Monday, September 18, 2023

Highland Newsletter 9/18-9/23/23

                   HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER



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Dear Highland Parent, Student, and Ram Supporter,

CALENDARS                   
These calendars are continually updated and provide all the important academic and athletic/activities dates for the school year. Please look at them regularly for questions about calendar items. 

Highland Academic Calendar:

Highland Sports/Activities Calendar:

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HIGHLAND ATTENDANCE INTERVENTION

Students are expected to be in each class, in their seat, on time, ready to learn, every day.  Attendance is one of the most essential pieces in receiving an education and preparing students for future success in college and/or career. Not attending, or being late to class, results in missing valuable information and makes it extremely difficult for student learning to occur. 


A parent/guardian has 3 days to provide medical documentation to the school following a medical visit in order to verify the absence, otherwise the absence will remain coded as “absent.” 


Student Absences at the Secondary Level

Students are allowed 5 unexcused absences in a trimester without a consequence. On a student's 6th unexcused absence they will receive a truancy. Additional truancies will be issued for continued unexcused absences.


Attendance reports are reviewed at least once a week at which time truancies, the assigned consequences, and notifications are distributed. 


If a student is going to be absent for extenuating circumstances, please contact school administration in order to minimize the impact on the students education and to possibly avoid a truancy.  


Truancies and Assigned Consequences

Whether a student is found truant from a class or classes, has excessive absences leading to truancy, or has excessive tardies leading to truancy, the attendance issues will all be added together and result in the following consequences=


Truancy 1

Warning and notification given through email, and text from school administration of potential consequences for continued truancies.

Truancy 2

Warning and notification given through email, text and letter from school administration. A student conference with school administration is assigned to occur within 5 days of the assigned truancy and possible additional consequences may be assigned by school administration.

Truancy 3

Warning and notification given through email, text, and letter from school administration. A student conference is requested with the principal to occur within 5 days of the assigned truancy where a student appeal can be made. Possible additional consequences may also be assigned.

Truancy 4

Notification given through email, text, and letter from school administration. 

  • Possible student suspension from school.

  • Students 15 or younger will be referred to the School Resource Officer for a citation for habitual truancy and may receive additional consequences.  

  • Students 16 and older will lose credit and will be unenrolled from the class or classes in which they have 8 or more absences.

Truancy 4+

Notification given through email, text, and letter from school administration.

  • Possible student suspension from school.

  • Possible District Discipline Hearing. 

  • Possible Unenrollment. 


Appeal Process Due to Excessive Absences

If a parent/guardian and/or the student wish to appeal the consequences of a 4th truancy the following procedure applies:

  • The parent/guardian and/or the student has 5 school days from the date of the 3rd truancy to appeal the loss of credit and/or additional consequences due to excessive absences. They must contact and speak with a school administrator for an appeal. 

  • The criteria for an appeal to be considered includes:

    • The student has a passing grade in the class or classes in which they have excessive absences.

    • The student does not have any behavior requiring intervention from school administration since the 3rd truancy.


If the student requesting the appeal does not meet the criteria listed above, the student’s appeal will be denied and they will receive the consequences assigned to a 4th truancy. The parent/guardian and/or student can request an additional review from district administration if desired.


Make-Up Privileges

Regular daily attendance is expected for all high school students. Students will be expected to make up work missed as a result of absences, including school sponsored events. Time allowed for this is based on the number of days the student was absent plus one more school day. Teachers do have the discretion to extend the number of days allowed on a case by case basis. Make up work should be completed outside of instructional time. Students that are truant/suspended may only make up work at the discretion of the teacher and/or an administrator.

 

Finals

Students absent on the day of a final will receive a zero on the final. Requests to make up a final must be made within one school day. Requests will be granted at the discretion of the school administration. Taking a final at a different time than on finals days must be approved by school administration.  

 

Student Tardiness at the Secondary Level

Students who arrive late disrupt the learning environment of the classroom. Tardiness at the secondary level is a condition for which a student arrives less than 15 minutes after the start of class. Any student who is tardy beyond 15 minutes of class time may be reported as absent or truant. The Teacher and/or Attendance Clerk are responsible for monitoring and recording student tardiness. Beyond possible teacher consequences assigned for tardiness, every 5 tardies in a class period is considered a truancy.  

 

Corrective action for student tardiness is within the scope of student discipline. Should a student be under the jurisdiction of juvenile authorities, student tardiness shall be reported to the student’s probation officer. 

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GRADUATING CLASS OF 2024

Important Dates/Information Class of 2024
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1am68biO7NYd22Xk1FxyI81fp1zuy2uw4tHBzVPDJIdA/edit?usp=sharing

A Class of 2024 group photo will be taken on October 2nd at 10am at Highland High School Stadium.

Senior Photos for the yearbook are due before October 31st. 


Here is information about posting a bigger picture-quarter, half, or whole page in the yearbook to congratulate and celebrate your graduate...

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EXTRACURRICULAR'S
There is a Highland Cheerleading Clinic coming up September 22nd for all grades Pre-6th. Cost is $51 and includes cheer training, a sweatshirt, a headband, dinner, snacks, and fun prizes. They will then perform in Highland High School's Stadium. Go to the link and see the flyer below for more details and to register. 



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For those interested, there is a family sports pass that includes all home events for the school year, even football games! (Tournaments playoffs, state, and events at the other high schools in the district not included).

Family Passes are $250 for 2 adults and 4 children(14 and under)
                             $125 for 1 adult and 4 children(14 and under)

 Here are the individual costs of tickets for the 2022-23 school year:

Adults-$7.00
Visiting Students and Senior Citizens (60 & Older)-$5.00
Children 12 and under-$5.00
District Middle School Students w/Activity Card-$4.00
Children 5 and Under-Free
Senior Citizen Pass (60 or older)-Free

Student Activity Cards-$50 (good for entrance to all home games at all 3 high schools).

Please contact the school bursar with questions. 

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COLLEGE & CAREER ADVISORS

Dear Highland Students & Families,
It’s only the second full week of September, but we have been favorably impressed by
the senior students who have come forward to ask about college applications, financial
aid, and scholarships. Here is some advice, some information, and some college-
related events to mark your calendars.

College Applications: The Sequence of Events If you are applying to Idaho colleges and programs:
1) Apply.
2) Get admitted.
3) Apply for scholarships on their website (starting at about the start of the new
calendar year).

The no-cost platform with 10 Idaho colleges, career technical school and programs,
called Apply Idaho opens October 2nd.

If you are applying to Ivy League / selective colleges or BYU Provo / Hawaii:

1) Apply very soon. Each college has its own priority or early decision or hard
deadlines. The BYU Provo / Hawaii deadline is November 1st, no wiggle room.

2) Ivy League / selective colleges want to apply for admission and financial aid at
the same time. These schools have you complete the CSS Profile on the College
Board website (which is a real process).

3) In the spring you will learn about your admission status and your financial aid
award / package.

4) It will cost money to submit applications to these schools (you can always ask for
an application fee waiver) and to request official transcripts for your dual-credit
coursework.

If you are applying to out-of-state schools or programs:

1) It will often cost money to apply, but ask the CCAs if they have a fee waiver
(sometimes we do and sometimes we don’t).

2) Get admitted.

3) Apply for scholarships offered by that school or program, and then look for lots of
other money because your first year at an out-of-state school will be expensive.

In your second year, assuming you have fully established residency, you will be
eligible for in-state tuition.

If you are interested in the military service academies . . .

West Point, Annapolis, the Air Force Academy, the United State Merchant Marine
Academy. Students interested in applying and being considered for admission at any of these
distinguished academies have to start the process at the start of the junior year. Talk to
the CCAs for more information.

Training programs / apprenticeships / study or work abroad:
 Just ask the CCAs

Planning on a year or two of service after graduation:

 We still strongly encourage you to apply to colleges or training programs in your
senior year and complete a FAFSA before you leave.

The FAFSA

It is being revised, revamped, simplified.
Sigh.
It will not open until December or January, which will put the squeeze on our seniors
and families. But the CCAs will offer events this fall and in the new year to help students
and families get the FAFSA completed and submitted. The Idaho colleges and training
programs cannot award scholarships until the FAFSA is submitted.
Stay tuned for more information on this topic.

Scholarship Monies

We have had students inquire about scholarships before they have applied to any
colleges, which is putting the cart before the horse, a bit.
Students should think about scholarship money as a series of concentric circles. The
first and easiest money (if you have been a good and conscientious student) is found at
the schools to which you’ve been accepted; they want to entice you to come with
scholarship offers. The second grouping of money is offered by the state of Idaho and
by Idaho foundations / corporations / private scholarships. The third pot of money is
national scholarships, which you’ll see at websites like scholarships.com, FastWeb, etc.
In the national scholarship category, you will find lots and lots of money, but will also
face much more competition. It is entirely up to you how you go after scholarship
money, but schools have coffers of money for students – based on GPA, or instrument
played, or program of study, or hometown, or many other factors – that is waiting to be
tapped.

Also any scholarship money is a diminishing pot. The longer students wait to apply for
scholarships, the less likely that scholarship money will come their way . . . the state
only has so much money to give away, colleges and universities have a set scholarship
budget, and foundations (family, corporate, private) likewise have a set amount of
money designated for scholarships.

In terms of deadlines, please ask your college career advisors, but in general:

 Apply to the Idaho Opportunity Scholarship as soon as it opens (in October).
 Apply to institutions for their scholarships (for start date Fall 2024) beginning on
January 1st , 2024.
 Apply to private / corporate / national / foundation scholarships according to the
directions on their website.

College Visits ! ! ! Mark Your Calendars

Colleges are coming to call, so please mark your calendars and don’t miss these
opportunities.

PLEASE NOTE: Students who wish to attend such visits during the school day, have to
speak to their teachers ahead of time, ask nicely for permission to attend, turn in any
work due that day ahead of time, and return immediately to class if the visit concludes
or the student has had his or her questions answered. This is important. Students
cannot – and should not – assume that they will be excused from class if they have not
made arrangements ahead of time. And teachers reserve the right to not excuse
students from class.

University of Oregon
Native American student recruitment
Monday, September 18th
12 noon to 12:36 pm
CCA area, C-36

Boise State University
Friday, September 22nd
11:12 am to 12:27 pm (3 rd hour)
Room B-18 (Ms. Plato’s room)

Utah Tech University Admissions Open House
Formerly known as Dixie State
Tuesday, September 26th
6 to 8 pm
Media Center
Please see the CCAs about pre-registration and preparation.

University of Utah
Tuesday, October 17th
10 am
CCA area, C-36

That is enough for one Monday. Read in the weeks ahead about the new FAFSA, Apply
Idaho, dual-credit coursework, and all kinds of good stuff.

Alice Rowe
Sarah May Clarkson
College career advisors, C-36

Thank you for all your support! 

GO HIGHLAND RAMS!

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Highland High School Administration (208)237-1300
-Dr. Brad Wallace-Principal (wallacbr@sd25.us) phone ext.103
-Travis Bell-Assistant Principal/Athletic and Activities Director (belltr@sd25.us) phone ext.105
-Ed.S. Jena Wilcox-Assistant Principal (wilcoxje@sd25.us) phone ext.104
-Dr. Steve Morton-Assistant Principal (mortonst@sd25.us) phone ext.107

Bursar
-Shelley Huelsman (huelsms1@sd25.us) phone ext.106

Registrar
-Elaine Whitehead (whitehel@sd25.us) phone ext.114
-Katie Schwartz (schwarka@sd25.us) phone ext.111

Attendance
-Mindy Murphy (murphymi@sd25.us) phone ext.115

Counseling Center (208)237-1300
-Tami Romriell=students with last name A-D (romrieta@sd25.us) phone ext.131
-Christa Santos-Smith=students with last name E-K (santosch@sd25.us) phone ext.109
-Cali Baker(Department Chair)=students with last name L-R (bakerc1@sd25.us) phone ext.110
-Tricia Harvala=students with last name S-Z (harvaltr@sd25.us) phone ext.116
-Sarah May Clarkson=College & Career Advisor (clarkssa@sd25.us) phone ext.123
-Alice Rowe=College & Career Advisor (roweal@sd25.us) phone ext.236

School Psychologist
-Amy Holloway hollowam@sd25.us
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