One morning this past fall, Boulder TEC students gathered for a not-so-typical lesson in plumbing. Instead of happening in the Construction Trades classroom at Boulder TEC, the lesson took place at Boulder High’s Recht Field and was led by BVSD’s lead plumber Ted Burke. The experience was part of an innovative program that took advantage of BVSD’s in-house construction trades expertise and a district-wide inventory of facilities to provide authentic, work-based learning experiences for TEC students.

The nation collectively held its breath a few weeks ago when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suddenly collapsed during a Sunday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals. It was a terrifying event. Thankfully, it is a scenario that the team at Boulder Valley School District has prepared for.

The goal of every educator is to teach in a way where students not only learn the material, develop skills and master the standards -- but that they enjoy the experience and that ultimately the lesson inspires and informs their life. A new instructional model was recently developed by district educators as an outstanding framework to ensure that best practices are consistently utilized. This consistency for both teachers and students is one of the initiatives of BVSD’s All Together for All Students Strategic Plan to help strengthen the instructional infrastructure across the district.

When a Boulder Valley School District student applies for a job, one of the ways that they can stand out is by earning industry certifications while enrolled in school. “Industry certificates are defined by the specific businesses and industry areas as a way for their current employees or prospective employees to demonstrate that they have a certain level of competency in that particular area,” explained Dr. Arlie Huffman, BVSD’s director of Career and Technical Education (CTE) and the principal of Boulder TEC. 

In the Boulder Valley School District, Restorative Practices are used as a school-wide framework, focusing on intentionally building, maintaining and repairing relationships. You're likely already using some of these restorative practices in your own home. Utilizing Restorative Practices both at school and at home can be a holistic approach in helping students problem-solve and learn conflict resolution skills, gain a better sense of relationship building, and feel supported by the adults in their lives.