Desert Sky Middle School

dsms.vail.k12.az.us

764 Students

Middle School 6th - 8th

School Overview

Desert Sky Middle School, located in the Vail Unified School District, serves students in grades 6–8 with a strong emphasis on academic excellence and character development. As part of a high-performing district, the school is known for fostering a supportive and collaborative environment that prepares students for the transition to high school. The curriculum balances rigorous core academics with various elective opportunities, ensuring that students have access to a well-rounded educational experience that addresses both their intellectual and social-emotional growth.

The school community is defined by its commitment to student engagement and community involvement, often leveraging its location in the growing Vail area to maintain close ties with families and local stakeholders. Desert Sky places a high value on staff-student relationships, utilizing modern instructional strategies to meet diverse learning needs. By prioritizing a culture of respect, responsibility, and academic achievement, the school aims to cultivate well-prepared, confident individuals ready for success in their future educational endeavors.

764

Total Students

38.8

Full-Time Teachers

19.7

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Desert Sky Middle School
Demographic	Student Count
White	298
Hispanic	358
Black	26
Asian	21
Two or More	54
American Indian	3
Pacific Islander	4

Hispanic
358 (46.9 %)
White
298 (39.0 %)
Two or More
54 (7.1 %)
Black
26 (3.4 %)
Asian
21 (2.7 %)
Pacific Islander
4 (0.5 %)
American Indian
3 (0.4 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Middle School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Vail Unified District (4413)
Phone:	(520)879-2700
Website:	http://dsms.vail.k12.az.us
Grade Range:	6th - 8th
Total Students:	764
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	38.8
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	19.7
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes participating without using any Provision or the CEO
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 6 235

Grade 7 253

Grade 8 276

Grades Taught Data Table

Grades Taught and Student Counts for Desert Sky Middle School
Grade	Student Count
Grade 6	235
Grade 7	253
Grade 8	276

Gender Ratio

Student Gender Ratio Data Table

Student Gender Ratio for Desert Sky Middle School
Gender	Student Count	Percentage
Female	380	49.7%
Male	384	50.3%

Middle School 6th - 8th