BOISE HIGH INSIGHTS!
Committed to Excellence - since 1881
From the desk of Robb Thompson!
Dear Boise High Families:
I hope this note finds you well and enjoying the start of the 2017-2018 school year. August and September were packed with a number of academic and athletic events and activities. October and November will be equally as exciting, with the completion of fall sports, the school day PSAT for sophomores and juniors, senior pictures, parent-teacher conferences, the National College Fair, and the continued construction of the new Performing Arts Center and historic remodel of the 1936 Gymnasium.
Our Student Council put together a wonderful Homecoming Week experience for our student body. With the theme, “IdaHomecoming,” staff and students had many opportunities to don their creative outfits and participate in fun events that marked the start of another fun filled school year at Boise High School. We hope you and your student(s) were able to enjoy some of the excitement these exciting events, all of which were great fun. The week concluded with a wonderful Homecoming Dance; the gym was packed with approximately 900 students having a great time. We’re so proud of and thankful to our athletic teams, Student Council, parent volunteers, the Boise Police Department (parade) and all students and faculty who made IdaHomecoming one of the very best.
Now that the fun of Homecoming has passed, we turn our attention to other endeavors such as Red Ribbon Week, the school day administration of the PSAT, Senior Pictures, and parent-teacher conferences. Wednesday, October 11th, is the day of the PSAT for all of our sophomore and junior students. This day will be a late-start for seniors, who will use this opportunity to have senior pictures taken without interrupting class time; the schedule is included in this newsletter. Please encourage your student(s) to get a lot of rest and eat a nutritious breakfast so they are at their very best for the PSAT, an important academic milestone. Also please encourage your senior student(s) to follow the senior picture schedule that day (also included in the newsletter).
Please also remember to read the Brave Weekly and keep an eye on the Boise High Website and Calendar to remain informed of our many events and activities in October and November. All of our fall sports teams will be entering playoff season, and our musical groups and theater program will begin their concerts and performances. It will be a very busy couple of months as we complete the first quarter of the 2017-2018 school year and prepare for the holiday season.
Be sure to mark Monday, October 30th and Wednesday, November 1st on your calendars for Parent Teacher Conferences, which will run from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., in arena-style format. All conferences will be in the Frank Church Building and the main building. Because our teachers generally have at least 150 students, fitting in a conference for each student will always be a challenge, so we ask that parents keep the length of their conferences to 3-5 minutes’ maximum. Parent Teacher Conferences are designed for a brief, one-on-one discussion of your student’s progress, so if you have an issue that will take longer than that to discuss, please make an appointment with the instructor for a later date. We’re always happy to meet with parents who are advocates for their children’s educational success. We’ll send more details and reminders about Parent Teacher Conferences later this month.
We are also in the process of seeking parent, student and faculty feedback, as we work our way through our 100th accreditation cycle. We are really hoping to get at least a 20% response rate for our parent survey. If you have not already had the opportunity to take this brief survey, please do so at your earliest convenience. We value your feedback as we strive to make data informed decisions impacting our school and community.
I also wanted to take this opportunity to provide you with a brief update regarding the 2018-2019 Boise School District Calendar. Boise School District Administrators announced today that they have revised the proposed 2018-2019 school calendar to better meet the interests of parents, patrons, students and staff. The new proposal will preserve a later August school start date while still ending the first semester prior to the Winter Holiday Break. “The District’s Calendar Committee has developed a revised proposal that delays the start of school until later in August. It still meets the needs of our parents, students and staff who understand the value of ending the first semester prior to the Holiday Break.” said Dr. Don Coberly, Superintendent of the Boise School District.
District administrators are grateful to the parents, patrons, staff and students who actively engaged in the nearly six-month long conversation regarding the school calendar through face-to-face focus groups, online surveys and direct communications with district representatives. The proposed calendar will be presented to the Board of Trustees by Boise School District Administration on October 9th, 2017.
Calendar Highlights:
· August 20th: First Day of School – Early Release K-12
· October 19th: End of First Quarter – Elementary K-6 No School
· November 19th-23rd: Thanksgiving Holiday Break – No School K-12
· December 21st: End of First Semester – Early Release K-6
· December 24th- January 4th: Winter Holiday Break – No School K-12
· March 15th: End of Third Quarter – Early Release K-6
· March 18th – 22nd: Spring Break – No School K-12
· May 24th: Last Day of School – Early Release K-12
Our Brave Parents have already provided countless hours of volunteer time, a wonderful back to school luncheon, summer birthday cake and dedication which demonstrates they are supporting our students and faculty in numerous ways. As always, we are incredibly grateful for the support of our Brave Parents and the Boise Braves Parent Board. If you’d like to join and help this tremendous group, please contact our BBPB President, Tina Michael. It takes all of us—parents, patrons, staff, and students to keep Boise High “Committed to Excellence” and continuously moving forward while still preserving our many wonderful traditions. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to making the start of the school year so successful! We are incredibly fortunate to be a part of such a wonderful community. Remember – every day is a great day to be a Brave!
Warm Regards –
Robb Thompson
PSAT / SENIOR PICTURE DAY!
Grade 10 and 11 – PSAT testing.
-All 10th and 11th grade students should report to their assigned testing room by 8:10 am. All Buses will run on a normal schedule.
-There is NO eating in the PSAT testing rooms and drinks are allowed only during the breaks
-Phones must be turned off and put away during the testing time from 8:10 am until the final collection of materials.
-Lunch will be served from 12:10 pm -12:50 pm
-See PSAT Schedule below for 10th and 11th grade students.
Grade 12 – Senior Picture Day
Seniors need to report to the Gym according to the schedule below. Once a student has completed their Senior Picture they will return to school for first period which will start at 12:50 pm.
-A Study Hall will be available in the lunch room from 8:10 am – 12:10 pm for students wanting to remain on campus.
-Lunch will be served from 12:10 - 12:50 pm
*Please Note: Students will not attend Tech Center classes this day.
*The library will be closed until 12:10 pm.
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Testing Schedule - 10th and 11th grade
8:10 - 8:20 - 10 min Students report to Testing Rooms
8:20 - 9:05 - 45 min Pre-Administration Students Report at: Last Name Counselor
9:05-10:05 - 60 min Reading
10:05 - 10:10 - 5 min Break
10:10 - 10:45 - 35 min English
10:45 - 11:10 - 25 min Math (No Calculator)
11:10 - 11:15 - 5 min Break
11:15 - 12:00 - 45 min Math (With Calculator)
12:00-12:10 - 10 min Collection of materials
12:10 - 12:50 - 40 min Lunch
Senior Pictures - Seniors Schedule
Morning - Senior Pictures - Report to the Gym
Report Time- Name - Counselor
8:45 - A - Fe - Showalter
9:30 - Fi - Le - Robison
10:15 - Li - Ri - Blick Choate
11:00 - Ro - Z - Mundy
ALL GRADES - Afternoon Schedule - attendance will be taken
12:50 - 1:06 -16 min - 1st Period
1:10 - 1:26 - 16 min -2nd Period
1:30 - 1:46 -16 min -3rd Period
1:50 - 2:06 - 16 min - 4th Period
2:10 - 2:26 -16 min - 5th Period
2:30 - 2:46 - 16 min - 6th Period
2:50 - 3:06 -16 min -7th Period
Important Emergency Protocol from the District!
September 2017
Dear Boise High Parent/Guardian:
In light of the recent school shooting that happened near Spokane, WA, please understand that each school in the Boise School District has an Emergency Response Plan that has been carefully developed. If there is an emergency at your child’s school, your cooperation is necessary to help us respond effectively to such situations.
In the event of an emergency, please help us by doing the following:
● Please do not call and do not go to the school.
○ In an emergency, onsite staff are focused solely on getting everyone to a safe location. Showing up to the site can create unnecessary traffic, preventing emergency vehicles from responding quickly. You could also put yourself or others in danger.
○ If you get a call or text from your student, help him or her remain calm. Remind your student that school staff know what to do in an emergency situation, and will work to keep everyone safe.
○ Please know we will communicate with parents/guardians about reunifying you with your child and that this reunification site may not be at the school.
● Check the Boise School District homepage at www.boiseschools.org, the District Facebook page or our Twitter feed.
○ We will provide credible, accurate and useful information to the public as soon as possible. Please be aware that Information received from sources other than the school administrator or Boise School District may be inaccurate.
○ Expect to see our posts updated as necessary. We will also provide updates to local news media, but emergency situations can change rapidly. Typically, multiple agencies are involved, so communication is coordinated through the “lead agency,” which may cause a delay in notification.
● Sign-Up for Emergency Text Messaging:
○ We will use our emergency text notification system to contact parents and guardians. Please make sure your emergency contact information is always up to date at your child's school.
○ Parent/guardians whose contact information is on file with your child’s school may sign-up for emergency text messaging.
1. Simply text SUBSCRIBE to the number 68453. You'll know you were successful if you receive the following reply message in English:
a. “You're now registered with School Messenger notification service. Reply STOP to cancel, HELP for help. Msg&data rates may apply.”
2. Repeat the opt-in process for any wireless numbers that you wish to include.
3. In addition to performing the opt-in process above, please ensure that the District has your wireless number(s) in our student information database. If you haven't already provided that information to your school please contact them as soon as possible.
● Non-parents may receive emergency text messages by downloading the Boise School District’s Mobile app. The app is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
● Familiarize yourself with the terms used during emergency situations:
○ Modified Lockdown: Used to secure the building from a potential threat outside the building, such as when an unauthorized person is loitering on school grounds or when there is criminal activity in the neighborhood. Exterior doors are locked, but normal activities continue inside the building.
○ Lockdown: Used when there is a perceived danger inside the building. Doors are locked, windows are closed and locked, blinds are closed. People are directed to move away from windows and doors. Hallways are cleared of students and school staff.
○ Evacuation: When students and staff are moved out of the building to a pre-designated safe location.
○ Shelter-in-place: Used during severe weather or other environmental threats (e.g., air contamination due to a local fire) to keep people safe while remaining indoors.
○ Reunification Site: An alternative site other than the school where school administrators will check-out students to the child’s parent/guardian. Students will only be released to authorized parents/guardians with proper identification (e.g. driver’s license, state identification, etc.)
All Boise School District staff members, parents, students and community members are encouraged to report anything they see, hear or are made aware of that may impact a school or school program. If you see or hear something, say something: call 911 or Boise Police Department at 208-343-COPS.
Please discuss these matters with your immediate family. Planning ahead will help alleviate concern during emergencies. Thank you in advance for following these steps to ensure our students, staff members and public remain safe and secure.
Best Regards –
Robb Thompson
Principal
Boise High School
Upcoming College/Career Center Events!
From the desk of David Chehey -
Take a look at what our College/Career Center has to offer at the link below!
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6IqZ6bB5u68R01POGp2SmtuLWM/view?usp=sharing
The Apply Idaho feature is up and running: https://nextsteps.idaho.gov/resources/apply-idaho/, which allows Idaho seniors to submit applications to any or all eight of Idaho’s public colleges and universities at one time, without paying any application fees.
Three upcoming events for parents/students to put on your calendar -- while mainly pertaining to seniors, they are open to all grade levels [particularly the "selective colleges" and "student athlete" sessions]:
- FAFSA/Financial Aid Night -- Thurs, Oct 12th, 6-7:30 pm, Boise High Library. This will be a detailed presentation on how financial aid works, scholarships, FASFA info, and then helping families with the FAFSA. More details will be sent out as there are some tasks and documents that would be helpful to gather if you plan to attend. The FAFSA website itself [fafsa.ed.gov] goes live on Oct 1st.
- "Highly Selective Colleges" -- Thurs, Oct 19th, 6-7:30 pm, Boise High Auditorium. Peter Wilson, Deputy Dean of Admission at the University of Chicago [who happens to be a personal friend of mine that I gently 'coerced' into visiting Boise!] will discuss all aspects of applying to a highly selective institution, including: holistic review, academic and extracurricular activities, course selection, essays, interviews, and financial aid. This will be a unique/interesting opportunity to hear from an experienced admissions counselor, as Peter concludes an entire day spent at Boise High speaking with students and staff.
- NCAA, NAIA, Student Athletes -- Tues, Nov 14th, 6-7:30 pm, @ Timberline High School. We will partner up with Step Ahead Idaho and Timberline parents & students for an informative panel discussion/advice on issues around recruitment, scholarships, Division I, II, III, etc.
The PSAT will be administered to all juniors and sophomores on Weds, Oct 11th. Students will get a PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide with detailed instructions, test-taking advice and tips, National Merit info, and an official practice test, in their English class.
The BOISE NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR will be held on Weds, Nov 1st at Expo Idaho, from 9 am to 2 pm and 6 pm to 8 pm. We will transport the entire junior class for a few hours that morning in order for them to visit well over 100 colleges and universities. Please consider attending the evening session if you'd like to go as a family.
Students can log on to their Naviance/Family Connection account for list/schedule of college (and military) representatives visiting Boise High, college searches, career planning, scholarships, etc. at http://connection.naviance.com/boisehs [user name: email address, password: student ID#].
BOISE HIGH PERFORMING ARTS!
Sept. 30th - Caldwell Competition at Caldwell HS - 2:50pm
Oct. 7th - Kuna Competition at Kuna HS - 1:40pm
Oct 21st - Treasure Valley at Ridgeview HS - TBA
Oct 28th - DIII Band Competition at BSU - TBA
CHOIR
Oct. 24th - Fall Concert at The Cathedral of the Rockies - 7:00pm
ORCHESTRA
Oct. 25th - Halloween Concert at Timberline HS - 7:00pm
WASHINGTON STREET PLAYERS
2017 Opening Show
"Murder In The Family"
Oct 18th, 20th, 21st, 23rd, 27th, & 28th - 7:00pm
THE TRADITION CONTINUES - HOMECOMING 2017!
PLAYER / TEACHER JERSEY DAY!
Into the Water - by Paula Hawkins
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A single mother turns up dead at the bottom of the river that runs through town. Earlier in the summer, a vulnerable teenage girl met the same fate. They are not the first women lost to these dark waters, but their deaths disturb the river and its history, dredging up secrets long submerged.
With the same propulsive writing and acute understanding of human instincts that captivated millions of readers around the world in her explosive debut thriller, The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins delivers an urgent, twisting, deeply satisfying read that hinges on the deceptiveness of emotion and memory, as well as the devastating ways that the past can reach a long arm into the present.
Beware a calm surface—you never know what lies beneath.
The Tea Girl of Humming Bird Land - by Lisa See
A thrilling new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa See explores the lives of a Chinese mother and her daughter who has been adopted by an American couple.
Li-yan and her family align their lives around the seasons and the farming of tea. There is ritual and routine, and it has been ever thus for generations. Then one day a jeep appears at the village gate—the first automobile any of them have seen—and a stranger arrives.
A powerful story about a family, separated by circumstances, culture, and distance, Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane paints an unforgettable portrait of a little known region and its people and celebrates the bond that connects mothers and daughters.
Killers of the Flower Moon - By David Grann
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - LONGLISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD
"Disturbing and riveting...It will sear your soul." —Dave Eggers, New York Times Book Review
From New Yorker staff writer David Grann, #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Lost City of Z, a twisting, haunting true-life murder mystery about one of the most monstrous crimes in American history.
WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE!
They are pictured with Meredith Walker who is the director of Amy Poehler's organization, Smart Girls.
Their tuition was paid for by HP and the Andrus Center. They each have recessional mentors to guide them throughout the program to help empower them as current and future leaders and introduce them to amazing women!
IMPORTANT NUMBERS TO REMEMBER!
MAIN OFFICE - 208-854-4270 or
NURSE - 208-854-4282 or mailto:chanel.johnson@boiseschools.org
COUNSELORS - 208-854-4283 or mailto:kathy.leasure@boiseschools.org
A - Fe -mailto:dayna.showalter@boiseschools.org
Fi - Le - mailto:angel.robison@boiseschools.org
Li - Ri - mailto:geianne.blickchoate@boiseschools.org
Ro - Z - mailto:laura.mundy@boiseschools.org
REGISTRAR - 208-854-4288 or mailto:cindy.whipple@boiseschools.org
"If you have a student who needs transcripts PRIOR to 2018 - please go to http://parchment.com
BOISE BRAVE SPORTS!!
The Fall Braves Sports Season at Boise High School is in full swing and tournaments start very soon!!!
Girls’ Soccer team is currently in 4th place and sitting on a 6-2-2 record for the season and 5-0-2 in conference play. They will play in the District Tournament at Eagle/Meridian HS’s starting on Thursday, Oct. 5th for play-in games and Oct. 7th for the first round of Districts. Updated brackets will be on the BHS webpage as soon as they are available.
Boys’ Soccer team is having a great season and is going into district play seeded in1st place. Their record for the season is 9-1-1 and 7-1-0 in conference play. They will start their district tourney on Oct. 5th at Rocky Mountain/Meridian HS’s for play-in games and Oct. 7th for the first round of Districts. Updated brackets will be on the BHS webpage as soon as they are available.
Braves Football team started is working very hard and improving each week. They are entering their 6th game of the season against Meridian this week and will finish out their season home games against Capital and Nampa with an away game against Columbia in the middle.
Girls’ Volleyball team has been spiking it hard and has a 3-6 record so far and is 3-3 in conference play. They have five regular season games remaining and the Rocky Mountain Tourney before district tourney begins. They will start districts on Oct. 14th at Borah High School.
Girls’ and Boys’ Cross Country teams have had a ton of success and will be heading to the Sun Fair Invitaional in Yakima, Wa and the Boise City Race on Oct. 12th at Ann Morrison Park and the district race at Eagle Island State Park on Oct. 20th.
Girls’ and Boys’ Swim Teams are crushing their opponents and are having a wonderful season. They will compete in their final two regular season meets and then their District tournament on Tuesday, October 24th at The West YMCA. State swimming will be the 3rd and 4th of November at the West YMCA.
Please check the Brave Weekly for updates on all sporting events.
If you have any questions, please call 854-4329.
Tracy Leinen
Athletic Director
“It’s A Great Day To Be A BRAVE!!”
From our ATHLETIC TRAINER!
Parents please be sure to get SportsWare forms complete and physicals turned in before tryouts. Girls' Basketball is October 30, Boys' Basketball is November 10, and Wrestling is November 13.
If you are brand new to this process, instructions can be found here:
http://boise.boiseschools.org/common/pages/DisplayFile.aspx?itemId=26901143
If you completed this online process for your child last year, then you will need to renew the information this year. You can use the same username (email) and password you used before. If you don't remember your password, you can reset it yourself by following the instructions on www.swol123.net. If you already completed the information for your child this year for a fall sport, you do not need to redo it.
As always, please don't hesitate to ask questions! nikki.clark@boiseschools.org
Nikki Clark-Vega
Athletic Trainer
208-854-4304
Athletic Treatment Facility (room 108C)
BOISE HIGH CHEERLEADERS!
LADY BRAVES BASKETBALL!
SUPPORT BOISE GIRLS AND BOYS BASKETBALL WITH UPCOMING IMPORTANT EVENTS:
Stay Healthy by Getting Your Flu Shot @ Primary Health!
This program is very simple and can be a win-win for all involved.
Step One: Pick up one of the Brave Basketball Primary Health postcards connected to the flu shot program. These will be readily available in the Boise High Main Office and on hand at most upcoming events.
Step Two: Take your Brave Basketball Primary Health postcard to any Primary Health location in the Treasure Valley and give that card to the folks when you arrive to get your flu shot.
Step Three: Get your flu shot (ouch - but well worth it!)
If you follow these three simple steps, Primary Health will donate $5 to Boise High Girls and Boys Basketball. I know what you're thinking ... what's the catch, right? There literally is no catch. Most private insurers cover the cost for flu shots so they are either free or are typically a nominal fee. Our program will receive that $5 kickback on everyone who presents the card with the exception of folks who are on Medicare or Medicaid.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12TH - SAVE THE DATE TO HELP YOUR LADY BRAVES!
Please mark your calendars for Thursday, October 12th for a Title Nine Back to School Sports Night supporting Lady Brave Basketball! Title Nine is extending its business hours to 10am-8pm on October 12th and will donate 9% of all sales directly to Boise High Girls Basketball! This event is a great opportunity to stock up on quality girls & women's apparel or even do some early holiday shopping. Please consider stopping by on the 12th to support your Lady Braves!
BRAVE SPORTS CALENDAR
Email: tracy.leinen@boiseschools.org
Website: https://boise.boiseschools.org/cms/one.aspx?portalid=517993&pageid=2189241
Location: 1010 W. Washington Street, Boise, ID, United States
Phone: 208-854-4329