BCHS Families,

The 3rd quarter is winding up, the week of spring break is upon us, and then we return to that time of year where our freshman and junior Jaguars must show what they know for State Testing! Freshman will take the ASPIRE test on April 1st which is a benchmark for the ACT test they will take as juniors. Our juniors will take the AZSci test on April 1st and the ACT on April 8th. For our juniors, this is also a time where they can show mastery of science, ELA, and math skills on the ACT and AZSci test and even earn grade enhancement that can have a positive effect on their high school transcript. Last year, BCHS had more than 680 grades that increased one letter grade based on student's earning proficiency on the ACT and AZSci test! We are excited for our students to show up, do their very best, and show us how much they have learned! You can do this, Jags!

There is more information below regarding state testing in our Jaguar Learning section including test dates, schedules, and information on grade enhancement!

There are so many celebrations and amazing things that happened at BC in February and into March! Our Jaguars raised another $10,000 for the Make-a-Wish foundation, which has happened each year for the last six years! This year, Jaguars were able to grant 8 year old Rowan's wish to go to Disney World as he is in the process of conquering leukemia! Rowan and his incredible family were able to join of at BC for our Wish Week assembly on February 28th and shared the amazing impact of our school's work to support Make-a-Wish! Rowan is also a future Jaguar, which is absolutely amazing! I am so incredibly proud of our student leaders, staff, our community, and our student body for rallying together to support an incredible cause. This is truly what Jaguar PRIDE looks like! Congratulations, Jaguars!

With PRIDE,

Mrs. Brittany Sutton

Principal

Brittany.Sutton@dvusd.org

623-445-8604

Congratulations to Ben Heiner. He is officially a National Merit Finalist. This means that Ben is amongst the top students in the country demonstrating very high academic performance. Being a National Merit Finalist is incredibly challenging and rare. Only about. .5% of all applicants Nationally become a National Merit Finalist. Congratulations, Ben! We are so incredibly proud of you!

To support our Jaguars, BCHS implements our Paw Pride PBIS program. Our goal is to reward students for demonstrating their BC PRIDE Characteristic behaviors: being Prepared, having Respect, showing Integrity, being Disciplined, and ensuring Everyone is united.

Here are the details:

"Be Classy" Cards: When a staff member sees a student following the monthly goal OR a student going above and beyond,, the staff member gives them a Be Classy card. The student will then fill it out and put it in the bowl at Ms. Susie's desk in the front office.

Each month, we will draw 10 winners for our PAW PRIDE Winners of the Month to recognize their demonstration of BC PRIDE!

Our February Winners are:

Jackson Franklin

Hailee Haskins

Michael Nance

Nicolas Baldi

Tavien Hayden

Aylin Guerrero

Bella Dungan

Averi Farstuedt

Jakeb Schott

Tanner Setter

March Goal: No Shenanigans

We can do this Jags!

Boulder Creek High School’s Wish Week was an incredible success, showcasing the power of community, generosity, and school spirit! Through a series of exciting events that included a dodgeball tournament, a student vs. staff basketball game, percentage nights at multiple local businesses, food trucks, a smash car, and the powder puff football game, the BC community united to raise over $10,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Every event was filled with energy and purpose, leading to an assembly honoring our Wish Kid, Rowan, and celebrating the fulfillment of his dream trip to Disney World. Congratulations to our amazing Student Government and their advisor, Mrs. Ferrer, for organizing such a meaningful and inspiring week. Thank you to our students, staff, sponsors, and community for helping us reach our goal. Way to come together to show your Jaguar PRIDE!

February 12, 2025

Dear Parents/Guardians of the Class of 2025,

I am writing to inform you of an unexpected development regarding our

upcoming Graduation Ceremonies in May. DVUSD was recently notified

by State Farm Stadium that a larger event is being scheduled for the

venue that will take precedence over our dates currently scheduled for

May 15-16, 2025. This decision has impacted a number of school districts

who have scheduled their respective ceremonies that week; so we are not

alone in needing to make alternative arrangements.

While this situation is unfortunate, DVUSD and staff at all five of our high

schools are committed to celebrating our graduating seniors and creating

a memorable day for their families. We are pleased to announce all

Graduation Ceremonies have been scheduled to take place at Desert

Diamond Arena, located just north of State Farm Stadium, at 9400 W

Maryland Ave., in Glendale. The Arena has a capacity of 19,000 and has

appropriate parking and facilities to accommodate our events.

The date and starting times for each school’s ceremony will remain the

same. Jostens will be graciously producing an insert for the graduation

announcements which will indicate the change in venue for the

ceremonies.

I apologize for any inconvenience this change will cause you and your

family and appreciate your patience as we work through this unexpected

situation. We look forward to honoring the Class of 2025 and helping

families celebrate this special achievement together!

Sincerely,

Gary D. Zehrbach, PhD

Deputy Superintendent - Administrative Leadership & Services

Deer Valley Unified School District

We are so excited to share the updated BCHS website with you at http://bchs.dvusd.org. The new website is organized to help access important information as well as show you all about BCHS.

Here are some helpful tips for navigation:

• Click on the headings ("Student Life," "Families," "Academics," "Athletics," of "About") for a page that accesses all information in that category. This may be easier than scrolling on the pop up menu, but that is an option as well.
• Scroll down on the home page for our calendar with upcoming events and dates.
• Scroll further down on the home page, past the second red menu bar, for quick links to common items such as Flex Time info, All Things EQ, our Newsletter, Principal Communications, Campus Tours, et cetera.

We are excited to showcase this new website and to use it to continue communications and resources on all things BC!

We are happy to assist our parent and guardians at our reception desk in the front office; however, please remember parents/guardians must show proper photo identification so we can verify who we are speaking to or releasing students to for student safety and security. We so appreciate your understanding and support!

Boulder Creek Men’s Soccer Makes History with Quarterfinal Run in 6A Division

Congratulations to Boulder Creek Men’s Soccer for an incredible season, advancing to the 6A Quarterfinals—the best finish in school history! This year has been filled with growth, determination, and success, setting the stage for even greater accomplishments in the future.

We want to thank our players, coaches, and parents for their dedication and support throughout this historic run. The momentum is strong, and we can’t wait to see what this team achieves next year! Go Jags!

Boulder Creek Girls Varsity Soccer Makes History with Semifinal Run in Open Division

Boulder Creek Girls Varsity Soccer has made school history, advancing to the Open Division Semifinals for the first time ever! This incredible achievement marks the best season in program history, showcasing the team's dedication, skill, and relentless effort.

We are beyond proud of our athletes, coaches, and supportive parents who have been instrumental in this remarkable journey. Their hard work, teamwork, and perseverance have set a new standard for Boulder Creek soccer. Congratulations on an unforgettable season!

Boulder Creek Men’s Basketball Advances to Open Division Quarterfinals

Congratulations to Boulder Creek Men’s Basketball on an outstanding season, making it to the Open Division Quarterfinals and setting new records along the way! This team’s hard work, dedication, and perseverance have made this a truly memorable year.

We are incredibly proud of our players, coaches, and families for their commitment and support throughout the season. Thank you for an amazing year—we can’t wait to see what the future holds for Boulder Creek Basketball! Go Jags!

Boulder Creek Wrestling Shines with Record State Qualifiers!

Congratulations to Boulder Creek Men’s and Women’s Wrestling on an incredible season! This year, the program qualified 15 athletes for the state tournament—6 girls and 9 boys—the most ever qualified. Additionally, 3 girls placed at state, showcasing the talent and dedication of our athletes.

We are extremely proud of our wrestlers for their hard work and determination, and we extend a huge thank you to the coaches, parents, and families for their unwavering support. Well done, Jags! We can’t wait to see what’s next for Boulder Creek Wrestling!

We use GOFAN for all home events!

Types of ticketing available

1. Single game tickets on GOFAN - https://gofan.co/app/school/AZ12766

2. Boulder Creek Student pass, online or in the bookstore for $30. Please add the athletic pass symbol to your students I.D. by having it re-printed at the Bookstore, prior to an event.

3. Family pass punch cards, $60 at the bookstore only. 20 punches per card, can use 1 or 20 punches at each event.

4. There are NO backpacks or water bottles allowed into any BCHS event. please plan accordingly.

Follow Boulder Creek Athletics!

Insta - @BCAthleticsjags

Facebook -@ Boulder Creek Athletics

JALAC Insta - @BCHSJALAC

For 9th Graders: On April 1th, all Freshmen will take the Aspire test. Aspire is an assessment that measures academic achievement in English, math, reading, science, and writing. Aspire is linked to the ACT College and Career Readiness Standards. Your child’s teacher can use this information to address areas for improvement, build on strengths, and most importantly—impact your child’s potential. Testing begins for Freshmen at the normal start time, 7:30am. It is extremely important for all Freshmen to test on April 1th. Freshmen who are absent on April 1th will test on one of the makeup days and miss a day of classes.

For 11th Graders: On April 1th, all Juniors will take the AZ Science test. The AZ Science test (AzSci) is the state-level assessment that measures student proficiency of the Arizona Academic Content Standards in Science. Testing begins for Juniors at the normal start time, 7:30am. It is extremely important for all Juniors to test on April 1th. Juniors who are absent on April 1th will test on one of the makeup days and miss a day of classes.

Transportation Changes:

Junior and Freshmen students will catch their bus at the regular time. Sophomore and Senior students who ride Special Service buses will be picked up at their normal time.

All other 10th and 12th grade students will virtually attend school through Canvas. For students with IEPs, parents may meet with their child's IEP tam to discuss the planned online instruction for their child.

On April 8th, all Juniors will take the ACT college readiness test! The ACT test is a national college admissions examination that consists of tests in English, math, reading, and science. Students can benefit from participating in the ACT testing in several ways:

• Students will receive information showing strengths and weaknesses in tested subject areas
• College and career planning component help student determining career interests, college majors, and occupational fields
• Students can choose up to four colleges to send scores for free
• Students are eligible to positively impact their semester grades in ELA courses aligned to the ACT: ELA 3-4, ELA 3-4H, ELA 5-6 (including dual enrollment), and AP Language.
• Students are eligible to positively impact their semester grades in Math courses aligned to the ACT: Geometry 1-2, Geometry 1-2H, Algebra 3-4, and Algebra 3-4H

Since the ACT is a timed test students who are late to campus will complete the exam on the makeup days. Students who miss the ACT test on April 8th are required to complete it on makeup days. ACT makeup days are the days following the test.

Junior students who ride regular or special service buses will catch their bus at the regular time.

9th, 10th, and 12th grade students will virtually attend school through Canvas. For students with IEPs, parents may meet with their child's IEP tam to discuss the planned online instruction for their child.

Juniors are eligible to positively impact their semester grades in specific courses with proficient scores on the ACT and AzSCI State Assessments! Please see the graphic below for specific information!

Do your best, Jags, on your state assessments! You can do this!!

Congratulations to FFCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America) who had an incredible time at the state competition last week in Tucson! Boulder Creek Early Childhood Education and Education Professions returned from FCCLA State Leadership Conference in Tucson today with 5 medals.

Sadie Caldwell ~Teach or Train~ 1st place GOLD

Derek Scott ~ Impromptu Speaking ~ 2nd Place GOLD

Amira McBain-Wakine ~ Job Interview ~ GOLD

Mya McLeod ~ Teaching Strategies ~Silver

Kallista Lorgeree ~ Teach or Train ~ Bronze

Congratulations FFCLA students and to your teachers Ms. Manley-Medic and Mr. Erickson!

BCHS Mandarin students hosted an incredible Chinese New Year Festival in February. This event marked a milestone for the Mandarin NHS, as they collaborated for the first time with NHS, StuGo, and TSMC families to bring this vibrant cultural celebration to life. The festival featured delicious food from two well-known Taiwanese restaurants, exciting games, and tasty snacks provided by the TSMC community. The event was a success showcasing our incredible Mandarin students in a cultural celebration bringing in the year of the snake!

And congratulations to our Mandarin students Genevieve Curtis and Dillon Andrew. They won 1st place at the Arizona Chinese Speech Contest hosted by ASU on Feb 22. Clarissa Wen, Allison Eng, and Porter Kooyman won second place. Hannah Bennet has won third place. Their dedication, hard work, and passion for the language were awe-inspiring, and their performances stood out among the competitors. Congratulations students and to your teacher Ms. Zhao!

Congratulations to the BC TV Video Production Team, Ashley McKeen and Heath Eversole. They won 2nd place at the SkillsUSA region 2 Skills and leadership conference! The team is going to state! Our BC Video News Broadcasting won 11th place as well! Congratulations Media Productions and to your teacher, Mrs. Wujcikoski!

Congratulations to National English Honors Society sophomore Shae Holfeltz won 2nd place in the NSAL AZ 2024/2025 High School Poetry Competition. Along with winning prize ($300), she will also be a published author.

And congratulations National English Honors Society sophomore Nick Yarema won 4th place in the NSAL AZ 2024/2025 High School Poetry Competition. Along with winning a prize ($100), he will also be a published author. Congratulations to Shae & Nick! Absolutely amazing! And congratulations to your sponsor, Mrs. Kelly!

BCHS Band students welcome feeder schools for the annual movie concert! It was an incredible night showcasing the talent of our band students! We are so excited for feeder students to participate and can't wait for them to join our program next year and into the future. Congratulations to our band students and to Mr. Burrola on a wonderful show!

In the first annual DVUSD Robotics Competition, Boulder Creek won 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in Urban Search and Rescue. In Vex High Stakes, Boulder Creek won 2nd and 3rd place. It was a large success that included, BCHS, MRHS, and Anthem who competed in a middle school class. There were over a hundred guests in attendance including, competitors, parents, teachers, and administrators.

Urban Search and Rescue

1st place Joey Blacic and Preston Dejong- Qualified for the State Skills USA competition

2nd place Aiden Leibundgut and Owen Raschke- Qualified for the State Skills USA competition

3rd place Colby Smith and Colt Eikleberry

Vex High Stakes

2nd place Jackson Huebsch and Devon Holston- Qualified for the State Skills USA competition

3rd place Ben Johnson and Kaden Tang

Congratulations to our Jaguars that competed and to their teacher, Mr. Baxley!

BC Choirs organized and hosted the third annual Showdown in the Desert in February with great success. This is an event that Choir Director, Mr. Douglas, envisioned and worked to create to have more show choir competitions in the Valley. The Jaguars were featured on Arizona's Family to promote the event and able to perform on the news! Congratulations to our choir students, parent volunteers, and to Mr. Douglas an an incredible event!

And then in March, BC Choirs had an incredible concert showcasing the talent at all levels! The voices, staging, and costumes were stunning! Congratulations choirs! We are so proud of you!

From the Arizona Educational Foundation:

Arizona Teacher of the Year, Mr. Burnton took part in an incredible experience at Google where he explored the power of mindset, technology, and the possibilities of tomorrow in education.

As a passionate educator, Emmett is committed to redefining what education can be, ensuring that students are prepared for the ever-evolving world. His journey continues to inspire educators across Arizona to embrace innovation, adaptability, and forward-thinking teaching strategies.

Thank you, Emmett, for representing Arizona’s educators on this exciting stage!

Congratulations to our employees of the month!

Certified Employee of the Month:

January: Jeff Kunselman, Social Studies Teacher & Dive Coach

Classified Employee of the Month:

January: Michael Vanus, Grounds

Thank you for making BCHS AMAZING! #JagPride

Thank you so much to our incredible Parent Association for filling our sweet tooths with Valentine's day sweets! We are so grateful for the kindness, great food, and support!

Our Parent Association is always looking for membership to do amazing things for our students and staff! Please reach out to Beverly Jones about supporting BCHS through our Parent Association! bcjagparents@gmail.com

BC Jaguar PRIDE means that our Jaguars are Prepared, Respectful, have Integrity, are Disciplined, and show that Everyone is united! To ensure a safe, focused, and positive learning environment, we PRIDE expectations with students on Thursday in second period.

• This includes our expectation that students keep their cellphones on silent mode in their backpack so students can properly engage in learning.
• Students should be prepared with a fully charged iPad each day and any other items required for class to help with their success.
• It is also critical that students are in class and on time to be present for learning which is critical for their success.
• We also expect our students to be respectful of classrooms, school and personal property each and every day.

Please review our BCHS PRIDE expectations in our Student/Parent Handbook . Taking time to show Jaguar PRIDE is important as we work toward our mission of providing “a safe learning environment with rigorous academic opportunities for all students to graduate as productive, responsible, and contributing citizens!”

Please always check our website for the most up-to-date events information at http://bchs.dvusd.org.

• X (Twitter): @bchs_dvusd
• Facebook: @BoulderCreekHighSchool
• Instagram: @bouldercreekhigh
• TikTok: @BoulderCreekJaguars