The stage is set, the lights are warming up, and the excitement is building as the Incline Star Follies prepares to dazzle audiences once again! Mark your calendars for May 2 and 3, 2025, and grab your tickets now for this heartwarming community cabaret at the Duffield Theater at Incline High School.

Celebrating its 22nd year, the Incline Star Follies is more than just a show — it’s a vibrant showcase of local talent, featuring students, teachers, and community members in an unforgettable blend of music, dance, and comedy. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a first-time attendee, this beloved tradition offers a night (or afternoon!) of laughter, entertainment, and genuine hometown spirit.

Show Dates & Times:

• Friday, May 2: 6:00 PM & 8:30 PM
• Saturday, May 3: 1:00 PM (Matinee), 6:00 PM & 8:30 PM

All performances will be held at the Duffield Theater at Incline High School. Tickets are available online now at Incline Star Follies Tickets.

This annual event does more than entertain — it unites the community while supporting local education. All proceeds go directly to Incline Elementary, Incline Middle, and Incline High School through the Incline Education Fund. And thanks to the generosity of the Dave & Cheryl Duffield Foundation, every dollar donated will be matched up to $26,500, doubling the impact of your support.

Don’t wait — shows often sell out quickly, and this year’s performances are sure to be the most memorable yet. Get your tickets, bring your friends and family, and be part of a tradition that celebrates creativity, community, and giving back.

Tickets and donations available now at: Incline Star Follies

Let the lights shine and the stars rise — we’ll see you at the Follies!

Originally published in the Lake Tahoe School – Bobcat Newsletter

Three years ago, we created the Lake Tahoe School Speaker Series to provide opportunities for parents, faculty, and students to hear in person from authors and educators worldwide on current topics common to PreK3 to Grade Eight education. Now known as The Doyle Family Speaker Series, we have also intended from its inception for the series to be open to the larger Tahoe Basin community – both to help share these visits with those interested outside our immediate school community and to further position Lake Tahoe School as a recognized center for educational excellence in our region.

With speakers and topics ranging from sleep to self-esteem, pre-teen and teen issues, bullying and anxiety to social media, our offerings three times per year have attempted to address all related matters to raising a child and being one. To this end, during their visit, each speaker addresses parents, appropriately aged students, and the faculty separately while on campus. Our speakers engage all three groups thoroughly with their talks and a usually lively question and answer period.

In that vein, we are excited to share our final speaker of the year and her relevance to current issues regarding children and their exposure to and use of social media. Devorah Heitner, PhD, author of Screenwise and Growing Up in Public, will be our guest on Tuesday, April 15. Dr. Heitner will discuss the critical topic of children and their digital world with special emphasis on digital citizenship, bullying in digital spaces, and our children’s use of screen time.

Dr. Heitner’s schedule for Tuesday, April 15, is as follows:

9:00 am- 10:15 am – All parents and guests in the Bobcat Treehouse

10:30 am – 11:30 am – 3rd-5th grades 

1:30 pm – 2:30 pm – Middle School students

3:15 pm- 4:00 pm – Faculty and staff

While it seems these days that all issues are critical with children, it is essential that we, as parents, better understand what those issues are and how we might deal with them. With social media engulfing all of us at any age, nothing is more important than helping our children understand and navigate their role and how they and we might best protect them from its excesses. Please join us this coming Tuesday and bring a guest as well. Hope to see you there.

Welcome back to another great week ahead!

Bob

Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 04/01/2025, Written by Katelyn Welsh

The Incline High School boys and girls swim team secured their first meet win of the season on Friday, March 28 against Fernley High School.

“Their training and experience in competition is paying off,” coach Ken Reese says. 

The win came from a combination of the teams’ scores and finishes. Although this was the Highlanders’ first meet this season against Fernley and fourth meet overall, certain swimmers are already meeting the minimum qualifying time required to swim in regionals at the end of the season.

READ MORE >

Photos by Ken Reese – IHS

Lake Tahoe School is set to welcome Dr. Devorah Heitner, a leading authority on young people’s interaction with digital media, for a special presentation titled “Growing Up in Public.” The event, part of the Doyle Family Speaker series, will take place on April 15th at 9:00 AM in the school’s Bobcat Treehouse Library.

Dr. Heitner, author of “Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World” and her most recent work, “Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World,” will address the unique challenges parents face in guiding their children through the complexities of today’s digital landscape. With a focus on practical strategies and empathetic understanding, her presentation aims to equip parents with the tools they need to navigate social media, online communication, and the ever-present issue of digital reputation.

“We recognize the importance of providing our community with resources to navigate the digital age,” said Robert Graves, Head of School at Lake Tahoe School. “Dr. Heitner’s expertise and research-based insights are invaluable, and we believe her presentation will offer parents a much-needed perspective on raising children in a world where so much is shared publicly.”

Dr. Heitner’s background in media studies and child development has made her a sought-after speaker and consultant. Her work emphasizes the need for ethical and empathetic digital citizenship, offering actionable advice to parents and educators. In “Growing Up in Public,” she explores how young people construct their identities in an environment where their actions are constantly recorded and shared.

The presentation will cover topics such as:

• Understanding the impact of social media on young people.
• Developing strategies for responsible online communication.
• Protecting children’s digital reputation.
• Fostering empathy and ethical behavior in the digital world.

The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Those interested in attending can register at Laketahoeschool.org.

Lake Tahoe School, known for its commitment to providing a challenging and nurturing educational environment, is dedicated to preparing students for success in an increasingly digital world. The school believes that Dr. Heitner’s presentation will be a valuable resource for parents in the Lake Tahoe community.

Written By Allie Sacci, Lake Tahoe School, 03/24/2025

The Lake Tahoe School (LTS) Chess Team achieved unprecedented success at the Northern Nevada Scholastic (Open and Girls) Championships, securing multiple team and individual victories and qualifying numerous players for the upcoming Nevada State Championships.

Over the weekend, LTS hosted the highly successful tournaments, attracting record-breaking participation from across the region. The Open Tournament saw approximately 260 players, while the Girls Tournament also shattered previous attendance records.

LTS teams demonstrated exceptional skill and strategy, capturing all four team trophies in the Open Tournament (K-3 Championship, K-5 Championship, K-5 Reserve, and K-12 Reserve). In the Girls Tournament, the LTS team also secured the championship trophy. Individual LTS players also dominated their respective sections, securing a large majority of the available individual trophies.

“This weekend was a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, coaches, and volunteers,” said Coach E. “We are incredibly proud of their achievements and excited to see them compete at the state level.”

Key highlights of the tournament include:

Open Tournament:
LTS teams won all four team trophies.
LTS players swept individual trophies in the K-3 and K-5 Championship sections, and nearly swept the K-5 Reserve section.
LTS players won 5 of the 8 individual trophies in the K-12 Reserve section.

Girls Tournament:
LTS team won the championship trophy.
LTS players secured 7 of the top 8 individual spots.

The top individual scorers and teams from the Northern Championships have now qualified for the Nevada State Scholastic Championships, which will be held online on March 29th (Open) and March 30th (Girls). The online tournaments will be monitored from the LTS gymnasium.

The school extends its gratitude to Bob Graves and the LTS faculty and staff, parent volunteers, Coach E, Coach Annastasia, Fred Rocher, and sponsors MoFo’s Pizza and Inclined Burgers for their invaluable support.

Submitted by Mary Danahey of Incline Education Fund

Incline Elementary School

IES hosted the SWEP Science Festival last week. (SWEP=Sierra Watershed Education Partnership)  Students rotated through hands-on activity stations designed to deepen their understanding of STEM concepts.  Later that evening, Family Science Night extended the excitement, allowing students to share their discoveries with their families through interactive exhibits and experiments led by SWEP staff and volunteers. 

Incline Middle School –  Congratulations are in order for the winners of the annual IMS Spelling Bee! 6th Grade: Luca Groza (1st), Hector Toc (2nd), Ellie Johnson (3rd) 7th Grade: Harper Rudd (1st), Isabela Buscanan-Fernandez (2nd), Caleb Carsmen (3rd) 8th Grade: Sophia Groza (1st), Nicholas Pannone (2nd), Francisco Jones (3rd)

Incline High School – Athletic Highlights (from last week): The Track & Field team had a record-breaking weekend. The Highlanders split between two major meets and absolutely crushed it – setting a total of 30 personal bests.  Freshman phenom Shelby Erickson added 2 more school records to her collection, in the 800m and 1600m.
The Boys Golf Team came out swinging with a tournament win at Eagle Valley! Senior Sam Lager and junior Lucas McDonald both shot a stellar 81, with solid performances from Anthony Donohue (85), Neils Day (88), Trent Racich (92), and Dylan Zuvic (111). Great teamwork and focus! The Swim team dove into competition on Friday, putting up a strong fight against South Lake Tahoe in an exciting meet filled with standout performances from Sady Kelly, Jayden Medoza, Ava Hane,Ashley Siminov, Sarah Mayr, Olivia Kranz, and William Arrison.

To serve families and their children in the Lake Tahoe area, The Village Church has expanded both its Village Christian Preschool and started the Village Christian Academy (K-5).  The Academy is now enrolling for the 2025-2026 school year. Prospective families are invited to attend our Open House on March 27^th at 6pm.

Class sizes do not exceed 12 students.  Passionate, credentialed teachers provide individualized instruction from a Biblical worldview, applying a rigorous curriculum that exceeds state standards in math, reading, writing, history, science, and geography.  Frequent field trips, outdoor education, and enrichment opportunities create well rounded and engaged students. Tuition will be $1,100 per month per student.

Ashley Holt, a parent of a current student, had this to say:

“My daughter’s growth in her first year at VCA has been nothing short of remarkable.  The individualized focus and outpouring of community support are just some of what makes this school stand out among the rest.”

Join us on March 27^th at 6pm for our Prospective Parents Open House and take a tour of the school. For more information and to RSVP for the Open House contact us at 775-831-0797.

Check out our website at www.villagechristianacademynv.org. 

Originally Published in the Sierra Sun, 03/17/2025, Written by Zoe Meyer

The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) ski team continues its upward trajectory under head coach Cameron Smith, who recently completed his second season leading the program. With a more experienced roster and a structured training approach, the Wolf Pack demonstrated significant progress at the 2025 NCAA Skiing Championships at Dartmouth Skiway in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Smith, who has emphasized a holistic and disciplined approach to training, believes the team’s development is beginning to show tangible results. “I think that having a more holistic approach to the whole season can usually display better results,” he said. “A lot of the athletes are now used to my coaching style.”

The team’s growing experience has also contributed to its success….

READ MORE >

From Incline High School Principal Cahill: 3/17/2025

? Ski Team Success! This past week, we celebrated our Boys and Girls Ski teams at their banquet, and we’re still in awe—our Boys team brought home THREE State titles, while our Girls team earned the runner-up spot! ?? Congratulations, Highlanders!

? A Huge Thank You to Our Boosters! The Crab Feed was a smashing success, and for the first time, Incline Bowl was transformed into an incredible event space! With the overwhelming generosity of our community, we hit the $125,000 matching donation goal from the Dave and Cheryl Duffield Foundation! Their continued support elevates our school in ways beyond words, and we couldn’t be more grateful. ?

?‍♀️ History in the Making! Our inaugural Incline Gymnastics Team recently competed at the Grand Sierra Resort for a state title! Their strength, skill, and determination are nothing short of inspiring, and we are so proud of their first season!

⚾? Spring Team Athletics Update:

• Baseball & Softball teams notched key victories this week—way to go!
• Boys Golf hit the course for their first tournament of the season, placing 3rd overall! Sam Lager shot an 80 and Lucas MacDonald an 82—a great start as the team gets into full swing! ⛳