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All Local, All The Time
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In the fall of 2018, Twin Peaks Charter Academy in Longmont will launch a new program to attract the youngest students. In mid-February, the school’s board of directors approved the addition of a preschool program to the K-12 school. The program was the brainchild of K-5 Principal Amber Coniff and Executive Director Joe Mehsling, who both started at the school in 2016. They noticed many St. Vrain schools have preschool programs and wanted to give Twin Peaks families the opportunity to start their three to five-year-olds at the school instead o...
Back in his home state during Senate recess, Colorado senior senator Michael Bennet dropped in on the AP government and IB economics classes at Niwot High on Feb. 22 for an informal discussion with students. Accompanied by Principal Eric Rausckolb and St. Vrain Valley Schools Superintendent Don Haddad, Bennet first joined Mr. Burton’s AP class, where he fielded questions on military spending and gun control, before taking to the chalkboard to illustrate a point about deficit spending. He also s... Full story
For recognition of her efforts in technology education and outreach, the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) has selected Niwot senior Michelle Tran to receive the 2018 Award for Aspirations in Computing. Every year, NCWIT recognizes high school women “for their demonstrated interest and achievements in computing, proven leadership ability, academic performance, and plans for post‑secondary education.” Tran was one of just 41 students selected out of 3,600 appli... Full story
On Jan. 26, Niwot High freshman Emily Creek took first place in the CHSAA girls slalom race at Copper Mountain. With a time of 1 minute 35.66 seconds, Creek beat out more than 70 other competitors for her first high-school win and her third top-ten finish of the season. On Jan. 18, she was just 12 one-hundredths of a second out of first in the girls slalom at Winter Park, and on Jan. 12, she finished fifth in the giant slalom (GS) event at Eldora. With the wins, she is qualified to compete at... Full story
It is with great sadness that we report the heartbreaking news that Ed Navarro, longtime sports photographer for the Courier, passed away Dec. 31 after a battle with pulmonary fibrosis. Though his death will be felt deeply by his wife Trudy, a retired teacher, and his two children, Ed “Lucky” Navarro and Emily Marcellus, his friends and the many lives he touched will also experience a great loss. I knew Ed as a lawyer in Longmont for many years before he took up photography. I recall seeing him... Full story
It is with great sadness that we report the heartbreaking news that Ed Navarro, longtime sports photographer for the Courier, passed away Dec. 31 after a battle with pulmonary fibrosis. Though his death will be felt deeply by his wife Trudy, a retired teacher, and his two children, Ed “Lucky” Navarro and Emily Marcellus, his friends and the many lives he touched will also experience a great loss. I knew Ed as a lawyer in Longmont for many years before he took up photography. I recall seeing him taking photographs along the fence at a Niwot Hig...
Another statewide award has been given to administrators at Niwot High School, this time honoring assistant principal Andrea Smith. Smith earned the award from the Colorado Association of School Executives as Assistant Principal of the Year in the state, following NHS principal Eric Rauschkolb’s award earlier this year. “The recognitions we’ve received are really a reflection of the good work going on all over the place at NHS,” Rauschkolb said. “The teachers are amazing, the students for the m...
Niwot High School will soon have a new roof, but not the kind made of shingles. Thanks to a power purchase agreement, the St. Vrain Valley School District will be installing solar panels at NHS, Erie Middle School and Red Hawk Elementary over the winter. Dara Ward, energy and sustainability manager for the district, said that this will become a great opportunity for the students as well as the facilities and constituents. “Going into this project for the district, it was really important to n...
Niwot High School Principal Eric Rauschkolb was selected as the Colorado Association of School Executives principal of the year for 2017 and just returned from a trip to Washington D.C. for a national conference. The principals of the year for all 50 states met for the event, sponsored by the National Association of Secondary School Principals. “It was a combination of professional development, networking and advocating for public education on Capitol Hill,” Rauschkolb said. Rauschkolb had an... Full story
Friday’s celebratory announcements at Niwot High School included the newsflash that students had earned an average ACT test score of 24 in the previous school year, a threshold that has not been hit since the year 2012. NHS principal Eric Rauschkolb said scores have hovered above 23 since that year, but this year saw the score tip up to 24. While students received their individual scores prior to the beginning of school this year, the composite score had not been publicized. Niwot High School’s average score gives it the distinction of bei...
Niwot gymnastics head coach Marisa Purcell believes she has all of the pieces in place for another serious run at this year’s Class 4A state title. With three proven all-around performers and a crop of talented newcomers, the Cougars should once again be in the mix come state competition in November. But as the coach of a very diverse group of perfectionist athletes, Purcell knows the road back to state championship glory depends on more than just individual talent and hard work. Leading the c... Full story
Niwot High School is part of an effort to help reduce the carbon footprint of students and staff within the St. Vrain Valley School District. Two charging stations for electric vehicles were installed over the summer. “We’re pretty excited to take more green initiatives,” Niwot High School Principal Eric Rauschkolb said. “We’ve already seen it used this summer and we anticipate it being used more by the community as well.” The charging stations are limited to students and staff during the day, but are open for public use outside of school hour... Full story
How to Support your Child and Niwot High School The 2017-2018 school year is only days away and the excitement for new opportunities and friendships is buzzing across Niwot and St. Vrain Valley School District. Now is an ideal time for students and parents to get a fresh start and consider the impact they want to have in the coming year. Below are recommendations for Niwot High School families to make the most of the academic year and ways to partner with the principal, administration, teachers and Niwot High School Education Foundation to supp...
In her three years as a varsity athlete, lacrosse goalie Morgan Pittser had at least one thing most other Niwot athletes didn’t -- a commute. Though girls lacrosse is the fastest growing high school sport in Colorado, there are still no teams in the St. Vrain Valley School District, so Pittser, who’s played lacrosse since grade school, had to join the team at Centaurus High in Lafayette. Late last month, Pittser capped her remarkable career with the Warriors with a CHSAA All-State Honorable Men...
Niwot resident and volunteer Riki Frea said she was “completely shocked” when she was told she had been selected as Grand Marshall for this year’s Niwot July 4 parade. The Niwot Community Association, which sponsors the parade, publicly announced its choice at the board’s June 7 meeting, citing Frea’s hard work and enthusiasm for volunteering in the community. “Oh my goodness, I’m just a Niwot mom who likes to be involved,” Frea said. “I have a lot of fun doing what I do, but this was totally... Full story
The county’s preliminary plan for improving bike and pedestrian safety near Niwot Elementary School (NES) was met with opposition by area residents at a meeting held June 8 at the Left Hand Grange Hall. Two project phases were outlined by members of the transportation department staff, with Phase I slated for completion this summer. The construction phases are part of the St. Vrain Valley School District’s (SVVSD) goals for reducing car traffic while maximizing safety, according to co-presenter Cammie Piller Edson, a coordinator for the cou... Full story
The fourth-annual St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) High Schools Reunion will take place on Friday, June 9 from 6-9 p.m. The Reunion will be held during the first Downtown Summer Concert of the season on Fourth Avenue between Main and Kimbark. Boulder-based band The Goonies will play all the hits from the 80’s. The night’s festivities will get underway with a Niwot High School student Jackson Cloud who will showcase his talents on the guitar and vocals, along with the rest of his Jackson Cloud Band. Alumni from all graduating years at...
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... Full story
Before last weekend’s St. Vrain New Balance Invitational, Niwot head track coach Maurice Henriques was hopeful his boys relay team would finally post a state qualifying time. With just one week left before the 2017 Class 4A Track & Field Championships, the crowded meet was the last chance they would get this season, and he knew they were close. “That’s our goal,” he explained following the Northern Conference championships, where all four relays finished in second place. “Hopefully, the weath...
For the last two years, Niwot High School’s Education Foundation has hosted a spring festival to showcase the work of aspiring student filmmakers. But when the foundation announced that it would no longer be able to support the event, NHS teachers Jim Asmus and Jason Watkins teamed up to ensure the show would go on. In the process of taking over the festival, Asmus and Watkins made several changes, including renaming the event the St. Vrain Valley Student Film Festival. “That was because I’m...
The Niwot girls track and field team can add another title to its already lengthy list: 2017 Northern League champions. In yet another dominating performance, the Cougars outscored their nearest opponent by more than 60 points to capture first place at last weekend’s conference meet, winning nine of the 19 events, including all three sprints and both hurdles races. Senior Alexis Carroll and junior Mary Gillett combined for five of the Cougars’ nine individual titles, and between them set thr...
A need for sturdier event, detour and road closed signs in Niwot led to a spring project for welding students at St. Vrain Valley School District’s Career Development Center (CDC). “This is a win-win for everyone,” said Niwot Community Association President Dick Piland.”We get better road signs and the high school students were able to put their skills to use on a community project.” Last winter, NCA board members investigated purchasing five stands for road signs, but were concerned about high...
It was business as usual for the Niwot girls track team at the Stutler Bowl Twilight Invitational, held April 24 at Cherry Creek High School. Against a talented field comprised of several of Colorado’s top-ranked Class 4A and 5A squads, the Niwot girls scored 98.7 points on the day to edge out Rocky Mountain (96) for the team title. It was also business as usual for Niwot junior Mary Gillett, who finished the day with multiple individual titles, including the 100-meter dash (12.38 seconds), t...
Eric Rauschkolb, Principal of Niwot High School in St. Vrain Valley Schools, has been selected as the 2017 Colorado Secondary School Principal of the Year by the Colorado Association of School Executives (CASE) and a committee of his peers from the Colorado Association of Secondary School Principals (CASSP). Upon being notified of receiving the honor, Rauschkolb said, “ This is an acknowledgement of the hard-working staff, and the passionate and committed students that Niwot High is honored to educate. To be able to serve this school is a p...
Students from all over the world are preparing right now to leave their countries to come and study in America for the upcoming school year. These students are leaders in their schools. They exhibit great academic skills as well as a heart for volunteer work. These are the students who will impact their countries when they return home with the experiences they have had while living here in America. The students are placed with volunteer host families throughout the US. Host families are...
Each spring since 1988, the Colorado Council for Economics Education (CCEE) presents the Koebel Enterprising Teacher of the Year Award to an educator who demonstrates excellence in the teaching of economics and personal financial literacy. This year the council has selected Niwot High School economics teacher Ken Benson to receive this prestigious award. Benson currently teaches four sections of economics at NHS, two for the IB (International Baccalaureate) program and two AP (Advanced Placement) courses. Benson also sponsors the school’s Econ...
“We know you’re guilty.” Fourth grader Eden Zenz and her classmates accuse Kim Lancaster, director of St. Vrain’s APEX Homeschool Enrichment Program, the moment she walks into their Literature Detectives class in the sanctuary of Vinelife Church in Gunbarrel. The students are using clues prepared by their teacher to solve a whodunit as part of their unit on the novel Chasing Vermeer. Their list of suspects includes Lancaster and several other APEX staff. This scene is much like a typical... Full story
The Niwot girls track and field team continued to dominate the local competition, picking up wins at the St. Vrain Re-1J District meet on March 23 and at the Broomfield Shootout on March 25. The boys also fared well at the District meet, finishing second out of nine teams, and placed 23rd at the Broomfield meet, in a 33-team field that included several Class 5A schools. It was another impressive week for junior Mary Gillett and her senior teammate Alexis Carroll. At the St. Vrain meet, held...
Daisha Agho, who has coached Berthoud volleyball for the past eight years, has been named the new Niwot High volleyball coach. Under Agho, Berthoud finished with a record of 21-6 last season, advancing to the state Class 4A tournament. There the Spartans beat Windsor before being eliminated by eventual state champion Lewis-Palmer. Berthoud finished 16-11 in 2015 following a 20-7 mark in 2014, and has made it to state in three of the last four years. Agho, who lives in Firestone with her husband... Full story
Both St. Vrain Valley and Boulder Valley school districts are closed today due to weather....
The county’s road and bridge department has their official budget for 2017, a total of roughly $39 million. Of those monies, $13 million will be spent on flood recovery in the James Canyon area, the Wagon Wheel Gap, bridges along the South St. Vrain including the primary bridge and roads in the Four Mile Canyon area. “Those are the major projects that will get started,” Boulder County Director of Transportation George Gerstle said. “As we get the bids in and how much they’ll actually cost, we’ll go back to the commissioners for the funding. “B... Full story
Niwot junior Mackenzie Fidelak was named to the 2016 Colorado High School Activities Association volleyball all-state second team last week, while senior Brynn Chavez received honorable mention. Fidelak led the Cougars to an 18-9 overall record, the 4A Region 11 crown, and a thrilling run in the 2016 state championship tournament. The 6-foot-3 opposite hitter had 331 kills on the season, which was the sixth highest total in Class 4A, and second highest in the Northern League. Her hitting...
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... Full story
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... Full story
On Thursday, November 3 and Friday, November 4, Sunset Middle School welcomed its long-awaited Verification Visit from the IB (International Baccalaureate). The purpose of this visit was to celebrate the work done by staff and students to implement the IB’s Programme standards and practices. The staff has collectively spent almost 900 hours training to become IB teachers. During the visit, the IB team met with all Sunset staff, a group of students, a group of parents and the IB Leadership t...
On Nov. 4, Niwot High School head football coach Dylan Hollingsworth, 43, was arrested for assaulting a student during a weight lifting class the prior week. According to a media release from the Boulder County Sheriff’s office, Hollingsworth turned himself in to the Boulder County jail last Friday morning, and was booked on charges of second degree assault, a class four felony, and third degree assault, a class one misdemeanor. He was subsequently released on bond, and faces a hearing in B... Full story
Boulder County Sheriff's Office On October 29, at around 1:40 a.m., a lone individual broke through a set of glass doors at Niwot High School, and caused damage inside the school to two interior windows, and a vending machine. The individual then exited the school and broke into three cars parked overnight in the parking lot, by smashing driver side windows on each car. All three cars appeared to have been rummaged through. A fourth vehicle showed signs of an attempt at entry by the suspect, but he was unsuccessful at getting inside. St. Vrain...
It’s a sad fact that Colorado is hamstrung by complicated provisions of the state constitution that prevent the state legislature from adequately funding public education, but fixing that problem is not on the ballot. As a result, local school districts are forced to turn to voters time and again to ask for bond issue approvals and mill levy overrides to keep pace with the demands of increasing populations and escalating costs. The St. Vrain Valley School District has proposed a bond issue (3A on the ballot) which would generate $260 million f... Full story
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... Full story
In the Niwot gymnastics team’s second to last meet in the regular season, it was able to beat out Thompson Valley for another win. Head Coach Marisa Purcell said the meet was great overall, even though the scores were lower, partially because neither team competed on vault. “Even though the score was lower, we had a lot of improvements on floor from working on jumps,” Purcell said. “Overall it looked better - that was really an improvement. Thompson valley tends to be a quick and quieter meet because it’s such a small gym.” Purcell said the gi... Full story
On Oct. 5th, the Niwot Historical Society and President Kathy Koehler kicked off the 2016-17 Niwot: Now & Then lecture series with an examination of baseball and its impact on the town. From its earliest days, when Evart “Toots” Conilogue got together with his brothers and friends to form the Niwot Farmers; to the modern era, when Coach Bob Bote led the Niwot High Cougars to five state championships in eight years, the national pastime has been an integral part of Niwot’s civic identity. In Ba... Full story
Even before the season began, Coach Kelly Christensen knew his team was capable of a breakout performance at the RE-1J District Meet. Held at Sunset Golf Course in Longmont, the meet is limited to schools in St. Vrain Valley, and serves as a quasi-district championship. So Christensen made sure his runners were prepared mentally as well as physically. “We didn’t really change our training regimen last week, but we did bump up the intensity psychologically,” he explained. It was a tactic that... Full story
Before I comment on Charles Bell’s letter, I would like to give thanks to Don Sherwood. You were right on with each paragraph. Thank you! Mr. Bell, your comment stating that you “didn’t feel proud of my community” is highly offensive. First of all, this is not “your community.” If you aren’t proud of Niwot and the residents that live here and are fighting to keep marijuana out of Niwot, then I suggest you move yourself and business out of town. I’m sure Boulder would welcome you. Second, for the parents and children who were in the picket line... Full story
On September 10, the Niwot Cougars cross country teams traveled to Lyons to compete in the 17th annual St. Vrain Cross Country Invitational. More than 25 high schools fielded runners for the 5A/4A races, including 2015 5A boys champions Mountain Vista, and 2015 4A girls champions Air Academy. In the 5A/4A boys race, Niwot placed 10th overall, with 338 team points. The Cougars were led by junior Kenny Lang, who placed 29th, with a time of 16 minutes and 59 seconds. Junior Ethan Steiner placed 51s... Full story
The Niwot Cougars cross country teams kicked-off their 2016 season on August 26th at the Vista Nation XC 2-Mile Invitational in Highlands Ranch. The small, highly competitive meet attracted many of the state’s top teams and runners, including meet host and defending boys 5A state champions Mountain Vista, and 4A state runners-up Palmer Ridge. “We wanted to see where we were at [against the top teams],” Coach Kelly Christensen explained. “We kind of expected this result, but we feel like it was...
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... Full story
As the summer comes to a close, kids, parents and teachers alike look forward to the new school year ahead. This year, students returning to Niwot High School (NHS) can expect new technology in the classroom, as well as updates throughout the school. Eric Rauschkolb, who is going into his third year as the principal of NHS, said the most exciting thing he’s looking forward to this year is the rollout of new iPads for all students. The teachers have been preparing for the new technology since last year by receiving their own Mac laptops and i...
BASEBALL For Niwot Youth Sports’ (NYS) Director of Recreational Baseball Tim Rudden, the 2016 season was “just a lot of fun.” “We had great support from the parents and sponsors, and we got lucky with the weather,” Rudden said. The NYS baseball program, which has been continuously active since the late 1960s, wrapped up its 2016 season mid-July. The program, which fields both competitive and recreational teams, is composed of the T-Ball/Coach Pitch league for players ages four to eight, an...
The summer season is the time for being outdoors and enjoying good music, while being surrounded by friends and good food. Prospect Sound Bites brings all those elements together in its Monday night concert series. Starting Memorial Day and going through Labor Day, the summer concert series—which is in its sixth year—is produced by Merry Ann Webb, who also owns The Rib House with her husband Tracy, in Prospect New Town. Webb mentioned there are a myriad of elements that make Sound Bites uni...
