AT A GLANCE
November 6th-11th
This Week at HP
Tuesday, 7th
Picture Retake Day for all grade levels including Seniors. Please post this in your classroom this week and mention to the students.
6:30pm Fall Athletic Banquet
6:30-7:30pm Parent Information Night (McEvilly)
Wednesday, 8th
3:00 Faculty Meeting (Library Media Center)
4:00-7:30pm HP Night at the Mission
6:00pm NHS Induction Ceremony
Thursday, 9th
Scot Time-Veterans Day Assembly See Alternate Schedule Provided
Friday, 10th
10:30am JAG Awards Ceremony
Saturday, 11th
Highland Park Debate O' the Plaid
UPCOMING EVENTS:
November 21st-Basketball Kick-off 1:30-3:00pm in Main Gym (Adjusted Schedule TBD)
November 22-24th-Thanksgiving Break
Counseling Corner: College & Career
FAFSA Completion Nights:
Wednesday-4-6pm @ HP
Thursday-6-8pm @ Washburn University in Library
Monday-University of Central Missouri during both lunches
Tuesday-Emporia State University and WyoTech during Scot Time, Independence Community College during lunches
Wednesday-Allen Community College during Scot Time
OFF CAMPUS VISITS:
Thursday- Washburn University (45 students)
RESER's Hiring Event:
Friday-Representatives from Reser's Fine Foods will be at HP from 10am-noon in the media center. Please be sure to bring an updated resume(18yrs) and be dressed appropriately. They may conduct on-site interviews.
Those under 18yrs are encouraged to stop and get information, as well. Must be dressed appropriately.
If you need help creating a resume, please contact Dr. Duncan or your counselor.
STUCO INFORMATION
Student Council is working on several different projects over the winter and would like input from students and staff on what's important to you. Please share this link with your students and encourage them to take the 2-minute survey. We are planning to visit Scot Time classes next week in order to maximize awareness; more info on that will come later in the week.
EAST TOPEKA STUDENTS SHOULD HAVE A VOICE!
Teachers,
I was contacted by the Shawnee County Parks and Recreation Department regarding a construction project going into the area. They were looking at survey results, and students from 501 were not represented in the survey. Please take some time to share this link with your Scot Time Students this week and have them complete the survey.
DATA CONSULT UPDATE
Well, we ROCKED THE DATA CONSULT! Thank you for your hard work inserting grades, writing quality lesson plans, reducing the D's and F's, increasing overall attendance rate, reducing the number of referrals and supporting our college & career initiatives.
More information will be shared at the Faculty Meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
COLLEGE & CAREER...PUMP, PUMP, PUMP IT UP!
College Visits
• Internal
• 13 colleges and universities visited + U.S. Marine Corps
• Approximately 180 interactions—not individual students
• External
• Students participated in 7 different activities on college campuses
• 2 leadership symposiums at KU (20 students)
• 2 visits to K-State (District-wide trip & Avid) (21 students)
• Math day Competition at Emporia State (13 students)
• Washburn Tech Open House (31 students)
• Washburn University Farley Dinner (2 students)
• Students participated in 2 college fairs
• TPS College Fair (100 students)
• HBCU College Fair (50 HP students, including 5 who were admitted to Lane College during the event. We also had 5 students from Topeka West and 3 students from Topeka High join us.)
College Related Activities
• Apply Kansas campaign
• 80 students completed 110 college applications
• Students are excited about taking pictures with admin as they receive their acceptance letters
• ACT
• 46 students tested on 10/3/2017
• 19 students scored 18 or above
• 10 improved from previous scores
• 23 students tested on 10/28 and doing a current push to get students registered for 12/9
• FAFSA
• 32 students attended FAFSA night and/or have completed the FAFSA.
• Contacts will be made with students listed as being in verification
Upcoming Events for November
• 13 colleges and universities visiting HP + USMC (And Counting)
• In-house FAFSA completion night on Wednesday, November 8th
• Reser’s Hiring Fair
• College visits to Emporia State and Washburn University
• Leadership symposium at KU
• Career Exploration Fair
• Scholarship Writing Workshops
• ACT Workshops November 27-Dec 7
Congratulations are in Order!
Additionally, thank you for considering support next Saturday, NOV 11, when staff members are paid extra duty to judge here at Highland Park's Debate o'the Plaid. Interested? Here's the Google form to complete: https://goo.gl/forms/JCmSb8uSJTEQw1SD3 . If you've already submitted this from a student debater's contact, thank you!
ACT Preparation Course Offered
Contact Dr. Duncan at aduncan@tps501.org if you are interested in attending. Thank you for your commitment to provide additional opportunities for our college-bound Scots!
Weird Week
There were two girl fights during lunch Wednesday. One involved four people and the other had two. Then after all that was sorted out, there was an almost fight after school. The administrators were able to stop the fight after school, but the very next morning, the two girls fought before the 8:00 bell rang.
When we reflected on the increased aggressive behavior, we noticed two of the three fights were instigated and initiated by a student who has moved or transferred in within the last two to three weeks.
There has also been an increased odor of students self-medicating. We've had to send several home when confirmed.
A teacher who cares deeply for our students discussed this with me on Friday after school and shared with me the Ambassador's Program or Newcomer's Program started last year (likely due to the A&E crew coming in). A counselor also came into the office during this discussion and we will be doing our best to jump start this program, again.
Additionally, the suicide of a student impacted students who typically do not have contact with social workers at HP and this made the feeling tone even more weird.
So that you are in the know, Shawnee County has had 5 suicides in the last month. That also provides information to ponder...as we approach the holidays, it's not always festive for everyone. Where there is trauma to consider, absentee parents, deceased loved ones, poverty, children in foster care, and the pressure of decision making for the future, there will be anxiety, fear, depression, loneliness, and a desire to give up. This may be exhibited through withdrawal or aggression.
Make sure you are doing some neck-up/check-ups with your students and one another. As many may be counting down to the upcoming breaks, be mindful of how students can perceive that...for many of them, we are the consistency in their lives. If there is anything we can do to assist, please let us know. We are in this together.
For Next Newsletter or Smore
HPHS SITE IMPROVEMENT GOALS
By the end of the 2017-2018 school year, each student will demonstrate growth on the state assessment resulting in a school-wide increase of ten percent growth. Math proficiency will be at or above twenty percent.
By the end of the 2017-2018 school year, each student will demonstrate growth on the state assessment resulting in a school-wide increase of ten percent growth. Reading proficiency will be at or above twenty-four percent.
The overall attendance rate for Highland Park will reach ninety-two percent for the 2017-2018 school year by reducing chronic attendance issues by fifty percent.
As Administrators, Mr. Ackerman, Ms. Johnston, Ms. Watson, and myself (Mrs. Perry), we have added the following goals as the Instructional Leaders at HPHS as our commitment to our students, families, and stakeholders. These goals will not be reached overnight, and we can't do it without the assistance and support of the faculty and staff at HP, the district office and BOE Members, community, families, and especially our students who must put forth a real effort each day:
- Increase the 2017-2018 Graduation Rate based on the current students enrolled to 93% of the 11R's and Seniors and those who finish will be going to college, vocational school, the military, or secured full-time employment.
- Increase school-wide communication with a weekly staff newsletter, monthly newsletter to parents and community, updated marquee, high traffic on Facebook, and visibility in the building and at school and community activities.
- Inspect what we expect and increase teaching and learning with teachers submitting weekly lesson plans, posting power standards, evidence of Building Academic Vocabulary, increased usage of Webb's DOK Questions, common formative assessments, and bell-to-bell teaching.
- It is our goal to help make Highland Park a school we would gladly send our own children to while creating high expectations, producing results, increasing rigor in the classroom, and creating a school culture worth bragging about; where students are safe, challenged, and ready. We (Administrators, Faculty & Staff) will build ladders for students while keeping the standards and expectations high!