Basalt Middle School (BMS) is a small community public school in the beautiful and diverse mountain town of Basalt, Colorado.

Every day, we strive to create a calm and predictable environment to support learning and student well-being. While middle school can and should allow for age-appropriate energy and fun, we take the growth and development of our students seriously. Our committed team of educators has high expectations for all students and delivers a rigorous academic program every day to prepare our students for high school.

Students in Basalt have a unique opportunity to become bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish. This starts with a Dual Language program at Basalt Elementary School, and continues with regular English and Spanish classes at Basalt Middle School and Basalt High School. Bilingualism in English and Spanish supports cross-cultural connections in our community and gives our students an advantage for the rest of their lives.

We are also lucky to have a community that supports our work in the Arts, STEM, and Physical and Outdoor Education. At BMS, students experience a multi-faceted Outdoor Education program that supports equity in access to the outdoors and the development of our students as caring and kind people. Community partnerships are crucial in planning outdoor programming that includes rafting, climbing, hiking, and skiing.

Above all, we care deeply about the development of middle school students as people. We use Crew to build community and ensure that every student has at least one person looking after them on a daily basis. We teach and reinforce positive behavior in schools, ranging from how to treat each other in the halls to how to keep the cafeteria clean. In the little parts of the daily routine and in our work in the long term, we model our motto as we encourage students to live it: Work Hard, Be Kind, Achieve.

Jamie Hozack

Principal

Basalt Middle School