The Student Spotlight segment of each Board meeting celebrates a student or a group of students who are living out the Portrait of an LPS Graduate, which highlights the life skills each LPS graduate should have. Tomorrow’s workers will succeed by constantly adapting to the changing world around them, and today’s students must begin by learning and developing life skills - where every student should be well-adjusted, thriving, and balanced.

Additionally, students will develop skills in:

• Communication
• Global/Cultural Awareness
• Character
• Critical Thinking
• Problem Solving
• Adaptability
• Creativity
• Risk-Taking
• Resiliency
• Collaboration
• Self Advocacy
• All surrounding Rigorous and Relevant Academic Skills

LPS strives to implement opportunities to grow these skills at every level of education and recognize students of all ages. At their regularly scheduled meeting on September 14, 2023, the Board of Education recognized a student from a district-level committee as well as a group of students who helped out at our kickoff for new educator orientation in August.

Grant Hawerlander is a student representative from Littleton High School on the Educational Technology Advisory Committee, more commonly known as ETAC. In his role as a student representative, Grant has demonstrated great poise as he discusses complicated technical concepts with adults, teachers, parents, and elected officials. For example, Grant can explain not only how AI works, but can anticipate how it might impact the classroom, the school, and society at-large. He has demonstrated a keen awareness on the impacts, both positive and negative, of emerging technologies. Because of this ability, Mike Porter, LPS’s Chief Information Officer, nominated Grant to represent LPS on a student panel in front of hundreds of parents, speaking about the digital lives of adolescents. Grant was thoughtful, honest, articulate, and confident in his engagements with parents. Mike Porter said, “Grant has the wisdom and moral fiber to leverage technology in a way that will benefit his community. He will do well, and do good, in his future, and he represents the LPS Portrait of a Graduate traits of Character, Communication, and Critical Thinking.”

Sofia Seidel, a senior this year at Heritage High School, delivered a thoughtful, powerful address to our new educators at their orientation during the first week of August. She spoke about belonging in Littleton Public Schools and how she has experienced belonging at elementary, middle, and high school levels. She also felt a sense of belonging with the new teachers and created a warm, welcoming atmosphere that set the tone for the whole orientation. In speaking to this crowd, Sofia embodied the Portrait of a Graduate traits of Communication and Risk-Taking.

Bellina Hartley, a sixth grader at Goddard Middle School, and Norah Mansfield, a fifth grader at Hopkins Elementary School, were poised and full of joy during their witty co-hosting duties at the new educator breakfast in August. They told fun jokes to the crowd and interacted with Mandy Leensvaart, LPS’s director of learning and teaching, to kick off three days of amazing learning for educators new to LPS. Their outstanding communication skills and ability to connect so well with the audience really set a positive tone for the rest of the conference. They brought the Portrait of a Graduate traits of Creativity, Risk-Taking, Collaboration, and Communication to life!