Lewis-Palmer School District

Lewis-Palmer School District 38

Lewis-Palmer School District 38 is a public school district located in northern El Paso County, Colorado. The district serves communities including Monument, Palmer Lake, Woodmoor, and parts of the northern Black Forest area. Its central administrative office is located in Monument, Colorado. The district is commonly known as D38 and provides education from early childhood and elementary school through middle and high school.

The district is an important part of the Tri-Lakes community and provides a range of educational opportunities designed to serve students with different academic interests and learning needs. According to Colorado's current SchoolView data, Lewis-Palmer 38 serves approximately 6,318 students across 10 schools during the 2025–2026 school year. The district's superintendent is Amber Whetstine.

Location and Community: Lewis-Palmer School District

Lewis-Palmer School District 38 is situated north of Colorado Springs and south of the Denver metropolitan area. Its location provides families with access to the communities of Monument and Palmer Lake while also placing them relatively close to larger urban areas.

The district describes its educational identity around the idea of a small community offering significant opportunities. This combination can be attractive to families looking for public schools in a community-oriented setting while still wanting access to advanced academic, athletic, career, and extracurricular programs.

The district's service area includes Palmer Lake, Monument, Woodmoor, and northern portions of Black Forest. Colorado Department of Education information describes the district as serving approximately 6,500 students and identifies a diverse student population alongside gifted education, special education, and multilingual learner services.

The surrounding area also provides access to outdoor recreation, parks, trails, and the broader Colorado Springs region. For families moving to the area, the combination of schools, residential communities, and access to Colorado's outdoor environment can be an important consideration.

Schools Within the District: Lewis-Palmer School District

Lewis-Palmer School District 38 operates a collection of elementary, middle, and high schools. The district's current school list includes Bear Creek Elementary School, Lewis-Palmer Elementary School, Lewis-Palmer Middle School, Lewis-Palmer High School, Palmer Lake Elementary School, Palmer Ridge High School, Prairie Winds Elementary School, Ray E. Kilmer Elementary School, and Monument Academy's schools.

The district's schools serve students at different stages of education.

At the elementary level, students receive foundational instruction in literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, and other subjects. Elementary schools also provide opportunities for gifted education, special education, counseling, intervention, enrichment, and extracurricular activities.

At the middle-school level, students transition toward greater academic independence and begin exploring more specialized subjects and activities.

At the high-school level, students can choose from traditional academic courses as well as advanced, career and technical education, athletics, arts, and other extracurricular opportunities.

Lewis-Palmer High School: Lewis-Palmer School District

Lewis-Palmer High School is one of the district's two comprehensive high schools.

The school serves grades 9 through 12 and provides a broad high-school curriculum. Students can take courses designed to prepare them for four-year universities, colleges, technical education, military careers, or direct entry into the workforce.

Academic opportunities can include advanced coursework, electives, arts, athletics, career education, and other enrichment activities.

The school also has a long history within the local community. Its history is connected with the original Lewis School, which was constructed in Monument in 1920. The district's historical identity remains closely connected to the development of the Monument community.

For families considering the school, academics are only one part of the experience. Athletics, clubs, performing arts, student organizations, and community activities can provide students with opportunities to develop leadership, teamwork, and communication skills.

Palmer Ridge High School: Lewis-Palmer School District

Palmer Ridge High School is the district's second comprehensive high school.

Palmer Ridge opened in 2008 as the district expanded and needed additional high-school capacity. It serves grades 9 through 12 and provides students with academic, extracurricular, athletic, and career-oriented opportunities.

Career and technical education is an important part of the district's overall educational offering. Areas represented within the district's high-school pathways include business and marketing, digital media and communication, engineering and STEM, industrial design and construction, and information technology, computer science, and cybersecurity.

The school also has a distinctive environmental design. District information highlights its geothermal heating system as part of its sustainability features.

For students interested in STEM, technology, business, or career preparation, these programs can complement traditional academic coursework.

Lewis-Palmer Middle School: Lewis-Palmer School District

Lewis-Palmer Middle School serves middle-school students, primarily in grades 7 and 8.

Middle school is an important transition between elementary and high school. Students begin to experience more specialized courses and greater academic independence.

Lewis-Palmer Middle School offers academic programs alongside enrichment and extracurricular opportunities. Students can participate in activities that allow them to explore interests outside the core curriculum.

The district also provides online learning opportunities, including online middle-school programming for eligible students. This can provide additional flexibility for certain families and students.

Elementary Education: Lewis-Palmer School District

Lewis-Palmer School District 38 operates several elementary schools serving younger students.

These include Bear Creek Elementary, Lewis-Palmer Elementary, Palmer Lake Elementary, Prairie Winds Elementary, and Ray E. Kilmer Elementary.

Lewis-Palmer Elementary School serves students from pre-kindergarten through sixth grade and is one of the district's established elementary schools. Colorado SchoolView lists 377 students at the school for the 2025–2026 school year.

Elementary education focuses on building strong foundations in reading, writing, mathematics, science, social studies, and social-emotional development. Students may also have access to gifted education, special education, counseling, intervention, technology, and enrichment.

The district's elementary schools serve different residential communities, so families should determine their neighborhood school based on their home address.

Academic Performance: Lewis-Palmer School District

Academic performance is an important consideration for families evaluating a school district.

According to Colorado Department of Education data, Lewis-Palmer School District 38 had a 93.2% four-year graduation rate for 2024–2025, compared with a statewide rate of 85.6%. Its attendance rate for 2024–2025 was 94.2%, compared with 91.4% statewide. The district's reported dropout rate was no more than 0.5%, compared with 1.6% statewide.

These figures suggest that the district has strong overall student persistence and graduation outcomes.

However, families should look beyond district-wide numbers. Individual school performance can differ, and academic results can change from year to year. Parents should examine the specific school their child would attend, including academic programs, student support, class offerings, extracurricular opportunities, and school culture.

Advanced and Specialized Programs

Lewis-Palmer School District 38 offers programs intended to meet students with different academic needs.

Gifted and talented education is one component. Colorado data for 2025–2026 show approximately 10.6% of district students identified as gifted and talented. Special education services represent approximately 10.5% of students.

The district also has programs supporting multilingual learners, students with disabilities, and students requiring other educational services.

At the secondary level, career and technical education provides students with opportunities to explore career fields before graduating from high school. This can be particularly useful for students who want to develop practical skills alongside academic knowledge.

The district also operates innovative programs and online learning options.

Career and Technical Education: Lewis-Palmer School District

Career and technical education, commonly called CTE, is becoming an increasingly important component of American high-school education.

Lewis-Palmer's CTE opportunities allow students to explore areas connected to potential careers and post-secondary education.

Programs and pathways include areas such as engineering, STEM, information technology, cybersecurity, business, marketing, digital media, communication, industrial design, and construction.

The district has also highlighted a Career & Innovation Center, including specialized opportunities such as electronics engineering and manufacturing.

Such programs can help students connect classroom learning with practical applications. Students can develop technical knowledge, problem-solving skills, teamwork abilities, and career awareness.

Extracurricular Activities and Athletics

Education at Lewis-Palmer is not limited to classroom instruction.

Students can participate in sports, clubs, performing arts, music, student government, academic organizations, and community-service activities.

Athletics can be an important part of student life, particularly at the high-school level. Teams provide students with opportunities to develop discipline, teamwork, leadership, and resilience.

The district has also highlighted athletic achievements in its recent success stories, including a Lewis-Palmer High School girls' wrestling team championship in the Pikes Peak Athletic Conference.

Extracurricular activities can also help students develop relationships and discover interests that may influence their future education or careers.

Student Enrollment: Lewis-Palmer School District

Families moving into the district generally need to complete the appropriate enrollment process.

The district provides an enrollment section covering new-student enrollment, choice enrollment, foreign-exchange students, and related information.

A student's assigned neighborhood school is generally determined by the family's residential address. Families should use the district's school-finder and boundary information before making assumptions about school assignment.

The district also offers choice enrollment, sometimes called open enrollment. This allows eligible families to request enrollment at a school other than their assigned neighborhood school, subject to available space and staffing.

For the 2026–2027 school year, the priority choice window began in January and ended February 13, 2026. Applications after the priority window can be considered through the district's limited choice process, subject to availability.

Transportation: Lewis-Palmer School District

Transportation is another important consideration for families.

The district operates school transportation for eligible students, with transportation policies and eligibility determined by district rules. Families should check the current transportation information based on their home address and the school their child attends.

For the 2026–2027 school year, current district transportation information indicates a fee structure for eligible riders, including an unlimited-rides option and a family cap. Transportation availability and fees can change, so families should verify the current arrangements before budgeting or relying on bus transportation.

Support for Students

A strong school district needs to serve students with different abilities and circumstances.

Lewis-Palmer provides special education services, gifted education, multilingual learner support, counseling, academic intervention, and other student services.

According to Colorado's 2025–2026 data, approximately 1.9% of district students were classified as English learners, while approximately 5.3% had Section 504 status.

These services can be particularly important for families relocating from other states or countries.

Parents should contact the district before enrollment if their child has an Individualized Education Program, Section 504 plan, English-language-learning needs, or other educational requirements. Early communication can help ensure that appropriate services are considered during enrollment.

Community and District Philosophy

The district presents itself as a community-focused school system offering opportunities across academic and extracurricular areas.

Its location in the Tri-Lakes region contributes to a relatively close relationship between schools and the communities they serve.

The district's official messaging emphasizes the idea of a small community with big opportunities. This reflects an effort to combine community identity with a broad educational offering.

The district also maintains a board of education, administrative departments, student services, transportation, technology services, curriculum and instruction, and other functions necessary to operate a modern public school system.

Why Families May Consider Lewis-Palmer: Lewis-Palmer School District

There are several reasons families may consider Lewis-Palmer School District 38.

First, academic performance is a major consideration. The district's recent graduation and attendance rates are above Colorado statewide figures.

Second, the district offers choice. Families can potentially access different educational environments through multiple elementary schools, two comprehensive high schools, specialized programs, online education, and choice enrollment.

Third, career preparation is increasingly important. CTE pathways provide students with opportunities to explore technical and professional fields.

Fourth, extracurricular opportunities allow students to develop interests outside traditional academic subjects.

Fifth, location is attractive to families who want a Colorado community north of Colorado Springs while remaining within reach of the broader Front Range.

Things Families Should Consider

Despite its strengths, families should carefully evaluate their individual circumstances.

School boundaries matter. Living in a particular neighborhood does not necessarily mean that every school in the district is automatically available.

Choice enrollment is also dependent on capacity and staffing. A family should not assume that a requested school will have an available place.

Housing costs and transportation should also be considered when relocating to the district.

Parents should visit schools when possible, speak with administrators and teachers, examine course catalogs, and consider whether the school's culture and programs match their child's needs.

For students entering high school, families should pay particular attention to graduation requirements, advanced courses, CTE options, athletics, arts, college preparation, and career pathways.

Conclusion

Lewis-Palmer School District 38 is a public school district serving the Tri-Lakes region of northern El Paso County, Colorado. With approximately 6,318 students and 10 schools in the 2025–2026 school year, it provides education from early childhood through high school.

The district offers a broad range of opportunities, including traditional academic education, gifted programs, special education, multilingual learner services, career and technical education, online learning, athletics, arts, clubs, and other extracurricular activities.

Its two high schools, Lewis-Palmer High School and Palmer Ridge High School, provide students with comprehensive academic and extracurricular programs. Elementary and middle schools provide the foundations students need before entering secondary education.

Recent Colorado data show a 93.2% four-year graduation rate and 94.2% attendance rate, both above statewide figures.

For families considering a move to Monument, Palmer Lake, Woodmoor, or nearby areas, Lewis-Palmer School District 38 can be an important factor in evaluating the community. However, choosing a school should involve more than looking at district-wide statistics. Families should investigate individual schools, boundaries, enrollment availability, programs, transportation, student support, and their child's specific educational needs.

Overall, Lewis-Palmer School District 38 combines a community-oriented environment with a relatively broad range of academic, career, athletic, and extracurricular opportunities. Its location, educational offerings, and recent academic indicators make it a significant public-school option for families in the northern El Paso County area.

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