Monarch Messenger
December 6, 2024
On Tuesday, November 19, the Boulder Valley School District Board of Education voted 6-1 to update the district’s cell phone policy. The requested change is for students to put away cell phones or other personal technology devices (PTDs) from bell-to-bell while on campus, including class time, passing periods, and lunch. You can read more about the district communication around this policy and reasoning on the BVSD website (click here).
The expectation is that we begin implementation of the cell phone policy in January 2025. We anticipate that this will be an evolving process with practices changing over time as we figure out what works and what doesn’t. At Monarch, we had already increased our restrictions and created consistency across the school with our “Minds on Classrooms” that focused on cell phones, hall passes, and bell-to-bell learning. Before we leave for the Winter Break we are doing our best to gather feedback from students and staff about what we know will be concerns and questions about increased expectations for limiting cell phone use.
The potential language that you will begin to hear us use for the policy at Monarch is “Away for the Day.” The team from the award-winning Screenagers Documentaries has developed the "Away For The Day" (AFTD) initiative to help schools with cell phone-free spaces. Their website (click here) has lots of resources including research, talking points, and examples of policies from other schools and districts.
Know that our first step into this isn’t thinking about the punitive measures. It is going to be an effort to educate and communicate what having phones “away for the day” should look like. We will have more details and specifics as we start the semester.
So here’s to happy cell phoning and as always “Sko Yotes”!
Greg Doan
Principal
2024-25 YEARBOOKS
Purchase your 2024-25 yearbook at the lowest price of the year on Revtrak or at jostensyearbooks.com. This keepsake captures all the incredible moments of the year and is a must have for every student!
School Safety and Security Informational Meeting
Want to know more about what it means for a school to be placed in a hold, shelter in place, evacuation, secure, or lockdown?
As a school, we often send out notifications that these things are occurring, but it can still be confusing to discern what level of threat or security concern exists if you don’t know what each of these means.
Join us for a community meeting to explain the language and procedures we use around school safety and security. Steve Brown, BVSD School Safety Advocate, will present the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) used by schools in BVSD and across the nation to ensure a safe environment for our students. Our goal is to provide parents with insights into what is being done during a school security response and to understand the language they may hear from the school or their students after an event.
Where: Monarch High School Library
When: Wednesday, December 11th
Time: 5:30 - 6:30pm
What: School safety & security briefing on the Standard Response Protocol (SRP)
FAFSA WORKSHOP
The counseling department is hosting a workshop to assist 12th grade families in filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on Thursday Dec 12th at 5:30 in the Monarch HS Library.
We will have Financial Aid representatives from local colleges here to answer questions and help families fill out the FAFSA application.
IMPORTANT: Before filling out the FAFSA and showing up for this event you must create an account on the FAFSA website at least a few days before filling out the application and/or attending the workshop.
https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch
NOTE: This is not a presentation, but a drop-in event to get help with your financial aid application
Tendremos interpretación de inglés a españo
Care Closet Donations
I felt so grateful over the Thanksgiving break when donations started arriving! Thank you so much!!.
Being able to provide hygiene and nonperishable food items to students is very rewarding and I couldn't do it without your donations. I have updated the list based on items we are fully stocked up on and only have items that we are still in need of- Thank you SO much for supporting the students at Monarch!
Care Closet Amazon Wishlist : https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3BH1NYP33N949?ref_=wl_share
Monarch HS Tax ID # : 84-6014683
Care Closet Reminder - The Care Closet is always open and available for hygiene items and students can access food items when the cafeteria isn't serving free breakfast and lunch. We would like students to take advantage of the free breakfast and lunch before hitting up the Care Closet.
Jen Dixon
Physical Education
Health
Monarch High School provides an inclusive community to help students realize their passions, potential, and responsibilities as kind and educated global citizens.
As we welcome students back into our building for the 2024-2025 school year, we want to make sure to reiterate that BVSD has zero tolerance for discrimination and sexual harassment including sexual violence, which has no place in our school. We are dedicated to creating equitable learning spaces for all in our community
Al dar la bienvenida a los estudiantes de nuevo a nuestro edificio para el año escolar 2024-2025, queremos asegurarnos de reiterar que el BVSD tiene tolerancia cero para la discriminación y el acoso sexual, incluyendo la violencia sexual, que no tiene lugar en nuestra escuela. Estamos dedicados a crear espacios de aprendizaje equitativos para todos en nuestra comunidad.