The Falcon Feed
Pottsgrove High School - May 20, 2020
special olympics shoutout
honoring our seniors
National Honor Society
A reminder from Ms. Compton - National Honor Society applications due June 10th 3p.m.!!!
ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK ONLINE
There's nothing else like your school yearbook, especially one that documents this unprecedented year! Get your hands on the limited edition collection of our stories from the year.
Buy online now!
cap & gown pickup!!
Steps for Dual Enrollment at MCCC Pottstown Campus
If you are a Pottsgrove underclass student planning to take one or more courses at
Montgomery County Community College Pottstown Campus this summer or fall, here are the
steps you can take. If you already completed some steps, just pick up where you left off:
1. Complete the free application at mc3.edu/admissions/high-school-dual-enrollment.
You will need your social security number.
2. Once you apply, you will receive a welcome email from MCCC giving you a 7-digit Student ID number, User ID, and email address, and directions on how to log into your MyMC3 portal.
3. Some courses, such as English Composition 101 and Math courses, require students to demonstrate ability in English or Math in order to take the class. Usually, this is done through Placement Testing. Due to the Covid 19 mandates, Placement Testing for MCCC is not available. Temporary measures, such as high school transcript review, have been made for student placement assessments instead of placement testing:
Send High School Transcripts
Instead of placement testing, students who would otherwise need a placement test
would now need to provide MCCC with an official copy of high school transcript.
You can request your official High School Transcript from your School Counselor or Mrs.
Crowell at kcrowell2@pgsd.org. You can also request it through Naviance.
Pottsgrove will send it directly to MCCC.
Note: Some courses such as Intro to Psychology, Criminal Justice, and Sociology, do
not require Placement Testing
4. If you scored high enough on other testing, like SAT or PSAT (560 Reading/ 550 Math), you may be exempt from part or all of the MCCC Placement Test. Students can click: Placement Testing Webpage to see if you are exempt from placement testing.
If you can be exempt, just upload your documents here:
https://sft.mc3.edu/filedrop/placementtesting or email your exemption scores
5. Complete paper registration form (attached) to register for the actual class(es) you
want to take at MCCC Pottstown campus. This form requires the student’s 7-digit
MCCC ID Number, signature from a parent/guardian and high school official, and that
the course name, section and dates are listed.
If you are taking English Comp 101, list it as: English Comp 101 - AW
To search for another course, go to: https://www.mc3.edu/courses .
6. Once the registration form is complete, please email it your high school
counselor. You can send a picture of the form, if you cannot scan and email.
7. Your Pottsgrove counselor will forward the registration form to MCCC. Once
registered, the tuition bill is paid directly to MCCC or through your mc3 portal or through
the mail by end of July. No money is given to Pottsgrove HS. Costs and payment
options can be found at https://www.mc3.edu/paying-for-college.
Questions? Contact : MCCC Rep Tiffany Smalls at mc3.edu or
Don Petrella, PGHS Guidance at dpetrella@pgsd.org.
SAT Testing - a message from Collegeboard
We're working to ensure that students will have opportunities to take the SAT® to make up for this spring’s lost administrations. Today we're sharing with you that we've added a new SAT administration for Saturday, September 26, 2020. This date will be for the SAT only, in the United States and internationally, with no SAT Subject Tests™ available. Sunday testing for religious reasons will be on September 27.
Registration for the 2020-21 SAT administrations will open the week of May 26. At that point, June registrants will be able to transfer their seat to a 2020-21 administration. All other students in the high school class of 2021 who don't have SAT scores will also have early access to register for the August, September, and October administrations. This includes students who had registered for March or May and had their registrations canceled and refunded. For each administration this year, we're also preparing to significantly expand our capacity.
Computer Summer Take-Home
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Due to COVID-19 and continued social distancing recommendations as we approach the end of the school year, we are requesting that High School students currently in 9th, 10th, and 11th grade keep their laptops over the summer. We are also requesting that Middle School students currently in 6th and 7th grade keep their iPads over the summer.
The fee for the 2020-2021 school year does not need to be paid now as has been the practice in previous years. We are asking that the fee be paid before November 1st, 2020. Payments can be made on the MySchoolBucks website found here or by check payable to Pottsgrove School District.
All forms and more information on our Digital Learning Environment (DiLE) can be found on our website here.
Should your family move out of the district over the summer, or your student(s) will not be returning to the Pottsgrove School District in the fall, please reach out to your Principal to arrange for collection of the device(s) prior to the start of the new school year.
Thank you,
Tony Bickert
Director of Technology
important AP exam info
Dear AP Exam Registrants:
Here is the latest information on AP testing, which is scheduled to take place on line between May 11th and May 22nd. Your Pottsgrove AP teachers, counselors,and administrators are here to support you as you decide whether to take the AP Exam this May. Please carefully read the information below and on the College Board website.
Students/families can go to https://ap coronavirus updates.collegeboard.org/students for information directly from College Board regarding testing.
When you are ready, click this link to share your intentions with Pottsgrove HS by May 1st regarding the AP Exam: https://forms.gle/U4yEckHtpBC91zND6
Important Notes from College Board:
* Testing window is May 11 - May 22, with each exam given at a common specific time (click College Board link above to see schedule).
*Exams are 45 minutes long and are Free Response Questions only (other than Drawing, Computer Science Principles, and Seminar, which are project-based submissions only and will not have a written exam). No multiple choice questions on exams.
*Students can use any internet device, such as phone or laptop, but can only use one specific device to connect to exam and submit answers.
*Students can type answers, or handwrite them and upload them.
* College Board will honor previously-approved accommodations for special needs.
* If a student does not have a device or internet, they can contact cb.org/tech by 4/24 and College Board can help them with device or connectivity capability.
*Students will be given the opportunity to practice simulations through the Live Course Session offerings (click College Board link above to see AP on line session schedule).
* No new testers are permitted. Only testers that have already registered prior to March 13th.
Thank you,
Don Petrella
AP Coordinator
AP TESTING FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
If I already registered for one or more AP Exams, is there anything else I have to do to register for the new on line exams?
No. If you are already registered, you are all set. College Board will communicate with you through email (using the email address you used to create your account) or your College Board account (myap.collegeboard.org) with specific testing information. Students should verify their College Board account at myap.collegeboard.org by clicking on their profile at the top right-hand corner of the page, and going to Account Settings. Students should scroll down to verify their information and confirm that their email address is the one to which they'd like to receive the e-ticket to take their AP Exams. If it's not the correct email, they can update it to an email they check regularly by clicking Update.
If I want to cancel my exam(s) for a full refund, what do I do?
If you wish to cancel one or more of your exams for a full refund, you can click this link to share your intentions with Pottsgrove HS regarding the
AP Exam: https://forms.gle/U4yEckHtpBC91zND6
However, College Board recently decided that students do not have to formally cancel with College Board. Students can wait until test day to decide, and if they do not take the test, they will still get a full refund. Mr. Petrella will verify who took the exams with College Board after the testing window. If a student did not take the exam they registered for, they will still get a full refund from Pottsgrove in the summer.
How will College Board administer the exams?
*Exams are 45 minutes long and are Free Response Questions only (other than Drawing, Computer Science Principles, and Seminar, which are project-based submissions only and will not have a written exam).
*No multiple choice questions on exams.
*Students can use any internet device, such as phone or laptop, but can only use one specific device to connect to exam and submit answers.
*Students can type answers, or handwrite them and upload them.
*Click here for more information about the exams: https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/students/taking-ap-exams
How do I best prepare for the exams?
The best way is to follow the lead of your Pottsgrove AP teachers, who are trained to prepare you well for these exams. But in addition, students have opportunity to practice simulations through the Live Course Session offerings (click College Board link https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/students/ap-course-schedule
to see AP on line session schedule).
When are my exams?
Testing window is May 11 - May 22, with each exam given at a common specific time (click College Board link https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/students/taking-ap-exams/ap-exam-schedule to see schedule).
Will colleges give credit for these new shortened exams?
College Board states that most college admissions representatives have said they will still award college credit for strong scores on these shorter on line exams. However, if you have a college in mind, it is always best to check with them to be sure. See this link for more testimonials: https://apcoronavirusupdates.collegeboard.org/students
Where do I find the latest updates from College Board?
Students/families can go to https://ap coronavirus updates.collegeboard.org/students for information directly from College Board regarding testing.
If I take the exam and don’t do well, will this hurt my chances of getting into college?
No it won’t, since students have control over which colleges the scores are sent. AP scores are not listed on the high school transcript and must be sent to colleges by the student. Scores are available in the student’s College Board account typically in July.
If I didn’t register for an AP test previously with Pottsgrove, can I do so now?
No new testers are permitted. Only testers that have already registered may take an AP test this May.
What if I have more questions?
Just email Mr. Petrella at dpetrella@pgsd.org, contact College Board AP at 888-225-5427 or apstudents.info.collegeboard.org, or reach out to your AP teacher.
Steps for Seniors Planning to Attend MCCC after Pottsgrove
For seniors planning to attend Montgomery County Community College in the Fall, follow the steps below for application and registration. If you already started the steps, just pick up where you left off:
1. If you haven't already, complete the free application at mc3.edu/apply. You will need yoursocial security number.
Note: A Pottsgrove senior Dual Enrollment student who already has an account with MCCC and would like to enter the college as a freshman would need to complete a new application. D.E. Senior Students can apply to the college at mc3.edu/apply. The D.E. student will keep his/her same MCCC student ID number.
2. Once you apply, you will receive a welcome email from MCCC giving you a 7-digit Student ID number, User ID, and email address, and directions on how to log into your MyMC3 portal. Complete MyCareerPlan in the portal under the Resources Tab.
3. If you scored high enough on other testing, like SAT or PSAT (560 Reading/ 550 Math), you may be exempt from part or all of the MCCC Placement Test. Students can click: Placement Testing Webpage to see if you are exempt from placement testing.
If you can be exempt, just upload your documents here:
https://sft.mc3.edu/filedrop/placementtesting or email your exemption scores
4. Due to the Covid 19 mandates, Placement Testing for MCCC is not available. Temporary measures, such as high school transcript review, have been made for student placement assessments instead of placement testing:
5. Send High School Transcripts
Students need to provide MCCC with copies of high school transcript.
You can request your official High School Transcript from your School Counselor or Mrs.
Crowell at kcrowell2@pgsd.org. You can also request it through Naviance.
Pottsgrove will send it directly to MCCC.
6. Make Advisor Appointments
Prior to scheduling an advisor appointment, students need to log into their MyMC3
account and complete their MyCareerPlan . In addition, they need to complete the two
steps listed on the Ready. Set. MontGO! webpage.
All students will need to make an appointment with an advisor to discuss course
selection and other needs. To make that appointment, students can contact the
Montco Advising Team at advising@mc3.edu.
Questions? Contact : MCCC Rep Tiffany Smalls at mc3.edu or
Don Petrella, PGHS Guidance at dpetrella@pgsd.org.
Notes from the nurse
Stay well!!
Staying Hydrated (during social distancing and beyond):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUMaLiXt220
Hydration Rap:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSxOksXkm-Q
What would happen if you don't drink water?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iMGFqMmUFs&t=62s
Words of Wellness from the Ringing Rocks Nurse
School Nurse in the House
All About Sleep (during social distancing and beyond):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-Nvxmv_vGY
12 Kid Friendly Strategies to Calm Anxiety at Night from a Child Therapist:
Parenting support available
Family Services is now offering virtual visits through the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P)! Triple P is open to all parents/caregivers in Montgomery County with children ages 0-18.
We know this is a challenging time. You might feel a little isolated, unsure of how to manage challenging behaviors, or you might like ideas for creating or maintaining family routines. Our Triple P team is offering free virtual visits to provide support to YOU as a caregiver. Virtual visits are flexible and can be held during morning, afternoon or evening hours.
For more information, contact Jessica Sublett at jsublett@fsmontco.org or 484-938-8558 (call or text).