NMSHS Panther Post

Nederland Middle-Senior HS Community,

This was another action packed week at school. We had our volleyball and soccer teams competing, along with cross country (see below). We have play practice ramping up, and our juniors and sophomores took the PSAT National Merit Scholar assessment. It is important to have our students assess in order to see if they will qualify for the National Merit Scholarship program or be recognized by the program. This year Nederland MS/HS has a National Merit Scholar Finalist, Keahi Pelkum Donahue. We also had 5 other distinguished students honored by the College Board from last year’s assessment.

The assessment is a challenging and timed test that will benefit our students as they are working toward building their portfolio for college and career enrollment prior to graduation. The assessment is also an important measure for our students who will be tested in the spring when they take the Colorado mandated high school PSAT 9/10 and the SAT, which the school is accounted for on our school’s annual School Performance Framework (SPF) rating. It also is a great feedback tool for the level of instruction and teaching we do for all students during their middle and high school grades. Based on the effort and seriousness the students showed while taking the test, I have high hopes it was a very worthwhile practice effort.

Athletic Events Update

As I mentioned last week, I went to the Colorado Mountain Biking State Championships on Sunday. It was a great event and we had participants in the freshman and sophomore race, the JV race and the varsity boys and girls. All of our riders did an excellent job and represented Nederland well.

Yesterday I watched the Ned Cross Country team compete at their regional meet in Lyons. This year we had a boys team (4 runners) and our girls team (5 runners) compete (the top four runners count in the team scoring). On the boys side, Ben Weber finished 7th overall to qualify for state! The girls had 3 top-15 runners, Amika Begin (5th), Abby Hess (11) and Nitzana Harkness (14). Overall the girls team finished in third place and will be representing Nederland at the Colorado State XC Championships down in Colorado Springs for the second year in a row. Congratulations to the team and the coaches, Gavin Coombs and Kathy Butler.

Enjoy the weekend,

Gavan

he/him/his

9th, 10th & 11th graders: Broomfield High School, Wednesday, October 30. Broomfield hosts an In-State College fair featuring representatives from public and private universities located within Colorado. 6:00 - 7:30pm.

High School Athletes: Are you a student-athlete dreaming of playing your sport at the NCAA level? NCAA is the national organization overseeing high school preparedness for college athletics admissions. They are hosting a webinar soon for parents and students wishing to learn more about NCAA eligibility, Sunday, Nov. 3, from 4pm. Understand the

requirements and how to prepare for NCAA certification. Join NCAA Eligibility Center staff, who

will walk you through what you need to do to compete at the NCAA Division I, II or III level.

Staff will be answering questions live during the presentation, so come prepared to learn how to

take your game to the next level! See the NCAA Flyer for Details. Register here: https://mc97gsxn49y6wmpf4p2n764zq7z1.pub.sfmc-content.com/f3wjklufvu4

8th Graders: On Monday, October 28 @ 8:30am, we will follow that up with an 8th grade tour to Boulder Tech! The field trip permission form is here: Boulder Technical Education Center is BVSD’s central technology and career training center that serves students in BVSD high schools. Lunch is included. At Boulder Tech, students gain opportunities to earn college credits and industry certifications in career fields such as: Biomedical Science, Sports Medicine, Physical Therapy, Emergency Medical Services, Teaching, Video Production, Criminal Justice, Auto Service or Collision Repair, Culinary Arts, Construction, or Welding. Students typically attend Boulder Tech during high school in junior or senior year, so visiting now allows for early planning for students. Students attending Boulder Tech from Nederland, receive free BVSD transportation from campus to campus.

AP EXAMS. Exam registration payments due by October 31.

Register for your high school exams now, using the exam sign up sheet 2024/25 AP Exam Payment form OR pay online: https://bvsd.revtrak.net/high-schools/neh/ select the “testing” app tile. Why take an AP Exam? Entering college with credit you’ve already earned through AP can save you time and money—for example, you might be able to skip introductory courses or even graduate early. Check the AP Exam Credit Search.

College Board reports that no matter their score, students who complete an AP® course and exam benefit from their AP experience. In fact, even students who score a 1 or 2 on an AP Exam are more likely to attend college and graduate on time (than academically similar students who don’t take AP). In a recent survey of nearly 2,000 first-year college students, over 90% of respondents who earned an AP Exam score of 2 said they’re doing well (or very well) in college courses that cover similar content.

Seniors have been busy meeting up with Ms. Jill and working on completing college applications. See the college application timeline- To be evaluated for financial aid, students and families need to apply for the FAFSA in December. Nederland seniors graders will apply for the 2025-26 FAFSA, because they enter college in FALL of 2025. You can get a sneak preview of the FAFSA prototype here. The actual FAFSA is not open yet.

Free Active Parenting group. Parents, the popular Active Parenting group is back! Active parenting is a free online group that meets to support the parents and caregivers of Nederland teens. Topics include raising confident kids in the digital era. Participation in this virtual parenting support group includes a free family dinner pickup on group nights and $20 Amazon gift for each session. Engage online with the amazing coaches Madi and Danette while meeting other parents in this lively training. Learn tools for: improving teen communication, guiding teens toward healthy choices and supporting their academics. Online meetings run November 4 - December 16. See this flyer for dates, and register here. Space is limited.

Volunteer Opportunities: The Teen Center needs volunteers in October, for Halloween Ned. See Stazi, Max, or Coach Lefaiver @ Teens Inc. for more information.

Growing Gardens Teen Volunteer Day: Ages- Kids in grades 6th - 12th.

When: October 14th from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Where: Growing Gardens Urban Farm - 1630 Hawthorn Ave, Boulder Register here.