Coming Up
The story of the bell...
The iconic bell in front of Louisville Elementary School has become a hallmark of many first and last day of school photos, but did you know the history of the bell dates back over 140 years?
The Louisville History Museum strongly believes the bell dates back to 1881, which is the year that the Louisville Grade School at Spruce and Jefferson opened. This is now the site of Memory Square Park. The bell can be seen in the school's bell tower in historic photos that are from before 1903, which is the year that the school was remodeled and enlarged. This makes the bell one of the oldest artifacts from Louisville's history, as Louisville was founded in 1878 and incorporated in 1882. The bell was manufactured by Goulds Mfg. Co. of Seneca Falls, NY. It is 33 inches in diameter and weighs approximately 700 pounds. When Louisville Elementary School opened its doors in 1964, the bell was relocated to the front of the building. Now the community can enjoy this piece of Louisville history each time they visit Louisville Elementary School!
Read more about the history of the Louisville Grade School, the famous bell, and the construction of Louisville Elementary School by reading the Fall 2021 edition of the Louisville Historian.
District and School News
Emerald Murphy is no stranger to challenging the norm, after all, it is something she has done most of her career. For this reason, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the former French teacher, turned groundbreaking high school athletic director, is now taking on a new challenge, leading Community Schools.
Beginning this choice enrollment period, students of individuals who live outside of BVSD, but who work within the district's boundaries now qualify for our newest enrollment priority.
To qualify for our Bright Futures priority, the parent or guardian needs to be working within BVSD's boundaries at the time of application and on the first day of the school year.
On Tuesday, November 19, the Boulder Valley School District Board of Education voted 6-1 to update the district’s cell phone policy. Starting in January, high school students will no longer be able to utilize their phones during school hours on campus, including during passing periods and lunch.
Constructed in 1953 as Baseline Junior High, the school later transitioned to Baseline Middle School and then New Vista High School. After serving the students of BVSD for 71 years, the building will be demolished in 2025 as a new building for New Vista High School is constructed. Former students, teachers, staff, and families are invited to an open house to share memories and say farewell to the building.
In August, we introduced BVSD’s new attendance policy, which aims to encourage students to attend school and engage fully in their learning. This Fall, as BVSD schools implemented the new policy, they increased tracking and reporting around absences. Perhaps the most noticeable change was a new set of letters sent out to families when students are absent for a few days.
Fall sports in BVSD are currently underway, and winter sports will begin soon. We want to take this opportunity to inform our families about BVSD’s Concussion Protocols. It’s important for parents to be aware of the signs and symptoms of concussions, especially after their child has experienced a fall, accident, or sports injury.