{"id":11719,"date":"2014-07-10T00:02:05","date_gmt":"2014-07-10T07:02:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/highlandfreeschool.org\/?page_id=11719"},"modified":"2026-08-09T22:21:33","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T05:21:33","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/","title":{"rendered":"What Makes Us Unique"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>The educational philosophy at Highland is based upon the fact that children are naturally inquisitive and excited by learning. <em>Our goal is to keep that inquisitiveness alive.<\/em>\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><div id=\"metaslider-id-13302\" style=\"width: 100%;\" class=\"ml-slider-3-113-1 metaslider metaslider-flex metaslider-13302 ml-slider ms-theme-outline nav-hidden\" role=\"region\" aria-label=\"New Slideshow\" data-height=\"350\" data-width=\"500\">\n    <div id=\"metaslider_container_13302\">\n        <div id=\"metaslider_13302\">\n            <ul class='slides'>\n                <li style=\"display: block; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-13366 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2024-09-01 21:40:06\" data-filename=\"pic6-2-500x350.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pic6-2-500x350.jpg\" height=\"350\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-13302 slide-13366 msDefaultImage\" title=\"pic6\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-13364 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2024-09-01 21:40:06\" data-filename=\"pic9-2-395x277.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pic9-2-395x277.jpg\" height=\"350\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-13302 slide-13364 msDefaultImage\" title=\"pic9\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-13365 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2024-09-01 21:40:06\" data-filename=\"pic8-2-404x283.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pic8-2-404x283.jpg\" height=\"350\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-13302 slide-13365 msDefaultImage\" title=\"pic8\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; 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width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-13363 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2024-09-01 21:40:06\" data-filename=\"pic0-2-405x283.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pic0-2-405x283.jpg\" height=\"350\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-13302 slide-13363 msDefaultImage\" title=\"pic0\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-13370 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2024-09-01 21:40:06\" data-filename=\"pic-6-2-500x350.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pic-6-2-500x350.jpg\" height=\"350\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-13302 slide-13370 msDefaultImage\" title=\"pic 6\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-13371 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2024-09-01 21:40:06\" data-filename=\"pic11-2-500x350.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pic11-2-500x350.jpg\" height=\"350\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-13302 slide-13371 msDefaultImage\" title=\"pic11\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-13372 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2024-09-01 21:40:06\" data-filename=\"pic-1-3-500x350.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/pic-1-3-500x350.jpg\" height=\"350\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-13302 slide-13372 msDefaultImage\" title=\"pic 1\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-13373 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2024-09-01 21:40:06\" data-filename=\"IMG_6102-2-scaled-500x350.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/IMG_6102-2-scaled-500x350.jpg\" height=\"350\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-13302 slide-13373 msDefaultImage\" title=\"IMG_6102\" \/><\/li>\n                <li style=\"display: none; width: 100%;\" class=\"slide-13422 ms-image \" aria-roledescription=\"slide\" data-date=\"2025-03-19 21:14:35\" data-filename=\"IMG_0100-scaled-500x350.jpg\" data-slide-type=\"image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/IMG_0100-scaled-500x350.jpg\" height=\"350\" width=\"500\" alt=\"\" class=\"slider-13302 slide-13422 msDefaultImage\" title=\"IMG_0100\" \/><\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n        <\/div>\n        \n    <\/div>\n<\/div><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Our School Features<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">* STEM and Social Studies Integrated Thematic Units<br \/>\n* Project-Based Learning<br \/>\n* Low Student\/Teacher Ratios<br \/>\n* Multi-age Classrooms<br \/>\n* Advanced Technology<br \/>\n* Hands-On Activities<\/h3>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>General School Information<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">Highland Free School has been a part of the Tucson community since 1970. Located in the Barrio San Antonio neighborhood (just south of the U of A), Highland is a non-profit elementary school that provides students from across the metropolitan area with a unique academic environment.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The educational philosophy at Highland is based upon the fact that children are naturally inquisitive and excited by learning. Our goal is to keep that inquisitiveness alive. Highland Free School wants to create an environment that stimulates students to explore, create and learn at their own pace. To enable children to individually explore the potential of a situation or learning experience, children will be given the chance to develop independence, self-confidence and self-discipline by making choices and taking responsibility for those choices.\u00a0 Our curriculum is aligned with the Arizona College and Career Ready Standards and includes integrated, thematic units that often use hands-on, innovative activities and projects designed to give students practice in applying the Arizona educational standards while strengthening their twenty-first century skills of creativity, collaboration, and communication.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a class=\"maxbutton-2 maxbutton maxbutton-student-application\" title=\"Student Application\" href=\"https:\/\/form.jotform.com\/231254611164043\"><span class='mb-text'>Student Application<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<form action=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/cgi-bin\/webscr\" method=\"post\" target=\"_top\">\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><input name=\"cmd\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"_s-xclick\" \/><br \/>\n<input name=\"hosted_button_id\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"WXJN58HJU6S2E\" \/><input alt=\"PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!\" name=\"submit\" src=\"https:\/\/www.paypalobjects.com\/en_US\/i\/btn\/btn_donateCC_LG.gif\" type=\"image\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/www.paypalobjects.com\/en_US\/i\/scr\/pixel.gif\" alt=\"\" width=\"1\" height=\"1\" border=\"0\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><a class=\"maxbutton-1 maxbutton maxbutton-facebook\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Facebook\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/highlandfreeschool\"><span class='mb-text'>Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"fb-page\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/highlandfreeschool\" data-width=\"380\" data-hide-cover=\"false\" data-show-facepile=\"false\"><\/div>\n<\/form>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/highlandteacher\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center; text-align: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0px; text-align: center;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this profile on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/highlandteacher\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Teresa Rodriguez<\/a> (@<a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/highlandteacher\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">highlandteacher<\/a>) \u2022 Instagram photos and videos<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><u>Average Teacher Salary<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Average base salary of all teachers employed in budget year 2027 = $54,201<\/li>\n<li>Average base salary of all teachers employed in budget year 2026 = $52,664\n<ul>\n<li>[Note- teachers were given a 2% raise.\u00a0 FY 25 had different staff experience level which reflects difference in salaries.]<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Average base salary of all teachers employed in budget year 2025 = $53,085\n<ul>\n<li>[Note- teachers were given a 2% raise.\u00a0 FY 24 had a different salary allocation formula.]<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Average base salary of all teachers employed in budget year 2024 = $52,565<\/li>\n<li>Average base salary of all teachers employed in budget year 2023 = $46,496<\/li>\n<li>Average base salary of all teachers employed in budget year 2022 = $44,333<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Average base salary of all teachers employed in budget year 2021 = $43,295<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Average base salary of all teachers employed in budget year 2020 = $41,233<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Average base salary of all teachers employed in budget year 2019 = $37,875<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\">Average base salary of all teachers employed in budget year 2018 = $36,000<\/li>\n<li style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>[Average salary computations do not include fringe benefits, bonuses, and extra duty pay.]<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>Non Discrimination Policy<\/u>:\u00a0 <\/strong>Highland does not limit admissions based on ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, income level, disabling condition, proficiency in the English language or athletic ability (including students of any race, ethnicity, color, or national or ethnic origin) to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally made available to students of the school; and does not discriminate on the basis of race in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies,\u00a0 and other school-administered programs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The educational philosophy at Highland is based upon the fact that children are naturally inquisitive and excited by learning. Our goal is to keep that inquisitiveness alive.\u00a0 Our School Features [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-11719","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11719","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11719"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11719\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13615,"href":"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/11719\/revisions\/13615"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.highlandfreeschool.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11719"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}