BV Schools Monthly
Back to School Edition - Buena Vista School District
First Day of School! ..........Thursday, August 27
BV Schools Families,
We are getting ready for you!
Summer in these beautiful mountains is something we all treasure, but there is something special about the beginning of a new school year, too. Coming back together to learn, grow, and serve students is work we are truly honored to do. The privilege and responsibility of partnering with families to educate children is not something we take lightly.
This Back to School Guide is designed to help your family prepare for the first days of school. It will remain posted on our website throughout the year so you can easily find important information and resources in one place.
As you prepare for the year, please take special note of our PK–12 cell phone, personal device, and screen time expectations, which continue this year. You will find additional information in the Policies and Notifications section of this guide.
This summer also reminded us of the important role schools play in our community beyond the classroom. We were honored that our middle/high school campus could serve as the Incident Command Center during the Willow Fire response. More than 700 firefighters and operations personnel used our facilities as they worked tirelessly to protect our neighbors, including many BV Schools families in Leadville. While it will take a little time for our campus to fully recover from the tremendous activity it supported, we are grateful our schools could serve our broader community when they were needed most.
As we begin this new school year, one idea will quietly guide our work: preserving what matters now while building what matters next. We believe the strongest future is built by honoring the values, relationships, and traditions that have made Buena Vista Schools strong, while continuing to improve for the students we serve today and tomorrow. Our beautiful, restored buildings are representative of preserving and building what matters. Thank you to recent graduate, Mae Blazer, who preserved the beauty of our buildings in her watercolor art. You will hear more about preserving what matters now and building what matters next throughout September and the school year ahead.
We will continue sharing the BV Monthly throughout the year to celebrate our students, keep you informed, and invite you into the life of our schools.
We can't wait to welcome students back on August 27!
Lisa Yates
Superintendent
Mahalo - Thank you!
The BV Schools Community extends a special note of gratitude for the support of the mill and bond increase this past November. As a result of the mill approval, which allowed a property tax increase for both our residential and commercial property owners, all BV Schools staff will return to the school year with significant pay increases. These increases help us to first retain our remarkable staff as well as look toward ongoing recruitment. Thank you for placing value in BV Schools. We will honor this commitment by providing the highest quality education to our students. While the bond was not a direct tax increase, it did extend debt allowing the district to address facility needs that remain on our Master Facility Plan. Most notable are an upgraded track and field so our student athletes can safely practice and have home competitions on the track as well as a boiler replacement in the Red Gym (we decided to prolong the life span of this boiler during the major renovation of the middle/high school). The district is also contemplating constructing a well on the BVHS property to address long term water needs for our district that will greatly benefit the Town of BV as well. Updates on both the bond and mill can be found on the district website. https://www.bvschools.org/page/bondmill
No More Infiinite Campus... Welcome Alma!
After decades with Infinite Campus as the our student information system, the district is switching to a new platform, called ALMA. This is how you will register your child to attend school each year, receive grade reports, and even pay for ala carte items from the cafeteria or course fees. This transition has benefited the district in "cleaning" our student data so we can accurately communicate with families and provide reporting to the state. We know change can be challenging but believe you will see the benefit of this new interface. We will provide additional information through Open House, on our website, and you are welcome to reach out directly to your child's school office or the district office. Please be sure to enroll your student(s) in Alma for the 2026-27 to guarantee their class placement in elementary and course scheduling at middle and high school. Information for using Alma is below.
Cell Phone and Screen Time
BV Schools has been a leader in implementing cell phone/device, and screen limitations in PK-12th grade. Implementing cell phone and screen restrictions in schools can significantly enhance the learning environment by promoting focused and engaged learning, fostering meaningful interpersonal interactions, and encouraging students to be fully present in their educational experience. Most families are well aware of the cell phone restriction, but may be less familiar with our efforts to limit screen times with our students. These limitations support our District Priority 3 of Creating a Culture of the 7 C's where School is an Experience. Screen and Device Guidance is found by linking: Screen Time/Device Guidance - Families
BV PEAKS and DAC
The district has two standing opportunities for our community to be directly involved in influencing the district. BV PEAKS (Partners Engaged Around Kids’ Success) meets about quarterly to hear from students and staff about current priorities and issues in the schools. In return, PEAKS members share perspectives, ask questions and then share in their personal and professional networks their understanding of the district. DAC (District Accountability Committee) is a state legislated and school board committee to advance accountability and direction for the district. The DAC meets monthly. If you, or you know someone who might be interested in serving on behalf of our students and community in this capacity, please reach out to Lisa Yates, Superintendent. lyates@bvschools.org. We NEED volunteers on both committees to contribute to our future!
FREE Eye Clinic
Buena Vista School District
Website: https://bvschools.org
Location: 113 North Court Street, Buena Vista, CO, USA
Phone: 719-395-7000