Our Indian Valley Schools
11-man football home game vs. Chester tonight at 7:00 pm.
Principal's Comment
We are so blessed in our valley to have individuals and organizations that give so much to the children of Indian Valley. There are so many exciting activities going on at our schools that the community is often not aware of such as the upcoming science, technology, engineering, and mathematics day (STEM) at Shasta Fairgrounds. One of the events that was just completed was due to our ongoing relationship with Sierra Institute. I asked Courtney Gomola of Sierra Institute to write about the amazing work of some our high school students. These students prepared for competition with the great support of Sierra Institute and specifically Courtney and retired GHS science teacher Travis Rubke who collaborates with the Institute on designing learning experiences for children.
Plumas County kids prove their mountain skills, take third in Forestry Challenge by Courtney Gomola.
During the last day of the 2016 Shasta Forestry Challenge, right before the results were revealed, a long-time professional forester stood and addressed the students. “All of you being here shows your dedication to becoming better people. You chose to spend your weekend here, learning new things and challenging yourself. You all give me hope about your generation and about our world.”*
These words reverberated the authentic tone of the entire event, which was characterized by hard work, dedication, and inspiring innovation from the students involved. The competition took place in Shingletown, CA September 28th through October 1st and involved 84 students from different 15 schools in testing their natural resource and forestry based knowledge and skills.
Six students from Plumas County, three from Greenville High School and three from Feather River College, were sponsored to attend the Forestry Challenge through the Plumas National Forest Fire Settlement Funds. These funds supported GHS travel, registration, and chaperoning as part of the Fire Restoration Partnership between Plumas Unified School District and the United States Forest Service. The team from Feather River College was supported jointly by FRC’s Environmental Studies Department and by the Plumas National Forest grant to Sierra Institute for Community and Environment, which also supported team training. Student participation in this event is part of the greater efforts by Sierra Institute, PUSD, and USFS to expand year-round opportunities for students related to public land stewardship and natural resources education.
The six students representing Plumas County included Shasta Banchio (senior), Sydney Bridgeman (sophomore), and Rachael Carroll (junior/senior) from Greenville High School, and Taylor Bruzza(second year), Theresa Caporale (second year), and Chandler Short (first year) from Feather River College. GHS students were recruited because of their experience with natural resources and interest in the environment. The FRC students are all alumni from Sierra Institute summer education and restoration program, PCREW, which provided them with many of the skills needed to participate in the event.
Both teams held their weight as they competed against schools with natural resource classes larger than the entire Junior/Senior High School in Greenville. In fact, this hard work paid off when Greenville High School was placed third among the 23 teams competing in this year’s event. Although, the FRC team was not able to receive a ranking, because they were representing a college, the three students worked hard as a team to provide a good representation of the college’s Environmental Studies Department.
The two teams of dedicated students took time out of their busy schedules to meet after school, between classes, and on weekends to prepare for the event. Sierra Institute’s Courtney Gomola and retired GHS science teacher Travis Rubke met with the students to practice taking forestry measurements such as tree height, diameter, and species compositions, and to learn about pertinent natural resource concerns like bark beetle infestations and high forest densities.
During the challenge Gomola reflected on the benefit of having both high school and college students at the event. She stated, “Each student brought with them their own suitcase of knowledge about forestry and natural resources. Taylor, Theresa, and Chandler are all extremely driven and talented individuals, and I loved having them there to show the high school students how they are blazing their own trails. The GHS girls are all very smart and passionate, and I’m excited to see how they take these experiences and carve their own paths forward.”
At the event, students worked within their teams to assess the condition of an even-aged forest managed by W.M. Beaty & Associates. They spent a day on the Thatcher Ranch site collecting data and interacting with natural resource professionals to inform their understanding of the 33 year-old pine plantations. Student teams then presented their thoughts on how to manage the site over the next ten years in a PowerPoint presentation to a panel of experts.
Additionally, the teams completed field training, followed by a field test, to assess their technical forestry knowledge and data collecting skills. This, combined with their presentation evaluations, earned GHS students a final score of third place out of the 23 teams, an exceptional finish after four days of hard work.
Theresa Caporale, a sophomore at Feather River College summed the event up as follows: “I enjoyed the chance to meet with the foresters who had so much to teach us and I liked learning more about the forest.” Or as Taylor Bruzza cheekily put it: “Forestry is the spice of life.”
* Paraphrase
Field Work
Sydney Bridgeman measures the diameter of a tree at Thatcher Ranch while Shasta Banchio records the data.
Day's End
Writing the Report
The GHS team spent long hours perfecting their presentation. From left: Sydney Bridgeman, Shasta Banchio, Rachael Carroll.
Home Football Game vs Chester
Don't miss this home game! Greenville will be playing 11 man football this week against Chester!
Friday, Oct 14, 2016, 07:00 PM
Greenville High Football Stadium
Greenville High HOMECOMING
Friday, October 21st:
Parade 11:40 am, Uptown Rally 12 pm,
Royal Court/Crowning 6:30 pm on Football Field
GHS Band, American Legion Veterans, and Rodeo Rider Flag Ceremony 6:50 pm
Game Starts at 7 pm.
Don’t miss these wonderful school and community events!
Halloween Carnival
Saturday, Oct 29, 2016, 04:00 PM
Greenville High Gym
Title VII Meeting
Please plan to attend this meeting of staff and parents working specifically to support our Native American students. Light refreshments provided.
Tuesday, Oct 18, 2016, 05:00 PM
Indian Valley Elementary School library
Pumpkin's for Sale
THANK YOU PARENTS!
We so appreciate all the parents that completed your child’s online registration this past week! All parents must complete this process and submit those very important Authorizations to allow Emergency Medical Treatment, etc.
We will have multiple computers available in the IVES office area during Parent-Conference Week and Mrs. Rubke will be available at all times to help you. If you have never used Online Registration please go to our District website at:
Choose Parent, then New Students Register Online and follow the on-screen prompts.We’re Collecting Baking Supplies!
During the month of October, IVES has partnered with Indian Valley Resource Center and Indian Valley YOUTH Summit to collect baking supplies. Youth Summit teens will be baking dessert breads for the Thanksgiving Baskets distributed to our community. We are accepting donations from Oct. 3rd-28th at IVES in the classrooms and the office.
PUSD Implementation of the California Healthy Youth Act
In January of 2016, California implemented a new law, the California Healthy Youth Act. In order to comply with this legislation, our health curriculum needs to be updated. Per Education Code, this needs to be taught once in junior high and once in high school. PUSD will be teaching this to 7th and 9th graders.
Two curriculums that meet state guidelines are being considered:
Positive Prevention Plus: http://www.positivepreventionplus.com/
Teen Talk (Middle School and High School): http://www.health-connected.org/our-curricula
The curriculum will be available for review at Greenville High from October 17th through the 21st.
Additional Information:
Video made by PUSD nurses: https://youtu.be/xYKiN-eULHE
Fast Facts about the California Healthy Youth Act: https://www.aclunc.org/docs/fast_facts_about_the_california_healthy_youth_act.pdf
For additional information please contact:
Kristy Warren
(530) 283-6500
Do You Have a Facebook Account?
Do you want to stay up to date on the activities and achievements of Plumas County Schools? Then make sure to follow the - Plumas Unified School District – Facebook to celebrate our students!
UPWARD BOUND PROGRAM at GHS
Upward Bound is a college prep program that helps you map out whatever plan you choose for college and takes you to college campuses to check them out before applying. Upward Bound advisor, Kerry Allan, walks participants through every step of college financial aid and scholarship applications their senior year. Students must be in 9th-11th grades, (sorry seniors). Pick up your application in the GHS office today!
High Sierra Parent Conference at FRC
Open to all Parents with Breakfast, Lunch, Child Care, and Goody bags provided. Parent Workshops and Community Resources available for families. Don’t miss this amazing community sponsored event!