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Important Notice! Registration

Posted August 10th, 2010

TVMSC's Intent to Return/Intent to Enroll Process

The TVMSC process for returning students to indicate their 'Intent to Return' or for new students to indicate their 'Intent to Enroll' is completed when each family submits to the TVMSC office the appropriate form for their child (linked below). Students who have maintained 'C' grades or better in the program are automatically allowed to continue into the next school year.  They do not reapply for subsequent years. To reserve their space for the 2010 - 2011 school year, current and returning students need to submit an 'Intent to Return' form indicating the time of day they wish to be at TVMSC and their course choices, as appropriate for their level.

Intent to Return form for students who will be in 7th - 9th cohorts in 2010 - 2011.
Intent to Return form for students who will be in 10th - 12th cohorts in 2010 - 2011.

Students who have taken a year off from TVMSC and who wish to return may also submit an Intent to Return form in addition to their current year's report card.  If they exited in good standing and have maintained appropriate performance in their other school, they are able to automatically transition back into the Center.

Linked for reference is the 2010 - 2011 Course Schedule for TVMSC's classes.  Please note that there are three separate instructional blocks: AM (7:40 - 10:05), High School Mid-day (10:15 - 12:05) and PM (11:40 - 2:05) daily.  These are identified within the top row of the schedule.

Students who have been accepted into TVMSC will submit the 'Intent to Enroll' form to the TVMSC office.  Those students who were given a 'Conditional Invitation' to join TVMSC and who have strengthened their mathematics background over the summer as requested may also now submit the 'Intent to Enroll' form.

Intent to Enroll for students entering the 7th - 9th cohort levels in 2010 - 2011.
Intent to Enroll for students entering the 10th - 12th cohort levels in 2010 - 2011.

If you have questions or concerns about this process, please call or e-mail our office after August 2nd for assistance.

Posted July 21st, 2010

TVMSC's Supply List for 2010 - 2011

Important Partnership Update

It is with great pleasure that TVMSC continues to partner with Boise State University!

TVMSC's students who take the Center's 'Introduction to Engineering' course may apply for Concurrent Credit with Boise State University for Fall 2010-11. This course meets the requirements for ENGR 120 within BSU's College of Engineering (COEN) and will carry 3 credits

In support of this course, faculty of BSU's College of Engineering:

1. Will invite students in the TVMSC class to the BSU campus to participate in relevant events.
2. Will have BSU professors from each engineering departments within the college visit the TVMSC class to provide an overview of their discipline.

TVMSC's students who take the Center's Discrete Mathematics course may also apply for college credit. Discrete Math will carry Concurrent Credit through Boise State University's Mathematics Department for 4 credits (Math 187).

BSU's registration deadline will be in October. The procedure for registering to receive college credit for either or both of these courses through Boise State University will be explained at TVMSC's Back to School Night/Open House on the evening of September 23rd.

Posted July 21st, 2010

Commonly asked questions about TVMSC

• TVMSC is a school of choice for public, private, charter or home schooled students from throughout the Treasure Valley.
• Students who attend TVMSC are bused to and from their home schools in Boise and Meridian Districts.
• There is no tuition or cost associated with being a student in TVMSC. This is a public school program that is offered within Boise Independent School District.
• There is no cost associated with screening for consideration to enter TVMSC, however the scores from the screening will be used for the Student Selection process only. The scores will not be mailed home or shared from the screening as TVMSC covers all costs associated with testing and scoring these assessments.
• Students must have completed the equivalent of Accelerated Math 7 or a school year of Pre-Algebra before entering the program, as the first math course they enter is Accelerated Algebra 1 (with additional trigonometry). This course requires a thorough understanding of pre-algebra.
• All cohort levels in TVMSC are multi-aged. Students are placed in their cohort based upon their academic needs in mathematics. Cohort levels are not grade levels!
• If students have not completed or mastered pre-algebra at the time that they are screened, they have the option of attending TVMSC's Summer School program to take the Pre-Algebra/ Accelerated Math 7 course.
• Students who enter the TVMSC program at the 8th grade cohort level or higher will be placed into the mathematics course that is appropriate for building upon their current math background.
• Students spend half their school day at TVMSC and the other half of their school day at the school of their choice for the remainder of their classes.
• Students only need to go through the screening process once in order to qualify for entrance into TVMSC. As long as students maintain acceptable academic standards each semester, they do not need to reapply to continue with the program.
• Students may enter TVMSC as soon as they are ready for Accelerated Algebra 1 (regardless of their age or their grade in their original school). They may remain in the program until they graduate from high school, as long as acceptable academic standards are maintained.
• Students who have left TVMSC with acceptable grades in their last year while in the program are able to re-enter TVMSC by contacting our office. (854-6802)  They will need to provide the center with a copy of their transcript or report card showing the courses they have taken and grades earned while out of the program.

Posted July 21st, 2010

Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, Inc. donation for TVMSC!

On behalf of the Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center, I would like to express our most sincere appreciation for the generous donation of $20,000.00 offered by the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, Inc. in July, 2009 to support the educational efforts of our program during the 2009 – 2010 school year. Of these funds, $15,000 is designated to provide support for the implementation and offering of two new Engineering and Medical Professions courses in the TVMSC program. A further $5,000 is designated to provide support for the Boise School District FIRST Robotics team, 'Team Tators'. This will be TVMSC's third year as the sponsor school for 'Team Tators.'

The funds provided by this grant will support:

-acquiring and replenishing kits, consumables and broken glassware in the labs used by the PreEngineering and Introduction to Medical Professions courses.
- the purchase of anatomical models for the 'Introduction to Medical Professions' course.
- the purchase of science equipment and materials for labs in forensics, genetics, pharmacology, immunology and engineering

-'Team Tators,' the Boise School District FIRST Robotics team in designing, building, testing, and improving their robot. The grant will also help transport the team and 'Tator Bot' to nearby FIRST Robotics Regional Competitions in Spring 2010.

In July 2008, the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, Inc. awarded TVMSC a grant in the amount of $20,000 to support TVMSC's program. This generous donation assisted TVMSC in acquiring equipment, materials and lab supplies for environmental science, biology, chemistry and physics. The donation also supported TVMSC's summer program, enabling the Center to offer valuable preparatory and study skills classes to incoming and current students. The grant further supported TVMSC's teachers in acquiring valuable professional development opportunities. The donation by the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, Inc. also enabled TVMSC's student to participate in mathematics and science competitions and to travel to locations in order to conduct valuable field research.

In July 2008, the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, Inc. donated a further $5,000 for use by 'Team Tators,' the Boise School District FIRST Robotics team. This supported the team in designing, building, testing and improving their robot. It also provided valuable support for getting the team and 'Tator Bot,' their robot over to the FIRST Regional Competitions during spring 2009.

In August 2007, Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, Inc. also awarded TVMSC a grant in the amount of $25,000 in support for continuing with the planned expansion of the Center. These funds were for use by the Center to renovate and outfit the new TVMSC science lab for the new Capital High location.

This followed the initial $20,000 donation from the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, Inc. to the Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center in Fall, 2006 which supported teacher training, acquisition of equipment and materials, as well as funding for summer classes and community outreach events offered through the Center.

The support provided by the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, Inc. has greatly expanded the opportunities that the Center is able to provide for the students in the program. In turn, these funds have also enabled the Center to provide quality outreach programs back to the community, which further benefit our students, our staff and our guests from across the Treasure Valley who attend these events.

The Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center sincerely appreciates the continued support for our program that has been provided by the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, Inc.

Posted September 17th, 2009

TVMSC Students To Travel for Chess Championships

Luke Harmon-Vellotti, is currently a student in the Treasure Valley Math and Science Center's 9th grade cohort. He was invited to be the U.S. delegate to participate in the 2009 World Youth Chess Championships held in Vung Tao, Vietnam in October, 2009. His brother, Carl Harmon-Vellotti, also a student at the TVMSC in the 10th grade cohort, qualified to be an alternate on the U.S. team.

Luke also achieved the title of Candidate Master (Expert) awarded by the USCF (the governing body for chess in the United States) for accruing enough official rating points during sanctioned chess competitions. His victories over higher rated adult players at a recent event in Seattle, WA put him over the top. Luke became the youngest Chess Expert in Idaho's history, and is on track to becoming the youngest Chess Master in the state as well.

Recently, while away at a chess tournament, Luke saw the Haitian earthquake images on CNN. He instantly wanted to help. As a popular and well-known State and National youth chess champion, he began to think of ways to raise funds to support the Red Cross' efforts. He contacted the local pizza and pasta chain, Smoky Mountain Pizza, and they agreed to team up with Luke to offer a way for the community to donate for this important cause. On Saturday, January 30^th, Luke arranged a fund raising effort in support of the Red Cross' Haitian Earthquake Relief Efforts. He played 20 simultaneous games of chess in an exhibition. Luke played all players at the same time, and 100% of the $20 contribution fee per contender was donated to the American Red Cross Haiti Relief Fund.

Luke has his own website: http://sponsorluke.com/

Posted February 5th, 2010

Boise's 'Team Tators' Robotics Team's 2010 Season in Review

On Saturday, March 20^th Boise School District’s high school robotics team, ‘Team Tators’ earned first place in the Utah Regional FIRST Robotics Competition that was held at University of Utah. This accomplishment followed three days of intense competition, with the Team Tators team members and their robot, Tator Bot outperforming the 33 teams that participated in this competition.

Team Tators has 27 students from Boise, Borah, Timberline and Capital High Schools, as well as students from Rocky Mountain High, Eagle High, Bishop Kelly and the Treasure Valley Mathematics & Science Center. The team’s mentors are from Hewlett-Packard and Micron Technology. The team won first place following 13 qualifying rounds and three championship rounds in which ‘Tator Bot’ was matched against 33 other robots. As a result of their robot’s performance, the team also earned the ‘Engineering Inspiration Award’ that celebrates “outstanding success in advancing respect and appreciation for engineering within a team’s school and community”.

As a result of Team Tators' first place finish at the Utah Regional FIRST Robotics Competition, Team Tators had the opportunity to participate in the World Championships for FIRST Robotics that took place in Atlanta, Georgia from April 14^th – 17^th, 2010. This international competition welcomed over 300 top robotics teams from around the world.  Participation in this event allowed students from the Treasure Valley to interact and compete with like-minded robotics students from Germany, Great Britain, France, Israel, Australia, Canada, Brazil, Mexico, China and Japan, to name but a few countries these teams represented. Boise's FIRST Robotics team, Team Tators (Team #2122) was a very strong contender and finished the competition as semifinalists within their division.  The team's final performance placed them within the top 24 teams out of over 300 teams participating in the event!

The Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center is once again sponsoring the Boise School District's FIRST Robotics team, 'Team Tators,' for the 2010 - 2011 season.

In preparation for the upcoming 2010 - 2011 FIRST Robotics season, Team Tators begins training new and returning team members during the summer.  For information about joining Team Tators, students in grades 9 - 12 may contact TVMSC for information on meeting and training times and dates.
 
E-mail questions to: holly.maclean@boiseschools.org  for information.

The formal kickoff of the FIRST Robotics 2010 build and competition season occurs each year on the first Saturday in January. During the Kickoff Event, the teams from across the nation will watch a NASA-televised program that explains the challenge for the 2011 FIRST Robotics season. Teams then begin to envision, design and build their robot over the following six weeks.

Team Tators is extremely grateful to the following sponsors of Team Tators for the 2010 season:

• Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation $5,000
• Julius C. Jeker Foundation, Inc. $6,000
• Boise Public Schools Education Foundation $2,000
• Micron Technology Foundation - $5,000 + $4,400 (for going to World Championships)
• Hewlett Packard Company - $5,000
• Hewlett Packard Company – in-kind donation of 150 hours of shop time
• Platt Electronics – $500
• Pepsi Bottling Company - $250
• SolidWorks – 10 seats of access to the system

Fund raising in support of the 2010 - 2011 Robotics season is underway.

The goal of FIRST Robotics is to encourage and support students in developing a keen interest in the fields of engineering, robotics, computer programming and mechanical design. Participating teams of high school-aged students are recognized for excellence in team work, professional conduct, creativity in engineering, as well as for having a well designed robot. Participation on the team provides students the opportunity to work with mentors from business or industry (engineers, programmers, welders, etc.). It allows students to bring their academic abilities in mathematics and the sciences into a setting that provides a meaningful, real-world context for their interests.

Team Tators is extremely appreciative of the ongoing guidance and support provided to the team by mentors from Hewlett-Packard Company and Micron Technology, Inc.

To explore more about the opportunities offered by FIRST Robotics, please visit the US FIRST Robotics website at http://www.usfirst.org/

Posted July 21st, 2010

TVMSC's Start of the School Year Dates to Note