Spain Park Weekly eNews
Spain Park High School 02/14/2020
A Message from the Principal
Dear Parents,
Our counselors have been busy meeting with students to assist them in selecting their courses for the 2020-2021 school year. I encourage you to take an active role in reviewing and having meaningful dialogue with your students. As changes during the school year are very difficult to make. The course selection deadline is Friday, March 13, 2020.
The National Honor Society applications for the junior class will be due this Wednesday, February 19, 2020. Application forms are in the Google Classroom. Students should submit and print a hard copy; the hard copy should be delivered to Mrs. DiChiara’s room, Room 235.
Congratulations to the Boys’ and Girls’ basketball teams for winning the first round of the State Playoffs. The Boys defeated Austin High School 60-46, and the Girls defeated Florence High School 64-29. Our student section was energetic; our teams, cheerleaders, and fans represented Spain Park well. Both teams advanced to the Regional Finals that will be played on Tuesday, February 18, 2020, at Wallace-Hanceville. The girls play Vestavia High School at 9:00 AM, and the boys play Mountain Brook at 10:45.
Please remember that Monday and Tuesday of next week will be Professional Development Days for our Faculty and Staff; hence, there will be no school on those days. Have a happy Valentine’s Day, and I hope you enjoy the long weekend.
As always, I am available to hear your feedback on how we can make SPHS a great place to be.
Respectfully,
Peter L. Giangrosso
TUESDAY BASKETBALL INFORMATION
The first 100 students in the student section will receive a T-shirt. Upon arrival to the student section, you will receive a ticket. This ticket enters you into a competition for the chance to win two Thomas Rhett concert tickets for his concert here in Birmingham in July.
At the beginning of AO on Wednesday, two ticket numbers will be called over the intercom. You will then report immediately to the athletic department to compete for the concert tickets! Come out and support your Jags on Tuesday!!
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Good Luck to our SPHS Wrestling Team!
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Black History Month
Honoring the past, inspiring the future
Door Decorations
Ms. Strickland's room
Mrs. Willis' room
Mrs. C. Johnson's room
Mr. Blackwell's room
Mrs. Balaban's and Mrs. Mackey's room
Ms. J. Johnson's room
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Congratulations to Rhapsody in Blue!
"Rhapsody In Blue" had a fantastic showing at the Albertville Diamond Classic show choir competition on Saturday. They were crowned Grand Champions of their division and finished 1st Runner Up behind Homewood. Best Vocals, Best Choreography, Best Overall Show, Best Band in our division and Best Costumes, Best Male Soloist (Andrew Ritchey), and Best Female Soloist (Jazzmin Pride) in Finals.
To understand the significance of these achievements, please take 3 minutes of your day to listen to minutes 2:00-5:00 of the latest episode of the Southern Show Choir Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/user-789736086/week3/s-e373W
Thank you for your support!
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Track Team Accomplishments
This past weekend the Indoor track team competed in the state championship meet. Qualifying for this meet itself is an accomplishment. We had a few new school records set and some All-State performances.
Anna Collins - 3rd in Pole Vault - New School Record
Mackenzie Culpepper 3rd in the 800m 2:19 New School Record
6th in the 400m
Girls 4 x 800m relay team - 4th- Mackenzie Culpepper, Holland Lidikay, Corrie Parks, Peyton Lecroy
Girls 2 x 200m Relay team -School Record -8th
Annabelle Widra, Lydia Coleman, Cadon Shepherd, Sydney Taylor
Sydney Taylor 4th- 60m dash
The Girls were 10th place overall
The coaching staff appreciates your support this season.
Boys Soccer Wins Southern Shootout!
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Visual Art Achievements
Spain Park senior, Mary Bodden will represent Spain Park in the 3/D-Crafts division of the Alabama State Council on the Arts Visual Achievement Program this year at the district level.
Her Ceramic work entitled “Veiled Bride” is inspired by her interest in representational art and her passion for working in Clay. If chosen, her work will move on to the State Level for a juried exhibition with other district winners
Detail of Ms. Bodden's Clay Creation
Back View
Front View
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Responding to the 2020 Census will help our school!
2020-2021 STUDENT AIDE APPLICATIONS
Student Aide applications for the 2020-2021 school year are available in room 123. All applications must be turned in by February 28th.
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
In celebration of Be Kind Week, come enjoy a meal between 5-7 p.m. on February 26th, Pink Shirt Day, at one of the following Chick-fil-a locations:
Chick-fil-a at Patton Creek
Chick-fil-a at Hoover Commons
Chick-fil-a at The Grove
Chick-fil-a at Greystone
A portion of the proceeds will benefit HCS Student Services.
Junior/Senior Information
JUNIOR Parents and Students
Juniors who have been invited to apply for membership in Spain Park's National Honor Society must have forms turned in to room 235 by February 18. This is a firm deadline. If you have decided not to apply, please see Mrs. DiChiara.
Senior Ad Deadline is Approaching!
The final deadline to purchase your senior ad for the 2020 yearbook is today! Don't miss this chance to pay tribute to your graduate in a very special way. If you have questions, please email Ms. Rodgers at jrodgers@hoover.k12.al.us.
ATTENTION SENIORS
Attention Seniors! If you missed the date to turn in your cap and gown order form and money, you have another chance. They will be here during all of the lunches this Friday 2/14! Don't miss this opportunity to get your order and payment turned in.
PROM is April 24, 2020
Attention Juniors and Seniors! This year's prom will be on Friday, April 24th. The event is at the Finley Center from 8 pm until 11 pm. You won't want to miss it! Go ahead and purchase your prom ticket on the MySchoolFees website.
Please note: Ticket prices will increase as we get closer to the event date! Don't wait!
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A Note from our Theater Director
I'm happy to share with you that for our winter production, I've chosen to stage Peer Gynt, by Henrik Ibsen. It's a classic and has been performed for audiences all over the world in many different languages since it was written in 1867. Our production will include many of the songs from Edvard Grieg's operatic adaptation of the play, which are instantly recognizable.
At its core, the play asks questions that are central to our students' lives here at Spain Park: What does it mean to be oneself? How do our choices define us? How do others define us, and how can we shape our lives to realize our full potential? Whose dreams are we dreaming- ours, or those that others would have us dream? It shows us the folly in avoiding responsibilities, illustrates the dissatisfaction inherent in worldly pursuits, and argues for the redemptive power of love. These are powerful and fitting themes for our students, who are on the cusp of adulthood and are struggling with these issues now.
I hope that through this production, we'll have a chance to explore these themes, and to find the relevant connections to our lives. The text of the play is challenging, involving poetry, prose, and several languages, including Norwegian, French, and German. Through an exploration of the play, we will have opportunities to discuss the ideas of Kant, Kierkegaard, Hegel, Neitzche, and other important philosophers referenced in the text. We will study Norwegian folk tales, as they are woven into the story. We will also learn traditional Norwegian dances, costumes, and songs.
But all of this would mean very little if it didn't also provide thought-provoking entertainment for our audience. Our production offers both comedy and drama, lighthearted moments and moments of profound sadness, music, dance, and poetry- In other words, it is a very full evening of theatre!
I hope that you will help me in encouraging the community to experience this production. Every student in the Advanced Acting classes will participate in the production, as well as all Tech Theatre I and Advanced Tech Theatre students. Many students have taken leadership roles in this production, as designers, tech directors, stage managers, and choreographers. This is a true student-led team effort, and I am sure it will be a great success.
Performance dates and times:
Thursday, February 27, 7 pm
Friday, February 28, 7 pm
Saturday, February 29, 2 pm
Saturday, February 29, 7 pm
Sunday, March 1, 2 pm
Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Free admission for Faculty, Staff, and Administrators.
The show runs 2 hours, with a brief intermission.
Thanks for your support, and we look forward to seeing you at the theatre!
Dustin Helmer, Spain Park Theatre Director
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Information from Nurse Laney
Scoliosis Screening
The Alabama State Department of Education and the Alabama Department of Public Health require that school districts in Alabama offer and provide scoliosis screening for male and female students in grades 5 through 9.
Screening is performed by observing the uncovered spine, viewing the student from the back, side, and with the student bending forward. If a spinal problem is suspected, the child will be rechecked at a second screening. Parents of students found to have signs of possible spinal abnormality will be asked to see their own physicians for further evaluation.
Girls and boys will be screened separately to ensure privacy. They can wear gym clothes or other clothing that may be removed easily. If your child is currently under treatment for a spinal deformity, please let us know and your child will be exempt from the screening process.
This year it is scheduled for 3/11/2020 as an opt-in instead of an opt-out program. See the form below that must be returned to the nurse in order for your student to be screened.
No one should be attending school if they have the following symptoms:
Vomiting - must be able to tolerate a regular meal and keep if down for several hours without vomiting before returning to school
Diarrhea
Fever of 100 degrees or higher - must be unmedicated and fever free for 24 hours prior to returning to school
Uncontrolled cough that interferes with classroom instruction
Please notify the nurses if your student has been diagnosed with the flu by a physician. The nurses track the numbers of flu cases each year. You may contact the nurses at blaney@hoover.k12.al.us or (205) 439-1430.
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Announcements
Now is the time to sign up for ACT Prep with Henson Test Prep. They have an upcoming class specifically for the March 10th, in-school ACT test. This class begins on Sunday, February 23rd, and will fill quickly so please register now. For more information and registration, visit hensontestprep.com. If you have further questions, contact Amy Henson at (205) 862-6004.
Class of 2023 T-Shirts are on sale in room 231. They are $15 cash or check. Get one now before they run out!
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