First annual SVVSD celebration parade

Students in the St. Vrain Valley School District are provided with countless opportunities for success and engagement through innovative programing. Being a part of that community is enriching and SVVSD wants you to know why.

On Saturday Sept. 7 at 10 a.m., SVVSD will hold its first ever Public Education Parade starting at Roosevelt Park and continuing down Main Street in Longmont. The parade will celebrate the elementary, middle and high school programs and achievements in the district.

"This parade was an idea that's been in the works for a long time," according to Niwot High School principal, Eric Rauschkolb. Now it has finally come to fruition to showcase SVVSD schools' accomplishments and student involvement. "Even as someone who works in the school system," said Rauschkolb, "it's incredible how many programs are available."

For example, during the 2023-2024 school year, Niwot High School had over 60 student-led and created clubs. In addition, NHS offers many co-curricular or Colorado High School Activities Association (CHSAA) programs, such as cross country, gymnastics, tennis, soccer, debate, marching band, and mariachi. These also include all of the programs at SVVSD's Innovation Center as well as the Up-A-Creek Robotics team, all of which will be showcased in this parade.

Niwot's schools will be embracing the themes "A Celebration of Champions" and "Academic Excellence" in their floats.

Alicia Bono, Sunset Middle School's new principal, is excited for the parade. "So many people don't realize just how many amazing things are going on in our schools and in the Niwot feeder schools," she said.

Bono pointed to the achievements of sixth-grader Cooper Edwards, who, after winning the Boulder Valley Regional Spelling Bee while in fifth grade at Niwot Elementary School, went on to the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Sunset's yearbook and Honor Choir received prestigious awards last year and Niwot High School's tech theater crew has received a Bobby G Musical Theatre Award by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts in recognition of its exceptional set design work.

Academic excellence is the hallmark of SVVSD. Sunset is the only middle school in SVVSD that works as a part of the International Bachelorette (IB) program. Up-A-Creek Robotics regularly performs well at FIRST Robotics Competitions with their designs and has won the international world championship.

No parade is complete without music. Niwot High School's mariachi ensemble will be teaming up with Sunset Middle School and Indian Peaks Elementary during the parade, a truly unique opportunity to bring all these age groups together to perform in a unique showcase event. Students from Indian Peaks have had the opportunity to rehearse and receive leadership from the ensemble at Sunset in the weeks leading up to the parade.

Additionally, the "Pride of Niwot" Marching Band will join forces with the marching bands from Silver Creek High School and Lyons Middle Senior High School. While team-ups are not unfamiliar to the band programs across St. Vrain, this parade is a special opportunity to demonstrate the performing arts' comradery across programs and schools.

Rauschkolb hopes that viewers of this parade can observe not only the great things happening at Niwot feeder schools, but the entirety of SVVSD. "(I hope) people truly see the scope of what's going on and what their tax dollars (support)," he said.

There is a great sense of appreciation towards the community and its support. Bono added, "I already know this district has a lot of parent support, but an additional sense of understanding, awareness, and enthusiasm" should be a major takeaway from this event.

Be sure to come out and support the depth of SVVSD and Niwot's feeder system by wearing your Niwot and Sunset gear on Saturday.