BFHS BlueJay Beat
NOVEMBER 2018
BONDURANT-FARRAR HIGH SCHOOL CORE VALUES
- Communicate and Collaborate Effectively
- Solve Problems
- Persevere
- Be Culturally and Socially Respectful
MESSAGE FROM MR. GARNASS
Wow! We have entered the home stretch of the first semester and are quickly approaching the holiday seasons.
We have many things to be thankful for...
As we approach the Thanksgiving break, we are asking all students to have their items cleared out of the locker rooms by Tuesday, November 20th. Custodial staff will be doing a thorough deep cleaning on November 21st. We appreciate your assistance in reminding your child to have items cleared out in advance. This information has been shared with students via email and having signs posted.
Parents & Guardians... Please review the PDF (click here) for information related to social media/Snapchat that we would like to make you aware of. This information was previously sent to all secondary families on Thursday, Nov. 8th.
Please continue to follow us via @BFHS_News on Twitter for regular updates and information on life at Bondurant-Farrar HS.
Respectfully,
Erik Garnass
@erikgarnass
Follow us on twitter @BFHS_News
WHAT'S HAPPENING @ BONDURANT-FARRAR HS?
LOOKING AHEAD
November 21-23 - Thanksgiving Break, No School
December 24-January 1, 2019 - Winter Break
January 2, 2019 - PD Day, No School
January 11, 2019 - End of Quarter 2, Semester 1
VETERANS DAY 2018 OBSERVED
CLASSROOM VISITS
STUDENT OF THE MONTH - OCTOBER
Art: Kate Long
World Language: Caine Crosby
Social Studies: Ethan Osborn
Science: Ty Beresford
PE/Health: Austin Ingle
Music: Rachel Kramer
Math: Noah Coy
Lang Arts: Brant Watson
CTE: Carter Meislahn
CHRIS KOCH
World Languages News!
Volleyball Season Highlights
State Cheer Championship
This year we had 2 stunt teams make it to the State Cheer Championship on Saturday, November 3rd. They have been working since August to meet the requirements. CONGRATULATIONS LADYS!!
Stunt team A
Jenna Hayworth
Abby Bruce
Cara Figenshaw
Jenna Fuchs
Kiana Drabek
Stunt team B
Aleyah Paxton
Jasmine Frakes
Lexy Plumb
Lilly Pollard
Jessena Neumann
Kelsey Kreuder
Cross Country Wrap Up
STUDENT PARKING PERMITS
We have completed the first month of school and are now issuing parking citations for school lot violations. Just a reminder that ALL students wishing to park vehicles at the school are required to purchase a parking permit. Permits are $35 for the entire school year. The permits can be purchased online via RevTrak where you will fill out the application form or at the high school. If there are any questions or concerns regarding this policy please click here to see the board policy.
**To pick up purchased permits or to pay for citations please see HOLLY KEUNING: in the morning - main Office, in the afternoon - counseling office**
COUNSELORS' CORNER
Casey McMurray
Tammy Kaufman
NEWS FROM THE COUNSELORS...
Senior Etiquette Lunceon
On Friday, November 2 we held our Senior Etiquette Luncheon at the Iowa Culinary Institute at DMACC Ankeny Campus. Seniors were treated to a luncheon that included a preset salad, entree, side dish, and dessert. During the luncheon, students heard from the following speakers who addressed a variety of topics to help our seniors be prepared as they plan their post-secondary opportunity in the fall of 2019.
Tim Hauber - Iowa State University Senior Transfer Admissions Counselor
Alyssa Ploeger- DMACC Admission Counselor
Sara Bath - Iowa Workforce Development
THE FAFSA IS OPEN
The FAFSA is open! Don’t forget to get your FAFSA filled out to receive your financial aid for your post-secondary institution:
FAFSA Info- The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form opened on October 1 and it’s time to complete the FAFSA! Students must have applied and been accepted to receive a financial aid package from the school(s) they are interested in attending. The FAFSA form will be filled out using taxes from the 2017 tax year. The FAFSA form can be filled out at https://fafsa.gov. (This is a free service, so make sure you are on the correct website!)
Financial Aid Deadlines: Post-secondary institutions do have financial aid deadlines. The FAFSA must be filled out by the financial aid deadline to be eligible for financial aid. Please check out the following link to see the deadline(s) of the school(s) that your senior is applying to www.icansucceed.org/priority
SCHOLARSHIPS
It’s never to early to start looking for scholarships. Local scholarships will be available in February/March. We will put them on our school counseling website and communicate when new scholarships have been added.
Other places to look for scholarships:
-Colleges and universities that you’re applying too
-State of Iowa Scholarship Application at www.iowacollegeaid.gov
- ICAN’s website: www.icansucceed.org
Registration for Online Spring DMACC Classes
Registration for Spring Online DMACC Classes: Just a reminder that the deadline to sign up for the spring DMACC classes is Tuesday, November 20th. Registrations will not be accepted after that date. Students need to see their counselor for a registration form.
DMACC Discovery Days
We had the opportunity to take sophomores on two more Discover DMACC Days in the month of October! This is a great way for students to see programs that DMACC offers, as well as to check out different career pathways! In October, we attended the Ag & Bio Sciences Day and the Engineering Tech Day.
Freshman and Junior Meetings
All Freshmen met with Mrs. Kaufman during our Flex time the past couple of weeks and had an overview of the ICAN Freshman Transition Guide. They were all given a copy to bring home for you to look at. Click here if you’d like to look at it.
Juniors have been meeting with Mrs. Kaufman individually to discuss their plans for the remainder of high school and their plans for after graduation. We have talked about their credits and what they still need to graduate along with post-secondary options for their first year out of high school. Please feel free to look at your child’s transcript on Infinite Campus and discuss it with your child. Juniors who are planning on taking the ACT can use the Method Test Prep program that can be accessed through their Career Cruising account. Method Test Prep is free for all juniors to use and contains two full-length tests, as well as skill building and review in the content areas on the ACT.
UPCOMING DATES/EVENTS
Saturday, December 8 - ACT Test
Saturday, February 9 - ACT Test
Monday, April 8 - Friday, April 12 Iowa State Assessments of Student Progress
Saturday, April 13 - ACT Test (BFHS is a testing center)
Wednesday, May 8 - AP English Literature and Composition Test
Monday, May 13 - AP Biology Test
Tuesday, May 14 - AP Calculus Test
Wednesday, May 15 - Senior Awards Banquet
Sunday, May 19 - Graduation
RESOURCES WHEN IN NEED
FROM THE DESK OF MR. SADLER (SRO)
IOWA SCHOOL BUS LAWS
Kadyn’s Law: In 2012, the Iowa Legislature unanimously adopted Kadyn’s law. The law was in response to the death of 7-year-old, Kadyn Jade Halverson who was struck by a pickup and killed while trying to cross the road to board a school bus.
The driver of the pickup violated Iowa’s stop arm law, prohibiting drivers from passing a stopped school bus with the stop arms out or when the red or amber lights are flashing.
Kadyn’s law increased the criminal penalties for passing a stopped school bus and increased the license sanctions for these offenses. Under Kadyn’s law, an individual who is convicted of failing to stop for a school bus stop arm will be subjected to the following punishment for unlawful passing of a school bus under Iowa Code section 321.372(5)(b):
- First Offense: A fine of at least $250 but not more than $675, and/or imprisonment not to exceed 30 days, and a 30-day license suspension.
- Second Offense: (in five years) A fine of at least $315, but not more than $1,875, and/or imprisonment not to exceed one year, and a 90-day license suspension.
- Third Offense: (in five years) A fine of at least $315, but not more than $1,875, and/or imprisonment not to exceed one year, and a 180-day license suspension.
Other Serious Violations: Violations resulting in injury or death have increased fines and increased periods of suspension. Iowa Code § 321.482A.
- Serious Injury by Vehicle: A Class D felony, is punishable by up to five year’s imprisonment, a fine of at least $750 but not more than $7,500, surcharges and court costs and a one-year license suspension.
- Homicide by Vehicle while Intoxicated: A Class B Felony, is punishable by a mandatory 25 year’s imprisonment, fines, surcharges and court costs and a six-year license suspension.
- Homicide by Vehicle Reckless/Eluding: A Class C Felony, is punishable by up to 10 year’s imprisonment, a fine of at least $1,000 but not more than $10,000, surcharges and court costs and a one-year license suspension.
When traveling on a two or three lane road:
Approaching the bus from the rear: When you see flashing red or amber warning lights, you are NOT permitted to pass the school bus and should be prepared to stop. Stop behind the school bus when the school bus stops and the stop arm is extended. Stop no closer than 15 feet from the rear of the bus, and remain stopped until the stop arm is retracted and school bus starts moving again. Proceed with caution.
Meeting the bus from the front: When you see amber warning lights flashing you must slow your vehicle to no more than 20 mph and be prepared to stop. Stop in front of the school bus when the school bus stops and its stop arm is extended. Remain stopped until the stop arm is retracted. Proceed with caution.
When traveling on a road with two or more lanes in each direction:
Approaching the bus from the rear: When approaching from the rear, the rules are the same as for a two, or three lane road. When you see flashing red or amber warning lights, you are not permitted to pass the school bus and should be prepared to stop. Stop behind the school bus when the school bus stops and its stop arm is extended. Stop no closer than 15 feet from the rear of the bus, and remain stopped until the stop arm is retracted and school bus starts moving again. Proceed with caution.
Be prepared as a bus rider:
- Stop and look both ways before crossing a street.
- Make sure your bus driver can see you when you are crossing in front of the bus. If you can’t see the driver, the driver cannot see you.
- Never cross behind the bus.
- When getting on or off the bus, never cross the street until the bus driver signals it’s OK to cross.
- If you drop something near the bus, do not pick it up. Instead, tell the bus driver what you dropped, and let the driver instruct you on what to do.
This can happen anywhere:
KCCI news article involving Altoona student: https://www.kcci.com/article/shocking-video-serves-as-school-bus-safety-warning/6502572
KCCI news article involving Urbandale student: https://www.kcci.com/article/driver-nearly-hits-child-getting-off-bus/8522417
Additional news articles around Iowa: https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/update-teen-hurt-in-car-school-bus-crash/article_e22e1d4e-c643-5c95-825b-c7b4a196915e.html
http://www.schoolbusfleet.com/news/685411/iowa-school-bus-rear-ended-by-car
Resources:
https://iowadot.gov/schoolbus/highway-safety/requiredstopping
Check out the official athletics site of Bondurant-Farrar HS for recent updates and news:
Bondurant-Farrar High School
Email: garnasse@bfschools.org
Website: bfschools.org
Location: 1000 Grant Street North, Bondurant, IA, United States
Phone: (515) 957-8191
Twitter: @BFHS_News
It is the policy of the Bondurant-Farrar Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age (for employment), marital status (for programs), sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status (for programs) in its educational programs and its employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy please contact the district’s Equity Coordinator; Chad Carlson, Director of Administrative Services, 300 Garfield St SW, Bondurant, IA 50035, 515-967-7819, carlsonc@bfschools.org. -OR- Director of the Office for Civil Rights U.S. Department of Education, Citigroup Center, 500 W. Madison Street, Suite 1475, Chicago, IL 60661-7204, Telephone: (312) 730-1560, Facsimile: (312) 730-1576, Email: OCR.Chicago@ed.gov