BK Alive
News and Information for BK Families
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THIS NEWSLETTER CONTAINS A LOT OF INFORMATION, AND THE LENGTH OF THE NEWSLETTER CAUSES IT TO BE TRUNCATED.
LOOK FOR THE BLUE LINK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE EMAIL THAT SAYS "VIEW ENTIRE MESSAGE" TO EXPAND THE EMAIL, OR CLICK HERE TO SEE ARCHIVED COMMUNICATIONS FROM BK.
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**Next Week**
Monday 9/20 - Periods 1-4
8:30 AM Start, 3:00 PM Release
Tuesday 9/21 - Periods 5-7
9:00 AM Start, 2:45 - 3:15 PM Office Hours
Wednesday 9/22 - Straight 7 Schedule
8:30 AM Start, 3:05 PM Release
Thursday 9/23 - All School Mass Day
Periods 1-3
9:00 AM Start, 3:05 PM Release
Friday 9/24 - Periods 4-7
8:30 AM Start, 3:00 PM Release
Important Upcoming Dates
Wednesday, September 22nd - Freshman Parent Night in the Reg at 6:30 PM
Thursday, September 23rd - All School Mass
September 27th - October 2nd - Homecoming Week
Wednesday, September 29th - Guest Passes for non BK students attending the Homecoming Dance due - students, if you want to bring a guest from another school, don't wait until the last minute!
Friday, October 1st - Faculty/Staff In Service, NO SCHOOL
Friday, October 1st - Alumknight and Friends "Homecoming" Golf Scramble at Quail Hollow Golf Course
Saturday, October 2nd - Homecoming Dance
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A Note from Rich and Mike |
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Dear BK Families,
We write this letter with a very heavy heart and much sadness that our state has had to implement crisis standards of care for the entire state of Idaho. This situation was totally preventable but, due to our collective decisions and behavior, we find ourselves having to potentially ration care.
I (Rich) serve on the St. Luke’s Health System Board and I can assure you that St. Luke’s took this action because it is being overwhelmed by a patient surge that has resulted in a substantial change in our usual health care operations and in the level of care it can deliver. SLHS has done everything it can (expanded staffing and physical capacity, transferred patients, implemented virtual care teams, delayed “elective” surgeries, contingency standards, etc.) and found themselves out of options to maintain the staffing and physical space necessary to continue the provision of contingency-level care for the ever -increasing numbers of patients needing their help. Other area hospitals are facing the same difficult choices.
It is more imperative than ever that we come together here at BK to do everything we can to prevent the spread of COVID-19, to keep our families safe, to keep our kids in school for face-to-face learning and playing sports, and to help our health care systems. Here are some of the things we are doing and recommending that you do:
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Masks - We will be stepping up our enforcement of proper mask wearing here at school. All students are wearing their masks indoors but often below their nose or mouth. We need your help to stress the importance of proper mask wearing at all times when indoors, to tighten their mask straps if needed, and to encourage your children to wear masks properly when outside of school, especially indoors, or in crowded spaces outdoors. Please discourage sleepovers, movie nights, car pools, etc. on weekends. The majority of students at BK who have tested positive contracted COVID through family contacts or these types of activities. You can help us keep school safe by limiting your children’s risk outside of school.
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Vaccinations - Have your children vaccinated and encourage your friends to have their children vaccinated. Don’t wait. This protects your children, those around them, and also keeps them from having to quarantine at home should they be deemed a close contact. Vaccines are the best way to reduce cases and keep people out of the hospital. Allow us to share some recent statistics from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare that speak to this point:
- 90% of positive COVID-19 cases in the last four months are unvaccinated people
- Unvaccinated individuals accounted for 91.1% of COVID-19 hospitalizations (1,683 of 1,847) during that same time period and 88% of deaths (316 of 359).
- 97% of those currently in the ICU in idaho are unvaccinated
- On Monday, September 13th, there were a record 678 people hospitalized in Idaho with COVID and a record-tying 173 in ICUs with COVID. And not all hospital facilities reported so the numbers are likely higher.
To help make it easier to get vaccinated, we will be hosting a Saint Alphonsus Mobile Vaccination Clinic here at BK in our cafeteria this Tuesday, September 21st, from 8:00 am - 10:00 am. Anyone over the age of 12 is welcome - BK students, parents, partner middle school students, etc. Please see below for the necessary information.
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Staying home when sick or awaiting COVID-19 test results - Keep your child home should they exhibit any symptoms - cough, sore throat, fever, stuffiness, etc. Wait 24 hours to see if the symptoms persist and then have them tested for COVID-19 if your medical provider recommends it. We have convenient Vault Covid tests available to all who wish them in the BK front office, Turn around times are 48-72 hours, shorter than many local testing sites today. If your child has been tested and is awaiting results, keep them home until you are sure of a negative test result.
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Please be kind. Be civil. Be understanding. Be respectful - While most of you have been exhibiting these behaviors, we have encountered this past week parents and students who want to argue about our quarantine protocols, our testing recommendations, and the efficacy of mask wearing. While we respect differing points of view, we will not engage in dialogue on these topics. We are following CDC guidelines and the consensus recommendations of health experts.
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Show your appreciation and understanding to BK staff and faculty - in particular, we would ask that you show gratitude and understanding to the BK staff members implementing our BK Board approved CDC protocols. They are doing their very best at these challenging tasks given the number of cases we are seeing. I would especially commend and thank our nurse, MaryLou Cunningham, our Director of HR, Amy Eisele, and our Vice Principal of Student Affairs, Cheryl Hutchinson. They are basically our “BK Central District Health” since the real CDH is overwhelmed. This BK team is doing all the parent contacts, close contact tracing, deciding on who needs to be quarantined based on CDC protocols, etc. And that is on top of their regular job responsibilities which have not gone away. They are focused on keeping kids in school, keeping them and their families safe and healthy, and helping reduce transmission in our community. Please be understanding and supportive of them - even if you disagree with our protocols.
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Pray - as a Catholic Christian community, we know and understand the power of prayer. Let us pray for those delivering health care that they may be kept safe and deliver the best possible care for those in need. Let us pray for those who are sick with COVID-19 and other illnesses that God may bring His healing powers to them. And, finally, let us pray for Johnny Horn, husband of our beloved BK Campus Minister, Lorissa Horn, who is in the hospital with COVID related pneumonia.
COVID-19 at BK - we are continuing to track and publish our school data on BK.org daily. As of today, 9/17/21, we have had 35 positive student and 5 staff cases since the start of school one month ago, with 7 student and one staff member cases added this week. We currently have 11 students and one staff member out in quarantine. In our COVID assessment meeting this week, we reviewed our three key internal metrics - number of cases and spread within our school, attendance rates, and percentage of staff out. There has been no improvement noted in the three with attendance rate having declined a few percentage points this week. And obviously, as discussed above, what is happening in our community has significantly worsened.
In conclusion, let’s work together to safely navigate our way through this period of very high transmission in our region. As promised, we will review our metrics and our mask policy next week and make a determination by Friday if we should make any changes to our mitigation policies for the coming two weeks to keep kids in school for face-to-face learning and playing sports. Safely.
Thank you for your support, understanding, feedback, and trust.
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Mike Caldwell
Principal
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Dear parents,
I have received a portion of my requested allotment of seasonal flu vaccine. I have both the Flumist nasal spray (live) and the injectable (non-live) variety of vaccines. If you would like your student to receive the seasonal flu vaccine at school, please check BK Alive or the school website for the consent form. There will also be copies available in the front office. You can return THIS SIGNED FORM to the main office. Information sheets on each vaccine are available in the Forms Manager section of BK.org, and in the front office. There is no cost to the student. Please contact me at school if you have questions.
Thank you,
Mrs. Cunningham, School Nurse
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Saint Alphonsus COVID Vaccine Clinic for Ages 12+ with parental consent
Tuesday, September 21st
8:00 Am - 10:00 AM
Bishop Kelly High School
7009 Franklin Road
Boise, Idaho 83709
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It's a new school year filled with heaps of new (and old) reasons to love the library. Read through the Fraser Library's Newsletter for updates and reminders for the upcoming year. |
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Freshman Parent Night will be held Wednesday 09/22 from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm in the Reg. Information will be presented by the BK counseling department on a variety of different topics. If you are unable to make it, a video of all the information presented will be sent out prior to the meeting. We hope the see you there!
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2021 Winner's Choice Dinner & Auction
Golden Tickets & Auction Item Donations
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Golden Tickets for the 2021 Winner's Choice Dinner and Auction
Golden Tickets are selling out quickly! Only 66 golden tickets remain so do not delay in submitting the order form, which was mailed with your Save the Date. For those of you who submitted an online order form, your ticket is reserved! Be on the lookout for an email next week asking for more information on how to submit your payment.
Looking for other ways to support our event? Please consider donating an item to our auction. No item is too big or too small! Gift cards, themed baskets, sports memorabilia, and experiences are all wonderful donation items. We have seen a decrease in business donations this year and need your help in order to make this event a success and ensure we are able to continue supporting the school at a consistent level. Item donation information can be submitted through our auction website on our Item Donation Page or by emailing our Auction Coordinator, Suzy Stride at sstride@bk.org.
Finally, ticket pre-sales are happening now and can be purchased through our auction website on our Tickets Page! You do not need to wait for your formal invitation to buy your tickets. Knight's Table Sponsorships are selling out fast (only 8 of 18 remain) so do not delay in reserving your Knight's table by emailing Kim Malvick at kmalvick@bk.org.
Announcements were recently made regarding restrictions for gatherings of over 250 people for events at all Boise owned facilities. We will be working with the Boise Centre to help ensure the safety of our guests while working through the new mandates for large gatherings. Stay tuned for more information as the situation evolves. Thank you in advance to everyone who has stepped up to support this event through sponsorship sales, golden ticket and event ticket purchases, and item donations!
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Yearbook Needs Your Photos! |
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The yearbook staff is looking for summer photos to use in the yearbook. The page title is "Beat the Heat," so any photos of your student that could fit that theme would be great!
Additionally, we need any photos from senior service projects.
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Scholarship Opportunities:
The Heisman High School Scholarship, presented by Acceptance Insurance, extends the Heisman prestige to our nation’s most esteemed male and female high school seniors by recognizing and rewarding outstanding scholar-athletes who understand that the most important victories not only happen on the field, but in their schools and communities.
Elk Mountain Tents is looking to help out a stellar individual with an appreciation for the great outdoors who captures the adventurous spirit that has come to embody the Elk Mountain Tents brand. If that sounds like you, please apply! Or, if that sounds like someone you know, please share this opportunity with them!
College Visits with BK
To attend, sign up using SCOIR or come to the Counseling Center
College & Career Fairs
Registration for the NACAC Virtual College Fairs are now open!
Virtual College Tours
Student-driven virtual college tours
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Job Opportunity for a BK Student |
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Kumon of Boise-Northwest is searching for a new team member for our growing, dynamic Center!
We strive to be the best after-school learning Center in the Greater Boise Area. Strong student outcomes are expected. Kumon is the largest after-school learning program in the world. Your part would be as an Early Learning Assistant, working with students from 4-6 years old as they learn the basics of numbers/math and reading. This is a great resume-building job or hobby-money job. Kumon is
a known and trusted program, with thousands of locations across the United States. If you are University bound, chances are there would be opportunity for a skilled staff member near your University! Check www.kumon.com for locations.
Must be dedicated to individual students’ learning outcomes and a reliable team member. Must be mature and have a calm demeanor. This program is established and you will be trained in the Kumon method. It is not tutoring. It is a full, tested curriculum. No need for prior education experience.
Skills needed include: understanding the value of a structured program, enjoy working with children, timeliness, strong basic math and reading skills, flexibility, ability to multi-task and balance priorities. Knowledge of the Kumon method of learning is a plus. Wage is $13.00+ depending on experience. Working hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 3:30-6:30 pm and a monthly staff meeting.
You would be working one or two shifts per week.
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Upcoming Catholic Community Events |
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BK Students looking for service hours opportunities at the St. Joe's Carnival, CLICK HERE.
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Our website at www.bk.org is a wealth of information for parents and students alike!
Check out some of the cool tools that are just a few clicks away:
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- Front Office: 375-6010
- Fax: 375-3626
- Business Office Manager: 947-1209
- BK Development Office: 947-1325
- BK Foundation Office: 323-4789
To add, remove, or change your email address, or to remove your name from our regular mailing lists, please contact Chrissy at cbeckner@bk.org.
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Bishop Kelly High School | (208) 375-6010 | www.bk.org |
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