Titan eNews
Weekly Campus Update
Counselors' Corner
PSAT Scores
PSAT scores from the October administration are available at the CollegeBoard website.
When your learner tested, he/she entered an email address to receive information about their scores.
An email was sent to that email address with instructions for accessing the scores and included a unique access code.
Counselors do not have paper reports to send home.
SENIORS, TAKE NOTE:
FAFSA deadline is 2 months earlier for Texas students this year
The deadline for priority consideration for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid in Texas is Jan. 15, 2019, two months earlier than the deadline was last year. For students applying for financial aid to help with their college education, the priority deadline for the FAFSA is extremely important.
If you had not planned on completing the FAFSA, check out this article:
College Application Stress
The College Application Season can be stressful for everyone.
This article from the Wall Street Journal offers timely advice for avoiding application stress over the holidays.
First Years
In Geography, learners are analyzing how countries work together and the role that IGOs like the EU play in intergovernmental collaboration.
In Math, learners are combining many of their previous skills in a unit on factoring polynomial expressions.
Titans of the Week: Autumn, Conley & Cameron.
Second Years
Beneath the Surface takes learners on a journey across the globe, tasking them with trying to debate and remedy some of the issues that are important to their countries. As a team, they represent a nation that is part of the United Nations. Within each nation, each team member acts as a delegate to one of five committees that meet regularly to discuss the resolutions on the agenda. The learners follow protocol, using parliamentary procedure to discuss and defend policy based on their country’s position on a topic. A seasoned group of third year learners chair the committee meetings and make sure that procedures are followed. It is a tremendous learning experience for all.
In tandem with being members of a committee, learners are learning about the transmission of viruses by making a series of virus cards in Biology. Engineering has teams and alliances working on the design build of a submarine that can navigate deep waters. English devotes time to writing resolutions for committee meetings. Technology is using previous knowledge of HTML and adding CSS stylesheets to simplify the task of making web pages look uniform. Algebra II has closed the book on the course, opening up time to learn Geometry next semester. World History is delving into post-classical Islam and China, while also providing the opportunity for learners to gain an understanding of how countries work together. Evidence of that will occur on Friday, December 21, when all the committees gather for a Model U.N. General Assembly.
Beneath the Surface will continue to build after the winter break with more exciting committee meetings and assemblies on the schedule.
Third Years
As we approach the holiday break, 3rd-year leaners are fully engaged in number various activities across their classes. English and technology have been collaborating to help the students craft and refine their resumes. In United States history, learners will spend a couple days this week engaged in a group assessment focused on World War I. Art finds the learners experimenting with different mediums. Later this week, art and US history will pair as the focus shifts to the Roaring 20s. In Chemistry, learners are exploring chemical reactions and energy in preparation for some of the big topics of the Spring. Finally, in math classes, pre-cal learners are examining piecewise functions while stats learners focus on hypothesis testing.
Though it may be a short week, it's packed with lots of opportunities for learning and growth.
Happy holidays from the 3rd year team!
Fourth Years
LEARNER OPPORTUNITY AT THE PEROT MUSEUM
Here is a very exciting teen volunteer program available at the Perot Museum known as Discovery Corps which can count toward learner internship hours who have an interest in museum curation, education, science, technology, engineering, and math and more!
The Discovery Corps Camp Assistant Program for teens exists to foster student interest in science, nature, and technology by placing exceptional STEM minded teens in areas where they can interact with and teach Museum guests and camp children. Discovery Corps is open to students ages 14 and older who will be entering their freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior year of high school in the 2019-2020 school year. Upon the completion of Discovery Corps, students can request a transition to general volunteer status, with Volunteer Services approval. Our Volunteer Services team would love to have students from Plano Academy be a part of this experience!
Discovery Corps 2019 applications are currently open. Applications are online, with priority placement given to those applicants who apply early. For that reason, our team suggests your students apply as soon as they can:
https://www.perotmuseum.org/join-and-give/volunteer/teen-discovery-corps.html
From Our Plano Academy PTSA
PTSA is looking to collect Kleenex and Hand Sanitizers. If you are interested in donating, please sign up.
Save The Date!
12/17-19 Senior Capstone TED Talks
12/21 End of 1st Semester