Launch ED Virtual Academy

So incredibly proud of the LaunchED Class of 2026! Your compassion, innovation, and resilience will take you so far. We can’t wait to see what you do next—thank you for letting us be a part of your journey!

Congratulations!

This week, students and families gathered at the LaunchED Campus for a hands-on exploration of our local environment. Led by a few of our middle school students, participants spent time planting their individual mini-habitats, weeding our campus garden, evaluating the health and growth of our plans, and discovering the vital role pollinators play in our world.

Special thanks to Ms. Legrand for organizing this wonderful event and to everyone who contributed to making it a sunny success!

It's Teacher Appreciation Week! Today at LaunchED, we’re taking a moment to celebrate the incredible people who make our school a community.

Being an educator in a digital world is a lot like working on a high-stakes puzzle. It requires patience, a sharp eye for detail, and the ability to see the big picture even when the "pieces" (or the Wi-Fi!) feel a little scattered.

Last month, our teachers received puzzles as a reminder that they are each an essential piece of our school’s story. Today, we’re sharing some of their own reflections on why life at LaunchED is a lot like a puzzle—sometimes complex, occasionally missing a piece of the "Wi-Fi" sky, but always rewarding when the picture comes together.

To our teachers--thank you for your tireless energy, your brilliant minds, and for always being the special piece that holds it all together. We celebrate you this week and always!

We had a great time last week with our 5th graders at the district 5th grade field day! This group of students worked together as team and supported each other through all of the events. We are so proud of them--a big shout out to our district staff and PE teachers who make field day happen!

We had an incredible time at the District Art Show this week! Seeing our students’ innovation and creativity on full display was a true highlight—we couldn’t be prouder of the work they produce.

A massive thank you to our dedicated art department, Ms. Neylon and Ms. Freeman, for their constant mentorship. We want to give a special shout-out to Ms. Freeman for her hard work in organizing the LaunchED showcase and for empowering every student to find and embrace their unique creative voice.

What a night for the LaunchED community! We were honored to watch Mr. Kevin Neiswander be recognized as our Educator of the Year at the Celebration of Excellence on Friday evening.

Hosted by the St. Vrain Valley Education Foundation at Folsom Field, the event brought together outstanding educators from across the district in honor of their incredible work. Principal Ann Reed joined the festivities to celebrate Mr. Neiswander’s dedication to his students and joy for teaching.

Please join us in congratulating Mr. Neiswander!

We had an incredible time this weekend at our district's Future Ready Summit! This summit provided a hands on glimpse into the many pathways of SVVSD students through programming, schools, and activities.

A few LaunchED Virtual Academy students stepped out from behind the screens to showcase the amazing work they’ve been doing with our pollinator habitat project.

Visitors to our booth didn't just learn about the importance of biodiversity—they got their hands dirty! Our students guided participants in creating their very own mini pollinator habitats to take home, sharing expert tips and research they’ve compiled along the way.

We are so proud of our student leaders for showing how virtual learning leads to real-world action. And a big out out to our 6th grade students who are leading this work in our school!

Congratulations to LaunchED Teacher of the Year, Mr. Kevin Neiswander! Since LaunchED began, Mr. Neiswander has helped students become stronger learners, better classmates, and innovative leaders. We look forward to celebrating Mr. Neiwswander at the SVVSD Education Foundation Tribute to Teachers event later this spring.

We had many staff nominated for this honor, and we are thankful for the community that recognizes and supports the work of students and staff at LaunchED Virtual Academy. Our innovative online school is a powerful place for students to learn, create, grow, and thrive!

Congratulations, Mr. Neiswander!

Our K–8 engineers put physics to the test with toy cars and track design! Students explored potential energy, kinetic energy, and friction while building creative courses featuring ramps, jumps, and loops. Through hands-on testing, they measured how fast and how far their cars could travel, then redesigned to improve their results.

Big thinking, problem-solving, and tons of fun rolled into one high speed STEAM experience with Mrs. Legrand!

This past weekend, many LaunchED educators joined Dr. Catlin Tucker and peers from across the region at the SVVSD AI Summit. We are especially proud of our own Ms. Katelynn Ryan, who presented her innovative work on using AI to enhance both student learning and teacher practice.

We know that bringing AI into the classroom requires a steady, thoughtful hand. We are so proud of our educators for embracing these innovative tools while prioritizing student safety and appropriateness. By staying ahead of the curve, our teachers are ensuring our middle and high schoolers are ready for the innovative world waiting for them after graduation.

A big shoutout to all of our teachers who attended this AI Summit over the weekend!