Despite social distancing and COVID-related regulations, drama program students and teachers in St. Vrain Valley School District continue to work closely together.
When COVID first hit in March, in-person instruction moved online, impacting students across the board. For those involved in the arts, hybrid and online learning has taken an added toll as they took a step back from rehearsing and performing.
However, through tapping into their creativity, high schools in SVVSD continued to muscle through the pandemic to provide and create art, according to Janay Bird, SVVSD’s fine arts coordinator.
Cybersecurity might sound like the realm of corporate, government and military officials, but St. Vrain Valley School District is proving it is the domain of students, too.
Student interest has led to nine St. Vrain teams competing in this year’s CyberPatriot competition, with two ranking in the top 20% in the third round on Jan. 22.
CyberPatriot is a national youth cyber education program created by the Air Force Association “to inspire K-12 students toward careers in cybersecurity or other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines critical to our nation’s future. At the core of the program is the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition, the nation’s largest cyber defense competition that puts high school and middle school students in charge of securing virtual networks,” SVVSD stated in a news release.
Third, fourth, and fifth grade students across St. Vrain Valley Schools are participating in the district’s second round of VEX Robotics Online Academy, a seven week virtual after-school STEM learning club. At no cost to families, students gain skills in computer science and learn to program a virtual robot using VEXcodeVR program, a block based coding environment powered by Scratch Blocks.
“My favorite part of Online Academy is watching the elementary students showcase their creativity and problem-solving abilities,” said Skyline High School Senior, Nolan Helmstetter.
Student participants meet weekly in a team style setting with a designated teacher coach and a high school student mentor. Each week, the team coach posts a video covering a new computer science theme. The students work to master the theme asynchronously through different online challenges until the following team meeting, where students socialize with their peers and collaborate to hone their programming skills over WebEx.
High school students advance their skill sets by taking on a leadership role within the club and co-teach content with the team’s main coach. The student mentors provide constructive feedback to their elementary-aged peers. “They use the guiding question, ‘How am I explaining this so a young student can understand and work?’,” said St. Vrain’s VEX Program Manager Alexandra Downing.
Nolan developed a passion for robotics when he was in middle school and decided to participate in Online Academy as an opportunity to help younger students grow their interest and explore the different opportunities within robotics.
“It is very rewarding to start to see kids come out of their shell, so that you can get to know their personalities,” said Nolan.
Online Academy has allowed students to continue their engagement with Robotics in an online setting. Students master foundational computer science skills, which prepare them to be more successful in robotics going forward. The program’s virtual robot has allowed students to master challenges similar to what they would experience in an in-person club, such as programming a robot to successfully exit a maze through their understanding of robotic sensors, and programming a robot to draw a house through their understanding of coordinate graphing.
Downing emphasized that due to the club’s model, students improve their communication skills during team meetings and their critical thinking and perseverance skills during independent work. She has noticed her participants develop a continued thirst for computer science knowledge.
“Online Academy continues students’ engagement in robotics and creates a space for them to talk to others about their shared interests. We help our students keep their interests alive.”
Becoming a leader often means being a person who creates a future that inspires and motivates others and engages them in a shared vision of the future. Silver Creek High School’s Leadership Academy is doing exactly that – creating tomorrow’s leaders from the ground up.
In a typical year, Silver Creek Leadership Academy seniors create and present their Capstone Projects during an expo night at school which is open to the community. This year, students put together a virtual expo night to present these amazing projects.
Silver Creek Leadership Academy is a four-year program that emphasizes leadership through service and real-world learning opportunities – it’s a place for students to gain their voice. Students acquire the skills specific for becoming leaders; skills such as: Critical Thinking, Real-Problem Solving, Self-direction and Independent Thinking Skills, all with a balanced curriculum. The core curriculum focuses on the BIG 6: Respect, Teamwork, Critical and Creative Thinking, Vision, Communication, and Ethics, each with the same goal – supporting students to become successful individuals.
Silver Creek Leadership Academy strives to produce graduates who are successful and apply the skills they learned in high school to real world and business situations they will encounter. “It is important that we continue to support these students; so that they continue to do great things in school, in their community, and in the world,” said Carrie Adams, SCLA Program Director. SCLA students are encouraged to participate with their peers, feeder schools, and community when doing their Capstone Projects. Community mentors also play an integral part with the student’s projects, giving them real-world guidance and support to ensure that students are moving forward with their projects in a professional way.
For many, this year can be described as chaotic, different and challenging, but for students like Peter Fredo, Allegra Grendele, Nevin Lockwood, and Megan Neufeld, these challenging times didn’t stop them from continuing with their Capstone Projects. “I am so impressed with how these students had to adapt to challenges this year,” said Erick Finnestead, Principal, Silver Creek High School.
Peter took what he learned from the book, Mindset, and turned it into a podcast, Grow Through It. “This podcast has helped me build connections not only with SCLA students, but also with students outside the program,” said Peter Fredo, Senior, Silver Creek High School.
Allegra Grendele took a personal experience and turned it into a partnership with students in her feeder schools which allowed her to help others in need. Because of the circumstances, Allegra adjusted her project, Kids Night Out To-Go, and made it so that elementary and middle school students can pick up bags that include crafts, activities, games, and snacks for them to enjoy a night out at home. The money that Allegra raises goes directly to Belief Home, an organization that helps build an education system for orphans in Ghana. Being an orphan herself, Allegra knows personally the challenges that these students go through. “I can personally relate to them – it’s my responsibility to help other orphans that are struggling,” said Allegra Grendele, Senior, Silver Creek High School.
“Dance is my outlet – it’s where I can be me,” said Nevin Lockwood, Senior, Silver Creek High School. With her project, Steps in Motion, Nevin’s goal is to provide an outlet for students and she does so by providing online dance classes to elementary students, grades 3-5. “There can be some positivity in your life, and it doesn’t have to be huge,” said Nevin. “Focus on what you can do instead of what you can’t do.”
Being part of something you are passionate about takes dedication and has lasting rewards. For Megan Neufeld, her hard work on Press for Our Planet, has given her the opportunity to receive an internship with 350 Colorado; a grassroots organization that is part of the Global Movement for Climate Action that is working especially in Colorado to create a fossil free future. “We have the power to make the change,” said Megan Neufelt, Senior, Silver Creek High School.
“These students are changing the world for the better – I am truly humbled by their excellence,” said Erick Finnestead, Principal, Silver Creek High School. To learn more on the students’ Capstone Projects, please visit the Silver Creek High School YouTube channel.
The Elementary 28 planning team has extended the initial round of community suggestions on name, mascot, and colors for our newest school within St. Vrain Valley Schools to allow more people the opportunity to submit their ideas.
Please submit your input through the online survey. This is a great opportunity for students and families to lend their voice to decide key components to the school spirit of Elementary 28. The survey will remain open until February 1. There will be a follow up survey open on February 2, where you will be able to vote on your top choice among the community proposed name, mascot, and colors suggestions.
The planning team invites community members to participate in the January 27 Board of Education boundary presentation, which will include the new school’s boundary proposal, an operational update from Assistant Superintendent of Operations, Brian Lamer, and an educational update from Area Assistant Superintendent, Bryan Krause, and Principal of Elementary 28, Ryan Ball. The Board of Education session will begin at 6:00 p.m. and you can view it live at http://stvra.in/boardlive.
Whether students have been engaged through online, hybrid, or in-person learning, St. Vrain’s Community Schools program continues their commitment to support students and their families during these challenging times. Because of this deep seeded commitment, programs have remained open throughout this school year.
On August 18, 2020, Community Schools reopened their doors, offering full day school age childcare at all of the district’s 27 elementary schools and six Pre-K care programs. At the same time, they reduced the daily rates and opened scholarships for families in need. Through these efforts, Community Schools saw an influx of over 900 students that day.
Additionally, a major challenge that Community Schools has overcome is the statewide guidelines on limiting outside visitors into schools. “We shifted our check in and check out locations to the outside of the building,” said Susan Zimmerman, Community Schools Coordinator. “While families are greeted outside, students are monitored by doing a daily health screening, a temperature check before they are able to sign in and throughout the day.” Measures have been taken to reduce group sizes to ensure proper social distancing and cohorting. This year the program also introduced additional specialized health related training modules. Adapting to a rapidly changing environment has made Community Schools even more nimble and has asked for even greater effort from all employees.
Although programs look different this year, the staff continues to be committed in helping students and their families feel some sort of normalcy throughout their school day. “The kids have been resilient – we had a great first semester of learning and growing in our ever changing environment,” said Sheryl Miller, Community Schools Program Manager at Eagle Crest Elementary.
Students receive new learning opportunities while attending the program, and the staff is always looking for ways to ensure students receive the necessary help they need, either by answering school work questions, providing one-on-one help, or by providing students a place to connect with their friends. “This time is spent with students building important social skills, engaging in physical fitness and partaking in enriching activities, and helps with school attendance,” said David Zuniga, Community Schools Program Manager at Soaring Heights PK-8.
Currently there are over 1000 students enrolled in before-school and after-school care and that could not have happened without the commitment of all of the staff to be there for families and the trust families have in keeping their students safe. “Being open for our families has made me feel like I’m doing something positive in a time where negativity is easy to come by,” said Elizabeth Hanscome, Community Schools Program Manager at Fall River. “I am so happy and grateful to feel like I’m part of the solution – this year has shown me more than ever that we are not “just” childcare, we’re so much more, it has truly filled me with purpose and pride in serving our families, and I know I’m making a difference, even if it’s small.”
Gratitude is scientifically proven to make you happier. The benefits of gratitude are amplified when you express your thankfulness to another person – not only do you feel good, but you spread joy to the person you thank.
In St. Vrain Valley Schools, despite the challenges we have faced this year, we have so much to be grateful for (or #greatFULL), especially our students, teachers, staff, and families. We hope that you have people in your lives who show you great support or make your heart feel full.
We are inviting you to write a note to a teacher, neighbor, coach, family member, or friend who has supported you this school year. Let’s make 2021 a #greatFULL year. With great resilience and full hearts, we are the StVrainStorm.
As we look forward to a great second semester in St. Vrain Valley Schools, I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year. Also, thank you for your ongoing support as we continue to navigate the coronavirus pandemic, and implement programs and services to support our students, families, teachers, and staff.
Over the past two weeks, we have continued to closely monitor levels of COVID-19 in our community, in partnership with our state and county health agency partners. On the Colorado COVID Dial, case data for Boulder and Weld counties have declined over the past several weeks, with cases in Boulder County at 4.1 percent positivity rate and a two-week cumulative incidence rate of 335.6 and in Weld County, a 9.7 percent positivity rate with a 561.5 two-week cumulative incidence rate. Accordingly, we will begin the second semester with the schedule that was shared on December 18. Beginning January 6, elementary students will return to in-person learning four days per week. Middle school students will begin the semester remotely and return to hybrid in-person learning on Monday, January 11. High school students will begin the semester remotely and return to hybrid in-person learning on Tuesday, January 19. Please click here to visit our coronavirus website for additional information.
Additionally, we are implementing new engagement opportunities to further support our students’ well-being and social emotional growth. This is in addition to an already robust school counseling program that offers students and families mental health support, academic counseling, and more.
School Counseling Support: There are counselors and interventionists in every school in St. Vrain who provide academic guidance, social-emotional support, and career and post-secondary readiness guidance. During this pandemic, our mental health team members are available to our students throughout each day, Monday through Friday. Contact your school counselor or principal to make an appointment.
Friday Classroom Connect for Elementary Families: During this time of remote and hybrid learning, it has been challenging for elementary families to find opportunities for their children to connect with classmates outside of school for learning support or other social interactions. To help with this, we’ve created a voluntary platform for parents, Classroom Connect, to provide a way for families to exchange contact information, similar to when students are in school full time and parents see each other at school events. Parents voluntarily participate and decide when and how to connect with classmates outside of school by contacting other parents. Later this week, your school principal will share additional information on how you can register for this voluntary program.
Friday Academic Independent/Peer Work Center for Middle and High School Students: During asynchronous Fridays, all St. Vrain middle and high schools will have an open space for students to work independently or with peers on school assignments, or engage in office hours that can be scheduled by teachers with their students. Students will participate in Friday Academic Independent/Peer Work Centers within their current group cohorts, and each group will have alternating a.m. and p.m. blocks. Later this week, your school principal will share additional information about Friday learning centers with specific schedules.
Health and Safety Measures, Symptom Screening, and Free COVID-19 Testing
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), Boulder County Public Health (BCPH), and the Governor’s School Task Force have shared numerous studies that have demonstrated that schools are not a primary source of transmission for COVID-19, as they have many controls and safety protocols in place making them safer environments than most public spaces. Accordingly, the guidance from our county and state health agencies, along with information from various sources, continues to guide St. Vrain Valley Schools’ decisions regarding our instructional model. Please click here to review some of these sources, and numerous health and safety measures that have been implemented throughout our schools and departments.
Take your temperature at home prior to coming to school
Stay home when you are sick or have COVID-19 symptoms
Stay hydrated and use a refillable water bottle
Wash hands regularly or use hand sanitizer
Use face coverings appropriately and avoid touching your face
Social distance appropriately
Engage in safe and enjoyable activities
In addition to our numerous safety measures that include required mask wearing, social distancing, partial cohorting, high-quality air ventilation, increased cleaning protocols, hand sanitizer stations, and symptom check stations, free COVID-19 testing is available for students, teachers, and staff at our St. Vrain Valley Schools’ Innovation Center. Any adult or student who has been required to quarantine is strongly encouraged to be tested 7-14 days after their initial exposure. You can register for free testing at our Innovation Center site at https://covidcheckcolorado.org.
Additionally, many of you may have heard that educators have been moved up to Phase 1B on the state’s vaccination plan. Please know we are in close communication with our county health departments and COVID-19 testing partner to coordinate the soonest possible vaccination effort for our teachers and staff. We will communicate with you as soon as we have definitive information.
Again, thank you for your continued support as we work through these challenges together. If you have any questions about how to best support the well-being or safety of your student, please feel free to reach out to your school building principal, or contact me directly.
Sincerely,
Don Haddad, Ed.D. Superintendent St. Vrain Valley Schools @SVVSDSupt
Please see the following information detailing SVVSD’s revised practices as a result of new laws, effective January 1, 2021, with regard to sick leave, public health emergency leave, and how SVVSD advertises promotional opportunities. Human Resources is providing information in this link and will update as new information becomes available. Human Resources is available to answer questions that you may have regarding these processes at [email protected].
Thank you for your continued partnership and support during this challenging and complex time for our schools and community. As our students have engaged in learning remotely over the past three weeks, we have continued to closely partner with our state and county health agencies on a plan that will allow for a safer and operationally sustainable plan to return to some form of in-person learning. We have also worked closely with our community, including meeting with our Teachers Advisory Council, Parent Coronavirus Update and Advisory Committee, SVVSD Leadership and Health Services Team, Teacher’s Association Leadership, public health officials, and our Board of Education.
In each of these meetings we discussed the current public health data and the Colorado COVID Dial Framework’s recommendation for providing some form of in-person learning at each level of the dial. Additionally, Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) and the Governor’s School Task Force have shared numerous studies that have demonstrated that schools are not a primary source of transmission, as they have many controls and safety protocols in place making them safer environments than most public spaces. Accordingly, based on the guidance from our county and state health agencies and the Governor’s Office, in addition to extensive feedback we have received from our teachers and parents, we plan to begin the second semester on January 6 with the following in-person learning schedule:
Preschool students will attend school in-person with the schedule they selected at registration. Click here for more information.
Middle school students will begin the semester remotely and learn fully online from Wednesday, January 6, through Friday, January 8. Beginning Monday, January 11, middle school students will return to our hybrid learning schedule, and continue to follow the schedule utilized in the fall with two days of in-person learning, two days of online learning, and asynchronous learning on Fridays with teacher office hours and small group and individualized student support. Students will stay in the same group they were assigned to during the first semester. Click here for more information, including schedules.
High school students will begin the semester remotely and learn fully online from Wednesday, January 6 through Friday, January 15. Beginning Tuesday, January 19, high school students will return to our hybrid learning schedule, and continue to follow the schedule utilized in the fall with two days of in-person learning, two days of online learning, and asynchronous learning on Fridays with teacher office hours and small group and individualized student support. Students will stay in the same group they were assigned to during the first semester. Click here for more information, including schedules.
Students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) may attend school in-person four days per week (Monday – Thursday) with Fridays continuing to be scheduled as an asynchronous learning day. Click here for more information.
We will continue to offer bus transportation on in-person learning days for students who qualify. Riders will continue to adhere to all safety protocols including required mask wearing and seating charts. Additionally, we are working with our county health agency partners on any potential changes to our protocols now that more elementary students will be utilizing transportation services on in-person learning days. We will communicate any potential changes to your student’s transportation services by the end of December.
Fully Remote Learning Options for Second Semester
Families who are not comfortable returning to in-person learning will continue to have the following options for online instruction:
Fully Synchronous Online Learning: Families who began the school year with the hybrid model at their home school can opt to keep their students home and attend school in a fully synchronous online environment. It is important to note that in this model, the instruction is designed around the in-person or hybrid learning environment. Families selecting this option should plan to commit to the synchronous model through Spring Break to ensure consistency and continuity in our learning environments. Students should choose the model in which they will participate, and attend consistently. If you choose to utilize this learning option for your student, please contact your school principal by Monday, January 4.
LaunchED Virtual Academy: Taught by St. Vrain Valley teachers, LaunchED utilizes the Florida Virtual Schools curriculum, a fully online learning program designed to support students learning in a virtual environment. Click here to learn more.
Quarantine Guidelines and Protocols
St. Vrain Valley Schools continues to follow all safety guidelines and quarantining protocols developed by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), our county health agencies, and the Governor’s School Task Force. In December 2020, CDPHE revised the quarantining protocols and requirements to align to recent modeling and best practices regarding COVID-19 in school environments. To this end, when schools are in operation based on the recommendations of Colorado’s COVID-19 Dial Framework, BCPH and CDPHE support St. Vrain Valley Schools use of a targeted approach whenever appropriate for student or staff exposure to a confirmed or probable case. If CDPHE changes their quarantining protocols to require standard quarantining under any level of the state’s COVID-19 Dial Framework, the district may be required to return to online learning. Click here to learn more about our quarantining protocols and processes.
Social Emotional Supports
The health, safety, and well-being of our students, families, teachers, and staff is our highest priority. Our students’ social and emotional wellness is critical to their overall personal and academic success. Toward this end, we offer various resources for students to access in the event that they may need additional personalized support. There are counselors and interventionists in every school in St. Vrain who provide academic guidance, social-emotional support, and career and post-secondary readiness guidance. If you have questions, please reach out to your school directly. Additionally, as we approach the holiday break and school is not in session, if you need immediate assistance, you may access support via this link at 211 Colorado and/or the state’s crisis hotline at 1-800-273-8255.
Coronavirus Testing
In addition to our robust safety measures that include required mask wearing, social distancing, partial cohorting, high-quality air ventilation, increased cleaning protocols, hand sanitizer stations, and symptom check stations, free and low-cost COVID-19 testing is widely available throughout Boulder and Weld Counties, including at our St. Vrain Valley Schools’ Innovation Center. Any adult or student who has been required to quarantine is strongly encouraged to be tested 7-14 days after their initial exposure. You can register for testing at our Innovation Center site at https://covidcheckcolorado.org.
Over the winter break, we will continue to monitor levels of coronavirus in our community and share any changes to our current plan if the public health guidance recommendations change before January 6. Additionally, schools will continue to share information and resources that will support students through winter break and beyond, including mental health and counseling support information, as well as coronavirus testing information, and other resources.
Again, thank you for your continued support as we work through these challenges together. If you have any questions about this change, please feel free to contact me directly or to reach out to your school building principal.
Sincerely,
Don Haddad, Ed.D. Superintendent St. Vrain Valley Schools @SVVSDSupt
