Horizon Honors Schools, Phoenix | Fees, Rankings, Address, Admission, Vacancies, Reviews & More

We highly value education. My wife has a PhD and I am an attorney. We spent a significant amount of time deciding on the elementary school to send our children, now 8 and 10 years old. Horizon Honors is the perfect fit.

Both kids started in Kindergarten, and one is now in fifth grade and the other is in second. What attracted us academically were two key features: (1) Horizon’s student-to-teach ratio, and (2) the fact that students are assessed and taught at their level, meaning that it was not uncommon for an advanced Kindergartener to start the school year in first or second grade math or reading, etc. And, similarly, students needing more help in certain areas are not left behind, but instead are engaged and taught at the right level of challenge. Every student receives an individualized learning plan (ILP).

Kindergarten classrooms are typical size of 25-30 students, and each classroom has a fulltime teacher and adult assistant teacher/teacher aid, resulting in a teacher-to-student ratio of about 13-15 in Kindergarten. In grades 1-6, students are in mixed-aged classrooms (again, taking into account the challenge needed for each student), with a typical class size of 55-60. These classrooms are led by 3 adults – two teachers and an adult assistant teacher/teacher aid, yielding a student/teacher ratio of about 18-20. These numbers are phenomenal. And, beyond the numbers, the teachers themselves have been excellent – caring, committed, experienced. We’ve become big fans.

Beyond the classroom, I appreciate the lunch options. Food is catered from places like Pei Wei, Chick-fil-A, Panda Express, Boston Market and Streets of NY Pizza, making it much better than cafeteria-level food. While the price can be more than a cafeteria, the providers donate a share of proceeds back to the school, which is a win-win.

We have also found that involvement opportunities are larger and more diverse than other schools – numerous sports, clubs, and activities are available to K-6 students. Our kids have been involved in after school clubs including Melody Makers, Code Bots, Rising Stars, Save the Earth, Showbiz, Lego Club, Art Club, and our fifth grader was selected to one of the middle school sports teams that allows 5th graders to tryout.

We have also seen continued improvement. When issues or concerns have arisen, the school is agile enough to make changes because the entirety of the administration resides on premises. When parking was a problem, the school addressed it with partnerships to provide new and expanded parking. When athletics were criticized, the school improved and expanded its facilities. As the website started to feel outdated or confusing, new pages were written to streamline many of the online services and information. The school’s leadership is responsive and engaged.

Finally, Horizon builds community. When I ask my kids who their friends or best friends are, they typically answer with a very long list, or a more simply “everybody.” They see classmates all over town, and because of the large amount of parent participation and involvement, the families also get to know each other and build community.

We have been at Horizon for 9 years. My daughters transitioned from a local Montessori at 1st and 5th grades. Right now, one is a sophomore at NAU (on a full merit scholarship) and the other a 10th grader at Horizon Honors High School. We have been very happy here at Horizon. As a parent, I am so happy to walk in the office and have the office staff know who I am, and know who my children are. They encourage parental involvement from elementary all the way through high school. During their time in elementary, they were given the opportunities to have music and PE daily. They developed friendships and were taught how to prioritize, work in groups, problem solve and speak in front of an assembly of their peers. Both participated in student government and were selected as student ambassadors. The student ambassadors give the new families tours of the school. I remember how impressed I was when we first toured Horizon and how articulate the students were.

My children have participated in the choir and performing arts departments, and this year, my 10th grader decided to give team sports a try. While she had never been in sports before, she was encouraged to sign up and give it her best. And she did! Her team mates and coaches were very welcoming. As a family, we have really enjoyed participating in the various sporting events to cheer the teams on. Our varsity teams rival many other schools and we have several students who have received sports scholarships to college.

My older daughter felt the curriculum challenged her and kept her interested. She was rewarded by receiving multiple scholarships and is now attending NAU with a full tuition merit scholarship. I have always found the teachers open to listening about my concerns and very open to my advice on how best to work with my children. As parents, we are encouraged to have open communication with the teachers and have scheduled conferences 5 times a year (more if necessary).
When reaching out to any of the staff, I can usually get in to see them with in a day or two.
While Horizon is a “small community”, they are encouraged to be big thinkers. The students are help each other and there really isn’t any bullying. Both my daughters found themselves to be mentors to not only their peers, but the younger students in the elementary school as well.

If you want a “small school environment” where each student is valued and listened to, Horizon really is the place for your family.