Congratulations Gabriela Christianson, Quin Brewinski, and Hayden Foss!

Congratulations to Paxton Sivonen! A writeup will follow in January!

Falls High School hosted its annual Winter Holiday Concert this week, filling the school with the joyous sounds of the season. A full audience gathered to enjoy an evening of beautiful performances, showcasing the talent and dedication of our student choirs. Special thanks to our incredible choir teacher, Elsa Swanson, for her tireless efforts and passion in bringing this wonderful event to life!

The Falls High School class ring holds the distinction of being the oldest class ring tradition in the United States. Since 1929, graduates of Falls High School have proudly worn the same timeless design. This simple yet elegant design features symbols that capture the essence of the International Falls area: the sun, the pine trees, and the waterfall. Contact the FHS office if you would like more information!

We are incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication demonstrated by our Bronco football players! They have truly earned these well-deserved Minnesota State High School League Awards! They are school leaders both on and off the field.

Middle and high school students and staff celebrated the holiday season with a spirited week of themed dress-up days leading up to the holiday break. The hallways were filled with creativity, laughter, and festive fun, making it a week to remember for everyone!

Ms. Staples's English 7 just finished Jerry Spinelli's novel, Stargirl. Stargirl is a coming of age novel that teaches students to celebrate their own unique identity. It also addresses what it means to show sportsmanship. Stargirl is a cheerleader and is celebrated for her energetic and positive personality. However, when she starts cheering for all teams and helping out players from the opposing team, she quickly loses her popularity. Eventually, she is kicked off of the cheerleading team. The Bronco basketball cheerleaders came to class and performed a cheer that was in the book. They also talked about the reality of being on a cheerleading team versus the fictional components. Students also learned about how they could get involved in cheerleading in the future.

We’d like to thank U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers Lonnie Butts, Chris Kopp and Chris Wise for visiting FHS this week and talking with students about the Explorer Program. They had a lot of interested students and some great conversations!

Reminder to students- completed applications can be turned into the Counselors Office. Or if you’d like more information about the Explorer program please reach out to us.

International Falls High School is proud to partner with Rainy Lake Medical Center to provide students in the Healthcare Explorations Class with hands-on career exploration opportunities. This week marked the completion of the third rotation, where our students engaged with passionate healthcare professionals who generously shared their expertise. It’s exciting to see our students actively learning and enjoying this valuable experience. The future is bright for these aspiring healthcare professionals, and we are grateful for the opportunities this partnership provides!

Over break is the perfect opportunity to take some time to work on scholarship applications!

Please stop in the counseling office after the break to talk to Nikki or Mr. Grewatz about the many scholarship opportunities available!

UPCOMING DEADLINES for January & February:

• GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship - January 3, 2025
• Youth United CONTEST United Way of Northeastern MN - January 6, 2025
• Alworth Memorial Fund Scholarship - January 15, 2025
• First Generation Initiative (FGI) Scholarship - January 31, 2025
• Elks National Foundation Scholarship - February 3, 2025
• Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation - February 13, 2025
• Rainy Lake Property Owners Association Jeffrey Kantor - February 15, 2025
• William H. McPherson, Jr. - February 19, 2025

It can be challenging to know what the future holds. Thinking about the career pathways, combined with interests and lifestyle goals can help!

Try the following LINKS to help you think about your future!

Spanish class students enjoyed their Fiesta de Navidad and games while making paper shoes for the 3 Kings or Wisemen and camels on Jan 6th. Let’s see if they were buenos or not muy bueno. This is a Hispanic tradition similar to stockings on the mantle. Spanish students also enjoyed the tradition of piñatas during our Fiesta de Navidad.

Señora C.

¡Feliz Navidad amigos!

The 6th grade band and choir students filled the community with festive joy this past week, sharing the magic of music and holiday cheer at every stop! Their merry performances delighted audiences with stops including the Public Library, Menards, TruStar, Border Bank, Super One, Falls Elementary and the Villas, bringing smiles and seasonal spirit to all. 🎶✨

Positivity Mirrors, like this one in the main FHS girls' restroom, are part of a nationwide trend to provide a space for shared encouragement and to reinforce the idea that everyone deserves to feel valued and appreciated. This initiative reminds students of their self-worth and encourages positive thinking, offering an uplifting message in contrast to the often critical messages students may encounter online.

Shop online or in-person! Every dollar earned helps our school! Every little bit helps so much~ thank you to those who are already making a difference!

Here's how:

“I am so proud of the students in Ceramics class this semester! They have been persistent and positive in building their pottery skills and the creations they are making are blowing me away! Opening the kiln every morning to see all the beautiful pieces has been absolutely joyful ! “ - Mrs. Simon

Falls High School Teachers will now be available for Homework Help. Some of the help is during the day if students have open hours or if finished with work they may request a pass to see one of these teachers. Some of sessions are being offered outside of the school day. Please continue to watch for changes/additions to these sessions. Feel free to reach out to teachers with questions!

• 1st Hour Daily~ Mrs. Staples Room 204 (English)
• 1st Hour Daily~ Mr. Sandberg Room 113 (Social Studies)
• 2nd Hour Daily~ Mrs. Boyle Room 203 (English/Writing 6th Graders)
• 2nd Hour Daily~ Mrs. Mannausau Room 212 (Math)
• 3rd Hour Daily~ Mr. Dowty Room 108 (Math)
• 4th Hour Daily~ Mr. Awe Room 210 (Math)
• 5th Hour Daily~ Mr. Kaviuk Room 104 (Social Studies)

After School Homework Help (any subject) ~ Mr. Hemstad Room 115 M-Th

After School Homework Help (any subject) ~ Ms. Groom (Library) Mondays 3:20-4:20

Before School Extra Credit/Science ~ Ms. Jaksa Room 121 Fridays

Watch for changes and/or additions as the year goes on!

Please talk to a trusted adult if you or a friend are struggling with conflict, bullying. We have attached some resources below as a guide. When we bring a community together, conflicts inevitably arise. If the conflict persists into bullying or harassment it is imperative that students and adults work together to make it stop. At FHS we take this seriously and will thoughtfully and carefully investigate each incidence, help resolve conflict, and address bullying. Everyone deserves to feel safe at school!

Conflict and bullying are issues that need adult intervention and support. Please see the following resources!

Please watch for more LINKS to be added in the future!