opportunities as well as middle school privileges and responsibilities. Comparable to other middle schools, students have passing periods between classes and wear ID badges. Our school offers sports pep rallies and middle school specific evening events such as dances and other outings. Middle school students have the opportunity to go on overnight field trips with peers.
Additional programs and services offered at Twin Peaks K-8 include FREE full-day kindergarten and Bright Start Talent Development K-2nd grade, elementary self-contained gifted education, special education, accelerated math, before and after school care, full-time Master level school counselor, health services, librarian, music, arts, physical education, athletics and more.
Exceptional Learning Environment
At Twin Peaks, students are challenged, relationships are built, and teaching is focused on individual student achievement. The exceptional classroom setting provides students and teachers the opportunity to work utilizing configurable furniture with comfortable seating designed to support collaborative learning.
Mobile Devices
Access to mobile devices supports a student’s ability to easily and comfortably connect with their teacher, fellow students, and content; thereby providing an unparalleled learning experience. Whether doing research, collaborating with other students or teachers about important ideas or concepts, or looking up curricular content, mobile devices deepen the learning experience through higher levels of engagement and rigor. Chromebooks for grades K-5 remain in the classroom. Individual chromebooks are assigned to middle school students, and they are allowed to take these home.
Bright Start Talent Development
Aligned with the National Gifted Standards, this program is designed for children who are functioning well above their similar age peers. Students who are precocious or emergent readers and have strong foundations in math are excellent candidates. In this free full-day talent development K-2 grade program, children are actively involved in their own learning through differentiated, project-based instruction. The curriculum in reading, writing, and mathematics is taught at a brisk, accelerated pace. Science and social studies content is enriched and covered in more depth than in K-2 grade.
Self-Contained Multi-age Gifted Classes
Twin Peaks provides self-contained gifted and talented classes instructed by a gifted certified teacher and aligned to the National Gifted Standards for both elementary and middle school students. This program features project-based learning through integrated content. Students engage in higher-order thinking and creative learning with embedded strategies to support the gifted learner.
Accelerated Math
The Accelerated Math Program provides students the opportunity to advance through the math curriculum at an accelerated pace. Students are assessed to determine readiness for advanced math curriculum and attend a multi-aged math class at a higher level.
Project Based Learning
Twin Peaks K-8 School offers Project Based Learning (PBL) opportunities for all students. PBL inspires a love of learning and gives students a personal connection to their academic experience. With this approach, students are engaged in deeper learning. Teachers have been trained in PBL Works and offer at least one full gold-standard PBL unit for each year of schooling.
zSpace AR/VR Labs
Twin Peaks K-8 is proud to offer a whole new level of learning through the power of zSpace! Aligned with K-12 school districts, universities and medical schools across the country, our school incorporates AR/VR/MR experiences into our lesson plans and curriculum. Our students engage in standards-based learning through hands-on learning experiences. Using this state-of-the-art technology across the curriculum, particularly for STEM learning, allows our eager learners to dissect organs, dive into volcanoes and more, all in an AR/VR/MR environment. Students learn by doing without fear of spilling chemicals, blowing a circuit and with the chance to make mistakes and easily try again, encouraging them to take risks and solve problems, while building confidence and increasing understanding.
Science Lab
Middle school students are engaged in real science work in a relevant environment. The Science Lab serves as a laboratory, which allows students to use the information they gather to think critically, build teamwork, share equipment, and take real action within their STEM learning. Students are enthusiastic and curious within a fun, inquiry-based area where learning is aligned with the science curriculum.
Middle School Curriculum
Middle school students are provided with 65 minutes of instruction in the core content subjects of English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. Seventh and eighth grade students change classes for each core subject and receive instruction from a certified content area specialist. Sixth grade students receive instruction in core subjects in a self-contained classroom with a homeroom teacher. Accelerated students may have the opportunity to take Algebra and Geometry for high school credit. In addition, Twin Peaks provides enriched classes for gifted and advanced students in core academic classes. Twin Peaks offers a variety of elective classes, and these are taught for 50 minutes. As a Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports Program incentive, students have the opportunity to earn a break.
Media Room
To ensure students have quick easy access to content-rich non-fiction and high-interest fiction materials for check-out, a Media Room is available.
Electives, Clubs & After School Activities:
Twin Peaks K-8 offers a variety of electives, clubs and after school activities based on student interest, staff expertise, and community based offerings. The wide range of choices for our 6-8 students are comparable to offerings at a traditional comprehensive middle school.
- Art and Advanced Art
- Band and Orchestra
- Choir
- STEM/Coding
- Drama
- Speech and Debate
- Multimedia Technology
- Physical Education
- Introductory Spanish and High School Spanish
- Yearbook
- National Junior Honor Society and Student Council
Athletics & Physical Education
Twin Peaks provides physical education and a wide variety of athletics for middle school students. Twin Peaks middle school students participate in the Northwest League, and have the opportunity to compete in games and meets with other area middle schools. Learn more about Twin Peaks Athletics.
First Quarter:
- Cross-County
- Flag Football
- Boys' Volleyball
Second Quarter:
- Girls' Soccer
- Boys' Basketball
Third Quarter:
- Boys' Soccer
- Girls' Basketball
Fourth Quarter
- Track
- Girls' Volleyball
Start/Dismissal Times:
The school day has a common start time for all grades (K-8) to accommodate transportation and travel needs. The school's dismissal time will be different for K-5 grades and 6-8 grades to ensure compliance with the state-required number of instructional minutes.
Elementary K-5:
Monday - Thursday: 8:15am - 2:35pm
Friday: 8:15am - 12:55pm
Middle School 6-8:
Monday - Thursday: 8:15am - 3:20pm
Friday: 8:15am - 1:40pm
Before & After School:
Elementary K-5 grades: The Learning, Enrichment, And Play (LEAP) program is offered Monday – Friday during the school year from 6:00am to the start of school day, then from dismissal until 6:00pm.
Middle School 6-8 grades: Teen Extended Day (TED) is offered Monday – Friday during the school year from 6:00am to the start of school day, then from dismissal until 6:00pm. Twin Peaks' offers free after school tutoring on Tuesday and Thursday from dismissal until 5:00pm. MUSD provides an activity bus that departs at 5:00pm Monday through Thursday for students who live within the Twin Peaks school attendance boundaries.
We are confident that Twin Peaks K-8 is the right choice for your elementary and middle school student. We look forward to partnering with you for your child’s education.