The PHS Post

The PHS Assignment Page is a single-stop reference for students and families to stay up to date on what is happening in all classrooms. On the PHS Assignment Page teachers provide a weekly update of daily assignments, long-term assignments and projects, and upcoming assessments and intervention opportunities.

For a more detailed understanding of what is happening in an individual classroom, please talk to your student or reach out to their teacher. Need assistance enrolling in the "Guardian View" of Google Classroom? Individual teachers can assist with this too.

Reminders...

• No School Wednesday, November 23 - Friday, November 25 - Happy Thanksgiving!

We have so much to be thankful for, take a moment to reflect on all the good around us and remember the core message this time of year - show and give thanks. Thank you for supporting our students, staff, and community!

Be Safe and Have a Great Week!

Mrs. Hawley, Principal

Please consider participating in the 2023 Drake Physics Prize Examination. Since 1970, Drake has offered this scholarship opportunity to encourage interest in physics, astronomy, and physical sciences, and to give recognition to outstanding high-school students.

Any high school sophomore, junior, or senior can compete in the Physics Prize. A variety of awards are available, however the first place award is an unrestricted four-year, full-tuition scholarship to Drake University!

The Drake Physics Prize Test will cover topics in physics that would normally be studied by students during the first semester of their high-school physics course: kinematics, dynamics (Newton’s laws), circular motion, universal law of gravitation, harmonic motion (simple pendulum and mass-spring systems), impulse, linear momentum, conservation of momentum and collisions, work, energy and conservation of energy, torque, rotational kinematics, dynamics and energy, angular momentum conservation, mechanical waves, and sound.

You can read full details about the scholarship here.

Your students can sign up for one of the following virtual exam times:

• Wednesday, February 1, 2023: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. CST

• Wednesday, February 1, 2023: 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. CST

• Thursday, February 2, 2023: 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. CST

• Thursday, February 2, 2022: 4 p.m. – 6 p.m. CST

• Friday, February 3, 2023: 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. CST

• Friday, February 3, 2023: 1 p.m. – 3 p.m CST

Apply Here

EFFECTIVE STUDYING STRATEGY - DO THE PREP WORK

You’ve got to focus on taking in the information if you are going to study it later. One reason gifted kids sometimes find it hard to study is that they were tuned out like a bad radio during the instruction or during the initial reading.

What happens then is that you get home and don’t have anything TO study. Notes? About that….

Make sure you’re mindful about initial reading, instruction or note-taking.

To do this, try:

• Use Cornell Notes. Cornell note taking is a specific kind of note taking. Like anything else, it may feel awkward at first, but it is a fantastic strategy for giving you ideas of exactly WHAT to study when you’re reviewing notes. Since that’s gifted kids’ number one problem, they’re worth mastering. Learn how to set them up and use them here or here. Trust. me.

• Read carefully, and read a few times during initial instruction. Read text once to get a framework in your mind, and then read a couple of more times to solidify the information in your mind. This is not studying – this is initial learning. Studying is reviewing already-learned information.

• Pay attention to the teacher, because as you know, that person is creating the test, soooooooo…..

Mrs. Hoffman

Sign Up for Kirkwood

Kirkwood registration for second semester courses started this week. If you are interested in taking courses, please see Mr. Stoffer to sign up. The sooner that you sign up, the better chance you have in receiving the sections/professors that you want. The deadline to sign up is January 3, but we would encourage everyone to sign up before winter break. Here are a few things to consider:

1. Seniors - if English Comp 2 is on your second semester schedule with Mrs Mullins, you do not need to register for that, you will do it the first few days of the semester.

2. If you are in an Academy at Linn Regional, you are already signed up for second semester courses.

3. If you have never applied to Kirkwood before, the instructions are linked below. Please do that before you stop in to sign up for sections.

4. Below is a linked course list that shows how the courses you select would transfer to Iowa, Iowa State, and UNI.

5. Prairie does not pay for Winter Term courses.

Apply to Kirkwood

Kirkwood Course List

Scholarships

Fall Scholarship List - Make sure to check XELLO for the information and applications!

Events and Information

• Volunteer Cord Process

Testing Information

• ACT Dates
• SAT Dates

ICAN Support

• ICAN Financial Aid Resources (FAFSA)
• Call ICAN 877-272-4692 or visit www.icansucceed.org/apt to set up in person or virtual appointment

Student Planning Guides

• ICAN Transition Guide
• ICAN College and Career Ready

Available NOW...

Mercy Urgent Mental Health Care

The start of the school year can cause some anxious feelings for students. This is common. But sometimes those feelings don’t settle down and start to impact life at school and at home.

Mercy Urgent Mental Health Care is available to all Prairie students and is conveniently located at the Mercy Prairie Creek office east of the Prairie Campus.

This service is free to all Prairie students and the referral process is simple. If you’d like more information or to schedule an appointment, please reach out to your student’s school counselor. All counselors’ contact information is available at this link.

We are grateful to the Mercy organization for their partnership with College Community Schools.

Sign-Up to attend a FAFSA Workshop: The FAFSA opens up on October 1st, 2022. Submitting and completing the FAFSA is one of the single most important things you can do to open access to various forms and sources of financial aid. College admissions and financial aid professionals encourage all families, regardless of income, to submit and complete the FAFSA as there are financial aid opportunities for everyone. For example, Future Ready’s Last Dollar Scholarship covers any remaining gap between federal and state grants/scholarships and tuition and qualified fees for students enrolled in an eligible program, regardless of financial need! Questions or concerns? Contact Ms. Rawson at nrawson@crprairie.org or 319-848-5340 x 2061.

• More events will be scheduled in December, stay tuned!

FAFSA Prep Checklist:

1. Both students AND a parent must create an FSA ID. An FSA ID is a username and password that will be used to access and sign the FAFSA electronically. The FSA ID will stay with you for life, so make sure to use an email that you will have access to after leaving PHS. Write down your username and password somewhere secure.

2. Start collecting the following documents:

• Parent and Student SSN# or Alien Registration #'s

• Parent 2021 federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of money earned

• Student 2021 federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of money earned (if applicable)

• Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable)

• Records of untaxed income (if applicable)

Have questions about college and career planning?

Reach out to Ms. Rawson at nrawson@crprairie.org or schedule an appointment here.

Internships and Tours Help Students Explore Careers in Manufacturing

This month we are focusing on Advanced Manufacturing Careers. This past summer in conjunction with the Workplace Learning Connection (WLC) internship program, Prairie student Takeshi Fottral, Class of '24, worked with MSI Mold Builders as a mechanical/design engineering intern. Throughout his experience, he learned about the company, the industry, and careers in this field.

“I liked the variety of things that I did at MSI Mold Builders,” Takeshi said. “I got involved on the shop floor and in project management. There are so many things to do from start to finish. I really liked how the internship was set up to show that range of work to high school interns.”

Takeshi worked alongside two Prairie High School and former WLC interns. Will Vlasek Class of '23, completed a WLC internship with MSI Mold Builders last spring, and continued working for MSI over the summer. Jake Smith, Class of '16 interned with WLC at MSI in the summer of 2014 and is employed there now. Jake mentored both Will and Takashi.

MSI Mold Builders has been a great WLC partner through the years. Beyond hosting interns, they also host a "Engineering and Machining Careers in Advanced Manufacturing" job shadow day. MSI leaders participate in career speaker events and career fairs, and this month they were a tour location as part of our Career Discovery Tours. Career Discovery Tours are designed to expand knowledge about manufacturing, engineering, and industrial technology careers. Area companies open their businesses to help students understand what’s created in Eastern Iowa. Students learn about applied science careers, training, resources, and the education required to gain employment in the industry.

Our second semester internship application process is underway and due October 28th. Juniors and Seniors are encouraged to consider this important exploration opportunity where you work in exchange for course credit. Check out 300+ job descriptions at www.workplace-learning.org. Please check in with Mary Gudenkauf in Career Services to learn more about jump-starting your future with an internship.

Please contact Mary Gudenkauf, Prairie High School Career Services for additional information and thank you for supporting this student-focused exploration program.

mgudenkauf@crprairie.org

PHS Administration...

Mrs. Karla Hawley, Principal khawley@crprairie.org

Mr. Rocky Bennett, Athletic Director rbennett@crprairie.org

Mr. Travis Sprague, Associate Principal - tsprague@crprairie.org

Mr. Rich Jackson, Dean of Students (Last Names A-L) rjackson@crprairie.org

Mrs. Kelly Klekar, Dean of Students (Last Names M-Z) kklekar@crprairie.org

PHS Main Office and Dean's Complex...

Mrs. Brenda Haendler, Main Office 319.848.5340

Mrs. Lori Pleiness, Athletic Office 319.848.5350

Mrs. Debie Towe, Dean's Complex/Attendance 319.848.5360

Mrs. Angie Wagner, Dean's Complex 319.848.5340 x2052

Officer Janae Obbink, Student Resource Officer jobbink@crprairie.org

Mrs. Jackie Martin, Nurse 319.848.5340 x2011 jackiemartin@crprairie.org

PHS Student Services...

Mrs. Laura Fisher, Counseling Secretary 319.848.5344

Mrs. Angela Amunson, Counselor (Students with Last Names A-G) aamunson@crprairie.org

Mr. Mike Reshetar, Counselor (Students with Last Names H-O) mireshetar@crprairie.org

Mr. Clay Stoffer, Counselor (Students with Last Names P-Z) cstoffer@crprairie.org

Mrs. Erin Hoffman, Gifted and Talented Coordinator ehoffman@crprairie.org

Mrs. Nicole Rawson, Kirkwood: College and Career Transition Counselor. nrawson@crprairie.org

Mr. Nick Norris, Grades 7-12 Transition Specialist

Mrs. Mary Gudenkauf, Career Services: Internships & Job Shadows mgudenkauf@crprairie.org

Ms. Karinda Bacon, Counselor - Tanager Services

Ms. Kerry Kilker, Community Engagement Specialist