Thompson Valley

High School
 The Local Community
Thompson Valley High School (TVHS) is
located in Loveland, Colorado. With a
population of just under 80,000, Loveland
is no small town, but it is also not the
biggest around. With Fort Collin right next
door, a well known college town, Loveland
often gets overlooked. Thompson Valley is
one of the oldest schools in Loveland,
opening in the year 1976. It opened awhile
after Loveland High and a few decades
before Mountain View, the two other big
high schools of Loveland.
Most of the homes around Thompson
Valley have become rentals, so
unfortunately many of those that come
through do not stay for long. Despite this,
before the opening of Mountain View,
Thompson Valley saw around 1700
students being enrolled. It now sits around
1100, which is by no means small. Number
has never been an issue, though, and the
school has always been committed to its
students. The student's all have their own
personality, but proceed to get along and
create a tight community within the school.
The School Community
The Eagles!
Students get along well and are open to
diversity and inclusion. This is great as,
approximated by the admin, there are
approximately 70% majority white students,
28-29% Hispanic, and 1-2% other
ethnicities. The school offers many sports,
hosting the only high school lacrosse team
in the area and being well known for their
wrestling, swimming, and diving. Thompson
Valley is even home to a pool in which the
swim and dive teams can practice freely.
They have a theater program that runs
many plays and musicals in their
auditorium. They are also one of the only
nearby schools to offer the AVID program.
This is great for students who have the
potential to be first-generation college
attendees.
Academics
Determined!
The teachers at TVHS are dedicated to their
craft. The school has a very low teacher
turn-over rate, with many being there for
decades. They are known as the AP school,
as that is the higher-level classes they offer.
This compares to Loveland High's IB
program and Mountain View's LISA.
Thompson offers a Pro-start program,
allowing students to receive a 2-year
certificate in catering. They uniquely have
welding and agricultural classes as well as
a car-mechanics garage. They work with
Front Range Community College to supply
students interested in these fields with
more opportunities.
The Classroom
The classrooms at Thompson Valley are
older, many missing natural lights from
windows. Despite this, teachers do an
incredible job creating inviting spaces for
students to feel comfortable and safe in.
The students are extremely gifted, all
excelling in their own ways. Despite many
perceptions of struggles, students succeed
in the classroom.

I have the pleasure of observing Ms.

Cooney's third period Pre-AP Geometry
class. The students in this class are part of
a strong community with one another. It is
apparent that while Ms. Cooney can present
hard at times, she cares deeply for her
students. Students might complain about
their work or appear confused, but always
persevere to get the work done. Each class
period they get a break, and its interesting to
see how the breaks get quiter than when
students are working. It is good to hear,
though, how many conversations happen
and how focused on mathematics they can
be.
 From the TVHS Website:
"Our staff is dedicated to creating unique experiences in a supportive
environment that empowers lifelong learning.  We strive to be #TVSTRONG by
showing Strength, participating in Teamwork, being Respectful, Open-minded,
and Noble, and moving in a positive direction by setting and achieving Goals."