High School Culture in Boulder (middle school, live, military)

[NCBorn68]

We are planning a move to Boulder. I have 2 kids in middle school but my question is about high schools. All the schools look like they will provide a pretty good education, so my question is about the difference (if any) in the school "culture" of Boulder High vs Fairview High. My kids are bright and quirky and not athletic. Between the two schools is one known for being less tolerant of different personalities? My husband had a horrible high school experience in Orange County California which he attributed to the nature of the rich kids at his school and is very anxious not to put his kids through that. They have been at a Montessori school where I live now and we have loved it, but I am not expecting that we will continue with that method.

[Sobe Itsavized]

Wow, no one has responded yet. Okay, I'll bite.

My biological family has spent a lot of time on the playing fields with both schools as far as sports so that's all I can really pull my information from. The culture, as far as the student body, isn't that much different from each other. Boulder, in general, is known for being more socially-accepted than other cities in Colorado. That's no different from the schools but we're talking about schools here. Every school has its bullies.

Honestly, coming from Centaurus High School, Angevine Middle School, and Ryan Elementary school, those two schools have always been seen as the schools for "people who have more money than us." It's not like Boulder High School and Fairview High School are the only ones but that's the mindset most of us had coming Centaurus. That's what most of the students said whenever those schools came up in conversations. Of course, even if someone from Fairview or Boulder High School told you the same or differently, it wouldn't really matter. I think we all know how high school is. Every school has its bullies and bad apples (now or later in time).

Let's see if anyone disagrees.

[OhioToCO]

According to my son (junior next year at Fairview, who has a lot of friends at Boulder High), Boulder is more socially diverse, but as far as "culture" go, they are both so big, that everyone can find their "crowd". Or stay by themselves, if they choose to.
There are rich kids, poor kids, jocks, nerds and everyone in between at both schools. For the most part, they don't even interact with each other. FWIW, he is a swimmer, and he knows quite a few people from Boulder High from swimming, but there are kids at Fairview that he never sees, simply because they don't have any classes together.
I'd choose based on academics. Both schools have so much to offer in that regard. If you want an IB program for your kids, and think they would be interested - choose Fairview. If you think AP is more straightforward and recognizable - go to Boulder: they have almost all APs under the sun.

[Scott5280]

Back in the day..mid 80's Boulder High was the more bohemian, Fairview was the Jock School. From what I hear it's still somewhat that way. Rebelling and straying away from the token blue spiked mohalk, fully tatted, sleaved pierced before the rest of the US or hippie dreds at Boulder High was joining the Military or becoming an investment banker, and if your were really off the map joining a conservative think tank group. whooo!! Boulder where the hip meets the trip.


Fairview vs. Cherry Creek has long been the biggest athletic rivalry.

[NCBorn68]

Thanks for the input. I get why they are considered the schools for kids with a lot of money. Housing is crazy expensive in Boulder! I am still having sticker shock!

[brown_dog_us]

Originally Posted by NCBorn68

Thanks for the input. I get why they are considered the schools for kids with a lot of money. Housing is crazy expensive in Boulder! I am still having sticker shock!

Come on now. Everyone wants a $700k fixer upper!

It's definitely a shock, but my family has actually come to enjoy the smaller house. Easy to clean. Very little grass to mow. I can yell at my kids from anywhere in the house.