Homer High-Lights
Volume 4, Issue 5, December 2015
Message from the Principal
The first semester is coming to a close. In fact, there is less than 3 weeks of school left until Winter Break. Time is flying and that means parents need to be vigilant and be checking their children's grades to make sure they are keeping up with their classes. Staying on top of your child's grades is very important this time of year because credits are awarded based on semester grades. Semester grades are calculated by averaging the 1st and 2nd quarters with final exams.
Eligibility is also awarded based on semester grades. Seniors need four credits and juniors, sophomores and freshmen need five credits with no failing grades in order to be eligible for athletics. To help students with their grades, Homer High sends robo calls home every three weeks if a student has a failing grade and we have a robust intervention program, but it is still the students responsibility to make sure they are passing all of their classes.
If something comes up or you have suggestions for improvement, please let me know. My office is open and I appreciate hearing your opinions or thoughts. My goal is to be responsive to what our parents and community want and need. Please give me a call or come in and chat.
Sincerely,
Douglas Waclawski
Principal
School Safety Closures or Delay Start Information
If school remains open despite adverse weather and you as a parent or guardian assess the conditions in your local area and decide to keep children home, please call the school to let the office know. An absence due to road and weather conditions will be excused.
Dates To Remember
Dec. 1 - Site Council Meeting - in Library - 3:45 pm
Dec. 1 - Wrestling vs Voznesenka - Gym - 6:00 pm
Dec. 2 - First Day of Basketball Practice
Dec. 3 - Hockey vs Palmer - 7:00 pm
Dec. 4 - Hockey vs Colony - 7:00 pm
Dec. 5 - Hockey vs Wasilla - 12:00 pm
Dec. 11 - Wrestling Regions - 2:00 pm
Dec. 12 - Wrestling Regions - 9:00 am
Dec. 14 - Winter Music Concert - 7:00 pm
Dec. 16 - Candlelight, Carols & Desserts Concert - 7:00 pm
Dec. 16 - Semester Exams - Periods 2, 4 & 6
Dec. 17 - Semester Exams - Periods 1, 3 & 5
Dec. 18 - NO SCHOOL - Winter Break
Dec. 18 - Boys C-Team & JV Basketball vs Diamond - 6:00 & 7:30 p,m
Dec. 18 - Colors of Homer - K-Bay Coffee - 6:00 - 9:00 pm
Dec. 26 - Meet the Mariners Basketball Fundraiser and Alumni Game - 5:00 pm
Jan. 4 - School Resumes
Jan. 5 - Site Council Meeting - in Library - 3:45 pm
Jan. 5 - Hockey vs SOHI - 7:00 pm
Jan. 6 - Girls Basketball vs Mt. Edgecumbe - 6:30 pm
Jan. 7 - Girls Basketball vs Mt. Edgecumbe - 6:30 pm
Jan. 8 - XC Skiing Invitational - 10:00 am
Colors of Homer
The Semester would not be complete without a Colors of Homer event!
Join us at K-Bay Cafe on December 18th at 6:00 pm for an inspirational, gorgeous, and often hilarious evening of visual and performing art, poetry, drama, refreshments, activities, and straight up creative bliss!
A suggested donation of $5 helps to keep the program running supports the artists, but absolutely nobody will be turned away due to lack of funds!
Oh YEAH, and we will have handmade mugs for sale by HHS pottery students. Get your Cup 'o Love in a new gorgeous hand made mug! And support Homer artists! :-) #Winning
KPBSD Now Accepts Online Payments
RevTrak is the online payment system that will allow parents/students/community members to make payments for student activities, class fees, food service and other items or to make donations. A 3.61% transaction fee is added, which is the cost of the service and not a source of revenue for the district.
There are 3 ways to access RevTrak:
- Through KPBSD website
- Through PowerSchool
- Through “online payments” icon on KPBSD mobile app
http://bit.ly/kpbsdonlinepayments
The KPBSD website link will take you to the web store.
New Health Curriculum for Grades 10-12
The quality of our children’s future depends on their ability to make responsible decisions about their health. In order to do this, they must have accurate information, access to resources and services, and the skills necessary to carry out their choices. The ultimate goal is that our children will learn to value their health and will readily use the information and skills to be healthy contributing members of society. The district's K-12 health curriculum is comprehensive and sequential. The intended outcome of this curriculum is Healthy Behaviors and Responsible Decision Making, based on six interrelated and equally important aspects of health: Mental and Emotional; Family/Social/Interpersonal Health; Injury/Disease Prevention (Substance Use/Safety); Community/Consumer/Environmental Health; Nutrition/Fitness; and Healthy Growth and Development/Hygiene.
Starting in January, students in grades 10-12 at Homer High School will be required to participate in four required health lessons during the Focus on Learning period. This instruction will build upon what they learned in ninth grade. Students will be provided a schedule before the start of the spring semester.
If you have any questions about the new Health curriculum please contract Alison (Sunny) Mall at 235-4600.
Wrestling is Taking the State By Storm
Remember, Region Wrestling is at Homer this year on December 11th and 12th. Come out and support your Mariner Wrestlers!
Sports Scores
11/19 Homer 2 - Diamond 3
11/20 Homer 1- Houston 2
11/21 Homer 4 - SOHI 5
Wrestling
1st Place - ACS Tournament
2nd Place - Peninsula Challenge
6th Place - Lancer Smith Tournament in Palmer (Beat 37 other schools)
Volleyball Earned the Academic Award at the State Tournament!
Francie Roberts is Alternate Teacher of the Year for Alaska
Francie Robert's was named Alternate Teacher of the Year for Alaska. Everyone who knows Francie or has had one of her classes knows how deserving she is of this award.
The true secret to Francie’s success has been the relationships she has developed with her students. They enjoy her special type of humor and understand that she will do what it takes for them to be successful in her classes. Much of this success comes from Francie’s ability to weave a mathematical story with carefully selected words, pictures, narratives, manipulatives and technical tools.
Each year Francie’s AP Calculus class designs a T-Shirt with a math pun on it. Some examples have included “Never Drink and Derive” and “Just DU It.” Every year several HHS alumni return to visit with Francie wearing their old AP Calculus t-shirts! This is only one testament to the lasting effect that Francie has had on her students and the contagious culture of learning she has developed at Homer High.
Congratulations, Francie!
Support HHS Artists
Support the HHS Art and Ceramics Classes by purchasing hand-made gifts!
We will be selling the following hand made Items at the Nutcracker Faire this weekend:
- Screen Printed Hoodies (Designed by Maggie Box, Printed by HHS Art Students),
- Block Printed Greeting Cards (by HHS Art Students)
- Pottery (Made by HHS Ceramics Classes)
All of the proceeds will help to buy Art Supplies for HHS Students!!
Look for the smiling artsy students and their goods at the Nutcracker Faire on Saturday from 11:00 am - 7:30 pm and Sunday from 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm
We Want You to Follow HHS on Facebook!
We want to be able to give you instant up-to-date information about what is going on at school. This can include emergencies, sports scores as well as dates and times of events. To stay tuned to what is going on at Homer High, "like" us on Facebook. The address is www.facebook.com/homerhs. Join close to 600 other people who have liked HHS on Facebook and the over 2000 people who view our Facebook posts.
Counselor College Corner - ‘Tis the Season!
The holidays are a time for family, fun, food…and for seniors, diligent work to meet college application and scholarship deadlines.
Here are some great resources as you continue the post-secondary discernment process:
College Scorecard – This new web site from the U.S. Dept. of Ed. provides excellent information about all U.S. institutions of higher education that receive federal aid.
- Avg. annual cost (not the sticker price but what students typically pay after financial aid)
- Graduation rate
- Salary after attending -the median earnings of graduates 10 years after they started college.
- Much more, including a search tool to find schools of interest based on programs of study, location, size, cost, etc.
OneStop scholarship database – KPBSD’s clearinghouse for local, state-wide and the occasional national scholarship that students from our district routinely receive.
- More and more scholarships being added each week.
- HEA Scholarship--the first local scholarship available and represents a great template for what virtually all scholarships will be asking.If you apply for HEA, you’ll be prepared to apply for many more as they become available.
Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) – This is the clearinghouse for the universities in the western states that offer discounted tuition (150% of typical in-state tuition) to residents of participating states. Not all schools, or programs of study within certain schools, offer the WUE discount. However, it can represent a significant savings, so it’s worth checking out in advance.
JumpStart – The KPC Spring 2016 schedule is out now online and features some great dual high school/college credit opportunities at a reduced rate for HHS seniors (and juniors), including a great Computer Science class, English and social studies offerings that count towards the AK Performance Scholarship, and unique opportunities like Pilot Ground School and Charter License Prep (6-pak).
Paul Story
Visit the Homer High School Website
Are you wondering when sports teams have home games? Do you have a senior who needs paperwork for their senior service project ? Do you want to see agendas and minutes from our site council meetings? Check out our school website to find answers to these and other questions.
The address is http://homerhighschool.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/wpmu/.
You can access PowerSchool from our website and weekly activities as well. There are lots of great links and valuable information about Homer High School. If you have suggestions for things you would like to see on our website, please talk to Mr. Waclawski.
Counselor's Corner
Welcome class of 2019!!
This has been a great beginning for our freshman class. They have impressed everyone with their ability to transition into high school and become an important part of HHS. Academic studies, sports, music and extracurricular activities have all benefitted from an infusion of their energy and enthusiasm.
Looking Forward to Spring Semester
Students are currently making choices about class changes at semester. Many electives are ending and new choices can be made in the counseling office. Be sure your student is aware of the various categories of classes necessary for graduation. Once the new semester has begun, students will have a week to make any desired changes.
PSAT/NMSQT
We had a very good turn-out for the PSAT this year. Students tested on the KBC campus which provided a professional and quiet atmosphere for testing. Results should be here for student pick-up in the next few weeks. Encourage your student to go over his/her results. College Board provides detailed analysis of each student’s performance which can be of help to those who will re-take it as juniors and for juniors planning to take SAT and ACT tests in the future. There will be FOL sessions to provide guidance for using test results. Also don’t forget free SAT Prep classes at the library.
ASVAB
The testing staff will be coming to HHS on Jan. 12 to do an interpretation of scores for those students who tested in November. Understanding the test results is an important part of the process whatever the purpose.
Homer High School
Email: dwaclawski@kpbsd.org
Website: http://homerhighschool.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/wpmu/
Location: 600 E Fairview Ave, Homer, AK
Phone: 907-235-4600
Facebook: www.facebook.com/homerhs