September
Principal's Post
Fall is in the Air
For Palmer High School the month of September is when students and teachers begin to settle into the groove of the new school year. The school year has started off with a great deal of positive energy. Friends are getting reacquainted, teachers are conditioning their speaking voices and tuning in their classroom procedures. School is beginning to feel 'normal' again for us all. We are off to a great start.
We are wrapping up our fourth week of school. I want to encourage you to begin checking on your student's academic progress. If you visit Palmer High's website (or the MSBSD) and look under the parent links you will find the i-parent icon. I-parent is a useful tool that allows access to the current grades for your individual student. If you haven't set up i-parent or forgot your password you can call the help desk at 761-help(4357).
Alumni Spotlight:
Congratulations to Hunter Bleakney, a 2018 IB Diploma Recipient. Hunter was offered a full-ride ROTC scholarship to the Colorado School of Mines, admission to the US Naval Academy, US Coast Guard Academy, and the US Air Force Academy. Hunter has already started classes at the US Air Force Academy, where his diploma earned him validation credit for Biology 100 and 210, History 300, and English 100 and placement into a Scholar’s Course: Law 220, with just four other cadets. Palmer High School wishes Hunter the best of luck for the school year ahead!
Agriculture is growing at PHS
Local farmer, Rayne Reynolds grilled up the different steaks he brought in for the lesson and students got to taste the difference between locally raised prime, choice, and select beef. Students were also informed about job opportunities that exist in the agricultural-based job market. That is the objective for our career and technical (CTE) courses at PHS.
Tradition Runs Deep in Palmer
Encourage Student Involvement
Here is a long list of activities outside of our sports.
Skills USA (auto)· Skills USA (woods & welding)· NHS· F.F.A.· International Club· Key Club
· Partners Club· Letter Club· Chess Club· GSA Club· Anime Club· Foosball Club
· FCCLA/Pro Start· Dungeons & Dragons· Archery/Outdoor Rec· Science/Ocean Bow
· Speech & Debate· International Baccalaureate· Student Government· Pep Band
· Educational Trips Abroad· Musicals & Plays· Blue Moose Gardens· Saroma Exchange
· Recycling· Jazz Band/Choir*Marching band· World Declamation· Foreign Exchange
· Youth Court· Community Service· Battle of the Books· Powderpuff Football
Academic World Quest
Digital Citizenship & Digital Footprint
The needs of our 21st-century learners are constantly evolving. Blended learning models are practices that blend traditional teaching practices along with a digital format. Bottom line is, we place more and more technology in the hands of our students. What we have learned from this evolution is that nothing can replace good direct instruction from our teachers. However, blending technology has proven to increase student engagement. What we have also learned is that there is a deficit in our students' understanding of how to shift from using technology for personal entertainment to the use of technology to attain a learning objective. This is a fundamental shift that students have to better understand.
How students operate in the digital world is also an area that the students need to better understand. Students need a better understanding of the long-term ramifications of their online activity. For personal safety and for future opportunities. We have taken the first step in better informing our students. To have parents reinforce the same message only aids in the process of learning.
The two definitions below are good starting points to a conversation worth having with your kids.
Digital Citizenship- a person who develops the skills and knowledge to effectively use the Internet and other digital technology, especially in order to participate responsibly in social and civic activities.
Digital Footprint- is a makeup of the content you create, post, and share; as well as the content that others post, and share, with you and about you.
I encourage you to take the time to talk about what your student's digital footprint may look like. I asked them to google their name, and see what comes up. It could make a difference in accessing a future career.
About Us
Email: paul.reid@matsuk12.us
Website: https://www.matsuk12.us/phs
Location: 1170 West Bogard Road, Palmer, AK, USA
Phone: (907) 746-8400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Palmer-High-School-Alaska/109421182410155