Over 100 seventh- and eighth-grade students from all of St. Vrain Valley School District’s eight middle schools will join together for a middle school honor choir performance on Jan. 16 at 6;30 p.m. at Niwot High School, 8989 Niwot Rd.
Choir students from across the district auditioned in October for a spot. Those with the highest scores were invited to participate in the honor choir. Students were broken into two groups — soprano/alto and tenor/bass choirs.
At Longmont Estates Elementary School, a group of 25 students from grades first through fifth have come together to form the Service Project Club. The service project club gives a chance to ignite a sense of purpose and compassion among their peers.
Led by Preschool Teacher Alexis Vorhaus, this club is helping students dream big and make a positive difference within their community. “Service Project Club helps show our students how much impact they can have as elementary school students,” shared Vorhaus. “When they join our meetings, they know that their ideas will be valued and that our teachers and staff will work together to support them.”
The Service Project Club has engaged in initiatives such as a pet supply drive led by a Silver Creek Leadership Academy student, demonstrating the club’s dedication to building strong partnerships and extending their impact beyond school.
These initiatives have opened the door to in-depth conversations about community, compassion, social responsibility, all while creating a sense of community and empathy within Longmont Estates. They have also cultivated a spirit of caring and support for others. Most recently, students collaborated on a heartwarming project using bathroom tiles from Home Depot. They crafted holiday keepsakes, added their names and grade level, and sold them for $5 each, raising over $500 for the Round Pantry, a local food bank.
The club has a spring and a fall session, providing more students with the opportunity to participate. They apply and submit why they want to join, motivating them to come up with unique ideas and projects that resonate with them. Once they become a club member, students have a chance to practice their organizational and leadership skills, as well as learning empathy from each other.
Third-grader, Peachy South shared that being part of the Service Project Club is rewarding because “it’s important to support our community, it makes me feel appreciated to know that we helped.” In creating a spirit of caring and supporting others, the Service Project Club has had a lasting impact on the students. Fourth-grader Jaxon Morgan expressed the club’s significance stating, “I like Service Project Club because it’s fun and we get to help the school and other people in the community.”
Grand View Elementary School, in collaboration with Books are Fun, is inspiring lifelong readers through their Book Blast campaign. With over 30 years of service, and in partnership with Collective Goods, Books Are Fun is committed to providing the latest and most engaging books to children across the nation. Thanks to support from the community, the school successfully raised over $30,000 to purchase three books for every student at Grand View.
“To support Grand View Elementary School in reaching their goal, Books are Fun provided valuable assistance to teachers by introducing programs to spark enthusiasm among both educators and students,” explained Francesca Craver, Principal at Grand View. “This included teacher-led initiatives and student rewards, such as glow-in-the-dark blankets, disco balls, and they had the chance to be entered into a drawing to win a treasure chest filled with small gifts. We also maintained regular communication with families and set participation goals to emphasize the importance of reading in the community.”
Aside from acquiring new books, the goal of the Book Blast campaign is to make a lasting impact on students’ reading experiences, and the overall learning environment at Grand View. “We want to expose students to a variety of genres and cultivate a deeper understanding for reading by tapping into their interests,” shared Craver.
Collaborating with friends and the community can help make reading a more enjoyable experience. Third-grader, Lily Salaz, expressed her excitement for reading stating, “with our new books we can have more people come in and read with us, and enjoy learning new things with every book we read.”
The sound of saxophones and trumpets filled the air as jazz bands from Westview Middle School, Lyons Middle Senior School, and Silver Creek High School performed in a concert at Planet Bluegrass in Lyons on Monday night.
Westview kicked off the night with a toe-tapping performance that set the stage for an evening of musical excellence. Each school performed a set of four to five songs, including pieces by jazz greats such as Count Basie and Van Morrison. As the evening drew to a close, students from all three schools gathered on stage for a final group number that earned them a standing ovation from the packed house.
“Our students had a great time performing in such a beautiful venue, and felt it was a strong performance,” shared Silver Creek Band Director William Legg. “The crowd enjoyed their music which always makes it fun for the performers. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to play with the amazing bands from Westview and Lyons.”
The tradition of hosting concerts at Planet Bluegrass began in 2021 when Lyons Band Director Kerri Gregg was in search of an outdoor venue that would allow for social distancing. Planet Bluegrass was the perfect choice, not only because of its spacious outdoor space that could accommodate a large crowd but also because of a long-standing relationship with the venue. Lyons band students have volunteered at festivals there since 2002 and the Operations Director is a Lyons graduate and former band volunteer who is familiar with their program.
In the concert’s inaugural year, Gregg extended an invitation to Westview to participate. Carrie Borja, Westview Band Director, jumped at the opportunity for her students to perform. “This year, recognizing the stunning location of the concert at Planet Bluegrass, we decided to include one more band and were delighted to have Silver Creek join us,” said Gregg. Phoebe Moellenberg, Lyons Junior, was excited that other bands were invited to perform stating, “We rarely get to watch other middle and high school jazz bands in our hometown, and it was really special to see the two bands playing at Planet Bluegrass.”
Westview students were excited they had an opportunity to play in a venue outside of their school. “It is a positive experience for the middle school students to get to play in a performance venue because it allows them to feel like they are gigging professionally,” shared Borja. “It is a more accurate representation of what most professional jazz performances are like. It was also a great learning experience, as they got to hear more advanced jazz musicians to learn from too.”
Listening to the high school bands provided Westview seventh grader Damian Fuentez a glimpse into his future as a high school tenor sax player. “It was really inspirational to listen to the older students’ technique and improvisation skills knowing I’ll be able to grow to that level one day.” Silver Creek senior Louise Larsen said her favorite part of the Lyons jazz performance was being able to collaborate with many other students from across the district. “We often collaborate with Longmont or Niwot but to be able to collaborate with Lyons was new and fun for everybody involved.”
Following the event, Gregg praised the band directors in St. Vrain Valley Schools, stating, “They are among the most collegial and supportive band directors of any district I’ve ever known. This is just one example of the many events that our music teachers share with each other. New ideas for collaborations are popping up all the time, and those offerings shift and adapt as our programs and goals change. This is but one instance of the numerous amazing opportunities that directors in St. Vrain Valley provide to our young musicians as part of their musical education.”
The iconic letterman varsity jacket is a symbol of school spirit and personal achievement that has stood the test of time. The trend of representing teams with letters started in the 1800s when baseball and football teams at Harvard University began wearing sweaters with the letter H prominently sewn onto the front. Over the years, these sweaters have evolved into the stylish jackets worn today.
Recently, students at Mead High School took part in a special letterman jacket fitting session at their school. This hands-on process ensures their jackets are sized perfectly and reflect their individual style. During the fitting, students could be seen stretching their arms to assess sleeve length, while also ensuring the jackets were appropriately sized on the shoulders so their custom jackets fit comfortably.
What was once a symbol reserved exclusively for athletic achievements, has expanded through the decades. Varsity letters can now be earned for performing arts, robotics, and academics. To earn a letter, students must meet specific criteria, demonstrating excellence, leadership, and dedication in their chosen activity. This may include earning a 3.75 grade point average or higher, achieving a certain level of performance on a varsity team, or competing in music or robotics competitions.
Earning a letter is a rite of passage, representing students’ dedication and hard work. Mead senior Porter Ainsworth, who lettered in football, views the letter jacket as a way to “show off my achievements and school spirit.” Sophomore Addison Blick, who lettered in basketball, is excited to get a letterman jacket because it will be a “good memory to have of my high school experience.”
As each student proudly dons their personalized jacket, they not only showcase their individual achievements but also embody the rich tradition of school spirit and personal accomplishment. The letterman jacket continues to serve as a timeless symbol of excellence and a cherished memento of the high school experience.
Columbine Elementary School received 24 brand-new bikes for their kindergarten PE class, thanks to All Kids Bike, a nonprofit that is dedicated to teaching kindergartners how to ride bikes in PE class. This initiative was made possible through a generous donation of $100,000 from Yamaha Motor Corp. USA, which helped fund 11 programs in schools across the country, with Columbine being one of the recipients.
All Kids Bike’s mission is to provide every child in America with the opportunity to learn how to ride a bike in school. The Kindergarten Learn-to-Ride PE Program is currently active in over 1,000 schools across the country, and it provides comprehensive resources such as teacher training and certification, pedal conversion kits, an instructional bike for the teacher, and rolling metal bike storage racks. The bikes were assembled and presented to Columbine Elementary, along with 24 helmets and two bike racks.
Bart Thurman, PE Teacher at Columbine Elementary, expressed his excitement, stating, “Being able to have these bikes on site forever in order to teach our kindergarteners how to ride is life-changing.” He emphasized the transformative impact learning to ride a bike has for a child stating, “When a child learns to ride a bike, it gives them a huge boost of confidence, and helps them be more active overall.”
As students walked into the gym, they were met with the site of a colored parachute covering the bikes. As the big reveal began, the excitement of over 25 kindergartners echoed through the gymnasium with cheers and laughter. One by one, they were fitted with a helmet, jumped on a bike, and followed behind Mr. Thurman as they began practicing.
Kindergartner Jackson Morley is looking forward to learning how to ride a bike. “I’m excited because I’ll be able to learn how to ride one without training wheels,” says Jackson. Estefania Villanueva has experience riding and expressed her happiness with the new bikes at school, saying, “I’m glad I can keep practicing riding a bike in school.”
Valerie Allman took the gold medal in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for her 226’ 4” discus throw. On Thursday she visited Silver Creek High School where her track and field journey began.
Allman had never tried track and field before entering high school. She began with running events and found them to be too painful, she said. Then she tried the high jump where she cracked the bar — something she said she didn’t know was even possible.
Food is a part of our everyday lives and it’s a powerful way to connect with students. There are so many skills that can be learned from cooking and exploring food. From fine motor and language skills, to math and functional skills. Cooking and trying new foods creates a shared experience and forms an instant bond between staff and students.
The term functional skills refers to skills an individual needs in order to live as independently as possible. Those skills also describe the routine activities of everyday life, such as communications, behavior, social skills, and daily living skills.
District special education staff are tapping into those functional life skills in a fun way by having students prepare snacks. Root Beer floats, turkey sandwiches, toast, smores, and pumpkin pie in a cup are just some of the snacks that staff and students are whipping up on a weekly basis.
Last year, Florence Landblom, occupational therapist, started cooking with her Significant Support Needs (SSN) students at Blue Mountain Elementary and Niwot HS, and has already seen an increase in independence. She said, “I really hold a belief in doing functional activities that get students ready for their world outside of school. I want students to be as independent as possible and exposing them to functional activities, such as cooking, gives them an opportunity to increase their independence.”
Being independent in preparing meals at home can empower student growth and provide students with a sense of pride and accomplishment. There are many functional skills that go into making a snack and Landblom helps students master them all, so they can be independent in everyday life. “My hope would be that when students are at home and they want a sandwich or a snack that they’re able to make it by themselves. They need to know how to open the bread bag, open containers, learn how to spread, slice, whisk, stir, measure, and pour,” Landblom said.
During the weekly cooking sessions, students not only work on fine motor skills, they also work on important social language skills. Lindsay Spiegel, speech language pathologist, was excited to join the fun at Blue Mountain. “Flo had the class up and running and I was excited to join in because it’s a great opportunity for students to work on building language skills in a functional setting. Culturally, we connect around food and many social conversations happen over food, so it’s a natural way for students to work on speech goals in a fun, engaging way,” Spiegel said.
Special Education staff at Longmont Estates Elementary have found that incorporating a visual cookbook into their weekly sessions has helped to engage their center based autism students with cooking. Some of their students are nonverbal and may need more visual supports and the cookbook provides step by step instructions to accommodate their needs and help students communicate more effectively.
Kara Cannon, speech language pathologist explained, “For those students who have less verbal language, they can just point to an item on the sheet to communicate with us. It’s also a good way to check for comprehension and independence.”
As any parent can relate, sometimes the hardest part is getting the students to try new foods. Cannon said, “Not everyone likes what we make, but they’re encouraged to try it and if they’re not yet comfortable tasting it, all they have to do is smell it. The key is to repeat recipes so that with each exposure the student will eventually try it.”
In addition to the cookbook, special education staff at Longmont Estates have implemented a cooking feedback form where students get to be food critics and rate snacks by giving it a thumbs up or down for taste. Students also get a chance to write a review and give the snack one through five stars. Patty Toillion, occupational therapist, said the cooking feedback form is a great way to check for comprehension after the activity. “Students not only write descriptive words of what they made, they’re also using important fine motor skills to write their answers. I love that through cooking, students are learning functional skills and gaining lifelong skills in the process.”
Cooking not only helps students with their life skills, it also helps them connect with staff and other peers. Cannon said, “I love to see their social interactions with each other. I work with students one on one a lot of the time, so it’s nice to be able to see communication skills within a functional activity.”
St. Vrain Valley Schools Special Education staff are exploring Artificial Intelligence (AI), which will help personalize educational content in order to create a more inclusive learning environment that empowers students with disabilities to thrive academically and socially.
Imagine being able to cater teacher lessons to students’ specific interests and likes, such as sports, animals, travel, and pop culture. For one teacher, she is doing just that. Cassie Chase, Life Skills ACE special education teacher, is getting on board with AI because she sees how beneficial it can be for student learning.
Chase has a Dr. Seuss-loving student that struggles with keeping appropriate hands. She had the idea to create a social story that would not only help with the students’ reading comprehension goal; it would also teach the student how to maintain appropriate hands in a fun, engaging way. She said, “I had the initial idea and knew I wanted to create a Dr. Seuss inspired story, but I wasn’t sure how to do that on my own. I used ChatGPT, and it generated a really great story, and I only had to tweak a few things.”
Utilizing AI gave Chase the opportunity to create a tailor-made story that provided exactly what she wanted in a quick, easy way. “The biggest benefit of AI tools they help you get started with an idea that you have. It might not create exactly what you’re looking for the first time, but it gives you something that you can modify. It’s a timesaver, and it’s fun,” Chase said.
District special education teachers and providers are encouraged to explore the use of AI to support instruction, evaluation/IEP writing, student accommodations, and differentiation.
Staff have access to many sites that are supported by the district, such as ChatGPT, Drift, Magic School, and Adobe Firefly, to name a few.
St. Vrain has also launched ‘Exploration AI,’ which is a year-long professional development program designed to equip educators with the knowledge and tools needed to integrate AI technology into their teaching practices and curricula. This program also offers some pop-up monthly training sessions that focus on promoting collaborative dialogue and shared learning. These sessions will include demonstrations and hands-on experimentation, all designed to improve participants’ pedagogical tactics and deepen their comprehension of various AI applications.
SWAP was recently awarded a grant by the SVVSD Education Foundation to fund transportation for students to explore post-secondary opportunities.
The funding we receive to provide SWAP services does not include transportation costs for students/young adults to attend SWAP activities. Transportation is one of the largest barriers our students/young adults face. The $450 grant we received from the Education Foundation enables SWAP to remove this barrier for students/young adults to explore post-secondary opportunities including: campus tours, vocational training providers, and others.
The purpose of SWAP is to assist young adults with disabilities in making the transition from school to employment. Here’s a look at some of the opportunities that will be available for SWAP students in the coming months. Students should contact their SWAP case manager for additional details about the opportunities below.
December/January
