back to school

2 Longmont Times-Call Publication August 8, 2010

Numerous summer achievements advance St. VrainMore than 27,000 students are preparing

to return to classrooms across the districtand embark on their next level of academicchallenge and responsibility. This is an ex-citing time and as superinten-dent I want to extend a sincerewelcome to each of our new andreturning students and theirfamilies. We cant wait to gets t a rt e d .

Throughout the summer, dis-trict personnel have worked ona variety of initiatives to preparefor the new school year. Heres asummary of some of the projectsweve been attending to.

The Technology Services de-partment installed 1,163 com-puters and upgraded another 10,000 operat-ing systems at schools across the district. Inaddition, technicians installed more than100 state-of-the-art smart carts in manyclassrooms in the districts oldest schools.Each unit includes a laptop, a documentcamera, and a high definition projector andaudio system.

Two additional technology initiatives nowunderway are the development of an onlineschool, which will provide a variety of on-line class instruction and the installation ofa robust wireless system designed to ensurethat all St. Vrain schools will be fully wire-less by the end of the 2011 school year.

The Learning Services department com-pleted extended school year classes for hun-dreds of students. By students remaining en-rolled in school throughout the summer

primarily engaged in intensivereading and writing we are ele-vating the academic performanceof all students.

Learning Services has beenworking with the Colorado De-partment of Education to com-plete a comprehensive alignmentof academic standards. This ini-tiative sharpens the focus onspecific academic concepts at ev-ery grade level while fosteringcritical thinking, responsible cit-izenship, technology and practi-

cal life skills for success in the 21st centurye c o n o m y.

With regard to school facilities, our Di-rector of Construction managed eight majorschool renovation and construction initia-tives across the district. This summer alone,weve completed more than $11 million invoter-approved renovation and improve-ment projects. Weve added new classrooms,science labs, upgraded security doors, wire-less infrastructure and classroom data con-nection portals among other enhancements.

We also broke ground on the construc-tion of the new Frederick High School andhave nearly completed pre-construction

planning for the new Elementary No. 26 inErie. The high school is scheduled to openin fall 2012 and the groundbreaking for thenew Core Knowledge elementary school isscheduled for late August. The elementar yschool will open in fall 2011.

At no time in the past have students andfamilies in our district had so many curricu-lum options to choose from. Every elemen-tary school in the district has a complete se-lection of early childhood education pro-grams and the district has added focusschools in International Baccalaureate, Sci-ence, Math and Technology, Arts and Music,Pre-Advanced Placement and AdvancedPlacement, to name a few.

Thanks to voters, the 2008 Mill LevyOverride and Bond have enabled the St.Vrain Valley School District to remain fo-cused on improving the learning environ-ment and keeping average class sizes lowdespite an unprecedented reduction in statefunding. While many Colorado districtshave eliminated teacher positions and pro-grams, St. Vrain has managed to keep cutsaway from students.

We can also thank the successful mill andbond for increased student safety. With thecommunitys help, weve been fortunate toexpand the school resource officer (SRO)program, hire additional campus supervi-sors and enhance safety features at schoolsthroughout the district. We will remain dili-

gent in our commitment to strengtheningand systemizing the districts safety infras-tructure and practices.

During the summer, the Department ofHuman Resources received an extremelylarge number of applications for teacher andother staff positions. The number of highly-qualified and highly-experienced candidatesis truly impressive and indicates the highlevel of interest professionals around thestate have in working for St. Vrain. For ev-ery available position, weve had an out-standing selection of candidates.

Throughout the next couple of weeks, Iwill visit every school and speak with hun-dreds of St. Vrain students. Ill speak withthem about goal-setting, leadership, hardwork and acting with integrity. Ill also takethe opportunity to remind them of the high-ly qualified teachers and excellent resourcesand facilities the community has provided.

Finally, throughout the coming year, thedistrict will continue to strengthen its ef-forts to communicate with parents and oth-er stakeholders, keeping you informed ofour accomplishments and emerging chal-lenges. As always, if you have questions orconcerns about the district, I welcome youto contact me to discuss your ideas.

S i n c e re l y,Don Haddad

Superintendent of SchoolsSt. Vrain Valley School District

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August 8, 2010 Longmont Times-Call Publication 3

24567891011

Welcome back letter

Stay stylish and on budget this year

Get to know your library resources

Overcoming text anxiety

Pack your backpack right

Advanced placement courses prepare students

Technology in classrooms beneficial

Must-have gadgets

Boulder-based company helps kids create meals

School district overview

Successful prep for college admissions exams

Private schools overview

Importance of cyber safety

Pack a zero-waste lunch

School bus safety

Teen balances work and school

Know when to start preparing for school

When college insurance is needed

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Kristi RitterSpecialty Publications [email protected],

303-684-5275

Summer StairSpecialty Publications Associate Editor

[email protected],720-494-5429

Contributing WritersKate Frasure, Kendall Schoemann,

Ali Wald

Cover DesignSam Wallace

Visit the Back to School section on line atw w w. t i m e s c a l l . c o m / m a g a z i n e s . a s p

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Stay stylish this school yearArticle Resource Association

American kids are learning from theirparents this back to school season aboutvalue, smart investing and getting the mostfor every dollar spent. Developing wisespending habits is a good thing for kids,but does it mean they have to sacrificetheir sense of style as they head back toschool?

Not necessarily, says childrens fashionexpert, Jenny Cooper, head of J.Crews chil-d re n s line, called crewcuts, for ages 2 to 12.Children of top celebrities from Los Angelesto Washington, D.C., have been spottedwearing crewcuts. It is possible to get greatstyle, quality and durability at family-friendly prices, Cooper says. P a re n t sshould look at their childrens back-to-school wardrobe as an affordable invest-ment, and follow a few basic rules whenshopping.

Look for sophisticated, classic stylesrather than trendy clothes that may haveless enduring appeal. Because something isclassic doesnt mean it lacks character andpersonality. Timeless style enables awardrobe item to be usable and relevant forfuture seasons, whereas trendy togs are of-ten flash in the pan items that may becheaper and less durable. Your son may

outgrow his crewcuts by this time next year,but youll still be able to use the clothesnext year to put his little brother in stylish,great-looking hand-me-downs, Coopersays.

Look for quality. Choose garmentsmade of durable, quality materials that havegreat details. Its common for children tofall in love with certain articles of clothingthat they wear over and over again, as anymom whos washed the same shirt fivetimes in a week knows. Its worth it tospend a little more on a few items that willlook great no matter how much use andwashing they get, Cooper says. We are ob-sessed with quality.

Dont forget fit. How often have youbought your child a pair of pants or a shirtin a particular brand, loved the fit, and wentback and bought several more pairs in dif-ferent styles and sizes of the same brand only to find out that not all styles fit thesame across the brand. Fit should beconsistent, Cooper says, so that itemswill look great and consistent across allages.

Build a wardrobe by mixing and match-ing key items. Just as you purchase a piecefor your own wardrobe keeping in mindwhat it will pair well with, do the same forc h i l d re n s clothes. A good pair of jeans,

smart-looking skirt and classic shirt orblouse can be worn for a variety of occa-sions, from dress-up to casual. Try to keepa core of neutral-colored items pants forboys, skirts for girls that will go withwhatever fun, playful thing your childrenwant to wear on top, Cooper suggests. Ifyou establish a good base, the rest of thechoices they make will always look great.

Remember, your childrens clothes needto fit their personality, not just their body.Our aim is to create styles that kids wouldcreate themselves if they were little fashiondesigners, Cooper says. Styles should befun, comfortable and unique.

Accessorize for your kids, just as youdo for your own wardrobe. For boys, apop of color in the socks instantly givesa little guy a twist of personality. For girls,look for jewelry that looks like the realthing, rather than gumball jewelry, anddont forget hair accessories to really crowna look.

Finally, dont underestimate the impor-tance of good shoes, whether they are dressshoes, casual shoes or sneakers. You childsshoes should be durable enough to survivethe season of tumble and fun, and good-looking so that your child wants to wearthem again and again.

Savvy school supply saving tipsStudents of all ages must purchase school

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Take inventory. Unless kids threweverything in the trash on their way out of

school, chances are many of their suppliesfrom last year are still lying around thehouse. While last years notebooks may notbe reusable, locate pens, rulers and othersupplies that are in good shape, and takeinventory of what you can reuse and whatnew items should be purchased.

Make a list. Todays school supplies areflashier than ever, essentially transformingthe school supply aisle into something thatwould fit right in at the local toy store. Kids

are mesmerized by the school supply aisle,so parents should make a list to avoidoverspending.

Start shopping early. Many of todaysteachers post a class syllabus online well inadvance of the first day of school. Thesyllabus typically lists the supplies andtextbooks the class requires. With a vastand ongoing stock, OfficeMax boasts anextensive inventory of school supplies thathelp parents and students secure thematerials they need throughout the yearand save money.

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Elysia Figueroa, 4, reads "There's a Dolphin in the Grand Canal" while visiting the Longmont PublicLibrary with her aunt, Hannah Figueroa. (Paul Litman/Times-Call)

Getting cozy with the libraryBy Kendall SchoemannLongmont Times-Call

When you give a student a book, he willlearn for a day. Show the student where tofind the book and he learns everyday. As werely more on technology as a source of com-munication and education, it is vital thatstudents get to know their secret weapon,the library.

Joanne Connelly, the librarian at Long-mont High School for six years, says the artof reading is still very much alive.

Print libraries are not dead,she says. We have an excellent young fic-tion section. So popular in fact that she isconstantly restocking the librarys fourcopies of the Twilight series.

Libraries are actually increasing in circu-lation, according to Judith Anderson, the di-rector of Longmont Public Library. We areseeing an overall increase in Internet andcomputer use, she says. It makes sense toborrow items in a time when people are try-ing to save money.

Not only are library books virtually free,

they are also all accurate. The books onour shelves have all been reviewed,Anderson says. Everything here is pre-s c re e n e d .

In addition to an extensive book collec-tion, libraries offer an array of unparalleledresources. Connelly says when it comes toresearch, what you do not know can hurtyou. The Internet can be a great compli-ment resource, but should not be the onlys o u rc e , she says.

We all have a go-to search engine andrarely stray from it, which is a common re-search mistake. The skill of finding, evaluat-ing and effectively using information is vitalfor any child regardless of their future ca-reer. Developing good research habits startsin the library.

Databases are a crucial element to li-braries. They hold accurate, rare and specif-ic information. The Longmont Public Li-brary subscribes to 11 databases, some ofwhich can be accessed from home with a li-brary card.

Databases are worth the small amount oftime it takes to get used to them. Students

will come in looking for specific informa-tion and I will direct them to the appropri-ate database, Connelly says. But then theywill come back later and start from groundzero again.

Instead of going to the library just whenan assignment warrants it, students shouldtake time at the beginning of the school yearto familiarize themselves with resource op-tions.

It is next to impossible for one librarianto teach her entire audience everything thelibrary offers. I think librarians shouldteach a comprehensive tutorial for everyninth grade student, Connelly says. Andtechnology is changing so fast, I couldteach a follow up course each subsequenty e a r.

Until library 101 is offered at schools, it isup to students and parents to take advan-tage of this academic opportunity.

If the parent is comfortable going to thelibrary, then the child will be, Connellysays. But if they are not, chances are their

children will not be either.

Parents can start looking into their childslibrary by going to its website, exploringthe venue and asking the librarian ques-tions. Once they know what is availablethey can better monitor their kids as theyundergo the research process.

Next to the endless amount of availablewebsites, libraries might seem like archaicinstitutions filled with useless, dusty books,but the truth is, libraries are constantlychanging and updating with technology.Understanding the library and making sureyour children understand it will help closethe gap of todays ignorance.

Libraries and the Internet are not in com-petition. They overlap in many areas andshould both be used in understanding con-cepts fully.

Kids are not afraid of computers, theyvegrown up with them, Connelly says. Theirdownfall is that they think they can find ev-erything on there.

Finding useful information onlineHere are some tips to help your child find

accurate information online.

If they use GoogleSearch engines are good for getting a

sense of the information. It is important tomake sure they dig deeper than this to fullyunderstand the material.

DatabasesCheck out your school and public librarys

database collection. They are easy to useand have the best information. E-reference

books, reference books available throughthe computer, are also a convenient way toget the same information from those heavyreference books at the library in an easierform.

CitingEvery piece of information should be

properly sourced. The sooner they learnthis, the better. Referencing sources is acritical skill that increases in importance asyou age.

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The best test taking strategy isto know yourself as a test taker.What kind of things do you dowell on and not so well on?

Bob Smith, CEO of HuntingtonLearning Center in Longmont

Relax! Its just a testBy Ali WaldLongmont Times-Call

Test day is quickly approaching.Whether it be spelling, geometry orSpanish, tests can be undeniably nerveracking, and in some cases they cancause serious anxiety for your child.Lucky for you and most importantlyyour child, test anxiety can be left be-hind by putting a few simple tricks touse.

The most important thing to have be-fore going into a test is confidence. BobSmith, CEO of Huntington LearningCenter in Longmont says, Many kidssuffer from test anxiety strictly becausethey are not confident in their test tak-ing skills. In order to gain confidence,it is important to be prepared for thetest.

Brenda Everett, a counselor at Her-itage Middle School in Longmont, sug-gests taking practice tests at home.Practice tests familiarize the mind forwhats to come. Try timed tests to makethe test taking environment more realis-tic.

Get on the computer. There aremodel tests kids can take over ando v e r, she says. Model testing helps

build the confidence your child willneed when entering the classroom ontest day.

Schools are also making an effort tohelp build confidence in students. Weare working on some curriculum to besure that kids know how to study andfeel confident in preparing for tests,Everett says about Heritage. If yourchild does not know test-taking skills,such as how to approach multiplechoice questions or how to properly ap-proach the reading comprehension sec-tion, this will cause nervousness.

With test anxiety comes commonsymptoms such as sweating, gettingemotional and sometimes not beingable to recall information while taking atest, according to Everett. This usuallyhappens because the test taker losesconfidence when he or she comes

across a tough question. When a childbecomes anxious he or she may forgetto employ a strategy, one of the mostimportant things while taking a test.The best test taking strategy is to knowyourself as a test taker, Smith says.What kind of things do you do well onand not so well on?

If there is a question thats troublingyour child he or she should move on toa different question and go back to thetough one later. Smith says that doingthe parts of the test that they are goodat can help build their confidence andgive them a running head start duringthe test.

Another crucial aspect of being ableto do well in a test environment is re-laxation. Things as simple as closingyour eyes and deep breathing can help,Everett says. Kids can do these thingswithout looking weird, which is veryimportant to them.

Help your kids find the confidencethey need in order to succeed by mak-ing sure they are prepared for test day.Every parent should show engagementin their childrens work, Smith says. Ifyou have confidence in your child, heor she will also have confidence.

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Have your childs backBy Kendall SchoemannLongmont Times-Call

Whether it is decorated with powerrangers or polka dots, or stuffed with soccergear or school supplies, backpacks are unde-niably useful in keeping up with busy chil-dren and their belongings. However, wear-ing a backpack incorrectly can have detri-mental consequences on young spines. It isessential that backpacks are worn properlyto avoid unnecessary back complications.

Dr. Kevin Mikalaitis at Align Chiropracticin Longmont says he sees many injuries inchildren due to heavy backpacks. When thechild has to compensate for the additionalweight, it causes pain, unnatural stress andmuscle spasms, he says.

While a child is still growing, a posturalimbalance caused by a heavy backpack caneventually lead to more serious skeletal is-sues.

Christy Kocjancic, a sixth grade languagearts teacher at Longs Peak Middle School,says she sees many students carrying heavybackpacks.

(Students) put everything in their back-packs, she says. I hear them complainabout the weight, but they are unwilling tomake them lighter.

According to Mikalaitis, identifying whenback pain occurs is the first step in prevent-ing future strain. Identifying the triggershelps to find out what is causing the painand how to avoid it, he says.

If a child leans forward when wearing abackpack, if they complain of pain or if theyhave trouble lifting it, the backpack is tooh e a v y.

Kocjancic thinks organization is key tolightening students backpacks.

Students should think about what theyare bringing to class, utilize their lockers

and only pack what they need, she says.She suggests packing supplies for morn-

ing classes in a backpack, putting everythingelse in a locker and switching materials mid-day. She also recommends having a binderor bag for the basics, like paper and pencils.

The ideal backpack can be found regard-less of a childs taste. As long as it has thefollowing basics, students can then cus-tomize it to their preference.

Keep it CloseA backpack should not be more than 4

inches below the waist and should be prop-erly padded so sharp supplies do not pokeout.

Use Both StrapsStraps are an important element of the

backpack. The area the straps cover has vari-ous nerves and blood vessels that can bepinched by unpadded straps.

Straps should be well padded, and adjust-ed so the backpack fits correctly on thechilds back, but not too tight that it pinchesa nerve.

Wearing both straps helps balance theweight of the pack evenly between theshoulders. If a child wears a single strappedbag, their posture will be affected.

Body WeightA child should not carry more than 10

percent of his or her body weight. Experi-ment using the bathroom scale to show yourchild how much they can safely fit into theirbackpack at any given time.

Aim for the MiddleRegardless of the current trend, the back-

pack should rest in the middle of the back.Also, items in the backpack should be dis-tributed as evenly as possible.

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Advanced placement coursesshow dedication of studentsBy Kristi RitterLongmont Times-Call

Advanced placement courses and exami-nations are becoming more popular amonghigh school students to test their skills,show their ambition and even earn collegec re d i t .

In the St. Vrain Valley School District, APcourses have been offered since at least theearly 1970s, when Longmont High Schoolfirst started, according to Kahle Charles, di-rector of curriculum for the district. Thecourses are available for junior and seniorhigh school students.

AP courses are a step up from high schoolhonors classes that offer advanced collegefreshmen-level classes that will challengehigh school students through a rigorouscourse work that develops their writing,thinking, study habits and problem solvingskills. AP courses are a unique learning ex-perience that will help a student exceed incollege, Charles says. And because we seethe value of the AP courses, we are rapidlyexpanding this at each school.

Lauren Eker, assessment coordinator forthe district, says they tested 24 AP subjectareas, and administered 1,500 tests in the

2009-2010 school year. But there are more,and the district is hoping to offer additionalcourses in the future.

Charles says the districts goal is to ulti-mately offer AP courses online, which willhelp greatly with scheduling and availability.

Eker says many students take more thanone class at a time, with some students tak-ing five or six throughout the course of theirhigh school career. Because they are suchrigorous classes, it helps them prepare forthe experiences and testing they are going tohave in college, she says.

Enrolling in AP courses requires a studentto visit a high school counselor, who canhelp coordinate the set up and testing. Earn-ing college credit for the course also de-pends on the university or college the stu-dent is planning to attend. However, accord-ing to Charles, under the college board of 30courses, 90 percent of four-year colleges inthe United States provided credit for qualify-ing scores on the exam.

Because the college boards set stringentguidelines for AP courses, they know thatthe students taking them have had a rigor-ous experience with the subject matter.

If earning credit for the course can

knock out some of those credits in college,it will also help with the financial responsi-bilities of college and tuition fees, Ekersays.

College admission offices will also lookclosely at AP courses and credits earned inhigh school as motivation and commitmenton behalf of the student.

It demonstrates that a student is matureand ready for college, Charles says.

He or she is willing to take rigorousclasses and is committed to academicexcellence.

The St. Vrain Valley School District iscommitted to continuing this program andexpanding it in the near future. Im reallyhappy that we have this opportunity avail-able to our students, and the expansionof it to online will be a crucial next step,Charles says.

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students to meet with their teachers for one-on-one instruction.With e-mail, however, todays students can e-mail their professorswhenever a question or issue regarding their study arises. In manycases, e-mail access has improved the line of communication be-tween student and teacher, especially among students who might betoo shy to ask a question in the classroom.

Technology has improved kids comfort level. Many moms anddads marvel at their kids ability to adapt to computers. But todayskids are not all natural born computer whizzes. Instead, they merelygrew up with the technology and therefore find it more natural towork with. This has helped improve childrens comfort levels in themodern classroom, where computers have become increasinglyprevalent. Nowadays, many kids are familiar, or at the leastacquainted, with computers before they enter kindergarten. As a re-sult, once they do begin school and see computers in the classroomtheyre less likely to be intimidated and more likely to feel rightat home.

Technology inclassrooms helpsstudents, teachers

Access to technology has made it easier for educators and students alike.(Metro Creative Services)

Metro Creative Services

Since the turn of the century, technology has changed just aboutevery aspect of life. Perhaps nowhere is that more evident than inthe increasing rate of cellular phone subscribers.

According to CTIA-The Wireless Association, an internationalnonprofit representing the wireless communications industry, cellphone subscribers totaled a little more than 86 million in 1999. By2008, that figure had ballooned to more than 262 million, a stagger-ing increase in such a short period of time.

The growth of cell phone subscribers is indicative of the growingreliance the world has placed on technology. Few people can envi-sion the world before cell phones were so prevalent, even thoughsuch was the case as recently as 15 years ago.

While some scoff at societys apparent dependence on technology,technology has paid innumerable dividends in many areas of life,including the classroom. Students can now access more informationmuch more quickly than their mothers and fathers could when theywere students. Such readily available access has helped students andeducators in a number of ways.

Interactive websites can help kids better understand course-work. The Internet has both its advantages and disadvantages withrespect to kids. One clear benefit is the use of interactive websites tohelp children learn. For example, children can now visit a website,read a story for class and then answer questions pertaining to whatthey just read. When done with a given quiz or questionnaire, kidsare then shown how they fared. In many cases, these post-quizbreakdowns show kids which questions they answered right andwhich they answered incorrectly.

Such interaction allows information to sink in instantly, as op-posed to waiting until the next day in class when the materials arediscussed. Interactive websites are available for most subjects, in-cluding math and spelling.

Technology has helped improve the lines of communication be-tween students and teachers. Thanks to e-mail, todays educatorsare more accessible than ever before. This is especially importantwhen considering todays kids tend to be busier than ever before,with school and social commitments often making it difficult for

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Kids can go to www.zisboombah.com and plan out their school lunches and send them directly totheir parents. (Courtesy ZisBoomBah)

ZisBoomBah helps planschool lunches for studentsBy Ali WaldLongmont Times-Call

Hey moms and dads, are you sick of try-ing to figure out what to pack your kids forlunch? Are they sick of opening their lunchbox and seeing PB and J everyday? Well,now you can let them choose what to eatwith a click of a button.

ZisBoomBah, a new Boulder- based com-pany, gives kids the ability to play with theirfood and have a voice in what they eatthrough the websites online tool Pick-Chow! The interactive online tool is easy-to-use and gets kids excited about makinghealthy decisions.

The company makes their money throughadvertisements, allowing it to be free for allfamilies. Kids can use it for free and dragand drop foods on their virtual plate, saysBrandon Saranik, media spokesperson forZisBoomBah. After creating the meal, an e-mail will be sent to the parents with a menuand recipes.

The online tool teaches children aboutthe foods theyre choosing and choicestheyre making. PickChow! was created us-ing the USDAs nutritional data-set, so while

your child is creating his or her meal, youcan be sure that it is healthy and of high nu-tritional value.

PickChow! teaches kids about food in afun and competitive way, Saranik says. Achild has to create a five-star meal in orderfor the e-mail to be sent to his or her par-ents. This is Jane Reagans daughters fa-vorite part about PickChow! Its like agame to her, if shes at three stars, how canshe get to five? Reagan says of her daugh-ter. She starts to think about what foodscan be exchanged for others to make themeal healthier.

Reagan believes that since her daughterhas started using PickChow!, she has be-come more knowledgeable about her foodchoices. (She) understands the differentfood groups and the importance of havingall of them showing up in (her) diet, shesays.

Now that Reagans daughter is creatingher own meals, Reagan has come to realizethere are foods she didnt know her childliked. It saves me time in that I have a bet-ter idea of what my child likes, she says. Imay not have known if she wasnt choos-ing.

Another cool feature of the website is thatwhen your child signs up at ZisBoomBah, heor she will get an Antvatar to take care of.The more nutritious the meal, the morecoins your child will receive. The coins canbuy clothing and accessories for theirAntvatar. The Antvatars and reward systemgets kids more excited about creating a five-star meal, Saranik says.

If you have that important business meet-

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St. Vrain ValleySchool District

St. Vrain Valley is Colorados ninthlargest school district encompassingmore than 411 square miles includingportions of Boulder, Weld, Larimer andBroomfield counties. The Districtserves 13 communities: Boulder,Broomfield, Dacono, Erie, Firestone,Frederick, Hygiene, Longmont, Lyons,Mead, Niwot, Peaceful Valley and Ray-mond.

General information303-776-6200w w w. s t v r a i n . k 1 2 . c o . u sNewsline, for updates and schoolclosures, 303-682-7387

Statistical informationSource: Department of Education2009 October CountTotal enrollment: 26,724Number of schools: 49Elementary Schools: 25Middle Schools: 9Middle/Senior: 1High Schools: 7Adult Education: 1Charter Schools: 5Alternative School: 1

Student ethnic compositionSource: Department of Education2009 October CountAmerican Indian: 206Asian: 997Black: 322Hispanic: 7,011Caucasian: 17,112

2010-11 BudgetThe St. Vrain Valley School District

general fund budget is $406,800,554,which includes $137,294.430 inreser ves.

Food servicesThe quality food service program

provides meals at a reasonable cost.School meal costs for 2009-10 are: Breakfast: elementary, $1.25;

secondary, $1.50; adults, $1.75 Lunch: elementary, $2.25;

secondary, $2.50; adults, $3 Milk, $0.50For students whose families qualify,

a free and reduced cost program isavailable for meals. Weekly lunchmenus are posted at schools,announced in school newsletters,published in local newspapers, tele-vised on Comcast Cable Education &Local Access Channels and posted atw w w. s t v r a i n . k 1 2 . c o . u s .

Support SuccessThe challenges that face students

and staff in St. Vrain Valley schools

St. Vrain Valley SchoolDistrict AdministrationOffices395 S. Pratt ParkwayLongmont, CO 80501303-776-6200w w w. c i . s t v r a i n . k 1 2 . c o . u s

Alpine Elementary2005 Alpine St.Longmont, CO 80501720-652-8140http://aes.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: Deanna FrothinghamOctober 2009 enrollment: 505

Black Rock Elementary2000 Mountain View Blvd.Erie, CO 80516720-890-3995http://bres.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: Cathy ODonnellOctober 2009 enrollment: 781

Blue Mountain Elementary1260 Mountain DriveLongmont, CO 80503720-652-8220http://bmes.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: Kristie VenrickOctober 2009 enrollment: 429

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Erie Elementary4137 E. County Line RoadErie, CO 80516303-828-3395http://ees.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: Amanda SauerOctober 2009 enrollment: 589

Fall River Elementary1400 Deerwood DriveLongmont, CO 80501720-652-7920http://fres.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: Jennifer GuthalsOctober 2009 enrollment: 543

Frederick Elementary555 Eighth St., Frederick, CO80530, 303-833-2456http://fes.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth grade,bilingualPrincipal: Karen MusickOctober 2009 enrollment: 547

Hygiene Elementary11968 N. 75th St.Longmont, CO 80503720-652-8021http://hes.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: Mike ODonnellOctober 2009 enrollment: 425

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Mead Elementary520 Welker Ave.Mead, CO 80542970-535-4488http://mes.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: Connie BrodtOctober 2009 enrollment: 520

Mountain View Elementary1415 14th Ave.Longmont, CO 80501720-652-8261http://mves.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: Nancy PitzOctober 2009 enrollment: 368

Niwot Elementary8778 Morton RoadNiwot, CO 80503303-652-2828http://niwotes.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: Mike KepplerOctober 2009 enrollment: 504

Northridge Elementary1200 19th Ave.Longmont, CO80501, 303-772-3040http://northridgees.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth grade,bilingualPrincipal: Lorynda Architeque-SampsonOctober 2009 enrollment: 413

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Coal Ridge Middle6201 Booth DriveFirestone, CO 80504303-833-4176http://crms.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades six through eightPrincipal: Brian YoungOctober 2009 enrollment: 797

Erie Middle650 Main St.Erie, CO 80516303-828-3391http://ems.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades six through eightPrincipal: Todd BissellOctober 2009 enrollment: 494

Heritage Middle233 E. Mountain View Ave.Longmont, CO 80501303-772-7900http://hms.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades six through eightPrincipal: Karrie BorskiOctober 2009 enrollment: 423

Longs Peak Middle1500 14th Ave.Longmont, CO 80501303-776-5611http://lpms.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades six through eightPrincipal: Mathew BuchlerOctober 2009 enrollment: 467

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Burlington Elementary1051 S. Pratt ParkwayLongmont, CO 80501303-776-8861http://bes.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: Janis HughesOctober 2009 enrollment: 480

Centennial Elementary10290 Neighbors ParkwayFirestone, CO 80504720-652-8240http://centenniales.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: Keith LiddleOctober 2009 enrollment: 509

Central Elementary1020 Fourth Ave., Longmont, CO80501, 303-776-3236http://centrales.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth grade,bilingualPrincipal: Jim HecocksOctober 2009 enrollment: 440

Columbine Elementary111 Longs Peak Ave., Longmont,CO 80501, 303-776-2840http://columbinees.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth grade,bilingualPrincipal: Eddie ClokeOctober 2009 enrollment: 381

Eagle Crest Elementary4444 Clover Basin DriveLongmont, CO 80503303-485-6073http://eces.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: Ryan BallOctober 2009 enrollment: 484

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Indian Peaks Elementary1335 S. Judson St., Longmont, CO80501, 303-772-7240http://ipes.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth grade,bilingualPrincipal: Judy OrbanoskyOctober 2009 enrollment: 481

Legacy Elementary7701 Eagle Blvd.Frederick, CO 80504720-652-8160http://legacyes.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: Sean CoreyOctober 2009 enrollment: 531

Loma Linda Elementary333 E. Mountain View Ave., Long-mont, CO 80501, 303-772-4280http://lles.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten though fifth grade,bilingualPrincipal: Dina Perfetti-DeanyOctober 2009 enrollment: 443

Longmont EstatesElementary1601 Northwestern Road, Long-mont, CO 80503, 720-652-8101http://lees.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: Brian ChildressOctober 2009 enrollment: 488

Lyons Elementary338 High St.Lyons, CO 80540303-823-6915http://lyonses.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: Christa KepplerOctober 2009 enrollment: 269

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Prairie Ridge Elementary6632 St. Vrain Ranch Blvd., Fire-stone, CO 80504, 720-494-3641http://pres.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth grade,bilingualPrincipal: Kirsten McNeillOctober 2009 enrollment: 379

Rocky Mountain Elem.800 E. Fifth Ave., Longmont, CO80501, 303-772-6750http://rmes.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth grade,bilingualPrincipal: Stephen HoelOctober 2009 enrollment: 423

Sanborn Elementary2235 Vivian St.Longmont, CO 80501303-772-3838http://sanbornes.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth gradePrincipal: John WahlerOctober 2009 enrollment: 430

Spangler Elementary1440 Collyer St., Longmont, CO80501, 720-494-3761http://spangleres.stvrain.k12.co.usPre-kindergarten through fifth grade,bilingualPrincipal: Michelle JohnstoneOctober 2009 enrollment: 414

Altona Middle4600 Clover Basin DriveLongmont, CO 80503720-494-3980http://ams.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades sixth through eightPrincipal: Joe MehslingOctober 2009 enrollment: 611

7

Mead Middle620 Welker Ave.Mead, CO 80542970-535-4446http://mms.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades six through eightPrincipal: Josh BarnettOctober 2009 enrollment: 373

Sunset Middle1300 S. Sunset StLongmont, CO 80501303-776-3963http://sms.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades six through eightPrincipal: Dawn MacyOctober 2009 enrollment: 610

Trail Ridge Middle1000 Button Rock DriveLongmont, CO 80501720-494-3820http://trms.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades six through eightPrincipal: Tim RootOctober 2009 enrollment: 664

Westview Middle1651 Airport RoadLongmont, CO 80503303-772-3134http://wms.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades six through eightPrincipal: Mark SpencerOctober 2009 enrollment: 624

Lyons Middle/Senior100 S. Second Ave.Lyons, CO 80540303-823-6631http://lmshs.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades six through 12Principal: Greg WingerOctober 2009 enrollment: 441


Continued from 12

cannot be met without the sup-port of parents and guardians,volunteers, and communityleaders and businesses.

More than 5,000 volunteerspartner with our schools. Volun-teers form partnerships withteachers, principals, school staff,and department staff to give self-lessly of their time and expertiseto supplement classroom learn-ing and activities, fundraise forspecial projects, sponsor activi-ties, participate as committeemembers and more.

Although parents makeup the largest group of volun-teers, senior citizens, businessprofessionals, civic grouprepresentatives, and studentsalso volunteer on an ongoingbasis.

School district leadership2010-11 School Year

Superintendent of Schools:Don Haddad, 303-682-7205

Chief Operations Officer:Rick Ring, 303-682-7405

Assistant Superintendent forStudent Achievement: ConnieSyferd, 303-682-7328

Area 1 AssistantSuperintendent: Amy Weed,303-682-7508

Area 1 AssistantSuperintent: Mark Mills,303-702-7558

Assistant Superintendent ofHumane Resources: DavidBurnison, 303-682-7237

Chief Financial Officer:Terry Schueler, 303-682-7201

Director of Communica-tions: John Poynton,303-682-7404

Board of Education

District A: Rick Hammans,Vice President, 303-823-9019

District B: Debbie Lammers,Secretary, 303-652-8939

District C: Bob Smith,Assistant Secretary, 303-776-2412

District D: Dori Van Lone,Treasurer, 303-665-9634

District E: John Creighton,President, 303-682-0907

District F: Rod Schmidt, ViceMember, 303-774-7913

District G: Mike Schiers,Member, 720-353-2828

Erie High3180 WCR 5Erie, CO 80516303-828-4213http://ehs.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades nine through 12Principal: Steve PayneOctober 2009 enrollment: 699

Frederick High600 Fifth St.Frederick, CO 80530303-833-3533http://fhs.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades nine through 12Principal: Pete VargasOctober 2009 enrollment: 859

Longmont High1040 Sunset St.Longmont, CO 80501303-776-6014http://lhs.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades nine through 12Principal: Rick OlsenOctober 2009 enrollment: 1,209

Mead High School12750 WCR 7Longmont, CO 80504720-494-3940w w w. s t v r a i n . k 1 2 . c o . u s / s c h o o l s / m h s /Grades nine through 11Principal: Jim SundbergOctober 2009 enrollment: 330

Niwot High8989 E. Niwot RoadNiwot, CO 80503303-652-2550http://nhs.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades nine through 12,Principal: Dennis DalyOctober 2009 enrollment: 1,309

Silver Creek High4901 Nelson RoadLongmont, CO 80503720-494-3721http://schs.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades nine through 12Principal: Sherri SchumannOctober 2009 enrollment: 1,077

Skyline High600 E. Mountain View Ave.Longmont, CO 80501720-494-3741http://shs.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades nine through 12Principal: Patty QuinonesOctober 2009 enrollment: 1,251

Adult Education820 Main St.Longmont, CO 80501303-678-5662http://ae.stvrain.k12.co.usInterim Coordinator: JoAnn DaweOctober 2009 enrollment: 201

Olde Columbine HighSchool / CareerDevelopment Center1200 S. Sunset St., Longmont, CO80501, 720-494-3961, 303-772-3333 (CDC)http://ochs.stvrain.k12.co.usGrades nine through 12Principal: Deniece CookOctober 2009 enrollment: 105

Carbon Valley Academy4040 Coriolis WayFrederick, CO 80504303-774-9555w w w. c a r b o n v a l l e y a c a d e m y. o r gPre-kindergarten through grade 11Principal: Jere Pearcy, elementary;Terry Walsh, secondaryOctober 2009 enrollment: 440

Flagstaff Charter Academy1841 Lefthand CircleLongmont, CO 80501303-651-7900w w w. f l a g s t a f f a c a d e m y. o r gKindergarten through grade eightPrincipal: Andrew MooreOctober 2009 enrollment: 675

Imagine Charter School atFirestone5753 Twilights Ave.Firestone, CO 80504303-772-3711w w w. i m a g i n e f i r e s t o n e . c o mPre-kindergarten through grade eightPrincipal: Ralph GarbartOctober 2009 enrollment: 547

St. Vrain CommunityMontessori School1055 Delaware Ave., Longmont,CO 80501, 303-682-4339Pre-kindergarten through grade threeHead of School: Katie TorresOctober 2009 enrollment: 109

Twin Peaks CharterAcademy340 S. Sunset St., Longmont, CO80501, 303-772-7286w w w. t w i n p e a k s c h a r t e r. o r gKindergarten through eighth gradePrincipal: BJ BuchmannOctober 2009 enrollment: 631


A new twist on preppingfor college admissions examsArticle Resource Association

Walk into a typical high school classroomand youll see the same story: A few kidswill quickly pick up every concept, a fewkids will struggle to understand the lessonand many will fall somewhere in between.Historically, all would receive the same les-son plan, no matter what their aptitude andability. A more modern approach, shaped bygrowing research on effective learning, re-quires teachers to adjust how and what theyteach according to each students learningneeds, rather than expecting all students toabsorb the same curriculum.

While this student-centric approach,called differentiated instruction, isnt newto middle and high school classrooms, it isnow being used to prepare students foradmissions exams.

What is differentiated instruction andwhy does it work?

Differentiated instruction is learningthrough customized lesson plans. Insteadof having a single lesson plan for the entireclass, a teacher will have multiple plans,targeted to each students learning needs.

Through Kaplan Test Preps program, thesecustomized plans are developed for eachstudent after they take a practice test at thestart of the course and adapt as theyprogress through the program.

What is blended learning and why is itbetter for students?

Blended learning refers to the practice ofusing a mix of instructional methods. Oftenelectronic learning is combined with a tradi-tional classroom experience or tutoring tomarry the practicality of online learningwith the depth of in-person instruction.

Why is this approach to test prepara-tion more effective?

If students are learning according totheir abilities, in ways they like to learn andseeing immediate feedback through tech-nology, they work harder and tend to per-form better on tests, says Justin Serrano,senior vice president for Kaplan Test Prep.The company pioneered the test prepindustry more than 70 years ago, helpinghigh school students prepare forexams. BS

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IndependentSchoolsAlexander Dawson School10455 Dawson DriveLafayette, CO 80026303-665-6679w w w. d a w s o n s c h o o l . o r gKindergarten through grade 12Headmaster: Brian JohnsonEnrollment: 420Type: Collegiate based private schoolAspen Christian School316 15th Ave.Longmont, CO 80501303-776-5866http://aspenchristianschool.orgFirst through eighth gradePrincipal: Lloyd PetersenEnrollment: 12Type: Private ChristianBixby School4760 Table Mesa DriveBoulder, CO 80305303-494-7508w w w. b i x b y s c h o o l . o r gPre-kindergarten through grade fivePrincipal: Pat BakerEnrollment: 160Type: PrivateBloom! Montessori School701 James St.Longmont, CO 80501303-776-8173bloommontessori.comAges 2 through 6Director: Abigail MillerEnrollment: 12Type: MontessoriBoulder Country Day School4820 Nautilus Court N.Boulder, CO 80301303-527-4931w w w. b o u l d e r c o u n t r y d a y. o r gAge 3 through grade eightHead of School: Michael ShieldsEnrollment: 320Type: PrivateBoulder Jewish Day School7415 Lookout RoadLongmont, CO 80503303-449-5569w w w. b j d s . o r gPre-school through grade fiveHead of School: Shoshana Krongold BilavskyEnrollment: 50Type: Private Jewish Community SchoolBridge School6717 S. Boulder RoadBoulder, CO 80303303-494-7551w w w. b r i d g e s c h o o l b o u l d e r. o r gGrades six through 12Head of School: Dick WeeksEnrollment: 30Type: PrivateBroomfield Academy7203 West 120th St.Broomfield, CO 80020303-469-6449w w w. b r o o m f i e l d a c a d e m y. c o m

Junior kindergarten through grade sixHead of School: Dr. Vanessa EwingEnrollment: 87Type: PrivateCatalyst Education of Colorado2575 Park Lane, Suite 100Lafayette, CO 80026303-604-6512w w w. c a t a l y s t e d u . o r gGrades nine through 12Head of School: Ed PorrittEnrollment: 26Type: Private non-profitChildrens House of Weld County:Montessori Preschool &Kindergarten3801 Godding Hollow ParkwayFrederick, CO 80516303-651-3215w w w. c h i l d r e n s h o u s e w c . c o mPreschool through kindergartenDirector: Susan HalkinEnrollment: 70Type: MontessoriCornerstone Preschool1000 W. 15th Ave.Longmont, CO 80501303-776-3081w w w. b e t h l e h e m - l u t h e r a n . n e t / c o r n e r s t o n eAges 3 to 5Director: Andrea BeckerEnrollment: 48Type: ChristianDesiderata School500 Coffman St.Longmont, CO 80501303-678-9335w w w. d e s i d e r a t a s c h o o l . c o mKindergarten through grade 12Head of School: Larame SpenceEnrollment: 50Type: PrivateEastern Sun Academy6717 S. Boulder RoadBoulder, CO 80303303-443-3302w w w. e a s t e r n s u n a c a d e m y. o r gKindergarten through grade fiveHead of School: Steven SachsEnrollment: 85Type: Contemplative educationFaith Baptist School833 15th Ave.Longmont, CO 80501303-776-5677http://fbslongmont.orgKindergarten through grade 12Administrator: Dan PerrymanEnrollment: 163Type: Private ChristianFr i e n d s School5465 Pennsylvania Ave.Boulder, CO 80303303-499-1999w w w. f r i e n d s s c h o o l b o u l d e r. o r gPre-school through grade fiveHead of School: Polly DonaldEnrollment: 172Type: Independent private schoolGateway Montessori School1500 Ninth Ave.

Longmont, CO 80501303-772-3864http://gatewaymontessorischool.netPre-school through kindergartenDirector: Linda GottschalkEnrollment: 41Type: American Montessori Society certifiedGoddard School1095 Olympia Ave.Longmont, CO 80501303-772-3501w w w. g o d d a r d s c h o o l . c o mInfant through kindergarten, after schoolDirector: Debbie BethelType: Early childhood developmentHillside School6717 S. Boulder RoadBoulder, CO 80303303-494-1468w w w. h i l l s i d e l e a r n i n g . o r gGrades one through eightDirector: Kathy ShermanEnrollment: 28Type: Program for students with learningdifferencesJarrow Montessori School3900 Orange CourtBoulder, CO 80304303-443-0511w w w. j a r r o w. o r gPre-kindergarten through grade sixHead of School: Barb TruanType: MontessoriLiving School1852 Arapahoe Ave.Boulder, CO 80302303-449-0866w w w. l i v i n g s c h o o l . o r gAges 5 and olderHead of School: Dawn MaggioEnrollment: 8Type: Co-creative democratic schoolLongmont Christian School550 Coffman St.Longmont, CO 80501303-776-3254w w w. l o n g m o n t c h r i s t i a n . o r gPre-kindergarten through grade 12Principal: Donnie BennettEnrollment: 278Type: Private ChristianMessiah Lutheran School1335 Francis St.Longmont, CO 80501303-776-3466w w w. m l c s l o n g m o n t . o r gPre-kindergarten through grade fivePreschool Director: Joli RobbinsInterim Principal: Don WischmeyerEnrollment: 60Type: Private ChristianMount Zion Lutheran School1680 Balsam Ave.Boulder, CO 80304303-443-8477w w w. m t z i o n b o u l d e r. o r gToddlers through grade twoEC Director: Cheryl WuEnrollment: 50Type: Private Lutheran

Mountain Shadows Montessori4154 63rd St.Boulder, CO 80301303-530-5353w w w. m o u n t a i n s h a d o w s . o r gPre-school through grade sixExecutive Director: Frank VincentEnrollment: 88Type: MontessoriMountain Peak Private School1833 Sunset Place, Ste. E & FLongmont, CO 80501720-494-1622w w w. m o u n t a i n p e a k s c h o o l . c o mPre-school through grade sixDirector: Bobby TabertEnrollment: 63Type: PrivateOur Saviors Evangelical LutheranSchool1219 W. 17th Ave.Longmont, CO 80501303-776-1688w w w. O u r S a v i o r s O n 1 7 t h . o r gAge 3 through grade eightPrincipal: Dane MattesEnrollment: 24Type: Parochial schoolThe Patchwork School in Louisville1428 Main St.Louisville, CO 80027720-271-6729w w w. t h e p a t c h w o r k s c h o o l . c o mPreschool through grade threeDirectors: Michele Beach and Elizabeth BakerEnrollment: 50Type: Independent alternativePleasant Hill Academy421 21st Ave., Ste. 203Longmont, CO 80501303-682-5309Kindergarten through grade 12Director: Linda RittnerEnrollment: 100Type: Private nonprofitPrimrose School of Longmont1335 Dry Creek DriveLongmont, CO 80503303-774-1919w w w. p r i m r o s e s c h o o l s . c o mInfants through preschool and kindergarten,before and after school programDirector: Carrie DickersonEnrollment: 180Type: Private PreschoolRocky Mountain Christian Academy9447 Niwot RoadNiwot, CO 80503303-652-9162w w w. r m c a o n l i n e . o r gEarly education through grade eightHeadmaster: Brett KingEnrollment: 430Type: Christian ClassicalRunning River School1370 Forest Park CircleLafayette, CO 80026303-499-2059w w w. r u n n i n g r i v e r. o r gKindergarten through grade eightDirector: Nancy Monson


Enrollment: 40Type: PrivateSacred Heart of Jesus CatholicSchool1317 Mapleton Ave.Boulder, CO 80304303-447-2362w w w. s h j b o u l d e r. o r gKindergarten through grade eightPrincipal: Mary BartschEnrollment: 420, includes early learning centerType: Private CatholicSt. John the Baptist Catholic School350 Emery St.Longmont, CO 80501303-776-8760w w w. j o h n t h e b a p t i s t . o r gPreschool through grade eightPrincipal: Julie RossiEnrollment: 385Type: CatholicSt. Stephens Christian School1303 S. Bross LaneLongmont, CO 80501303-776-1072 ext. 5w w w. s t s t e p h e n s l o n g m o n t . c o mPreschool and Pre-kindergartenDirector: Kathy FultonEnrollment: Ratio of 1 to 6Type: Private ChristianSeptember High School1902 Walnut St.Boulder, CO 80302303-443-9933w w w. s e p t e m b e r s c h o o l . o r gGrades nine through 12Principal: Dan FoxEnrollment: 45Type: Non-Profit Alternative/PrivateShepherd Valley Waldorf School6500 W. Dry Creek ParkwayNiwot, CO 80503303-652-0130w w w. s h e p h e r d v a l l e y. o r gPre-kindergarten through grade eightPrincipal: Linda Abelkis

Enrollment: 145Type: PrivateShining Mountain Waldorf School999 Violet Ave.Boulder, CO 80304303-444-7697h t t p : / / s m w a l d o r f. o r gPreschool through grade 12Interim Director: Beverley AmicoEnrollment: 275Type: Waldorf schoolSylvan Learning Center1834 N. Main St., Unit 9Longmont, CO 80501303-485-3218w w w. e d u c a t e . c o mPre-Kindergarten through adultDirector: Brianna Weber and Bart MoyersType: Supplemental educationTara Performing Arts High School4180 19th Ave.Boulder, Co 80304303-440-4510w w w. t a r a h i g h s c h o o l . o r gGrades nine through 12Administrator: Gregory FisherEnrollment: 40Type: Private/Waldorf schoolVista Ridge Academy3100 Ridge View Dr.Erie, CO 80516303-828-4944w w w. v r a k 1 2 . o r gKindergarten through grade 12Principal: Carol SchneiderEnrollment: 115Type: Private ChristianWatershed School205 Canyon Blvd.Boulder, CO 80302303-440-7520w w w. w a t e r s h e d s c h o o l . o r gGrades six through 12Head of School: Jason BervEnrollment: 62Type: Private non-profit

Pros and cons of school uniformsMetro Creative Services

Should the day ever arrive whenschool uniforms are mandatory, that daywould mark the end of a long-runningdebate. Parents on both sides of the de-bate make valid points as to the advan-tages and disadvantages of school uni-forms. Parents undecided about the is-sue should consider the following prosand cons before making a decision.

Pro: School uniforms will save par-ents money. The premise here points toparents spending a lot of money eachyear on school clothes for children,money that would be saved.

Con: Those opposed to school uni-forms note that those uniforms are ex-pensive and dont offer the versatility ofnormal wardrobes because they cannot

be worn outside of school. Pro: School uniforms help kids es-

tablish themselves on merit rather thanmoney and wardrobe.

Con: Those against school uniformsargue that school uniforms actually de-ter and discourage students from ex-pressing their individuality.

Pro: School uniforms might help de-ter violence at schools. By makingschool uniforms mandatory, this mighthelp reduce instances of gang-related vi-olence as students will no longer be af-forded the opportunity to tailor theirdaily wardrobe to match their gang affili-ation.

Con: Opponents of school uniformstypically feel that this argument punish-es students who are not in or associatedwith gangs.

St. Vrain Valley School District

( 3 0 3 ) 7 7 6 - 6 2 0 0 | w w w. S t V r a i n . K 1 2 . c o . u s

BACK TO SCHOOL AUGUST 18

Educational Educational excellence,excellence, a community a community efforteffort Almost two years ago, voters sent a clear message We must invest in our future!

Technology initiatives and upgrades district-wide

Enhanced resources to prepare students for success

Increased advanced placement and honors-level courses

21st century instructional Focus School programming

Smaller average class sizes

Repairs and renovations to aging schools

Added instructional space throughout the District

New schools to ease overcrowding

Were now seeing the impact of community support:

The community is the foundation of our school system. Working together we can give our children expanded

opportunities in safe, high performing 21st century schools.-Don Haddad, Superintendent

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The importance of cyber safetyKnow what to postin online forumsBy Summer StairLongmont Times-Call

With a world full of text messaging, on-line social sites and blogs, people can stay intouch within an instant. Jeremy LaCrosse,vice principal at Westview Middle School inLongmont, says the biggest concern withconstant technology is that people will be-gin not feeling real and will forget it is apublic space.

To help combat cyber bulling and to teachkids at an early age what is acceptable on-line, WestView Middle School has imple-mented a program called Digital Citizenshipwhere kids learn about Internet safety, prop-er web etiquette and how to be good citizenswhen online.

The most important part about being re-sponsible is knowing what is acceptable.Here are some tips for parents and studentsalike to consider when on the Internet.

Before posting something online, askyour self if it is something you would wanton the front of the newspaper, LaCrossesays. If it is posted online, anyone can see it.

This doesnt just include other students, butteachers, parents and people you may noteven know. It can even be viewed by futureemployers.

People should also ask themselves if whatthey are posting is respectable. With cyberbullying popping up all over the news,students should consider if what they

have written is something they would sayto the persons face. It is easy to startthinking of others as not real when you aresitting behind a computer, L a C ro s s esays.

Parents and kids can also act out differ-ent scenarios to bring the message home.LaCrosse says to have kids think about ifthey posted something negative about an-other student how they would feel and whatthey would say when confronted by that in-dividual. If the confrontation would not bepositive, dont post the information.

Reading something aloud before post-ing it permanently online is also a goodidea. Reading it aloud just makes it seemmore real, LaCrosse says.

Always remember anything that goesonline is there forever. If it is something youdont want grandparents, parents, friends oremployers seeing, dont post it.

Discuss the importance of privacy set-tings and what they are there for. You neverknow who you are quite talking to,LaCrosse says. People may not be repre-senting themselves as to who they reallya re .

Talk about what kind of personal infor-mation is appropriate to have on a socialnetwork profile and what kind of informa-tion is OK to give to people you are talkingto. Private information that should never begiven out include home, work or school ad-dresses, as well as phone numbers, social se-curity numbers or full names.

Posting pictures is common practice,but again, do not post anything you wouldnot want people to see. It is also a goodpractice not to post embarrassing pictures offriends and family members without theirpermission. A picture is worth a thousandwords, and without a description it can betaken out of context really quickly,LaCrosse says.

Talk about cyber bullying. I think thisis a new dynamic to it all ... it is a new twistto pick on somebody, LaCrosse says. It isalso more of a scary way to do it because itis not done face-to-face so it is easier to saythings. A good rule to follow here is if youwouldnt want someone to say it about you,then dont say it about someone else.

Parents should also stay out of onlinebullying or fighting. Try and get the kids to-gether and discuss a resolution to the prob-lem before it gets out of hand. Parents havea huge role here as a role model and need toshow how they (kids) should behave,LaCrosse says. What you are doing andsaying says a lot to your kids.

While time spent on computers and cellphones is increasing, talking about it andhelping kids realize the appropriate eti-quette, problems will be prevented andsolved and keep everyone safe. The biggestthing to remember is the Internet is a publicplace and we need to behave like it is a pub-lic place, LaCrosse says. Sometimes weforget that.

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Pack a zero-waste lunchBy Summer StairLongmont Times-Call

There used to be a stigma associated withcarrying a lunch pail to school, and manykids gravitated toward paper bags becausethey were simply cool. Thats not the caseany more as lunch pails, color-coded con-tainers and reusable water bottles not onlylet kids show off a little bit of their per-sonality, but it indicates theirgreen status and showsthey care about theE a rt h .

To get startedon packing yourown earth friend-ly, zero-wastelunch, KarySchumpert, envi-ronmental educa-tor with the Envi-ronmental Educa-tion Department forEco-Cycle in BoulderCounty, gave the fol-lowing tips and ideas.

Being green doesntmean you have to go out andbuy all new items. It can bepretty economical and can be thingsalready at home, Schumpert says.Dont discount what you already have.

Any plastic container works. You caneven reuse containers that once held itemssuch as yogurt or cottage cheese. If it has alid and can be washed out, it works.

Instead of using a napkin that will bethrown away, pack a cloth napkin or a pieceof fabric that can be washed and reused.Schumpert recommends little kids creating

napkins out of fabric that has their favoritecharacter or color on it.

Forgo plastic silverware, and pack somefrom home. Schumpert acknowledges thatmany parents are concerned it will be lostand that is why she recommends buying aseparate set, or picking up pieces at yardsales and thrift stores to save money.

A thermos can be a great additionto a lunch kit because it can holdand keep items hot, such as soupor pasta. And, thermoses are oftenincluded when you buy a lunch

pail. Buying a reusable water

bottle is easy when it comesto packing beverages forlunch. From stainless steelto colored bottles to popu-

lar cartoon charac-ters, the optionsare endless.

To eliminateconfusion in thehome and in theclassroom, someuse a system tokeep containers

together, such ascolor coordinating,

stickers and most impor-tantly putting initials or full names on

containers.Now that you have the basics to create

and pack a zero-waste lunch, you can nowsit back and experience the benefits. Not on-ly are you helping out the Earth by eliminat-ing trash, but you can save money by nolonger having to buy prepackaged items butin bulk instead.

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Know school bus safetyMetro Creative Services

School buses are essential modes oftransportation, taking thousands of stu-dents to and from school every day. Whileschool bus accidents are rare, riders shouldstill practice safety aboard and around thebus.

In the early days of education, studentswere educated in local schools within walk-ing distance. If they needed to travel, it wasby horse-drawn wagon. As the nationsroadways began to evolve, so did the meth-ods of getting children to school. Eventual-ly school buses became the norm.

In an effort to prevent injuries, represen-tatives from 48 states met in 1939 to estab-lish safety standards for school buses. Sincethen, several meetings, known as the Na-tional Conferences on School Transporta-tion, have taken place to modify safety pro-cedures and standards.

In addition to safety procedures regard-ing ridership, school buses are built withcertain standards in mind. Mirrors, lights,braking systems and the like are regulatedto provide the utmost safety to passengers.While catastrophic accidents involvingschool buses are rare, buses are built tohandle much more than the occasionalrun-ins with passenger cars and lighttrucks.

Maintaining school bus safety is a teameffort. Students need to do their part whileriding the bus. Here are the safety precau-tions that should be followed.

Walk to the bus stop, dont run. Always use caution when crossing

ro a d w a y s . Walk on the sidewalk whenever possi-

ble. If no sidewalk is present, walk in theopposite direction of traffic to be aware ofon-coming traffic.

Dont fool around at the bus stop. Acci-dents can happen when individuals are un-aware of their surroundings or distracted.

Stand at the bus stop in a safe location.Do not enter the street.

Arrive at the bus stop early so there is

no need to rush and be distracted.

Wait for the school bus to come to acomplete stop and for other traffic to haltbefore approaching the bus.

Promptly take a seat, and remain seat-ed throughout the entire ride. If there aresafety belts present, use them.

Do not distract the bus driver withloud yelling or music.

Dont throw anything around the bus.

Keep the aisle clear to avoid trippingh a z a rd s .

Follow the drivers instructions in theevent of an emergency.

Remain seated until the bus hasstopped at a particular drop-off location.

When exiting the bus, take three stepsaway from the bus so that visibility of thedriver is improved.

Watch for traffic when crossing thestreet. Always cross in front of the bus.

If something is forgotten on the bus,dont try to run back and retrieve it. Thedriver may not expect a student to be re-turning to the bus.

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Erica Meier helps customers at Ziggis CoffeeHouse. (Paul Litman/Times-Call)

Struggle tofind balancebetweenwork, schoolBy Kate FrasureLongmont Times-Call

As adults, many still struggle to findbalance between work and personal lives.Its a trait that started in many peopleas teenagers, when after-school jobs asbaristas, retail sales associates and grocerystore clerks left them struggling to findbalance between work, school andfriends.

A huge part of why students choose towork depends on their future, says JulieSteele, Skyline High School counselor.They may want to go on a trip or just planfor college.

Steele finds many students in her officetrying to manage their class schedulearound their work schedule. She believesstudents miss out on sports and other activ-ities when they work a part-time job, butshe also feels a job helps kids focus on timemanagement and teaches them self-disci-pline.

Longmont High School senior EricaMeier will be playing soccer this fall, in ad-dition to juggling school and work. Meierplans on working at Ziggis Coffee House tohelp pay for the 40 percent of college thather soccer scholarship to the University ofNevada, Las Vegas does not cover.

I have a calendar with all my scheduleson and I will have school and soccer duringthe day and work later in the evenings, shesays. School work always comes firstthough.

Arranging her schedule to be done withclass by 12:45 p.m. daily, Meier plans towork about 25 hours a week in her time outof class.

Im going to work Saturday mornings, soI can save most of the evening time forfriends. Meier says.

The most difficult thing she thinks shewill encounter is time management, work-ing enough hours to save money for collegeand finding a good balance.

To find that balance, Steele saysthe most important thing is to not workto make hours and keep in mind schoolcomes first. She suggests students worka maximum of 15 hours a week and nom o re .

Steele also suggests to have studentscheck in with their school about workingfor credit. At Skyline, the skyward boundprogram offers students half a credit forevery 15 hours they work at a part-time job.Students can earn up to two credits duringtheir high school career.

AUDITIONSFor musicians grades 1 through 12

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Preparing your child for schoolMetro Creative Services

Many parents feel early enrollment inschool is a good first step for kids academiccareers. But some experts warn that toomuch, too soon may not be the way to laythe ground work of a successful academiccareer. Some believe that waiting until achild is age 6 for formal education providesthe best opportunity for learning advantages.

According to a British study published inThe Cambridge Primary Review in October2008, the consensus was that formal school-ing should be delayed until children reach 6.The findings offered that trying to teach lit-eracy and math at a young age is counterpro-ductive. If children under 6 are in schoolprograms, they should continue to learnthrough play-based initiatives.

An early start in school isnt necessarily agood start. Children may show the maturityand the social readiness to attend school, butthey may not have the capacity to grasp con-cepts outside of their play-bas

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