STAR VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL " A Newsletter for Parents and Students" Fall 2010

Braves Bulletin
Welcome Back!
Inside This Issue: What’s New at SVHS
Page 2: A New Twist on the First Day & New Student Teachers Academics
Page 3: New Teachers
Page 4: New Courses and the Principal’s Message
Bravely
Activities preparing Relationships
for the
ever-
changing
world
Rigor Relevance

SVHS’s Vision: Bravely Preparing Students for the

the Ever-changing World through Rigor, Relevance,
and Relationships in Academics and Activities.

Students, teachers, and parents enjoy food, fun,

and football as part of the back-to-school Star Valley High School’s Mission Statement
celebration.
The mission of Star Valley High School and its
stakeholders is to provide a safe, secure, respectful, and
stimulating environment where all students will be
engaged in a rigorous, relevant curriculum.

Success will be measured through local, state, and

national testing. All students will be challenged to
become collaborative workers, effective
communicators, and critical thinkers with problem
solving skills.

Their development will be fostered by positive

relationships. All students will be guaranteed equal
access to available resources.

Upon graduation, they will demonstrate personal

accountability, become responsible citizens in a
democratic society, and be prepared for the challenges
of an ever-changing global society.

Instead of the “typical” back-to-school night, SVHS faculty

flipped 500 burgers and over 250 hot dogs and held two
scrimmage football games and a dance to greet parents and
students.
STAR VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL

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ACT Dates
Test Date Deadline Late Registration
October 23,, 2010 September 17, 2010 Sept. 18-Oct. 1, 2010
December 11, 2010 November 5, 2010 Nov. 6-19, 2010
February 12, 2011 January 7, 2011 Jan. 8-21, 2011
April 9, 2011 March 4, 2011 Mar. 5-18, 2011

School Code: 510000

Cost: $33.00 Late fee: $54.00
Plus Writing: $48.00

To register for the ACT and for more information, go to

www.actstudent.org

The First Assembly: A New Twist on the Rules

The first day of school was anything but business as usual. As the students came
into the high school, they walked on a red carpet, like stars. As the students
walked around the school, they saw every teacher sporting a Braves jersey. When Mr. Guild is in the “hood” with those “low riders.”
the students went to their lockers, they saw a personalized star and message from
the teachers. When they went into the opening assembly, the teachers did not
tell them the rules for the year. In a case of role reversal, the teachers showed the
students what to do and most importantly what not to do. Some of the staff
members at SVHS showed examples of immodest (yet still appropriately clad)
clothing, multiple piercings, public display of affection, food in the halls, etc.
Some of the examples of the inappropriate behavior included Mr. Guild sporting
“low riders”; Mr. and Mrs. Williams smooching on stage (pretending, of course);
Mrs. Day dawning multiple piercings, tattoos, and tri-colored hair; Mr. Lancaster
wearing some shredded jeans; and Coach Clark showing some cleavage. As the
teachers came onto the stage, the fashion blunders and inappropriate behaviors
were modeled, and the rules were made clear to the students. The result of this
comical yet didactic assembly has been that there have been fewer disciplinary
infractions this year. Mrs. Day is too colorful by the school’s standards.

New Student Teachers

Mr. Jake Rich Mrs. Julie Lewis

Mr. Rich grew up in Star Valley and graduated
from SVHS. He attended the University of
Wyoming and transferred to BYU-Idaho and
majored in Math Education with a minor in
Physical Education. He is student teaching
in the math department at SVHS. He is married
to JoAnnah and has a one-year-old son named
Kaden.
Mrs. Lewis is the mother of eight children: five Mrs. Christensen promptly escorts Coach Clark,
boys and three girls. She attended BYU-Ptovo
who is a complete fashion disaster, off the stage.
and studied Microbiology and Pre-med. She
then finished her Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in
Liberal Arts and is working on her Master’s MATH
Degree and teaching certification through
Grand Canyon University. She is student READING
teaching in the Language Arts Department

SVHS’s School Goals

Reading Goal: All Students will improve Math Goal: All students will improve in
in reading skills and in comprehension. math and in problem solving skills.
STAR VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
Mr. Jeremy Qualls
Mr. Qualls teaches English I
and English II; he is also an
assistant football coach. Mr.
Qualls earned his Bachelor’s
degree from the University of
Montana Western in Secondary
Education in 1998. He then
completed his Master’s degree
in Administration and
Supervision in 2008. He
taught English at Raft River
High School in Malta, Idaho,
for 12 years and coached
football, basketball, and track.
He and his wife, Sally, have four
children: Jake (15), Jaida (11),
Delaney (8), and Connor (2).
Mr. Jasper Howell
Mr. Howell was born and raised in
Montana. He attended Montana
State University, Bozeman, and
graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in
Biology. He then earned another
Bachelor’s Degree in Broadfield
Science. He taught in Boulder,
Stanford, and Libby, Montana, and
has been an activities director and
wrestling and football coach. He has
two children: Forest and Boston.
Mr. Howell is teaching Chemistry and
Physical Science.
New Teachers at SVHS
Mrs. Heather Mattson and Her Dogs
Mrs. Mattson grew up in Rigby, Idaho. She
attended BYU-Idaho where she earned a
Bachelor’s Degree in Social Studies
Education. She taught social studies and
coached track at Hillcrest High School for
five years. She is currently teaching special
education and working on her Master’s
Degree in Special Education. She likes to
cook, paint, and travel. Her husband is Mr.
Michael Mattson, who is a social studies
teacher at SVHS.
Mr. Tony Saras’s Children
Mr. Saras is currently in his 31st year
as an educator. He has taught in 10
different high schools throughout
Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming. He
graduated from Boise State
University in mathematics and
physical education. He has three
daughters--Linsey (28), Ally (18),
and Erin (31) and one son—Nick
(17). His wife, Mandy, is an
administrator for the Meridian
School District in Idaho. Mr. Saras
is teaching Algebra I and Geometry.
He is also the head coach for the
boys’ basketball team.
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Mr. Gary Dustin
Mr. Dustin teaches English III and English IV.
He has a Bachelor's Degree in English
Education from BYU-Idaho, and a Master’s
Degree in Applied Linguistics through the
University of Massachusetts in Boston. He and
his wife, Rebecca, have three kids: Garon (5),
Brisa (3), and Truper (1 1/2). Mr. Dustin enjoys
mountain biking, hiking, reading, and writing.
He has been living and teaching the last four
years in Rigby, Idaho.
Mr. Kory Hokanson
Mr. Hokanson graduated from SVHS. He
earned a degree in biology and chemistry
from BYU-Idaho and his teaching
certificate from Lewis-State College. He
taught in Powell, WY, for two years. He is
working on his Master’s Degree from the
University of Wyoming. He and his wife,
Cally, have two chldren: Bryant (3) and
Addalee (1). He enjoys fishing, hunting,
motor biking, camping, and riding horses.
Mr. Hokanson is teaching Biology and
Environmental Science.
 STAR VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL
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New Courses at SVHS Advanced Placement

Over the past years, SVHS has worked very hard
to help students to prepare for the “next step.”
The high school offers students the opportunity
to take a variety of vocational courses, to obtain
certifications in welding and nursing, and to earn
Senior Capstone 84 college credits in 18 different courses.
For the past few years,
Additionally, SVHS added another program: AP
members of SVHS’s
American History and AP U. S. Government.
Community Advisory Panel
These courses are designed to provide students
(CAP), which is comprised of
with the analytical and factual knowledge
stakeholders, such as business
necessary to deal critically with problems and
people and parents, have felt
issues in United States History. They are intended
strongly that the students
for students who wish to complete the equivalent
graduate with life skills.
to an introductory college American History and/
SVHS has several courses that
or United States Government course. At the end
teach life skills, like business
of the course, students can take the AP test and
and vocational educational
based upon the score can earn six college credits
courses; however, the CAP
per course.
suggested that students
graduate with practical skills
to help them function in a
competitive world. SVHS
faculty also felt strongly about
teaching personal “survival”
skills and working towards Seniors Capstone students participate in
the school’s mission community service.
statement: “Upon graduation,
they [students] will
demonstrate personal
accountability, become For more information on AP courses
responsible citizens in a or the Senior Capstone course or
democratic society, and be other opportunities to prepare for
prepared for the challenges of
college or the workplace, contact
an ever-changing global
society.” To this end, SVHS SVHS’s Counseling Office.
designed a new course, Senior
Capstone, and nearly all
seniors are taking the class,
which counts toward A Message from Principal Harris
graduation.
It’s  great  to  be  back  with  another  school  year  well  under  way.    We  are  off  to  a  great  start  
The course focuses on many and  have  a  wonderful  student  body  of  just  under  seven  hundred  students  this  year.    There  
life skills: appropriate work are  many  wonderful  activities,  clubs,  and  athletics  going  on,  and  we  hope  your  students  
etiquette, voting, jury duty, are  getting  involved  in  those  things  that  interest  them.    If  you  would  like  to  support  any  of  
citizenship, taxes, job skills, our  activities,  please  go  to  our  school  website  to  see  a  calendar  of  upcoming  events.    The  
resumes, interviews, web  address  is            http://www.svhs.lcsd2.org.  
contracts, budgeting, careers,
community service, personal For  those  of  you  who  may  be  without  medical  insurance,  we  received  our  flyers  for  
relationships, and more. student  insurance  after  the  registration  packets  were  mailed  in  August.    If  you  are  
interested  in  a  health  insurance  policy  for  your  student  the  flyers  are  available  in  the  main  
Senior Capstone is another office.    There  are  additional  state  insurance  programs  available  for  students  based  on  
way to help students “Bravely criteria  set  by  the  state.    If  you  would  like  more  information  about  these  programs,  please  
Prepare for the Ever- contact  the  counseling  or  main  offices  for  more  information.
Changing World.”
There  were  also  some  changes  to  Powerschool,  which  is  an  Internet-­‐based  attendance  and  
SVHS IS A BUSY, BUSY PLACE grade  program,  over  the  summer.    If  you  are  having  trouble  accessing  your  student’s  
grades  and  other  information,  please  call  the  counseling  center  or  the  main  office  for  
On most nights and weekends, the assistance  in  retrieving  your  log  in  information.
parking lot at SVHS is full of cars.
Go to We  are  still  waiting  for  our  PAWS  scores  to  be  returned,  and  we  will  share  those  with  you  
as  soon  as  they  become  available.      We  are  looking  forward  to  the  remainder  of  the  year.    
www.svhs.lcsd2.org Thanks  for  your  support  and  attendance  at  our  many  events  and  activities.
for events and activities.