St. Vrainnovation Magazine, 2023

Just as President John F. Kennedy inspired a generation to reach for the moon, our students are driving innovation and achievement in a world of infinite possibility. Public education is the catalyst from which our future is born.

From the Publisher

Dear St. Vrain Valley Community,

Welcome to ST. VRAINNOVATION, a publication celebrating the impact of education in our community. Public education plays one of the most significant roles in the advancement of our nation. To ensure the success of our children, economy, and our future, it is essential that we prepare students to meet the challenges they will face.

Please join us in celebrating the incredible achievements of our students, staff, and community. Together, we are advancing our children, our economy, our national security, and our future.

Sincerely, Don Haddad, Ed.D. Superintendent @SVVSDSupt

ST. VRAINNOVATION was produced in-house by St. Vrain Valley Schools’ Department of Communications

Liz Allen, Graphic Design and Digital Content Specialist allen_elizabeth@svvsd.org

Caroline Chutkow, Director of Communications and Marketing chutkow_caroline@svvsd.org

Aaron Ford, Senior Web Development and Systems Administrator

Heather Hammarstrom, Marketing and Communications Specialist hammarstrom_heather@svvsd.org

Jane Lim, Communications Department Secretary lim_jane@svvsd.org

Kerri McDermid, Chief Communications and Global Impact Officer mcdermid_kerri@svvsd.org

Eunice Peinado, Marketing and Communications Specialist peinado_eunice@svvsd.org

Colin Rickman, Director of Communications and Engagement rickman_colin@svvsd.org

Special Contributors: John David, Jesse Petersen

Table of Contents

Beyond Measure 1

Beyond Boundaries

5 St. Vrain Valley Schools is harnessing the power of technology to close the digital divide in our communities and beyond.

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

BEYOND MEASURE

BY DON HADDAD, ED.D., SUPERINTENDENT PHOTOS BY LIZ ALLEN & KERRI MCDERMID

UT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL GROWS THE GREATNESS OF A NATION.” These famous words from Mark Twain’s 1900 address to the Public Education Association still carry significant weight more than 120 years later. It is widely accepted that a quality education system is a primary prerequisite for the future success of our children, but some may not readily and fully realize the crucial role public schools play in the strength, growth, safety, health, and well-being of our society.

In the United States, approximately 90% of our population either currently attend or have attended a public school. Accordingly, we believe that second only to parenting, our education system has the greatest impact on our citizens, economy, public health and safety, national security, our residential and commercial property values, workforce readiness, innovation, creativity, our democracy, and so much more.

Our public schools have long been a catalyst for progress, having an immeasurable impact on the strength and advancement of our nation. Our educators should be celebrated and revered for the amazing

things they do to advance our children as individuals and our country as a whole. Public school graduates become our nation’s doctors, service industry workers, first responders, engineers, teachers, scientists, and leaders who provide the backbone of our country.

In Colorado, public education has long been a priority, specified in the state’s original 1876 constitution. “The general assembly shall, as soon as practicable, provide for the establishment and maintenance of a thorough and uniform system of free public schools throughout the state, wherein all residents of the state, between the ages of six and twentyone years, may be educated gratuitously.”

However, somewhere in the national debate, some appear to have lost sight of the impact and importance of a strong, highquality public education system. Today, we are experiencing environments that continue to focus on somewhat antiquated standardized measures of progress, while the world around us continues to accelerate at an unprecedented rate. Now, schools must be ready to keep pace with industry to prepare students for future jobs, many of

OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE LONG BEEN A CATALYST FOR PROGRESS, HAVING AN IMMEASURABLE IMPACT ON THE STRENGTH AND ADVANCEMENT OF OUR NATION.

which do not even exist today. We can no longer ask students what they aspire to be when they grow up, but rather, we must ask them what problems they want to solve and what advancements they want to lead for our world and nation.

In earlier times, when our education system was characterized by traditional instructional practices, we’d read a chapter in order to prepare for our unit exam, we’d encounter eight or nine questions, we’d attempt to mimic back what we’d read, and ultimately, we’d receive our letter grade. Today, children are expected to empathize with a problem, ideate a solution, prototype and test it, and revise it. Students must be able to work together effectively in teams, communicate clearly about what they’re thinking, have the perseverance to stick with it until they find a solution, and predict what might be coming next. When things change, they must demonstrate that they, too, can adapt. These are the durable, critical-thinking and advanced skills that we should be promoting among our students in Colorado and beyond. Originally, an expanded knowledge base was the goal in order to help citizens make more informed decisions. Now, the world is much more complex, and innovative practices and solutions are required to tackle the daunting challenges of the 21st century.

It is imperative that we understand the rapid pace of change and, accordingly, prepare our students to be successful in our complex, globalized, highly-competitive economy. St. Vrain Valley Schools has spent more than a decade cultivating a relationship with our community that has been the nexus for implementing systemic and strategic change. This has forged a path toward transformation from being a school district on the brink of bankruptcy to being one that is nationally and internationally recognized for student achievement, innovation, and parent leadership.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE BY DESIGN

Since 2008, St. Vrain has become a nationally recognized school system, in large part due to outstanding teachers and staff, parents, business leaders, elected officials, and school and district leaders. Through this transformation, we have launched over 70 diversified and rigorous instructional focus academies and programs across all 60 of our schools. These include academies in Aerospace and Engineering, Energy, Medical and BioScience, Leadership, International Baccalaureate (IB), STEM, Biomedical Sciences, and Visual and Performing Arts, along with a 55,000-square-foot, state-ofthe-art Innovation Center and 45-foot, high-tech mobile STEM lab, all supported by our Apple 1:1 technology with robust technology infrastructure, including the second-fastest internet service in the United States through our partnership with NextLight.

This has also provided the opportunity to rapidly elevate our educational programming and student learning opportunities in advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, virtual and augmented realities, automotive technology, welding, and advanced manufacturing fields such as optics, electronics, and machining. Furthering our mission, we have also launched three Pathways in Technology Early College High School programs, known as P-TECH, in which students earn their two-year associate degree simultaneously with their high school diploma, at no cost to our students. Our current P-TECH programs offer degrees focused on computer information systems, cybersecurity, and biochemistry – with a fourth P-TECH focused on business launching in 2023.

We are also continuing to leverage technology to implement new programs and further provide students with access to highquality, rigorous coursework and instruction

through the implementation of a systemwide Advanced Global Interactive Learning Environment (AGILE) telecommunications program, which will allow students in any of our high schools (as well as students outside of St. Vrain) to receive synchronous, real-time instruction in courses that include advanced world languages, micro and macroeconomics, computer science, and more, all from their home high school location.

As we have increased rigor, innovation, and technology integration, we have realized significant gains in student achievement. Over the past 10 years, St. Vrain’s overall on-time graduation rate has increased 14%, while our on-time graduation rate for Hispanic students has increased 31%. Over this period, we also increased our graduation requirements to have among the highest credit requirements in Colorado and beyond. Further, fifth-grade reading and math achievement continues to increase and outpace the state, with our Hispanic student population demonstrating even larger gains.

Additionally, St. Vrain Valley Schools is one of four Colorado school districts, and one of 373 nationwide, out of approximately 14,000 school districts, to make the College Board’s annual Advanced Placement (AP) District Honor Roll list for increasing access to AP courses for all students. In the past five years, our number of AP exams taken has increased 62%, with scores also increasing greatly. We have experienced a 201% increase

We believe that students are not simply a statistic or test score, but their full potential should be recognized and passions cultivated.

in the number of concurrent-enrollment college classes taken by our students in the past seven years and added new opportunities for students to receive college credit through our CU Succeed programs.

Throughout this journey, we have been supported by over 120 leading business and corporate partners, such as Apple, IBM, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, OtterBox, UCHealth, Seagate, Cisco, Agilent, United Power, Amazon, Google, Stapp Interstate Toyota, and more, who assist us in understanding the future of workforce readiness and relevancy, as well as influence and develop the curriculum necessary to provide our children with a world-class education. These partners, and many more, have also provided us with industry experts to mentor our students and inspire them toward their future endeavors.

OUR FUTURE IS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Colorado has a significant opportunity to define a strong vision for public education in order to create a system that leverages the best of our resources, knowledge, innovation, and human capital to ensure a stronger tomorrow for our communities, state, and nation.

We believe that students are not simply a statistic or a test score, but their full potential should be recognized and their passions cultivated and ignited. Our schools serve as much more than a place to learn. While this is extremely important, they are also pivotal in supporting student health and well-being, including counseling and health services and access to food and other basic needs. Measurements of success should align with the values and goals that Coloradans envision for their public education system and with the skills that students need to be successful, contributing citizens in an accelerated and complex globalized economy.

The conversation regarding the future of our schools should be preceded and

accompanied by a clear, articulate vision for a better future, in alignment with the fundamentals of an excellent education – and resources should also be in alignment with that vision. A new system should include considerations of a district’s socioeconomic data, the rigor of its graduation requirements, the number of Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathways, technology access and infrastructure, quality of early childhood education offerings, rigorous course offerings that include AP and/or IB concurrent enrollment opportunities, the quality of individualized instructional supports for all students (including those with special needs), the health of the district’s finances, the quality of the schools and other district facilities, student safety measures, the ability to recruit and retain high-quality teachers, robust co-curricular activities, and perhaps more.

Schools are a place where students can advance to their full potential and discover what they value in a safe environment that encourages movement beyond their comfort zone. Schools should be places of agile learning that empowers self-expression, creative analysis, gratitude, deeper and higherlevel thought, innovation, and emotional intelligence to best prepare our students for success in our complex, globalized world. All of these measures should constitute the foundation, not the ceiling, in every one of the 178 school districts in Colorado.

The future of Colorado is largely dependent on the quality of our public schools. In St. Vrain, we have created a system that leverages the best of our resources, knowledge, innovation, and human capital to ensure a stronger tomorrow for our community, state, and nation, in order to advance the promise of future generations.

Listen to Dr. Haddad’s ChampionED podcast about the impact of public education.

By the Numbers RETURN ON INVESTMENT

$1 Billion+

Through the passage of two bond measures and two mill levy overrides, our community has invested $1,044,108,695 into our schools since 2008.

1,081

In the past 13 years, St. Vrain has created 1,081 new full-time jobs while also greatly increasing teacher and staff pay and benefits.

$32 Million

Over the past four years, St. Vrain has been awarded almost $32 million in competitive grants.

$11 Billion

With the net economic benefit to the public of every high school graduate at $127,000,1 in the past five years, the 10,454 students who have graduated from a St. Vrain high school will contribute $11 billion back to the economy.

1 Levin, H.M., et. al. (2007). The costs and benefits of an excellent education for all of America’s children. Center for Benefit-Cost Studies in Education (CBCSE), Teachers College, Columbia University, New York.

Photo, top: Laurel Beeken teaches AP French 4 to students in person at Skyline High School, and virtually to students across the district via the AGILE program.

Photo, bottom: Frederick High senior, Owen Willis, prepares to welcome community members onboard the Future-Ready Mobile Innovation Lab.

ODAY’S ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES

CONNECT US MORE THAN EVER BEFORE. With just a few clicks, people from across the world can be engrossed in a conversation in real-time, a message can be instantaneously sent from point A to point B, and language barriers can be removed with automatic translation technologies. In a district that spans 411 square miles, a core value for St. Vrain Valley Schools is that geography shouldn’t limit access for students. With that sentiment as a driving force, the district is harnessing the power of technology to elevate academic opportunities for students in the classroom, in their homes, and even across the state.

OUR CLASSROOMS ARE BECOMING MORE AGILE St. Vrain's course offerings are expanding beyond the four walls of traditional classrooms, and students across the district are now able to enroll in subjects based on their interests rather than their home address. With the new Advanced Global

Innovative Learning Environments (AGILE) program, students can now log in from their home school and attend a class at another St. Vrain high school through a virtual platform. This allows them to take highlevel, specialized classes including AP Art, AP French 4, AP Macro/Microeconomics, and AP Computer Science. Historically, for classes such as these, only a handful of in-person courses were available for students to engage in across the district and required a commute from their home school in order to participate – a barrier St. Vrain is removing.

“One of the biggest bonuses of technology is how it can make the world more accessible,” said Laurel Beeken, French Teacher at Skyline High School. This year, Beeken teaches a combined AP French 4 course to five students in person at Skyline High and 20 additional students from Erie High, Niwot High, and Silver Creek High virtually. The ability to enroll in the course online allows students to further customize their education to best suit their interests.

“I love that AGILE is giving students an opportunity that they wouldn’t otherwise

BOUNDARIES

ST. VRAIN VALLEY SCHOOLS IS HARNESSING THE POWER OF TECHNOLOGY TO CLOSE THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND BEYOND.

BY CAROLINE CHUTKOW PHOTOS BY LIZ ALLEN & COLIN RICKMAN

have,” said Beeken. The program will continue to expand and increase course offerings throughout St. Vrain, as the district scales the program. Looking to the future, St. Vrain also plans to partner with rural districts and increase access for students across the state to be able to participate in AGILE coursework.

BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

Access to the internet at home is essential in the modern age. Students rely on online applications, their iPads, and connecting with peers to build upon their lessons during the school day. Between the Affordable Connectivity Program, Comcast (Xfinity) Internet Essentials, the City of Longmont’s Sharing the NextLight program, and T-Mobile 10M project, St. Vrain Valley Schools has made it a goal to ensure that all students have access to the internet in their home. Even in an area as well-connected as Longmont and its neighboring communities, there are still some areas where options for quality internet access are limited. St. Vrain is committed to closing the digital divide for

students who reside in these neighborhoods.

Last spring, a grant-funded initiative spearheaded by St. Vrain Valley Schools and NextLight introduced internet access to a community center within a neighborhood that was previously unable to connect to a service provider. Now students can do their homework in a safe place near their home at no cost to their families.

“In supporting our community’s schools, we also support our community’s future,” said Valerie Dodd, NextLight Executive Director. “Both NextLight and St. Vrain Valley Schools know that today’s students are tomorrow’s leaders and entrepreneurs. By working together to connect them to all their opportunities for learning, we give them the best possible start in further building the Longmont that we all want to see."

TAKING TECHNOLOGY ON THE ROAD

The Future-Ready Mobile Innovation Lab was designed to not only serve the students and teachers in St. Vrain but also to travel beyond the district’s boundaries. “We

have a strong grasp on STEM education and we feel it is a responsibility of ours to stretch outside our borders and share it with other districts,” said Colin Rickman, Director of Communications and Engagement.

Through grant funds, Rickman has led groups of high school students down to the San Luis Valley, where the Mobile Lab sets up at career fairs in the region to showcase the various STEM and computer science career opportunities available to students.

Frederick High senior, Owen Willis, has been involved with the Mobile Lab since he was a sophomore. “I enjoy building connections with students on the Mobile Lab Project Team and also with high schoolers across the state,” said Owen. Through these career fairs, student project team members run various computer science-oriented stations and interact with local students from the area. Owen sees the benefit of peer-topeer connection. “When they interact with fellow high school students, they’re more likely to realize, ‘people my age do enjoy this.’”

ST. VRAIN VALLEY SCHOOLS

TO REALIZE THE PURPOSE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION IS FIRST TO UNDERSTAND THE INCOMPARABLE AND EXPONENTIAL IMPACT OF THE APPROXIMATELY THREE MILLION TEACHERS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACROSS THE U.S. TODAY.

BY KERRI MCDERMID ARTWORK BY LIZ

ALKING THE HALLS OF LONGMONT HIGH SCHOOL, the subtle squeak of tennis shoes echoing along the walls conjures a sense of deep history and transcendent purpose. How many others have journeyed through these corridors, rushing to beat the bell to their third-period class? What were their formative high school memories that traverse time and space, evoking some of life’s greatest moments of joy, heartache, pride, and hope? In which chair, in which classroom, did a student experience that transformational spark of discovery that would lead them to a lifetime of invention…or service…or the betterment of our world?

To realize the purpose of public education and the life-changing experiences throughout our schools is first to understand the incomparable impact of the approximately three million teachers in public schools across the U.S. today – and the millions that served before them. Throughout their career, the average teacher will reach over 3,000 children, with 88% of adults in the U.S. (approximately 290 million people) reporting at least one teacher who had a significant, positive impact on their life. The lifetime effect of teachers on our greater world is both exponential and infinite.

FOR EVERY LIFE THAT HAS BEEN IMPACTED BY A TEACHER, HOW MANY OTHER LIVES WILL ALSO BE TRANSFORMED?

Enter any classroom across St. Vrain Valley Schools, and there might sit a future doctor who will save dozens of lives and bring hundreds of new ones into the world. Next to them could be a future state senator who will write and pass legislation that will provide affordable housing for thousands – and of those receiving that benefit, many may go on to start a business that employs hundreds also working to rise above poverty.

Two rows behind them may sit a future engineer who will contribute to the design of a new building system that will go on to save thousands of lives when an earthquake hits in 30 years. Dozens of those lives saved will go on to join the armed services and one will serve as a future Secretary of State.

In the front row could sit a student who will volunteer as their elementary school PTO president and at the local library – their children and grandchildren will grow to share their love of community that will form deep roots and provide decades of service to the St. Vrain Valley.

Next to them might sit a future high school teacher and basketball coach who will spend his 40-year career advancing student success through a culture of fostering championship hearts and minds that will reach far beyond his 500 career wins and thousands of laps around the gym. At least this is the story of Jeff Kloster’s impact on the Longmont High community and beyond.

The lifetime effect of teachers on our greater world is both exponential and infinite.

ALLEN

THEY CALL HIM COACH

In 1975, when Jeff Kloster was getting ready to graduate from Longmont High School, he already knew that teaching and coaching was his future. At the age of 10, Coach Kloster suffered severe burns and was hospitalized for nine months while he was undergoing multiple operations and only attended school for a few days at a time.

“It was a tough time and the person who impacted me the most was the P.E. teacher and coach at my school," shared Coach Kloster, P.E. Teacher and Head Basketball Coach at Longmont High School. “He was like, ‘I’ve got you,’ and that made such an impression. It was at that point that I knew that this was my calling.”

Coach Kloster began his career as a P.E. teacher at Northeast Junior High School (now Timberline PK-8) in Longmont in the early 1980s, and it wasn’t long until he was making a difference for his students. “As a teacher in a junior high school, I’d get to see the same students for three straight years, so they really make an impact on you.”

In those early years of his career, Coach Kloster formed strong bonds and had such a connection with his students that they continue to reflect on the role he had in shaping the person they are today.

“Coach Kloster was involved in everything, and when I think about him, there was a complete emphasis on the team,” shared Scott Scheppers, a 1987 graduate of Skyline High School and former student at Northeast Junior High. “His whole focus was on the emphasis of every single person in the room and that not one of you is more important than the other. Together you will be stronger than alone.”

This sentiment helped to carry Scott to a successful 27-year career in the Air Force before he became a cybersecurity executive at AT&T. “It was a focus on the building blocks and fundamentals that grew confidence and advanced the program,” added Scott. “We had a lot of success at Skyline and Jeff Kloster was a part of that in the foundation he helped build for us.”

From those early years at Northeast Junior High, to returning to his high school alma mater as a teacher, to his first game as the Longmont High Head Basketball Coach, to celebrating his 500th win in early 2022, the imprint Coach Kloster has left on the Longmont community – and the thousands of students who have come of age in his classrooms and on his courts – goes far beyond measure.

Photos from Longmont High School yearbooks document Coach Jeff Kloster’s career and impact.

“Everyone wants to win, but our goal and the bottom line is that we’re preparing kids for life. We want them to be successful in life,” shared Kloster. “If you come into our gym at the end of every practice, we talk about how we love our kids. We want them to know they are valued much more as a person than a player, so when I teach my classes, it’s the same thing – they’re my kids.”

THE GENERATIONAL IMPACT OF TEACHING

For Brooke Silva, a Spanish Teacher at Skyline High School, memories of her early experiences with Coach Kloster when she was a student at Northeast Junior High evoke a wide smile. “He always had a funny joke or kind thing to say to me,” shared Silva. “You would never see him without a smile on his face.”

Similar to Coach Kloster’s calling to become an educator, Silva knew from an early age that she wanted to be a teacher, serving as a teacher’s aide in high school and feeling inspired by her mentor teachers. “I had such

Learn about Coach Kloster’s impact on the Longmont community.

great memories of Skyline – it was my home away from home,” she shared. “I always felt comfortable here and wanted to be a teacher here.”

Now in her 28th year of teaching at Skyline, Silva’s approach to teaching remains centered on building relationships and making students feel safe and valued. It is this focus that has had a generational impact on the community and continues to inspire students.

“I’ve had several students become Spanish teachers, which is pretty amazing,” said Silva. “I definitely keep in touch with a lot of students. They come back and visit, I’ve gone to their weddings, I’ve held their babies.”

As Silva’s former students have families of their own, the next generation of students now has the opportunity to benefit from her teaching. “What I really like the most is seeing my former students as parents and realizing, ‘Wow, they are such great parents,’” said Silva. “It is almost a leg up for me as a teacher because it is another easy way to form a relationship with the student, I’ve already built that connection in their family.”

THE TEACHING PROFESSION IS BEYOND COMPARE

In the U.S. today, over 90% of our children attend a public school, and outside of parenting, the teaching profession has had possibly the greatest impact on our past, present, and future. Across our classrooms, through our hallways, on our fields, and beyond our schools, infinite memories and moments are being created that will forever shape the humans who will determine the future direction of our society. At the heart of it all is a teacher whose mark on our world is beyond compare.

“Kids still call me up to ask for advice or to say, ‘Remember what you taught us? I’m passing that on,’” shared Kloster. “So now all of those blessings are coming back to bless me, because I think no amount of money could replace those relationships. That’s why we’re in this.”

By the Numbers EDUCATORS IN ST. VRAIN

63%

of St. Vrain teachers have graduate degrees.

22,566

total years of teaching experience amongst St. Vrain’s over 2,000 teachers.

2,000+

teachers in St. Vrain Valley Schools, all advancing student achievement and sucess.

increase in the base pay of teachers in St. Vrain since 2008.

GROWING OUR OWN AND INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF TEACHERS

For many of our teachers, the start to their first day of school in St. Vrain wasn’t greeting students in their classrooms. Instead, they spent their time being welcomed by their teacher and classmates as they began their educational journey. Little did they know, those teachers would one day become colleagues and mentors as they, too, accepted students into their St. Vrain classrooms for the first time.

Read their stories at stvra.in/nextgeneration

Beyond BARRIERS

ST. VRAIN IS OPENING DOORS FOR NEW OPPORTUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES BY CELEBRATING BILINGUALISM.

STORY

AND

PHOTO BY EUNICE PEINADO

N A GLOBALIZED SOCIETY, KNOWING A SECOND LANGUAGE PROVIDES AN ADVANTAGE by allowing us to communicate across boundaries and cultures. The ability to speak more than one language is a valuable asset that can open many doors. It provides students with the ability to improve their educational development and social and emotional skills, improves cultural awareness, and provides more opportunities in an increasingly globalized economy.

As St. Vrain prepares students for success, there are many opportunities for students to engage in learning a new language. As you walk through the halls of our schools, or visit our classrooms, you will hear a chorus composed of students connecting with each other through language, whether they are learning English, embracing their native language, or practicing a new one.

Photo: Students work on English and Spanish vocabulary in Leticia Melendez’s class at Rocky Mountain Elementary.

When children are exposed to a second language, it can be like an exercise machine for their minds. Research shows that learning a new language activates new parts of the brain that are used for processing sounds not regularly found in their native language. Young learners are able to create functionality through connecting the neural pathways that recognize and have the ability to switch between languages.

One way St. Vrain promotes bilingualism is through the Seal of Biliteracy, a prestigious award recognizing proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation that includes an official seal on a student’s transcript.

As students pursue the Seal of Biliteracy, it motivates them to take advanced language courses, promotes global skills by enhancing connections with their own language and culture, and builds knowledge and understanding of other cultures. In 2022, 135 St. Vrain graduates earned their Seal of Biliteracy with languages such as Spanish, French, German, Mandarin Chinese, and more.

For students to become successful in a second language by the time they enter high school, they first need the necessary support and tools in the early grades. By teaching students the academic vocabulary in the early years, they are better prepared to become academically successful as they move on to middle and high school.

“We are beginning to use the Seal of Biliteracy model in the early grades, and speaking to students about the importance of being multilingual and what an asset that skill can be for their future,” shared Janette Rivera Gonzalez, Elementary Literacy and English Language Development Coordinator.

Rivera Gonzalez provides teachers with support as they focus on teaching multilingual learners. “I have biliteracy meetings throughout the year with literacy teachers and we work on advancing crosslinguistic connections with bilingual and non-bilingual classrooms,” shared Rivera Gonzalez.

As students receive the support they need to learn a second language, their cognitive development increases. The ability to read and think in more than one language promotes higher levels of thought and students begin to have a stronger foundation.

Biliteracy classes for English language learners are beneficial to students both academically and personally, as they provide students with the instruction they need to be better prepared for their future. For students to become proficient in both languages, they need to sync the two together. “They do not stop the use of one language to learn another. Instead, we focus on bringing the two together,” shared Leticia Melendez, English Language Learner Teacher (ELL) at Rocky Mountain Elementary School.

Supporting multilingual learning is a powerful collaboration between students and the teachers working with them. First, acknowledging and honoring their first language and then using that to provide students with the connections they need to become successful.

St. Vrain also focuses on building community and connections for Newcomers, English language learners who are new to the U.S. As a former Newcomer, Ines Garcia knows firsthand the benefits of these opportunities. When she arrived from Mexico at 17 years old, Garcia enrolled in the Newcomers program at Skyline High School,

from which she successfully graduated in 2002. Currently, Garcia serves as the Newcomer Program Teacher at Timberline PK-8.

The Newcomer program is designed to help bridge the educational and socialemotional experience of students who are new to this country by providing appropriate content-area instruction, building and strengthening their native language skills, and supporting the students and their families as they transition into a general education classroom.

Throughout the school year, Garcia works hard to build relationships with her students. “They are looking for somebody that will make them feel safe, someone they can relate to, and someone who can answer their questions and make them feel supported.”

Garcia’s goal for this year is to increase engagement with students’ families. “My teachers gave me the support I needed to become successful and that’s what I want to pass on to my students. I want them to embrace the gifts they have.”

The ability to speak more than one language is a valuable asset that can open many doors for students in a globalized society.

BEYOND Expectations

BY KERRI MCDERMID PHOTOS BY LIZ ALLEN, KERRI MCDERMID, EUNICE PEINADO, COLIN RICKMAN, & OWEN WILLIS

PRIL 23, 2022, IS A DAY THAT OLGA ROKHLENKO AND ALEX FONG, BOTH SENIORS AT NIWOT HIGH SCHOOL, WILL NEVER FORGET. As the FIRST Robotics World Championship was counting down its final seconds, Olga, Alex, approximately 80 of their fellow teammates on the Up-A-Creek Robotics team, and thousands of spectators were cheering as loudly as one might imagine during the final seconds of any closely matched world championship event. Three! Two! One! Bzzz! And just as quickly as the final round had started, the buzzer signaled the end of the 2022 FIRST Robotics season – but the day’s celebrations were only beginning.

ST. VRAIN VALLEY STUDENTS ARE COMPETING AT LEVELS FAR BEYOND EXPECTATIONS – AND THEY ARE WINNING.

As judges tallied their final scores, a hushed silence came over the arena. Knowing the level of preparation, practice, and skill everyone had contributed to reach this level of performance, the team waited with bated breath – much the same as when an Olympic figure skater tries to project graceful confidence to the camera while knowing they just completed the best performance of their career. And then the moment came – the screens overhead lit up in blue and Team 1619, Up-A-Creek Robotics, was named world champions, the first team in Colorado to win the recognition.

“It was just a moment of pure happiness,” said Olga, who serves as the team’s Technical Program Manager. “Confetti was going off, and all of us were laughing, crying, and hugging each other. It was such an elated feeling.”

Behind the smiles, hugs, and confetti were the hundreds of hours of practice, teamwork, and preparation that went into that life-defining moment for these high school students. The Up-A-Creek Robotics team includes students from across St. Vrain Valley Schools and is supported through the GEAR Alliance, a nonprofit organization committed to inspiring young people to pursue STEM careers through competitive robotics. In addition to the Up-A-Creek Robotics team, the GEAR Alliance also runs a FIRST Tech Challenge team for students in grades 8-10 (which also brought home a world championship trophy in 2022) and FIRST Lego League teams for students in grades K-8.

“We run like a business, but one that churns out a world-class robot in a timeframe that’s faster than most any company would be willing to accept,” shared Olga. “We learn a lot and we compete to win, but we also compete to learn, which I think is very important to who we are.”

As they build their competition robot completely from scratch (they typically weigh in at 150 pounds and stand five feet tall), students are supported by 25 industry mentors and serve as leads in all areas of development,

including construction, strategy, hardware, controls, fabrication, and software.

During competition, the robot first runs autonomously to perform tasks that earn points, and then is turned over to student drivers who work collaboratively with their alliance team to score additional points. Points can be earned by completing various actions, including collecting balls, launching balls, hitting targets, and climbing structures.

“I think a lot of our success also comes from the way our robots are made,” said Alex Fong, the team’s Robot Software Lead. “We have six to eight weeks, just like everyone else, to build our robot, but the one thing that stands out between some of the best teams in the world and the majority of the teams is iteration.”

The operations side of the organization also includes student leads in administration, safety, outreach, engagement, and of course, team spirit. The team also performs thousands of hours of community service by mentoring other teams, running food drives, hosting camps, and showcasing robotics and STEM activities at many community events.

“We are a team at the end of the day, but we are also a family at the end of the day. The thing that really makes us who we are is the fact that we play hard, but we love harder,” shared Olga. “And it’s not only because we’re building a robot, it’s because we also share our love of STEM with our community.”

Across St. Vrain Valley Schools, competing to learn is at the heart of the district’s robotics program, which has grown to over 200 teams in the past 10 years. Bolstered by investments in STEM and design-thinking integration, students gain a strong competitive advantage as they move through their educational journey. Robotics competitions teach much more than technical skills, but have deep learning foundations in important life skills such as cooperation, communication, leadership, and taking risks.

Watch the World Championship Winning Moment.

Photo: Members of the 1619 Up-A-Creek Robotics team test and program their robot during an after-school practice.

Photo: Niwot High freshman, Mya Haux, uses machinery to construct parts for their robot, with Niwot sophomore Maria Arrece-Garcia and Silver Creek junior Krishna Mallya at the Up-A-Creek Robotics headquarters.

“The impact robotics has on students is truly lifechanging,” shared Alexandra Downing, the Competitive Robotics Program Manager at the Innovation Center. “We have students that may be shy or speak a different language, but once they are in robotics, their world changes – they make friends, build confidence, and learn English.”

This year, the Up-A-Creek Robotics headquarters is already full of activity and learning in preparation for the upcoming 2023 competition cycle. In one room, you will find a team working on metal fabrication and running a lathe. In another, students gather around a table filled with wires and electrical components. In the computer lab, the latest CAD drawings are projected onto a large screen for review. In the main area, another team of students is testing software updates to their autonomous system as the robot moves quickly around the room to collect balls and launch them at a target. In a conference space, the outreach team is discussing engagement strategy and reviewing video from the previous week’s community event, while next to them, the strategy team and application team are testing updates to their scoretracking app.

“One of the mottos of FIRST Robotics that we very much take to heart is that we are more than robots. We’re not using kids to build robots, but we are using robots to build kids,” added Olga. “I think there is not a single person that has come through these doors that has not felt transformed when they leave.”

The Class of 2022 celebrated:

• a Boettcher Scholarship winner at Silver Creek High

• an Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship winner at Skyline High

• a College Board Big Futures Scholarship winner at Erie High

• two Daniel’s Fund Scholarship winners from Niwot High and Silver Creek High

• National Merit Finalists at Erie High, Skyline High, Longmont High, and Silver Creek High

• and so much more

Trail Ridge Middle School is one of four middle schools in the state to be named a Special Olympics National Unified Champion School.

UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS OF ACHIEVEMENT

Throughout the state, across the nation, and around the globe, St. Vrain students are reaching the highest levels of success. These celebrations represent only a small sample of the outstanding achievements of our students over the past year.

Our music programs continue to perform at the highest levels, with the district recently receiving the 2022 Best Communities for Music Education recognition, the highest honor for music education nationally.

A team at the Innovation Center competed against 700 students from across six countries and won the 2022 World Affairs Challenge to advance creative solutions to the earth’s most pressing problems.

In their recent state competition, the CETC ProStart culinary team had three first-place and two second-place state winners, alongside six gold medals and two silver medals. The CETC is also home to the 2022 best high school welder in Colorado.

Erie High students were three-time state champions in the Real World Design Challenge from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

The Artificial Intelligence Leadership Team at the Innovation Center won the high school gold medal at the 2022 World Artificial Intelligence Competition for Youth.

St. Vrain students had a strong showing at the 2022 Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) state competition, with Longmont High sending the largest FBLA chapter in the state to the event, and a Mead High student winning the school’s first state championship for FBLA.

Over two dozen St. Vrain robotics teams qualified for the 2022 VEX Robotics World Championship in Texas, and the Innovation Center VEX Robotics Team won the 2022 Worcester Polytechnic Institute Signature Invitational.

Our athletic teams continue to win championships and compete at maximal performance regionally, statewide, and nationally. In the last two years, St. Vrain athletes have brought home more state team and individual athletics titles than any other school district in Colorado (as a percentage of enrollment).

W E L C O M E !

BY LIZ ALLEN PHOTOS BY LIZ ALLEN & CAROLINE CHUTKOW

VERY STUDENT AT THUNDER VALLEY K-8 KNOWS MR. RON.

He’s a fixture at every sporting event and every school function. He visits their classrooms each morning to collect their breakfasts, encouraging them to empty their own trays in exchange for a dance-off or funny face. Last year, every kindergartner in the school joined together to sing him “Happy Birthday.”

If you ask Ron Derr, he will say that his role as Head Custodian is to “keep the place clean, and make sure the kids are safe,” but if you spend even a few minutes in his company, it’s clear his impact goes far beyond that.

Ron is one of over 1,400 classified staff members across St. Vrain Valley Schools who work around the clock to support students and champion their success and well-being. In addition to providing clean and healthy buildings, safe routes to and from school, nutritious meals, and ensuring smooth school operations, St. Vrain’s classified staff are an integral part of each school’s community, acting as role models and trusted adults for students.

Ron goes out of his way to support students in the special education program at Thunder Valley. He assists with their lockers, and has unique elbow-bump handshakes with several students. A couple of years ago, a kindergartner with special needs was having a difficult morning as Ron was near the classroom. “I said, ‘come on let’s go take a walk.’” The student was able to self-soothe as he and the student’s paraeducator joined Ron on his rounds. “Every time I saw him from then on out, I’d be pushing the trash can with one hand and holding his hand with the other,” Ron says with a chuckle.

“It’s all about making that connection with students and parents, and really being a resource for them,” says Anna Lopez, Building Secretary at Thunder Valley. She makes a point of interacting with students and families in the office and throughout the school. She assists families with accessing records and information, in addition to stepping in to help wherever needed, whether that is at lunch or

recess duty, connecting with students in the hallways, or assisting with a child who isn’t feeling well. Anna used to work alone as a real estate agent, and shares that being a part of a large school community and working with students to help them grow each day is one of the most rewarding aspects of her career change.

“Anna is the first person our students and families come into contact with when you walk into our school,” adds Principal Catrina Estrada. “She goes above and beyond to make sure everyone is cared for and has what they need to have a successful day; she’s someone that students can trust.”

As one of more than 100 bus drivers in the district, Laurie Towndrow bookends her students’ days. She is one of the first people they see in the morning and the last in the afternoon. She’s been driving in St. Vrain for 22 years and gets to be a part of her students’ childhoods, seeing her same riders year after year. Recently, when driving a special route to Soaring Heights PK-8, Laurie was greeted with a familiar face. However, she was no longer a bouncing fifth-grader with her backpack slung over her shoulders, but now a first grade teacher. “It was just amazing to recognize her as an adult and to hear about her life now. We got to reminiscing about her time on my bus,” shares Laurie. “These are lasting connections, not just fleeting moments.”

Her bus is not only an extension of the school day, but a place where students can build self-esteem. Laurie sees that where some might interpret students as being disruptive, “it’s really just they’re looking for support to bolster their self-esteem.” She invites these students up front to sit by her and bonds with them by listening and championing their growth and development.

Back inside the school building, nutritious meals play a critical role in powering students through their days so they can focus on learning. Jennifer Buffington, Kitchen Manager at Westview Middle School, goes out of her way to know every student’s dietary needs and preferences, and ensure they have options they’ll enjoy. If she sees

By the Numbers

1.9 Million+ 3 Million+

any student not eating, she makes sure they get something healthy to fuel them.

“I really am an ear for these students,” says Jennifer. “My whole kitchen staff makes sure these kids are comfortable so they can always come and talk to us.” They decorate the kitchen and cafeteria, making it a fun and welcoming place for students, dressing up for every school spirit day and decorating for holidays.

Our schools are full of champions like Ron, Anna, Laurie, and Jennifer. They are a critical part of our schools, our district, and the lives of our students. They go above and beyond any job title, with their unique contributions adding up to an impact far greater than the sum of its parts. It is what makes advancing students’ well-being and academic achievement across the district possible.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE. JOIN THE #STVRAINSTORM

We are hiring essential positions to join our highly effective and supportive team of professionals who have a significant impact in the lives of students and families within our community. St. Vrain offers a wide range of benefits, programs, and resources that are competitive, diverse, and flexible to meet your needs.

GOING THE EXTRA MILE miles driven by St. Vrain bus drivers in the 2021–2022 school year meals served during the 2021–2022 school year Learn more and apply at jobs.svvsd.org

Imagination Beyond the

BY KERRI MCDERMID PHOTOS BY CAROLINE CHUTKOW & JESSE PETERSEN

Photo: Hygiene Elementary fifth graders, Henry Brooks and Marlo Epstein, learn about the world through the school’s annual HawkAir event.

“THE POWER OF IMAGINATION MAKES US INFINITE.”

- JOHN MUIR

EFORE STARTING

FIFTH GRADE AT HYGIENE ELEMENTARY,

Henry Brooks and Marlo Epstein had already traveled around the world and beyond, visiting Egypt, Australia, Japan, and Italy. They had even ventured to the depths of the sea and the far reaches of the solar system. Such seasoned world travelers may conjure images of airline food, baggage checks, and passport control lines; however, Henry and Marlo’s adventures came to life through the power of their own imaginations – and the inspired creativity of their classmates and teachers.

For the past 13 years, the entire Hygiene Elementary community has boarded a flight of imagination on HawkAir that transports them to a new destination in the world – or rather, an elaborate and imaginative learning experience where the entire school is completely transformed. What was once a school gym might now be filled with sand, as papier-mâché fish swim above, or a hallway might become an extravagant bazaar filled with spices, silks, and lanterns.

“You can find adventure and the creativity of the world right in our own school,” shared Henry. “It is so inspiring to think that there are other people around us, outside of our country and across the sea, who are probably doing the same things that we are.”

Leading up to the moment that each class of Hygiene students boards their flight, all grade levels undertake a year-long learning journey to more deeply understand the history, culture, people, and traditions of their chosen destination. They also go through the designthinking process to ideate and prototype solutions to global challenges that their country of focus may face, such as wildfires (Australia) and rising sea levels (Italy).

“To me, it really inspires you to think outside the box because normally you’d have to travel to that country, but our school literally makes the country come to us,” shared Marlo. “The imagination and creativity are really what starts it, and the other things come to life to make the idea real.”

OUR MYSTERIOUS MINDS

The power of imagination and the inner universe that fills our minds is as ancient as humanity itself, with Aristotle believing it to be the foundation of all knowledge. In learning, imagination is critical not only in creativity and problem solving, but also in strengthening empathy and the ability to perceive ideas and concepts that are not based on our own lived experiences. It is our imaginations that drive our curiosity and exploration, leading us to retain new knowledge and gain new memories.

For Violet Oliver, a junior at Niwot High School, the cycle of imaginative curiosity that leads to discovery has been at the heart of her learning from the first time she peered into a new world through her microscope. “We don’t know what lies beyond our earth, but we also don’t know what lies within it,” said Violet. “Much like an explorer might want to keep searching for new things, that’s the kind of feeling I get, except it is all confined within the space of a tabletop.”

Inspired by biology and the microscopic world, Violet’s deep sense of exploration has led her to her current research project, bridging biology and neuroscience with technology. Violet and her classmates on the Neuroscience Team at the Innovation Center are investigating and prototyping the use of virtual reality (VR) to improve mental health. Alongside industry partners, UCHealth and Rendever,

these high school students are creating virtual reality experiences that promote joy, empathy, and a sense of connection.

Violet’s neuroscience work at the Innovation Center has also led her to an internship at the University of Colorado Boulder, supporting research in using brain scanning technology to measure brain activity when exposed to virtual and augmented reality technologies.

“There is the neuroscience piece and the VR piece, which to an onlooker might initially seem like two completely separate fields, but once you have enough knowledge in both worlds, you can combine them and get a sort of symphony going,” said Violet. “The mind and memory is its own little world – it is so incredibly complex – and the fact that we are able to influence how the mind perceives things through memory and emotion is powerful.”

Just as imagination helps us visualize and understand worlds beyond our own realities, it can also strengthen and influence our understanding of ourselves and those around us. This has been the foundation for much of the learning taking place at Soaring Heights PK-8 in Erie. As a STEM school with an emphasis on neuroscience, Soaring Heights students begin their educational journey learning to understand how their brains receive and process information.

“What neuroscience does for us, in many ways, is to foster an understanding of how our brains work to better prepare students for the many situations they may experience as they go through life. Students can recognize what they need to be successful, but can also recognize that in others,” shared Cyrus Weinberger, Principal at Soaring Heights. “It also provides an incredible opportunity to propel kids into the scientific process in ways that nothing else can.”

On any given day, classrooms in Soaring Heights are full of energy as students engage in design-thinking challenges, utilize robotics and computer science technologies to learn about inputs and outputs, or measure their own physiological responses to different stimuli through EKGs.

“Every student, no matter if they are in kindergarten or eighth grade, has Innovation Time every day, and that’s a time to let them explore and be imaginative,” added Anna

Mills, Innovation Coordinator at Soaring Heights. “I have not only seen this increase their creativity, but by having that time to be imaginative, they bring that mindset into their everyday lives.”

Increased empathy, thinking about challenges from other perspectives, greater authentic collaboration, and enhanced self-awareness and regulation have all been positive outcomes for Soaring Heights students.

“When students can visually see what a person’s brain is doing, they can understand how situations or solutions can impact other people, which leads to empathy,” shared Mills.

Back at Hygiene Elementary, increased empathy and creative thinking have also been significant outcomes of the HawkAir experience and are key components to advancing student achievement and success.

“Empathy and the whole design-thinking process really starts with an idea – every invention has to start with that spark,” said Renee Collier, Principal at Hygiene Elementary. “I think our students at Hygiene really understand that their voices and actions make a big difference, and that carries them through to see the final outcome of working together all year.”

This year, travel preparations are underway to visit the United Kingdom, but not before a year of designthinking activities and exploration lead to a deeper sense of place and cultural understanding.

“Ideas are practically endless, creativity is practically endless – you can’t have a wrong idea,” added Henry. “As a kid, we can still find a way to make the world a better place.”

If the power of imagination makes us infinite, students across St. Vrain Valley Schools demonstrate limitless potential to advance the future of our world.

Photo, left: Niwot High junior, Violet Oliver, uses her understanding of bioengineering materials and sensors to build a prosthetic hand as part of the Bioscience program at the Innovation Center.

Photo, right: Second grader, Aden Kidder, explores during Innovation Time at Soaring Heights PK-8.

If the power of imagination makes us infinite, students across St. Vrain Valley Schools demonstrate limitless potential to advance the future of our world.

Beyond the

MELODY

MUSIC EDUCATION CONNECTS STUDENTS TO THEIR SCHOOL COMMUNITIES AND BEYOND.

BY CAROLINE CHUTKOW PHOTOS BY LIZ ALLEN & AARON FORD

TUDENTS ACROSS

ST.

VRAIN

ARRIVE AT SCHOOL EARLY to strengthen their music skills, stay after the last bell is rung to practice for upcoming concerts, and rehearse marching band drills outside on dark, cool mornings to ensure their sets are just right ahead of the big home game. With commitment and passion, our students infuse music into our communities and develop lifelong skills in collaboration, discipline, and creativity along the way.

ALIGNING THE PK-12 MUSIC JOURNEY

Year six at an elementary school is a big year for an educator. For Kris Emanuel, Music Teacher at Indian Peaks Elementary, he has now been with his fifth grade students every year of their elementary school experience. “There is a synergy and connection you achieve within a building when you have been there for a while,” said Emanuel. “You are able to celebrate the big growth moments because you see where students started.”

Emanuel’s roots in St. Vrain have spread throughout the district as well. He participated in the district’s partnership program with the University of Colorado Denver’s Educational Leadership and Administration cohort, which expanded his viewpoint of program implementation

options. Learning that Sunset Middle School and Niwot High School, two of Indian Peaks's feeder schools, both had Mariachi programs, he decided to introduce a similar program. “We are always talking about aligning the PK-12 journey for students, so having a foundational Mariachi program at our school made sense.”

The school’s program focuses on fourth and fifth-grade students who arrive ahead of the school day once a week to practice. The program's first year culminated in a collaborative concert with students at Sunset. Emanuel noted how fun it was to see the older peers mentoring the elementary students about the various instruments and their uses. “They wouldn’t get that connection if we didn’t think beyond what we do in our building, but think about ourselves in context of this whole journey that we’re on together.”

Emanuel is continuing to enhance the music journey for his students by starting a third-grade guitar club where students are able to strengthen their skills so they are prepared for Mariachi Club come January. Learning to play the guitar is a big draw for budding student musicians. Fourth-grade student Alexa Rodriguez joined Mariachi so she could learn

to play the string instrument. “I like the guitar a lot,” said Alexa. “I really love music and it’s fun to be a part of Mariachi.”

CREATING A MUSIC COMMUNITY

For Abby Martinez, Choir Teacher at Erie Middle School, her commitment to music education expands beyond the classroom and into the community. She has been with the school's choir program since her first year of teaching. “I feel like I really grew up at this school,” said Martinez. Now in her 13th year at Erie Middle, she has seen both the school’s music program and the community flourish. While it started as a very small program, the choir now consistently places among the top three middle schools in the state for sending the most students to All-State Choir.

Martinez refers to her music sections as a “Choir Family” and a “Choir Home.” Her participation numbers per grade-level grow each year, usually starting around 100 in sixth grade and increasing up to 160 students by eighth grade. Currently, over 47% of students at Erie Middle participate in year-long choir.

Photo, above: Longmont High School sophomore Austin Neubauer performs during the district’s Band Night. Photo, right: Fourth grader Anthony Macias practices guitar during Mariachi Club before school at Indian Peaks Elementary.

different middle and high school music ensembles offered throughout the school year. students participated in state music performances in the 2021-2022 school year.

secondary classes in visual and performing arts are available across St. Vrain.

are a testament to the positive culture at the school. Martinez believes music and the connection created in the school’s ensembles help students grow into kind, curious, and empathetic contributors. She develops these traits by incorporating many socialemotional opportunities into her classroom, including mindfulness practices, intentional celebrations of each other’s successes, meaningful traditions, and service to the school and larger Erie community.

marching band is a class, more students can participate in both marching band and sports or other co-curricular activities.

“I welcome students to join as eighth-graders because I’d rather they find a love for singing later than not at all, and we are still able to provide a high level of musicianship.”

The choir program at Erie Middle constantly strives for musical excellence, but its greater purpose is to develop students into caring and impactful members of society. The strong participation numbers

Music education provides the opportunity for students to be a part of something greater than themselves. Most recently, choir students engaged in a fundraising effort to help build an accessible park for their neighbors in Erie. “My favorite part about being in Erie Middle’s Choir Family is the fact that I have a sense of something bigger. I’m a part of something that helps out so many people and makes them feel loved and supported,” said Tayler Studebaker, eighth-grade student. “The connection that choir offers is really great to help us more fluidly build bonds with people, both inside and outside our school.”

100 YEARS OF MUSIC HISTORY

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Longmont High School band program. “It’s been incredible to be teaching in a school with a history like ours,” said David Merrill, Director of Bands at Longmont High, who has led the program for 22 years. “I have yearbook pictures going back to 1922 and it is so gratifying to see how this program has evolved over the years, how many students it’s impacted, and how it’s been such a part of the community here in Longmont.”

As an exhibition-style marching band, Longmont High students deliver community performances, including at parades, home football games, and St. Vrain Valley Schools’ Band Night, a districtwide event where band students from area high schools come together to perform. Because

Even still, student leaders take it upon themselves to organize opportunities for marching band students to meet outside of school hours. They can be heard fine-tuning a program after school in the band room, holding evening practices ahead of important performances, and convening during the week leading up to the new school year for band camp to prepare for the new season.

The school’s drumline program is a competitive branch of the marching band, and a highly successful one, at that. The group has won 10 state championships and ranked as national finalists seven times. The student musicians dedicate a large amount of time to prepare for competitions and travel around the state and nationally to compete. Longmont High’s drumline was invited, along with local artists, to perform at Red Rocks Amphitheatre’s 80th Anniversary Show in April 2021, an event that was livestreamed across the country.

“It was absolutely magical,” junior Simon Von Hatten said of his experience performing at the famous venue. “It’s always been a dream of mine to perform on such an incredible stage, and I know the whole drumline group felt it was surreal to be invited to play there.” Simon has been playing drums since he was three-years old and now plays the snare drum for the school’s marching band and drumline program. He also leads the battery instruments in the marching band, reminding his fellow musicians about rehearsals and conducting warmups. Simon attributes the incredible community of teachers, staff, students, and parents to what makes participation in the program so meaningful.

Whether for competition or enjoyment, music is an essential part of the PK-12 learning experience. “We all need the opportunity to create something beautiful,” said Merrill. “Working hard, but working on something beautiful, that is creative and fills your soul, is an important part of a student’s day.”

BY EUNICE PEINADO PHOTOS BY LIZ ALLEN & JESSE PETERSEN

FTEN,

WHEN WE REFLECT ON OUR CHILDHOOD,

we remember that some of the best times were spent perfecting the Maradona turn on the soccer field, working on our swing to hit the next home run, building up height and endurance to clear the hurdles, or practicing our routines so they would be in sync when it came time to go out and cheer for our favorite team.

Many athletes have followed in the footsteps that were paved by their favorite coach to continue their passion in another way, by paying it forward and becoming a coach themselves.

To be a coach means much more than helping students develop to their full athletic potential. Coaches inspire confidence in others, motivate, and encourage athletes to perform at their highest level, whether it be on the field or in the classroom. Our St. Vrain coaches have inspired our students to become the very best student athletes and leaders they can be by sharing the love they have for the sport.

BUILDING A LEGACY

Watching his own father play soccer, Luis Chávez was motivated to follow in his footsteps. He began playing as a young kid and has competed all of his adult life. Chávez credits his accomplishments as a player and coach to having an amazing coach himself, one who inspired him to become the person he is today. “He pushed me to excel in school and to be accountable for myself. He even nominated me for a college scholarship,” recalled Chávez. Coach Chávez became Skyline High School’s Boys Soccer Coach in 2010, and began coaching the girls soccer team in 2012.

For Skyline High School senior, Landon Nates, the impact has been significant. “Coach Chávez has helped me grow as a player and as a person. He really shows us by example what makes a great coach and person. Through his attitude and the lessons we learn from soccer, it all translates to the outside world. He has become a huge role model in my life.”

Coach Chávez was named the 2018 Boys Soccer Tri-Valley Coach of the Year and has led his soccer team in the playoffs for the past several years. Since being named head coach for the girls soccer team, he has had a significant impact on their competitive level over the years.

“Through Coach Chávez’s example of leadership, he has taught me how to lead as team captain and how to teach others,” shared Lizette Duran Valderrama, senior at Skyline High School. Coach Chávez strongly believes that sports can guide students in the right direction. “They also hold you accountable if you are really dedicated,” added Chávez. When he’s not on the soccer field, Coach Chávez spends his time building relationships within his own community. He serves as the Homeless Education Liaison in St. Vrain Valley Schools and spends his free time running the Coaching Boys into Men Program through Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley, where he focuses on mentoring young adults into respecting themselves, respecting those around them, and helping them develop the skills they need to become successful adults. For Chávez, at the end of the day, it’s more about the person than the athlete.

“Life is like sports,” shared Chávez. “You are giving yourself that chance to not settle for less. Work hard, do what you have to do, and go as far as you want to go.”

COACHES ARE GREAT LEADERS BECAUSE THEY MOTIVATE OTHERS TO BECOME THEIR BEST.

Beyond the

BEYOND THE BALLPARK

“Coaching became second nature to me,” shared Julie Vasquez, Cheer and Softball Coach at Lyons Middle Senior High School. “My dad coached me through high school, so it became part of the family.” It’s more than coaching for Vasquez, a graduate from Lyons Middle Senior High School, it’s continuing the love her community has for their student athletes.

“Growing up in Lyons and being a part of the community, I was highly involved in softball,” recalled Vasquez. Her passion for softball and her love of the game is what drove her to become the girls softball coach. At first, she admits, she had doubts about whether or not she could do the job; however she knew this was another opportunity for her to lead these girls to something phenomenal.

“I’m always working on becoming a better leader for them and for myself,” shared Vasquez. “I want them to continue to push themselves and have grit because they have to get through the uncomfortable to become great leaders.”

Coach Vasquez leads by setting a good example every day, on and off the field, holding herself to the same expectations as her athletes. “If I’m not setting a good example for them and I’m not showing them what a good leader is and what leader I expect them to be, then I’m not doing my job,” said Vasquez.

KEEPING THE PACE

Training to become a triathlete in high school makes you discover that you may shine at one sport more than the others. “I was a pretty good hurdler in high school and had the opportunity to continue through college,”

Photo, from left to right: Addison Tuck, Ceci Chiaravalle, Assistant Coach Abby Wynja, Head Coach Julie Vasquez, Ava Vasquez, Maysa Ganzel, and Talis Hubner in a pre-game huddle.

Photo, previous page: Luis Chávez coaches the Skyline High School boys soccer team practice.

shared Scott Dickinson, Track & Field and Cross Country Coach at Longmont High School. Having been involved in sports during high school and college, Coach Dickinson learned that competing in athletics and being strong academically can be challenging, but striking that balance helped him grow as a person.

Most recently, Coach Dickinson won the 2022 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Coach of the Year award for Colorado Boys Track & Field. “I try to hold myself to a really high standard in terms of my mentality,” shared Dickinson. “We all have good and bad days, but no matter what, I try to show up to practice with a positive attitude.”

Coach Dickinson creates an environment where students are meeting people with different perspectives, because he strongly believes that it gives them a greater outlook on life. The biggest impact he believes he can have on his students is if they can take the lessons he teaches them on the track or crosscountry course and apply it to real life.

“We don’t focus on the fact that it didn’t go right; instead we focus on how we can grow and what we can learn to be better next time,” added Dickinson.

For Dickinson, a champion mindset leads to the greatest success.

TWO MINUTES AND THIRTY SECONDS

When we think about cheerleading, we may not consider the complexity it entails. During the two minutes and thirty seconds of a routine, an athlete has to incorporate tumbling, running, an elite stunt sequence, a pyramid, and dancer jumps, all perfectly timed to a music track. It’s all of those elements that make cheer so entertaining to watch and so athletically demanding.

For Nora Roth, Cheer Coach at Erie High School, being a coach has been the most fulfilling thing she has ever done.

“I always knew I wanted to be a cheer coach. It’s such a unique sport and I wanted to bring the athletic side into it,” shared Roth. Coach Roth has been the Head Coach of Erie High School’s cheer team for the last five years. She was the Colorado High School Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2018 and the team has won state championship titles in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

There is no doubt that Coach Roth works hard to build strong relationships between herself and her students, and encourages them to become their best. “Coach Roth has taught me how to push past my limits in order to be successful while still creating a supportive and loving environment on the team,” shared Maryn Murphy, senior at Erie High School.

“Coach Roth reminds me that cheer is something I choose to do because I love the sport. It has impacted me on a scale bigger than just cheer and it has reminded me that it’s okay to have ups and downs as long as I learn from it,” shared Jada Kloppe, junior at Erie High School. “Coach Roth has built a relationship with each individual athlete, which has impacted me by having someone I know I can always talk to.”

By the Numbers

ATHLETICS AND CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

In the last two years, St. Vrain athletes have brought home 78 total state titles: 14 team titles and 64 individual titles.

St. Vrain offers 147 total varsity sports teams across all high schools.

1,792

147 109

St. Vrain high school students are sanctioned to compete in 1,792 athletic events each year.

Last year, 109 St. Vrain graduates earned athletic scholarships.

Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

THE NEXT GENERATION OF OUR DEMOCRACY BEGINS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

BY CAROLINE CHUTKOW PHOTOS BY LIZ ALLEN

Photo, top: During Niwot High's Mock Trial team practice, senior Angela Wu questions a witness.

Photo, bottom: Longmont High senior, Greta Wedel, presents her argument for debate, while junior Grace Hawkins prepares a counterargument.

ATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE

RUTH BADER GINSBURG once famously said, “We have the oldest written constitution still in force in the world, and it starts out with three words, ‘We, the people.’” With this powerful preamble, it is solidified that our populace serves as the foundation for our democracy. While the majority of our students are not yet old enough to vote, opportunities abound for students across St. Vrain Valley Schools to begin their civic engagement and learn how they can participate in our democracy, become contributing citizens in their communities, advocate for others, and introduce – and change – law and policy.

“DON’T RAISE YOUR VOICE, IMPROVE YOUR ARGUMENT.” — DESMOND TUTU

The ability to think critically about complex issues and articulate ideas eloquently is a skillset that benefits students in any career path they choose. Academic All-American, Greta Wedel, represents Longmont High School in the CHSSAsponsored 4A Speech and Debate competition in the Lincoln-Douglas Debate-style event where she researches and prepares to argue both sides of a controversial topic. Greta spends over 30 hours preparing for each debate, and her competition results are a testament to her hard work. At nationals last year, she placed as a double octofinalist and was ranked the 13th best speaker

out of 260 debaters. Cases are on par with graduate-level political philosophy, with recent topics including whether the United States ought to implement a single-payer universal healthcare system and whether voting ought to be compulsory in a democracy.

Greta is frank in admitting she enjoys the competition because she likes to win, but beyond the competition, she also attributes her academic success to Speech and Debate. “It’s a very valuable program. Class presentations, argumentative essays, and research papers are a lot easier for me now than they were prior to joining the program.” As a senior, Greta is preparing for life after St. Vrain and has her sights set on a pre-law undergraduate program where she hopes to ultimately pursue a legal career focusing on intellectual property or corporate law.

Longmont High Social Studies Teacher, Jim Dornan, has led the school’s Speech and Debate program for 26 years and received CHSAA’s Sharon Wilch Lifetime Achievement Award in honor of his tenured commitment. Dornan enjoys seeing his students thrive while being challenged by the topics they are assigned and says the research and critical thinking skills he sees them develop are exceptional. During competitions, a coin toss determines which side of the argument the student will debate and they must be prepared for either equally, no matter their personal beliefs on a topic. “The thing that’s great about debate is that they have to argue both sides and the best debaters are the ones who understand their opponent’s argument better than their opponents do,” said Dornan.

regional competition and were the first team to win every jury member’s ballot. They then went on to place in the top ten at the state tournament. “The program provides students an opportunity to learn to speak eloquently and to think on their feet in highpressure situations,” said Grant. “Participating in Mock Trial boosts the students’ confidence, while also teaching them to be graceful and professional, both in success and in defeat.”

As for Grant, she volunteers her time to coach the students. “My ‘why’ is a desire to serve the community of students and to provide a specialized and high-level opportunity for them,” said Grant. “By doing that, I’m able to see unique qualities in the students individually and to help them recognize and grow these facets of their personalities. This, in turn, enhances their self-confidence, helps build their self-esteem, and prepares them to effectively go forward in their lives.”

“WE APPLY LAW TO FACTS. WE DON’T APPLY FEELINGS TO FACTS.” —SONIA

SOTOMAYOR

Gaining hands-on experience navigating the justice system offers skills that transcend the legal realm. While Niwot High School senior, Angela Wu, is planning to pursue a career in either computer science or business after graduation, her participation in the highly competitive Mock Trial program has positively shaped her publicspeaking abilities and willingness to step outside of her comfort zone. Led by local attorney, Erika Grant, Wu has been competing on the Niwot High School Mock Trial team since she was a freshman, and has served as a team captain on the varsity team for the past three years. The competition is called “Mock Trial,” but everything about the event feels incredibly real. Students argue their case in a courtroom in front of a judge, and present to a jury – all of whom are members of the legal community who volunteer their time. In between delivering opening and closing statements, they are sifting through evidence that is introduced during the trial, preparing witnesses, and strategizing their arguments. “I feel a lot of adrenaline when I get in front of the court,” said Angela. “I feel nervous, but I’m also really excited to show what the team can do and what we’ve been practicing all year.”

The team competes at an elite level. Last year they won the

The law shapes our society and is discussed at length in today’s news media. This fall, approximately 80 students across St. Vrain have enrolled in the foundational course, Introduction to Law, as part of the district’s new Pre-Law Pathway program housed at the Career Elevation and Technology Center. Led by David Elchoness, a seasoned attorney licensed in three states who also has extensive experience working in the world of tech and startup industries, the course offers students significant insight into the legal world. A parent in the district, Elchoness saw a job posting for the pathway’s instructor role while navigating the district website and applied. “I decided I would make a big switch and do something that I’ve always wanted to do in my community with a subject that I’m really passionate about.”

After completing the introductory class, students in the program will move on to courses focusing on criminal justice, civil rights, and business law, and then complete the pathway with a capstone course. They can expect an experiential learning process with group discussion, real-world court case analysis, and engagement with guest speakers from the legal community. Elchoness views his role as promoting respect and neutrality while the students learn to argue for and against various topics. “I will be stressing that good lawyers and good businesspeople don’t raise their voices and they don’t disrespect others,” he said. “My job is to train the students to think critically so that they can analyze either side, whichever one they’re given.”

Through the countless offerings available across the district that focus on government, law, and civic engagement, including courses, co-curricular activities, and student-led clubs, it’s never too early for students to learn about the justice system and our greater democracy – and experience firsthand what it means to be a member of “We, the people.”

“IT IS IN JUSTICE THAT THE ORDERING OF SOCIETY IS CENTERED.” —ARISTOTLE

Limitations

THROUGHOUT ST. VRAIN VALLEY SCHOOLS, OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH THE NECESSARY TOOLS AND KNOWLEDGE FOR SUCCESS.

STORY BY EUNICE PEINADO PHOTOS BY CAROLINE CHUTKOW & EUNICE PEINADO

LL OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE A HIGHQUALITY EDUCATION that aligns with their unique needs and supports them to gain independence so they can reach their full potential. Throughout our schools, teachers and staff have implemented innovative teaching methods to best advance the success of every student.

At Spark! Discovery Preschool, students are encouraged and empowered to engage their sensory needs and participate in activities that facilitate better focus and learning.

One resource is Spark’s sensory room, which is designed with learning and fun in mind. “The goal of the room is for students to learn their sensory systems, and to experiment with different sensations to figure out what is soothing to them,” shared Ty Cito, Occupational Therapist at Spark!.

Sensory play helps students develop their senses – such as sight, hearing, and touch. It encourages problem-solving skills and builds nerve connections in the brain, providing students with tools to manage their feelings.

The room provides activities such as weighted balls, which allow students to feel deep pressure and can help them relax and regulate. The room also has bouncy balls to give students rhythmic actions, and a swing that has different options, such as spinning, which can help regulate their vestibular system. Other students might opt to engage with a water table or create art.

Helping students learn to regulate and interact with the world around them in a safe environment can have positive effects on their ability to understand, react, and learn, while also building up their confidence.

At Erie Elementary School, Larrissa Mangione’s philosophy and foundation is that, “The work never goes away, but the love is unconditional.” For the past 15 years, Mangione has continued to look for different ways to best support her students.

Last year, Mangione received a grant from the St. Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation for an electroencephalogram (EEG) band and a 360-degree camera that allows her to better understand the needs of her students and create virtual learning experiences. “For students who are nonverbal, I use EEG to see what is engaging them positively and what might be causing anxiety,” shared Mangione.

In the past, Mangione has used this strategy to support students who had extreme anxiety about going into a general education environment or had behavioral issues. “I had one specific student that couldn’t go down a hallway with people surrounding him,” said Mangione. “I filmed a 360-degree video of this activity and then I uploaded the video into a virtual reality setting. We practiced virtually walking down the hallway until he showed that he was level regulated, and eventually he was able to do it in real life – it was powerful.”

Another support for students at Erie Elementary is the Cub Club. In order to assist with the transition from a special education to general education classroom,

Mangione welcomes peer mentors from fourth and fifth grade for students in the Cub Club. “Being a mentor in the Cub Club was so beneficial to me, because I am able to experience who the kids are and how they learn,” said Elliana Henson, former Cub Club mentor. “It helped me realize that I too want to become a special education teacher.”

Peer mentoring allows students to develop a strong bond with each other. “It has taught me that I am not alone in how I feel,” shared August Hurst, former Cub Club mentor. “I learned how to understand others and their feelings.”

Many parents have seen a significant positive impact on their child’s education and progress. “To say I was delighted to learn of the development and implementation of a classroom environment designed specifically for children who need more individualized

Photo: Special Education Teacher, Larrissa Mangione, works with Sasha Campbell at Erie Elementary.

All of our students have the opportunity to receive a high-quality education that aligns with their unique needs and supports them to gain independence so they can reach their full potential.

support is an understatement,” shared Tracy Postle, parent of an Erie Elementary student. “The learning opportunities and developmental support that the outstanding educators of the Cub Club provide have been paramount to my son’s continued progress and enthusiasm for learning.”

In addition to mentoring, integrating technology into a special education setting also helps students’ executive functioning. Students can have direct experiences with step-by-step thinking and seeing results which can be motivating to them.

During Genius Hour at Main Street School, students select the topic they want to learn and are passionate about, and then use technology and the design-thinking process to empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test a finished product. “That to me is huge, because when we send them into the world, we want them to be successful,” shared Penny Valentine, K-12 STEM Teacher at Main Street School.

Valentine also incorporates the Lego WeDo Program in her classroom at Main Street. Lego WeDo is an app that makes coding a reality for elementary students. In Valentine’s classes with these STEM activities the progress she sees with her students is significant. For example, one of her first graders who struggles with fine motor skills has been using a computer program that teaches him how to build and code his own Mars Rover model. “With the Lego WeDo app, he is able to follow directions to build his model, and once complete, he will be able to move on to coding and programming using coding blocks,’’ said Valentine.

BUILDING SKILLS FOR LIFE

For many students, volunteering in their community not only makes them feel like they belong, but it allows them to practice the many skills they have learned in the classroom. This is what Blake Curton, Special Education Teacher at Life Skills ACE (LSACE), prioritizes for his students.

Located at Main Street School, LSACE is a secondary transition program that provides services for students ages 18–21. The focus of the program is to provide students with the necessary skills related to the world of work, how to live independently, social skills, and personal finance. Students in Mr. Curton’s class engage in volunteer work in places such as the Community Food Share at the YMCA, where they bag and hand out produce. They also get to enjoy crafts and games with the residents at the Life Care Center, and they help shelve books at the Longmont Public Library.

“We do a lot of work around their everyday social skills, and a lot of the situations they might encounter in a work setting, such as communications,” shared Curton. “We integrate those skills while we’re out in the community.”

Another skill they work on is centered around exploration. “We talk about their interests, their passions, and what they enjoy,” shared Curton. “We look at different careers and the expectations for those careers – we explore what their vision of living independently looks like.”

Students are also exposed to experiences that might be of interest to them. Last year, they had the opportunity

to visit Front Range Community College on Fridays, where they were able to experience a college campus. “It was a great experience because many LSACE students hadn’t been on a college campus before,” added Curton.

In addition to fostering skills for work success, students with disabilities also have many opportunities to feel connected to their schools and build social skills. A highlight of these programs is St. Vrain’s annual Unified Day of Champions.

Inspired by the Special Olympics, and as an athlete herself, in 2013 Hannah Foster began her Capstone Project for the Silver Creek Leadership Academy by creating an event for all of St. Vrain Valley School’s special needs students to come together to participate in different activities, such as kickball, tennis, basketball, and bowling.

For students with unique needs, Unified Day of Champions is a day for them to wear a team shirt, participate in sports, and to have fun. “It breaks down barriers and builds friendships, creating a more inclusive environment for all,” shared Carrie Adams, Silver Creek Leadership Academy Program Director. “Students really start to see other students as the funny, kind, happy people they are.”

“Seeing students of all abilities be able to play sports and get their bodies moving is such an incredible thing,” shared Foster. Students interact with each other and experience what every high school athlete feels when they run onto the field and everyone is cheering for them.

Photos, left to right: A Life Skills ACE graduate speaks at a 2019 completion ceremony; Participants celebrate and compete at the 2022 Unified Day of Champions.

Photo, above: Mead High sophomore, Sara Murphey, prepares to shoot a basketball at Unified Day of Champions.

Learn more about the amazing opportunities at Mead High's Special Education program.

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

OUR STUDENTS’ LEARNING TRANSCENDS THE TRADITIONAL SCHOOL BUILDING.

BY CAROLINE CHUTKOW PHOTOS BY CARRIE ADAMS & CAROLINE CHUTKOW

T. VRAIN’S 21ST-CENTURY LEARNING

EXPERIENCES STRETCH FAR BEYOND the four walls of the traditional classroom environment. Our students carry the lessons they learn from teachers, coursework, and books into community service projects, workbased learning opportunities, and design-thinking initiatives. Through real-world, hands-on engagement, our students stretch their imaginations and realize their true potential, as current students and future citizens.

10 YEARS OF LEADING THE FUTURE

The spring of 2023 will mark a decade of Silver Creek Leadership Academy (SCLA) graduates. “I think the most important thing we do is interact with the community,” shares Carrie Adams, SCLA Program Director. Throughout her leadership of the program, she has seen students make direct connections from their capstone projects to their current careers. For example, a student whose project focused on introducing young women to STEM through her Girls in Engineering, Math, and Science (GEMS) Project currently works as a software engineer in Boulder County and remains focused on recruiting more women into the field of engineering. Other students may have pivoted from their capstone project themes, but their early lessons in leadership guided them to other noble pathways, as was the case with another alumnus who graduated from

Harvard Law School and now clerks for the Colorado Supreme Court.

A key component of the SCLA program is to partner with local organizations and make a positive impact. This year, senior Max Scherer is collaborating with e-NABLE, a nonprofit that uses 3D printing to create prosthetic hands for those in need, to open a local chapter in Longmont. Meanwhile, senior Miranda Beasley is creating and publishing a cookbook of special family recipes supplied by community members to benefit victims of the Marshall Fire.

Adams sees her students make direct connections from what they are learning in the classroom to the projects they are working on in partnership with local organizations. She attributes the success of the program to the commitment of business and nonprofit leaders in the area.

“I think our community is really focused on investing in kids,” shares Adams. “They see the value of being mentors and partnering in education, and that speaks volumes to the kind of community we have across our school district.”

REALIZING CAREER PATHS EARLY ON

Guiding students to gain real-world experiences and prepare them for a successful career trajectory is a core belief for St. Vrain educators. As a member of the first graduating EagleTECH class, Frederick High School senior, Crystal Rojas, will earn both her high school diploma and an associate degree with a focus on biochemistry from Aims Community College.

Crystal looks ahead to her future where she will be a first-generation college student with hopes to continue her biochemistry studies and reflects on when she first learned she was accepted to the program. “I was very excited and

Photo, left: 2022 Silver Creek graduate, Rakhi Kataria, created STEM lesson plans for students at Columbine Elementary as part of her SCLA capstone project.

Photo, right: Aeronautics Project Team members, Erie High senior, Attaish Andalam, and Silver Creek senior, Sander Spurgeon, hold up the airplane they’ve been building at the Innovation Center.

it felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” shares Rojas. Crystal spent last summer interning at KBI Biopharma, a biopharmaceutical contract development and manufacturing organization, where she learned how KBI helps clients in developing and manufacturing proteins. She shadowed 13 departments and took part in hands-on jobsite activities. Her experience with EagleTECH and the internship further piqued her interest in the field of biochemistry. “My experience was really positive and it was a great introduction to both the workforce and the field of biochemistry.”

As an open-enrolled student to the district, Crystal’s unique experience is not lost on her. “St. Vrain has completely changed my life. The opportunities that are found here are amazing.”

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT – LITERALLY

Instilling the belief that there is no limit to what our students can achieve is paramount for their success as contributing citizens. Twice a week after school, you’ll find a group of students building a 20-foot, two-person RV-12 airplane at the Innovation Center. Yes, you read that correctly. As part of the Aeronautics Project Team, students are sifting through thousands of pieces of plane material and learning about the various instruments, engine systems, and electrical wiring required to complete the build kit that was purchased through a $100,000 grant from Boeing. Once finished, the plane will be inspected by the FAA and cleared for flight use.

The build project is led by Aeronautics instructors Colin Dielmann and Josiah Slaydon, both of whom are licensed pilots and have extensive experience working in

the aviation industry.

“The overarching philosophy with the Innovation Center is to offer learning experiences that are nontraditional and are pushing the boundaries,” shares Dielmann. “We want to provide students with real-world, hands-on, invaluable industrial skills.”

Learn more about SCLA’s community engagement.

A second build kit is already on the way. The plan is to sell the first completed plane to continue to buy new kits, which will create a sustainable model for the program. Students are paid for their time working on the plane, but even more valuable are the skills they will take away from their participation in the project.

“I hope they realize that they don’t need to limit themselves,” shares Slaydon. Students begin the year with limited knowledge and ultimately play a significant role in the project. “Having this experience removes that barrier of fear for students and allows them to pursue excellence in whatever they choose.”

Dielmann’s wish is for participation in the project to build students’ confidence. “I hope students really take the world by storm and say, ‘This is what I want to do and this is what I’m going to do,’ and I hope we’ve empowered them enough that they do exactly that.”

By the Numbers STUDENT WELL-BEING AND SAFETY

School Counselors, Psychologists, Interventionists, and Social Workers who are dedicated to supporting student mental health and overall well-being. In recent years, St. Vrain Valley Schools added a counseling position to each high school, as well as increased counseling support at all elementary schools across the district.

25

School Resource Officers (SROs) who support student safety in every school across the district through strong partnerships with our local law enforcement agencies.

Beyond EXTRAORDINARY

OUR OUTSTANDING STAFF OF NURSES, COUNSELORS, TEACHERS, AND MORE PROVIDE MULTIPLE LEVELS OF SUPPORT SO THAT ALL STUDENTS CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.

BY EUNICE PEINADO PHOTOS BY JOHN DAVID & EUNICE PEINADO

ASLOW'S HIERARCHY

OF NEEDS

campus supervisors work to ensure safe environments for our students to thrive. Counselors and teachers promote the well-being of each student to strengthen their academic growth. By working cohesively as a system, we are able to advance students to the highest levels of success.

NURTURING OUR STUDENTS

68 48

Campus Supervisors who support school administrators, SROs, teachers, and staff in establishing and maintaining a safe and healthy school environment. New for the 2022-2023 school year, campus supervisors were added to all elementary schools and Spark! Discovery Preschool.

Million

invested in school safety and security upgrades in the past 15 years, including secured double-vestibule entrances, security cameras, and other building upgrades.

PYRAMID HELPS US REFLECT on the needs that make up the well-being of an individual. At the foundation of the pyramid resides our physiological needs, which represent our basic needs such as food and clothing. Above that is safety and security, which involves our health and safety. In the middle sits the need for love and belonging, which relates to having long-lasting friendships; above that we have our self-esteem, which gives us the confidence to achieve and excel. At the top of Maslow's hierarchy of needs is selfactualization. This need refers to the desire to reach our fullest potential, and is the final piece in bringing everything together to make us successful individuals.

In a school environment, St. Vrain has created a similar and broad system to support students in various ways. Our school health clerks and registered nurses support students with their medication and health needs. School resource officers and

Reflecting on the meaning of wellbeing, we imagine someone who is comfortable, healthy, and happy. Our well-being forms an integral part of our daily life as it allows us to overcome challenges and achieve our goals.

In St. Vrain, health clerks and school counselors collaborate together to foster the well-being and academic success of our students. “We team up on a daily basis to make sure we are providing our students with the best support and resources that they need to become personally and academically successful,” shared Rachel Long, Health Clerk at Mead High School.

One of the core roles of our district health services team is to ensure the

comprehensive wellness of students. They coordinate support plans for students’ health conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, seizure disorders, and severe allergies. In close partnership with district nurses and families, health clerks carry out the plans developed by nurses, as well as meet and assist all of the students that come into the school’s health room. “As health clerks, we serve as advocates for our students’ health and needs,” shared Cecilia Jackson, Health Clerk at Thunder Valley K-8 School.

Research has shown that a student’s attendance is likely to increase when health conditions have been identified and there are trained and delegated staff in the building to support varying needs. “Health clerks fill a comprehensive well-being support role because they are the touch point for a lot of our students,” shared Sophia Yager, Health Services Coordinator. “They connect with students based on their unique needs and can provide individualized support.”

In addition to our health clerks, school counselors also support student well-being on a daily basis. They serve in a variety of ways to ensure that students feel safe, supported, emotionally healthy, academically successful, and connected.

“As a counselor, my role involves proactive work in helping students develop skills, strategies, and mindsets that allow them to navigate this stage in life,” shared Aimee Brown, Counselor at Lyons Middle Senior High School. Counselors receive special training which allows them to support students with their academic, socialemotional, and post-secondary goals.

For Brown, working with students in grades 6–12 is rewarding. “There is a tremendous amount of change and growth from sixth to twelfth grade and it’s amazing to witness firsthand.” Her work with high school students focuses more on helping students gain independence, advocating for their needs, and advising them on which coursework is necessary to provide options that best fit their personal interests and passions. “Working as a school counselor is a joy,” shared Brown. “I love the opportunity to support students, collaborate with teachers, and work with families and community members.”

Building a positive and safe school community for our students is one of the top priorities for our campus supervisors. “You want to protect the school, and more importantly, you want to protect those who are in it,” shared La’Mar West, Campus Supervisor at Niwot High School.

West’s efforts do not go unnoticed, as he strives every day to make sure students have a safe environment and feel supported. “I hope they remember me as a person who kept them safe and someone they could lean on,” shared West. “And at the end of day, I want them to know they matter to me.”

In St. Vrain, we have many robust supports and dedicated staff to ensure every student can reach the highest pinnacle of learning. This provides students with the best possible learning experience in order to become successful individuals, reaching their full potential.

Bond and Finance Community Update

BOND UPDATE

In November 2016, the St. Vrain Valley community approved a $260 million bond to address rapid continued growth, enhance school safety, and ensure that St. Vrain Valley Schools can continue our commitment to excellence in serving our community. This vote recognized that our community values public education, champions the success of our students, and has strong trust and confidence in the future of our district.

Over the past six years, bond projects have been completed at every school and center in the district, with the final three projects scheduled for completion in 2023. In many cases, bond projects were completed on schedule or ahead of schedule, as the district operations and finance departments work diligently to stay ahead of inflation and rising construction costs to ensure that we are receiving the highest value and return on our community’s investment in our schools.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

Since 2010, the district has called or refinanced bonds to lower interest rates, saving taxpayers more than $40.5 million over the life of the bonds. Savings on combined principal and interest payments over the life of both 2016 issuances amounted to more than $21 million compared to what was originally approved by taxpayers per ballot language. Bond spending is overseen by an accountability committee of community members and the district.

FINANCIAL ACCOLADES

• S&P bond rating of AA+, Moody’s bond issuer rating of Aa2, and Moody’s series issuance rating of Aa1

• Enrollment has grown by 5,915 since October 2010

• Fortune 500-level corporate sponsors and community partnerships

• National financial awards – annual reporting, consecutively since 2004

• Awarded approximately $32 million in competitive grants in the past six years

Through the generous support of our community, St. Vrain students have extraordinary opportunities and a strong competitive advantage for future success.

ST. VRAIN VALLEY SCHOOLS

St. Vrain Valley Public Schools RE-1J

395 S. Pratt Pkwy Longmont, CO 80501

ST. VRAINNOVATION was produced in-house by the district communications team. This and other district initiatives are generously supported by: