Spain Park Weekly eNews
Spain Park High School 01/17/2020
A Message from the Principal
Dear Parents,
After the past two weeks, SPHS faculty, staff, and students are back in our routine, and we are in full swing for the second semester. Even though it’s only been ten days, everyone is looking forward to the long weekend.
I know that Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a day off from school, and a time we consider a break from our regular schedule. I would ask you to reflect on this great man’s accomplishments, his struggles, his sacrifices, and the positive impact he had on the Civil Rights Movement and the world.
Join me in congratulating two members of our faculty. Candace Strickland, English Teacher and SGA Sponsor who was named “Teacher in the Trenches” by the HCS Finley Committee. This award honors individuals whose kindness and dedication reach far beyond the classroom. Additionally, Chrissy Roe, World Language Teacher, was awarded The World Language Teacher of the Year for the state of Alabama. We are fortunate to have these, among other faculty members who represent Spain Park and the Hoover Community in such a positive way.
Also, I’d like to highlight the Spain Park Spirit And Pride Drum Circle, who performed for the Alabama Music Educators Conference in Montgomery this week. Our students presented a joy-filled presentation along with other schools from across the state. Spain Park is one of three high schools in the state that offers this class. The equipment for this class was funded with a grant from the SPHS PTSO. Our band directors, Mr. Neugent, Mr. Adams, and Ms. Bye, along with her Instructional Support Staff, provide this fun instructional opportunity. Enjoy the video.
As always, I am available to hear your feedback on how we can make SPHS a great place to be.
Respectfully,
Peter L. Giangrosso
SPHS Drum Circle
SPHS Drum Circle
SPHS Drum Circle
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Be a part of Kindness Week
Pink Shirt Day is coming up on February 26th! You can order your t-shirts through MySchoolFees starting the week of Jan. 20th. Both short sleeve and long sleeve options are available. Pink Shirt Day is part of Kindness Week, aiming to prevent bullying by spreading kindness throughout our school and community. All orders must be made by Tuesday, Feb. 4th. #BeKind #pinkoutSPHS
Curriculum Night Information
Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors--It will soon be time to select your courses for next school year. Curriculum Night will be held on Thursday, February 6th. Be sure to check Google classroom for additional information.
Share your talents
The Spain Park High School Talent Show is Tuesday, January 28th. The Top 5 acts will perform again for the student body during AO/JAG on Wednesday, January 29th. Trophies will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.
Auditions for the Talent Show are Tuesday, January 21st and Wednesday, January 22nd. Sign up for your audition time outside the Choir Room!
SPHS Job Fair
Attention Hoover Area Businesses and Partners:
If you are interested in promoting your business and obtaining applications from our students, please join us for our Spain Park Job Fair, April 8, 2020, from 12:55-2:00 pm.
Our event is intended to help Spain Park students become aware of job/career options as well as to apply for current open positions. For more information or to sign up, please visit the link.
Interested in Co-Op next year? Available to Juniors & Seniors
After-School Credit Recovery - Winter 2020
Registration deadline: By Thursday, January 23, 2020
Registration forms are available in the SPHS guidance office, online and at the front desk in the lobby.
Have grade-level counselor sign form by January 23rd.
Take signed form and tuition to bookkeeper by January 23rd .
Tuition can be paid with cash or check at the bookkeeping office.
Credit Recovery Dates and Times:
Credit Recovery meets Monday – Thursday, 3:50pm - 5:50 pm on the following dates:
January 27 - 30
February 3 - 6
February 10 - 13
February 17 - 20
February 24 - 27
March 2 - 5
March 9 - 12
March 16 - 19
ATTENDANCE IS MANDATORY. Parents or guardians will be contacted about every tardy and absence.
Tuition: $200.00 per semester course attempted. Students may only sign up for one course at a time. However, if a student finishes a course and wishes to start another, administrator approval will be required to start the second course. Tuition and application are due at registration.
No refunds are available after January 27, 2020.
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Junior/Senior Information
Attention Seniors! Battle of the Sexes will be Feb 5th during Jag in the Competition Gym. Purchase your t-shirt this week during your lunch or from any Senior Class Officer for $10. The t-shirt is your ticket in! You can sign up to participate in the events in your English, History, or Mrs. Bennett's room 111. You don't want to miss this!
The Senior Beauty Walk Deadline has been extended. Please see Coach Halla in room 237 for packet and information. Beauty Walk to be held on January 25, 2020.
Attention Juniors and Seniors! This year's prom will be on Friday, April 24th.
Prom tickets are now on sale! Purchase your prom ticket on the MySchoolFees website!
Please note: The price will increase as we get closer to the event!
Junior Parent Info from College and Career Specialist, Tracy Prater
Thank you for a great College Planning Junior Parent Night! I talked a lot and hopefully covered some important and valuable information. There will be a lot more to cover in the upcoming parent meetings, but you should be on well on your way to a good start now. That said, there were a couple of important pieces of information that I left out or didn't get to. Here are a few bullet points (completely random in nature) covering those:
* The state-mandated ACT scheduled for March 10th will be free for students. We handle getting students registered completely at school. You only have to worry about making sure your student is prepared to put their best foot forward on test day.
* Colleges will release applications beginning in July. Some will not release until late August or early September. There is no huge rush to apply on day 1; however, students should not wait until the last minute either. August is a great time! The earliest Early Action Deadline is going to be October 15th, and there are only a few schools that have that set as their deadline.
* The Senior Packet we discussed at the end of the presentation is important for many reasons. One huge reason is the Transcript Release Form. Colleges will not request transcripts on the student's behalf. The only way I will know if a transcript needs to be sent is if the student asks me to send it. Also, I cannot send the transcript without a signed Transcript Release Form on file. Please make sure to sign that and have your student turn it in with their Senior Packet.
* I am glad to take individual appointments with you and your student to answer any questions and to walk through this process with you. It's my job, and I love my job. My only stipulation is that your student must accompany you to the appointment. It is their future and they should take the lead. Students can come to see me on their own at any time.
* There is an excellent book you should check out for summer reading. It is co-authored by a good friend of mine, Rick Clark. The book is entitled, The Truth about College Admission (A Family Guide to Getting In and Staying Together). It is well worth the read as you enter this process!
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Visual Art Students Honored
Birmingham Southern College Biennial High School Art Competition selects work from ten states every two years for exhibition and awards. SPHS had three works chosen to exhibit this year, the highest number ever pulled from our school. The work will be on public exhibit beginning Monday 1/13/20 through Sunday 1/19/20 from 8:45-4:30 daily in the Durbin Gallery.
An awards ceremony and reception will be on Sunday 1/19 for students, families, and teachers.
By Rin Yoki, “Nobody There”, Calligraphic Drawing-Ink, 9”x12”,
By Mya Kelty, “Magician”, Digital Drawing-IPad, 12”x14”
By McKenzie Self, “Chad”, Watercolor-Ink, 12”x14
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Sadie Hawkins Dance
The Sadie Hawkins dance is Saturday, February 1 from 8:00 - 10:30 in the SPHS Gym. You can purchase tickets on My School Fees for $10 a person. You can also preorder a t-shirt for $15 on MSF or in room 228. Follow @spainparksga for more news about the week and event.
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Making Families Stronger
Hoover City Schools is partnering with IMPACT Family Counseling to provide the Family Strengthening Program. This program will be offered for free to families with middle or high school students. The program consists of one evening session a week for six weeks total and will be offered multiple times throughout the school year. The first sessions begin on Tuesday, January 28th, 2020. If you are interested in participating or learning more about this opportunity, please contact your child’s counselor.
The Hoover Public Library is hosting another Practical Parenting even for parents of teens on Sunday, January 26th. See events.hooverlibrary.org for more information.
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Summer Plans?
Information for Summer School 2020
All summer school classes will start on June 8th during the summer of 2020. Here are some notes regarding specific summer school courses:
Credit Recovery classes will be June 8th-26th (8:00 AM - 1:00 PM).
Credit Enhancement courses are as follows:
*Government/Economics will be June 8th-26th (8:00 AM - 1:00 PM).
*Driver’s Education - There will no longer be two sessions. The required class time will be June 8th-12th (8:00 AM - 1:00 PM). Students will sign up with the Driver’s Ed teachers to establish driving times at some point in June or July. Students are required to have a learner’s permit before they are able to drive (Note: for a student with a July birthday, one can take the class portion in June and sign up to drive for their assigned times in July). Driver’s Education is a Pass/Fail course.
*Health - There will no longer be two sessions. The course will start on June 8th. Students will need to be at SPHS on June 8th to get information related to the course. The course is virtual, so further attendance is not necessary or required. Students will complete assignments on Google Classroom and the course must be completed by July 10th.
***More information will be available after Spring Break. Signups will start in May 2020.
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Announcements
Now is the time to sign up for ACT Prep with Henson Test Prep. Registration is now open for the February, March, April, and June 2020 test dates. The first prep classes will begin on January 9th and there are several class options to choose from. For more information and registration, visit hensontestprep.com. If you have further questions, contact Amy Henson at (205) 862-6004.
Students who took the PSAT in October received their results and test book today during lunch. Students who were absent may pick up their results in the guidance office on Monday. For information on understanding the PSAT scores, please visit this website PSAT Understanding Scores.
- January 20, 2020- No School, Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
- Scoliosis screening for 9th graders in MarchPlease complete the attached form if you wish for your 9th graders to be screened for Scoliosis at school in March of 2020. https://forms.gle/v1epot7KqihiX4Q7A
Spain Park High School
Email: hcsnotices@hoover.k12.al.us
Website: https://www.hoovercityschools.net/sphs
Location: 4700 Jaguar Drive, Birmingham, AL, USA
Phone: 205-439-1400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpainParkHS/
Twitter: @SpainPark