Catch some Vrain Waves: Redefining how Educators are Informed, Inspired and Connected

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As parents prepare to send their children off to school they usually share inspiring words of wisdom. From have a good day, to be a good friend to learn something new today – parents try and set the stage for a good day at school.

Learn something new today – By nature teachers are curious and they are constantly learning, diving into professional development sessions and figuring out the new best practices as they conquer academic standards in the classroom.

Catch an episode

Mark Barnes
Dr. Tony Wagner
Elizabeth Green
Kim Scott
Dave Burgess
Dan Ryder
Katie Martin
Glenn Whitman
Daniel Pink
Jennie Magiera

Visit the Vrain Waves website >>

St. Vrain Valley is fortunate to be the professional home of more than 1,500 teachers who are spread over 411 square miles at schools with different schedules. Ben Kalb, one of St. Vrain’s Instructional Technology Coordinators and Becky Peters, Program Manager at St. Vrain’s Innovation Center wanted to give teachers access the great learning experiences while being mindful of various schedules across the district. The two brainstormed different ways to provide great learning experiences for teachers, in their classrooms, homes or even their cars, in addition to the current in-person and virtual learning opportunities available throughout the district.

“When I was in the classroom I didn’t have time to have deep discussions about pedagogy and innovative instruction,” explained Peters. “We wanted to bring those discussions to the teachers in our district who spend most of their work day with students.”

They worked to answer the question: How might we give teachers access to great professional development any time, anywhere.

The Vrain Waves team was developed to create buzzworthy podcasts for teachers in and out of St. Vrain, and helps busy educators learn something new everyday. Kalb explained that these podcasts provide an opportunity for learning sessions with nationally renowned professionals who St. Vrain would not otherwise be able to bring to the district.

“We want to be very deliberate in having something they can try the next day with kids,” described Kalb. “If we can help teachers grow and learn with these interviews, that might be the most important contribution we can make as district support personnel.”

So far, the podcast has brought 45 minute interviews on a wide range of topics. The Vrain Waves team has connected with educational giants on the art of giving feedback, ed tech gurus on personalized learning, digital classroom practices, and courageous edventures in the classroom, and countless other noteworthy game changers in education. These podcasts included transformative lessons they can teach and actionable strategies that listeners can put into practice the next day in their classroom.

The goal is for teachers and administration to use these podcasts as a jumping off point for conversations with each other. During our interview Peters shared, “The only way to learn and grow is opening ourselves to that possibility, new ideas and learning from other people.”

With over 15,000 downloads, Vrain Waves is making an impact on how teachers learn and receive professional development. And, a lot of the podcasts are teasers for books that are a great read for all types of professionals in education. Catch up on all of the past podcasts and uncover the best kept learning opportunity that many of your peers already know. These sessions are not just for teachers, many of the take always are relevant across many professions.

In addition to hearing from a diversity of speakers, teachers can earn professional development credits that count towards their relicensure requirements. These podcasts are open to teachers within St. Vrain, as well as teachers outside of the district. Earning credit has been streamlined to allow educators to access professional development opportunities from summer learning locations. After listening to a podcast, a teacher can sign into Schoology and write their reflection.

Educators can sign up and begin earning credits today. >>

Another great way for educators to take advantage of these podcasts is to create a Professional Study Team. This is just one of the many ways credit can be earned in-district. St. Vrain teachers are encouraged to find a team of colleagues and dive deeper into topics that are of interest to them.

As the school year winds down, this season is just gearing up and Vrain Waves will host new sessions throughout the summer. Listeners can subscribe wherever they get their podcasts (Apple podcasts, Google Play, Overcast, Spotify, etc.) and can expect a new episode to be released on Monday mornings. Future podcasts will continue to feature interviews with education ‘giants’, consultants, and successful professionals in an attempt to make us all more ‘informed, inspired, and connected educators.’

Legacy Elementary students work with local columnist to produce school newspaper

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Eight fourth grade girls at Legacy Elementary School launched the first edition of the school newspaper this spring with the help of a local journalist.

The newspaper, Legacy Lion Tales, was the result of a mentorship program with Longmont Times-Call columnist Betty Heath.

Two students from each fourth grade class were chosen by their teachers to participate in the program.

“The students we chose are our more proficient, advanced writers,” said Donna Weaver, a fourth grade teacher at Legacy. “Anytime they can work with a professional in the field, almost like an internship, it’s a good thing for the students. It helps grow their interest in the field.”

For the past 13 years, Heath, 80, has written the weekly column “As I See It” for The Longmont Times-Call newspaper. She also has written for Baptist Magazines and newspapers, and currently writes for the Carbon Valley Consumer Report.

The group met about three times a week during their morning writing block in February and March. Heath taught the girls about the dos-and-don’ts and how-to’s of basic newspaper writing. They learned about publishing, interviewing and the five Ws (who, what, when, where, why) of writing.

Weaver said the students are already learning to write essays and research papers but Heath’s lessons built on their writing skills and taught them how to add personality to their pieces.

After deciding on a name for the school newspaper, Heath charged the students with interviewing and writing about someone who inspires them or a topic they want to learn more about.

The newspaper, which was printed and distributed at the school, featured articles about gymnastics, bugs and animals, police officers, teachers, a principal and a parent.

London Smith, 10, interviewed her music teacher, Jerry Sutton, because she likes music and is in the school choir, she said.

“What would life be like without music,” her article begins. “No jamming out in the car or no listening to music when you need to relax.”

London was introduced to some new musicians after Sutton told her he had performed with James Brown, Tina Turner and Buddy Rich.

“I haven’t ever heard of any of these people before but I bet all the parents at my school have,” London wrote in her article.

The students’ articles also appeared in the April and May editions of the Carbon Valley Consumer Report.

“That was cool,” London said. “My neighbors kept asking if I wanted to keep (their copies).”

Students were special guests at the district’s May 9 School Board meeting where they answered questions about their articles and talked about the school newspaper.

Weaver called the program intergenerational, and said it is important for kids to see that members of the community are invested in and care about local students.

“It was one of the most fun projects I’ve ever had the privilege of being a part of,” Heath said. “Volunteering to teach children how to write from their heart is one of the most rewarding things I’ve done.”

Heath is working with Legacy’s principal and teachers in hopes of continuing the newspaper next school year.

Congratulations Class of 2018

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Public Education – Empowering the Future 

Public education is one of the most powerful systems for driving positive change in our society. Across the United States, approximately 90 percent of our children attend a public school – and in the St. Vrain Valley, that percentage is even higher. With the future success of our community and nation dependent on the quality of our public schools, we have no greater responsibility than ensuring every child in our community receives a rigorous, engaging and high-quality education. To this end, it is an honor to stand alongside our Board of Education, teachers, staff, parents, principals and other community partners to celebrate our students and recognize their high levels of success. 

This month, we honor 2,000 graduates who will receive their St. Vrain Valley Schools diploma. In St. Vrain, graduation is not easy to achieve, as we have some of the most rigorous graduation requirements in Colorado. All students are required to earn 24.5 credits – higher than any other large district in the state. These high expectations not only give our students a stronger education to further their future career success, they align to most college and university admission requirements. This ensures that all graduates from St. Vrain Valley Schools can be successfully admitted to a four-year college/university and/or pursue a two-year college degree, military service and numerous high-quality career and technical programs. 

The opportunities in our schools extend far beyond the traditional classroom environment to include programs that are transforming schools into catalysts for student engagement and discovery. Through our high-quality instructional focus academies in Energy, Engineering and Aerospace, Medical and BioScience, Leadership, P-TECH, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) and Visual and Performing Arts, students are accelerating their education through industry engagement, cutting-edge technology, creative invention and innovation. Cultivating passion is what drives our students and empowers their achievement. 

The impact of these opportunities is advancing student excellence throughout our community. The Class of 2018 enrolled in a record number of Advanced Placement exams, International Baccalaureate courses and concurrent enrollment college courses, giving them the opportunity to start their postsecondary education with approximately 12,000 college credits on their transcripts, potentially saving their families $3.4 million in tuition costs. Additionally, our 2018 graduates have earned many prestigious recognitions including Boettcher Scholarships, Daniels Scholarships, National Merit semifinalists and finalists, All-State athletic honors, All-State music recognition, and thousands of acceptance letters from prestigious institutions across the United States, including many Ivy League schools, military academies and other highly competitive colleges and universities.  

The success of our students is a testament to our community’s enduring commitment to our schools. As St. Vrain has become nationally recognized for 21st-century learning, our entire community is recognized as a national model for community support for public education. From our industry partners who provide expertise and resources, to our senior volunteers who share their time, families, businesses, elected officials and everyone in our community who champion our schools, we are collectively building a strong foundation and future for Colorado and beyond. 

With so much to celebrate throughout St. Vrain Valley Schools, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to our students, families, teachers, staff and community. Together, we are advancing public education and giving our students a strong competitive advantage that will continue to foster achievement and success. 

Lastly, I want to share my heartfelt gratitude to all of our seniors and wish you the very best in life. Our schools will forever be strengthened by your time in our community – you are truly a class of compassionate, dedicated and outstanding people who will lead our country into the future. 

Sincerely,
Don Haddad, Ed.D.
Superintendent,
St. Vrain Valley Schools
@SVVSDSupt

Longmont Estates Elementary’s Jessicca Shaffer and Indian Peaks Elementary’s Jamie Lockwood win teacher recognition awards

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Congratulations to Jessicca Shaffer and Jamie Lockwood for being chosen as 2018 Jared Polis Foundation Teacher Recognition Honorees!

Mrs. Shaffer is the STEM Coordinator at Longmont Estates Elementary School and Mrs. Lockwood is a third grade teacher at Indian Peaks Elementary School. The two educators were selected as honorees along with nine others by the Foundation and program’s selection committee. The committee felt the nominations clearly demonstrated that Jessicca and Jamie are caring, effective and dedicated teachers.

During National Teacher Appreciation Week, the Foundation will present Mrs. Shaffer and Mrs. Lockwood with the following gifts and grants:

  • $1,000 discretionary award
  • $500 technology award
  • $1,000 teacher-directed school grant
  • Jared Polis Foundation’s crystal apple award

Both Mrs. Shaffer and Mrs. Lockwood will be using funds from the award to enhance STEM and design thinking curriculum at their schools. Mrs. Shaffer will be using the award to purchase several robots for Longmont Estates Elementary. Mrs. Lockwood will be using the award to enhance the iLab and new school garden at Indian Peaks. 

Thank you for shaping my future

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We asked graduating seniors to write letters of appreciation to a teacher that played the greatest role in shaping their future.

What the students didn’t know is that we also asked the teachers to write them a letter of appreciation and recognition of how much they’ve grown and the impact they had on their classroom and lives.

Thank you to all of the students, teachers, staff, families and other community partners who make St. Vrain Valley School such an exceptional place for learning and growth.

Altona students build passion for education equality through service learning

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Seventh grade students at Altona Middle School raised over $4,000 for the Malala Foundation as part of their 7th grade Language Arts Class. What began as a classroom reading and study of the book, “I am Malala” culminated in a fundraising gala where students presented speeches of advocacy for educational equity, musical pieces, artwork and handmade crafts. Members of the community were invited to attend the event enjoy the presentations and the money raised from donations and purchased goods went to the Malala Foundation. The Foundation directs money to support access to education.

To meet curriculum standards, every student wrote an op-ed piece on the themes studied in “I am Malala.” The themes covered Voice, Family, Education and Social Justice. Students specifically had to address the question, “Why should every child have a right to an education?” Students were invited to participate in the Malala Gala and choose from a menu of options of how they could contribute to the evening. While the Malala Gala did not require student participation, over 85 percent of students attended the gala, along with many family and community members.

According to Altona Language Arts teacher, Liz Wolford, the most important aspect of this curriculum series was to expand students’ view of the world beyond the classroom. Ms. Wolford said, “What we are really focusing on is creating a global citizen. The whole message here was this global idea of thinking outside of the box and thinking outside of self.” She went on to say that many students explored how to partner with a company or organization to pursue their projects and share their messaging. Silver Creek students visited the seventh graders and gave them tips on how to successfully deliver LEAD Talks (Ted Talk inspired speeches on leadership topics).

Altona students felt they were able to share their voice through participation at the Malala Gala. Seventh grade student, Allie Hartman, composed an original piece of music on the piano titled, “Her Name is Malala.” Allie wanted to share her messaging through music saying, “I think a lot of times when you speak or write, you can not always describe emotions through words and I felt like by writing a piece through music, it allowed people to feel emotions in a different way.” Allie found that participating in the Malala Gala has increased her confidence. In the past, she has struggled with sharing her work with others. Debuting her original piece of music at the Malala Gala has encouraged her to play publicly in other settings.

Another seventh grader, Rajarshi Bose, participated in the gala by delivering a speech titled “Education for Change.” Rajarshi chose to deliver a speech because he liked that it could spread an idea very quickly. This curriculum has taught Rajarshi to appreciate more about his life and the education he is able to receive. He now considers educational equity a form of social justice more. Rajarshi said, “My favorite aspect of the curriculum was seeing how many people support this cause and how people want to do something to support Malala’s vision of this world, where we can make it better for everyone.”

Ms. Wolford noted how proud the teachers and staff were of the 300 students who were engaged and excited to participate in the curriculum. This educational opportunity was a success because of the support from fellow Language Arts teachers Garett Paukstis and Brendan Butler, Special Education teacher Cleveland Smith, and Altona Technology Innovators Jessica Campbell, Rod Anadon and Tina Fredo. This team of teachers began preparing for this project in October. The entire school was appreciative of the students hard work and diligence in creating and displaying original, self driven projects to the community.

Students Shine at this Year’s Geography Bee

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Districtwide, middle students participate in Geography Clubs that meet and practice throughout the school year to prepare and compete in the annual Middle School Geography Bee. This year’s culminating event was hosted by Flagstaff Academy on Thursday, May 3.

Fifteen teams from across the district competed in six dynamic rounds of questions. The six rounds of questions incorporated the following areas of geography:
Round 1: Physical Geography
Round 2: Cultural Geography
Round 3: Media
Round 4: Political Geography
Round 5: Current Events
Round 6: Economic Geography

The competition heated up when Sunset, Flagstaff, and Westview teams were vying to take the lead. And the winners are:
1st Place: Westview Middle School 1
2nd Place: Sunset Middle School 1
3rd Place: A tie between Altona Middle School 1 and Flagstaff Academy 1

Congratulations to all of the participating teams for their hard work and dedication. Exposure to geography concepts throughout daily curriculum is important because geography questions make up a quarter of the Social Studies standards. Geography clubs help support and reinforce academic standards from the classroom.

2017 Geography Bee Questions
Physical Geography: 23o 26’ 12.9” N (Twenty three degrees, twenty-six minutes, twelve point nine seconds, North) represents what?
Answer: Tropic of Cancer

Cultural Geography: The official animal of this country is a flightless bird but the name also refers to a seed-filled fruit. Name the country and the official animal.
Answer: New Zealand and Kiwi

Media: Name these falls that on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Answer: Victoria Falls

Political Geography: Name the two countries that make up the Iberian Peninsula.
Answer: Spain and Portugal

Economic Geography: Name the main greenhouse gas produced by paddy rice fields in India and livestock in the United States.
Answer: Methane

Current Events: SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy Rocket launched on February 6, 2018. What was its primary payload (cargo)?
Answer: cherry red Tesla Roadster

IMPORTANT: Student Calendar Change on 4/27

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Dear St. Vrain Valley Community,

Thank you for your continued partnership and unwavering support which has contributed significantly to student achievement and success. I am deeply appreciative of our community, as you have consistently demonstrated your value for public education through the generous passage of several mill levy overrides and bond initiatives, among many other ways that you have strengthened our schools. Together with our excellent teachers and staff, our students are receiving the benefit of an outstanding education.

Recently, we have been hearing a lot in the national news related to demonstrations of support for public education. Toward this end, it has been brought to our attention that the Colorado Education Association (CEA) is organizing a statewide teacher rally scheduled for Friday, April 27, designed to further address important matters related to public education in Colorado. 

While this is a statewide initiative organized by CEA, it will have an impact on schools in St. Vrain.  In anticipation of high levels of teacher participation at the rally in Denver, we have changed Friday, April 27 to be a non-student contact day, as we will not be able to ensure adequate supervision and instruction. While it is always a difficult decision to cancel school for students, safety and quality learning experiences must be our highest priority. Therefore, this change is necessary.  Normal school operations are scheduled to resume on Monday, April 30.

We will be hosting Community Schools non-school day programming at our four building sites (Black Rock, Eagle Crest, Legacy and Sanborn) during normal hours on April 27. This is for families already registered for non-school day care, and placement will be first-come, first-served based on space availability. Additionally, all after-school activities – including music performances, athletic practices and games, and other co-curricular activities – will continue as regularly scheduled unless you hear otherwise from your student’s principal. If your student attends a charter school or our APEX Homeschool Enrichment Program, please check directly with your building principal, as your school may be on a different schedule.

I am very proud of the work and commitment of our excellent teachers, staff and the entire St. Vrain Valley Schools community, and appreciate your understanding and support with this calendar adjustment. If you have any questions about this topic, please feel free to contact me directly at 303-682-7205 or [email protected]. Thanks for all that you do to support our students and their ongoing success.

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

Superintendent’s Update

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Dear St. Vrain Valley Community,

Public education is the cornerstone of our democracy. The impact of our schools and their role in shaping the future success of our society extends far beyond the smart boards, desks and walls of our classrooms. From economic development, to national security, to home and commercial property values, to business and corporate development, and community growth, our public schools provide a strong foundation for advancing the quality of our lives and the direction of our future.

Across St. Vrain Valley Schools, I am incredibly proud of the great work and academic advancement demonstrated by our outstanding teachers, staff, students and dedicated community partners who support the continued success of our schools and programs. Every day, I hear amazing stories of student excellence – Boettcher Scholarship finalists; a student achieving a perfect score on a global AP Research Exam; countless hours of volunteer service with community organizations; and many students winning state competitions in athletics and the arts – the achievements are numerous.

In every school and program across St. Vrain, our students, teachers and staff are achieving high levels of success while also having an impact on their communities and beyond. This month in The Newsroom (click here to access), we feature just a few of the many examples of student learning extending beyond the traditional classroom environment which positively impact our world. Please join me in celebrating these great achievements and thank you for your continued partnership in advancing public education and our community.

Sincerely,
Don Haddad, Ed.D.
Superintendent, St. Vrain Valley Schools
@SVVSDSupt 

Superintendent’s Update

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Dear St. Vrain Valley Community,

As we move closer to the end of another outstanding year in St. Vrain Valley Schools, I want to take a moment to recognize the achievements and growth we have seen across our system. In the coming weeks, we will be championing the thousands of students who will be transitioning to kindergarten, middle school, high school or graduating with their St. Vrain Valley Schools diploma. It is through our outstanding educators, dedicated parents and unwavering community support that we have seen our students and schools excel to the highest levels of achievement.

This year we have celebrated a record number of state and national champions in our schools. Never in my career have I seen such a large number of students recognized for their work outside the classroom – on top of our highest levels of academic growth, concurrent enrollment college credits, Advanced Placement exams, prestigious scholarships and so much more.

These important activities not only foster engaged school communities, but also strengthen our students by increasing academic performance, enhancing graduation rates and building essential skills such as communication, drive, teamwork, resilience, commitment and the capacity to compete. As students across St. Vrain are demonstrating excellence in leadership, advancing their academic skills and showcasing world-class sportsmanship that is systemic across our schools, they are graduating with a strong competitive advantage that will empower their success now and in the future.

In this edition of The Newsroom (click here to access), we share just a few of the hundreds of accomplishments, events and programs impacting students in every school in our district. I am incredibly proud to be a part of the St. Vrain Valley community and greatly look forward to the continued success of our students, teachers and staff. 

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

St. Vrain Valley Schools