ToniJo Niccoli, principal of New Meridian High School and the Career Elevation and Technology Center, has been named the 2026 Colorado High School Principal of the Year by the Colorado Association of Secondary School Principals. Learn more about her outstanding leadership, dedication to students, and commitment to innovative education across the community.
Superintendent’s Update
Dear St. Vrain Valley Community,
As we close out an incredible first semester, I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our students, teachers, staff, families, and community partners for making this such a remarkable period of growth and achievement. The dedication and hard work across our district have led to accomplishments that we can all be proud of, and I am honored to share some of our recent celebrations with you.
The commitment to student success continues to yield outstanding results. The Class of 2025 achieved a record-breaking on-time graduation rate of 96.6%, with our Hispanic graduation rate rising to 92.9%, among the highest in the state. These numbers reflect the tireless efforts of our educators and the support of our entire community. Additionally, across our high schools, we are celebrating 1,147 AP Scholars, including 78 students who earned the prestigious AP Capstone Diploma. From our high school bands marching in the Longmont Veterans Day Parade to our student-athletes competing and winning in numerous regional, state, and national championships, our students demonstrate incredible talent, perseverance, achievement, and success.
Teachers and staff across the district are also receiving numerous additional recognitions. Please join me in congratulating ToniJo Niccoli, principal of New Meridian High School and the Career Elevation and Technology Center, who was named the 2026 Colorado High School Principal of the Year, as well as Chris Chou, a science teacher from Longmont High School, who was recognized by Congressman Joe Neguse as the Congressional District 2 Educator of the Year. St. Vrain was also recently named a national District of Distinction for our impactful Grad Tracker work, which is our internally-developed real-time monitoring system providing daily updates on student progress toward graduation. I want to commend our high school principals and counselors for their outstanding work and commitment to ensure that every student gets across the finish line and graduates with a St. Vrain diploma.
For even more celebrations across our system, I encourage you to look through the Fall edition of our St. Vrainnovation Magazine, which highlights the many programs and opportunities available to our students.
None of what we accomplish would be possible without the outstanding work and dedication of our teachers and staff. Every day, our educators go above and beyond to inspire, challenge, and support our students. From our classroom teachers and paraprofessionals to our bus drivers, custodians, nutrition services teams, and administrative staff, each member of our St. Vrain family plays an essential role in the success of our students. Thank you for your commitment and your care.
As we head into winter break, I hope all of our students, families, teachers, and staff take time to rest, recharge, and enjoy the company of family and friends. You have earned it. We look forward to a strong start to the second semester and to welcoming our students back on Tuesday, January 6. Until then, I wish you and your loved ones a wonderful winter break and a very happy new year.
With gratitude,
Jackie Kapushion, Ed.D.
Superintendent, St. Vrain Valley Schools
Featured Stories
Principal of the year
St. Vrain Valley Schools Celebrates ToniJo Niccoli, Named the 2026 Colorado High School Principal of the Year
ToniJo Niccoli, principal of New Meridian High School and the Career Elevation and Technology Center, has been named the 2026 Colorado High School Principal of the Year by the Colorado Association of Secondary School Principals.
Read More
Teacher of the year
Longmont High School STEM Teacher Honored with Congressional Service Award
Chris Chou, a STEM teacher and co-founder of Longmont High School’s Medical and BioScience Academy and SMART team, was honored with a Congressional Service Award for Educator of the Year by Congressman Joe Neguse on Saturday, December 13.
Read More
national recognition
St. Vrain Valley Schools Earns National District of Distinction Award for Transformative Graduation Initiative
St. Vrain Valley Schools has been named a 2026 District of Distinction by District Administration, receiving national recognition in the Culture, Vision & Strategic Planning category for our innovative approach to ensuring every student graduates prepared for success.
Read More
Students explore pathways
Opportunities Abound
Across St. Vrain Valley Schools, students are encouraged to explore over 40 industry-leading focus pathways that connect their education to real-world careers.
Read More in St. Vrainnovation Magazine
Thoughtful Artificial Intelligence Use
ETHOS: A Responsible Approach for AI in Education
As schools redefine what it means to prepare students for the future, St. Vrain Valley leaders and educators are taking a responsible approach to ensure AI is only used to strengthen learning and to prepare students for future success.
Read More in St. Vrainnovation Magazine
Meaningful firsts
Educators Reflect On the Firsts That Matter Most
In classrooms across St. Vrain Valley Schools, educators shared their most meaningful “firsts” and reflect on what inspires their teaching.
Read More in St. Vrainnovation Magazine
Additional Headlines
- Three St. Vrain Educators Selected for Apple Distinguished Educator Class of 2026
- Building Pathways: St. Vrain Valley P-TECH Program Hosts 5th Annual Job Fair
- Student Interns Lead the Way in Districtwide Sustainability Efforts
- St. Vrain Valley Schools Awarded $120,000 Grant to Launch Cutting-Edge Motion and Performance Studio
- Lyons Elementary students will shine in ‘JOY and The Shooting Stars’
- Bowling Builds Community at Silver Creek High’s Unified Match with Longmont Police
- Longmont Estates Gifted Learners Explore Real-World STEM Applications
- St. Vrain Valley Schools Celebrates 1,147 Advanced Placement Scholars
- Rocky Mountain Elementary Builds a Strong Musical Foundation for the Skyline Feeder
- From Classroom to Community: Skyline High School VPA Students Create a Gigante for Día de Muertos
- Reading Takes Shape: Central Elementary Students Create Book Characters as Pumpkins
- Full-Day Early Childcare: Supporting Families with a safe, enriching, and developmentally supportive environment for our youngest learners
- Little Learners, Big Futures: Preschool in St. Vrain
- Design Thinking from Day One
- Building the Future: 2024 Bond Updates
Important Reminders, Events, and Opportunities
Parent Teacher Conference
Advice Column: Mindful Technology Use at Home
Learn more about managing phone use at home and how to implement tools to create a better relationship with technology.
Visit the Parent Teacher Conference Advice Column and Podcast.
High-quality preschool
2026-27 Preschool Registration is Now Open
Registration for the 2026-27 school year is now open. St. Vrain Valley Schools offers high-quality, five-day preschool programs across the district, with half-day and select full-day options for families.
Learn more about Preschool.
@StVrainValleySchools
Follow Us on Instagram
Follow St. Vrain Valley Schools on Instagram @stvrainvalleyschools to explore more stories, celebrations, and updates from across our community.
See more on Instagram.
St. Vrainnovation Magazine
ST. VRAINNOVATION magazine debuted its inaugural fall edition, marking a new milestone for the publication. The magazine includes videos, feature stories, news, and updates to bring the incredible stories of our students, teachers, and staff to life. Check out the digital version of the magazine at: http://magazine.svvsd.org.