HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
Trimester 2, 2023-24 School Year
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:
https://highlandrams.org/main/calendar?
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ACADEMIC PLANNING
Incoming Freshman will be participating in academic planning on Thursday 2/1 and Friday 2/2. On Monday 2/5/24, our current freshman, sophomores, and juniors will attend their homeroom during 1st period to participate in academic planning. They will not attend their usual 1st period class. Current Seniors will have the option of working with the College and Career Advisors during 1st period on Monday 2/5/24. They can work on scholarship applications, FAFSA, etc. Starting 2nd period, the rest of that school day will follow the normal schedule.
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AMERICAN LEGION GEM BOYS STATE
American Legion Gem Boys State application is open for junior boys. Boys State is a fast paced, hands-on experience that teaches Americanism and the political process. It is divided into mythical cities, counties and political parties and populated by the Boys State delegates. Boys participate in a mock government by participating in city responsibilities, running for political offices, and debating and passing legislation. Two boys from Idaho will be selected to participate as "senators" at Boys Nation in Washington D.C. Boys State will be held in Boise, Idaho from June 2-7, 2024 and there is a $100 fee for travel/room/board. Please see Mrs. Santos-Smith in the Counseling Center for an application.
Deadline to apply is March 15th.
COLLEGE & CAREER ADVISORS
Dear Highland Students & Families,
The days are getting longer. Can you see it, feel it? More daylight, more Vitamin D
energizes students and families to read below and take action.
Seniors: Monday, February 5th , Get Stuff Done Morning !
On Monday, February 5th , junior, sophomore, and first-year students will be doing
academic planning during 1 st hour / TA (8:32 to 9:55 am). We are offering a bonanza of
options for senior students to tick things off their to-do list. During that morning session,
we will offer the following:
FAFSA, scholarship help with the CCAs – great chance to really focus on these
important tasks.
Idaho LAUNCH’s Cassie Mansour will be here to explain the program, help
students start or finish their LAUNCH applications, describe the need for well-
trained workers pursuing in-demand jobs.
Bengal Bridge at ISU – A representative will be here to talk about Bengal
Bridge, a summer session offered to new high school graduates at a fabulous per
credit rate. It is a really good program.
Military representatives will also be here to discuss the many, and attractive,
options available to students through the armed services.
Seniors can get a whole lot of stuff done the morning of February 5 th , and I hope
you all will take advantage of this time to meet and talk with good people who are here
to assist and guide students about to head out into the world.
FSA ID – Please Get This Done !
We are going to sound like broken records, but any senior who plans to attend college
or training in the next couple of years, will need to create an FSA ID, which you have to
have in order to complete and submit a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student
Aid). The FAFSA is an evaluation of a family’s ability to contribute to the cost of a
college education; it is not a scholarship. The state of Idaho has a robust and generous
scholarship program, but it requires submission of the FAFSA. If for no other reason
(than a bundle of state money), we want to strongly strongly strongly encourage every
student and every family to create FSA IDs. Thank you.
FAFSA Night # 2 – Thursday, February 8 th
The first FAFSA Night (in January) was snowy and blustery. Even so, we had a good
number of families brave the weather and dive into the new FAFSA. The state of Idaho
scholarships (Idaho Opportunity, Governors Cup) have firm deadlines of March 1 st by
which the scholarship application AND the FAFSA have to be submitted. So don’t miss
this opportunity to have help, support, and pizza as you endeavor to get FAFSA done.
We will have experts and expertise aplenty: Highland CCAs, financial aid experts from
ISU, TRiO representatives, and other ISU staff who have been good enough to
volunteer their time to Highland and its students – no matter where you plan to attend.
We will have guest wifi available that night, so we hope students will bring their school
Chromebooks and family members will bring personal laptops. Here are items we want
to remind every family group to bring:
Your established FSA ID. Can’t begin your FAFSA without an already established FSA
ID (3 to 5 days AHEAD of FAFSA Night). Visit the CCAs with your Social Security
number and we can help you get this done before February 8 th .
School-issued Chromebook, fully charged. Parent / guardian are encouraged to bring
his or her own laptop; guest wifi will be available that night.
Fully charged cell phone for student and parent / guardian.
W-2s for 2022 tax year for parent / guardian and student (if applicable).
Tax documents for 2022 (for parent / guardian and student, if applicable). Not entirely
sure we will need full tax documents because of the new FAFSA, but it may be helpful
to have them.
We will gather in the Media Center, from 6 to 8 pm, on Thursday, February 8 th .
Please DO join us.
The new FAFSA is shorter and less tedious, but it is still new and can be glitchy. Rather
than find yourself frustrated at home, please plan to attend (student and parent /
guardian) on February 8 th , and we’ll be there as your safety net, support system, trouble-
shooters.
Scholarship Season . . . Is Now !
Seniors, please use January, February, March, and early April to apply to any and all
scholarships.
If you have applied to any of the Idaho State Scholarships (Idaho Opportunity,
Governors Cup) – just like we said above, you will have to have all the scholarship
application components AND your FAFSA submitted by March 1st to be considered.
Don’t miss out on these good dollars because you didn’t get your FAFSA in.
See the CCAs about the process and suggestions. You may need a recommendation
letter or two, you may need a short essay, and you might want to have a resume handy.
Let the CCAs be helpful.
Lewis Clark State College Rep Here – Tuesday, January 30th
Our admissions rep for Lewis Clark State College, Dylon Harrison, will be here next
week, Tuesday, January 30 th . This will be the time for interested students to get more
information about LCSC’s many programs, athletic teams, extra-curriculars, and more.
Lewis Clark has the lowest tuition of all the state colleges and universities, it gets you
out of town, the size is just right (~4,000 undergraduates), and you’d get to experience a
whole ‘nother part of the state.
OK, take that infusion of Vitamin D, mark your calendars, and accomplish things.
Your friendly neighborhood CCAs,
Alice Rowe
Sarah May Clarkson
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HIGHLAND CHEER SPONSORED SNOBALL DANCE
Tickets for the Highland Cheer sponsored annual Snoball Dance are on sale in the Bursar’s Office. The dance is Saturday, February 10th at Highland. $15 a person and $25 a couple. The theme is Barbie.
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HIGHLAND WRESTLING RAFFLE FOR CUSTOM HUX & GANDY BLACKSMITHING HUNTING HARDWARE/CUTLERY PACKAGE
For those interested in participating in a raffle that is a fundraiser for Highland Wrestling and provides a chance to win a custom Hux & Gandy Blacksmithing Hunting Hardware/Cutlery Package please contact head coach Kelly Moysh. There are 2 packages valued at over $200 and 3 packages valued at over $700. Tickets are $20 a piece and 6 tickets for $100. Moyshke@sd25.us The drawing will take place at Senior Night on February 8th at Highland High School.
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HIGHLAND LITTLE RAMS WRESTLING
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GRADUATING CLASS OF 2024
Order your cap and gown from the Herff Jones website at: https://highschool.herffjones.com/secom/school/ID/HIGHLAND%2BHIGH%2BSCHOOL/11000290000/0432/home?gradYear=2024
Important Dates/Information Class of 2024
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1am68biO7NYd22Xk1FxyI81fp1zuy2uw4tHBzVPDJIdA/edit?usp=sharing
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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-Ann Hilliard=students with last name L-R (hilliaca@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 (clarksa@sd25.us) phone ext.123
-Alice Rowe=College & Career Advisor (roweal@sd25.us) phone ext.236
School Psychologist
-Amy Holloway (hollowam@sd25.us)
