There is no school for students this Monday, October 16 as our teachers finalize 2023-2024 first quarter grades. Classes will resume as usual Tuesday morning with one exception: this is Homecoming Week! We have had many students and school groups who have been hard at work planning and preparing for the 2023 Boone Homecoming celebration which begins first thing Tuesday with Decades Day. In this issue we have included some important reminders and other information for Homecoming Week so please look these over. This special week promotes a spirit of unity and pride for all of our Boone Braves, past and present, so we hope everyone will join in this year!

In this issue you will also find a special segment on a new initiative we just rolled out: Students of the Month. We have included pictures of all of our Braves who were nominated plus the winners by grade level. Our Students of the Month earn this recognition based upon several factors, but all of them go that extra mile when it comes to individual effort and exhibiting the "winning behaviors." If you see any of these Braves during the month, kindly take a quick moment to congratulate them. Keep in mind that we have 2,800 students enrolled at Boone, so to earn this distinction is a major personal achievement. 

Thank you for reading this current Totem Talk edition and prepare to enjoy an exciting Homecoming Week!

Dr. Maestre

Principal

Pictured very top: This picture was taken on Thursday of our front office ladies with Officer Daniels and Officer Danny—Boone's School Resource Officers from the Orlando Police Department.

This week is America's Safe Schools Week. Officer Daniels and Officer Danny do an incredible job each school day working to keep our campus a safe environment of learning. In the event you see either one this week, kindly take a quick moment to thank them for their efforts.

See School Calendar for Club meetings

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Questions? Email: [email protected]

We are excited to have begun a new Student of the Month recognition program to celebrate our Braves who are demonstrating academic excellence in their classes, or are making significant gains and showing growth in academic or behavior improvement. These students regularly exhibit characteristics of responsibility, accountability, integrity, service, and engagement!

In order to be recognized as a Student of the Month, the student had to be nominated by a staffulty member. Every student who was nominated received the special recognition. All of the names of the nominees were then sent to the Boone staffulty to select a Student of the Month for each grade level. We are so proud of all of our September Student of the Month nominees!

Congratulations to the following students (pictured with Dr. Maestre, principal) who were recognized as the Student of the Month for their grade level! In addition to their recognition certificate they received a stainless steel Boone cup.

Strategies, such as academic journals for guided notes, alongside audio examples of language immersion in French 1, led to increased engagement. Dr. Mami’s approach to language saturation and overstimulation in her class has proven a welcoming strategy. This course was rich with classroom routines and expectations. Students at Boone HS are benefitting from such an experience in our foreign language courses.

Boone Chapter FFA officers Thomas Feavel, Alexis Santana, Savannah Philips. Landon Hickox, Brena Lesley, Xari Jaime, and Rylee King attended the Florida FFA Leadership Training Conference to be trained in valuable leadership skills. They had multiple workshops with FFA members and leaders from all over the state. They learned about how other chapters across the state operated, practiced leadership skills and discipline, and discussed good communication skills.

Hi! I’m Ms. Mooneyhan, a native Virginian, who was educated in North Carolina and has worked in North Carolina, Florida and Scotland, UK. I have a very diverse background and interest. I have worked in high performing schools and high needs schools with an expertise in ESE and 504 students. In Scotland, I worked as the Head of Night School, youth clubs and led youth Outdoor Education and Outward Bound as well as participated in Ballroom Dancing. My family owns a farm and raises black Angus cattle where I spend my summer driving big tractors and operating other farm machinery. Last summer, I bailed over 300 4x5 round bales of hay! Needless to say, I have two barn cats, a cow dog and chickens there, but a “fancy feast” cat and a fancy Lusitano mare, competing at 3rd Level in USDF/USEF here in Florida.

My driving force is that I firmly believe that all students can achieve and learn at their level and speed. I have been an advocate for Technical Education and desire that not only all students receive a high school diploma, but participate in industry certification which will help students in the working world. And, of course, I see Equine Therapy as a way of working through physical and mental roadblock in achieving full potential. Feel free to come by and check out my horse’s competition ribbons!

1. University of Miami – 1402

2. University of Florida – 1385

3. Florida Polytechnic University – 1295

4. Florida State University – 1280

5. University of Central Florida – 1271

6. Florida Southern College – 1268

7. Florida Institute of Technology – 1253

8. University of South Florida – 1245

9. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University – 1240

10. New College of Florida – 1236

Source: Palm Beach Post (Oct. 10) Read full article

Sports passes for all Boone regular season athletic events can be purchased online at https://gofan.co/app/school/FL255_1

Julio Diaz, a 31-year-old social worker in New York City, had a very simple routine after work each day. He got off a stop early on the subway to eat at his favorite restaurant. On this fateful evening it was not the usual dinner. Julio was stopped on the deserted subway exit by a teenager with a knife demanding Julio’s wallet.

He gladly gave it to the youth and as the young man walked away, Julio shouted to him, “You forgot something!” The young thief turned in confusion as Julio continued, “If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm." The young thief was shocked and replied, “Why are you doing this?” Diaz told the young man if he were willing to risk his freedom for a few dollars, he must really need the money. All Diaz wanted to do was have dinner. In fact, he invited the young man to join him. Amazingly, he did!

Everyone in the diner from the waitress to the dishwasher stopped by the table to say hello to Julio, and the young “would be” robber was impressed. “Do you own the place?” the young man asked. “No, weren’t you taught to be nice to everyone?” Julio replied. “Yeah,” the young man said, “but I didn’t think people actually behaved that way.” The bill came and Diaz joked, “I guess you’ll have to pay, you have my wallet.” The young man gave the wallet back and they parted ways with both having a different perspective of the world.

It is bigger than just being kind to someone who initially was trying to harm you. The real story is about choosing the right attitude in difficult circumstances. Julio Diaz did not feel sorry for himself, did not feel hatred or anger toward the robber and did not change his outlook on life. Often people face difficult circumstances and are quick to blame a situation, another person, or the world for their problems. The best among us always hold on to a hope, a belief, an attitude that life is filled with wonder, excitement, and opportunity. With winners, one setback, one difficult situation, only doubles their resolve to succeed. 

How can you look at life this way you might say? The real question is how can you not look at life this way? Make today your best day! That is… until tomorrow!

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 [email protected] with any questions related to the program.

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