A teacher at Prairie Heights Middle School for the past 17 years, Candy Gonzales said she has found her “dream job.”

“We have a very welcoming school culture. Our staff, we’re family. We’re not just co-workers. We’re not just colleagues. We’re family,” Gonzales said.

That welcoming culture, combined with the school’s academic achievements and overall commitment to students and staff, has landed Prairie Heights on the “2026 Colorado Schools to Watch” list.

The Greeley-Evans District 6 school was one of just four schools across the state to receive the designation awarded by the Colorado Association of Middle Level Education, a nonprofit that connects middle-level educators.

This is the first time Prairie Heights Middle School, 3737 65th Ave., in Evans has appeared on the schools to watch list.

The other schools were Centennial Middle School in Montrose, Corwin International Magnet School in Pueblo and Westview Middle School in Longmont.

Schools can apply for the recognition, kicking off a process that includes a site visit by a trained review team to validate the school’s practices. The reviewers observe classroom instruction, interview people at the school and analyze achievement data, discipline trends, instructional quality and evidence of student learning.

Katie Gustafson, the state director for Schools to Watch at the Colorado Association of Middle Level Education, participated in Prairie Heights Middle School’s site review. She said the team tries to get a “360-degree view” of what is happening at the school. Schools are judged based on their excellence in academic achievement, developmental responsiveness, social equity and organizational structures.The fact that 90% of students participate in extracurricular activities at Prairie Heights stood out to Gustafson, as did the community’s support for the middle school.

“Middle school, I believe, is our last best chance to get kids hooked and excited about education,” said Gustafson, who is also the executive principal at Flagstaff Academy in Longmont.

Since 2018, Prairie Heights Middle School has earned a “performance plan” rating, which is the Colorado Department of Education’s highest rating for school performance.

“We’re really proud of that work,” Prairie Heights principal Jessica Cooney said. “It comes from having an incredible staff and outstanding teachers.”

Prairie Heights has one of the lowest teacher turnover rates in District 6.

“We take care of each other, and we’re always willing to stand up for each other,” Gonzales said.

Prairie Heights has a mentoring program where every student has a trusted teacher who they get one-on-one mentoring time with to discuss their academic and social needs.

Prairie Heights Middle School is one of more than 100 schools that will be recognized nationwide at the National Schools to Watch Conference in Washington D.C. in June.

“Prairie Heights has cultivated a learning environment where students are supported, challenged and inspired to succeed,” District 6 Superintendent Deirdre Pilch said. “Through the dedication of its leadership and staff, the school has strengthened partnerships with families and kept student achievement at the center of its work. We are incredibly proud of the entire Prairie Heights community and this well-earned recognition.”