ITINERARY FOR FALL 2023 OPENING DAY

Friday, August 18th, 2023 – OPTIONAL, Pre-Opening Day Dinner Gathering in Boise

• Meet staff and others at Green Acres in Boise – anytime between 4-7pm
  • Meet us under the shade along the Boise River at Green Acres. Food and drinks are available but not provided. Located right along the Greenbelt walkway/bike path, you can easily access Green Acres on foot or bike from anywhere in downtown Boise.

Saturday, August 19th, 2023 – OPTIONAL, Family Rafting Trip down the North Fork of the Payette River

• 1/2 Day Rafting Trip Down the Payette River – 8am-1pm
  • Join staff and other families for a fun-filled adventure down Payette River to kick off our Fall Semester. We’ll be contracting this trip through Cascade Raft and Kayak. Spaces may be limited. Price = ~$56 per person. Registration HERE.

Saturday, August  – OFFICIAL Opening Day

• On-Campus Opening Day – 1pm-4pm (families will be asked to depart campus by 5 pm)
  • This time window is set for students and families to arrive on campus and get settled into their yurts. Be sure to walk around campus to see the surrounding area where your student will be spending the next few months. Mingle and meet our staff as well as other families.

ITINERARY FOR FALL 2023 FAMILY WEEKEND

Wednesday, October 11th, 2023 – OPTIONAL Social Hour

• Social Hour – 4pm-6pm
  • Join Alzar staff and leadership for a fun meet and greet with other families at Kelly’s Whitewater Park Visitors Center in Cascade, Idaho.

Thursday, October  12th, 2022 – OPTIONAL Off-Campus Hike

• Off-Campus Hike – 10am-12pm
  • Get a taste of expedition on an off-campus hike with Alzar staff at Ponderosa State Park in McCall, Idaho. This is an easy/moderate, 2-hour hike with views of mountain lakes and fall foliage. Find out more here. 

Thursday, October 12th, 2023 – RECOMMENDED On-Campus Events

• On-Campus Events & Dinner – 4pm-8pm
  • You’re invited to join the whole community for dinner and academic presentations on the Alzar School Campus.

Friday, October 13th, 2023 – RECOMMENDED Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences

• OPTIONAL – Breakfast at Alzar School – 8am-9am
• Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences – Times vary; 3, 15-minute conferences between 9am-4pm
  • Students will work with their mentors and teachers to select 3, 15-minute conferences. We will do our best to consolidate your meeting times.
• Campus and Yurt tours – Times vary; coordinated around conference schedules between 9am-4pm
• Catered Lunnch – 11:30am-12:30pm
• OPTIONAL – Traveling to Chile Q&A

Friday, October 13th,2023-Sunday, October 15th, 2023

• Students are allowed to check out with their families at the end of the day on Friday to spend the weekend together. We ask that families return their students to campus by Sunday at 2pm. 

ITINERARY FOR FALL 2023 GRADUATION

Thursday, December 14th, 2023 – OPTIONAL Graduation Ceremony IN CHILE

• Occasionally we have family members choose to attend our Graduation Ceremony on our Chilean Campus outside of Coyahque, Chile.
  • If interested, please contact Michael Ervin (mervin@alzar.org) for details and logistics. 

Cascade, Idaho

The Alzar School campus is situated alongside the North Fork of the Payette River in Cascade, ID. Cascade is a small town with lots of history.  The town’s largest industry was the Boise Cascade Sawmill which closed in 2001. The community now serves as a popular tourist destination with an influx of river runners throughout the summer and skiers in the winter!  To learn more about the town of Cascade, visit http://www.cascade.id.us/ or http://www.cascadechamber.com/.

If you would like to stay in Cascade and be close to the Alzar School campus (within a 5min drive), here are some local lodging options. 

• The Nob0 Hotel – Very recently remodeled and located in downtown Cascade on Main Street, the hotel offers some of the nicest accommodations in town.
• Palooza Basecamp – Newly remodeled, the Palooza Basecamp is located in downtown Casdacde above the local eatery.
• Lake Cascade Inn – Recently remodeled, small boutique hotel toward the north end of town.
• For more options check out TripAdvisor Cascade

McCall, Idaho

A beautiful 28-mile drive north of Cascade, McCall is one of Idaho’s spectacular alpine lake towns.  Situated on the southern end of Payette Lake, McCall is home to roughly 5,000 people. For more information on the City of McCall, visit www.mccall.id.us/.  If you choose to stay in McCall, here are a few lodging ideas. 

• Shore Lodge – Beautiful lodge located in downtown McCall on Payette Lake. Very nice rooms that open to the beachfront with an easy walk to the center of town. Shore Lodge is home to two of the nicer restaurants in McCall.

• Hotel McCall – In the heart of downtown McCall, this hotel is a historic gem. Just steps to the public beach and local restaurants. 
• Holiday Inn Express – Newly remodeled national chain. Easy central location.
• For more options, check out TripAdvisor McCall.

AirBnB & VRBO 

Both AirBnB and VRBO offer lots of options for vacation rentals in the McCall and Cascade area.

Fall Family Weekend Guide by Alzar School’s Admissions Department

While we are so excited to host you on our campus and elsewhere, we are also sensitive to the inherent risk of gathering students and families from across the country.

• Please do not travel to campus if you are exhibiting symptoms of an illness or have been in close contact with someone who has been ill.
• During travel, we want to urge all family members to exercise extra caution while passing through public spaces, airports, on planes, etc. Practicing regular, proper personal hygiene is important and helps mitigate the risk of illness in our community. 

WHILE ON CAMPUS — 

• Families may be asked to refrain from entering or be limited to time spent in student housing. This is to respect the privacy of yurt occupants and minimize health risks. 

Before and during the semester, you are welcome to purchase anything from the Alzar School store. Simply click here and check out the latest items!