Palmer Ridge High School in Monument

Category	Rating	Details
College Readiness	8/10	The College Readiness Rating uses this high school's graduation rates, college entrance exam participation and performance, or AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment participation to determine how well schools are preparing students for success in college and beyond. The College Readiness Rating was created using the following data from the 2021 Civil Rights Data Collection: percentage of students enrolled in IB, AP or Dual Enrollment classes in grades 9-12, using 2025 4-year high school graduation rate data from Colorado Department of Education, using 2025 Average SAT score data from Colorado Department of Education, and using 2025 demographic data from the National Center for Education Statistics.

Posted: February 7, 2022

LPSD 38 and Palmer Ridge High School do a great job overall. The staff, teachers, and administrators are professional and work well with the students.

-Curriculum. They offer a range of courses that satisfy the needs of students.
-Post secondary preparedness. Excellent. The school helps young adults prepare for college AND they partner with Pike's Peak Community College to help students access career education while in high school. This is such an important offering because too many schools try to push every child into colleges (where they learn no skills and amass life changing debt) when they should instead be pursuing a career in the trades.
-Extra-curricular activities. Top notch. The school supports their student athletes and has multiple programs that are very competitive in the state.

The school board is run by competent people in the community who put the students first. This is a fine school as are all of the other schools in LPSD 38.

Posted: February 7, 2022

Posted: August 13, 2021

If delinquent clowns were to takeover this school it would be an improvement but possibly an insult to the clowns.

Poor communication, worse understanding of the rules, ultimate failure led to our child being completely left behind.

Their form of apology? Oops! These things happen! Only at the new school we attend, they dont.

Posted: May 25, 2021

As public schools go, PR is above average in academics and has some of the best teachers in the area. With that said, we pulled our daughter out of this school at the end of her sophomore year because she was being bullied by the assistent principal. She's a straight A student - graduated from High school with a 4.0 - but she does have a learning disability which seemed to annoy both the assistent principal and one of her coaches. I cannot count how many times I had to go to the school to pick up a distressed child - who actually entered counseling because of the bullying she recieved from these two persons in leadership. Her teachers, on the other hand, were awesome - and she connected with them very well. (She plans on inviting several of them to her future wedding) So, while I do reccommend this school based upon the teachers and the academics, I would tell any parents putting their child in this school who has learning disabilities to watch closely for signs - such as a change in behavior in their child. Just be careful, stay involved and advocate for your child if they can't advocate for themselves. (Mine was an introvert and held the stress from the bullying in - not a good thing) Academically, by the end of her sophomore year she was ready for college classes because of the outstanding English, History , and Science teachers she had. The teachers prepared her well for college and instead of going her last two years to PR, she went to a community college where she also attained straight A's . So cudos to the PR teachers who prepped her so well for college. Shame to the persons in leadership who bullyied her to the point where we had no choice but to pull her out.

Posted: May 25, 2021

I struggled a lot with my learning disability and this school was ill-prepared for a student with my type of hearing situation. The teachers were super nice but the problem was with the vice-principal and counselor, who made my life a living hell. I transferred schools because of both of them.

Posted: May 25, 2021

Posted: December 30, 2020

Palmer Ridge is an academically rigorous school offering many AP classes, Project Lead the Way and other advanced courses. The heart beat of the school is college readiness. Teachers are very credentialed and counselors are available to help students navigate post high school options. Palmer Ridge offers many course options that appeal to students interested in both liberal arts and STEM. There are many active clubs to include DECA, Cyber Patriots, FBLA etc. Extracurricular activities are encouraged and the school boasts of many state championships and is strong in track and field, cross country and football to name a few. Volleyball is competitive as is field hockey and lacrosse (some sports are District teams that are combined with neighboring Lewis Palmer). Basketball is not a strong program at Palmer Ridge.
Palmer Ridge however, can be a difficult place to be average. The school is competitive both academically and co-curricularly. This adds a lot of pressure on kids that is not always healthy. The new administration at the school (joined in 2019-2020 school year) is addressing this and is actively partnering with programs like Sources of Strength to help students cope and ultimately thrive. COVID has been stressful across the country but D38 has handled the pandemic and social equity challenges better than neighboring districts in the area.
The key to success at Palmer Ridge is parent involvement. Make sure your family is known and that your voice is heard. Teachers and admin respond well to encouragement, support and ideas on ways to help your student thrive. My son is a senior and we'll miss our Palmer Ridge family next year. His 4 years have not been perfect but he has grown tremendously and I am confident in the game of life he'll succeed given the solid foundation he's been afforded at this high school.

Posted: March 10, 2020

All in all, it was simply horrible. No one replied to concerns, and we had to leave.

Posted: March 10, 2020

Teachers can treat students disrespectfully, ignore problem signs, and value grades over students. VERY cold school.

Posted: March 10, 2020

They care about grades and almost nothing about students.

Posted: March 10, 2020

They ignore and don't respond to questions, problems, or student needs. If your student has no problems, this school might be okay.

Posted: March 10, 2020

Students with learning differences feel bullied by teachers and administrators. Very unsafe place for different kids.

Posted: March 10, 2020

Some of the teachers and admins are the bullies.

Posted: January 16, 2020

easy 9 out of 10 if you want a great school with amazing teachers and faculty that cares then this was for you the scores of tests and extracurricular activities is a strong reflection of how the school operates and I can't recommend it enough

Posted: January 16, 2020

over the many schools that I've been to the teachers here are some of the nicest most caring individuals I have ever met these teachers truly are to die for

Posted: January 16, 2020

the teachers aren't afraid to give you a real life circumstances in their lectures or their activities I've learned a lot of life skills by going to the school

Posted: January 16, 2020

the new admins in the school have the truly shown it to really care about the average student such as standing outside and greeting every one of them in the morning no matterhow cold it is

Posted: January 16, 2020

I've had my own troubles from grades from medical complications and the counselors and teachers are more than willing to give you extra help in order to keep you up with the normal students.

Posted: January 16, 2020

overall The bullying rates in the school seem fairly low from my own experiences but I haven't really been affected by it and when I have been I've gone straight to admins and they've done their best to fix the situation

Posted: May 22, 2019

the teachers genuinely do not care if a kid is struggling with work or mental health, they are oblivious to everything happening in their classrooms don't bother asking them for anything except for more homework and tests

Posted: May 22, 2019

the school pressures students so hard academically that they learn to be deceptive, defensive, and dishonourable to keep themselves from getting in trouble

Posted: May 22, 2019

the teachers have one way of teaching and if you don't understand they will try to make you understand their way while getting frustrated

Posted: May 22, 2019

teachers do not stop racial slurs or other insults to minorities even when spoken in close vicinity to them, do not expect any discipline here

Posted: May 22, 2019

zero out of ten, this school boasts academic advancement while disregarding the students who have trouble keeping up with the insane expectations, the teachers do not help or care about the kids, every program is neglected in favour of football (even other athletic programs) since there are hardly any consequences for bullying, kids become liberal in their usage of slurs and inappropriate and appalling language making the experience of targeted students hellish

Posted: June 11, 2018

We absolutely LOVE this school! All the schools in the district are good but we chose Palmer Ridge HS. because it seem to stand out in all areas but Especially Choral and Drama Departments. We are so lucky to have found this school

Posted: May 18, 2018

Top notch! It was the perfect fit for my child and provided him with ample opportunity to challenge himself, develop his skills and passions, and excel academically and artistically. He went on to a top college in NYC well prepared for the rigor of the work in college.

Posted: May 18, 2018

Free period and study hall and some working in class lets kids who want to, get most of their homework done at school.

Posted: May 18, 2018

Some of the best teachers we've encountered. Effective and passionate about their subject and achieving local, regional, state, and country-wide bests.

Posted: May 18, 2018

There are many opportunities throughout the district to focus on character from SourcesOfStrength to ValueUp to Rachel's Friends to You Can Eat with Me to NHS.

Posted: May 18, 2018

My experience was with the gifted program. They have a talented coordinator who offers unique programming. For the first 3 years she covered both high schools alone. Now they've hired someone to assist.

Posted: May 18, 2018

My child did not have any experience with bullying but I think the district does have programs to counter this from elementary to middle to high school.

Posted: March 14, 2018

Awesome experience! Both of my students graduated from PR with a strong work ethic and morals. The younger of the two is doing well in college and my older student graduated and was well equipped to enter into trade school and a career.
Kudos to the staff they were top notch throughout my kids years. The Math and Social Studies departments definitely set the bar high but were always willing to meet with my students to go over anything they were struggling with.

Posted: March 14, 2018

Posted: March 13, 2018

Awful. Horrible. Bad. A multi-year disengaged administration has led to the downfall of PR. The board took its eyes off them and they plummeted. Complete fail!

Posted: March 13, 2018

Posted: March 12, 2018

We will be transferring to LP next year. Too many helicopter moms at this school. They probably feel like they need to be there because the faculty is not qualified.

Posted: March 12, 2018

Too much homework in comparison to other schools my children have attended. The classroom isn't being used to teach it seems.

Posted: March 12, 2018

Foul mouths! I couldn't believe some of the things my children tell me that teachers/coaches say to the students. A bit trashy.

Posted: March 12, 2018

It is a top down approach and it appears to be getting worse.

Posted: March 12, 2018

Posted: October 17, 2017

Weakest I have ever seen! I cannot believe this has been going on for so long. Happy to be moving on next year.

Posted: October 17, 2017

Comical. The Seniors are miserable due to the inadequate leadership.

Posted: September 25, 2017

I don't even know where to start with my unhappiness. This school has been nothing but a disappointment from inconsistencies regarding punishments, non-communicative admins, to disrespectful front office staff. Regretting our decision of PR over LP!! Don't make the same mistake we did. The staff will tell you if you don't like the way they handle something, there is another high school in the district and that you can transfer. Wow!!

Posted: September 8, 2017

By far, the worst school experience ever!! The blame falls squarely on Administration. The Principal's "no" attitude about anything extracurricular is a direct result of his inability to work WITH parents. He has isolated himself from the community and does not engage with the student body. Sadly, his peers follow suit. He hired an Athletic Director with no experience as an AD nor did newly hired AD play sports. How can he oversee a 4A school's athletic program?! Please save this school by hiring strong leadership. Complete turnover in Administration is necessary immediately!!

Posted: September 8, 2017

Posted: September 6, 2017

We have had 3 kids go through Palmer Ridge High School. One just graduated this past year, and he feels his classes prepared him well for college. No school is perfect, but we have found many of our kids' teachers to be passionate, skilled in the art of instruction and willing to meet before or after school. Great overall experience.

Posted: September 6, 2017

Posted: September 3, 2017

Weak leadership. Several openings and that is a direct result of lack of leadership.

Posted: September 3, 2017

Posted: August 14, 2017

Do not expect support from Administration at Palmer Ridge High School. You are on your own to resolve issues.

Posted: August 14, 2017

I scored this low as there seems to be a lack of support across the board from an administrative perspective.

Posted: August 14, 2017

I don't see how one can build character when they show such a lack of interest in the wellbeing of a child.

Posted: August 14, 2017

Not what I expected from a D38 school. I am surprised and disappointed.

Posted: July 27, 2017

There are a lack of volunteers at this school. You may want to ask yourselves why. Administration runs the volunteers off. I volunteered my last event last year.

Posted: July 27, 2017

PRHS has been a great fit for our son. The staff is excellent, the leadership amazing and the student body great. He had many opportunities for advanced classes that he would not have had elsewhere.

Posted: July 26, 2017

Weak athletic program. Football has the only qualified coach.

Posted: July 26, 2017

You can't build strong character when those in leadership positions have no morals and ethics.

Posted: July 26, 2017

If you are considering this school, do your research. It is not what you have been told it is. Bad school due to the leadership. Weak!!

Posted: July 20, 2017

ZERO. This school is setting out to destroy the middle class.

Posted: January 24, 2017

They fix the results of testing to justify denial of IEPs. Teachers give Answers on tests to pass failing students and the IEO deot lues outright. They lued and told a 17 year old student's parents that he was performing at his grade level. We withdrew him, put him back in a private middle school outside the district, and he tested TWICE to be performing at a 6th-7th grade level! He tested at a private high school for entry to 9th grade with the same results! Palmer Ridge would have graduated an 18 year old performing at 6th grade level! These people are experts at fudging student performance for government dollars and care NOT one bit if the student is failing, and even go to lengths to HIDE when they are!

Posted: January 24, 2017

There is NO leadership and bullying is ignored.

Posted: January 24, 2017

Thus school openly declared that they wanted Hillary for President, even though only 36% of the students polled agreed with that assumption. They are biased, politically belligerent and left leaning in the teacher body! They try to "convert' their innocent conservative students to leftist ideology.

Posted: January 24, 2017

Awful teachers. They are lazy, pass the buck, and don't give a damn if a student us struggling. Ultra liberal and rude.

Posted: January 24, 2017

We moved to this school district based on the "positive ratings" online. Big mistake. Teachers told our son they would offer "no extra help" when he struggled with work, claiming he needed an "IEP" to qualify for their undivided attention for a few minutes. Then the school also REFUSED to allow us to apply or even be HEARD for an IEP, despite Children's Hospital's written request. For 2 years, the insensitive teachers continued to pile on more work for our son, with no mercy or compassion as his grades fell lower and lower with each passing day. A Hispanic student stole our son's IPOD, and when we had to get the police involved because the school mocked us for our concerns, we discovered the thief had gang ties in nearby Colo Spgs, and he was allowed to taunt our son daily at school, singing rap songs about killing people and printing photos of his friends in gang wear with weapons. After 2 years, we pulled our hard working son who was 17, out. We had him tested at a private school, and was proven to be academically at a 7th grade level. Palmer Ridge would have seen him graduate at this level, fudging his grades at his life's expense for their own benefit and " good reviews ". Buyer beware!

Posted: March 17, 2016

Our son has gone through the district from kindergarten through high school. Along the way he has had many teachers, paraprofessionals, staff and administrators who have had a huge impact on his life. These folk have taken the time to get to know him and to meet his needs and to push him to achieve. The whole district has high expectations and high results. The parents are involved and the community as a whole is very supportive. LPSD had great programs for gifted and special needs kids, superb music and arts options and a wide range of clubs, sports and activities to meet almost any interest you can think of. When we moved here in 1992 our real estate agent pointed out how good the schools were. At the time we did not have kids or plans for kids. Once we did we realized how lucky we were and LPSD has exceeded our expectations. Recently we had the opportunity to consider moving out of the district but realized immediately that the is NO WAY we would do so in our son's final years of high school.

Posted: January 5, 2015

I agree with the previous writer, wonderful school, marvelous teachers and excellent selection of curriculum. As a young retired military family this is our son's 5th school district and I would say top notch not only in the state but in the country. It took me 6 months of research to select this school district and I do not regret any of it. Not only do I have a student at Palmer Ridge but at Lewis Palmer Elementary school as well and both school have caring staff. This school district deserves all the awards for top school and I am very sorry that outside political groups who do not even belong to the district or do not even have children attending any of the schools in the district are trying to make things difficult. With the results that the students who attend these schools produce I do not understand their goal because these school have produced students that are attending Annapolis Naval Officer School and the Air Force Academy as well. As a retired military family having the opportunity to have our children attend these schools is an honor and these public schools will not be put down by just a few that have nothing better to do.

Posted: May 25, 2013

PR has exceeded our expectations in every way. When you walk into PR, you know it is different. It's culture is warm and welcoming, the staff and students are positive and everyone is in pursuit of excellence. The course offerings are substantial, the sports teams are strong, the extra curricular clubs and activities are impressive, and EVERYONE can find a place where they "fit" at PR!

Posted: February 11, 2013

I am a freshmen at Palmer Ridge and I can not imagine a better school. Even in the short time I've been at the school, it is constantly improving. Painting new murals on the walls, adding new classes and programs, and much more! It is an amazing building and all the teachers are amazing. I can not say I have had, or know anyone who has had, a really bad teacher, and all of my teachers have been more than willing to go above and beyond to help me and other students. We have tons of different clubs, and a lot of our sports teams are great. Our soccer team went to state as did cross country, field hockey, I think softball, and I think some other sports teams! The students are amazing too! As a freshmen, I expected to be ignored at best and taunted at worst by upperclassmen, so I was very surprised that everyone is sooooo nice!! Some of my good friends are Juniors, Seniors, and Sophomores, and there is just about zero bullying in the school. As far as I've heard, we also have much less of a drug problem than the other local high school, LP. The counselors also work with you to really customize your schedule to your needs. In the end, I would recommend PR to anyone. GO BEARS!!!!!!

Posted: July 17, 2012

As a student at Palmer Ridge High School I could not be more pleased with everything! Everyone is so warm and welcoming- students and staff! Though I struggled in various subjects, my teachers personally reached out and always wanted to see me succeed. I could tell they genuinely cared about their students well being! The principal is such a nice guy and often would take the time to chat with students about life, school, and how they are doing in general. It is very evident district 38 did a fantastic job of employing the staff and faculty at Palmer Ridge. As for the comment about drugs and racial problems, I am a latino hispanic student and would never even think of this district as being anything close to discriminative. I have never encountered drugs as a problem and feel very assured the staff would take immediate action if it were a problem. I can honestly say this school readily prepared me for college and went above and beyond standard preperation. I wouldn't of wanted to spend my high school days anywhere else! GO BEARS

Posted: July 16, 2012

This is a Great school! All of the teachers and staff are kind and helpful and it is very easy for students to make friends. My daughter was accepted right away and encountered no unfriendly students. She said it was exceptional. Staff is awesome as well.

Posted: November 30, 2011

Palmer Ridge High School is an incredible high school with a unique environment, engaging classes, and interested teachers. As a student at PR I could not be more grateful for my school. The environment is unlike any other in that it is welcoming, friendly, challenging, and encouraging. Every one of my teachers has taken an interest in me as a student and done everything they can to help me succeed. Palmer Ridge is a place where students' full potentials are ignited and pursued. I have seen students at this school do so many incredible things in such a short time of PR being a school. Our school is truly an incredible school with people that are even more incredible. Aaaaaand GO BEARS!

Posted: November 29, 2011

My daughter attended Palmer Ridge starting with its inception and was part of the very proud first graduating class of 2011. Not only was the experience of establishing traditions in a high school unforgettable, but she obtained an excellent education from an enthusiastic and engaged faculty. The school's environment is welcoming, the principal and administration have an open door policy, and parent volunteerism is unprecedented. Thus far heading into finals in her first semester of college, my daughter is holding a 4.0 GPA (higher than her high school performance level) and all because she was well prepared for college work. This is a great school and school district that I would recommend to anyone seeking the finest!

Posted: November 29, 2011

Palmer Ridge is only 4 years old and is quickly rising above many other local high schools. The school is known for excellence in academics, sports, and arts. PR has held an 89% pass-rate on AP tests (whose national average is 51%), is home to a student who got a perfect 36 on the ACT, and has an excellent leadership curriculum through their Student Council program. We have a quickly growing athletic department who has already won 2 Ice Hockey state championships (in our 4 years open), and our arts department has the highest quality equipment and puts on exceptional, professional, productions and performances. Student life is very positive and spirited, having won local spirit awards (compared to other local schools), and there is a genuine feeling of care and respect for one another at PR. Additionally, the facility is gorgeous and brand new, giving students great opportunities to excel in anything they want to. As a student, I am more than happy with Palmer Ridge and would never want to go anywhere else. GO BEARS!

#	Name	Type	City	State	Distance
1	Forest Lakes	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Monument	CO	3.7 mi
2	Flying Horse	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Colorado Springs	CO	7.6 mi
3	Cordera	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Colorado Springs	CO	12 mi
4	Wolf Ranch (Briargate)	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Colorado Springs	CO	12.7 mi
5	Wolf Ranch	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Colorado Springs	CO	13.2 mi
6	Briargate - Fairfax	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Colorado Springs	CO	13.3 mi
7	Mountain Shadows	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Colorado Springs	CO	13.6 mi
8	Dakota Ridge	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Colorado Springs	CO	14.8 mi
9	Stetson Hills	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Colorado Springs	CO	16.5 mi
10	Meridian Ranch	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Peyton	CO	16.8 mi
11	Falcon	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Peyton	CO	16.8 mi
12	Pronghorn Meadows	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Colorado Springs	CO	17.9 mi
13	Windmill Apartments	Apartment Complex	Colorado Springs	CO	20.8 mi
14	Cheyenne Mountain	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Colorado Springs	CO	23 mi
15	Comanche Village	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Fort carson	CO	25.1 mi
16	Security Valley	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Colorado Springs	CO	25.6 mi
17	Fountain Valley	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Colorado Springs	CO	28.3 mi
18	Sterling Hills West	Area of Town	Aurora	CO	38.9 mi
19	Cherry Creek	Neighborhood/Subdivision	Denver	CO	42.3 mi

#	Name	City	State	Distance
1	North Gate Blvd	Colorado Springs	CO	6.9 mi
2	Colorado Springs Co	Colorado Springs	CO	19.3 mi
3	Manitou Springs	Colorado Springs	CO	22.2 mi
4	North Cheyenne Canyon	Colorado Springs	CO	22.4 mi

Base	Distance
US Air Force Academy	7.5 mi.
Peterson AFB	22 mi.
Cheyenne Mountain Air Station	25.4 mi.
Fort Carson	26 mi.
Schriever AFB	27.4 mi.
Buckley AFB	41.1 mi.

Palmer Ridge High School

Monument, CO 80132

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Palmer Ridge High School

Monument, CO 80132

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