All Local, All The Time
All Local, All The Time
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In only their second season, Mead High School's lacrosse team, comprised of girls from all across the St. Vrain Valley School District, ended the year as State Runners-Up. Under the guidance of Coach Katie Coleman, they finished the season first in the 4A Northern League with an overall record of 17-2, with numerous postseason accolades complementing their performance on the field. Niwot senior Anne Booth, a captain and the backbone of the Maverick's defense, earned the prestigious title of...
Boulder County's Transportation Planning Division is working on a Feasibility Study for the US 36/North Foothills Bikeway, an eleven-mile corridor spanning from the intersection of Broadway and US 36 in Boulder to the intersection of US 36 and CO 66 in Lyons. The study is motivated by injury-fatality pedestrian and bicycle crashes along this corridor. For more information, sign up for e-news at County E-News. The purpose of the bikeway is to improve safety and comfort for cyclists. All severe...
A class entitled "Awakening Democracy: What is it, Who's part of it, How we shape it" was offered on June 17 by School of Statesmanship, Service and Stewardship, a Longmont non-profit created by community members Michael Butler, Carol Beth Engel-Enright, Charlene Santala Gearing, Stephanie G. Rossi, William H. Shirley, Chris D. Treharne, and Wein-Pin Yeh in June, 2022. According to its Articles of Incorporation, the specific purpose of the organization is "creating a learning environment which a...
Located in Longmont, Colorado, a minute or so off of Highway 287, the St. Vrain Valley School District's Innovation Center, normally referred to as the Innovation Center, stands at the center of educational advancement and community engagement. This state-of-the-art facility, paired with an array of programs, creates an atmosphere where students can develop real-world skills and foster a culture of innovation. The Innovation Center began in 2012 when the district received the prestigious Race to...
The Career Elevation and Technology Center (CETC), an educational center shared by schools of the St. Vrain Valley School District, stands as a beacon of educational innovation and career readiness. The CETC aims to bridge the gap between traditional education and the demands of the modern workforce by offering students the ability to explore classes that are suited for specific careers. The center is dedicated to providing students with the opportunity to explore education tailored to their...
Ken Benson has been a teacher at Niwot High School for the past 21 of his 22 year teaching career. While he's not done yet, he has had an incredible journey, making a lasting impact not only with students, but on the school as a whole. Benson has primarily taught social studies at Niwot, with classes including world studies, economics, German, and the history of rock. This past October, Benson received an opportunity of a lifetime and will be traveling to South Korea for two years to further...
For many years now, the Saint Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD) has offered students the opportunity to jumpstart their careers through the Innovation Center and the Career Elevation and Technology Center. Then, in 2016, SVVSD introduced a way for high school students to earn an associate degree along with their high school diploma, providing yet another great opportunity for local high school students. P-TECH, which stands for Pathways in Technology Early College High School, was first introduced in Colorado by the St. Vrain Valley School...
As Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Joe Brown closed out Niwot High School's inaugural Hall of Fame ceremony, the echoes of applause reverberated through the auditorium, leaving a lasting impression on attendees. The five inductees – Tiny Koehler, Sue Prahl, Art and Debbi Stapp, Terri Ward, and Biff Warren– accepted the honor with grace, each telling stories the audience will not soon forget. On June 2, students, teachers, family, and friends gathered to recognize excellence. Dir...
In 2008, the St. Vrain Valley School District's (SVVSD) overall graduation rate was approximately 75%, with the Hispanic graduation rate at approximately 55%. Over 16 years, the district has seen significant progress. As of 2024, the overall district graduation rate has risen to an impressive 93.3%, and the Hispanic student graduation rate has also seen a substantial increase, now at 87.7%. According to Don Haddad, Superintendent of SVVSD, these improvements were achieved despite the district's...
The Night of Champions ceremony unfolded with an air of anticipation and excitement as students, teachers, parents, and community members gathered to recognize the exceptional achievements of Niwot High School individuals and teams throughout the school year. From academic brilliance to athletic prowess, the event summarized the student body's spirit of dedication and perseverance. Eric Rauschkolb, Niwot High School's Principal, opened the June 2 formalities, setting the stage for an evening fil...
NCA Clean-Up Day is sponsored by the Niwot Community Association and is one of Niwot's biggest events every year. One of the NCA's board members has always spearheaded the event since its conception over twenty years ago. One NCA board member has been involved with the program for over 10 years, and has served as the lead program manager for the past four years. For his volunteer efforts in managing and coordinating Niwot's Clean-Up Day, this month's Left Hand Laurel is awarded to John Barto. Ba...
Niwot High School announced its inaugural Hall of Fame class, "honoring a group of five remarkable individuals who have woven themselves into the very fabric of our school and community: Tiny Koehler, Sue Prahl, Debbi and Art Stapp, Terri Ward, and Biff Warren," in a press release. The Night of Champions Celebration will be held in the Niwot High School auditorium on Sunday, June 2, at 6:30 p.m. to not only celebrate the school's inaugural Hall of Fame inductees, but also the achievements of...
Homegrown talent is harder to come by for Niwot High School athletics these days. NHS pulls from over fifty middle schools for its student body and open enrollment at all St. Vrain Valley high schools allows students to choose where they study and compete during their high school years. But one of the most exciting young athletes at NHS is a Niwot area native, who just completed her sophomore year, and is already a girls lacrosse state champion. Payton Johnson, a rising junior at Niwot High...
The Left Hand Valley Courier is spotlighting various local neighborhoods, their history, issues and general nature. This week, the Courier is focusing on Gunbarrel Estates. Gunbarrel Estates has its roots in the early 1960s, when it was developed by Bowron Builders, Inc., the same company which created several subdivisions in Niwot. It's not only conveniently located near Gunbarrel's shopping, the Boulder Country Club, and employers such as Celestial Seasonings and IBM, it was thoughtfully...
The Niwot Community Association held its monthly meeting on Wednesday May 8 at the Left Hand Grange No. 9 to discuss upcoming events, area reports, and provide a recap of what has happened in the past month. Coordinator John Barto reported that preparations are underway for the upcoming NCA Niwot Clean-Up Day, and should lead to a smooth running event on Saturday, May 18. Cooperation with affiliates from Boulder County, Western Disposal, Wildfire Partners, and Community Cycles has proven...
Niwot Elementary School presented Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing on Friday, May 10, at Collyer Park in Longmont. The St. Vrain Valley School District celebrated the return of its Shakespeare in the Park Festival, with fifth-grade students from the gifted and talented programs at eight elementary schools participating. Niwot students first learned about Shakespeare's life and read shortened versions of sixteen plays. Much Ado About Nothing won a class poll, and during their reading class...
The Niwot High School boys volleyball program, fresh off its second varsity season, will soon likely have its first player advancing to the college level. After receiving an offer he couldn't refuse, senior Sage Xiong plans on taking his talents to Lakeland University, a Division III college in Plymouth, Wisconsin. Xiong led Niwot in assists (617) this past season as the Cougars' primary setter. "I got a pretty good scholarship to go play there," said Xiong, an Erie High School student who...
During the final class of the day on Friday, May 3, Niwot High School offered its first-ever Unified Theater production, "Descendants: The Musical." Unified Theater was first introduced to Niwot High School this year through its semester-long class, which brings together students with and without special needs through theater. Friends and families of the performers were invited to attend along with the students of Niwot High School. The performance was a showcase of Niwot High School's...
Thomas Lee Rickman, age 77, died April 18, 2024. Thomas was born in Niwot and lived in Longmont for the majority of his life. He was a three-sport athlete at Longmont High School. Memorial donations can be made to the Happy Smackah Foundation, a local foundation providing support for the St. Vrain community (https://www.happysmackah.com/general-donations/)....
Niwot's fourth annual Around the World Day and the Niwot community's demeanor were not dampened due to a little rain. While the turnout was limited at Around the World Day, spirits were high as Niwot, like EPCOT in Orlando, engaged in cultural activities, food, beverage, and music. WiNot Coffee showcased Colombia with authentic Colombian coffee, pastries, and decorations. Inkberry Books brought China to Niwot with two types of tea, fortune cookies, decorations, and music. Niwot Market, with a...
The annual meeting of the Niwot Community Association (NCA) was held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23 at the Niwot Community Hall. Guest speakers were Jim Webster, Boulder County Wildfire Partners, Paul Ostroy, Fire Management Officer for Mountain View Fire Protection District (MVFPD) and Dr. Don Haddad, Superintendent of the St. Vrain Valley School District (SVVSD). Annual elections were held for the NCA board. David Limbach was re-elected to the office of President, Emily Limbach was re-elected...
Around the World Day is returning to Niwot for the fourth year in a row on Saturday, April 27, from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. with 26 businesses participating in spreading cultural exposure and celebration. Around the World Day is Niwot's one-day version of the World Showcase in EPCOT. "We started the event in 2020," said Deb Fowler, one of the organizers of Around the World Day. "It was a good way to get people outdoors to socialize safely and bring people to the businesses during that time."...
On Saturday April 20, several teachers from St. Vrain Valley schools were recognized for their tremendous impact at their respective schools. Megan Schlagel, math teacher and department chair at Niwot High School, was awarded Niwot High's Teacher of the Year for 2023-2024. Nominations are submitted by parents, students, community members, peers, and administrators. The awards are given through the St. Vrain Valley School District Education Foundation. Two finalists and one Teacher of the Year...
St. Vrain Valley schools, especially in the Niwot High School feeder system, were very well represented on Saturday, April 20, during the annual St. Vrain Valley Education Foundation awards and recognition event. It was a special night to honor public school teachers and recognize their dedication to their students and careers. For Acadia Gurney, being one of the math teachers at Sunset Middle School barely scratches the surface of her dedication at Sunset. She was the volleyball coach this...
Becky Gaccetta was awarded the Niwot Elementary School 2023-2024 Teacher of the Year by the St. Vrain School District Education Foundation on April 20. Two finalists and one Teacher of the Year are awarded for each school. In addition, there are four finalists for the district and one overall SVVSD Teacher of the Year. Gaccetta sees herself as just one of many deserving colleagues. "Being nominated [for Teacher of the Year] is always an honor...," said Becky Gaccetta, Intermediate Special...
The Boulder County Consortium of Cities met on April 3 to offer progress updates in developing a regional plan regarding minimum wage for incorporated towns and cities in Boulder County. Boulder County Ordinance 2023-4 became effective on Jan. 1, 2024, setting a minimum wage of $15.69 per hour for businesses in Niwot and other unincorporated areas of the county, 15% above Colorado’s 2023 minimum wage and $1.27 higher than that of surrounding incorporated towns and cities that currently pay $14.42. The ordinance also gradually increases the m...
The annual meeting of the Niwot Community Association (NCA) will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23 at the Left Hand Grange No. 9. The guest speaker will be Don Haddad, St. Vrain Valley School District Superintendent, and will include a question and answer session. There will also be a speaker on the topic of urban interface wildfire mitigation. The annual meeting is also the occasion for NCA board elections. The board is seeking nominations for Secretary and Area 6 Representative. Area 6 includes Gunbarrel Estates and the Homestead...
No matter how dominant Niwot High School boys volleyball has been overall this season, falling to Poudre School District on Thursday, April 11, qualified as an absolute gut-punch. The visiting Cougars had their opportunities to put Poudre away for good in the fourth set but ultimately lost in a five-set thriller. Turning the page quickly while learning from what went wrong now becomes the challenge for Niwot, which dropped to 11-3 on the season. While head coach John Miller will offer his own...
The Niwot High School track and field talent factory is churning out another impressive long-distance runner. Only a few meets into his junior season, Evan Kear has compiled several strong results, including one in the 1,600-meter event at the ultra-competitive Broomfield Shootout on Saturday, March 23. He wasn't among his heat's top runners, but Kear left pleased with an 11th-place overall finish at 4 minutes, 32.21 seconds. The four laps essentially played out as Kear expected. After an...
The Niwot Business Association (NBA) took the show on the road to Niwot High School on March 12 for its monthly meeting. The meeting was hosted by the Niwot High School Education Foundation, and after a short business meeting, NBA members heard from the Superintendent of Schools for the St. Vrain Valley School District, Don Haddad, and Niwot High School Principal, Eric Rauschkolb. Haddad, former principal at Niwot High School, spoke of the success of the school district, "We have the highest...
With both experience and talent, this year’s Silver Creek High School boys swim team may be one of the more confident groups longtime head coach Debbie Stewart has ever led. The Raptors are coming off three straight top-two team finishes at the Class 4A state championships, including a state title in 2021, and bring back several of their star swimmers. “They're hungry for a really good winning season,” Stewart said. “It's exciting to see the camaraderie and the hard work that they're all putting in and what they did put in (during) their offsea...
Dear Editor, My name is Nikola Podolefsky. I am ten years old and attending fourth grade at Niwot Elementary. My school district does not let students have snow days anymore, but instead forces us to attend online meetings through WebEx. I have written this article to help people understand why this is so hard for students, and so that maybe this will change. Why Snow Days Should Come Back “Mom! Mom! It’s snowing! Get the sled!” “No, get your iPad, Online Learning Day.” St. Vrain has decided that all snow days should be spent attending...
Niwot High School is dedicated to fostering an environment that emphasizes individual growth and engagement, continuously offering diverse opportunities for students to excel in a setting that prioritizes their voices and enjoyment. One way this goal is implemented is through the Unified Programs at NHS. With the help of Amanda Foust, Chair of the Drama Department, Niwot High School created a unified theater class. Niwot High School is one of the first schools in the St. Vrain Valley School...
Thirteen choir students from Niwot High School had the unique experience of attending a special All-State Choir event held annually in Denver. On Feb. 8-10, the best junior and senior students from across the state had the opportunity to work with clinicians and spend most of their time, morning to evening, in rehearsals, with the final performance on the last day, Feb. 10, at 4:00 p.m. at the Buell Theatre. This year, the 2024 All-State Choir saw 1,717 students from across Colorado audition,...
Four Sunset Middle School students, Keeva Walton, Heidi Kintzel, Sylvia Madry, and Avery Nixon, and Sunset Choir Director Anna Hansil participated in the prestigious Colorado Middle All State Choir 2024 on Feb. 8 and 9. Acceptance into the Colorado Middle All State Choir is an incredible accomplishment for these young musicians. Students from Sunset Middle School auditioned back in October, along with over 1,500 other students statewide. Colorado Middle All State Choir gives seventh and...
St. Vrain Valley Schools presented a concert at Longmont High School Feb. 7, which included a performance by the district's Middle School Honor Band, conducted by Mr. Phuong Nguyen. Nguyen, a graduate of Colorado State University, has 23 years of teaching experience and currently teaches at Boltz Middle School in Fort Collins. His experience includes performing in Colorado rock/jazz/ska/reggae bands. He has also performed with famous rock bands, Vietnamese pop stars, as well as starred in short...
When it comes to the multitude of success stories coming out of Niwot High School these days, the statistics speak for themselves. Academically, NHS remains the only school in the St. Vrain Valley School District with an International Baccalaureate (IB) program, in which there is a 40% participation rate. An impressive 72% of students are taking at least one IB or Advanced Placement (AP) class. And, NHS students currently boast one of the highest SAT scores in the district at 1103 and one of the highest PSAT composite scores in the State of Col...
Ok. Snow laid a thick coat over Niwot this last weekend and reminded me of the excitement of "snow days." Whatever happened to "snow days?" Remember those days when you would wake up to a blanket of snow and listen to the radio or watch the T.V. at 6:00 a.m. for "school closures?" We would huddle in the darkness of dawn desperately hoping they would name our school. We waited to know if we had to go get ready for school. We would cheer when we came to "St. Vrain Valley Schools." Sadly, that...
Niwot High School is known for its diversity. With students from over 50 different middle schools, it is a melting pot filled with unique students from all walks of life. One of the places you can find that diversity is in Niwot's Unified Programs. Niwot's Unified Program is composed of two parts: Unified Sports (district-wide) and Unified Theater (Niwot and Frederick High School). Both of these programs give students with disabilities opportunities that many other schools do not offer. Unified...
On Tuesday, Jan. 30, the auditorium of Frederick High School resonated with the combined talents of 194 students from across the St. Vrain Valley School District for the High School Honor Choir Concert. Fifty-three of those students were from Niwot High School. The other schools that participated were Erie High School, Frederick High School, Longmont High School, Lyons Middle Senior High School, Mead High School, Silver Creek High School and Skyline High School. The annual Honor Choir Concert...
Approximately 50 community members convened at The Wheel House on Jan. 22, to consider the future of baseball and softball in Niwot. The meeting was arranged by the Niwot High School baseball and softball programs in conjunction with Niwot Youth Sports (NYS). The group discussed a spectrum of ideas starting with needs at Niwot High School baseball and softball facilities for everyday items, such as tarps and lawn chemicals to enhance their ability to conduct ground maintenance. The group also ta...
When Victor Valdez-Aguero was a young boy, his father was a big car enthusiast. "He owned a few dozen cars imported from Japan," Valdez-Aguero said. "A few Ford Mustangs--Shelby GT 500s. He owned muscle cars like Corvettes. C3s from 1981, a 1979 Pontiac Firebird, and a couple of Mitsubishi Lancer Evos." Initially, Valdez-Aguero thought that learning about cars was too complex and he didn't pay much attention to them, but in his early teens he started asking to help his father work on them. At...
Carson Lyle, Editor-in-Chief of "The Green and Black," and a NHS senior with hopes of attending Northeastern University to study journalism contributed to this article. "The Green and Black" is Niwot High School's entirely student-run newspaper which reports on issues and events in the St. Vrain Valley School District that students might find interesting. Its reporters also tap into opinion writing and share their voices on policies regarding their education, or whatever they feel passionate...
Admittedly, Niwot High School girls swim head coach Ella Thramann has been pushing her team harder in recent practices. With two major meets on deck, Thramann wants the Cougars to be both prepared and swimming at their best. So far, the tougher practices have yielded some encouraging results. Multiple swimmers have set new personal-record times, including senior co-captain Daisey Bui in two different events, and others simply appear smoother in the pool. "I've seen tons of PRs," Thramann said....
The vast majority of banners inside Niwot High School's main gym celebrate team championships. A select few, however, are hung in honor of individual achievements. Coming off a stellar sophomore season on the NHS cross country team, Addison Ritzenhein will soon have her name immortalized twice. After receiving the Gatorade Colorado Girls Cross Country Player of the Year award on Monday, the state championship-winning runner earned the prestigious Gatorade National Girls Cross Country Player of...
Competitive swimming has long been a valued part of Daisey Bui's life, and with her days on the Niwot High School girls swim team limited, the senior chose to dedicate her complete attention to the pool this winter. As someone with an immense range of interests, it likely wasn't easy for Bui to commit everything she has to swimming. In order to make that happen, she stepped away from her involvement with Up-A-Creek Robotics, a club robotics team based in Longmont, but has since taken great...
With the girls swimming and diving state championships set for early February, Niwot High School’s list of qualifiers is growing. At the St. Vrain All City Meet on Saturday, Jan. 20, three different Niwot “A” relay teams qualified for state, according to head coach Ella Thramann. The Cougar quartet of Devi Burnett, Emmy Hostelley, Thalia Milam, and Charlotte Heuer punched their state ticket in both the 200 and 400-yard freestyle, while Phoebe Donovan, Reese Lavigne, Hannah Hooven, and Hostelley qualified in the 200 medley relay. Hoste...
In two separate split-decision votes at their Jan. 9 meeting, Boulder County Commissioners approved sweeping changes to the Boulder County Land Use Code and Boulder County Licensing Ordinance 2023-02 regarding regulation of Short-Term and Vacation Rentals in unincorporated Boulder County. The complexity of the issues and passion of public opinion were once again on full display at the Jan. 9 meeting which lasted eight hours, including nearly four hours of public testimony both in favor of and opposed to the proposed changes. On the two votes,...
I am a new reporter for the Left Hand Valley Courier after responding to their ad. Although I do not have any reporting experience, I am a retired professional civil engineer who has spent many hours writing technical documents over my career, so I will try not to bore you. I moved to a farm outside of Lyons, Colorado in 1968 with my family and have resided in Colorado the entire time. Although I grew up outside of Lyons, Colorado, I did not attend school in Lyons and consequently graduated...
A record number of choir students earned the distinction of becoming members of the St. Vrain Valley School District Honor Choir for January 2024. Fifty-three singers were selected after an arduous try-out process. The Honor Choir consists of both a Mixed Choir and a Treble Choir. Laura Walters, Director of Choirs at Niwot, said, "We practiced in class all semester up until the audition and students had to audition on their own in November." The audition process included learning a portion of...
