Authentic Learning Opportunities

Authentic Learning Opportunities

  • Annual Trips Abroad - We have shown students how the world is their classroom with trips to England, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Egypt, China, Spain, Peru, Austria, Hungary, The Czech Republic, Costa Rica, South Africa and Germany.
  • Journalism - MV Media is a converged (comprehensive) media program encompassing Aerie yearbook, Eagle Eye news magazine, VistaNow.org student news website, VistaNow Video, live broadcasting of sporting and news events, and a literary arts magazine. All MV Media students are members of the Business Professionals of America.
  • Fine Arts - Introducing students to Fair Trade and Art as a Business through the Global Girlfriend Catalog Competition. Combining science and art with Jewelry 2 students by using common household chemicals and food to color and oxidize metal. Jewelry 2/Ceramics 2 will be teaming up for a Student Holiday Craft Sale. Students have the opportunity to learn about programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and Painter X in the photography and graphic design classrooms. Teachers are showing work through the database ARTstor, an online resource with millions of high quality photography images. Nine students' work was on the NY Times Lens Blog for the high school photography project "Hometown."
  • Performing Arts - State of the art piano lab; beginning and intermediate level coursework offered; instruction is focused on the individual's progress. Choir students are in the process of learning how to arrange and compose music. The focus revolves around using 21st century skills and working collaboratively to learn about the process of songwriting and creating a marketable song.
  • Drama and Theater Tech - The students are pushed every day to expand their performance capabilities, their ability to collaborate to create meaningful performances and art, their metacognitive and self-reflective skills and ensemble building.
  • Business/Tech - Technology Student Association state champions in 2014. The Business/Tech Department offers 26 hours of college credit courses. FBLA active members: 80. DECA active members: 80.
  • Family and Consumer Studies - Creates and markets business plans for restaurants and food service.
  • Engineering Projects - Design and build solutions to real world problems around the school and community. Interdisciplinary projects with science, art, Family and Consumer Studies, and business. Designing a house from the ground up in Archicad and Solidworks.

Innovative Teaching Strategies and Opportunities

  • World Languages - Working with Total Physical Response (TPR) methodology for language acquisition. Authentic learning and cultural opportunities.
  • English - New course in technical writing and collaboration with a focus on non-fiction, critical thinking and problem solving. Senior project being expanded.
  • Physics for Freshmen and Biotech - Inquiry-based foundational science course. Problem-based learning with extensive inquiry, testing, validation, measurement,and critical thinking to develop understanding of concepts. A.P. Physics 1/Biology option for Freshmen. We have a strong and growing focus on "modeling" of concepts to deepen understanding. New Biotech Class this year.
  • Social Studies - A.P. Human Geography class for Freshmen, and a new Criminology course
  • 2015-2016 Teacher Professional Development focus is Sustainable Learning - Learning that is student centered, skill focused,and transferable to life and career.

Wellness, Athletics and Student Leadership Opportunities

  • Individual Sports - Archery, Frisbee golf, racquetball, bowling
  • Business/Marketing - Competitions and performance based tasks/projects pervade the curriculum
  • Ceramics - Empty Bowls Project - ceramic students make bowls which will then be auctioned off to benefit the Women in Crisis Family Outreach Center in Castle Rock.
  • Athletics - 22 teams, four-time repeat state 5A boys cross country team
  • Activities (15) and Clubs (16) - Wide variety of topic specific activities and service clubs. Some of the largest and most successful club members and competitions include:
    • Service Clubs - Interact, Key Club, National Honor Society, Student Leadership Wish Week
    • Student Leadership - Spirit activities, ambassadors/supports, homecoming, assemblies
    • Peer Interns for students with special needs

STEM

  • Physics for Freshmen - A.P. Physics 1 option for freshmen next year, along with Foundations of Physics and Earth Science
  • Fabrication Lab - Wood, metal, plastic, 3D printing, laser engraving, milling, etc.
  • Technology Student Association - Competing at national level
  • A.P. Computer Science (and introductory course) - Partnership with code.org and Hour of Code efforts nationally
  • Numerous multimedia and web design courses
  • Solidworks - Computer Aided Design class, industry certificate available
  • Multiple levels of Engineering and Technology classes
    • Engineering - Intro, I, II, III, and IV
    • Tech I, II, III, and IV
  • STEM Graduation Certificate - MVHS is the originator of this recognition within the district

Awards, Recognitions, Grants, and Points of Pride

  • Advanced Placement Exams Taken - 1,000 per year
  • Scholarships - $12+ million in 2015
  • Fine Art and Performing Art Awards- Local and state recognition for band, choir, theater and fine arts programs
  • Concurrent Enrollment Opportunities - 400 students take ACC courses on site each year
  • Business and Family Consumer Science - State and national qualifiers/champions
  • Technology Student Association - State and national qualifiers/champions
  • Athletics - four consecutive boys state champions in cross country, numerous other district, league, and state championships
  • Poms/Cheer - District and state qualifiers/champions
  • Unified Sports - 18 special needs athletes participate in soccer, basketball and cheer; supported by peer interns and cheer/pom squads, plus a homecoming week game
  • MV Media - State and national Student Journalist of the Year, All-Colorado News Magazine, All-Colorado Yearbook
  • $90,000 grant recipient from Morgridge Family Foundation for engineering program, Fabrication Lab and New Biotech Program
  • Speech and Debate - State and national qualifiers/champions

We value offering a wide range of exceptional opportunities and choice for our students in a comprehensive high school. We want students to be engaged, critically thinking at a high level and getting involved in clubs, activities, athletics and their community.