Important August and September Dates at TVMSC

Registration for the 2009 - 2010 school year -in TVMSC's main hallway upstairs in Riverglen Jr. High
August 12 - 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM - 9th cohort & 10th cohort
August 13 - 8:00 - 3:00 PM - 7th cohort & 11/12th cohort
August 14 - 8:00 - 2:00 PM - 8th cohort and make-up registration for all other levels
Late registration - August 17 - 19 at the TVMSC offices downstairs in Riverglen Jr. High

First day of TVMSC classes - August 31st
Open House/Back to School Night - Sept. 24th, 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Posted June 24, 2009

TVMSC's 2009 Summer School Program

NOTE: Deadline to register for Summer 2009 is June 8th!

Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center will hold summer school classes for a variety of accelerated courses in summer 2009. The following classes will be offered:

In the morning sessions (7:50 - 11:35 AM):

           (HSC) Accelerated Geometry               ** Accelerated Math 7              

            (HSC) Accelerated Algebra 1               ** Reading 8

            (HSC) Accelerated Algebra 2   

          (HSC) Accelerated Math Analysis (new course option for retaking the course) 

 In the afternoon sessions (12:15 - 3:50 PM):

            ** Physical Education 8^th grade (1^st semester only)               

             ** Health 8^th grade (2^nd semester only)

(HSC) - Course carries High School Credit

** These classes are NOT for high school credit.

For further information about courses and registration please reference the attached information packet:  TVMSC Summer School information and registration

TVMSC will also be the host site for Camp Invention again this summer.  Camp Invention is a wonderful, week-long summer camp for students entering grades 1 - 6. For additional information, please refer to this Camp Invention link.

SKILLS FOR SUCCESS CLASSES

On August 10 - 13, 2009, TVMSC will offer a series of 'Skills for Success' sessions for students.  These sessions are optional and will focus on study skills (effective practices for organizing and studying materials) for weekly, semester and whole year tests (such as students encounter when taking AP classes).

The classes for students new to the Treasure Valley Math & Science Center program (who have not benefited from the center's ongoing instruction for organization and study skills) will be held over two mornings; 8:00 - 12:00 on Monday, August 10th and Tuesday, August 11th. These classes are available for students entering TVMSC this year or for students who are not associated with TVMSC, but want to learn effective study and organizational practices for their junior high through college level years. Mrs. Poppenga and Ms. Ekhoff will teach this class.

Classes will be held on Wednesday, August 12th for current TVMSC students who would like a 'refresher' on a range of study methods, time management strategies and ways to start their school year with good organization that this program encourages and reinforces throughout the school year. Mrs. Poppenga and Ms. Ekhoff will teach this class.

On Thursday, August 13th, Mrs. Volk will offer a class specifically for our students who will be taking AP classes next year.  These classes require different levels of organization and study practices than earlier courses.  Students will acquire strategies in this session for being successful on attaining their short term and long term goals within these courses.

These classes will be offered at the Treasure Valley Math & Science Center, 6801 N. Gary Lane, Boise (Within Riverglen Jr. High) from 8:00 - 12:00 on each of the days.

Cost for the classes is $15.00 per morning. Checks for these classes can be made out to the ‘Boise Public Schools Education Foundation.’

Class sizes are limited.  Once a section is full, we will inform families that their child is placed on a waiting list.

To reserve a space in one of the sessions for your son/daughter, please complete the form below.  The form can be mailed or dropped off at the TVMSC offices at 6801 N. Gary Lane, Boise, Idaho 83714.  We are open all summer from 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM.

Registration form link

Posted June 4, 2009

Follow-up from Open House

 General reminders to 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 January 23, 2009

Student Selection for 2009 - 2010

Saturday, January 24, Saturday, February 7 and April 18th - The initial screening days for candidates for the 2009 - 2010 TVMSC program. Additional screening dates now include June 10th, 2009 (for regular screening) and August 5th, 2009 for late applicants. Applicants screened on the August 5th date will be placed into the program on a 'space availability' basis.

The Student Selection process for applicants interested in being considered for the 2009 - 2010 TVMSC program begins each January. Intent to Test forms can be submitted to the TVMSC office beginning December 1, 2008.  All forms for Student Selection, including the checklist explaining the process can be found on the 'Application Process' page from this site.

For more information regarding the Student Selection process for TVMSC 2009 - 2010 start by checking out the information on the 'Application Process' page. Then feel free to call or e-mail the TVMSC office for any additional clarification on the process... 854 – 6802.

Posted April 25, 2009

Intent to Return for 2009 - 2010

All current and former TVMSC students may now fill out an Intent to Return form to tentatively hold their place in the 2009 - 2010 program.  There are two separate forms for students to fill out, one specifically for next year's 8th and 9th cohort students and the other for next year's 10th -12th cohort students. 

Intent to Return 8th - 9th Cohorts of 2009 - 2010

Intent to Return 10th - 12th Cohorts of 2009 - 2010

Former TVMSC students who have exited the program for one or two years may re-enter by submitting an Intent to Return form and a copy of their report cards for the time that they were out of the program. This will hold their space at the appropriate cohort level for the coming school year.

The purpose of collecting the Intent to Return forms at this time is for several reasons. This helps TVMSC identify numbers of students for each cohort level for the coming school year. This also assists the program with decisions pertaining to staffing, numbers of classes for each course and how many of each type of course to offer in 2009 - 2010. This information is also used to pre-plan the scheduling of school bus routes for TVMSC for 2009 - 2010.

This information on the numbers of students who will tentatively be returning also influences the numbers of new applicants that are accepted into each cohort level as a result of the TVMSC Student Selection Screening process that is currently underway.

Please feel free to contact our office with any questions or concerns that might arise for your family regarding this decision.

Posted February 6, 2009

Celebrating a TVMSC Student's Accomplishments!

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

TVMSC Field Trip to Morton Thiokol

On Thursday, December 4th, TVMSC's students, staff and parent volunteers traveled to the desert facility of ATK and Morton Thiokol to observe a 'Static Test Fire' of a reusable solid rocket motor of the type used in launching space shuttles, the FS 15 (the 15th tested Flight Support rocket engine). The test fire occurred at 12:26 PM near Promontory, Utah.

Timeline for the Day’s Events

1. Met at one of the three departure points (Timberline High, DSC/District Administration Building, or TVMSC/Riverglen) at 5:30 AM to travel via charter bus. 
2. Rest stop and break at the Bliss rest stop (10 - 15 minutes).
3. Arrived at the Morton Thiokol facility near Promontory, Utah at 10:15.
4. Toured the rocket park from 10:30 - 11:30 (+/-) with presentations from MT engineers.
5. 11:30 - Traveled 2 miles to the test fire range. 
6. 12:26 - Watched the test fire of the Space Shuttle solid rocket motor.
7. 1:00 - Traveled to Malad Gorge.
8. 3:30 - 4:30 - 3-mile hike around the loop at Malad Gorge.
9. 7:00 PM (approximately) - Returned to original drop-off/pick-up point in Boise.

This was an incredible trip made possible by the support of the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation, Inc., the Weyerhaeuser Company, and contributions by TVMSC families. The staff and students of TVMSC are also very appreciative of the invitation from ATK/Morton Thiokol and the support of the many TVMSC parent volunteers who chaperoned on the trip.

Breathtaking pictures of the day's events were taken by a TVMSC parent, Charles Knowles, and can be accessed at http://cknowles.exposuremanager.com/   

Posted December 8th, 2008

Sara Maas Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation provides a grant to the
Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center

On December 8^th, 2008, the Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center (TVMSC) received a grant of $2,000 from the Sara Maas Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation. The grant was provided to the center to support the implementation of an environmental science component to the coursework and outreach programs offered by the Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center.

The Treasure Valley Math & Science Center will expand the range of sciences offered within the Center to include a multi-year strand that focuses on the environmental sciences. The teacher training, textbooks, reference materials and lab equipment funded through this grant will support the addition of the environmental science course material into the 9th - 12th cohorts' course options. At the 9th grade cohort level, environmental labs will be incorporated into the Applied Research 1 classes, while the AP Environmental Science course will be offered for students to take in their 10th - 12th grade cohort levels with the Center. Furthermore, these materials and activities will become part of the community outreach and weekend family field events hosted by the Treasure Valley Math & Science Center beginning in Fall 2008. This grant will support courses that will serve approximately 200 students per year. It will also provide opportunities for countless members of the general community who attend the Center's outreach events.

The Idaho Community Foundation is a statewide nonprofit organization composed of over 370 individual funds, pooled together for efficient management.  Total assets are more than $72 million.  Since its inception in 1988, ICF has made charitable distributions totaling $37 million.

This generous grant represents the third year that TVMSC has benefited from financial support through the Idaho Community Foundation.

Posted December 9th, 2008

Hewlett-Packard Company's 2008 "Gifts In Kind International" Donations for TVMSC

In the recent  "Gifts In Kind International, HP U.S. Employee Giving Program" several employees of Hewlett-Packard Company, Michael Tang, Don Baldazo,  Arlin Jones, Mark Wibbles, and Jon Craig collaborated to make possible the donation of two HP Procurve Switches, two HP Compaq 6735b Mobile Notebook PCs and fifty HP 10s scientific calculators to the Treasure Valley Mathematics and Science Center.

These equipment donations are valued at $3,087.50. The donated switches and calculators will be used by all of the Center's students in their research, mathematics and science classes! The computers will be used by the Boise District FIRST Robotics team.

The staff and students of TVMSC sincerely appreciate the support and generosity of these Hewlett-Packard Company employees.

Posted December 8th, 2008

Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation donation for TVMSC!

July 30th, 2008 Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation provided the Treasure valley Mathematics & Science Center with a very generous donation of $5,000. These funds have been provided in order to support the Center's efforts in developing student awareness and interest in STEM-based careers (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

These funds will support the following endeavors within the TVMSC program:

• TVMSC's Internship and Mentoring program

• TVMSC student preparation and participation in regional and national STEM-based competitions

• Support for the FIRST Robotics team

Weyerhaeuser Company, through its local affiliate Trus Joist, provided input into the original vision and design of the TVMSC program. Weyerhaeuser Company's continued support of this program's efforts and of the students who benefit from these opportunities is greatly appreciated!

Posted August 27th, 2008

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, 2008 to support the educational efforts of our program during the 2008 – 2009 school year.

The funds provided by this grant support:

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.

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 July 10, 2008

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/

Posted January 19th, 2009

Posted May 11, 2009

Idaho Students Heading to the DOE National High School Science Bowl

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

Summer school classes begin on June 9th for students interested in taking accelerated mathematics, PE 8, Reading 8 or Health 8 courses during the summer. Second semester classes begin July 6th.  Registration for the second semester will continue through July 2nd.

Posted June 24, 2009