The World Needs More Entrepreneurs

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August 13, 2019, 9:13am  |  St Vrain Valley School District

It is late afternoon on a Wednesday at the Innovation Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools, and young entrepreneurs from around the world are standing in front of a 20-foot tall green screen. They are filming short videos about their ideas to solve huge problems like hunger and substance addiction. As part of a partnership with Boulder’s Watson Institute, a training ground for next-generation innovators and entrepreneurs, St. Vrain Valley Schools and Watson Institute students are learning how to pitch – a critical skill in today’s business world.

Today is just your average day at the Innovation Center’s new Entrepreneurial Zone.

When you hear the word “entrepreneur” – what comes to mind?

Your local shopkeeper, a small business owner or a brave risk-taker putting their livelihood on the line to create something new?

The Innovation Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools and its new Entrepreneurial Zone are trying to expand the definition of an entrepreneur and the way we think about entrepreneurship. “Our goal for the Entrepreneurial Zone is to create a way for students to live their purpose,” says Zone teacher and program developer, Jeff Lund. “We want to help students find out what they were meant to do, instead of doing something they were told to do.” As a result, St. Vrain’s new program focuses as much on the entrepreneurial mindset as the actual mechanics of starting a business.

THE WORLD NEEDS MORE ENTREPRENEURS

By some estimates, the world needs 600 million new jobs by 2025 to handle the growing workingage population. Business leaders like Michael Dell, chairman and chief executive officer of Dell Technologies, point out that these jobs aren’t likely to come from big corporations, but instead from entrepreneurs and small businesses. The skills required to succeed as an entrepreneur, including creative thinking, problem solving, innovation, and tenacity, are valuable skills to learn and bring to any career.

St. Vrain is creating tomorrow’s entrepreneurs with support from Community Strong partners like the Daniels Fund.

When the Daniels Fund, a private charitable foundation dedicated to making life better for the people of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, heard about the fledgling Entrepreneurial Zone program they immediately recognized its uniqueness. In the fall of 2018, the organization provided a significant investment to quickly expand the program’s reach and offerings. According to Linda Childears, President & CEO of the Daniels Fund, the foundation is “excited about supporting the Innovation Center because it not only helps students develop critical entrepreneurial skills, it also gives them the opportunity to work with businesses, gaining experience that can prepare them to launch their careers when they complete school.”

The Daniels Fund’s investments are already having a significant positive impact on St. Vrain students like Kerly Baltierrez Rodriguez, a student at Skyline High School. 

Kerly started out on the Innovation Center’s studio team, where she learned film production and presentation skills. Now, she’s putting those skills to work in the Zone by producing a short documentary series about career options. Her first subject is a young entrepreneur – and fellow St. Vrain graduate – who is selling her own handmade guitars. Kerly loves how the program is giving her a chance to explore and share her own vision. “I’m glad that we can show someone living her passion,” says Kerly. “I think we can inspire students to pursue the career they want, and push themselves to achieve their goals.”

Community Strong: district website platform builds, represents collaborative community

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August 13, 2019, 8:02am  |  St Vrain Valley School District

We all know the adage, it takes a village. But what exactly is that proverbial ‘village’? The long answer may be complex, but the short answer is simple: it’s all about community. When it comes to St. Vrain Valley School District, community is and always has been of the utmost importance. Now we have one more resource that serves to build, reinforce, and highlight the strength or and emphasis upon our community – Community Strong. 

Launched last August, 2018, to district high schools, the Innovation Center, and the Career Development Center, Community Strong is a community engagement campaign that includes a web platform that facilitates and enhances partnerships between the district and the wider community. “St. Vrain has always partnered well with the community-at-large,” says district Director of Community and Business Development, Matthew Wiggins. “We’ve built relationships on a local level, and also with large, corporate industries. Now we have an opportunity to not just facilitate the best collaborative opportunities, but also to measure the impact.” 

The way it works, Wiggins explains, is simple and straightforward. Interested partners create a profile through the Community Strong website, noting schools and programs to support, interests and skills, and types of engagement, from classroom presentations, facility tours, to internships. Organizations and schools post their individual interests and needs, and the platform matches schools with interested partners. Individuals and schools receive emails allowing each to explore opportunities. 

The Community Strong initiative has been wildly successful, particularly given the small sample size, Wiggins says. Through the soft launch, roughly 300 new individual connections have been made between schools and community members. As of this August, Community Strong will be rolled out to all schools and departments, including elementary, middle, and charter. With this rollout, many new exciting partnerships will doubtless be forged. What’s more, these collaborations are steadily bringing about an increasingly dynamic range of benefits for all concerned. 

Enhances learning outcomes for students

Through engaging partnerships, real-world examples make learning all the more relevant, and not just when it comes to specific industry expertise. Opportunities to work with and learn from community partners highlight the importance of key skills such as teamwork, communications, and building relationships. Through everything from guest speakers to job shadowing to actual employment, SVVSD students have the world at their fingertips. “We’re connecting schools with businesses and organizations who offer their time as presenters and volunteers, and so much more,” Wiggins says. “There are internships and apprenticeships, too. Over the summer, we successfully partnered with a Boulder-based tech firm to create five paid internships for students at the Innovation Center – the school’s first – and place five other manufacturing students in high-tech apprenticeships. We’re further working on opportunities for students to earn college credit.” All those partnerships serve not only to enhance, but to guide learning. Built programs expose students to community work, empowering them with vision and purpose. They also improve curriculum, aligning the latest industry needs with coursework. 

Builds a future workforce

“Education and workforce development are so intertwined,” says Erin Jones, Executive Director of Workforce Boulder County, a nonprofit which offers a wide variety of services to job seekers and businesses, including training opportunities, career exploration, and job skills development. “Our missions intersect in so many areas. I utilize the platform knowing it helps streamline the goal of tying our communities together and accelerating our individual organizations.” Oftentimes, work-based learning doesn’t just enhance education, it serves to allow students to complete their education. For example, Workforce Boulder County frequently works with youth who have struggled in traditional classrooms. Alongside work-based learning, Workforce Boulder County supports students in earning their GED. Students gain access to role models and opportunities for growth and success. “Together, we’re building a pipeline of workers who can live here, stay here, and be the talent that industry, and our community, needs,” Jones says.  

Sustains and grows our thriving community

Community Strong’s success showcases integral alignment of goals throughout our community. “All businesses and organizations recognize the value St. Vrain brings to our community, impacting quality of life and potential for and development of industry based here,” says Jessica Erickson, Longmont Economic Development Partnership President and CEO. “The question in the past has been, ‘how do we connect and contribute to that’. Community Strong has provided a platform to be that point of connection, for industry and individuals to take advantage of what the district has to offer and also to contribute, to give back.” The Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce is among numerous organizations which have partnered with St. Vrain Valley Schools for many years. Over those years, the Chamber has provided and contributed to a range of student opportunities, explains Kathy Stevens, Business Director of Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has employed high school interns for committees and events, for instance; Education Committee and Chamber members volunteer in the schools and at district events; Education Committee funds SVVSD’s Doing Democracy Day as well as two high school students half tuition to the Chamber’s Leadership Longmont program; and, fifth graders have had a field trip to the Chamber’s PEAK event the past two years to learn about manufacturing and technology companies in our community. “Businesses being able to offer their expertise to help students grow and learn about business works both ways,” Stevens says. “Students learn about job opportunities they might not have known existed, and businesses have the chance to tell students what they are looking for in a good employee. The Chamber and Education Committee are excited to be part of building that bridge.” Ultimately, Community Strong contributes to a landscape where everyone wins. Interested in contributing, or learning more?

Learn more about Community Strong

St. Vrain is Hiring – 2019 Job Fair

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Join us at our upcoming 2019 Job Fair and learn more about opportunities in nutrition, custodial services, and transportation. We have both permanent and substitute positions available.

Wednesday, July 24
12:30-3:30 p.m.
Location: Altona Middle School, 4600 Clover Basin Dr., Longmont, CO 80503

Thursday, July 25
12:30-3:30 p.m.
Location: Coal Ridge Middle School. 6201 Booth Dr., Firestone, CO 80504

For more information, call 303-682-7251 or visit our jobs page.

St. Vrain is Hiring – 2019 Job Fair

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July 15, 2019, 7:43am  |  St Vrain Valley School District

Join us at our upcoming 2019 Job Fair and learn more about opportunities in nutrition, custodial services, and transportation. We have both permanent and substitute positions available.

Wednesday, July 24
12:30-3:30 p.m.
Location: Altona Middle School, 4600 Clover Basin Dr., Longmont, CO 80503

Thursday, July 25
12:30-3:30 p.m.
Location: Coal Ridge Middle School. 6201 Booth Dr., Firestone, CO 80504

For more information, call 303-682-7251

Visit our jobs page

Invisible Learning: SVVSD Community Schools extend school days with purposeful play, leadership, and collaboration

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Learning is always happening. Whether within the walls of classrooms and auditoriums, out in the world, we are continuously registering and processing new and repeated information and determining what to do with it. For SVVSD Community Schools’ students and families, there is a strong focus on ensuring the experience is engaging, inspiring, playful, and purposeful… whatever each participant needs, as an individual and as part of the collective whole.

St. Vrain Valley School District’s Community Schools offers onsite school-age childcare as well as after-school and summertime extended learning opportunities for preschool students ages three and four, and school age care for ages five through thirteen. Programs are available in all district elementary schools, all three K-8th grade schools, and at SPARK; additionally, wraparound care for preschoolers is available in six locations. 

Community Schools’ quality programming, which provides safe, affordable care and enrichment enhancing academic, social, and emotional development, can’t be summed up by words alone. Behind the scenes, dedicated teams collaborate to create and deliver tailored experiences aligned with each child’s school day, interests, and needs. “We’re a true extension of the school day,” says Community Schools Coordinator Susan Zimmerman. “We’re part of the district; we’re licensed childcare, but we’re so much more than that.”

The more Zimmerman refers to reaps lifelong benefits for students. “We work closely alongside the Department of Curriculum, and closely with administrators and teachers in each school to tie in student learning to afterschool care,” Zimmerman explains. “We’re always asking, how do we support learning, how do we make it fun, and how do we make it work for everyone?”

How does Community Schools provide fun, meaningful enrichment for every student? In addition to strong, caring teams who consistently grow through ongoing professional development and training, one way is through sheer variety. An extensive menu of evolving enrichment classes offered before and after school reflects the interests of students and families at each location: from noncompetitive robotics to cooking classes; focused art to martial arts, music and language classes; there is something for everyone. “Extra classes give students opportunity to try out new things,” Zimermman says. “It may be a one-time class, a twice-weekly offering, or as much as a 26-week, twice weekly program. We work with high quality vendors, train our own staff, and partner with teachers already in the schools.”

Soaring Heights Community Schools Program Manager, Jena Gratsch, as well as all Community Schools Program Managers, makes a point of regularly meeting and connecting with teachers, sharing observations and insights. “Being a parent at Soaring Heights as well, I have the unique chance to see curriculum implementation from different perspectives,” she says. “It has allowed for such a great foundation—our program really partners with administrators, teachers, the PTO, parent volunteers…we’re all involved and invested in student development.”

Given varying schedules, age range, and too many variables to list, Community Schools’ teams are masters of flexibility. They are further masters at setting stages for invisible learning: open-ended activities guided by student interest, peer collaboration, homework assistance, teacher-guided activities, arts and crafts, outdoors, social-emotional support and more.

“In the morning, we offer times for students to engage with peers in a variety of STEM-based activities as well as others,” Gratsch says. “This year, students were hugely motivated by robotics, K’NEX, and building in general. Our staff ask lots of open-ended questions, and encourage conversations about what students are working on, as well as peer collaborating and mentoring.”

Afternoons run similarly, Gratsch shares, with homework help offered, as well as that broad variety of STEM activities and choices that serve as a platform for students to develop other fundamentals that will serve them for a lifetime, not least collaboration, physical activity, and learning through play. Programming evolves to fit each group, from materials to incorporation of student leadership. For instance, while robotics and building were highlights throughout this school year, Gratsch says chess concepts are proving to be of key interest this summer. Older students are invited to develop leadership roles, helping to design programs and mentor younger kids.

Throughout Community Schools, student interests serve as a guide. Teams work assiduously to ensure programs fit the students versus the other way around. While the learning that takes place may at times be invisible, the results are not. “One of the most joyful things is seeing students say to parents, ‘oh man, we have to leave already’,” says Gratsch. “That’s so reassuring to me, as both educator and parent. “Seeing how engaged students are and reluctant to leave…that shows me we’re doing things right.”

Invisible Learning: SVVSD Community Schools extend school days with purposeful play, leadership, and collaboration

Posted on

July 1, 2019, 7:24am  |  St Vrain Valley School District

Learning is always happening. Whether within the walls of classrooms and auditoriums, out in the world, we are continuously registering and processing new and repeated information and determining what to do with it. For SVVSD Community Schools’ students and families, there is a strong focus on ensuring the experience is engaging, inspiring, playful, and purposeful… whatever each participant needs, as an individual and as part of the collective whole.

St. Vrain Valley School District’s Community Schools offers onsite school-age childcare as well as after-school and summertime extended learning opportunities for preschool students ages three and four, and school age care for ages five through thirteen. Programs are available in all district elementary schools, all three K-8th grade schools, and at SPARK; additionally, wraparound care for preschoolers is available in six locations. 

Community Schools’ quality programming, which provides safe, affordable care and enrichment enhancing academic, social, and emotional development, can’t be summed up by words alone. Behind the scenes, dedicated teams collaborate to create and deliver tailored experiences aligned with each child’s school day, interests, and needs. “We’re a true extension of the school day,” says Community Schools Coordinator Susan Zimmerman. “We’re part of the district; we’re licensed childcare, but we’re so much more than that.”

The more Zimmerman refers to reaps lifelong benefits for students. “We work closely alongside the Department of Curriculum, and closely with administrators and teachers in each school to tie in student learning to afterschool care,” Zimmerman explains. “We’re always asking, how do we support learning, how do we make it fun, and how do we make it work for everyone?”

How does Community Schools provide fun, meaningful enrichment for every student? In addition to strong, caring teams who consistently grow through ongoing professional development and training, one way is through sheer variety. An extensive menu of evolving enrichment classes offered before and after school reflects the interests of students and families at each location: from noncompetitive robotics to cooking classes; focused art to martial arts, music and language classes; there is something for everyone. “Extra classes give students opportunity to try out new things,” Zimermman says. “It may be a one-time class, a twice-weekly offering, or as much as a 26-week, twice weekly program. We work with high quality vendors, train our own staff, and partner with teachers already in the schools.”

Soaring Heights Community Schools Program Manager, Jena Gratsch, as well as all Community Schools Program Managers, makes a point of regularly meeting and connecting with teachers, sharing observations and insights. “Being a parent at Soaring Heights as well, I have the unique chance to see curriculum implementation from different perspectives,” she says. “It has allowed for such a great foundation—our program really partners with administrators, teachers, the PTO, parent volunteers…we’re all involved and invested in student development.”

Given varying schedules, age range, and too many variables to list, Community Schools’ teams are masters of flexibility. They are further masters at setting stages for invisible learning: open-ended activities guided by student interest, peer collaboration, homework assistance, teacher-guided activities, arts and crafts, outdoors, social-emotional support and more.

“In the morning, we offer times for students to engage with peers in a variety of STEM-based activities as well as others,” Gratsch says. “This year, students were hugely motivated by robotics, K’NEX, and building in general. Our staff ask lots of open-ended questions, and encourage conversations about what students are working on, as well as peer collaborating and mentoring.”

Afternoons run similarly, Gratsch shares, with homework help offered, as well as that broad variety of STEM activities and choices that serve as a platform for students to develop other fundamentals that will serve them for a lifetime, not least collaboration, physical activity, and learning through play. Programming evolves to fit each group, from materials to incorporation of student leadership. For instance, while robotics and building were highlights throughout this school year, Gratsch says chess concepts are proving to be of key interest this summer. Older students are invited to develop leadership roles, helping to design programs and mentor younger kids.

Throughout Community Schools, student interests serve as a guide. Teams work assiduously to ensure programs fit the students versus the other way around. While the learning that takes place may at times be invisible, the results are not. “One of the most joyful things is seeing students say to parents, ‘oh man, we have to leave already’,” says Gratsch. “That’s so reassuring to me, as both educator and parent. “Seeing how engaged students are and reluctant to leave…that shows me we’re doing things right.”

STEM camp encourages SVVSD students to tackle big problems

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By Amy Bounds, Times-Call

Victoria Hoppis’ vision for a more sustainable city includes a park with treadmills, yoga mats, dog leashes for rent and a pond that makes bubbles that find and clean air pollution.

“We have trees because we need more trees,” the incoming sixth-grader at Erie Middle School said Wednesday as she explained the highlights of the city prototype she created with her group at the St. Vrain Valley School District’s Innovation Academy.

Teammate Brielle Wach, an incoming fifth-grader at Central Elementary School, noted the dog leashes will include a hollow spot for poop bags and air fresheners.

“The smell is a reoccurring problem with my dog, and I don’t even try to smell it when I pick it up,” she said, adding that she signed up for the Innovation Academy because she loves engineering and robots. “I love this. It’s fun to cooperate with people and use materials to solve problems.”

Story continued at the times-call

SVVSD give elementary students academic summer options

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By Amy Bounds, Reporter, Daily Camera

Literacy teacher Brenda Gilson recently led a group of three elementary students through a literacy lesson, helping them write out words with the “ay” sound and then come up with a sentence about really fast greyhounds.

As one girl got stuck on spelling the word “really,” Gibson encouraged her to first sing the letters, then write them out as she sang them. Then she had her write the word three times with a textured piece of plastic underneath to create “bumpy” letters.

“When you say it over and over, and write it over and over, your brain will own it,” she said.

The students were at Longmont’s Burlington Elementary, one of 11 sites for the St. Vrain Valley School District’s new extended school year program dubbed Project Launch.

Story continued at the times-call

St. Vrain Communications Team Wins National Awards

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St. Vrain Valley Schools’ Communications team was recently recognized by the National Schools Public Relations Association for outstanding work in educational communications. Award recognitions included:

For the Publications and Digital Media Awards category, St. Vrain Valley Schools was the only district in Colorado to receive an ‘Excellence’ recognition in any category and were one of only four Colorado districts represented overall. St. Vrain was also one of only two public school districts nationally who received an ‘Excellence’ recognition in Magazine Publications.

SVVSD starting construction on new building for Mead Elementary

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By Amy Bounds, Times-Call

St. Vrain Valley School District’s original plan was to replace the aging Mead Elementary School building in pieces over time, starting by replacing a classroom addition with a wood floor in need of repair.

But with other capital construction projects included the district’s $260 million bond issue package going smoothly, there was enough money available from unused contingency funds and bond sale premiums to bump up the school’s $8 million renovation budget to the $24 million needed to rebuild the entire school.

A groundbreaking for the new building is set for next week, with construction continuing through the school year. Students will stay in the current building while the new one is built on another part of the school site. The new building is expected to open in fall 2020.

“Our goal is to provide equitable schools across the district,” said Brian Lamer, assistant superintendent of operations.

Story continued at the times-call
St. Vrain Valley Schools