Dear RV Community,

As we conclude another remarkable school year at Ralston Valley High School, I want to take a moment to reflect with gratitude and pride on all that we have accomplished together as a school community.

We begin with our Class of 2026, who we celebrated on May 22 at CU Boulder. It was a meaningful ceremony that honored their journey, growth, and shared experiences as RV students. Our seniors leave Ralston Valley with tremendous accomplishments, including significant scholarship awards and post-secondary plans that span colleges, universities, and military service. Their success reflects years of hard work, resilience, and the support of staff and families. We are deeply proud of this class, and I know our entire community shares in that pride.

While our seniors are a highlight, it is equally important to recognize the accomplishments of all RV students and the collective success of our school this year.

Student Achievements and School Highlights

• This year, Ralston Valley earned the prestigious John Irwin School of Excellence Award, one of Colorado’s highest academic honors, recognizing sustained exceptional academic performance and placing us among a very select group of high schools statewide to receive this distinction. 

• Our end-of-year MAP growth and achievement data reflects some of the strongest performance in recent years. Both our 9th and 10th grade students demonstrated exceptional growth, outperforming national peers across both reading and math. 

• Our graduation rate reached 99%, significantly exceeding both the state average (85.6%) and neighboring district schools (93.8%), a reflection of the commitment of our staff to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed.

Student Voice and Learning
Each year, after reviewing Panorama survey data (this year with nearly 80% student participation) I meet with grade-level student panels to better understand their experiences as learners. I intentionally seek out this feedback because the student voice is essential in shaping our work.

Students consistently shared the importance of:

• Understanding the “why” behind their learning

• Seeing relevance in coursework

• Having clear learning goals and stronger transparency around durable (life) skills

• Feeling that their voice is heard and used to shape classroom experiences

Students also recognized the increased efforts of staff to gather and give in the moment feedback and design more engaging, interactive learning experiences. 

Their input continues to challenge and inspire us to be more intentional in how we communicate purpose, elevate engagement, and design meaningful, relevant learning experiences. Each year, this feedback directly informs our professional learning and schoolwide priorities.

Staff Voice and Professional Growth
It is equally important to understand the experiences of our staff as learners and professionals. Every two years, the Colorado Department of Education administers the Teaching and Learning Conditions Survey. This year, we significantly increased participation to over 90%, ensuring a more accurate reflection of our school community.

The results show strong growth across nearly every area:

• 92% of staff reported a strong sense of belonging at RV

• 95% shared that their work is satisfying

• 93% reported that RV supports their overall wellbeing

• 98% indicated that colleagues continually seek new and improved instructional practices

These results affirm the strength of our culture and the shared commitment of our staff to collaboration, learning, and growth. As educators, it is essential that we model what we expect for our students, that we are all learners, and these results reflect that commitment in action.

Beyond the Classroom
Our students also excelled far beyond academics this year:

• Our theater program, including Les Misérables and Clue, had outstanding productions in collaboration with our choir, music, and theater departments

• Multiple students earned district and state recognition in choir (14 students) and orchestra (1 student) 

• Chamber orchestra performed at Colorado Music Educator Conference as a select group. One of the highest honors a music ensemble can achieve in the state of Colorado. 

• Our Broadcasting program was named Daktronics National Classroom of the Year for 2025

• Student Government led a community-wide fundraising event that raised $126,093.22 for Make-A-Wish, surpassing every other Jeffco high school and ranking among the top five high school fundraising totals in the state. 

Athletic Highlights
Our athletic programs also had an exceptional year. Some of the highlights include:

• Girls Tennis earned its third consecutive state championship

• Dance captured back-to-back state titles

• Football, Boys Soccer, and Boys Basketball each reached the state championship finals game

• 8 teams won league championships (Boys Soccer, Football, Girls Tennis, Poms, Boys Basketball, Girls and Boys Swimming, and Boys Track) 

• We had 8 individual State Championship (Track, Girls Tennis and Gymnastics) 

• We won the Steinmark again! This prestigious award is given to the top athletic program in Jefferson County Schools. This will be 24 out of 26 years that we have earned the award!  

Each of these accomplishments reflects the dedication, perseverance, and pride of our student-athletes, coaches, and families, and they represent just a few of the many successes and achievements our programs celebrated this year. 

As I reflect on this year, I am filled with gratitude for our students, our staff, and our entire RV community. Ralston Valley is a special place because of the people who make it what it is every day. I am proud of what we have accomplished, and even more excited for what lies ahead.

Thank you for your continued support of our school.

With Mustang Pride, 
Mica Buenning, Principal