Boise School District

About TVMSC
Staff Directory
Calendar
Curriculum
Application Process
TVMSC

Students

 

The TVMSC staff would like to welcome you to our homepage! We encourage you to take a few minutes to look around the site and see the programs we have to offer.

The faculty and staff of the Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center are proud to be part of a valley-wide effort to provide an exciting, innovative, and integrated mathematics and science program to public, private, and home-school students across the Boise metropolitan area. To schedule a visit to our campus, please call our office. We'd love to have you stop by!

News and Upcoming Events

Please visit TVMSC's Calendar Page 
For Important Dates and Events 
for TVMSC's 2009 - 2010 School Year

Important November Dates at TVMSC

TVMSC's Parent Teacher Conferences are this week, on the afternoons of Tuesday, Nov. 3rd and Wednesday, Nov. 4th. Beginning at 2:30 PM, we will place sign-up sheets outside of each teacher's classroom.  Parents are able to come in beginning at 2:30 on the day of the conferences to sign up for a time with each TVMSC teacher they wish to have a conference with.  You can sign up for a time close to when you arrive to sign up or you can sign up for a time an hour or two hours later.  There is no preregistration available prior to the days of the conferences.  You sign up as you arrive each day. The last conference time is scheduled for 6:30 on each of these days.

Also... TVMSC has Salvation Army bins located in the TVMSC hallway.  There is ongoing need in our community, so we hope to fill the two bins prior to Thanksgiving this year.  If your family is interested in supporting our effort to help out with this project, please bring along a nonperishable item to drop into the bins on the day of the conferences.  (Thank you!)
 
If you do not wish to attend the conferences on either of these days, please feel free to communicate with TVMSC's staff via e-mail or phone.  Alternate conference times can be scheduled if your family has concerns or questions that you would like to have addressed. Please contact one of your child's teachers if you wish to request an alternate conference time.
 
As always, you are able to access up to the minute grades for your child through Infinite Campus. https://campus.boiseschools.org/campus/portal/boise.jsp

Posted November 3, 2009

Important Partnership Update

It is with great pleasure that TVMSC announces a new partnership with Boise State University!

 TVMSC's students who take the Center's new  'Introduction to Engineering' course may apply for Concurrent Credit with Boise State University for Fall 2009-10. This course meets the requirements for ENGR 120 within BSU's College of Engineering (COEN).

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 (Math 187).

These classes are each 4 credits. BSU's registration deadline will be October 9th.  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 24th.

Posted September 17th, 2009

 

 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 September 8, 2009

Celebrating a TVMSC Student's Accomplishments!

TVMSC has some extremely exciting news to share about Justin Knowles, one of TVMSC's 12th grade cohort students.
 
Justin has been in the Math & Science Center for the past four years, having joined the Center in its second year of operation.  Justin is also open enrolled in Capital High School.
 
Over the past two years, Justin has been participating in the Internship component of the TVMSC program, working first in a mentorship at Micron Technology, Inc. in the field of Failure Analysis Physics and then this year at Boise State University working in the field of Materials Science to investigate and conduct X-Ray Crystallography Research.
 
Justin's research with Micron Technology, Inc. focused on the 'Effects of Soft Breakdown in the MOSFET Dielectric on Transistor Performance.'  His research work and findings were extremely impressive and with the ongoing support of his mentor at Micron Technology, Inc., Justin submitted his research for consideration in the INTEL Science Talent Search Competition.
 
"The Science Talent Search (STS) is America’s oldest and most prestigious science research competition for high school seniors. Since 1942, first in partnership with Westinghouse and since 1998 with Intel, the competition has provided a national stage for America’s best and brightest young scientists to present original research to nationally recognized professional scientists."                                                                                                                                         
For further information about the Intel Science Talent Search Competition, please visit:

The following is an abstract for the research that Justin conducted for Micron Technology, Inc.

"Gate dielectric degradation on a metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) was investigated using an accelerated constant voltage stressing (CVS) technique to simulate prolonged use. The dielectric was not stressed to the point of hard breakdown and gate control was still attainable after the stressing. After testing, transistor performance was shown to be statistically different than the fresh transistor performance. This (Justin's) paper suggests that the performance of a MOSFET transistor degrades without a hard breakdown in the dielectric. This method of testing could provide a new basis for transistor reliability testing in the manufacturing environment."

 
Justin earned recognition this spring as a Semifinalist for the Intel Science Talent Search 2009.  Justin Knowles is the first student from Idaho to attain this level of recognition in this prestigious event.
 
TVMSC is also able to share further congratulations for Justin! He also received news that he has been accepted at Purdue University to study nuclear engineering beginning in the fall 2009 semester!  Prior to joining Purdue University this fall, Justin will join the Idaho National Laboratory for a summer internship in nuclear research.

It is with sincere gratitude that TVMSC thanks Micron Technology, Boise State University, and the Idaho National Laboratories for providing Justin Knowles these outstanding opportunities for internships!

It is with pleasure that TVMSC congratulates Justin Knowles for his hard work, dedication, and successes!

Posted May 18, 2009

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

Jan. 1st, 2009:  Luke Harmon-Vellotti rang in the New Year with two great accomplishments for the state of Idaho! He was invited to join the most prestigious youth chess team in the U.S. and officially compete for the United States in international events. He is the only Idahoan to ever be awarded this honor (think of the Olympics for chess!)

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.

Luke hopes to represent the U.S. internationally this year in Antalya, Turkey at the 2009 World Youth Chess Championships and bring home the gold medal in his age section. 

Luke Harmon-Vellotti, is currently a student in the Treasure Valley Math and Science Center's 8th grade cohort. He has also been invited to be the U.S. delegate to participate in the 2009 World Youth Chess Championships to be held in Vung Tao, Vietnam in October, 2009. His brother, Carl Harmon-Vellotti, also a student at the TVMSC in the 9th grade cohort, qualified to be an alternate on the U.S. 

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

Each official Chess Federation from around the world is allowed to invite one boy and one girl each to participate in four separate age categories.

Congratulations to Luke and Carl!

Posted January 19th, 2009

Boise's 'Team Tators'  Robotics Team

The Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center is once again sponsoring the Boise School District's FIRST Robotics team, 'Team Tators,' for the 2009 - 2010 season.

In the Spring 2010 Competitions, Team Tators will compete in the new Salt Lake City, Utah FIRST Robotics Regional Competition.  They will also return to compete in the Sacramento/U.C. Davis Regional Competitions for FIRST Robotics.

The formal kickoff of the FIRST Robotics 2010 build and competition season will occur on January 9th, 2010. Micron Technology, Inc. and Boise State University host the local kickoff event.

Team Tators is extremely grateful to the following sponsors of Team Tators for the 2009 - 2010 season:

  • Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, Inc. - $5,000

  • Boise Public Schools Education Foundation - $2,000

In the 2008 season, Team Tators competed in the Portland and Sacramento/U.C. Davis Regional Competitions for FIRST, earning first place as the winning robot at the U.C. Davis Regionals.  As a result of their robot's strong performance, Team Tators went on to compete at the FIRST Robotics National Competition in Atlanta, GA.

In the 2009 season, Team Tator's first 2009 competition was in the Portland Regionals, in Oregon from March 5th - 7th where the team earned the Motorola Quality Award.  The team then competed in the Sacramento Regional Competition at U.C. Davis  from March 26th - 28th where their team's alliance earned second place in the finals.

For the 2009 season, Team Tators Robotics received valuable support from:

  • Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, Inc. - $5,000

  • Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation - $2,000 of the $5,000 TVMSC grant

  • Boise Public Schools Education Foundation - $2,000

  • Micron Technology Foundation, Inc. - $5,000

  • Hewlett Packard Company - $5,000

  • Hewlett Packard Company - in-kind donation of 150 hours of shop time

  • M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust - $2,000

  • SolidWorks - in-kind donation of 10 seats of access to the system

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. 

http://www.usfirst.org/what/frc/default.aspx?id=366

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 view the current year's design challenge, please visit the US FIRST Robotics website at http://www.usfirst.org/

Posted November 3rd, 2009

Idaho Students in the DOE National High School Science Bowl

Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center's High School Science Bowl team competed with 28 other Idaho teams on science and mathematics knowledge to vie for the title of the 19th Annual INL Scholastic Tournament. The state championship tournament began on March 25th in Boise. The final round was held on Saturday, March 28th in Boise to identify a first place team to represent Idaho in the U.S. Department of Energy’s National High School Science Bowl in Washington D.C. on April 30 through May 5. The students who earned the top place for each state travel to D.C. for the five days of national competition, with all of their expenses covered by the Department of Energy.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Science Bowl is a “Jeopardy-style” national competition focusing on a broad and deep range of topics in mathematics and science.  The National competition will involve more than 13,000 high school participants from across the nation.

This is the first year that the Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center has entered a team in the U.S. Department of Energy’s High School National Science Bowl. Last year, TVMSC's Middle School Science Bowl team earned 5th place at the U.S. Department of Energy’s  National Middle School Science Bowl and first place in the Alternative Fuel Cell Car Competition in the same event held in Denver, CO.

TVMSC students who have participated in each level of the National Science Bowl qualifying events at the Regional and State levels included:

West Idaho Region Tournament Players from TVMSC:
Ivan Yanev - junior
Alex Baca - freshman
Kevin Brown - freshman
Kevin Hou - freshman
William Gee - junior
Jatin Julikanti - freshman
Matthew Tolley - freshman
Sam Chandler - freshman
Andrew Hoth - freshman
Paul Schroeder - freshman
Zane Beckman - sophomore
 
Idaho State Tournament Players from TVMSC:
Ivan Yanev - junior
Alex Baca - freshman
Kevin Brown - freshman
Kevin Hou - freshman
William Gee - junior
Jatin Julikanti - freshman
Matthew Tolley - freshman
Sam Chandler - freshman
Andrew Hoth - freshman
 
The TVMSC students who travelled to Washington, D.C. to compete on behalf of Boise School District and the state of Idaho at the 2009 U.S. Department of Energy’s National Science Bowl were:

National Science Bowl Team Players:

 
Ivan Yanev - junior at TVMSC and Capital High School
Alex Baca - freshman at TVMSC and Riverglen Junior School
Kevin Brown - freshman at TVMSC and Riverglen Junior School
Kevin Hou - freshman at TVMSC and North Junior School
William Gee - junior at TVMSC and Timberline High School

 

Posted March 31st, 2009

Middle School Science Bowl and Alternative Fuel Cell Competition

On Saturday, March 7th TVMSC's middle school-level team competed with 32 other teams in the 5th annual DOE (Dept. of Energy) Northwest Science Bowl and Fuel Cell Competition.  Three TVMSC Science Bowl teams and three Fuel Cell teams competed at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. 

 TVMSC's teams won both 1st and 2nd place in the Fuel Cell Car Competition.  This competition features student-built fuel cell-powered cars racing down a level guide wire for 10 meters.  The fastest time wins the competition.
 
Two TVMSC Middle School Science Bowl teams also finished 3rd and 5th overall in the double elimination Science Bowl competition.  All TVMSC teams advanced to the afternoon double elimination tournament.  This competition involves opposing teams of four middle school students answering science and math questions in a jeopardy-style format.  The first team to buzz in gets to answer the question. 
 
This is the fifth year that the Northwest Science Bowl has been conducted for middle school students in Idaho and Washington.  This is the fourth year that TVMSC has participated.  TVMSC's team entered as the defending champions of the Fuel Cell Race Competition at the national level.  TVMSC also set a record last year placing 5th in the Science Bowl at the national level.  No team from the northwest United States has placed as high in either event at the national level.

Middle School Northwest Regional Participation:

Science Bowl Sponsor Teacher - Mark Anderson

Science Bowl Coaches - Nalini Iyer, Sunita Raina
Science Bowl Helpers - Tamara Donovan, Linda Knox
 
Science Bowl team - 3rd place overall
Dash Dale
Eddie Smith
Kyle Hartman
Parth Raina
Vishnu Iyer
 
Science Bowl team - advanced to double elimination
Maneesha Julikanti
Derek Knox
Miranda Tang
Taylor Jones
Zach Puett
 
Science Bowl Team - advanced to double elimination
Carl Harmon
Luke Harmon
Michael Lee
Peter Donovan
Micah Gale
 
Fuel Cell Car Competition - 1st Overall
Holly Apsley
Peter Donovan
Joe Hansen
Brycen Deka
 
Fuel Cell Car Competition - 2nd Overall
Maribel Cervantes
Makynzie Zimmer
Jacob Merrill
Dillon Knox
Aaron Janusik
 
Fuel Cell Car Competition
Baylen Hahn
Micah Gale
Jacob Warwick
Iain Campbell

These students deserve to be very proud of their excellent performance at the Regional Event!

Posted April 10, 2009

Best Buy Teach Award Grant for TVMSC

This year, Best Buy Teach Awards, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, have been given to more than 460 schools to sustain or enhance existing educational programs. TVMSC is one of the 460 schools nationwide to be awarded a Best Buy Teach Award for 2009 on behalf of Julie Ekhoff, TVMSC's environmental science and research teacher. This year's grant is for $5,000.

This is the fourth Best Buy Teach Award granted to a TVMSC teacher.  In February 2008, Matt Yocum received a $2,000 Best Buy Teach Award. This followed a February, 2007 award where Janice Poppenga was also a recipient of a $2,000 Best Buy Teach Award. In 2006, TVMSC also received a $5,000 grant to obtain equipment for use in obtaining equipment for outdoor lab activities.

Best Buy believes technology can excite and engage students, creating a more valuable educational experience. Through Best Buy Teach Awards, schools are provided gift cards to enable them to purchase more technology for their students to use and learn. Since 2004, the Best Buy Teach Award program has awarded over $17 million to over 6,000 K-12 schools nationwide.

This award will be used to acquire additional technology for the program, including a weather station, a telescope, TI-89 graphing calculators, memory devices, a web cam, binoculars, educational DVDs and a set of 2-way radios.

The Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center sincerely appreciates the continued support for our program that has been provided by Best Buy!

Posted March 2, 2009

There will not be classes held at TVMSC on November 6th, as this day is for Secondary Professional Staff Development.

Posted November 3rd, 2009

A Micron Founded Initiative

Micron Foundation

For Academic Excellence

Treasure Valley Mathematics & Science Center

6801 N. Gary Lane Boise, ID 83714
Phone ~ 854-6802
Fax ~ 854-6801
Principal:

Boise School District
8169 W. Victory Rd., Boise, ID 83709
© Independent School District of Boise City
All rights reserved