About Our School
PRAIRIE HEIGHTS MIDDLE SCHOOL (PHMS)
801 Center St., Alta Vista, KS 66834
785-499-6313
The Twisters
Principal, Cynthia Schrader
ABOUT OUR SCHOOL:
Prairie Heights Middle School (PHMS), formerly know as Alta Vista Elementary School, was built in 1986, on the same site as the old grade school. Spacious Campus grounds include: football/track practice, a baseball diamond, an outdoor basketball court, and playground equipment.
The interior offers students and teachers large classrooms (more than 700 square feet) each equipped with ceiling fans, and air conditioning. A competition size gymnasium provides space for physical education, recess, athletic practices and competitions, all school programs/performances, and a yearly 8th grade graduation ceremony.
Lunch and breakfast are prepared and served in a cafeteria located at the north end of the building. PHMS also houses a library/multi-media room, vocal music/band room for the popular daily music classes, technology lab, and computer lab.
ACADEMIC INFORMATION:
Prairie Heights has a long record of excellent academic achievement and has small classes with great student to teacher ratios: currently 11:1. It is among the few public middle schools in Kansas to receive a distinguished Great Schools Rating of 9 out of 10. www.greatschools.org. Our students take pride in being Twisters!
STATE ASSESSMENT SCORES (% of students meeting or exceeding standards)
Math: PHMS 97% (State average is 83.5)
Reading: PHMS 98% (State average is 85.8)
Science: PHMS 100% (State average is 91.8)
STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE
Reading: 2006-2009 Math: 2006-2009
To receive this award, all students in the school must make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), at least 20-25% scoring exemplary, and less than 5% on academic warning, along with other criteria.
GOVERNOR'S AWARD
2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
To receive this prestigious award, schools must have achieved the Standard of Excellence in both reading and mathematics. Additionally, the school must have made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in both reading and math and one additional measure in 2009. For elementary schools and middle schools, that measure is attendance. Forty-one elementary schools, 12 middle schools, and 17 high schools qualified in 2009.
ACTIVITIES:
2009 Tri-County League Volleyball Champions
2009 Tri-County League Tournament Volleyball Champions
2009 Tri-County League Football Runner-up
•Scholar’s Bowl teams
•Sports: Football, Volleyball, track, and wrestling
•Student council
•Geography bee, spelling bee
•Honor choir
SERVICES:
•School nurse
•Special services for students with health/learning impairments, gifted students, etc.
•On-site counseling and mental health services
•Speech therapy
•After school program (Kindergarten-6th grade)
FEATURES:
•Library and computer lab with the latest software and computers.
•2 Mobile wireless lap top stations and 2 computer labs
•Running track, football, baseball and soccer fields.
•Daily music and physical education classes.
•Students’ progress is individually paced withVirtual Prescriptive Learning (VPL).
•Differentiated Instruction increases individual attention and creates a learning environment tailored to the student.
•Online Accelerated Reader Program.
COMMUNITY:
Alta Vista (Population 416) is a very friendly and thriving rural community located off Hwy 177. It is approximately 30 minutes from Junction City and 20 minutes south of Manhattan. The Prairie Heights PTO is very active and involved and has been successful in providing for Prairie Heights Schools.
CONTACT:
To enroll a student or for more information about PHMS, call 785-499-6313
801 Center St., Alta Vista, KS, 66834
Principal – Cynthia Schrader cynsch@cgrove417.org
Secretary – Nancy Furney nfurney@cgrove417.org
