Empowered Education

Empowered Education Competitive Advantage Through Extraordinary Academic Learning and Preparation

A Catalyst for Change Academic Excellence by Design St. Vrain Valley Schools is advancing public education for our community, state and nation. We are preparing our students for their future by giving them a strong competitive advantage that will empower their success in a complex globalized economy.

Our school district has earned a national reputation for accelerating student achievement through the delivery of immersive learning opportunities designed to ignite students’ passions and enhance a strong academic foundation. Today’s students and tomorrow’s workforce demand an education that is rooted in rigorous traditional academics while also leveraging modern technology and advanced learning to create a truly personalized educational experience. We are investing in our students’ future as we cultivate a culture of energy and distinction that advances 21st-century learning.

The Pillars to Our Success Strong Academic Foundation: Our unwavering commitment is core to the rigorous academics and robust co-curricular activities that provide the foundation for student advancement.

Student Focused Learning: Our focus on individualized learning ensures that students remain engaged and challenged. St. Vrain Valley Schools is delivering a highquality, personalized education for every student.

A Culture of Excellence: A culture of excellence is what propels our teachers, staff and community in their unwavering commitment to deliver a world-ready education for every student.

High-Quality Teachers and Staff: People are our greatest asset. St. Vrain Valley Schools’ teachers and staff are among the best in the United States and are highly committed to student success and the continued advancement of high-quality public schools.

Cultivating Passion and Preparing Students for a Complex, Competitive World Acceleration comes from our ability to learn and transform knowledge into action. In St. Vrain Valley Schools, we engage students in their education through the power of discovery. Our comprehensive suite of focused curricular options allow students to develop their interests and skills in a wide selection of 21st-century careers. Cultivating passion is what drives our students and empowers their learning.

Rigorous Instructional Focus Academies: In addition to a wide portfolio of advanced academics and school focus programs, our high school students benefit from the choice to enroll in rigorous instructional focus academies that emphasize industries and careers of the future. These include aerospace and engineering; energy; leadership; medical and bioscience; science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); and visual and performing arts.

Extended Learning, Arts, Music, Athletics and Other Co-Curricular Activities: St. Vrain Valley Schools recognizes the importance of developing students who are prepared to become well-rounded and engaged citizens. Every school in our district offers programs for students to extend learning beyond the school day to increase engagement, build stronger school communities and support continued social, emotional, physical and intellectual growth.

Industry Certifications: Our district is advancing new student pathways and facilitating the development of a robust future workforce through industry certification opportunities.

While still in high school, St. Vrain Valley students can become Apple Certified Technicians and earn their TriCaster Operator Certification, Entrepreneurship Certification, CompTIA IT Certification and more.

Coding, Robotics and Advanced Inquiry: Technology integration and computer science literacy begins in preschool. Students are exposed to coding, robotics, engineering concepts, design-thinking and advanced inquiry models at every grade level which reinforces 21st century skills that are critical to future workforce development.

Eye on What’s Next: In St. Vrain Valley Schools, we listen, observe, anticipate and take action. The landscape of public education is evolving and accelerating as the world around us continues to transform. Our commitment to our students and community is to continue rapid advancement in order to ensure that students are well prepared for a complex globalized economy.

Innovation Center: Through widespread community support and the passage of a 2016 bond initiative, we are expanding the nationally recognized Innovation Center to serve all schools throughout the district. Our state-of-the art program will provide infrastructure, resources and focused opportunities for students to interact with industry experts, gain professional work experiences, and pursue the development of their own ideas and ventures.

Partnerships and Community Support Public education has possibly the greatest impact on our communities, our economy and the future direction of our country. Of the estimated 55 million K-12 aged students in the United States, approximately 90 percent attend a public school. The quality of public education in a community impacts workforce availability, economic growth, property values, public safety and much more.

It is our responsibility to serve, protect and elevate the institution of public education for the collective advancement of our society. In St. Vrain Valley Schools, our success is due in large part to our community – one that values public education and understands the impact high-quality schools have on our children, neighbors and businesses. We would not be where we are today without the strong support of our engaged parents, outstanding students, talented teachers and staff, industry partners, elected officials and community leaders.

Community and industry partners have a significant role in shaping the empowered learning opportunities in our schools. When you support public education, you are not just changing the life of a student, you are contributing to the development of our future workforce, the well-being of our community and the acceleration of economic development.

We have great leadership in St. Vrain Valley Schools.

Their students are receiving the right kind of support and preparation for the future. I couldn’t be happier that St. Vrain and IBM are clear and close partners.”

- Stan Litow Vice President of Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs, IBM and President, IBM International Foundation

The Next Literacy A foundation rooted in traditional, rigorous academics is fundamental to delivering a high-quality public education. In St. Vrain Valley Schools, we extend our strong academic core to include skills that are essential to our student’s competitive place in a complex world.

Tools for Learning: The Learning Technology Plan – St. Vrain Valley Schools’ nationally recognized model for technology integration in the classroom – is ensuring that technology and personalized learning tools are in the hands of every student. Our districtwide iPad implementation for all students, paired with advanced technology labs in schools is ensuring that our students are graduating with the experience and confidence needed to leverage the power of technology and enhance their education, productivity and communication.

Teachers are extremely passionate about their work and what they teach students, they’re very understanding and help shape student futures by working with them, helping kids achieve their goals and getting the grades they want.

Whether it’s taking an hour to stay and reteach the parts one didn’t understand, or giving up lunch time to work with a student, they’ll do it because teachers are very understanding.”

- Genesis V., Skyline High School

Rethinking How We Think: The problems of the future will require students who are prepared to approach solutions from a multi-dimensional perspective, empathize with others and develop innovative ideas that can be put to action. Our schools integrate design-thinking and advanced inquiry models into curriculum across all grade levels, preparing St. Vrain Valley students to become skilled problem-solvers, effective collaborators and engaged citizens.

Emphasis on Entrepreneurship: The world needs people of action – those who can persevere through challenges and seek out opportunities to answer a question, advance a cause or solve a problem.

Entrepreneurial thinking is a critical skill that we are cultivating in our students. Through community and industry mentorships – alongside resources at the Innovation Center – our students have the opportunity to transform ideas into action and gain authentic experience in translating designs to marketable solutions.

There is no greater danger to public education than standing still when you should be moving forward. It is essential that our schools remain relevant and transformative through rigorous academics and extraordinary learning opportunities that mirror the exponential rate of change we see in the modern world. In St. Vrain Valley Schools, we are giving our students a competitive advantage that will propel their success and continue to shape the future of our society. St. Vrain Valley Schools’ unwavering drive for excellence comes from our passion to see our children, communities and nation excel.

Concurrent Enrollment

Advanced Placement

Students in St. Vrain Valley Schools can concurrently enroll in college courses through partnerships with Colorado State University, University of Colorado, Front Range Community College and Aims Community College.

Advanced Placement (AP) courses provide college-level curricula and examinations that can lead to college credit.

St. Vrain offers AP courses at every high school in the district with several schools participating in the prestigious AP Capstone program.

International Baccalaureate St. Vrain Valley Schools’ prestigious International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes challenge students to excel in their studies, and encourages both personal and academic achievement that can lead to college credit at the high school level.

World Languages

CU Succeed CU Succeed is a unique program offered through the University of Colorado where high school juniors and seniors can get a head start on college by earning college credit from highly qualified and trained educators in their schools.

Gifted & Talented

Advanced Academics

Honors

Full-day and half-day kindergarten is offered at every elementary school in St. Vrain, setting the foundation for academic success as students advance to graduation.

Honors courses challenge St. Vrain students through increased rigor and specialized instruction to ensure continued academic growth.

Early Childhood

Co-Curricular Activities, Engagement & Well-being

Invested Stakeholders

Business The High School of Business TM program is preparing students to excel in college-level business administration programs.

Areas of focus include economics, finance, marketing, management and leadership.

The core of our work is our unwavering commitment to rigorous academics and robust co-curricular activities that provide the foundation for student advancement.

Designed for children from birth to age three, the Small Talk, Big Results program is a community initiative designed to build language awareness and reinforce reading success for our youngest learners.

Core Knowledge St. Vrain’s Core Knowledge program is designed around the idea that early schooling should provide a solid, specific, shared core curriculum in order to help children establish strong foundations of knowledge.

Corporate Partnerships

Partnerships have a significant role in shaping the empowered learning opportunities in our district. St. Vrain Valley teachers and students benefit greatly from access to unique learning experiences, cutting-edge technologies and mentorship programs through our many community and industry partners.

The Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) program allows students to earn a no-cost associate degree concurrently with their high school diploma while receiving mentorship and internship opportunities with industry partners. This unique program supports the creation of a dynamic workforce and gives every student the framework and resources they need to achieve a postsecondary education.

Energy The Energy Academy provides rigorous learning opportunities for students whose career interests are in the production of energy, as well as students whose interests lie in tangential fields such as law, policy or marketing.

Entrepreneurship Through community and industry mentorships – alongside resources at the Innovation Center – our students have the opportunity to transform ideas into action and gain authentic experience in translating designs to marketable solutions.

Students on the Innovation Center Tech Team have the opportunity to pursue coursework and on-the-job experiences that prepare them for successful careers in technology and lead to industry-level certifications, such as Apple Certified Technician, while in high school.

Every school in St. Vrain offers programs for students to extend learning beyond the school day to increase engagement, build stronger school communities and cultivate our students’ passion for learning.

A Strong Academic Competitive Advantage

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P-TECH

Information Technology

Movement programs support emotional and social health while increasing memory, concentration and processing speeds.

The success of St. Vrain Valley Schools can be attributed to the many high-quality teachers and staff, elected officials, business owners, families and community members who champion public education and invest in the continued advancement of our schools and students.

Preschool St. Vrain offers high quality preschool programs at 22 sites across the district. Programs emphasize kindergarten readiness and provide a high-quality early childhood experience in a safe, supportive and stimulating environment.

Extended Learning

The Career Development Center offers programs and classes that give students entry-level workplace skills and experiences – in addition to postsecondary connections – in high-demand or emerging fields such as engineering, technology, health sciences, multimedia, culinary arts and more.

Kindergarten

St. Vrain offers world language study at every secondary school in the district. Several elementary schools begin foreign language study in Mandarin Chinese and Spanish for students as young as kindergarten.

Movement

Career Development Center

St. Vrain Valley Schools offers advanced learning opportunities to ensure that gifted and twice-exceptional students are challenged academically and reach their highest potential for learning and growth.

Innovation Academy In partnership with IBM and the University of Colorado, the Innovation Academy for a Smarter Planet seeks to foster a foundation of critical thinking and inquiry-based learning.

Through focused summer programming, students learn to think globally and collaboratively in order to develop innovative approaches to problem-solving.

Innovation Center

Athletics St. Vrain offers athletic programs at all secondary schools and emphasizes leadership, sportsmanship, discipline and teamwork to foster important life skills and build community.

Visual & Performing Arts Visual and performing arts programs are offered at every school in the district through classes, co-curricular activities, enrichment programs, summer camps and a high school Visual and Performing Arts Academy.

Science, Technology, Differentiated Engineering & MathInstruction (STEM) STEM schools transform teaching and learning by providing students with engaging, real-world learning experiences that prepare students for in-demand, 21st-century careers and emphasize design-thinking integration and connections between school, community and our global society.

Differentiated Instruction

Focus Programs

Differentiated Instruction creates multiple pathways for students of different abilities, interests or learning needs to equally experience ways to absorb, use, develop and present concepts as part of their daily learning.

Medical & BioSciences Leadership The Silver Creek Leadership Academy prepares future leaders through the acquisition of 21st-century skills in a balanced curriculum that is rigorous, service-based and centered on real-world projects.

Robotics From preschool to graduation, the Robotics program at the Innovation Center leverages cutting-edge technologies and programs to support districtwide computer science education and design-thinking integration.

Our medical and bioscience programs give St. Vrain students an opportunity to explore medicine, research and health science fields through rigorous curriculum that explores solutions to the most pressing health challenges of today and the future.

Engineering & Aerospace The Engineering and Aerospace Academy introduces concepts of engineering design, aerospace and computer science through hands-on, activity-oriented programs that utilize industry expertise and collaborative learning.

Media The Media Program gives students unique opportunities to gain media skills that will directly translate to resume-ready expertise and industry certifications, including: video production, TriCaster certification, live radio broadcasting, podcasting and more.

The St. Vrain Valley Schools

Educational Ecosystem Learn more about the St. Vrain difference at magazine.svvsd.org

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