Principal's Message
Homer High is a great school and I have the data to prove it. We are one of the top performing schools in Alaska with PEAKS, graduation rate, AP and SAT scores.
The new State Of Alaska Index scores have come out and we scored 64.65. We are still looking at what this means, but this one of the higher scores for high schools in the state. You can go to the link below to see the scores for yourself.
https://education.alaska.gov/Reporting/Home/AccountabilitySchoolsInDistrict?districtId=24
I have included some data below so you can see how our students compare in Alaska. While we do well, we are always looking for ways to improve. This year we have two school improvement goals. The first is to have 90% or more of our freshmen get all 6 credits during their Freshman year. Students who get all their credits their freshman year are much more likely to graduate than students who don't.
The second goal is to develop Personalized Learning in all of our classes and Increase Student Reflection and Ownership. Most of our professional development this year is being directed at highly effective teaching strategies and Personalized Learning.
If you would like to make a suggestion or give input on either of our school goals this year, you can e-mail me at dwaclawski@kpbsd.k12.ak.us. I am always interested in what our parents have to say. All of our goals are presented and approved by our site council.
As always, I would love to hear from you. If you have ideas or suggestions, please drop by. If you can't make it in, you can call me at 907-235-4600 or e-mail me at dwaclawski@kpbsd.k12.ak.us.
Sincerely,
Douglas Waclawski
Principal
Please Take The Survey!
https://eprovesurveys.advanc-ed.org/surveys/#/action/81393/32358
Accreditation helps our school and our students. Colleges will accept our transcripts so students have an easier time with college applications. Without accreditation, students would only be able to use their test scores for college admittance. The school also gets some great information on what we are doing well and what we should improve on.
Please click the link below and take the survey. We need as many parents as possible to take this survey and tell us what you like and what you would like to see improved.
https://eprovesurveys.advanc-ed.org/surveys/#/action/81393/32358
We will be eternally grateful, or at least for five years until we have to start the process once again.
Remind App
We are trying to improve communications with students and families by periodically broadcasting announcements (i.e. registration deadlines, college visitors, etc.) that appear as alerts on your phone. Signing up is simple. Just text the following to the number 81010:
- Current seniors text @lhampson (or @seniorswo if not taking Lang. Arts at HHS)
- Juniors text @pstory
- Sophomores text @f6h696
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Dates To Remember
Nov. 1 - Varsity Wrestling vs Grace Christian 6:00
Nov 15 - Varsity Hockey vs Service 7:30
Nov 16 - Varsity Hockey vs Kenai 7:30
Nov 17 - Varsity Hockey vs Wasilla 12:30
Nov 21 - Varsity Wrestling vs Kenai 6:00
Nov 22 and 23--No school--Thanksgiving holiday
Nov 28 - First day practice for Basketball and Basketball Cheer
Nov 29 - Varsity Hockey vs Eagle River 7:00
Nov 30 - Varsity Hockey vs South Anchorage 7:00
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Audrey Wallace Soprano 1 | Ethan Benedetti Band | Isabel Kulhanek Soprano 1 |
Audrey Wallace
Ethan Benedetti
Isabel Kulhanek
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Joren Kirsis Tenor 1 Alternate | Sam Larson | Theodore Handley Bass 2 |
Joren Kirsis
Sam Larson
Theodore Handley
Counselor's Corner
Lots of things are going on in the Counseling Office this month:
ACT & SAT registration deadlines, college visits and the ASVAB administration among other important things are coming up. Additionally, college applications, especially those for out-of-state schools, should be completed ASAP in order to receive the maximum financial aid.
ACT and SAT both have cut-off dates for registering. Be sure your student meets these timelines. Students who receive free or reduced lunch can request a waiver from their counselor.
The ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) is an excellent test of abilities for any students who is interested in a vocational career, as opposed to a four-year college degree. This test, which is required for military job placement, is a unique test of aptitude—where a student’s skills lie, rather than what he/she likes or hopes to do. This test is free for everyone and provides excellent feedback.
All currently enrolled students who are attending year-long classes will automatically be enrolled in the second semester of that class unless we are informed otherwise. Many students will be completing a semester of an elective which they wish to replace with another semester-long class. Counselors have been visiting classrooms to find out students’ preferences but please urge your student(s) to come to the Counseling Office to notify us of desired changes to their schedule.
November Dates to Remember
November 15 - ASVAB HHS Library starting at 9:00
December 1 - SAT at HHS (8:00-1:00) Register by Nov. 2 to avoid late fees actstudent.org
December 8 - ACT at HHS (*:00-1:00) Register by Nov. 2 to avoid late charges. Collegeboard.org/sat/register
November 22-23 - Thanksgiving vacation
HHS Communicates Using Facebook
Sometimes things change at the last moment and we can't call everyone. If you want the most up-to-date event schedules, start times, scores and last minute changes, like us on Facebook. Go to https://www.facebook.com/HomerHS/ and be sure to follow us. This is the most efficient way for HHS to post last minute details, school closures and more. We also post lots of the cool things our students are doing.
See you on Facebook!
Autumn Daigle Reflects On Cross-Country Team Success
With the 2018 Homer Mariner Cross Country season ending at the state championship meet September 29 and 30, both the girls and the boys team returned with 3rd place overall team finishes. Luciano Fasulo lead the boys, placing 7th overall, and Autumn Daigle lead the girls team, placing 2nd overall out of 20 teams.
For Autumn Daigle, the team’s positive attitude, desire to improve and great leadership have encourage the team success. Autumn described how the coaches have implemented “the science of running” into their practices to increase everyone’s ability to perform.
Daigle also said, “my teammates all encouraged each other to be healthy, such as drinking lots of water.” The team uses a group chat to remind each other to drink water and to communicate about upcoming events.
Daigle attributes past years success to former coach Bill Steyer.
What lessons Daigle can take away from her time on the cross country team is learning how to work hard, show up and how to deal with adversity.
Both teams are looking forward to continued success in the future. Given the teams expected low turnover rate, Daigle says that a goal for next year would be second at a state.
Posted by: Owen Glasman | October 8, 2018
Deconstruction
As many of the students in Homer High know, there has been an influx of new arrivals at the school, teachers and students alike. One of the new teachers is Ms. Ciccarone, a language arts teacher. Students in her creative writing class are exploring literature through a different point of view than they have previously, the literal deconstruction of novels. They are cutting, burning, and ripping apart the books. Then they use the words and pages to create new art of their own.
Ms. Ciccarone did the same to her career. Her position in the education system in Gilbert, Arizona was very poor. She informed me, “They don’t pay teachers well. Classrooms are not fully funded… Senators own charter schools and write laws to help charter schools and not public schools.”
It is “Charter school mania” as she puts it. So, when she found Homer High School, she was very excited to apply. “I found Homer High School on Facebook, and I emailed the principal. He said there wasn’t any openings at the time.” A few months later, in May of last school year, Mr. Waclawski contacted her again, offering an interview for a new opening.
She deconstructed what she had established at her old teaching position, but she is in the process of “rebuilding the relationships with kids and teachers, and staying for the long haul.” She is using the 30 years of living and 12 years of teaching in Arizona to bring new art to Homer. A large part of the art that she brings is a “family atmosphere, letting people know that I’m pretty nice, pretty fun. You learn a lot, you laugh a lot.”
Now that she has begun the next chapter of her career she is bringing her actual family to Alaska to enjoy the great state with her. She is prepared to finish her novel in Homer. She finished her interview by saying, “I want to spend the rest of my teaching career here.”
Posted by: Seth Adkins | September 19, 2018
