Palmer High
Weekly Update
Gearing up for the Close of 2019-20 School Year
Last week I talked about the light being at the end of the tunnel. This week our seniors are breaking out of the tunnel and beginning the next phase in life after high school. When I think back to that feeling of being a senior, being done, what I recall is a new level of excitement that I had never experienced before partnered with an undertone of the uncertainty of what the future might hold.
An undertone of uncertainty is something I think we can all relate to right now. There's a lot of uncertainty around the world, and about the future. With this reality, I think it's important to focus on the present. For our students, that focus is to finish strong, tie up all loose ends in school and look forward to moving towards normalcy in life.
Summer break brings us back to normal activities outside of school. Riding bikes, going to the lake, and even hanging out with friends is something I hope all our students are looking forward to after wrapping up the school year.
Next week will be the last week for new assignments for our 9th, 10th, and 11th-grade students. The week of May 11th through the 15th will be the last week of new learning material. By this time next week, students should be submitting their last assignment for the 2020 spring semester.
The following week (May 18th -21st) will be a week for late work, make-up work, or finishing 4th quarter projects. What is usually our finals week will be a week to tie up loose ends and finish strong in classes.
In the last week of school, we will need to collect all school materials. Below you will find a schedule that is broken down by the alphabet to limit traffic and the gathering of too many students at one time. This is less than two weeks out, but please mark the time on the calendar for when your student should come to bring back materials.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Go Moose!
Schedule for School Materials Return 9th, 10th, 11th-Grade
· Students will BRING IN ALL SCHOOL MATERIALS including books and electronics (e.g. Chromebooks)
Last Names A-D Tuesday, May 19th 8AM – 12PM
Last Names E-I Tuesday, May 19th 1PM – 6PM
Last Names J-M Wednesday, May 20th 8AM -12PM
Last Names N-R Wednesday, May 20th 1PM – 6PM
Last Names S-V Thursday, May 21th 8AM – 12PM
Last Names W-Z Thursday, May 21th 1PM – 6PM
·
If If the time you are scheduled for does not work around your schedule call 746-8400 and we will accommodate to work around your schedule.
Schedule for School Materials Exchange for Seniors
· Seniors will BRING IN ALL SCHOOL MATERIALS including books and electronics (e.g. Chromebooks)
· Seniors will PICK UP diplomas and yearbooks (if ordered)
Last Names A-F Thursday, May 14th 8AM – 12PM
Last Names G-L Thursday, May 14th 1PM – 6PM
Last Names M-R Friday, May 15th 8AM – 12PM
Last Names S-Z Friday, May 15th 1PM – 6PM
· If the time you are scheduled for does not work around your schedule call 746-8400 and we will accommodate to work around your schedule.
Celebrating Our Seniors
I have shared what virtual graduation is all about, and what that looks like. The virtual graduation will go live at 6:50 pm on Tuesday night. It will begin with an introduction slide show that our English teacher Kahla Kalam put together. At 7:00 the introductions, speeches, and music will follow. Like all graduation ceremonies, the conclusion will be the roll call.
I hope that everyone enjoys this media production. The link is available in multiple locations. The district website, the PHS website, and our Palmer High Facebook page. Here is the link to our Facebook page to share with friends and family on social media. https://www.facebook.com/100000474181821/posts/4348337755191988/?d=n
The posters of the graduates will begin to go up in the City of Palmer on Monday. There have been some technical setbacks from the print company and the City of Palmer has been in the middle of city-wide spring clean up. They have indicated they will begin to go up on Monday. They look great and we are looking forward to seeing them in town. (You can find a preview below)
Beginning on Tuesday, May 26th, iHeart radio will highlight the Palmer High graduating class of 2020. The iHeart Radio media group of Alaska includes the majority of our local radio stations. They include 101.3 KGOT, 104.1 KBEAR, 106.5 KWHL, and KASH country 107.5 to name a few. The entire days broadcast will be dedicated to all things Palmer High class of 2020. Tune in to hear the great highlights of our graduates and the accomplishments of the class of 2020.
There will be a commemorative senior wall for the class of 2020. We have been working on a mural with the class of 2020's senior quote on the wall. The idea is to have each graduate sign the wall that is located next to the senior locker back near guidance. See the preview and details below.
We will distribute diplomas, thumb drives of the virtual graduation, a copy of the final transcript, shot records, and the yearbook (if they have arrived) for those that ordered them. We would like to have seniors sign the wall when they come in to return their school materials and exchange the material we have for the seniors.
Please refer to the schedule above for the dates and times for pick-up and drop-offs.
New Diploma Cover Picture
This new addition to the campus prompted us to update the cover picture found on the inside of the Palmer High diploma cover. To give credit where credit is due, Officer Kristy Muilenburg took the photo, added her artistic touch and Josten's took care of the rest.
It turned out great!
Class of 2020 Wall Mural
To recognize the seniors we are dedicating a wall mural located by the senior locker bank.
Colin Mallory, Palmer High football coach and MSBSD maintenance employee approached us with this idea. I thought it was a terrific way to remember the class who's senior year was turned upside down because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thank you, Colin, and maintenance man extraordinaire Painter Dave, (as we like to refer to him) for setting this commemorative keepsake in place for the class of 2020.
City Of Palmer Recognizes Our Seniors
On Monday the senior's posters will be going up in the City of Palmer. There will be more than 170 posters of our seniors proudly displayed for the remainder of the month of May.
A big thank you to the City of Palmer for partnering with the parent group and school to make this recognition happen.
Go, Palmer, Go Moose!