Humboldt Welcomes New Principal!
The Humboldt Senior High Principal Selection Committee worked hard to develop a process to determine the best candidate for our school. Before we even began interviewing candidates, conducting a community forum and deliberating over the finalists, we spent several hours laying the groundwork to develop an effective process. After this process we recommended three candidates to Superintendent Pat Harvey. Reviewed our recommendations chose John Bianchi.
John S. Bianchi is Harvey's choice to be principal at Humboldt Senior High School. Bianchi, who most recently served as principal of Minnetonka High School in Minnetonka, Minn., during the 2003 school year, brings more than 40 years of educational experience to Humboldt. His career includes two years as assistant principal at Harding Senior High School (2000-2002), a year as principal of Stillwater High School (1999-2000) and more than 30 years in a variety of positions in the Bloomington public school district.
Harvey said Bianchi's vast experience will be an asset to Humboldt's students and staff. "I am thrilled to recommend an educational professional who has seen and done so much in his career," she said. "Mr. Bianchi has worked at nearly every level in public education and I am confident he will hit the ground running and make an immediate impact at Humboldt."
Bianchi will replace Steve Lindberg, who is taking another leadership role within the district.
Does your child have a full class schedule?
Please review the enclosed class schedule. If there are holes in the schedule please come in on a Wednesday from 8:30-11:30 AM during the summer to work with a guidance counselor to complete the schedule. If you do not come in to make the changes our Guidance staff will use their professional judgment in determining the class schedule. Class schedules will not be changed once the school year begins, changes need to occur before school begins.
Au revoir Ludy!
This year's French Amity Intern, Ludyvine VanPoucke, returned to France in early June. She has already written us to say how strange it feels to be back in France after living like an American this past year and wanted to thank everyone who provided her with the variety of experiences she had during her stay. Ludy will be working in a summer resort on the Atlantic ocean and plans to begin her Master's program at the University of Nantes in September. We would all like to extend our sincere thanks to her host family, Jeanne and Pat Martin, as their generosity truly made it possible for Humboldt French students to benefit from a native French speaker during this past school year.
Bienvenue Fabienne!
Fabienne Segondy, our 2004-2005 academic year Amity Intern, arrives in August to begin work with our French students. It has become an annual event at Humboldt to have the assistance of a French college student to enhance the variety of French offerings so we are again looking forward to getting to know Fabienne.
Fabienne has just completed the French equivalent of a Master's degree in education with a specialty in teaching French as a foreign language. She nearly shouted for joy when Madame Hopen phoned her to extend the invitation to join us. While at school she lives in Montpellier a modern city in the south of France not too far from the Mediterranean sea. On weekends she returns home to her family farm about a thirty minute drive from there.
We are pleased to be able to announce that for the third time the Hamilton's will be our Amity host family. Natalie Hamilton who is a junior at Humboldt and studying advanced French looks forward to her house guest as they share many interests. They both enjoy volleyball, badminton, tennis, reading, writing, music, computers, history and cinema. The coming year should be an active one for their entire family.
If you are interested in learning more about the Amity program, please contact Madame Hopen at 293-8600.
Attention 10th Graders!
The Ninth Grade Academy is interested in creating a LINK Crew for the incoming freshmen. The goal of this crew would be to help the incoming ninth graders build positive relationships with both the Ninth Grade Academy staff and with the larger school community. As former students in this academy, we think you would be the best mentors for this project. Therefore, we are looking for students who shared the Ninth Grade Academy experience this year, who felt like they made a positive adult connection this year through that experience, and who would like to share their experience with incoming freshmen. We plan to provide training sometime in August, and we would expect volunteers to be able to attend the freshmen orientation on Tuesday, August 31 from 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. If you are interested, please call Mrs. Theresa Behnke at home at (651) 415-0408 to get registered.
Attention Incoming Freshman
The Ninth Grade Academy will be holding a ninth grade orientation on Tuesday, August 31 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for ninth grade students and their families. More information will be coming in the mail, but please mark your calendars now!
11th Grade Summer Reading for AP English Literature and AP English Language!
Students who have signed up for or who have been selected to participate in Advanced Placement English Literature and Advanced Placement English Language, also known as AP English 11 this summer should read this announcement.
AP English 11 is a rigorous course that requires summer reading. The books listed below were selected as those which will best prepare you for success in this course and on the AP exams next spring. You must read four novels total. Of those, three are required titles and one you may choose (from the list provided).
11th GRADE REQUIRED TITLES (You must read all three of these):
(All required titles should have been checked out from Ms. Behnke or can be obtained by calling her.)
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway- a classic 1929 Hemingway complete with war and the plight of the "lost generation."
Death of A Salesman by Arthur Miller- this 1949 drama centers around a man's failed attempt to attain the "American Dream."
Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories by Sandra Cisneros- a modern (1991) collection of stories about Hispanic women in the many different stages of life. [Read all of the stories, not just the title story.]
11th GRADE CHOICE TITLES (Choose only one):
(Choose one from the following list. Other choices will not be accepted. These books were not available for check out, but they can be found at your local library.)
Tuesdays With Morrie by Mitch Albom- a 1997 release about sports writer, Albom, interviewing his former university teacher and mentor, Morrie who is fading away from Lou Gehrig's disease.
The Teammates: A Portrait of Friendship by David Halberstam- released in 2003, this is the story of four baseball greats - Ted Williams, Dom DiMaggio, Bobby Doerr, and Johnny Pesky - and how they were friends until the end.
A Code to Keep: The True Story of America's Longest-Held Civilian Prisoner of War by Ernest C. Brace- released in 2001, this is the true story of a U.S. soldier's captivity and triumph during the Vietnam war.
For each book complete the following assignment:
Choose 15 significant quotes from throughout the novel which contribute to your understanding of the work as a whole. Quotes should explain one or more of the following aspects of literature:
Character description: With the required readings, identify character motivation and how a character changes throughout the novel. With the choice reading, identify the author's purpose.
Conflict
Theme or point and purpose
Literary devices (look up any unfamiliar terms): In A Farewell to Arms, NOTE quotes that deal with: style (the simplicity of the diction and syntax), settings (and what they symbolize), structure (why five "books"?), and irony. In Death of A Salesman, NOTE quotes that deal with: dialogue, interior monologue, tone, and irony. In Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories, NOTE quotes that deal with: stream of consciousness, archetypes and icons (the Virgin of Guadalupe, La Llorona, and La Malinche), and motifs.
For each assignment or book, remember to copy the quote, identify the page number, and identify the topic of the quote. Also, be sure to choose quotes to illustrate the various topics above.
Example using A Farewell to Arms
Page: 93 Topic: Character Development
Quote 1= "God knows I had not wanted to fall in love with her. I had not wanted to fall in love with any one. But God knows I had and I lay on the bed in the room of the hospital in Milan and all sorts of things went through my head but I felt wonderful and finally Miss. Gage came in."
In addition to the assignments listed above, you will be tested on these books, and you will also be re-examining them.
If you or your parents have any questions about any of the required titles above, about any of the optional titles, or about the course, please feel free to contact Mrs. Behnke. Mrs. Behnke's home number is (651) 415-0408. (You may also call over the summer to ask questions about the novels). I hope you enjoy your reading!
Have a great summer,
Mrs. Theresa Behnke
A Note from the Nurse.
Some of you received letters two months ago about your student needing additional immunizations. Please remember to take your student to the doctor for those immunizations this summer. Also, please have the doctor give you a record of the immunizations given so your student can bring it to the nurse in September. Thank you. Linda Siqveland, school nurse.
La Escuela Humboldt le da la BIENVENIDA al
Sr. John Bianchi, nuestro nuevo director.
Una Nota De La Enfermera
Hace como dos meses algunos de ustedes recibieron una carta indicándoles cuales son las vacunas que necesitan sus hijos antes de regresar a la escuela en septiembre. Por favor recuerde de llevar a su hijo/a a que reciba las vacunas necesarias. También pídale un comprobante al doctor de las vacunas que recibió y regréselo a la enfermera de la escuela en septiembre. Gracias!
Linda Siqveland
-enfermera de la escuela-
Atención Estudiantes del Noveno Grado
La Academia del Noveno Grado va a tener una orientación para los estudiantes que van a entrar al noveno grado, el martes 31 de agosto de 5:00 p.m. á 8:00 p.m. para los estudiantes y padres. Van a seguir recibiendo información acerca de esta junta, por favor anótelo en su calendario hoy. Gracias!
Humboldt's staff is changing…..
Our staff has changed for the following reasons:
Assistant Principal-Billie McQuillan was serving as an interim assistant principal, Dr. Patricia Murphy was hired as our new assistant principal. Good luck Ms. McQuillan, you did a fantastic job and welcome Dr. Murphy.
The Office of Special Education has provided the Humboldt Schools Complex with an assistant principal in charge of Special Education. Humboldt Senior High welcomes Ms. Debra Shipp. We are excited the district has offered us this additional support.
Counselors-Some our counselors have been transferred to other buildings as the District's request. Our counselors for the 2004-05 school year are Marlyn Garcia, Andrea Dickinson and Mary Zehrer.
Social Worker-We have recognized a need for a full time social worker to serve the regular education students. We are excited to have Linda Skillingstad join our staff.
Band Director-Levi Lundak took a job in Rochester, which is closer to his home, we are in the midst of hiring a band director. Good luck Mr. Lundak.
English Teacher-Theresa Behnke will be coordinating the WOW Grant position. She will continue to teach one English class. We are in the midst of hiring a 0.8 English teacher.
Technology Teacher-We have changed a business position to a technology position to provide our students with a technological edge as they prepare for the future.
