All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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The Washington Post, which recently named Niwot High School to its U.S. Most Challenging School’s list, confirmed what NHS students and staff already know - the school does an excellent job of preparing students for success in college and beyond. But it’s not just the AP and IB classes that make the school great. Four exceptional IB students from the Class of 2017, Vidhya Dev, Eva Kitlen, Tina Mo, and Qing Xia, spoke to the Courier about how a variety of aspects of their four years at Niwot hav...
Forty-one years ago, Susan Burnett stepped up to the chalkboard in her first classroom. Always up for a new challenge, Burnett has held many titles at many schools over her long career, including assistant principal at Niwot High, but in her heart, she’s always been a teacher. For Burnett, the call to education was clear. “When I was about third or fourth grade, I wanted to be just like my teachers,” Burnett said, recalling the path to her career. “I’ve just been in education the whole tim...
Niwot Elementary was hoping for good weather for the school’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, and Saturday, April 8, turned out to be a perfect sunny spring day. “It was so important to be outside today because where you’re sitting is Ward Field,” principal Nancy Pitz told the audience of past and present Niwot Elementary staff, students, and families as she introduced the field’s namesake and the celebration’s keynote speaker, Terri Ward. Ward was a fifth grade student at Niwot Elementary when th...
Niwot Elementary School will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this weekend with an open house and guest speakers. The event starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 8, with guest speakers starting at 11:30. Included on the roster of speakers are Principal Nancy Pitz, Superintendent Don Haddad and board of education member Debbie Lammers, a Niwot resident. Pitz has been at the helm of NES for the last four years, and said that she’s excited about the anniversary. “It’s really neat to be a small...
Niwot Elementary School will be celebrating its 50th anniversary at 11 a.m. on April 8 with an open house and program at the school. The public, especially alumni, are welcome to attend. Guest speakers begin at 11:30 a.m. and include Principal Nancy Pitz, Superintendent Don Haddad and board of education member Debbie Lammers, a Niwot resident. After the speakers there will be an open house for patrons of the school. Riki Frea, who has been involved at the school for seven years and has children...
Third, fourth and fifth graders at Niwot Elementary felt a mixture of curiosity, excitement and pride as they filed into the gym for the Skype assembly with their sister school Mwebaza Infant Primary School in Kyengera, Uganda. It was Mwebaza Day on March 14, an annual celebration of the school’s partnership with Mwebaza. “I’m excited about seeing our pen pals,” said third grader Payton Johnson, who has enjoyed trading letters across continents. “We actually helped build a school for those kid...
As the membership drive for the Niwot Community Association kicks into high gear, the town is sporting banners at some town entrances, posters and brochures in Niwot businesses, and Burma Shave-style signs along Niwot Road -- all urging Niwot area residents to join the NCA. The NCA membership committee also has sent out emails to current members reminding them to renew and soon will mail renewal brochures to current and potential new members. The committee also plans to post a membership reminder on NextDoor, an online social network for...
Years ago the Niwot Cookie Moms developed a holiday tradition of using their baking skills to show appreciation for US troops serving overseas. This year those baked confections were joined by dozens of Valentine’s Day cards, all made by local youngsters to be shipped out in about 25 care packages. The boxes will go out to military personnel stationed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Africa and South Korea, as well as on ships in the near and far east. Area children participated, including preschoolers a...
Late last year, Boy Scout Troop 161 held their last Court of Honor for the fall. This year’s event had a room full of heavy hearts. David Louwers, a member of the troop who was tragically killed in a plane crash last June, was posthumously given the rank of Eagle Scout. His parents — Robert and Christina Louwers — were in attendance as David’s name was added to the plaque with the other names of the troop’s Eagle Scouts over the years. He was also given the Spirit of the Eagle Award, which is...
“Jazz music is our gift from America to the world,” musician Tony Gulizia told an audience of fifth graders at Niwot Elementary School during an assembly on January 27, which was sponsored by the Niwot-based Colorado Jazz Group. Primarily known for organizing Niwot’s Jazz on Second Avenue festival, Colorado Jazz Group, the non-profit jazz advocacy organization, has launched a new partnership with the award-winning Vail Colorado based Jazz Goes to School program to bring jazz education to front range elementary schools. “We want to reach a...
Clubs abound at Niwot High School, but one new offering, the Interact club, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Niwot, stands out because of its focus on service. “I’ve participated in various service opportunities, only to be disappointed by how impersonal and unrealistic they sometimes are,” said Vidhya Dev, NHS senior and club secretary. “Interact, however, is completely different. It is a club filled with people that truly want to help others.” The club started in the summer of 2015, after sev...
Fears regarding the breakdown of language in the modern age of text-messaging and internet-based communication were alleviated on Wednesday, Dec. 7, by the stellar performance of contestants in the annual Niwot Elementary School Spelling Bee. Eleven contestants from grades three through five battled their way through several rounds in the Niwot Elementary gymnasium before an audience composed of their (mostly) attentive fellow students from grades two to five, along with teachers,...
A public meeting facilitated by officials of the Boulder County transportation department was held Dec. 7 in a packed room at Niwot Elementary School. The meeting aimed to gather community input about the county’s continuing Quiet Zones’ efforts, and to further explain the project costs and timelines. Based on the majority of the crowd’s reactions, the project couldn’t proceed fast enough. This was the first in what will be a series of similar Q&A opportunities. Communications special...
The Boulder County transportation department is starting a series of public meetings regarding Quiet Zones along the Highway 119 corridor between Independence Road in Boulder and 83rd Street just north of Niwot. Niwot Elementary School at 8778 Morton Road will be the site of the Dec. 7 meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Note that the regular Niwot Community Association board meeting is cancelled for that evening. Andrew Barth, communications director for the county transportation department, said this...
The Boulder County transportation department is starting a series of public meetings regarding “quiet zones” along the Highway 119 corridor between Independence Road in Boulder and 83rd Street just north of Niwot. Niwot Elementary School at 8778 Morton Road will be the site of the December 7 meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Note that the regular Niwot Community Association board meeting is cancelled for that evening. Andrew Barth, Communications Director for the county transportation department, sai...
There is no one living today who remembers that December night in 1916 when thieves broke into the Niwot State Bank and stole the contents of its safe deposit boxes. But as its 100th anniversary approaches, the story remains one of Niwot’s more notable events. On December 19, 1916, three burglars broke into Niwot’s bank despite its imposing brick construction and highly visible location at the intersection of Second Avenue and Murray Street. It was its proximity to the Colorado & Southern railroad tracks just a half block away, however, tha...
Niwot's 16th annual Enchanted Evening on Friday, Nov. 25, delighted locals and visitors despite chilly, 30-degree temperatures. Children got some needed face time with Santa, and families gathered to sing holiday songs, enjoy egg nog, hot cocoa and other holiday cheer while they shopped, dined and visited with old-and-new friends and loved ones. “My goal this year was to get attendees to visit both Cottonwood [Square Shopping Center] and Old Town--that has always been a challenge,” said eve...
In preparation for the Thanksgiving holiday, students in the second grade at Niwot Elementary wrote about what they are thankful for. Below are excerpts from some of their paragraphs. Mrs. Tagley’s Class Dennie—I am thankful for my family. Savannah—I am thankful for my 97-year-old grandma Annalee—I am thankful for what the tooth fairy gives me when I lose a tooth. EJ—I am thankful for my house because it is shelter. Tahlia—I am thankful for my dog Birdie because she makes me happy when I’m sa...
Niwot Community Association (NCA) board members agreed at the Nov. 2 meeting on a 2017 budget that shows the group finishing the year in the red, but approved it with the understanding that membership revenues are being conservatively estimated for the budget. The group estimates that 2017 operating revenues could be about $14,475 while expenses could total $16,420, leaving the group about $1,945 short. However, stronger membership numbers could make up that shortfall, NCA President Dick Piland said. The NCA also has “healthy” financial res...
Two important education items on the Nov. 8 ballot were the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) bond issue for capital improvements and the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) mill levy override for operational expenses. Both were approved by voters. The SVVSD $260 million bond measure, which passed 61.88 percent to 38.12 percent by district voters in Boulder County, will address critical student and school needs. It includes various renovations throughout the district, additions to existing schools and building of new schools. A...
Two important education items on the Nov. 8 ballot were the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) bond issue for capital improvements and the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) mill levy override for operational expenses. Both were approved by voters. The SVVSD $260 million bond measure, which passed 61.88 percent to 38.12 percent by district voters in Boulder County, will address critical student and school needs. It includes various renovations throughout the district, additions to existing schools and building of new schools. A...
Niwot Community Association (NCA) board members agreed at the Nov. 2 meeting on a 2017 budget that shows the group finishing the year in the red, but approved it with the understanding that membership revenues are being conservatively estimated for the budget. The group estimates that 2017 operating revenues could be about $14,475 while expenses could total $16,420, leaving the group about $1,945 short. However, stronger membership numbers could make up that shortfall, NCA President Dick Piland said. The NCA also has “healthy” financial res...
Several transportation projects are on tap for the Niwot area in 2017, and additional downtown parking may be one step closer to reality. That’s what the Advisory Committee to the Niwot Local Improvement District (LID) heard from George Gerstle, Boulder County’s Director of Transportation, who spoke at the Committee’s Nov. 1 meeting. The LID also approved funding for two projects, got an update on negotiations with BNSF, and finalized details of an upcoming Strategic Plan Update meeting sched...
New teachers often inherit a treasure from their predecessors -a desk, a set of text books, maybe a syllabus. This fall Niwot High School (NHS) vocal music teacher Laura Marshall inherited an entire musical, the fall production of the popular Sondheim musical, “Into the Woods.” And she’s loving it. “The students auditioned back in the spring,” Erin Anderson, the play’s musical director said. Kimberly Watkins, who moved to Altona Middle School this fall, helped select the cast. “The studen...
Niwot Community Association (NCA) board members agreed to continue the group’s policy of serving only as an information conduit for the Niwot/Gunbarrel community when St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) officials asked for the group’s endorsement of the district’s proposed mill levy increase on the November ballot. Although several board members expressed individual support for the measure and praised the school district’s student academic achievement and fiscal responsibility, the NCA board agreed that the NCA’s primary function...
The Niwot Community Association plans to hold a candidates’ forum in early October for the four candidates for two open seats on the Boulder County Board of Commissioners. Democrat incumbent Deb Gardner of Longmont is being challenged by Republican Paul Danish of Longmont. Republican Kevin Sipple of Eldorado Springs is running against incumbent Democrat Elise Jones of Boulder. Commissioners are elected by all Boulder County voters but represent districts where they reside while on the board. The forum will be informational and not a debate, the...
The Left Hand Valley Courier talked with new staff and teachers at Niwot High School to find out why they love teaching and what they’re looking forward to this school year. Kelly Christensen School Counselor, Head Cross Country Coach, Assistant Track Coach Education and Experience: Three years school counseling, previously at Palmer Ridge High School, Monument Colorado. What are you most excited about with a new school and a new year? It’s all new for me this year, so everything! What is you...
The 11th-annual Niwot Trot will have a different route on September 18, but will keep the same mission - raising funds for the Niwot Elementary School PTAC. Previously the race used the Niwot Loop Trail, but as numbers grew, organizers like Gretchen Johnson started to consider a new route. "We're extremely excited for the new location," Johnson said. "We moved because of an increasing number of participants. We had over 375 last year, and we wanted to have a more structured race and more room for our runners." The race will start and end at...
The Mwebaza Foundation, a nonprofit organization that promotes cross-cultural exchange between schools in Africa and Colorado, held a children’s concert fundraiser on Sunday, August 28 in Niwot. The event, which took place at Whistle Stop Park Sunday afternoon, featured The Pop Ups, a Grammy nominated children’s music group, along with other activities for kids. With the support of the community and the event’s sponsors, Founder Dale Peterson was hoping for a better turnout. “We think the kids t...
Local advertising agency, Tool Studios, announced it will celebrate 15 years of doing business in Boulder County next month. The company opened on the fateful morning of September 11, 2001, but in weathering its rocky start, company owner and principal Charles (Charlie) Bell said, “We really had nowhere to go but up.” Tool Studios moved its offices to downtown Niwot by the end of that first year. Operating with a core of in-house, full-time staff (referred to as the company’s “Tool...
There’s been a lot of exposure in the local press for the voices opposed to the marijuana dispensary, which was approved in June by county commissioners for the Niwot location on 79th Street in Cottonwood Square. Before the Niwot Business Association meeting in March of 2015, when building owner Ernie Craumer first addressed the community about his plans, I was shocked and disappointed to see a picket line, with children and their enraged parents brandishing “No Pot in Niwot” signs. It was the first time I didn’t feel proud of my communi...
On the Nov. 8 ballot, the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) will have a bond measure to address critical school and student needs, including renovations and additions to existing schools and building new schools. Superintendent Don Haddad said the process of putting the bond measure together included a community task force of about 50 people from various geographic areas of the district. It decided on the district’s construction needs, which stemmed from growth, needed repairs and safety issues. “What we have right now in St. Vrain is...
Niwot Elementary School (NES) has a lot to celebrate this year as it heads into its 50th anniversary. Principal Nancy Pitz, who is beginning her fourth year at NES and 21st year in education, said the traditions of NES have stayed alive throughout the years and she’s looking forward to celebrating the school. “There’s so much tradition with this community,” Pitz stated. “We’ve worked hard to keep those traditions, and at the same time growing and continuing to improve.” Pitz credits the c...
When the concert by area favorite Chris Daniels and the Kings ended July 28, people leaving noticed two Boulder County Sheriff’s deputies in front of the Niwot post office talking to two distraught women. The women told the officers, who provide security for the concerts, that the driver had locked her purse in her car, and placed the keys on top of a tire so she wouldn’t have to carry them into the concert. When the women walked out of the concert, they discovered the car was gone. Deputy Bil...
Boulder County officials gave the go-ahead to apply for a matching grant through the Colorado Department of Transportation last week. The $530,000 grant of federal monies would include a match from the county of $130,000. Those matching monies could potentially come out of the road and bridge fund. The project would build a sidewalk on the south side of Niwot Road between Longview and Walker Roads. Scott McCarey, multi-modal division manager for the county, said that the purpose is to improve...
The Fourth of July is a special time in Niwot because it not only celebrates America’s freedom, but does so with the only parade in Boulder County for the holiday. Julie Breyer, third-grade teacher at Niwot Elementary School, is part of the Niwot Community Association (NCA) and has been the chair of the parade for the past three years. This will be the NCA’s fourth year orchestrating the parade (that will take place on Monday, July 4), although the parade has been around for many years. Bre...
A community thrives when its members are involved, passionate, ambitious and always looking to the future. In these respects, Riki Frea excels. Frea, a Niwot resident, mother and unwavering volunteer, is recognized with the Courier’s Lefthand Laurel for her commitment to the Niwot community and its youth. Despite juggling the busy schedule that comes along with being a mother of three, Frea still manages to donate much of her time to the community. She serves as an integral member of the Niwot Children’s Park building committee and vol...
Members of the Niwot Community Association (NCA) are hoping that this year’s Niwot Cleanup Day doesn’t resemble last year’s event. “I think we are all hoping for much better weather this year,” NCA President Dick Piland said at the NCA’s May 4 meeting. “Last year we all got pretty wet.” Early weather forecasts call for sunny weather on May 14 in contrast to the wet and snowy weekends in the recent past. “Maybe we’ll get a good day this year,” event chair Heidi Storz said. Niwot Cleanup Day will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 14...
