St. Vrain Valley School District is happy to welcome back Pauline “Paula” Avis to the district as the new Special Education Coordinator, replacing Laura Gold. 

Avis brings 12 years experience in K-12 public education to SVVSD. For the past three years, Avis was a Special Education Coordinator in Adams 14. Prior to that, she was a Special Education Teacher and MTSS Coordinator in St. Vrain. She has also taught in Boulder Valley School District and has taught undergraduate literature and writing classes at the University of Colorado. At one point in her life, she was pursuing a doctorate in literary theory from Indiana University and also taught undergraduate classes there in literature, gender studies, and writing. In addition to teaching, she has also worked in a writing lab where she was able to help students (many with IEPs or 504s)  who struggled with college level reading and writing. 

As a lifelong learner, Avis earned her  B.A. and M.A in English Literature from the University of Colorado Boulder. She also has an M.Ed. in Special Education from Regis University and an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). She is currently working on her Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at UNC and is looking forward to completing her doctorate sometime next year. 

Avis is passionate about working in the education field and feels it’s important to do work that advances social justice. She believes public education is our best hope for doing that. “Throughout my life, I have been an advocate for individuals at risk in a variety of capacities. I bring a good deal of practical experience that is coupled with a deep understanding of special education law,” Avis said. 

Outside of work, Avis is a longtime horsewoman. She enjoys all things horses! Most recently, she has been riding dressage for about 10 years. According to the United States Dressage Federation, “The olympic sport of dressage is derived from the French term meaning “training” and its purpose is to strengthen and supple the horse while maintaining a calm and attentive demeanor.”

Avis spends most of her free time with her horse, Lyrik, but also enjoys yoga. Avis and her partner have a big, blended family that includes six children and three grandchildren. “I would have to say that at this point in my life, I see my children as my greatest achievement. They have all grown into wonderful individuals with compassionate hearts,” Avis said. 

St. Vrain’s Unified Athletes will be coming together for a fun filled day of outdoor activities. 

The 2nd Annual Unified Day of Champions will take place on Monday, May 16 from 9:45am – 1:00pm at Longmont High School’s Everly Montgomery Field. Approximately, 135 unified athletes from the district’s eight high schools and Main Street School will participate in the event. Additionally, Silver Creek Leadership Academy is coordinating 60 volunteers to assist with the event. 

This year’s events will consist of 10 different stations, including outdoor bowling, cornhole/shuffle board, beach ball, tennis, basketball, kickball, 50 meter run, percussion, a dunk tank (where students can dunk their school principal), and a break station. 

Last year, was the inaugural year for the event. The Athletic Directors in the district explored the idea because of all the unified sports cancellations, due to COVID. However, the event was such a success that they decided it should be an annual event. 

Unified sports is a collaborative approach to creating opportunities for students with and without disabilities to participate in extracurricular activities such as basketball, soccer, and bowling. 

Parents and spectators are welcome and encouraged to attend the event to cheer on the athletes. It’s sure to be a good time!

Erie High School’s Tigers Together Peer Mentor Program is bridging the gap between special education students and typical peers. EHS mentors work alongside students with differing abilities because it promotes inclusivity and a more accepting environment. 

The program is spearheaded by Elizabeth Goodrich, special education teacher, at EHS. She started the program in the spring of 2016 with retired teacher Gaynelle Tuck because they noticed the separation of students. Their special education students were attending general education classes with adults by their side, which is not ideal for peer relationships. “Peers reach out to students better when an adult isn’t attached to them all the time. It’s better if another student is with them to help them make friends,” Goodrich said. 

EHS mentors are paired with a peer who needs extra support for one class period in an academic class (core class), elective class, or in a special education classroom. A few mentors are assigned to Soaring Heights PK-8 where they get the opportunity to work with teachers and students in the SSN program. 

Daelyn Thasiah, senior, has been a peer mentor for the past three years. While growing up, her parents volunteered at the Special Olympics, so she’s always been around others with differing abilities. She went into the program thinking she’d help someone, but ended up learning more about herself. “I’ve learned so many things from being a peer mentor, like patience, but the thing that stands out the most is how I learned how to communicate without verbally talking. I’m a very talkative person, so I thought it would be difficult for me. But, I learned how to use a talking device to communicate with another student,” Thasiah said.  

Thasiah loves being a peer mentor and said “Being a peer mentor is like going to class with your best friend.” After graduation, Thasiah plans to attend Indiana University to study special education. She wants to get her teaching experience first, but then her ultimate goal is to open a cafe that hires people with differing abilities. 

Sophmores, juniors and seniors at Erie High School can apply to be a peer mentor. In order to be accepted into the program, students need to fill out an application, participate in an interview and submit a recommendation form. Goodrich says the program has taken on a life of its own and she had no idea that it would become such a huge program. The program started with 12 students in its inaugural year and has grown to 37 students in this year’s program. The program has become so competitive that she has to turn away 20-30 students every year who apply to be a mentor. 

The program is a year long commitment and mentors earn .5 elective credit or .5 practical art credit each semester. Mentors are required to attend a training session before school starts and attend monthly group meetings. Additionally, they participate in several class activities with students in Ms. Goodrich’s special education class, such as, a Friendsgiving Feast, cookie decorating, and selling “Thankful Beans.” 

EHS students interested in becoming a Tigers Together Peer Mentor, should reach out to Ms. Goodrich by emailing [email protected] or calling (303) 828-4213 ext. 45927.