Scot Nation: Newsletter
December 2017
Our Goal is 92% for the Semester: We are Close to our Site Attendance Goals
We really should be at 94% or higher. Let's Do It! Twelve Days to go to get to 92%.
Parents, it does not matter if students are Excused or Unexcused! Attendance is essential to learning, success, and achievement. Please emphasize the importance of attending school and going to class.
There are about 60 students who are our most chronic students for missing classes and/or excessive tardiness. Again, the correlation with poor performance in school is alarming for these students.
Yikes The end of the semester is Near!
You are a high school student, therefore, it is necessary for you to self-advocate. This is your grade and your responsibility.
D's & F's Reduced
Students who attend class regularly, show up on time and remain for the entirety of the class period are already helping their grades! When students are in class, they are receiving bell-to-bell teaching with a Bell Ringer, Warm-up Assignment, Homework Review, or Quiz. Then teachers are providing instruction difficult for students to receive it they are not in class.
RESOURCES AVAILABLE:
After School Tutoring: Monday-Thursday 3:00-5:00pm
FLEX DAY:LAST DAY TO MAKE UP WORK 8:00-1:00PM (Student must arrive by 8:30 or there will be no entrance) Students will need to have hard copies of work to make up and made arrangements with teachers prior to attending this day, as most teachers will not be available this day and Para II's and GEAR-UP Tutors will be there for support but not to get assignments and log-ins for students. Students without work or preparation to access Google Classroom, tests, etc will be sent home.
Students exhibiting inappropriate behavior on this day will be sent home.
TEACHER HELP: Many Teachers will be working before and after school to cover the 7.5 hours for the FLEX DAY. Students should ask teachers of their classes were D's and F's exist to make arrangements for assistance from the teachers. Student's responsibility!
No Tolerance Policy on Fighting
This is important because a student involved in a fight (even if it is the first fight this year) will be long-term suspended pending a hearing where the district appointed hearing officer will make a determination where the students will be educated for the remainder of the year.
It is imperative that we create a safe culture where students can be SAFE, CHALLENGED AND READY! SAFE while at school so that learning is possible! CHALLENGED with bell-to-bell teaching and instruction where students should attend with at least 95% attendance rate. READY for the next step of College & Career where in the professional workplace or in higher education fighting is not tolerated and most likely even a verbal altercation could result in dismissal!
FREE ADMISSION & No ADMISSION to Extra Curricular Events at HPHS= LOGS LIST List of Good-Standing Students
The LOGS LIST (List Of Good-standing Students)-was sampled during football season as an incentive for students. Students with No D's and F's and with good attendance were admitted for FREE to HOME Games.
During Winter Sports and other Extra Curricular Activities, students without D's and F's and meeting attendance expectations, and without discipline referrals will be admitted FREE TO GAME AND ACTIVITIES!
Students with an F(s) and/or with poor attendance to include tardies WILL NOT BE ADMITTED TO EXTRA CURRICULAR GAMES. A LOGS List will be at the door and if a student does not appear on the List of Good-standing Students, the student WILL NOT BE ADMITTED TO THE ACTIVITY. THE STUDENT WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PAY TO ENTER!
This will begin Monday, December 4th, 2017. Students should be accessing resources and focusing on the business of school instead of hanging out at the school for extra-curricular activities.
This is not a one and done. This list will re-run each week as the eligibility list is run each week. So students can earn their way on the List of Good-standing Students weekly.
Air Force ROTC is Amazing!
College & Career
PLEASE USE THE LINK BELOW TO ACCESS ALL THINGS COLLEGE & CAREER
https://www.topekapublicschools.net/Domain/85
Colleges at HPHS
December 1st--Pratt Community College during Scot Time, Manhattan Tech during lunch
December 4th--Park University during lunch
December 5th--Fort Scott Community College during Scot Time
December 6th--Job Corps during Scot Time
College Visits
December 4th--Wichita State University
GEAR UP has invited us to join their planned trip to WSU. We will be taking about 15-20 upperclassmen to visit the campus. Seniors who have applied and been accepted have priority for this visit.
Wichita State University – 9th Grade – 12/4/17
Baker University – 10th Grade – 12/7/17
University of Kansas – 9th Grade – 12/13/17
ACT Prep
The national ACT will be offered on Saturday, December 9th. In order to help students prepare, we are offering after school workshops Monday-Thursday from 3:30-5:00PM in the Media Center. The workshops will be offered November 27-30 and December 4-7. All students are encouraged to attend.
Students who are scheduled to take the ACT on December 9th MUST have their picture uploaded into their ACT account by Friday, December 1st or their registration will be canceled. Also, remember that all students should print out their ACT registration ticket, take a photo ID (school ID is fine), pencils, and a calculator on test day. The test location will be listed on the registration ticket.
FAFSA & Scholarships
Seniors, if you haven't already completed your FAFSA, please do so ASAP. Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov to get started. Also, if you have received notification that you have been selected for verification, read the documents carefully and submit the requested documents so the colleges and universities can continue processing your financial aid packages. If you have questions or need help, contact Dr. Duncan.
Scholarship deadlines are quickly approaching. Follow this link to see a variety of scholarships that are available
Looking for a Job/Career?
Are you 18 and looking for a full- or part-time job after you graduate high schools? Reser's Fine Foods is opening a new facility and looking to hire new employees. High school graduates will start as entry level labor which would include working on the production line, picking up cardboard around the plant floor and janitorial work. The majority of employees will also start training for other positions such as machine operations and packing. Entry level positions start at 10.25 per hour. After 60 days, health insurance is available. There are no physical requirements for employment, but they will be standing for the majority of their shift. All employees must pass a pre-employment drug screening.
Please see Dr. Duncan (room 136) or your counselor (room 117) for an application. Completed applications should be returned to Dr. Duncan or a counselor before December 20th.
Washburn University Math Day with these Sagacious Mathematicians
What's Going On at HPHS?
SEMESTER FINALS ARE IMPORTANT
By the end of the 2017-2018 school year, each student will demonstrate growth on the state assessment resulting in a school-wide increase of ten percent growth. Math proficiency will be at or above twenty percent.
By the end of the 2017-2018 school year, each student will demonstrate growth on the state assessment resulting in a school-wide increase of ten percent growth. Reading proficiency will be at or above twenty-four percent.
The overall attendance rate for Highland Park will reach ninety-two percent for the 2017-2018 school year by reducing chronic attendance issues by fifty percent.
As Administrators, Mr. Ackerman, Ms. Johnston, Ms. Watson, and myself (Mrs. Perry), we have added the following goals as the Instructional Leaders at HPHS as our commitment to our students, families, and stakeholders. These goals will not be reached overnight, and we can't do it without the assistance and support of the faculty and staff at HP, the district office and BOE Members, community, families, and especially our students who must put forth a real effort each day:
- Increase the 2017-2018 Graduation Rate based on the current students enrolled to 93% of the 11R's and Seniors and those who finish will be going to college, vocational school, the military, or secured full-time employment.
- Increase school-wide communication with a weekly staff newsletter, monthly newsletter to parents and community, updated marquee, high traffic on Facebook, and visibility in the building and at school and community activities.
- Inspect what we expect and increase teaching and learning with teachers submitting weekly lesson plans, posting power standards, evidence of Building Academic Vocabulary, increased usage of Webb's DOK Questions, common formative assessments, and bell-to-bell teaching.
- It is our goal to help make Highland Park a school we would gladly send our own children to while creating high expectations, producing results, increasing rigor in the classroom, and creating a school culture worth bragging about; where students are safe, challenged, and ready. We (Administrators, Faculty & Staff) will build ladders for students while keeping the standards and expectations high!