The PHS Post
April 17 - 21
PHS bringing home big WINS at Special Olympics
Drive your TRACTOR to school Day!
Prairie High School Band Program CELEBRATES!
COE COLLEGE HONOR BAND - Kerrigan Olson, Ivy Tran, Ashley Zuber, Laiken Geary, Chloe Columbus, Emily Stuecker, Marina Sharapova, Isaiah Pridie, Austin Jimmerson
NORTHEAST IOWA BANDMASTERS ASSOCIATION HONOR BAND - Isaiah Pridie, Kerrigan Olson, Marina Sharapova, Avery Sanderson, Sophia Johnson, Lillian Otter, Noelle Buck, Adam Schwertfeger, Riley Kruse, Camden Beightler, Chloe Columbus, Monica Tocyzlowski, Emily Stuecker
UNIVERSITY OF IOWA HONOR BAND - Rose Forcier, Chloe Columbus, Emily Stuecker, Laiken Geary, Monica Toczylowski, Kerrigan Olson, Avery Sanderson
Summer PE - Sign-up Now!
Want to stay fit this summer and earn PE credit? Summer PE will once again be offered virtually. Students will gain an understanding of what it means to be independent in their physical fitness. This course is open to current 9th - 11th grade students.
*Work out a minimum of 3 times a week--these must be separate days
*You choose independent activity and flexible schedule
*Activity must total 3 hours a week for 6 weeks = 18 hour total for the course
*Must be done on an app / screenshots / timestamped / must have date and time on photo (no video)
*Students log workouts with description of activity and provide confirmation
The program will run Sunday, June 11 - Saturday, July 22.
The cost is $50.00. Once registered, the fee will be added to your student's account within three business days and can be paid through our online payment system @ https://ia-collegecommunity.intouchreceipting.com/ or a check/money order may be mailed to-
PHS
401 76th Ave SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Attn: Summer PE
The fee must be paid before the summer program begins.
Students will receive .5 PE credit for this course.
If you have any questions about this course, they can be directed to Travis Sprague @ (319)848-5431.
Juniors and Seniors: Bringing a Prom date from outside of PHS?
Pick up a Prom Guest Request Form in the Deans Complex.
All PHS guests must be registered and have approval before attending Prairie High School dances. Students in 9th grade and below are not permitted to attend. Guests must be enrolled high school students (10th-12th grade) and/or less than 21 years of age.
Prom 2023 Prom 2023 Prom 2023 Prom 2023
PHS Hawk Summit - ReScheduled for April 18
On Tuesday, April 18th from 3:30 - 5:30pm area businesses, college and university admissions and military representatives will visit Prairie High School for our HAWK SUMMIT, held in the High School Commons area. The purpose is for students and their families to learn more about various opportunities and options as they plan for life after high school. ICAN (Iowa College Access Network) staff will present college-planning night information from 5:00pm - 6:00pm and there will be a financial aid presentation from 6:00-7:00 pm for students and guardians. Current 9th graders and guardians are welcome to join a presentation about general high school topics. Following the presentation 9th grade students are welcome to participate in a scavenger hunt from 6:30 - 7:00 pm and become acquainted with the building.
Class of 2023...
- South Gym
Senior Graduation Meeting: Wednesday, May 10 at 11:24am (Homeroom)
- PHS Theatre
- Cap and Gown Pick-up
Senior Awards Night: Wednesday, May 17 at 6pm - Concert Hall
- Seniors and families are notified if being recognized or receiving a scholarship
- Senior Assessment - Monday, May 22
- Senior Assessment - Tuesday, May 23
- Senior Re-Assessment Day - Wednesday, May 24 (Scheduled with individual teachers)
- Seniors do not need to see teachers individually
Technology Turned-in - Classroom materials Returned (Google Form) - Library - Activities - PHS Store Fees Paid - Main Office sign-off:
A - G 8:30am - 10:30am
H - O 10:30am - 12:30am
P - Z 1:30pm - 3:30pm
Graduation Walk at Prairie elementary schools - Immediately following graduation practice Thursday, May 25
PHS Graduation: Saturday, May 27 - 12:30pm at the Alliant Energy PowerHouse
- Seniors to be in line by 12:00pm
PHS Student Services...
Prairie Sophomores & Juniors,
Students interested in taking Kirkwood classes in the SUMMER or FALL, can begin registering for classes on Monday, March 20th. Students may take courses that Prairie has contracted with Kirkwood Community College tuition-free.
SUMMER 2023 – Students may register for Fundamentals of Oral Communications, Intro to Psychology, or Shield Metal Arc Welding 1 for summer of 2023. Please see the link for more information on how and when classes will be delivered and how to register HERE. Note that the Welding class requires additional steps if you have not taken Intro to Welding. Students may only request registration for one course and priority will be given to rising seniors (juniors). Registration will end Friday, April 7th. Summer courses can fill up quickly, so interested students should plan to register starting on Monday, March 20th. If you need assistance with this process, please see your school counselor.
FALL 2023 – Students interested in taking individual Kirkwood classes online or on main campus starting in August, can begin registering for courses on Monday, March 20th. Please note the registration deadline for Fall classes is August 8th, but we would recommend that students make these decisions before you leave for the summer. Classes at Kirkwood start on Monday, August 21st.
KIRKWOOD CAREER ACADEMIES – Registration for Kirkwood Career Academies is still open. If you are interested in a year-long academy, but have not registered yet and need assistance, please check in with your school counselor.
Mr. Stoffer can help with any questions students have about Kirkwood courses. Please reach out if you have questions about classes that would match your college and career goals.
Please view our updated Program of Studies for the 2023-2024 School Year!
March Scholarships- XELLO
Seniors, here are a few scholarships that you can work on. Some of them are need based, so make sure you have your EFC from your FAFSA ready to upload.
New Chen Innovation STEM Scholarship — Due April 14th
National Scholarships-Student Scholarship Organization
Events & Info
Testing Information
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 apt.
Student Planning Guides
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.
Safety First! Wear your PHS Student ID - All Day - Every Day!
PHS Students: READ your EMAIL...
CHECK THIS OUT - the PHS Assignment Page...
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.
GT Corner...
7 Things NOT to do while Studying: Tip 7) Marathons are for running and Netflix, not studying
The kind of intense focus we’re talking about is more sprint-y than cross-country-y. Studying the same thing in the same way for hours on end without breaks is counterproductive. At the same time, taking too-frequent breaks between bouts of distracted, ineffective studying also makes no sense.
This happens because too often we study for lengths of time rather than for goals. For example: rather than saying, “I’m going to study this for thirty minutes and then take a break,” it’s more effective to say, “I’m going to write 250 words of this essay and revise them, and then take a break.”
Sitting down with a Leaning Tower of Textbooks, determined to go through the whole thing without goal or break is a recipe for disaster.Breaks should be bio, rather than tech, in nature. Eat a healthy snack, drink some water, run around the block, do a few yoga poses or stretch. Don’t get sucked into the vortex of social media – you may never get out.
Pace yourself for studying over time. It’s better to spread it out over days if you can because the brain just works better that way. You will retain more if you study two hours a day for six days than if you tried to study twelve hours in a row one day.
At the same time, it’s better not to wait too long between sessions. Don’t study something one day and then not again for three weeks. Your poor hippocampus simply won’t know what to make of that kind of craziness. The American Psychological Association agrees with me, which you should find comforting.
When it comes to studying, saying you’ve studied 30 hours in the last two days doesn’t impress anyone. What does? Reasonable amounts of time spent focusing on goal-based studying while not allowing yourself to be distracted by the post du jour on Instagram or TikTok.
Mrs. Hoffman
College and Career Transitions...
FAFSA Updates!
FAFSA Updates!
Well done, seniors! As of April 5, 2023, 52.3% of the Class of 2023 had completed the FAFSA! This means that the Class of 2023 is well on their way to reaching our 60% FAFSA completion goal. Keep up the great work!
What is the FAFSA?
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the single most important form to fill out to be considered for multiple types of federal financial aid (grants, loans, and work study). However, did you know that completing the FAFSA is often required to be considered for many different scholarship opportunities, regardless of income.
For example, the Last Dollar Scholarship is available to students regardless of income and provides up to full tuition benefits for in demand careers at select colleges. The only thing a student needs to do is complete the FAFSA and be enrolled in a qualifying program!
There is zero risk or obligation in completing the FAFSA!
How Can I Complete the FAFSA?
Schedule a Virtual FAFSA Appointment with ICAN here.
Schedule and In-Person FAFSA Appointment with ICAN here.
Schedule an In-Person FAFSA Appointment with Ms. Rawson here.
Or, on your own here.
What Do I Need to Bring to My FAFSA Appointment/Complete the FAFSA?
Students AND Parents need to create an FSA ID prior to their FAFSA appointment or completing the FAFSA
Copy of 2021 Federal Tax Returns (Parent AND Student)
Copy of 2021 W2 (Parent AND Student)
Social Security Number/Alien Registration Number, Date of Birth, Date of Marriage/Divorce (Parent AND Student)
Records of any untaxed income
Child support paid/received
Have questions about college and career planning?
Reach out to Ms. Rawson at nrawson@crprairie.org or schedule an appointment here.
Career Services: Internships and Job Shadows...
Sophomores and Juniors can begin applying for Fall Internships. The internship program is a great way to develop skills in Professionalism, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, Social Awareness, and Communication. Other reasons to pursue internships include:
Learning about a field before you commit to it. Get an inside look at jobs in the field you’re considering and figure out if it's a good fit for you.
You may earn high school credit while exploring a potential career. This can help you make decisions about your high school coursework and the investment in your post-secondary education.
Improving your resume for college, scholarship, and job applications.
Networking. Internships allow you to meet people at all levels of the company and those connections can be valuable.
Stop in and visit with Mrs. Gudenkauf in Student Services to learn more or email her at mgudenkauf@crprairie.org.
Need Assistance? We are here to help...
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 - Dean's Complex - Attendance Line...
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