Fox Family News & Celebrations
Dutch Fork High School
Mid-Term and Final Exam Information
Year Long Classes - Mid-Year Exams Semester Classes - Final Exams Tuesday, December 17: 5B / 7B Wednesday, December 18: 1A / 3A Thursday, December 19: 6B / 8B Friday, December 20: 2A / 4A Friday, January 10: 5B / 7B Monday, January 13: 1A / 3A Tuesday, January 14: 6B / 8B Wednesday, January 15: 2A / 4A
EXAM EXEMPTIONS-In order to promote excellent attendance, DFHS offers an exam exemption program to incentivize excellent attendance among our students of all grade levels. Excellent attendance is a critical factor in student achievement. We believe that if students are in attendance, they will learn. Exam exemption does not entirely excuse students from the experience of preparing for a comprehensive exam. Testing is an important part of academic life. Students take assessments as a regular part of their coursework, and those students who do qualify for exam exemptions will still be required to take specific exams such as AP or EOC exams.
Students who meet the following criteria are eligible to exempt exams:
• Students with 8 blocks or fewer of cumulative unexcused absences for all classes during a semester (UNDERCLASSMEN ONLY)
• Students who receive no more than one day of in-school suspension and zero days of out of school suspension
• Students with an 80 average or above in a specific course
Medical Absences - Administrators may consider a small number of additional days of medical absence with a doctor's excuse. Appeals will be made to the student’s administrator. Medical excuses must be turned in to the attendance office according to the attendance policy. At least five days prior to the start of semester exams, the attendance office will post a list of all qualifying students. Students will have the opportunity to appeal to their grade level administrator if they feel that they have been omitted in error. After the list has been posted, an exam exemption form will be issued to those students who qualify. Students will mark the exams they are exempting and will be required to receive a signature from the teacher so that the teacher can keep a record of who is exempting their exam. Parent signatures also will be required. Students who are exempting will be called to the Auditorium during their exam time for a special activity.
FINAL EXAM MAKE-UP POLICY - A student who misses a mid-year or final exam will not be allowed to make up the exam unless he/she has approval from the Assistant Principal for Instruction. Any exam not made up will result in a grade of "0" for that exam. Recognizing that there may be some exceptions, the following are valid reasons for making up exams:
1) Death in the immediate family. 2) Confirmed move out of the district that will occur within two weeks prior to the end of the term. 3) Illness as confirmed by a written statement from a doctor. (Only a medical excuse from a doctor will be accepted.) Out of town trips should not be scheduled during exams. Some make-up days for inclement weather are included at the end of the school year and may affect the exam schedule. Plan accordingly.
After the exam schedule has been completed, the make-up exam for the midterm (if approved by the Assistant Principal for Instruction) must be taken during non-instructional time at the classroom teacher's discretion. The make-up time for final exams will be determined by the Assistant Principal for Instruction and the teacher.
Dutch Fork High School clinches fourth straight title in football
IRMO – For the fourth consecutive season, the Dutch Fork High football program reigns supreme in South Carolina.
The Silver Foxes took down Dorman 34-31 in overtime to clinch the 5A state championship December 7 at Williams-Brice Stadium. Since the South Carolina High School League expanded to five classifications in 2016, Dutch Fork is the only team to win the championship in the state’s biggest division. The Silver Foxes have now played 40 straight games without a loss.
It was the school’s fifth state championship, all under coach Tom Knotts. “Winning our fourth straight 5A championship is great,” said Knotts. “I plan to take a few days off, but then I will get back to work preparing for our fifth championship. It's very satisfying and rewarding to achieve our goals. The hard work and effort by our players and staff and the support of our administration and teachers is a tribute to Lexington-Richland School District Five."
The Silver Foxes, ranked No. 17 in USA Today’s Super 25 poll, finish the season at 14-0-1. The tie occurred in this season’s opener versus Mallard Creek. The championship game against Dorman was filled with ups and downs but the team fought hard to get the win.
“It was not an easy game because I was off my game during the second and third quarter,” said Dutch Fork quarterback Ty Olenchuk. “My teammates picked me up and we pulled it out like the Dutch Fork football team we are.”
The state title is the fifth title the school has earned in 10 years under Tom Knotts, who has won 12 championships combined in North and South Carolina.
“I continue to be amazed and proud of the accomplishments of our student-athletes,” said Dutch Fork High School principal Dr. Gerald Gary. “Our football players and coaches do an excellent job each season of getting the most out of our current players while simultaneously preparing for the next round of those who will wear the Dutch Fork uniform. The commitment that they have put on the field every day and the investment of our families and fans has been tremendous and play a major role in our success. I am proud of our team for working every day to obtain their athletic goals and dreams.”
Apply today for the DFHS STEM Honors Academic Magnet program. Currently ranked 25th best in the nation by Newsweek, our STEM program is open to qualifying rising 9th graders from any school. You can apply until January 9, 2020. STEM is an Honors Academic Magnet program that accelerates and enriches learning experiences for students who are academically gifted in and have an interest in a STEM related classes. Students are accepted into the program based on their standardized test scores, middle school teachers’ recommendations, and interest in STEM related fields. Please visit our website at
http://lexrich5.org/dfhsmagnet for more information. You may also contact Barry Lindler, STEM Coordinator, at blindler@lexrich5.org with any additional questions.
North-South Bowl Game
Calling all ROCK STAR EDUCATORS! Join School District Five on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2020 at Irmo High School International School for the Arts for the Teacher Recruitment Event! Registration is now open: http://bit.ly/TeachIn52020.
Beta Club Meets for December General Session
Beta Club met for their December General Session on Friday, 12/13, after school. During that time, they wrapped Christmas gifts for children. They also celebrated the holidays with conversation, pizza, and doughnuts.
Juniors and Seniors: Prom tickets are available on your student account! Pay before February 1st to get the discounted rate of $25 a person!
Dr. William Terwilliger, Professor of Violin at The Uof SC,
and The Uof SC Graduate String Quartet performed and gave a talk about chamber music during 4A this past Thursday.
The quartet performed works by Joseph Haydn, Felix Mendelsshon, and Joaquin Turina. Their performance and talk was enjoyed by several classes and DFHS orchestra members.
Holiday Gift Shop
CATS Midlands Qualifier
Senior Parents! We don't want you to miss the opportunity to honor your senior in a special way in the yearbook so we've extended the SENIOR AD order deadline to DECEMBER 18.
For your convenience, the template brochure link is below and the order form is attached. To reserve your space, choose your template, complete the order form and submit your materials and payment to Liz Patrick at palmettoyearbook@gmail.com. Or you can mail them to Palmetto Yearbook, 1172 Plummer Circle, Manning, SC 29102.
If you have any questions, please contact Liz Patrick at palmettoyearbook@gmail.com or 803.603.2821.
TEMPLATE LINK:
Attendance Requirements
School Counseling Department
Follow us on Twitter @DFHS_Counseling.
List of Available Tutors
Dutch Fork High School provides this list as a service to parents, but does not make any ability assessments or endorsements for any of the persons who have asked to be placed on the list. It is recommended that parents considering any tutor thoroughly assess that person’s capabilities and credentials. All financial arrangements, transportation, and appointments with tutors are strictly the responsibility of the parents. The list can be found on our website: https://www.lexrich5.org/Page/24428
PSAT/NMSQT Score Reports
The College Board will release PSAT/NMSQT Score Reports for students who took the October 2019 PSAT starting Monday, December 8th. Students will receive an email when they can view their scores. The following College Board links will assist you and your student once scores have been received:
Video for Students: Accessing your Score
Video for Students: Understanding Your PSAT/NMSQT Score Report
You can access your PSAT/NMSQT score report online and learn how ready you are for college, explore which AP courses are a good match for you, and get insight into which skills to focus on in order to prepare for the SAT.
Now that you have your PSAT/NMSQT scores, you can link your College Board and Khan Academy accounts to access free, personalized practice on Khan Academy.
Video: Practice Makes it Easier - How to Link Your College Board + Khan Academy Accounts
Video: Introducing the College Board Opportunity Scholarships
Why Use Khan Academy?
See the link below for more information:
Scholarship Spotlight
ACT Scholarship Giveaway!
Dream Big! Win Big!
Enter for your chance to win a $15,000 Scholarship + $5,000 Tech Package in the ACT Scholarship Giveaway!
Eligible sophomores, juniors and seniors who register for the ACT® test between 9.3.2019 and 6.26.2020 are automatically entered for a chance to win. It’s that easy!
No purchase necessary or ACT test registration necessary. Sweepstakes subject in all respects to complete official rules.* See Official Rules for eligibility requirements, entry details, and instructions (including alternate entry instructions).
Register for the ACT Test Now!
Get helpful registration guidance, or get started right away! Be sure to allow plenty of time -- registration can take 40 minutes.
THE COLLEGE BOARD OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIPS
JUNIORS!
Early efforts will get rewarded! Students who've already taken action to build their college list on BigFuture™ and link their College Board and Khan Academy® accounts to practice for the SAT® on Official SAT Practice will automatically earn a scholarship entry when they join the program once it opens next month.
JUNIORS, GET STARTED IN DECEMBER!
Sign into your existing College Board account (the same one used for SAT and PSAT/NMSQT) or create an account if you do not have one.
Click on the yellow EARN SCHOLARSHIPS button at the top of the homepage.
Review the official rules on the OPT IN screen and click AGREE. You’re ready to start turning your efforts into scholarships!
OnePalmetto will be providing opportunities for students to be awarded scholarships during these events. Students must be present at the event to be awarded any of the scholarships. You can register for any/all of the OnePalmetto Scholarship and College Fairs on Eventbrite. If you have any additional questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to contact us at onepalmetto@gmail.com. Please visit our website at www.pacescholarshipacademy.com for more information.
(Palmetto State School Counselor Association (PSSCA) Scholarship
Application is due by December 31, 2019
Winners will be selected and notified by April 15, 2020
The Palmetto State School Counselor Association awards three high school seniors a $1,000.00 non-renewable scholarship to assist with post-secondary education costs.
Eligibility:
Must be a high school senior attending a public or private secondary school in the state of South Carolina.
Must be a permanent resident of the state of South Carolina.
Must plan to attend a post-secondary institution during the 2020-2021 school year.
Applicants must:
Submit an application through this Google link: https://forms.gle/4uaezBFjqt71WVXx8
Complete an essay of no more than 500 words about a school counselor who has made a difference in your academic, career, social, and/or emotional development. You may additionally include your career goals, post-secondary education plans, and an explanation for how the scholarship will help you.
Include an official copy of high school transcript.
Submit a letter of recommendation.
A copy of your admission letter or another form of verification of acceptance to college, university, technical school, or training center must be provided before receiving funds.
Criteria for selection:
Essay
High school academic record
Community service, and school activities
Letter of recommendation (non-family member)
***For the scholarship listing and additional information, please visit the School Counseling Webpage: https://www.lexrich5.org/Domain/309
Dutch Fork High School
Website: https://www.lexrich5.org/dfhs
Location: 1400 Old Tamah Road, Irmo, SC, USA
Phone: 803-476-3300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DutchForkHS/
Twitter: @dutchforkhigh