Letter to the Editor

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 support our Cougars.

Encourage your child to get involved

There was a common theme among last spring’s talented students who applied for the NHSEF college scholarship. Each was asked what advice they would give themselves as freshman. Almost all said they would have encouraged their younger self to get involved sooner at Niwot High School, and they would encourage taking a risk and trying something new. Niwot offers a wide variety of clubs, sports and activities and the fall is the perfect time for all students to heed the advice of our recent graduates.

Get involved, too

Niwot High School has multiple ways to volunteer and to make a direct impact on your child’s experience. You can choose to step up for a key role with the Niwot High School Education Foundation (NHSEF) or Boosters, or you can volunteer as time permits with each organization or directly with the school. Even an hour or two of time can make a difference.

Check in with your student

High school can be a stressful time, and transition is never easy. Whether your child is an incoming freshman or a returning senior, current or future change may be weighing heavily on their mind. Rather than asking, “How was your day?” and receiving the obligatory response of “Okay” or “Fine,” consider asking about a topic that is meaningful to them. This might relate to their favorite subject in school, extracurricular activities or something more personal. That conversation starter may provide important insight into your child’s wellbeing.

Inventory available resources

Niwot High School offers several resources to students and parents. Attend registration day with your child and introduce yourself to Principal Rauschkolb, or stop by the NHSEF table at back-to-school night and say hello. Let us know a bit about you and your child. We are happy to introduce you to stellar administrators, staff and teachers who can help your child succeed or can lend a helping hand to you or your student in the coming year.

Stay in communication

Please visit the high school’s website regularly for updates (http://nhs.svvsd.org/), and consider liking NHSEF on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/NHSEF/) and following the high school (@NiwotHS) and athletic department (@NiwotAthletics) on Twitter if you are on social media. Many athletic teams and some departments, clubs and organizations also have a social media presence. We appreciate the opportunity to share information with Niwot families and enjoy hearing of our Cougars’ accomplishments.

Provide feedback on your child’s experience

The role of the principal is to provide leadership at the school as well as to be a conduit among parents, teachers and students. And the role of the NHSEF is to provide funding for resources and opportunities that make our learning environment stronger. We are always open to hearing how we can help and we want to hear your ideas for innovation. This year, the NHSEF is making a concerted effort to reach out to parents to inventory what you think will help Niwot retain its status as parents’ first choice school for their children.

We look forward to hearing from the Niwot High School community and we wish your child a successful school year.

Eric Rauschkolb - Principal of Niwot High School

Teresa Valerio Parrot - President of the Niwot High School Education Foundation