School News: awards, concert schedule, nominate best teacher (news for the public)
General safety and health announcements
Colorado Bests National Education Attainment Goal
Colorado is one of just four states where more than 60% of adults aged 25-64 have achieved a professional certificate or degree beyond high school, according to a new Lumina Foundation report. Andrew Vidockler, assistant director of Pickens Technical College in Aurora, credits the state’s high ranking to good partnerships between local school districts and institutes of higher learning, as well as state agencies deploying resources in ways to help students cross the finish line. “I think our school systems, our higher-ed department, our community college systems, CU, CSU do a fantastic job of getting folks ready for industry,” Vidockler noted. Colorado and the nation continue to struggle to boost opportunities and remove barriers for students of color. (information provided by Colorado News Connection)
LESS SUGAR IN SCHOOLS:
U.S. agriculture officials on February 3, 2023, proposed new nutrition standards for school meals. It would include the first limits on added sugars, with a focus on sweetened foods such as cereals, yogurt, flavored milk and breakfast pastries. The proposed rule would strengthen support for local and domestic foods. The USDA will invest $100 million in the Healthy Meals Incentives initiative.
Your To Do List
SCHOOL GROUNDS
Students and Staff Parking only at School During School Days and Hours: The Lyons Middle/Senior High School would like to remind residents that there is NO PARKING on school property while school is in session. In addition, residents are not allowed to use the field, cut through the property to get to the dog park, or use the track, while SCHOOL is in session. The school resource officer has asked residents to please respect this and to not use school property when there is school and students are on the campus. Thank you in advance!
NOMINATE BEST TEACHER, pre-K to 12 grade, due February 22, 2023
About Tribute to Teachers
This awards program, sponsored by the St. Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation, provides the opportunity for students, parents, volunteers, fellow educators, school staff, community members and business partners to recognize and honor individual teachers at the Pre-K – 12th grade levels in the St. Vrain Valley Schools who exemplify excellence in teaching. By paying tribute to teachers who have an extraordinary impact on the achievements of students, the Education Foundation and the community hope to honor the accomplishments of all teachers.
One teacher from each St. Vrain Valley School will receive the Teacher of the Year recognition for their school. Two other teachers from each school will be honored as Teacher of the Year finalists. The Teacher of the Year for each school will receive a financial gift. The recipients and finalists all receive a certificate of recognition during the Tribute to Teachers event on April 29,2023. From the school Teacher of the Year honorees, a district wide Teacher of the Year and four finalists will be chosen. All St. Vrain Valley Schools are eligible for these awards!
Click HERE for Nomination Form. It will take you a few minutes to fill it out, so don’t wait.
Lyons Elementary PTO is doing the BINGO Baskets Again
Contact them for all the details — here is the basic outline: March 3, from 6 to 8p.m. dinner, bingo/prizes, face painting, cake walk, and Drawing.=== With Bingo Night coming up in just a few weeks, the PTO needs YOU to help us with items to fill our raffle baskets! See the PTO for “Themes,” and you can shop in person and send items to school with your student, or just shop from our Amazon Wish List at https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/dl/invite/bHWxGB9 and items will come right to the PTO.
Announcements
Academic Achievement – Top
Did you know that Lyons High School Juniors placed in the top two schools in the entire district for overall scores on our NMSQT exams and led the district in overall Math Benchmark Readiness? This is an outstanding accomplishment and shows how successful our students are on a local and statewide level! Our teachers are working extremely hard and so are our students! (Past coach Britton Fell said: Not a one year fluke. Years of great teaching staff that builds on prior years of academic success and dedication to their students success.)
FIRST PLACE in ANNUAL WORLD ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COMPETITION:
A team of St. Vrain Valley Schools students won first place in the fifth annual World Artificial Intelligence Competition for Youth, the school district’s Innovation Center announced Thursday.
The center’s Artificial Intelligence Leadership Team competed against students from the United Arab Emirates, Australia, India, Greece and other countries in the event, which challenges young people to solve real-world problems using technology. The local winners include Nathaniel Vercammen, in 11th grade at Niwot High School; Grant Riddle, a senior at Silver Creek High School; Owen Welsh, a senior at Silver Creek High School; Jordan Boldt, in 10th grade at Lyons High School; and Riley Herchert, in 10th grade at Universal High School. The team created a solution that restores the local endangered northern redbelly dace fish, which are now raised in captivity and then released into local waterways, Reitzig explained. (See the “Longmont Leader” newspaper for the full story).
Booster Club
The Lyons Middle-High School Booster Club bought new furniture for the library. Comments: Our library got a makeover! (It’s about time) Check out the swanky new furniture sponsored by Booster Club. Feel like you’re working remotely in a trendy coffee shop during your free period or just sit a spell while choosing the perfect book. It’s an upgrade.
SHAKESPEARE:
Beginning in February, 5th grade students can participate in a time honored tradition at Lyons Elementary – Shakespeare! This year, the group will perform MacBeth. They will be led by James Hart and Esther van Zyl.
Music News, concerts======
Zema receives music educator award
Colorado Music Education Association announced this year’s award going to music educators who impact the future of music in our schools. Congratulations to Allison Zema, our 2023 recipient of the CMEA Outstanding Young Music Educator Award. She was recognized at the conference on January 26th at the opening session. ======= Comments: Zema has been at the Lyons High School since the fall of 2020, where she has built a strong choral and drama community. She is a wealth of knowledge thta makes her unique. She has experience in foreign language, is a gret vocal model, knows how to prepare and pace lessons, and correlates her teaching with other subjects and real life experience. Under her guidance, students are pepared and confident in the music they are learning. The program at Lyons has grown significantly(in both musicianship and size) in her time there.
SVVSD was well represented in the 2023 Colorado All State Orchestra this year. This group is is made up of best 10th -12th grade orchestra students in the state. We’re so proud of all the SVVSD students selected, you sounded great. Also a special shout-out to our very own Mrs. Dowling from Silver Creek High School for serving as chair for ASO. Thank you for your leadership.
Congrats! to LYONS students: Josie Gaines, Junior, bassoon, and Sage Wynja, Junior, oboe.
CONCERTS: MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Lyons Middle/High School
March 13, 7 p.m. (free) — Concerts at Oskar Blues & Grill == jazz band
March 8, 7 p.m. (free) — middle school bands, at High School Auditorium
May 3, annual Fine Arts Festival (all bands and choirs), at High School Auditorium (the time is not set but will likely start around 5:30 p.m.) They will feature all of our bands and choirs (all levels), display artwork, and will have food trucks. Free; no tickets required.
School Sports====== see separate article
Be a Guest Teacher=====
Interested in being a Guest Teacher? The application is open July – March. Applicants must acquire or hold an active Colorado Teaching /or/ Substitute authorization from the Colorado Department of Education. SVVSD will need two reference checks completed before you may attend an Orientation. Guest Teachers in St. Vrain are required to take at least 10 jobs (full or half days) within the school year to stay active on the guest teacher list for the following year. Application for Guest Teacher for 2022-23 School Year.
