ADVANCING OUR
COMMUNITY WHEN A RIGOROUS, ACADEMIC FOUNDATION COLLIDES WITH POWERFUL, ROBUST INNOVATION As our students today are entering a complex, highly competitive workforce, unlike anything previous generations have experienced, it is essential that we provide them with the knowledge, skill, ingenuity, confidence, and capacity to advance and compete on a global scale. Toward this end, St. Vrain Valley Schools has transformed and advanced our education system to one which is characterized by extremely rigorous academics, including among the highest graduation requirements in the state, region, and nation, as well as a strategic, by design, systemic approach to ensuring our students are engaged in complex problem solving, creative thinking, innovation, teamwork, and other critically important skills. As our world is changing and accelerating at exponential rates due to unprecedented technological developments, it is imperative that we as an education system continue to advance accordingly. Our forward thinking approach of providing a strong academic foundation, bolstered significantly with robust innovation, will provide our students the quality of education that ensures a strong competitive advantage, one which will open doors to incredible opportunities across our globe. Community and industry partners have a significant role in shaping the empowered learning opportunities in our district. When you support public education, you are not just enhancing the life of a student, you are contributing to the development of our future workforce, the well-being of our community, and the acceleration of economic development. As always, I deeply appreciate our partnerships as we continue to advance student achievement and success. Sincerely,
Don Haddad, Ed.D. Superintendent @SVVSDSupt
COMMUNITY STRONG A PUBLICATION CELEBRATING THE MANY PARTNERSHIPS THAT ARE ADVANCING ST. VRAIN VALLEY SCHOOLS AND THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR NATION.
CONTENT MEET ST. VRAIN VALLEY SCHOOLS Our students are the creators, innovators, and leaders who will shape the future and drive the success of our communities, state, and nation.
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COMMUNITY STRONG Community Strong is strengthening connections between business, industry, and community.
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AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET The Entrepreneurial Zone is expanding the way we think about entrepreneurship.
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THE NUMBERS Partnerships and grants enrich the educational experience for our students.
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DEVELOPING THE HEALTH CARE LEADERS OF THE FUTURE Advanced technologies have nearly limitless potential to change health care delivery.
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COMMUNITY STRENGTH THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION The St. Vrain Valley community features a diverse mix of industries driving local, national, and global economies.
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ST. VRAIN IN MOTION St. Vrain is taking engaging learning experiences on the road.
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LIFE IS DIFFERENT
FOR TODAY’S STUDENTS Our students are the creators, innovators, and leaders who will shape the future and drive the success of our communities, state, and nation.
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INCE THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, technological change has reshaped the workplace continually, but the speed with which automation technologies are developing today, and the scale at which they could disrupt the world of work, are largely without precedent. No one can be sure exactly what tomorrow holds, but we do know that the future will need people who know their way around digital technology, have global and cultural awareness, and can innovate. In the past, education was all about reading, writing, and arithmetic, but that approach won’t prepare current students for the future. Today’s students and tomorrow’s workforce demand an education that is rooted in rigorous traditional academics while also leveraging modern technology, industry partners, and advanced learning. St. Vrain Valley Schools understands that. Every day our team works behind the scenes and on the front lines to ensure every child in our community receives a rigorous, engaging, and high-quality education. By providing our students with excellent teachers, cutting-edge technology, and safe, state-of-the-art learning environments, we are empowering them to become the future of America.
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50,700,000 students in the United States attend a public school. Approximately 33,000 attend St. Vrain Valley Schools.
#7
5,000+
We are the 7th largest school district in Colorado. 60 schools and programs serving 13 communities across 4 counties.
employees are dedicated to educating our students.
WE ARE ST. VRAIN VALLEY SCHOOLS. WE ARE THE FUTURE OF AMERICA.
677%
45,000
increase in the number of students participating in competitive robotics over the past 5 years
computing devices are being used throughout our district
24.5
credits required for graduation — among the most rigorous graduation requirements in the state
com·mu·ni·ty
: a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society
T SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL, STEM Coordinator, Amanda Giuliani, prepares the entire freshman class for another “Falcon Career Day” – a regular two-day event that invites business and industry leaders from around the region to engage with students, providing them with a better understanding of what careers exist in their own backyard – engineers, photographers, lawyers, data analysts, and more. On the other side of town, Longs Peak Middle School conducts a conference call with mentors specializing in cybersecurity and information technology. The group is preparing for the school’s second year of CyberPatriots, a competition engaging middle and high schools in cybersecurity. This year, the school has expanded its program from two teams to three with the help of sponsors like LogRhythm, a Boulder-based cybersecurity firm. The firm also supports the program by providing mentors skilled in various aspects of cybersecurity. These kinds of meetups and interactions are not uncommon within St. Vrain Valley Schools. They happen every day across our 60 schools and programs and throughout our organization. As an educational system, St. Vrain understands that bridging the gap between education and industry is necessary to accelerate academic achievement, prepare students for the future, and ensure a strong, vibrant community. That’s why we created Community Strong.
Through the work of Community Strong and St. Vrain’s valued partners, our students will be prepared to shape the workforce in a technology-driven society. 6
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COMMUNITY STRONG STRENGTHENING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN BUSINESS, INDUSTRY, AND COMMUNITY
In the fall of 2018, St. Vrain Valley Schools launched a new community outreach program called Community Strong in an effort to enable students to experience the entire community as their classroom. Through this exciting initiative, our district will build and strengthen connections to local businesses, corporate entities, and industry leaders while preparing our students for the future by giving them hands-on learning opportunities that prepare them for an increasingly-complex world. The Community Strong initiative is driven by three primary goals: 1. Make it easy for partners to CONNECT with schools and district initiatives 2. Measure partner IMPACT and communicate success 3. Collaborate with industry partners to CULTIVATE educational programming and career pathways
CONNECT The Community Strong partner portal – communitystrong.svvsd.org – makes it easy for community partners to browse current opportunities within St. Vrain Valley Schools. Opportunities vary in scope, but ultimately connect partners and schools for the purpose of experiential learning. Opportunities include: Classroom speaking, job shadowing, mentoring, internships/apprenticeships, career fairs, design challenges, and more. IMPACT Once a partner registers with the partner portal, they can connect directly with school personnel to learn more about the posted opportunity, track the number of hours spent collaborating and share their experiences. Impact reports are periodically published and circulated to showcase results and celebrate success. CULTIVATE In addition to connecting schools with partners, Community Strong also invites partners to participate in educational program development. To date, we’ve initiated several advisory boards – computer science, biomedical, and manufacturing – tasked with steering curriculum development, integration of certificates, and increasing work-based learning opportunities. By involving industry partners, the district ensures that its programs are providing students with cutting-edge and relevent programming, state-of-the art technology, and the necessary credentials to become successful in roles we cannot yet conceive! ST. VRAIN VALLEY SCHOOLS
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AN
ENTREPRENEURIAL
MINDSET ISUALIZE AN ENTREPRENEUR AND WHAT DO YOU SEE? Someone speaking next to a slideshow presentation featuring line graphs and pie charts? What about a 20-year-old female who started a handcrafted electric guitar company, or a male high school senior who is in the thick of creating a prototype for a shoe designed to replenish electrolytes back into the body? The modern-day entrepreneur encompasses anyone who can identify a problem or need and create a solution. At St. Vrain’s Innovation Center, students are in the middle of designing prototypes, exploring how to establish LLCs, and pitching ideas to local investors. Through the Entrepreneurial Zone class, students create fluid business plans, conduct marketing SWOT analyses, and complete financial literacy coursework to understand what financing is required from investors to pay themselves and get their startup off the ground. 8
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As an intern in the Entrepreneurial Zone, Skyline senior, AnneJeanette Gonzales, is paid as a district employee to serve as a marketer, event planner, and online systems manager for community outreach, networking, and entrepreneurial events. While enrolled in the course, she is also earning college credit. Participation in programs that combine coursework and real-world experiences are transformational for students. AnneJeanette shared, “The Entrepreneurial Zone has prepared me for my future, because I have been forced to step outside of my comfort zone. When I started high school I was very shy, but now I speak at a lot of events. This program has helped me expand my network and meet industry professionals and other students who have mentored me while I apply for college.” When the Daniels Fund heard about the fledgling program, they immediately recognized the
uniqueness of the Innovation Center’s approach. In fall 2018, the Daniels Fund provided a significant investment to quickly expand the program’s reach and offerings. “We are excited about supporting the Innovation Center because it not only helps students develop critical entrepreneurial skills, it also gives them the opportunity to work with businesses, gaining experience that can prepare them to launch their careers when they complete school,” said Linda Childears, President & CEO of the Daniels Fund. Like all grant-funded programs in St. Vrain, the program is designed to be selfsustaining without outside support after the grant period ends.
are passionate about and create a way to share it. One fifth grade student at Indian Peaks Elementary School visited a local farmers market and decided to bring one to the school as their Genius Hour project. St. Vrain’s Nutrition Services worked with students at Indian Peaks to connect them to local farmers who ultimately donated food to be used. On the evening of the school farmers market, students led everything from sharing their knowledge of farmers markets and seasonal produce availability, to preparing the farmers market stand with fruits and vegetables, to handling all of the transactions. The students decided to donate their earnings back to the school for field trips and co-curricular activities. Indian Peaks STEM Coordinator, Alexandra Downing, speaks passionately on the success of the project and how the whole community enjoyed learning about the students’ research and experience. “Entrepreneurship is part of student voice. Students get to choose their topic and create something that’s new and share it with the world. The Genius Hour process gives students confidence and character, which instills in them the belief that they can make a difference in the world – whether it’s a simple change to something that’s already been made or a brand new invention, they go through the process of creation and you witness them grow.”
THE EARLY GRADES MATTER Through St. Vrain’s partnership with the Young Americans Center, a local nonprofit focused on financial literacy programming for youth, a program called Young AmeriTowne introduces financial topics to students and culminates with them “running town” for a day. Students receive visits from local community members who represent various career fields, then decide which job they will apply for based on availability. When roles are decided and students run the town for a day, they encounter real-world problems like running out of inventory as a store manager, or receiving a medical bill and having to navigate making payments. Community Schools Coordinator, Susan Zimmerman, emphasizes that “Entrepreneurship is part of the program changes students’ student voice. Students get to perspectives on money, “I’ve heard students talk about how choose their topic and create they can start their own business and share ideas on how they can something that’s new and share make their own money.” Entrepreneurship is about with the world.” identifying problems and creating solutions. Elementary ALEXANDRA DOWNING schools across St. Vrain STEM COORDINATOR participate in student-driven INDIAN PEAKS ELEMENTARY Genius Hour projects, where students research a topic they
it
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suc·cess : the accomplishment of an aim or purpose
VERY DAY ACROSS ST. VRAIN VALLEY SCHOOLS, partners enrich the educational experience for our students. Often, their contributions build on one another. In preschool classrooms, students receive grant-funded tuition scholarships from the Buell Foundation and support from senior volunteers who participate in the Senior Tax Exchange Program. Students in Skyline’s P-TECH program, Falcon Tech, build deep and meaningful relationships with mentors from IBM, while benefiting from paid internship opportunities made possible by a private family foundation. Community Strong has just launched, yet, in a short time, we’ve already achieved so much.
250+
district-level partnerships
BOEING
$70,000
Supporting the significant expansion of St. Vrain’s aeronautics and aerospace programs at Erie High School and the Innovation Center
TEMPLE HOYNE BUELL F O U N D AT I O N
$50,000
Supporting preschool tuition scholarships to increase preschool access
R O S E C O M M U N I T Y F O U N D AT I O N
$50,000
435+
Supporting St. Vrain’s efforts to expand Advanced Placement (AP) participation districtwide
515+
THE SUCCEEDS PRIZE FOR
direct to school partnerships
registered partner portal users
1550+
hours of engagement
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GRANTS
COMMUNITYSTRONG.SVVSD.ORG
TECHNOLOGY-EN ABLED E D U C AT I O N
$15,000
Recognizing Falcon Tech and the Innovation Center for their innovative and student-centered use of technology
AT A GLANCE DANIELS FUND
OMMUNITY STRONG is made up of a rich web of partners that share time and resources to change the lives of our students every day. Grant providers are important Community Strong partners. Grants provide nonrepayable funds or products from government agencies, corporations, foundations, or trusts to be dedicated to a defined initiative. Grant funds leverage resources from our General Fund and thus allow us to extend programming that improves student achievement and growth. Securing grants involves teamwork between our private and public sector partners; select grants require matching funds from the private sector equal to a certain percentage of the grant.
SINCE JANUARY 2018
$21,100,000
$250,000
Supporting the development of the Entrepreneurial Zone and the creation of a “playbook” for other districts/organizations to learn from the “how” and “why” behind innovation initiatives in St. Vrain
W E S T E R N D I G I TA L F O U N D AT I O N
$10,000
Supporting ST. VRAINNOVATION, St. Vrain’s new mobile, Future-Ready Innovation Lab
$26,620
Supporting teacher professional development in computer science
in competitive grant proposals submitted
$9,200,000
in competitive grant awards received
$1,600,000
U C H E A LT H
$50,000
Supporting an ongoing collaboration to develop the next generation of healthcare leaders, including the development of the Hospital Room of the Future
under active consideration or in application development
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Photo: Mia Novick and Bailey Klusack visit UCHealth to create the hospital room of the future.
DVANCED TECHNOLOGIES HAVE NEARLY LIMITLESS POTENTIAL to change health care delivery, with technologies like artificial intelligence and virtual reality already making significant impacts. As a result, every aspiring nurse, doctor, or health care worker must have a strong grounding in technology. UCHealth is leading health care innovation in Colorado and serves as a major partner in St. Vrain, helping to educate the next generation of healthcare leaders. In 2019, UCHealth and St. Vrain Valley Schools announced a long-term partnership to provide 12
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students with real-world, cutting-edge learning experiences in health care, and for those students to take a leadership role in influencing the health care of the future. Through a year-long design thinking challenge, students from St. Vrain’s high schools will take a deep dive into modern medicine, visiting UCHealth’s new Longs Peak Hospital in Longmont (home to numerous innovative health care technologies), its Virtual Health Center in Aurora, and its Catalyst Health-Tech Innovation facility in Denver. After learning about the medical care of today, students will work with physicians and staff to ideate and prototype the hospital room of the future at
DEVELOPING THE HEALTH CARE LEADERS
OF THE FUTURE.
the Catalyst. Together, the team will launch a mobile version of the experience in ST. VRAINNOVATION, St. Vrain’s new mobile future-ready innovation lab. In addition, St. Vrain will continue its work on UCHealth’s Healthy Hearts initiative, an outreach heart health screening and preventive education program focused on educating students, families, and adults about how to live a heart-healthy lifestyle. Over the course of two days, the Healthy Hearts High School Program gives students a chance to learn about the human heart and cardiovascular health, take part in cholesterol screenings, and practice for real-life emergencies. In the past year alone, Healthy
Hearts has served 10 St. Vrain schools and donated more than 100 volunteer hours. Together, these learning experiences provide new and inspiring opportunities for today’s students. As Lonnie Cramer, President of UCHealth Longs Peak and Broomfield Hospitals, puts it, “I didn’t learn what I wanted to be until I figured out what I didn’t want to be. It was really pure luck that I stumbled into medicine. By providing experiences like this, we’re removing the element of luck and inspiring the next generation of healthcare leaders. I wish I had had an opportunity like this when I was in high school.” ST. VRAIN VALLEY SCHOOLS
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COMMUNITY
STRENGTH THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION
The St. Vrain Valley community features a diverse mix of industries driving local, national, and global economies. Every day through Community Strong, we have unique opportunities to collaborate with a high concentration of companies operating in the aerospace, bioscience, cleantech, IT/software, natural products, and outdoor recreation sectors. Together we develop curriculum, share expertise, and explore the passions and interests of our students and teachers.
Photo: Students from Alpine Elementary at a Longmont Museum exhibit.
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Photo: Matthew Fuller, sophomore, works with Anark Solution Engineers. ON-THE-JOB EDUCATION: PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH SKILLS, REAL-WORLD OPPORTUNITIES Boulder-based Anark Corporation develops and markets software products for the tech industry, serving companies such as GE, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and many others, with a worldwide network of technology and implementation partners. During summer 2019, five motivated students completed a landmark, four-week, paid internship offered by Anark Corporation resulting from the company’s budding partnership with the Innovation Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools. “We found out about St. Vrain Valley Schools’ Innovation Center and were entirely intrigued by the work that they are doing,” says Anark CTO Scott Collins. “We think SVVSD is leaping ahead of surrounding Colorado school districts in STEM education, and seems to have a solid grasp on what colleges and employers need from graduating seniors.”
Collins met with Axel Reitzig, innovation coordinator at the Innovation Center, and Matthew Wiggins, director of community and business development. Together, they generated a plan to adapt the corporation’s existing college internship program to work with younger students. Throughout July, the five students earned $15/hour working 15 hours/week testing software. Students were asked to develop testing plans for the cloudhosted product, impressing mentors Axel Larsson and Lucas Peterson, Anark Solutions Engineers, with ideas, enthusiasm, and initiative. Larsson and Peterson set up a system allowing students to test the product and communicate with them from within the infrastructure of the Innovation Center. Additionally, Larsson and Peterson traveled to the IC to meet with the students weekly. “It was great to have kids coming through, becoming aware of the things we work with,” Larsson says. “The students offered a unique perspective. They found some bugs we’d missed.”
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Photo: Joren Hansen, Frederick High freshman, works with his mentor during a P-TECH event.
WARRIOR TECH In fall 2019, Frederick High School opened the doors to Warrior Tech, St. Vrain Valley Schools’ second Pathways in Technology Early College High School, or P-TECH, program. More than 30 ninth graders committed to a rigorous and rewarding path, earning their high school diploma and associate degree in biochemistry simultaneously, all at no charge to the student. The school’s industry partners, along with its higher education partner, AIMS Community College, play a central role in the program’s success. In addition to providing mentoring and internship opportunities, they also help to develop the course sequence and ensure students are learning skills to be competitive in the job market. The goal of the program is to provide students with immediate job opportunities upon graduation or a shortened path to a four-year degree (or both). “This will give me college credits and the classes that I need to get ahead,” Frederick freshman Mystique Lor said. “It’s stressful right now, but in the end the associate degree will be worth it.” In September, to kick things off, professionals from Warrior Tech’s industry partners, Agilent Technologies, AveXis, and Tolmar, began their quarterly mentor events, providing 1:1 mentoring for every P-TECH student. Mentors began by visiting students at Frederick High School, meeting their mentees, and participating in interviews and tours. Over students’ four to six years in the program, they will also participate in numerous workplace visits, internship opportunities, and workplace skills training. In November, in recognition of Agilent, AveXis, and Tolmar’s role in P-TECH, the group received the Colorado Bioscience Association’s Institute Leadership Award. Industry leaders like Sally Dyer, Vice President at AveXis, have been strong advocates for the program. “We can help them see what the outcome of their education can be...we’re really here to help.”
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FUELING ADVANCEMENTS IN MANUFACTURING In Colorado, nearly 6,000 manufacturers across a variety of business sectors including electronics, energy, aerospace, biomedical, and food and beverage are disrupting their industries with advancements in manufacturing technologies. Statewide, experts predict there will be 5,000 new manufacturing jobs created by 2026. Our state’s growing strength in advanced manufacturing, paired with a host of supportive local partners, has set the stage for a new Advanced Manufacturing Academy at the Career Development Center (CDC). The CDC has worked side by side with Front Range Community College (FRCC) and several local manufacturing partners to build awareness of the initiative, learn what skills employers are looking for, and discover what curriculum and certifications should be cultivated. Currently, students have the opportunity to study four manufacturing disciplines—machining, welding, electronics, and optics. They will be introduced to manufacturing processes, quality assurance, certifications in safety, and basic employment skills. As they explore these new pathways, opportunities to engage with real professionals and hands-on learning will be offered via facility tours, product assembly, and use of specialized equipment.
Over the next two years, community partners will continue to guide St. Vrain in the development of coursework, certifications, internships and potential apprenticeships. The new Advanced Manufacturing Academy has already received tremendous community support from many organizations, including: • Aleph Objects • BI Incorporated • Black Fox Certifications • Boulder Chamber • CareerWise • Cemex • Crestone Peak Resources • Diabase Engineering • Epocs Manufacturing • Front Range Community College • High Country Technology Consultants • Lexmark • Longmont Economic Development Partnership • Medtronic • MKS Instruments • NoCo Manufacturing Partnership • PTA Plastics • REO/Excelitas Technologies • Sparkfun • Specialty Products Company • St. Vrain Manufacturing • Sticker Giant • Tolmar Pharmaceuticals • X-Cal
Photo: Student at the Career Development Center (CDC) welding.
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BUILDING AND SECURING OUR DATADRIVEN FUTURE As the “Internet of Things” takes greater hold of automating tasks, tracking our health, and improving the quality of our lives, an entirely new industry of jobs is being created. Recognizing the power that data will hold in the future direction of our society, St. Vrain Valley Schools is launching an Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cybersecurity Hub at the Innovation Center that will cultivate skills for students to pursue new careers and champion the power of our data-driven future. With a focus on technical skills, analysis, leadership, ethics, and innovation, the Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Hub will partner with leading industry experts like Amazon, Lockheed Martin, Misty Robotics, Boulder AI, and WinterWinds Robotics to design curriculum pathways that will give students a competitive advantage in this emerging field. “Natural language processing, visual recognition, data analysis, machine learning, and complex neural models are all important areas of study for students to start engaging in now,” said Axel Reitzig, innovation coordinator at the Innovation Center. “Moving forward, our whole society will be centered on the use of those types of data and also how we keep that information secure.” Over the next three years, the Artificial Intelligence Leadership Team, comprised of students, educators, and industry leaders, will pilot AI learning in classrooms across St. Vrain. Building on strong cybersecurity programs already in place at secondary schools in the district, the Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Hub will develop even more engineering and design opportunities for students to enhance their career and postsecondary preparation to make a big impact in the future. 18
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Photos: Students from the Innovation Center learn Python coding through a partnership with PYNQ.
XILINX TURNS THE INNOVATION CENTER PYNQ From band camps to robotics classes, students across St. Vrain Valley Schools are deeply engaged in learning new skills over the summer that advance their personal growth and interests. During summer 2019, one opportunity at the Innovation Center was a PYNQ bootcamp for secondary students to get hands-on with engineering and invention using the PYNQ board technology developed by Xilinx and Python computer programming. Through a partnership with Xilinx, students engaged over five days with Xilinx experts to learn Python coding, engineering with the PYNQ boards, and design an invention to make the world more sustainable. At the end of the bootcamp, students showcased their inventions and competed to be recognized as the best project, including the award for best use of PYNQ which went to Team “Kids with Hats� who designed a janitor assistant robot that used sensors to identify trash and pick it up. Students were able to keep their Xilinx-donated PYNQ boards so they could continue their learning at home and share the technology with fellow students.
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“The Mobile Lab is a showcase of the innovative learning that takes place in St. Vrain Valley Schools every day and the possibilities that are just around the corner. Our vision is to engage families in learning together and to bring advanced, interactive, and meaningful learning experiences to our schools.” COLIN RICKMAN INNOVATION LAB COORDINATOR
ST. VRAIN IN MOTION
ST. VRAIN IS TAKING ENGAGING LEARNING EXPERIENCES ON THE ROAD OR OVER THIRTY YEARS, MS. FRIZZLE AND HER MAGIC SCHOOL BUS have graced the pages of books lining school library shelves that have inspired the imagination of millions of students across the world. The idea of students boarding a bus to be transported through time and space to engage deeply in learning about science, history, geography, and more, is just as memorable today as it was when the first book was published in 1986. The difference is that this type of academic journey is now possible for students in St. Vrain Valley Schools. Technology has become an incredibly powerful tool to advance personalized learning and accelerate communication and collaboration. Every day in classrooms across St. Vrain, students are leveraging 20 COMMUNITYSTRONG.SVVSD.ORG
technology and design-thinking processes to foster innovation, understand complex systems, imagine new possibilities, and discover subjects of passion that will shape their future pathways. With the launch of the ST. VRAINNOVATION FutureReady Innovation Lab, St. Vrain is taking those experiences on the road to build an even broader reach to inspire learning through technology. The ST. VRAINNOVATION Future-Ready Innovation Lab is a cutting-edge technology and innovation center in a mobile environment, emphasizing virtual reality, augmented reality, robotics, design thinking, and aeronautics, as well as STEM and early educational experiences that will accelerate students’ learning and extend public education beyond the classroom.
“The Mobile Lab is a showcase of the innovative learning that takes place in St. Vrain Valley Schools every day and the possibilities that are just around the corner,” said Colin Rickman, coordinator of the Mobile Innovation Lab. “Our vision is to engage families in learning together and to bring advanced, interactive, and meaningful experiences to our schools.” Funded entirely through donations from industry and community partners, the Mobile Innovation Lab not only provides an environment to enhance student learning and pilot new curriculums and technologies, it also serves as a bridge between the community and classroom learning.
“WE CHOOSE TO GO TO THE MOON…” On a sunny Friday afternoon in August, the Mobile Innovation Lab was stationed in downtown Longmont at the Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce’s Unity in the Community event. As students and community members stepped onto the lab, they were instantly transported to the moon. John F. Kennedy’s unmistakable New England accent rang through the air...“We choose to go to the moon in this decade…” while video of space travel illuminated the environment. On this day, student leaders on the Mobile Lab Team were sharing learning experiences that showcased how students use technology to deepen ST. VRAIN VALLEY SCHOOLS
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and extend their learning. ‘Space travelers’ who were visiting the lab took pictures on the moon against a green screen background, created videos that highlighted facts about the physics of gravity, used virtual reality and augmented reality to explore lunar environments, and shared their moonshot ideas for creating a better world. Outside the lab, budding astronauts tried their hand at using coding and Sphero robotics to navigate lunar landscapes and got a first-hand look at advanced technologies that will continue to shape the future of learning and innovation. “I see the Mobile Lab as a part of the ever-growing bridge between the community, connecting families to St. Vrain Valley Schools. “It’s incredible to witness visitors have a moment of awe when they first walk into the lab and experience an ‘aha’ moment,” shared Calvin Tran, a sophomore at Skyline High School and a member of the Mobile Lab Team. “While education used to be more black and white for me, the Mobile Lab opened my eyes to the dynamic nature that St. Vrain is adding to our education, revolutionizing the way that kids learn.” 22
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On the horizon, the Mobile Innovation Lab will serve as a facilitator and incubator of innovation at the nexus of industry and education. Students will have the opportunity to connect with doctors at UCHealth to design the hospital room of the future, engage IBM experts to advance artificial intelligence environments, or learn alongside Crestone Peak Resources engineers to investigate the innovations in energy. “Every time the lab is out on the road and opens its doors to people, I believe they will be inspired by what is happening in St. Vrain and public education,” added Rickman. As the Mobile Innovation Lab makes its way across St. Vrain Valley Schools and beyond, it will continue to build new curriculum and learning opportunities for students to engage deeply with partners and showcase innovation to the community. Innovations that Ms. Frizzle could have only imagined.
“I see the Mobile Lab as a part of the ever-growing bridge between the community, connecting families to St. Vrain Valley Schools. It’s incredible to witness visitors have a moment of awe when they first walk into the lab, and experience an ‘aha’ moment.” CALVIN TRAN, SOPHOMORE SKYLINE HIGH SCHOOL
THE ST. VRAINNOVATION FUTURE-READY INNOVATION LAB IS FULLY FUNDED BY THESE AND MANY OTHER INDUSTRY AND NONPROFIT PARTNERS.
AMAZON, BUCKEYE MOUNTAIN, COLORADO SUCCEEDS, GOOGLE, LONGMONT MUSEUM, MISTY ROBOTICS, SEAGATE, SPARKFUN, SPHERO, AND WESTERN DIGITAL
Thank you to our community for supporting the advancement of public education and outstanding opportunities for our students. ST. VRAIN VALLEY SCHOOLS
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St. Vrain Valley Public Schools RE-1J 395 S. Pratt Parkway Longmont, CO 80501
#StVrainStorm
svvsd.org
stvra.in/linkedin
@svvsd
Across St. Vrain Valley Schools, we are taking public education by St. VrainStorm – our shared passion and commitment to advancing academic excellence and student success. Follow our #StVrainStorm hashtag on Twitter to see the outstanding things taking place every day across all of our schools and departments. http://stvra.in/stvrainstorm
Photo: 2019 Silver Creek High School Graduation
communitystrong.svvsd.org
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