Meet the Cienega Principal

Kim Middleton is in her fourth year as the proud Principal of Cienega High School. Prior to stepping into her role as Principal, Mrs. Middleton served on the Bobcat Nation campus as an Assistant Principal and a Senior English teacher. When asked what her favorite part about being Principal is she responded, "Cienega High school is a truly special place filled with adults who love taking care of young people and each other. The culture of care woven throughout our classrooms and our campus makes Bobcat Nation special and me very proud to be a Bobcat."

Why Cienega

CHS provides students with a wide-range of educational and cultural experiences which produces successful and well-rounded high school graduates through connections, high standards, and success.

• Cienega cultivates a culture focused on academic excellence, and 75% of CHS students are connected to a fine arts program, athletic program, or student run club.

• CHS has 16 advanced placement courses (including AP Capstone program), 10 dual enrollment classes, 13 Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes, and has an AP Honor Roll Distinction.

• CHS has an AVID College Readiness Program.

Vail Scholar Programs:

The Vail School District offers specific supports for families who have students who are high achieving and academically motivated. Each school has a program that is slightly different; however the focus of each of these programs is to prepare students for admittance into highly selective universities and/or programs within universities. Click HERE to learn more about Cienega's scholar program.

Find Us

Learn More

Electives and Athletics

Transportation Policy and Attendance Boundaries

Vail USD High School Transportation Policy

High school students residing within a mile and a half radius with walking paths to the school do not receive bus transportation to and from school unless hazardous or difficult walking routes exist.

Cienega and Mica Mountain Attendance Boundaries

It is the mission of the Vail School District to provide parents with safe and nurturing school communities where their children can obtain a quality education. We also believe in providing parents with a choice of the high school that their children attend. We have created six unique and high quality high schools for this purpose. Through the high school choice process, you will have the opportunity to learn more about each of the high schools and choose the school that is the best fit for your child. 

All eligible high schools in Vail are “A” rated by the Arizona Department of Education and have received the prestigious A+ School of Excellence distinction from the Arizona Educational Foundation. Our two largest comprehensive high schools, Mica Mountain High School (MMHS) and Cienega High School (CHS), were intentionally designed to offer similar courses, activities, extra curricular activities, fine arts programming, etc.

In an effort to balance enrollment at the high schools and maximize the number of families receiving their first choice option, fixed attendance boundaries for Cienega High School (CHS) and Mica Mountain High School (MMHS) were established and approved that provide a designated large comprehensive high school for every 8th grader in Vail. The other Vail high schools including Andrada Polytechnic High School, Empire High School, Vail Academy and High School, and the Vail Innovation Center remain choice options with transportation offered for all Vail students. 

The following neighborhoods are now in the attendance boundaries for MMHS and CHS:

• Neighborhoods Assigned to Mica Mountain High School (MMHS) Attendance Boundary: Civano, Saguaro Trails, Sierra Morado, Mesquite Ranch, Rincon Foothills Estates and surrounding areas, Rocking K Estates (original Rocking K neighborhood), Desert Willow Estates, and the Jumping Cholla neighborhood.

• Neighborhoods Assigned to Cienega High School (CHS) Attendance Boundary: All neighborhoods not listed above including neighborhoods already located  in the current CHS transportation zone, Rita Ranch, La Estancia, Desert Stone, Vista Montana, New Rocking K Development, and Sycamore Park.

Vail families wishing for their children to attend the comprehensive high school outside of their attendance boundary will still have the opportunity to attend that school if space is available. If there is more interest than space, a lottery will be held for enrollment at the alternate comprehensive high school.

This change does not impact currently enrolled students at MMHS or CHS.

We look forward to working with you as your 8th graders begin the transition to high school and as families explore the many strong options available within the Vail School District. Vail USD High School Transportation Policy

Students who live beyond the mile and a half radius receive transportation to Cienega IF they reside in the Cienega attendance boundary.