I hope this special summer edition of Totem Talk finds you still enjoying a wonderful summer vacation! We have remained busy over the summer as this is the time when faculty are engaged in a variety of professional development sessions and conferences while staff goes about readying the campus for our Braves return on Thursday, August 10th. Please remember that we did release final report cards on July 13th and they are available on Skyward Family Access if you have not reviewed them as yet. 

This Monday morning we really set the annual back-to-school process in motion with our seniors picking up their laptop computers. Pickup dates vary by grade level, so please see the flyer further below for details.

At the beginning of every school year, OCPS organizes a webpage that contains a great deal of helpful back to school information, resource links, and tips all in one spot. Please click here.

2022-2023 Boone crew team members this past spring season. For those Braves that might enjoy a competitive, fun experience out on the water this fall, please see the crew team message in this issue. There are few better ways to learn the value of teamwork than being on a crew team! 

In this issue you will find segments welcoming both new members of our leadership team and and to our faculty/staff. These are top professionals who will be valuable assets to our students and families this school year. I know they are each looking forward to meeting with the community, so if you have the chance on August 8th, please take a moment to say hello.

Thank you very much for reading and please remember to stop by our website and social media platforms for other news all along.

Dr. Maestre

Principal

Pictured very top: Our awesome Boone custodial team took a short break from all their back-to-school preparations for a group picture this past week. They have been working very hard over the summer to make sure the campus is clean and safe ahead of our Braves return next month!

If your student didn't receive an email or they were unable to find the email about their digital device scheduled time, the appointment times are listed below by last name.

Please have your student come during your scheduled pickup time. Arriving at a time other than the assigned slot will cause a delay in receiving their device.

Dan Abalo is joining us as an assistant principal. He grew up in South Florida and attended University of Central Florida for his undergraduate degree. Dan received his master’s degree from National Louis University in 2010 in Educational Leadership and Administration. He served as a teacher, administrative dean, and assistant principal, focusing on mentorship programs and accountability systems, over the many years in OCPS. Dan brings a balance of experience and compassion while deeply focusing on student success.

Timothy Flynn is joining us as an assistant principal following six years as an assistant principal at Colonial High and Westridge Middle Schools. He studied educational leadership at UCF, earning a doctorate in 2016. While working toward his doctorate, Dr. Flynn taught United States History for three years at Oak Ridge High School.

Although I am new to Boone, I have been in the district for 4 years at various school levels. I graduated from UCF for my Bachelor's in Sociology and Master's in Counselor Education. When I'm not working, I love to play soccer, go bike riding (you'll probably see me around town!), hiking, camping, and rock climbing! As I say to all my students, my job is for YOU! I will be your fierce advocate and motivator, and I will reinforce the high expectations you should hold for yourself. Looking forward to a wonderful school year! :)

I enjoy shopping, movies, and going to New Smyrna Beach. I am also a huge foodie, so I enjoy finding the latest food fads and newest restaurants around town.

I love to travel and spend my resources on new adventures, especially if they relate to what I am teaching. This summer I checked off a bucket list item by visiting Mount Rushmore in South Dakota!

This school year our very own Orange Technical College (OTC) Dual Enrollment students competed for a chance to compete nationally at the SkillsUSA Competition. SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled workforce. They are a nonprofit national education association, which serves middle-school, high-school and college/postsecondary students preparing for careers in trade, technical and skilled service occupations.

Our OTC Dual Enrollment students, Gavin Greene, Ski Lopez and Brodie Roberson earned the opportunity to go to Atlanta this summer to compete in the SkillsUSA National Competition in the Welding Fabrication division.** There were students who competed in everything from cosmetology to culinary to construction. The SkillsUSA Championships are career competition events showcasing the best career and technical education students in the nation who won their state competitions.

Gavin, Ski, and Brodie were given the blueprints to make a park grill. They had to complete the whole project including measuring, cutting the metal and welding it on the spot. They competed against 40 other teams from all over the United States!

They had a great experience making new friends, learning new skills, networking with companies with the goal of jobs after graduation! Congratulations to these young men on earning the opportunity to not only represent Boone, but OCPS at a national competition! We are very proud of you and hope the skills you learned lead you to a promising and successful future!

If you have a student that is interested in dual enrollment opportunities at Orange Technical College, please reach out to our assistant principal Candice Mixson at Candice.mixson@ocps.net.

1. Underwater Welding

2. Land-Based Oil Rig Welding

3. Industrial Pipeline Welder

4. Military Support Welder

5. Nuclear Industry Welder

6. Welding Engineer

7. Aerospace Industry Welder

8. Welding Technician

9. Certified Welding Inspector

10. Combo Welder

Source: SEC Industrial - Read full article

Source: Makemoneywelding.com - Read full article

Anna H. took the ACT during the ACT school day in the spring, which was offered for all juniors last school year. She had never taken it before and would not have if not given the opportunity to take it during the school day. Anna admits that she did not do a whole lot of prep before the test and was not expecting to earn a perfect score.

When asked about school and motivation, Anna said:

“I put effort into school because it is important and I want to do well. I have been lucky to have great teachers at Boone, Blankner K-8, and Kaley. Ms. Graham was the most memorable teacher I ever had in my school career because she cared so much about us as students and pushed us to be our best. Ms. Biery is also a great teacher because she creates a warm atmosphere to help us succeed. I also enjoy Mr. Burke’s creative photography class because it creates a great outlet. I think all teachers deserve a lot of respect for all of the work they put in.”

Anna also recognized her older sister Melody, who graduated from Boone in 2018, for being a positive example and role model. Anna plans to apply to colleges both inside and outside of Florida and wants to major in Biology. The advice Anna has for other students is to not stress about tests. Do not let competition be the only thing that drives you. Focus on being well rounded and always trying your best.

Anna’s achievement on the ACT is significant and rare. About one-quarter of 1% of all test takers earn the top score. Among U.S. high school graduates in 2022, just 3,376 out of more than 1.34 million students who took the ACT earned a composite score of 36. Congratulations Anna!

Sources: www.act.org, Cincinnati.com

The list shared by St. Johns County Sheriff's Office includes social media apps, dating apps, and even games with chat functions. View the short news video (posted by First Coast News, Jacksonville, FL)

Snapshots from last season's away game vs. Winter Park's Wildcats. This year our first home game of the season is vs. Winter Park on Friday, September 8.

On Tuesday, July 18th the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released their quarterly report of "usual median weekly earnings" for America's workers. As part of their research, they always analyze weekly paychecks by level of educational attainment. The chart below shows that the pattern has not changed since the start of the 21st century and holds up even through economic recessions (the grey colored bars): income rises with more education. 

~ Without a high school diploma = $713 per week

~ High school graduates (no college) = $889 per week

~ Some college or associate degree = $1,010 per week

~ Bachelor's degree and higher = $1,588 per week

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Read full report

Don Shula, former coach of the Miami Dolphins, is the only coach to have led his NFL team to a perfect season and a Super Bowl victory. His secret? When he coached, he held to a twenty-four hour rule. After a football game, he allowed himself, his coaches, and his players only twenty-four hours to celebrate a victory or sulk over a defeat. During that time, they were encouraged to make the most of the experience. But once the twenty-four hours were over, they had to put it behind them.

You don't have to be a football player to benefit from that advice.

Copyright Notice

Reproduction of this material, either written or electronically, including the general layout, graphics, analyses, and content topics without the express approval of Target Performance Systems, Inc., a Florida corporation, and Orange County Public Schools is forbidden without written consent. Thank you for your support of the Orange County Public Schools and especially Boone High School. Please contact Dr. Maestre (principal) at hector.maestre@ocps.net with any questions related to the program.

Boone High School | Dr. Maestre, Principal | 386.893.7200 | Boone HS Website