This year’s edition of ST.VRAINNOVATION magazine hit mailboxes last month and included augmented reality experiences to bring the incredible stories of our students, teachers, and staff to life. Check out the digital version of the magazine at: http://magazine.svvsd.org.
Superintendent’s Update
Dear St. Vrain Valley Community,
Thank you for your continued partnership and support as we celebrate another extraordinary season of student achievement and excellence throughout our district. I am deeply grateful for the dedication, creativity, and commitment demonstrated by our students, teachers, staff, and community members that continue to propel St. Vrain Valley Schools to unprecedented levels of success.
This spring has been marked by exceptional accomplishments in academics, athletics, and visual and performing arts, showcasing the vibrancy and strength of our educational community. The past few weeks have been filled with incredible achievements that highlight the competitive advantage our students receive through their education in St. Vrain. Our students continue to excel on the global stage, with our drone performance team being selected to showcase their talents at the 40th annual Space Symposium in Colorado Springs – the largest aerospace conference in the world. This opportunity not only demonstrates the exceptional skills of our students but also reinforces St. Vrain’s position as a leader in innovative STEM education.
In robotics, we witnessed unprecedented success at this year’s State VEX Robotics competition, where St. Vrain teams dominated the field. At each state tournament, SVVSD teams emerged as tournament champions, with 21 of our teams qualifying to attend the WORLD competition – representing an impressive 21 of the 36 total teams from Colorado advancing to this prestigious event. Tournament champions included the Robotic Rowlets from Blue Mountain Elementary, Velocity from Altona Middle School, New News from Trail Ridge Middle School, Collision from Silver Creek High School, and Echo from Longmont High School. These achievements reflect the depth and quality of our STEM programming from elementary through high school.
Our students also continue to shine in academic competitions, with strong performances at the state mock trial tournament, including our Career Elevation and Technology Center (CETC) team being recognized with a professionalism award. Additionally, numerous students qualified for state competitions in Science Olympiad, MathCounts, and more, further demonstrating the academic rigor and excellence fostered throughout our district. In the healthcare pathway, our CETC future health professionals achieved state championships in multiple categories including EMT, Sports Medicine, Anatomage, and Health Career Photography. These accomplishments showcase the strength of our career-connected learning opportunities that prepare students for success in high-demand fields.
Our commitment to academic rigor continues to yield exceptional results. We have seen a significant increase in students taking concurrent enrollment college classes and Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) courses, giving our students a head start on their postsecondary education while saving families millions in future tuition costs. This spring, we are also looking forward to administering approximately 5,500 Advanced Placement (AP) exams, where students have the opportunity to earn valuable college credit through demonstrating mastery of college-level material. Additionally, we continue to see strong upward trends in our state and local assessments, further validating the effectiveness of our instructional practices and the hard work of our students and teachers. These outcomes reinforce St. Vrain’s position as a district with high academic standards and exceptional opportunities for all students.
The arts continue to flourish across St. Vrain, with spring musicals and productions delighting audiences at many schools. I was particularly proud to see the Niwot Orchestra take third place at a national competition in New York City. These artistic achievements complement our students’ academic and technical skills, creating well-rounded graduates prepared for future success. St. Vrain’s commitment to music education has earned national distinction as one of the top 15%, with the NAMM Foundation honoring the district with the Best Communities for Music Education award for four consecutive years.
As spring sports are in full swing and winter sports results are in, our student-athletes continue to demonstrate exceptional sportsmanship, teamwork, and competitive excellence across all athletic programs, including a strong final four showing by the Mead Girls Basketball team, state wrestling qualifiers from all nine programs, and state champions across multiple sports. Their dedication both on the field and in the classroom exemplifies the strong character and work ethic we value in St. Vrain.
I am also excited to share that we have broken ground on the new PK-8 school in Mead that was approved in the 2024 bond. We look forward to sharing more information with the community about this outstanding new facility and celebrating the groundbreaking on May 12. Please look for more information in the coming weeks. This new school represents our continued commitment to providing exceptional learning environments for our community.
Another celebration regarding our operations and fiscal strength in St. Vrain is that our Financial Services Budget Team has earned the prestigious Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) from the Association for School Business Officials (ASBO) for the second year in a row. This outstanding team dedicated to fiscal strength and transparency has won national awards in financial reporting and budgeting for the past 20 years.
Additionally, on April 11, we will celebrate each school’s Teacher of the Year at our annual Celebration of Excellence hosted by the St. Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation. This event provides an opportunity to recognize the extraordinary educators who inspire our students every day and whose expertise drives the continued advancement of our district.
These celebrations are just a sampling of the many achievements occurring daily across our schools. The exceptional accomplishments of our students, teachers, and staff continue to demonstrate the strong competitive advantage that a St. Vrain Valley Schools education provides. I am deeply grateful for our community’s unwavering support and partnership in advancing excellence across our system.
Thank you,
Don Haddad, Ed.D.
Superintendent
@SVVSDSupt
Featured Stories
Advancing Excellence
Time: Our Most Precious Educational Resource
Time remains an extremely precious resource—and in education, it is a critical foundation upon which we build the future.
Read More in StVrainnovation Magazine
Music Innovation
Bytes and Beats
In St. Vrain, musical excellence meets cutting-edge technology, creating a unique pathway for innovation.
Read More in StVrainnovation Magazine
Elementaty experiences
180 Days of Transformation
Elementary students undergo significant transformation in 180 days, developing crucial skills for future success.
Read More in StVrainnovation Magazine
STEM Innovation
STEMPowered
St. Vrain Valley Schools empower students with cutting-edge programs in aerospace, energy, and quantum tech, shaping future innovators.
Read More in StVrainnovation Magazine
a Strong competitive advantage
Pomp, Circumstance, and Purpose
With the highest graduation rate in the Denver Metro Area, St. Vrain is advancing the future for all students.
Read More in StVrainnovation Magazine
Future Excellence
From Classrooms to Careers: The P-TECH Advantage
St. Vrain Valley Schools’ P-TECH programs empower students to earn an Associate degree while in high school, gaining real-world skills.
Read More in StVrainnovation Magazine
In the News
- St. Vrain Valley Schools Named Finalist for Prestigious National Award
- Mead High School Students Engage with Colorado Supreme Court Justices in a Lesson on Law and Civic Engagement
- SVVSD celebrate boost in graduation rates
- SVVSD Innovation Center students present a virtual reality (VR) project at NASA conference
- Join us for Melodies in Motion, an Early Childhood Education Event, April 7
- Skyline Baseball to Celebrate Hall of Fame Coach Bill Stephens and Retiring Administrator Greg Stephens
- St. Vrain’s Early Childhood Education Department Hosts Developmental Screenings for Young Children, April 4
- Burlington Elementary Brings “Madagascar” to Life in Lively Performance
- Doing Democracy Day 2025 Unites Students for Community Impact
- You’re Invited: Family Resource Fair in Celebration of Week of the Young Child, April 10
- Engineering the Future: Mead Elementary Students Compete in KidWind Challenge
- Altona Middle School and Flagstaff Academy recognized as 2025 Colorado Trailblazer Schools to Watch
- Niwot High organizes Wish Week for 7-year-old
- Winter guard spotlights SVVSD color guard students
Important Reminders, Events, and Opportunities
Save the date
Districtwide Art Show
Join us at the Boulder County Fairgrounds for our annual Districtwide Art Show, showcasing thousands of pieces of art from students across every school in St. Vrain.
Public Viewing Hours: Tuesday, April 15 through Saturday, April 19 – 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.,
Sunday, April 20: 9:00 am to 2:00 p.m.
Artists’ Night Open House: Thursday, April 17: 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Filling Fast
Summer Camp Registration is Open
St. Vrain Valley Schools offers robust summer programming options to keep students engaged in their academic learning. Click here for more information.
Registration Opens Soon
Community Schools Registration
As we prepare for the opening of Community Schools K-5 registration for the 2025-2026 school year, we want to share some updates to our registration process that will ensure a more seamless experience for families.
Click here for more information.
ComMunity Connection
Now Hiring: Join the #StVrainStorm
You will be joining a highly effective and supportive team of professionals who are having a significant impact in the lives of students and families within our community.
Click here for open positions.