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. 

• NoBo Hotel – Bought and remodeled by Hilton in 2022, NoBo Hotel is located in downtown Cascade on Main Street, about a 5-minute drive from Alzar’s campus.
• 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 across from the NoBo Hotel.
• 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 3,000 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. 
• The Hunt Lodge/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.

Spring Family Visit 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.

• Families should be cautioned to send only family members necessary to transport the student to campus, limiting their overall number.  
• Please do not travel to campus if you are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or have been a close contact with someone who has tested positive.

• During travel, we want to again urge all family members to exercise extra caution while passing through airports, on planes, etc.  Of course, the first step is to wear well-fitting, properly secured masks throughout your time.  Avoiding eating helps ensure the masks stay on.  Using the disinfectant wipes often provided by the airlines to wipe down the surfaces at your seat is a smart strategy.  Carrying a small bottle of hand sanitizer and using it regularly is important.  

WHILE ON CAMPUS — WE ANTICIPATE THESE ON-CAMPUS PRECAUTIONS, BUT PROTOCOLS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. 

• Families will be asked to maintain a six-foot social distance from all other community members while on campus and to wear a face mask when indoors.  
• Families will not be allowed to enter student housing and should seek to minimize the time they spend on Alzar School’s campus. 

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!

ITINERARY FOR SPRING 2023 GRADUATION

Wednesday, May 24th – OPTIONAL, Spring 2023 Family Social Hour

• Social Hour – 4pm-6pm
  • Join the Alzar community and other Semester 22 parents for an on-campus social hour from 4-6pm.

Thursday, May 25th – RECOMMENDED Graduation Day

• Challenge by Choice Mini- Expedition – 12pm-2:30pm
  • Choose from 3 on-campus adventure options:
    • Southern Reach excursion – a moderate 3.5 mile hike to the newly acquired Southern Reach property.
    • Perimeter Trail loop – an easy 1.5 mile hike around Alzar’s main campus loop.
    • Barn tour – explore Alzar’s expedition course areas from the comfort of the barn with maps and fun activities.
• Social Hour on the Campus Green – 2:30pm-3:30pm
  • End your walk or meet up on the Campus Green for light refreshments alongside the entire student body and staff community.
• Graduation Ceremony – 3:30pm
  • Our public graduation ceremony will commence at 3:30pm. 
• Graduation Dinner – 6:00-7:00pm
  • Following our graduation ceremony, we will gather for an outdoor dinner at approximately 6:00pm. All are welcome to join us for this community event.
• Alumni Family Conversation – 7:30-8:00pm
  • A conversation with school leadership and new alumni families. We will have a short presentation on engagement after your student’s semester at Alzar School and tips and tricks on how to best support them back home.
• Student Closing Ceremony – 8:00pm-late
  • Following dinner, students will transition to a private ceremony during which they have the opportunity to say goodbyes to the faculty and staff. Students are encouraged, and will then most likely wish, to spend the night on campus.

Friday, May 26th – OPTIONAL Pick-up Day

• Parent Pick-Up Window – 8:00-10:00am
  • If you plan on picking up your student at Campus, please do so between 8-10am. 

Click here to register if you plan on attending our Spring Graduation Ceremony on our Idaho Campus.

ITINERARY FOR SPRING 2023 FAMILY VISIT

Friday, April 7th – Sunday, April 9th – OPTIONAL Family Visit

• Families are welcome onto campus at 3:45pm MST on Friday the 7th. Alzar will host a casual meet & greet from 4-5pm and then you are free to enjoy a weekend exploring Valley County with your student. Be sure to have your student back on campus on Sunday the 9th by 2pm. 
  

  Click here to register if you plan on attending our Spring Family Visit on our Idaho Campus.

   

ITINERARY FOR SPRING 2023 OPENING DAY

Friday, January 27th – OPTIONAL, Spring 2023 Pre-Opening Day Dinner

• Join Alzar Staff and other Semester 22 parents for a casual dinner and meet-and-greet. 
• Location: Paper Plane; 816 S Central Ave, Atlanta, GA 30354
• Time: Anytime between 5-8pm

Saturday, January 28th – OFFICIAL Opening Day

• 1, 2-hour Orientation time block – 9am-3pm
  • We will schedule orientation time blocks according to arrival. Families arriving on the 27th or before are encouraged to select earlier orientation time blocks. 

Click here to register if you plan on accompanying your student to Atlanta, Georgia on Opening Day.