RVHS NEWSLETTER

september 5, 2025 EDition

Dear Jeffco Staff and Families,

Student Safety, Our Shared Responsibility is a shared mission of staff, students, families and the community to enhance student safety within Jeffco. In partnership with the Arvada Police Department, we are pleased to invite you to a two-part Parent Academy designed specifically for parents and guardians of middle and high school students in Jeffco.

As students navigate the complex challenges of adolescence, this academy will provide you with the tools to prevent, identify, and respond to issues related to mental health, substance abuse, relationships, and online behavior.

This event is for parents/guardians only. Childcare will be provided by high school volunteers on a first-come, first-served basis for children ages 3 and older who are fully potty-trained.

Event Details and Schedule

Location: Arvada West High School (11595 Allendale Dr, Arvada, CO 80004)
- Please enter through the north entrance off the north parking lot.
5:30 p.m.: Doors open and resource tables are available.
6–8 p.m.: Presentations in the auditorium
- September 10:
  - Current Drugs of Abuse (Focus on THC)
  - Dating and Sexual Violence Prevention
- September 17:
  - Social Media
  - Online Safety
  - Mental Health
  - Self-Harm Awareness
  - Suicide Prevention
8–9 p.m.: Interactive activities, resource tables and a Q&A session

Learn more and RSVP for these informative and important sessions to help our students thrive. Strong partnerships between families, school and community are vital to support safer and more supportive learning environments for all students. We are grateful for the Arvada Police Department for bringing this student safety education event to our community!

In partnership,

Arvada Police Department
Jeffco Public Schools

District Budget Labs

The Ralston Valley Community is invited to attend a Jeffco Budget Lab throughout the fall semester. These labs provide the opportunity for you to build your understanding of school and district budgets, speak with Board members and district leaders, and share your priorities. 💰📣

For the Budget Lab schedule and more information, click here: Budget Reduction Blueprint

New Jefferson Center for Mental Health Staff Member

We would like to introduce Katie Wainright, LMFT, as the new school-based therapist through Ralston Valley's partnership with Jefferson Center for Mental Health. To learn more about this partnership, click here .

2024-25 Student Score Reports in Student Insights

Student Insights is a resourceful tool for K-12 families and students in grades 6-12 to view current and historical assessment data and plans that are applicable to your student.

2024-25 student score reports are now available electronically in Student Insights.

Log in to Student Insights here using your Infinite Campus parent portal login credentials to view the following applicable* information:

PSAT & SAT results - 2024-25 results now available
Colorado Measures of Academic Success (CMAS) - 2024-25 results now available
Colorado Alternate Assessment/Dynamic Learning Maps (CoAlt/DLM) - 2024-25 results now available
ACCESS for ELLs results - 2024-25 results now available
MAP Growth results
READ Plan goals and supports
Advanced Learning Plan (ALP) goals and programming supports
Graduation requirements progress report
High School Transcript Grades

Click here to learn more about Student Insights and here to learn more about our state and district assessments.

*Available data listed above is based on student grade levels and programming.

If you would prefer to receive a paper score report, please email Kristen Hogan, School Assessment Coordinator, at kristen.hogan@jeffco.k12.co.us. The deadline to request a paper report is Friday, November 21st.

Meal Modifications - Accommodating Students with Dietary Needs at Jeffco

Jeffco provides meal modifications for students with physician-certified medical needs. The meal modification process at Jeffco follows the guidelines set forth by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) for accommodating children with dietary needs.

The Medical Statement for Meal Modifications (SD1 Form) is available here: Jeffco FNS Special Diets

The SD1 Form is required for meal modifications and needs to be filled out by a medical authority. A completed form MUST: Have a physician or Prescriptive Medical Authority Signature, identify the child's medical condition/disability, include an explanation of why the medical condition restricts the child's diet and identify what major life activity are affected, and must clearly list the food(s) to be omitted from the child's diet and the foods to be substituted.

Please turn in the completed form to the district dietitian, and allow up to 2 weeks to hear back from the district dietitian with your student's processed accommodations and modified menu (if required). If follow-up is needed due to an incomplete form, this may delay the process. Your school nurse can assist in providing the SD1 Form or be a liaison between the parent/student and district dietitian. The SD1 form can be turned in to the school nurse and they will email it to the district dietitian for processing. Your school kitchen manager will be your main contact after the SD1 Form is processed by the dietitian. They will prepare the student's menu and get menu choices from the parent/student, as needed.

District Dietitian: (303) 982-6738

meal.modifications@jeffco.k12.co.us

Alkire Street Construction

The City of Arvada will soon begin construction on a new sidewalk along Alkire. Work is scheduled to begin in late August or early September, with crews working Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. During this time, Alkire will often be reduced to a single lane, and traffic delays are expected. Please plan accordingly when traveling to and from school.

For more information about the project, visit arvadaco.gov/alkirestreet

Thank you for your patience and understanding as this important improvement project is completed.

25th Anniversary Celebration

Please join us to help celebrate Ralston Valley’s 25th year of excellence! All events are open to the entire community and supported by the RVHS Alumni Association. Proceeds from the weekend will go directly back to the school by helping to replace the existing technology in all classrooms with new Mimio Boards. Our hope is that the entire community will get involved – students, parents, staff, and alumni – to make this a momentous celebration!

Click HERE to order your 25th Anniversary Spirit Wear!

Click on the individual links below for information about each event.

Friday, October 3rd - Golf Tournament

Golf Tournament Sponsorship Opportunities

Friday, October 3rd - Tailgate & Homecoming Football Game

Saturday, October 4th - 25th Anniversary Gala @ Freedom Street

Sunday, October 5th - Open House @ RVHS

Last Chance Mustang Madness Sale

Get ready for the new school year with fresh Mustang gear!

Place your order by Sunday, September 7th to pick up your gear during Homecoming Week: Monday September 29th from 7:30 - 9:00 a.m. or Tuesday, September 30th from 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. in the front of the school.

Click HERE or visit the RVHS website to shop now and rep the ‘Stangs in style!

Lifetouch School Pictures

Lifetouch school pictures were taken August 19th and 20th!

School pictures are ready!

To order, log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an account using your student's student ID number.

All families can also log on and order a FREE Digital SmileSafe card.

More about the Smilesafe program here

Panorama SEL Student Survey

RVHS will give students the Panorama Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Student Survey. The survey will be administered in the fall and winter. If you would like to learn more about the survey or opt your student out of taking it, click here for more information.

Sponsor Partnerships

Advertise your business with us! We have digital and static signage options available within a variety of sponsorship packages on our new video board in the gym. Your business logo will be displayed digitally during our home athletic contests and other events in the gym for the community and guests to see. Please reach out to Mike Ackerman or Tony Pergola for more information.

NHS Supporting Students

Ralston Valley's National Honor Society is excited to continue to offer additional academic support to all of our students through the newly rebranded Cram Corner. Cram Corner is available every Wednesday in the Library from 3:30-4:30. This is a great place for all students to receive help on assignments, projects, and test prep for their peers in NHS. Looking forward to seeing many of our students there for the first Cram Corner of the school year on September 17th and every Wednesday after.

Pre-Arranged Absences

In accordance with district policy, absences of one or more days require a Pre-Arranged Absence Form . Criteria for approved absences are listed on the form, and printed copies are available in the attendance office.

Parking Information

Any student who wishes to park their vehicle in the RVHS student parking lots, must have a parking tag. All school registration requirements must be met before obtaining a parking tag, including any fees and fines paid. Due to the limited number of parking spaces available, there will be a limited number of tags available to purchase.

Seniors and juniors will be allowed to park in the west and southwest parking lot, as long as there are available tags. The north parking lot (off of Alkire) will be available for sophomores and overflow for juniors and seniors.

To obtain a parking tag, seniors and juniors should fill out this parking registration form. The $125 district parking fee will be placed on all senior and junior accounts, if there are tags still available. If tags are not available, the students name will be placed on a waitlist. Students who have filled out the registration form online and paid the parking fee in Campus, can pick up their parking tag during their off block in the campus security vestibule.

Sophomores who would like to park on campus should fill out this parking registration form. We are currently sold out but students who fill out the registration form will be added to a waitlist and will be contacted if more spaces become available. If a student has paid and filled out the registration form, they can pick up their parking tag during their off block from the campus security vestibule.

All concerns regarding parking passes should be addressed with campus supervisors.

Parking will be enforced and tickets issued for vehicles not properly tagged beginning on Monday, September 8.

Student Drop Off and Pick Up

It is a great time to remind everyone to be thoughtful of our neighbors and student body during drop off and pick up. We must keep the right of way clear for emergency vehicles and through traffic. With only one road to enter and exit a building this size, with this many people, the roads at the school will always be congested. There are a few things we can do as a Ralston Valley community to help make these busy times of day run as smoothly as possible.

Main Entrance - Dismissal is at 3:30 p.m. and we ask that you do not arrive to pick up your student and park in the loop before 3:00 p.m. Please be sure to pull as far forward as you can in the loop at the front of the school when dropping off or picking up your student. This helps to alleviate backups in the roundabout and get as many cars off of 80th Ave. as quickly as possible. Also, please pick up your student on the outside of the loop (closest the the sidewalk), not the inside. We do not want students passing in between cars as this is not safe.

Student Parking Lot - To keep our students safe, please do not park in our student parking lot while you wait to pick up your student(s) after school.

Roundabout on 80th- The roundabout is part of the road. Please do not park in the roundabout while waiting for dismissal time. This blocks the flow of eastbound traffic and prevents traffic exiting to the east from leaving campus as well. Please do not stop and pick up your student in the roundabout or on 80th Ave.

Fire Station - As traffic backs up on southbound Alkire, please be sure to leave room for our first responders to exit the firehouse safely and without obstruction. Do not block the exit of their garage.

82nd Ave. - Please pay attention to posted road signs along 82nd Ave. There are multiple speedbumps on 82nd Ave., making it necessary to go the speed limit or slower to ensure safe driving and prevent damage to your vehicle. There are also multiple No Parking signs along 82nd Ave. next to the school's property. Please do not park there to pick up your student.

Finally, and most importantly, please do not park across the street and ask for your student to run across 80th Ave. to be picked up. This is highly dangerous and we have shared with students that this is not permitted!

Thank you for your continued diligence when driving in and around Ralston Valley.

Traffic Reminders from Arvada Police Department

Please do NOT stop or park in the roundabout on W 80th Ave. until the car line begins to move/flow. Those waiting on the south side of W 80th Ave. just west of the roundabout need to wait there until they see the line begin to move. This usually takes a few minutes after the bell rings so please be patient. Those who attempt to stop or park in the roundabout before the line begins to move will not be allowed to stay there and will be directed to move (by continuing east) or will be ticketed by Arvada PD. This is essential for efficient traffic flow and will help the pick-up process run smoothly. It also helps to keep that area clear for emergency vehicles.

activities

Jeffco Marching Festival

Come out and support the Mustang Marching Band at the 48th Annual Jeffco Marching Festival, 5:00 p.m., September 13, at Jeffco Stadium. RV performs at 8:15 p.m. This festival is a kickoff to the season, and features bands from all across Jefferson County. Tickets can be purchased in advance, using this link .

The talented Mustang Marching Band performed their first full show on the field under the lights on Thursday night at the NAAC. They wowed the crowd with their rendition of, "This is the Web She Weaves". They did a great job!

To kick off Homecoming Week 2025, we invite you to participate in the Lisa Nelson 5k on Saturday, September 27th. The Lisa Nelson 5k is a community event where we walk, jog, and run in loving memory of former Ralston Valley volleyball coach, Lisa Nelson. There will be a pancake breakfast and fun activities after the race and during the awards ceremony. We encourage all members of the community to participate in this fun event and help us celebrate such an amazing woman’s life.

Registration Forms

Water Polo

Are you interested in a fast-paced, competitive sport? The Arvada West Water Polo Team is recruiting new players! No experience necessary - just basic swimming skills and a great attitude. Come be part of a dedicated team, build endurance, and take your water skills to a new level! Open to all grade levels!

Practices are starting now, and games start in September! For more information, email awestwp@gmail.com.

PTSA Information

Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year. The Ralston Valley PTSA is looking forward to another great school year supporting the students and staff at Ralston Valley. Please take a moment and register for the PTSA by following the link at the bottom of the page. By registering we will be able to contact you to let you know what is happening with the PTSA. Please register by using this link:

https://www.givebacks.com/causes/rvptsa/shop

In addition to registering for the PTSA we are looking for volunteers to serve this year and hopefully beyond. We have positions that may be ideal for parents of freshman students as they can serve for the entire time their student is at the school. Please look at the Board page to see if there are any open positions that interest you. Should you find a position that interests you please email the PTSA at rvptsa@gmail.com and we can get you in touch with the previous person to get you trained up and pass along the needed information.

As of now we will be having meetings in person at the school. By registering we will have your email address, and we will contact you through email with the same information should things change.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the PTSA at rvptsa@gmail.com

athletics

It’s been another action-packed week for Mustang athletics! Some teams are building early momentum with strong performances, while others are gearing up for key challenges ahead. Here’s the latest from across Mustang Nation:

Boys Golf - The Mustangs had a strong showing at Lake Arbor this week! BT Meehan and Declan Regnault both fired impressive 77s, with Trevor Blong right on their heels at 78 and Ethan Smith close behind with a 79. A great day on the course for RV Golf!

Flag Football - Flag Football stayed hot at the Mountain Range Tournament last weekend, picking up wins over Heritage and Horizon to improve to 4-1 on the season. With the strong start, the Mustangs are now ranked #7 in the state! They have a tough matchup with Chatfield on Saturday, 10:00 a.m. at NAAC.

Volleyball - Girls Volleyball put on a show at the Mustang Range this past week, dominating Broomfield with a 3-0 sweep (25-15, 25-18, 25-15)! Lily Grau, Rylee Sonnenfeld, and Kenzie Brown powered the attack as the Mustangs controlled the match from start to finish. They look to continue their great play next Tuesday at home against Mead at 6:30 p.m.

Boys Soccer - The Boys Soccer team is on fire! Last weekend, they battled their way to a 2-0-1 record at the Arapahoe Tournament, securing 1st place overall with a big win over Lutheran. They kept the momentum rolling this week with a commanding 4-0 victory over Boulder, dominating from start to finish! On Monday, they take on Fairview, 5:00 p.m. at NAAC.

Cross Country - The Mustangs dominated the D’Evelyn Dash a week ago today, with both the boys and girls cross country teams bringing home 1st place! Leading the way were Addie Holmann and Drake Fankhauser, who each claimed 2nd overall in their races to pace RV to victory!

Football - The RVHS Football team made a statement in their home debut last night, cruising past Grandview 42-21 in front of a roaring Mustang crowd! With both teams ranked in the top 10, the matchup delivered big-time plays and showcased the skill of players on both sides of the ball. Dominating offensively and defensively, the Mustangs now hit the road next week to face a tough and determined Mullen squad.

Softball - Last weekend, the Lady Mustangs picked up their first victories of the season in tournament play, defeating Mountain Vista 11-10 in a nail-biter and Highlands Ranch 10-6! This week, they split a pair of make-up games, rallying for a thrilling 3-2 comeback win over Green Mountain before falling to D’Evelyn 12-6. The Mustangs are back at it tomorrow at 1:00p.m. here at RVHS as they take on Rock Canyon — come out and cheer them on!

Boys Tennis - Boys Tennis came up just short in a hard-fought 3-4 battle with Arapahoe this week, but the Mustangs had several standout performances on the court. At No. 1 doubles, Noah Martin and Logan Dozen cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 win, while the No. 2 doubles team of JD Dworak and Sawyer Dillon pulled out a thrilling 10-8 tiebreak victory after splitting sets. At No. 4 doubles, Evan Phillips and Sam Iannone played strong, earning a convincing 6-3, 6-4 win. A great showing with plenty of momentum to build on moving forward!

Tickets - Game tickets must be purchased through GoFan for all Jeffco-hosted events. Ticket sales to all Jeffco events in stadiums and in our gym are available through GoFan. Cash is not accepted at the gates for admittance. You are encouraged to download the GoFan App to help you purchase tickets ahead of time for all home events to save you a ton of time at the gate. You can also purchase multiple tickets that are good for the rest of the school year by purchasing a punch pass. Punch passes are good for all Jeffco events, and will save you money.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the new online ticketing system.

off campus policy

To help keep students as safe as possible, RVHS students are not allowed to walk off campus at any time.

9th-grade students are not allowed off campus at any point during the school day unless they leave with their parents/guardians.

If your 10th-grade student is driving, parents/guardians of 10th-grade students can give permission for their child to leave campus with the expectation that they are following the local and state driving laws. Once this form has been submitted by a parent/guardian, the student must visit the front office to obtain an 'off-campus' sticker for their Student ID.

Please click on this FORM to give your sophomore child the ability to leave campus with your permission. Students with a valid sticker can begin leaving campus during approved periods on Monday, August 25, 2025.

Our campus is not closed to our 11th and 12th grade students and they may leave campus.

Schedule for The Upcoming week

Monday, Sept. 8 - Silver Day

Tuesday, Sept. 9 - White Day

Wednesday, Sept. 10 - Blue Day

Thursday, Sept. 11- White Day

Friday, Sept. 12 - Blue Day

Counseling Department

College Fair at RVHS

Ralston Valley will host a College Fair on Thursday, September 18 from 8:45 - 9:45 a.m. in the large gym (during Access). College representatives from a wide variety of schools, including public and private institutions in Colorado and throughout the U.S. will be in attendance. College-bound juniors and seniors are highly encouraged to attend this event; freshmen and sophomores are also welcome.

Upcoming College Visits

Representatives from the following colleges will be in the RVHS Counseling Office on these dates and times:

Regis University - Tuesday, Sept. 9 - 1:30 p.m.

Stanford University - Wednesday, Sept. 17 - 1:30 p.m.

Jeffco Performing Arts College Night

Students interested in pursuing music, theater, or dance in college are invited to attend Jeffco's Performing Arts College Night. Representatives from the top performing arts programs in Colorado will be there to answer questions! Click here for a flier.

Date: Tuesday, September 23, 2025

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Place: Jeffco Ed Center, 1829 Denver West Drive, Golden

Colorado Free Application Days

From Tuesday, October 7 through Thursday, October 9, all public colleges and universities and several private institutions in Colorado will waive their application fees, making it free for Colorado high school students to submit an application. For instructions on how to use the fee waiver for each school, click here.

RVHS College & Career Planning Series

For a quick "save-the-date" guide to all of RV's college and career events throughout the year, click here. Please contact your student's counselor with questions!

Outdoor Lab Applications Open for This Year

Current 11th and 12th graders are encouraged to apply to be a High School Leader at Outdoor Lab this year. High School Leaders spend a week (Tuesday - Friday) at one of the two Outdoor Lab schools with 6th graders from one of RV's feeder middle schools. Leaders need to be emotionally mature, demonstrate good judgment, and demonstrate a natural love and respect for the environment. Click here for the application.

Transportation & Construction Girl Day

Girls who are interested in learning more about careers in the transportation and/or construction industries are invited to attend an event featuring exhibits such as heavy & surveying equipment, simulators, drones, welding & soldering tools, computer traffic programming, VR design, masonry, electrical escape rooms, pipe bending, and much more!

Date: Thursday, September 25, 2025

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Place: Jefferson County Fairgrounds

**A bus will be provided for students to/from RV and the Fairgrounds**

Scholarship Opportunities

Click on the links below for more information on the following scholarship opportunities:

Boettcher Scholarship (for seniors; merit-based)

Daniels Fund Scholarship (for seniors; merit and financial-need based)

NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing (for females in grades 9-12 interested in computer science)

Scholarship Webinar

The Boettcher Foundation is hosting a webinar regarding "Everything You Need to Know About Scholarships." They will discuss how students can "ACE" their college and scholarship applications, including tips on how to make their applications stand out. The webinar is offered two dates each in September and October. Click here to register - scroll about half-way down the page and click on the date you would like to attend.

Cal State Apply Information Sessions

If your senior is interested in applying to one of the Cal State schools, they are holding three different information sessions in the Denver Metro area in September. The programs are designed to help students with the Cal State Apply application. For a list of dates and places and to register for a session, click here.

CU Pre-Health Scholars (CUPS)

Any student in grades 6-12 in Colorado who is interested in healthcare, research, and STEAM are welcome to apply to the CUPS program for the next school year. Students in the program experience a variety of academic activities, college visits, mentoring, and exposure to different STEAM and health-specific technologies and careers. The deadline to apply is November 1, 2025. Click here for more information and an application.

988 Day is September 8th!

Call, text or chat! You don't have to feel overwhelmed, lonely or anxious alone. The 988 Lifeline offers a space for you to reach out for judgement free support. Mark your calendars for September 8th and join us in spreading awareness, reducing stigma and making compassionate care accessible to anyone in need. For more information, click here.

Advisement Corner

Advisement

Please click HERE to access the course syllabus for Advisement which explains the purpose, key components, and expectations, including grading and attendance.

Both 9th and 10th grade Advisement classes next week will begin their weekly Academic Reset Routines. Mustang Mentor Program leaders in 9th grade will join with 10th grade Advisement classes as part of a presentation and panel discussion, "Top Ten Things They Wish They Would Have Known as 10th Graders".

Reminder - If your student has Advisement on Thursday mornings, it will be from 8:15 to 9:00 a.m. before the start of Access.

Ralston Valley Happenings

Data Collection in Algebra II

Mr. Busch's Honors Algebra II are testing how far their Barbie doll will jump based on the number of rubber bands they used. They predict, and then test their predictions.

Juniors Hard at Work in English

Ms. Hirt's students in ELA 11 gained historical context about the 1920s to prepare to read "The Great Gatsby" by finding connections between their individually researched topics.

Skill Building Using Robotics

Members of the RVHS Robotics and Drones class develop essential skills in communication, collaboration, and problem-solving as they tackle a variety of challenges using simple robotics.

Chemistry Experiments

Chemistry students performed a variety of experiments and distinguished between physical and chemical changes observed in the lab.

Art Students Learn Constructive Critique

Ms. Buhr's students in Advanced Placement 2-D Art are engaged in community building, thoughtful conversation, and in-depth analysis during their first critique protocol of the school year.