Titan eNews
Weekly Campus Update
MISSION: TO CREATE A COMMUNITY OF LEARNERS EMPOWERED TO COLLABORATE AND COMPETE IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD.
Counselor's Corner
AP Exams
If your learner is interested in taking an AP exam, we will administer the exam on our campus.
Information about AP exams can be found on our website: https://www.pisd.edu/Page/16914
If you have questions, please reach out to Mrs. Conner
Payment for AP Exams is currently open. Payments must be received by March 1st.
AP Exams are $94.00. If using paypams, the preferred method, the price is $97.00
Instructions for payment are below.
Go to https://paypams.com/HomePage.aspx
-On the main menu, look for: AP Test – Plano Academy High School
You will choose either “high school” for 1st & 2nd years or “senior high school” for 3rd years & 4th years
-Once selected you will be prompted to go to the following option to continue the
payment process and make your payment:
-A $3.00 fee has been added to each test in order to use PayPAMS.
-To make a purchase, mark the item in the ‘Buy’ column and then click the ‘Add to Cart’ button.
or Payment by check :
-Checks should be made out to Plano Academy High School.
-Each AP exam is $94.
-In the memo line, please write your students name, ID number, and the test that your learner will be taking.
Mrs. Madding in the Counseling office will accept your payment.
We are unable to offer the Computer Principles exam and the Studio Art exams
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DFW National College Fair
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Dallas Market Center-Main Hall
1pm-4pm
The fair is a terrific opportunity for juniors to focus their college research, and for ninth and tenth graders to begin learning about colleges! In addition to the fair, we will have a number of information sessions on aspects of the admissions process, essay writing, financial aid, scholarships, and more. The fair is open to the entire family!
ALL STUDENTS SHOULD REGISTER to attend the fair.
To explore resources on how to promote the fair, such as posters in English and Spanish, please click the button below.
FIRST YEARS
This week first year learners began editing what they filmed last week. Lights, Camera, Action (LCA) is providing first years with the opportunity to learn many aspects of filmmaking from script writing and sound & set design to editing and scouting film locations to the real-world problems that exist when actually making movie. Film Chunk #2 is due on Friday, March 1st. At that point in the filmmaking process, learners should be ⅔ of the way finished with the filming portion of their project.
This past Saturday, 12 first year learners took part in the VASE art competition. Eight of these learners received top ratings from their judges! Thank you all for your support and enthusiasm.
Art/Tech and Engineering paired up to ensure learners were able to make prototypes of their instrument for LCA and have time to film any retakes that were necessary. In English, learners began researching their regions for potential topics for their research paper (due April 5th). In Math we have been studying quadratic equations and function transformations. We are about to move into looking at square root functions, function inverses, and basic function graphs. In Physics, learners just finished studying the basics of mechanical and electromagnetic waves. Next, learners will begin studying wave phenomena like Doppler Effect.
SECOND YEARS
The 2nd year project, Change the Game, is gaining momentum and rapidly taking shape. Each game guild has a designated project manager who manages and oversees the guild’s progress. Within each guild are five departments comprised of 4-5 learners who are led by a department head. The design team makes the UI design, layout, script, and a basic map for the game play. The design team is also in charge of the game mechanics and balance. The art and animation team creates the style and aesthetics of the game, animation models, and sound effects as well as background sounds/music. The marketing team is in charge of the public image of the game. They will create web and print campaigns and the booth design for Acadecon. The programming team is using Unreal Engine to implement the art department’s designs and follows the design team’s storylines. The production team keeps the guild on track and on schedule, oversees the big picture of the game creation and lends support towards the efforts of all of the departments.
As this week closes, each department will have had a feedback session with 4th year Titans experienced in this project. Ideally, teams will come away with a sense of accomplishment for what has been done well and an excitement for suggestions to improve their products.
THIRD YEARS
Third-year learners find themselves quickly approaching presentations for Turning Points. Next Thursday, 2/28, from 3 PM - 6 PM teams will have the exhibits they designed on display throughout the 2nd floor, as well as, in the Dome. In order to be ready for this culminating event, next week the learners will be provided with ample time to bring their designs to reality. Throughout their research, each learner acquired a vast amount of knowledge on their topic and now it is time to let them celebrate and share all of that knowledge through their exhibits and the interactives that they contain.
Many things are wrapping up this week. History wrapped up their study of the 1960s with a very verbal assessment that the learners seemed to both enjoy and on which they performed very strongly. Technology and art took final submission of the flash animations that have been a strong focus of work for the last few weeks. Some learners and teams are incorporating their animations into their exhibits and/or interactives, but others chose to treat it as a stand-alone assignment. English spent the last couple of weeks studying poetry, as well as, engaging in some poetry writing exercise.
The presentation does not signal the end of the project. We will wrap up Turning Points through delving back the personal work that served to open the project. We will once again be looking at college essays and the college application process, resumes, personal finance, and internship expectations. March 7 marks the day for the internship job fair. Over forty local organizations will be in attendance and each learner will receive multiple interview experiences. There will be a lot of learning!
So much to do and spring break is only two short weeks away!
TITAN ROBOTICS
FROM OUR PLANO ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL PTSA
WE ARE IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERS
WE ARE IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERS
Hi Everyone -
We have several opportunities where we can use your help.
We are looking for:
* Klenex and Hand Sanitizers (now)
* New Titan Night (2/26)
SENIOR BABY PICTURES NEEDED
Graduation will be here before you know it and we are busy preparing a delightful senior banquet for all seniors and their families. We need your help as we try to gather a baby pic for each learner. Please just send one photo in any format to babyseniors@planoacademyptsa.org.
Mark your calendars now for the senior banquet on May 21st at 6:30-8:30 pm at Celebration Event Center at 2165 W. Park Blvd. in Plano. Details and ticket information coming shortly!