BFHS Bluejay Beat
APRIL 2024
BONDURANT-FARRAR HIGH SCHOOL CORE VALUES
- Communicate and Collaborate Effectively
- Solve Problems
- Persevere
- Be Culturally and Socially Respectful
MESSAGE FROM MR. GARNASS
We hope everyone had a relaxing spring break and are ready for the home stretch to conclude the 2023-24 school year.
There are many events/activities happening between now and commencement (yes, commencement isn't far off...).
- Seniors and senior parents/guardians, were recently sent information regarding a timeline for events leading up to commencement on Sunday, May 19th.
We often hear the phrase, "Do The Right Thing."
One of the hardest things to do in life is to do the right thing. What you think is the right thing. Not what your friends, family, teachers, boss and society thinks is the right thing. What is the right thing? That's up to you to decide. Often you have a little voice in your head that tells you what the right thing is. Or a gut feeling. It might tell you to get up from the couch, stop eating those snacks and go to the gym instead. Sometimes you will put on your exercise clothes and go. Sometimes you will not.
When you see someone who is struggling either physically, emotionally, etc. Do the right thing. Stand up for that individual and support them through the issue(s) they face at that given moment. Don't take a back seat and "assume" everything will be ok... Be the difference that helps them through that very moment. Seek a trusted adult for assistance and support. Don't walk away or turn your shoulder because you don't want to get involved or don't want to seek help. Take a stance and HELP! Too many times friends don't stick up for others in times of desperate need. You can change that! "Just Do The Right Thing."
Academic Awards Recognition: We are looking forward to celebrating our Evening of Excellence recognition honoring students who have maintained a 3.5 cumulative GPA at the conclusion of semester 1. This will be on Wednesday, April 24th @ 6:30 in the auditorium.
We will recognize the following:
9th grade - 73 students
10th grade - 50 students
11th grade - 62 students
* 68 Seniors will be recognized during Senior Awards Night on May 15th.
Prom 2024
Will be Saturday, April 27th. Please see more information below and also an article from SRO, Deputy Schnur regarding information and statistics related to underage drinking.
LOOKING AHEAD...
Next Grade Post: is on Wednesday, April 24th.
We hope everyone enjoys the remaining days this month of April and we look forward to a great end to the school year. Be your best YOU!
Respectfully,
Erik Garnass
@erikgarnass
Follow us...
Facebook: BondurantFarrarHS
Twitter: @BF_HighSchool & @BlueJayNation
Website: bfschools.org
WHAT'S HAPPENING AT BFHS?
March Students of the Month
- Art: Coby Fiser (9)
- CTE: Lizzie Lappe (12) - Business
- Lang Arts: Rachel Anthofer (10)
- Math: Grace Zohn (11)
- Music: Caleb Street (10) - Band
- PE/Health: Lane Robinson (9)
- Science: Conner Hiatt (9)
- Social Studies: Sienna Lewis (11)
- World Language: Blake Myers (9)
The RANT
BFHS Musical
Join us for this year's Musical.
- April 12-13 (7:00 pm)
- April 14 (2:00 pm)
Tickets can be purchased using the link below:
https://my.hometownticketing.com/agency/80213d55-f163-4f97-836b-5ac5d848ba22
Post-Secondary Fair 2024
On Monday, March 25th, students in grades 8-11 had the opportunity to interact with colleges, apprenticeships, and military about what sort of training that they could pursue following high school. We had 30 different representatives on hand to engage the students in the conversations around what type of training they needed for their desired career pathway. This event is a part of a wider push from the high school and school district in general to have the students be more prepared to make choices about education, training, or apprenticeships following high school.
State Special Olympics
Congratulations to our Bluejay Athletes who recently competed in the Special Olympics Basketball Skills competition this past Saturday in Iowa City. They all advanced to this competition by placing first in their class at the area competition that was in West Des Moines this past January.
Pictured from L to R:
Zane Davis (HS) - 3rd place
Angel Looft (JH) - 6th place
Austin Fritzler (JH) - 7th place
Mia Fine (HS) - 5th place
Trista Jenks (HS) - 4th place
Additional Post-Season Honors
IHSSA State Speech
Construction Trades Progress
Some great progress happening at the construction home! Students are working diligently and continue to build great skills/trades for life… Mr. Hammes has 3 outstanding student groups working on this masterpiece. If you know of someone looking for a great home, this one is gorgeous!
State Archery Tournament Qualifiers
Bondurant-Farrar Activities Page
Check out the Bondurant-Farrar Activities homepage for the most up to date information:
NFHS Crisis Text Line
SAFE2DRIVE
Here's an exciting opportunity for your school to offer Driver Education to your students online. Safe2Drive’s Iowa Parent-Taught Driver Education course allows parents to teach their teens Driver Education in order to qualify for their driver’s license. The course consists of online coursework and an instruction manual for parents to teach the behind-the-wheel component of Driver Education to their teen. As of July 1st, the Parent-Taught Driver Education online course is no longer exclusive for families of homeschooled children but is available to any student who would otherwise qualify and who is currently attending a public school or accredited nonpublic school, or who is receiving homeschool education under chapter 299A.
If you’d like to offer your students Safe2Drive’s online course, we can provide you with a promo code for your students to get a discount on the course price, or we can pay you an affiliate fee for each student you refer—it’s up to you! This is a great way to provide a low-cost and convenient option for your students to fulfill their Driver Education requirement and get their driver’s license. Your school can even earn money while doing it!
So, what are you waiting for? Promo code: BFHS10
We look forward to working together to provide Iowa’s teens with the education they need to be safe on the road.
Sincerely,
Penny Beaty, Marketing Manager
Suggestion Box
Please fill out the fields below to outline the issue you want to address and a solution you think would be helpful. While not all suggestions may not be implemented, all will be reviewed and considered.
You can submit your suggestion and remain anonymous if you like.
You only need to submit your contact information IF you want to receive feedback regarding your suggestion.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Many of our families have utilized our electronic form to submit COVID-related questions and comments throughout the pandemic. Because of its success, we've created a new form to electronically submit GENERAL comments, questions, and concerns. This is in an effort to increase opportunities for two-way communication with district stakeholders. The link is referenced in this communication guide and can be found anytime in the footer of our website. Visit: www.bfschools.org/contactus
High School Counseling Department
Tammy Kaufman
Mrs. Kaufman is the high school counselor for all grades, last names , A-G
Her email is kaufmant@bfschools.org
Jacob Guenther
Mr. Guenther is the high school counselor for all grades, last names, H-O
His email is guentherj@bfschools.org
Casey McMurray
Mrs. McMurray is the high school counselor for all grades, last names, P-Z
Her email is mcmurrayc@bfschools.org
COUNSELORS CORNER
It’s hard to believe that May is right around the corner! Our last grade check before the end of the year is April 24th. Finish strong! With spring now here, and hopefully sunny and nice weather here to stay (no more snow), make sure you are taking the time to get outside and practice healthy self-care!
Scholarship Information:
All of the local scholarships are due this month! Please make sure you check out our website for a list of the local scholarships that are available for students to apply to! Students need to use the transcript request link on the high school website for all transcript needs. If you have any questions regarding scholarships, please see Mrs. McMurray or Mrs. Kaufman.
The online scholarship application will be closed at 3:30 P.M. on Friday, April 19th. All local online scholarship applications must be submitted by that time and date. Also, the paper applications due on April 19th, must also be turned into the school counseling office by 3:30 P.M.
Important Note on the Webb Scholarship Application- Due to delays with FAFSA processing, the Webb Scholarship deadline for the high school and music scholarship will now be due by Wednesday, May 15th. They will need to be postmarked by this due date. The FAFSA Submission Summary is required as part of this application. Students will be notified by mail if they have received a scholarship. These scholarships will not be announced at Senior Awards Night.
Also, the Certificate of Good Standing needs to be requested from Mr. Garnass by email. Please email him and tell him you need the Certificate of Good Standing for the Webb Scholarship. This needs to be requested from him by Friday, May 3rd.
Post-Secondary Planning Tidbits
Seniors will need to accept their financial aid packages from the institution they will be attending. Most likely this was emailed to the student or the student received an email to access the award letter on a college account if they have one already. If you have not received or accepted your financial aid package and need any help with that process, please reach out to your school or your school counselor.
May 1st is National Decision Day! Seniors should accept admission to the college they will attend by May 1st. However, due to delays in FAFSA reports this year, some colleges are extending the decision date to give families time to review their financial aid packages. We will still celebrate all our seniors' post-secondary plans on National Decision Day, Wednesday, May 1st. More details will be sent to seniors and parents later this month
Post-secondary institutions will receive a final transcript. The final semester of the senior year does count and colleges will look at grades and the cumulative GPA. If your senior has received a scholarship that is contingent on a cumulative GPA, it could be removed from the financial aid award if they no longer meet the requirements.
If you have any questions about upcoming senior activities or questions regarding post-secondary planning, please contact your student’s school counselor.
Keep checking the school website under national/state scholarships to see what else you might apply for.
Upcoming dates
April 1st- Prairie Meadows Scholarship due
April 19th-All Local Scholarships are due
May 1st- Post-Secondary Decision Day
May15th- Webb Scholarship must be postmarked
Project Recovery Iowa
7-12 School Social Worker
You can contact Mr. Hotek at hotekm@bfschools.org
RESOURCES WHEN IN NEED
REMINDERS
REMINDERS
Just a reminder of a couple things at the beginning of the new semester.
All Juniors need a second dose of the meningococcal vaccine to be able to return to school next fall. If you completed CPR during health 1, this completes the graduation requirement.
2) All incoming 9th graders need a dental screening.
3) All athletes need a sports physical prior to participation - this includes marching band, as well as cheerleading, dance and sports.
4) Finally, a reminder of the policy regarding medications at school (from the handbook)
No medications are to be carried during school hours by students nor stored in pockets, purses, school bags, lunch boxes, lockers, teacher desks, sports equipment bags, etc. The only exception would be with a physician’s written orders and a parent/guardian written authorization for a student to carry the medication with him/her for self-administration as necessary (ie. inhalers, diabetic supplies, emergency medications).
Students entering 12th grade next year
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Spring Break is a great time to get your child caught up on or AHEAD of all Iowa required and
recommended vaccines.
During the summer, back-to-school appointments and sports physicals fill up fast and your child
may not be able to see their provider in time.
Students who do not have proof of required vaccines on the first day of the 2024-2025 school
year, will not be allowed to start school. All students entering 12th grade next school year are
required to have proof of receiving a booster Meningitis vaccination, or alternatively, a valid
Medical or Religious Exemption Certificate on file with the school nurse before the first day of the
school year on August 23, 2024.
Hundreds of students have already been vaccinated and many more have scheduled their
appointments. Have you scheduled your child’s appointment yet?
Now is the time to make your child’s appointment to see their health care doctor or provider for
their required vaccines including the meningitis vaccine.
If you have questions regarding health insurance or do not have a doctor or medical home, please
reach out to your Polk County Health Department at the contact information below.
COUNTY OF POLK
Health Department
1907 Carpenter Avenue
Des Moines, Iowa 50314
Ph. 515.286.3798
Fax. 515.286.2033
SPORTS PHYSICALS
FROM THE DESK OF MR. SCHNUR (SRO)
Alcohol is the most widely used substance of abuse among America’s youth, and can pose enormous health and safety risks.
- The consequences of underage drinking can affect everyone, regardless of age or drinking status. We all can feel the effects of the aggressive behavior, property damage, injuries, violence, and deaths that can result from underage drinking.
Statistics:
- By age 15, about 35% of teens have consumed alcohol
- By age 18, about 68% of teens have consumed
- 52% of 10th graders believe it’s easy to obtain alcohol
- 8.7 million people aged 12-20 consumed alcohol in the past month
- 35% of high school students drank alcohol in the past 30 days
- People aged 12-20 drink 11% of all alcohol consumed
Underage Binge Drinking: On average, a teen drink’s more alcohol in a single sitting than adults do. The excitement of drinking, mixed with peer pressure and an overabundance of alcoholic beverages, can cause kids to drink excessively and get dangerously inebriated.
- What is binge drinking? Consuming an excessive amount over a short period of time.
- When does binge drinking typically occur? College and high school parties and social events.
Binge Drinking Stats:
- 1 in 6 teens binge drink
- Only 1% of parents believe their teen binge drinks
- 21% of high school students binge drank within the past 30 days
- 90% of alcohol consumed by teens involves binge drinking
- 210,000 ER visits are related to underage drinking
- 88,129 deaths in all ages are caused by excessive drinking each year
- 4,300 underage deaths are caused by excessive drinking each year
- 1,580 deaths from motor vehicle crashes average per year
- 1,269 from homicides average per year
- 245 from alcohol poisoning, falls, burns, and drowning average per year
- 492 from suicides average per year
Underage drinking and driving facts:
- Teens drink and drive approximately 2.4 million times a month
- 1 in 5 teen drivers involved in fatal crashes have alcohol in their system
- 85% of high school students who drink and drive say they binge drank
- In the past 30 days, 22% of high school students rode with a driver who’d been drinking
- Kids who start drinking young are 7 times more likely to be in an alcohol-related crash
Additional risks include:
- Impairs judgment: Drinking can lead to poor decisions about engaging in risky behavior, including drinking and driving, sexual activity (such as unprotected sex), and aggressive or violent behavior.
- Increases the risk of physical and sexual assault: Underage youth who drink are more likely to carry out or be the victim of a physical or sexual assault after drinking than others their age who do not drink.
- Can lead to other problems: Drinking may cause youth to have trouble in school or with the law. Drinking alcohol can also be associated with the use of other drugs.
Increases the risk of alcohol problems later in life: Research shows that people who start drinking before the age of 15 are 4 times more likely to meet the criteria for alcohol dependence at some point in their life.
- Interferes with brain development: Research shows that young people’s brains keep developing well into their 20s. Alcohol can alter this development, potentially affecting both brain structure and function. This may cause cognitive or learning problems and/or make the brain more prone to alcohol dependence.
Iowa Code:
Operating while intoxicated, Iowa Code 321J.2A: A person who is under the age of twenty-one shall not operate a motor vehicle while having an alcohol concentration of .02 or more.
First time offense with a BAC (blood alcohol concentration) level less than 0.08, minors will have their license suspended for six months and are not eligible for a temporary restricted license. For offenses involving a BAC of 0.08 or higher, punishments include license suspension as well as up to one year in prison, and a fine of up to $1,250. You will also need to complete a course for drinking drivers and undergo a substance abuse evaluation or treatment program.
Public intoxication, Iowa Code 123.46: A person shall not use or consume alcoholic liquor, wine, or beer upon the public streets or highways. A person shall not use or consume alcoholic liquor in any public place except premises covered by a liquor control license. A person shall not possess or consume alcoholic liquors, wine, or beer on public school property or while attending a public or private school-related function. A person shall not be intoxicated in a public place. A person shall not simulate intoxication in a public place. A first offense public intoxication charge is a simple misdemeanor, usually resulting in arrest and mandating a fine of $65 to $625 and up to 30 days in jail.
Why do teens drink?
As teens mature, it is natural for them to assert their independence, seek new challenges, and try taking risks. Underage drinking is a risk that attracts many developing adolescents and teens. Many want to try alcohol, but often do not fully recognize its effects on their health and behavior. Other reasons young people drink alcohol include:
- Peer pressure
- Increased independence
- Stress
In addition, many youths may have easy access to alcohol. 95.1% of teens reported that they got it for free the last time they drank. In many cases, youths have access to alcohol through family members, or find it at home.
The Role Parents Play
Parents and teachers can play a big role in shaping young people’s attitudes toward drinking. Parents in particular can have either a positive or negative influence.
Parents can help their children avoid alcohol problems by:
- Talking about the dangers of drinking
- Drinking responsibly, if they choose to drink
- Serving as positive role models in general
- Not making alcohol available
- Getting to know their children’s friends
- Having regular conversations about life in general
- Connecting with other parents about sending clear messages about the importance of not drinking alcohol
- Supervising all parties to make sure there is no alcohol
- Encouraging kids to participate in healthy and fun activities that do not involve alcohol
Resources:
https://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/UnderageDrinking/UnderageFact.htm
https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/teen-addiction/teen-drinking-stats/#gref
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