Scot Nation: Newsletter
January 2018
Premier January 8th at Highland Park High School in Auditorium
AFJRORC
Brought Home "The Wood"
1st New Cadet Led by Matthew Lee1st In Armed Regulation
2nd Unarmed Regulation
2nd Color Guard
We've Got Spirit, Yes We Do!
Living the Dream Art Winners
Please congratulate these winners!
1st place Lemi Del Real teachers Cline/Pryor
3rd place tied Marineth Ordinal teacher Brown
3rd place tied Norma Arreola Garcia teacher Brown
CNA State Exam: WE ALL PASSED!
Attention Seniors: Cap & Gown
If you need a graduation packet, you can get one in the counseling office or Rm #152.
You're almost there, but you have to keep taking your steps in the right direction.
Senior 2018!
College & Career
ACT Deadline
The next ACT date is February 10th. The deadline to register for this test to avoid a late fee is Friday, January 12th. Students who missed the December 9th test and need to change their test date must make the change by January 12th and pay the $26 date change fee.
Scholarships for Concurrent/Dual Enrollment
Juniors and Seniors, if you are taking college courses through Washburn or Washburn Tech during the spring semester, you may be eligible to apply for a scholarship to help cover tuition and fees. Click here or see Dr. Duncan ASAP for an application. Completed applications are due by January 19th or they will not be considered.
Scholarships for Seniors
Seniors, there are a wide variety of scholarships deadlines throughout the spring semester. There are several scholarships specifically for Highland Park students. Be sure to check out our district scholarship page for more information. Apply, Apply, Apply!!
Dr. Angela D. Duncan
Topeka Public Schools
College and Career Advocate
624 SW 24th St.
Topeka, KS 66611
Office: Burnett Administrative Center
Office phone: 785.438.5800
E-Mail: aduncan@tps501.org
5 Reminders Below, but Click on Link to View Entire Article!
As we enter second semester, I want to encourage you to avoid the pitfalls of Senioritis; you likely can't wait to leave high school, but don't rush it! These should be some of the best days of your life! Do the work, but enjoy yourself.~Mrs. Perry
Make Those Memories
Many seniors are tempted to take a year off from extracurriculars, & there are a couple things to consider here… If you have spent years playing a sport, participating in a club, or doing some other activity, now is not the time to quit. Soak in these final moments with your friends, & see your hard work through to the end. Of course, the key to staying involved is that you are enjoying these activities & not overloading your schedule. Too many commitments make anyone miserable so pick a few things that you truly enjoy & make some memories to take with you for the rest of your life.
Grades Still Matter
You have been accepted to college, & everything is set! You did it, you made it this far, you’ve earned it. But… if your grades slip enough, colleges can (& will) rescind your acceptance. According to this article, “Many colleges don’t receive final grades until June or July, so if the final report doesn’t align with the information in the application, students may find they’ve lost their spot at the college of their choice.” Don’t waste all of the hard work you have put in up until this point - hang on for a few more months!
Work Smarter
I get it. I have been there. Sometimes we just don’t have it in us to work harder. We see the finish line & feel like we have made it far enough, but the reality is that we do actually have to cross that finish line one way or another. Working smarter is a great option to balance those feelings of senioritis with the reality that you need to finish strong. My high school allowed us to have late arrival or early dismissal if we scheduled a study hall for first or last period. This was a great way to have a little bit more of a relaxed schedule without being tempted to skip classes. You also should have a good idea of what you need to do to get the results that you want. Work smarter so that you keep your grades, make some great memories, & can still take things at a little slower of a pace.
Get Ahead Now
In my freshman year of college, all of my friends had to take this freshman writing class that required them to write papers all of the time. This class was hated by everyone, & I was so glad that I didn’t have to take it! I made my first semester of college much easier because I had taken AP English in high school & passed the AP test for college credit. There are so many transitions to make in that first year of college, & it was so helpful to be able to have a lighter course-load. Take advantage of these types of opportunities that are available to you now in high school while you have the chance.
Stay in the Flow
You have been in school for years & years already, but your career as a student isn’t over. Whether you have college ahead of you or a new job, you will still be required to maintain certain hours, work hard, & learn new things. Slacking off now will only make it harder to catch up later. It can be so hard to get back into the swing of things once you are used to a lazier lifestyle. There is something to be said for taking a well-earned break to avoid burnout & fatigue; however, that should be a purposeful & meaningful break rather than avoiding obligations & responsibilities.
So I guess the bottom line to all of the new seniors for this year is this…
You will never have these opportunities again. The decisions you make today do have an impact on the near future. And you’ve made it this far so you might as finish strong.
This Month At HPHS!
HPHS Site Goals 2017-2018
By the end of the 2017-2018 school year, each student will demonstrate growth on the state assessment resulting in a school-wide increase of ten percent growth. Math proficiency will be at or above twenty percent.
By the end of the 2017-2018 school year, each student will demonstrate growth on the state assessment resulting in a school-wide increase of ten percent growth. Reading proficiency will be at or above twenty-four percent.
The overall attendance rate for Highland Park will reach ninety-two percent for the 2017-2018 school year by reducing chronic attendance issues by fifty percent.
As Administrators, Mr. Ackerman, Ms. Johnston, Ms. Watson, and myself (Mrs. Perry), we have added the following goals as the Instructional Leaders at HPHS as our commitment to our students, families, and stakeholders. These goals will not be reached overnight, and we can't do it without the assistance and support of the faculty and staff at HP, the district office and BOE Members, community, families, and especially our students who must put forth a real effort each day:
- Increase the 2017-2018 Graduation Rate based on the current students enrolled to 93% of the 11R's and Seniors and those who finish will be going to college, vocational school, the military, or secured full-time employment.
- Increase school-wide communication with a weekly staff newsletter, monthly newsletter to parents and community, updated marquee, high traffic on Facebook, and visibility in the building and at school and community activities.
- Inspect what we expect and increase teaching and learning with teachers submitting weekly lesson plans, posting power standards, evidence of Building Academic Vocabulary, increased usage of Webb's DOK Questions, common formative assessments, and bell-to-bell teaching.
- It is our goal to help make Highland Park a school we would gladly send our own children to while creating high expectations, producing results, increasing rigor in the classroom, and creating a school culture worth bragging about; where students are safe, challenged, and ready. We (Administrators, Faculty & Staff) will build ladders for students while keeping the standards and expectations high!