Maize High School
October 2022
The Botts Office
Dear Maize High School Parents/Guardians:
We have only three weeks left in the first term. The school year is flying right along!!! I want to thank all of our parents and guardians for attending conferences last week. It is always great sharing the progress our students are making with their family.
It has been a while since school has felt normal!!! This is a great thing! While things are going well, there are a few things that we need your help with. The first is punctuality and attendance. Our school begins at 7:35am and we continue to have dozens of students who are tardy each day. When your student is absent, please call in to verify their absence (316-722-0441 and select Option 1). Both punctuality and attendance are lifelong and work-readiness skills we hope our students learn. Finally, one of our greatest frustrations is with the restrooms. We continue to battle with items being lodged into the toilets. This causes toilets not to flush and function properly and we are then forced to shut restrooms down in order to get them operational. Any help/conversation you can have with your student(s) about this issue would be greatly appreciated.
As the fall weather begins to change, I hope you all have a great October! .
A few other notes/reminders:
October 5th will be a crazy schedule! You can find the details of this day here.
Term 1 will end on October 14th. There is no school for students on Monday, October 17th.
Homecoming Week is drawing near! Here is a summary of our events for the week:
Monday 10/10: EnCor Pep Assembly to meet the Homecoming Candidates
Tuesday, 10/11: Home volleyball game at 5:00pm
Wednesday, 10/12: Evening Powderpuff Football game and car smash starts at 6:30 and the bonfire will follow at 8:00ish
Thursday, 10/13: Home soccer game at 6:30pm
Friday, 10/14: Block 4 parade (1:20-2:40)
Friday, 10/14: Football game with crowing at halftime
Saturday, 10/15: Homecoming Dance from 8 - 11
Parent Teacher Conference Attendance: We had 21% of our students represented at conferences last Thursday. Thank you for your support! Please don’t hesitate to contact your student’s teachers if you have any questions or concerns. I would like to thank the parent group who donated a wonderful meal for our teachers this year! We are all extremely grateful!!!
We have one National Merit Semi-Finalist (Zachary Johnson) and three National Merit Commended students (Zachary Entriken, Lesly Hernandez, and Sam Ritchie). Congratulations to these students, their families, and their teachers.
After Prom: We are looking for new leadership for After Prom! We’ve had tremendous support and dedication from parents over the years and it is time to find a new group of parents to take on this worthwhile event! If you have any interest, please send me an email (cbotts@usd266.com). Thanks!!!
KSHSAA Enrollment: Each year, schools are classified according to their student enrollment. This year, Maize High School will remain in Class 5A for all sports and activities. Our total enrollment for grades 9-12 this school year is 1292, which is the 2nd largest 5A school.
Hello Maize Family: Maize High Freshman, Drake Garrels, was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Drake is an incredible fighter. He began chemotherapy recently and continues to attend school, stay involved in other activities and , even though not able to play football this season, shows up at practice and games encouraging and pushing his teammates to a successful season. Drake’s resilience and determination to beat this cancer is incredible! He shows us all everyday that we can conquer anything life throws at us. With the help of an incredible support team and great friends, Drake will beat this and he’ll be back on the football field and basketball court in no time! Let’s show some support by purchasing a “GAINS 4 GARRELS #8” bracelet ($3). Let Drake know he’s in your thoughts and you are fighting right along with him! If you would like to make a contribution to the Garrels family, you can send Venmo to @gains4garrels. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!
Students of the Month: Each month, staff at MHS has the opportunity to nominate students who have stood out for various reasons including scholastic achievement, kindness, school spirit, friendship, acceptance, and grit. While we are proud of all our students, these students have especially stood out during the month of September:
Olivia Dashiell, Alex Le, Sierra Stafford, Evan Rogerson, Sam Ritchie, Madelyn Shove, Jade Pharis, Nathan Wituk, Caleb Smiley, Neva Wicker, Jimena Zambrano, Mallory Diaz, Lesly Hernandez, Tegan Garcia, Tilton Koziarz, Parker Peterman, Ashlee Prebble, Abbey Massie, Kaylee Lively, Rylee Frye, Thatcher Auten, Christian Hanson, Abby Lippert, Kevin Watkins, Noah Rankin, Joe Gago, AnnMayre Kellogg, Addison LeFever, Hayden Christensen, Haley Barnard, Maya Daniels, Gentry Nittler, Grace Stewart, Jenny Truong, Falyn Murrell, Clayton Bowers, Raheel Bsharat, Owen Johnson, Taylor McMillen, Dashall Meyer, Brylie Watkins, Marissa Martinez, Jenna Scheikofsky, Preston Gietzen, Michael Houseman, Dionne Payne, Elsbeth Knaak, Kayla Nicol, Omar Alba, Thomas Stolt, Morela Chapman, Mallory Diaz, Devin Short, Weston Barber, Chloe Pauls, Jonathan Feldman
With Eagle Pride,
Dr. Botts
Stay Connected
Visit our school website at www.usd266.com/mhs.
Connect with Dr. Botts at cbotts@usd266.com or 316-722-0441.
Maize High School is located at 11600 W. 45th St. North in Maize.
Counselor's Corner
Greetings from the Counseling Department at
Maize High School!
PSAT
October 12th - Maize High School will be an official testing site for the PSAT this fall. Registration test space is limited and will be on a first come, first serve basis. The link to register was emailed to parents and students on September 12th. Registration costs $20 and should be paid in the counseling office by Friday, October 8th. A student’s registration will not be considered final until payment has been made. Register by completing the PSAT Registration Form.
ASVAB
The ASVAB is a test started by the military to assist with career field decisions. The results from the test can provide great insight into your strengths or weaknesses as they pertain to potential career fields. This is a practice test for those thinking about a career in the military but also, it serves as a great resource if you are unsure about a career field.
Complete the registration below if you would like to take the ASVAB which is scheduled for Friday, October 21st. You should report directly to the Lecture Hall at 7:40 a.m. An email with instructions on how to register will be sent to the students’ email or you may register by completing the ASVAB Registration Form.
ACT
The ACT organization is offering a variety of test dates and locations. For the most up to date information, please visit www.act.org. Students may register to take the ACT at a location other than their current high school.
Friday, November 4th is the last day to sign up for the December 10th ACT test. If a student is college bound, we recommend that juniors take the ACT at least once their junior year and once again at the beginning of their senior year. High-achieving sophomores may want to take it for practice. Students can take the ACT as many times as they like. Statistics show that 50% of students will improve upon taking the ACT the second time. Students may want to take it again to improve their last score. If you would like to take the ACT, please register at www.actstudent.org. Students will make an account with a username and password. They will need to know our school code which is 171-885 and the MHS Test Center Code is 213970.
Senior Parents: It is important to take the ACT test in December or before if a student is going to attend a Regents college or an out-of-state college. This will allow scores to be sent for scholarships/applications that have a December deadline. Regents schools are University of Kansas, Kansas State University, Wichita State University, Emporia State University, Fort Hays State University, and Pittsburg State University.
Juniors Parents: This year Maize will give the ACT, free of charge, during the school day in February. Students DO NOT need to register for this particular test. Maize High School will complete all necessary arrangements.
If you have any questions, please contact your counselor.
EIGHT THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE ACT TEST
1. There are four sections on the ACT (English, math, reading, and science) and then a separate optional essay section. The “science” section is really just reading comprehension (no outside science knowledge is needed; all questions can be answered by understanding the given information.)
2. Answer every question on the ACT even if it is just a guess; there is no penalty for wrong answers.
3. On the ACT, finishing all of the questions in time is difficult. The ACT rewards working quickly so students should push themselves to move quickly through each section. For example, if you are 90% sure about a question, answer it and move on rather than going back and double checking.
4. Again, you don't want your score to be lower due to the fact that you were not able to finish most of the questions in time. The best way to deal with this issue is to time yourself as you complete a few practice ACTs before the actual test. Get used to how much time a section lasts and how quickly you need to work to finish it.
5. The national average for the ACT is approximately 21. This is the approximate national average for the overall score for each section.
6. Do not read the reading passages for too long. Only take between one and two minutes to read the long passages quickly. Just read enough to get a main understanding of the arguments or points the author is making. Once you get to the questions, you will be going back to the passages anyway to search for the right answer, so it doesn't make sense to read for too long.
7. Many students are curious as to how many questions they need to answer correctly on each section to earn a certain score. Here is one example: To earn an overall ACT score of 24, a student would need to get 55 out of 75 English questions correct, 37 out of 60 math questions correct, 26 out of 40 reading questions correct, and 29 out of 40 science questions correct.
8. Many students are curious about how the ACT and SAT compare to each other and here are some general thoughts. Most students find the ACT slightly easier and get a higher percentage of ACT questions correct. The downside is that the curve on the ACT is tougher so a student needs to get a higher percentage of ACT questions correct to earn a score that would be equal to the comparable SAT score. One of the reasons that students find the ACT slightly easier is that there are only 4 answer choices on every question of the ACT except for the math section where the questions have 5 answer choices. By contrast, every section of the SAT has 5 answer choices.
ACT Workshop
Maize High School is offering an ACT Workshop in November. The class has two sessions (Monday, November 28th and Tuesday, November 29th). The workshop includes practical and relevant information on how to increase your ACT score. The cost of the workshop is $75. For more information, please click this link. Space is limited.
Congratulations to our AP Scholars!
- AP Scholars: Granted to students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.
- Class of 2023 - Carter Salsbury
- AP Scholars with Distinction: Granted to students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.
- Class of 2024 - Zachary Johnson
Congratulations to National Merit Award Recipients
- National Merit Semi-Finalist:
- Zachary Johnson
- Letter of Commendation:
- Zachary Entriken
- Lesly Hernandez
- Sam Ritchie
College and Career Center
Fall is a busy time in the College and Career Office. Seniors are applying for college admission and for the FAFSA, while underclassmen are beginning their search for the perfect post-secondary experience.
During the month of September:
- We hosted the Fall College & Career Fair where over 500 participants were able to visit with college representatives, military representatives and community partners regarding future internships, and available scholarships.
- We hosted the FAFSA/Scholarship Information Session for students grades 11-12 and their parents.
- We also visited Butler Community College and the University of Kansas.
In October, we will host our Apply KS event, our FAFSA Completion event.
Apply KS! - October 5th from 8:00 - 2:00p in the Maize Career Academy. We are asking all seniors to sign up for a one-hour time slot giving them the opportunity to speak with college, apprenticeship and military representatives. It is our intention that seniors will ask their questions, moving them one step closer to making a decision. The event will be held at the Maize Career Academy located at 11700 W. 45th St. N, parents are welcome.
This event will provide students assistance while they complete college application(s).
- If you have not applied to a college, you will need to bring:
- your charged Chromebook
- know your Social Security Number
- a credit or debit card if you plan to apply to a four year college
- Seniors are also encouraged to sign up for a FSA ID which is the first step in completing the FAFSA.
- If you have already applied to a college and have been accepted, come to the commons with your acceptance email.
- This will be a great event for seniors to celebrate their accomplishments, prizes, gift cards and a photo opportunity with friends.
FAFSA Completion Event - students & parents are invited to attend
- Monday, October 10th 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Maize Career Academy
- Required items include:
- Bring your charged Chromebook
- FSA ID (we will assist you if this step is not completed)
- Social Security numbers for student and parent
- 2021 tax information
- Alien registration number if you are not a U.S. Citizen
- Current bank information
Future’s Fair
Tuesday, October 18th is another opportunity for juniors and seniors to attend the Future’s Fair. Colleges throughout the midwest will be in attendance along with apprenticeship programs and all branches of the military. Registration is now open, a separate email has been sent to all juniors and seniors.
ASVAB
Registration will open soon for the Friday, October 21st test day. Sophomores, juniors and seniors will have the opportunity to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB). The ASVAB is a multiple choice test used to determine qualifications for various careers. Taking this test does not obligate you to join the military; however, for those who are undecided about their future this test is a great resource to assess your skills and interests.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about college and career. I am happy to help you or refer you to someone who can help. Please email me at dclose@usd266.com.
Eagle News
On Saturday, September 24th some of our orchestra students took a bus to WoodFest in the Flint Hills. WoodFest is a multigenerational event where Emmy award-winning artists such as Eugene Friesen (cello), Jason Anick (violin) and Max O'Roarke (guitar) come and teach people how to do improv and alternate styles on their instruments. At any given time, there are more than a dozen sessions or events to choose from with some indoor and some outdoor activities. There was horseback riding, painting, archery, intro to harp, creative play (on instruments), family jam sessions, intro to guitar, conducting, and we played as a Prairie Fire Orchestra. In the evening we listened to a sunset concert played by the professionals and gazed at the stars in the Flint Hills. It was truly an amazing experience getting to be surrounded by nature and learning so many new things in a relaxed setting.
There will be a parent meeting for Boys Swimming & Diving at the Maize Performing Arts and Aquatic Center on Wenesday, November 2nd at 6:30pm.
Senior panorama photos were taken on September 28th. Students who would like to order one or both of the photos should turn their order form and check into the front office by Friday, October 7th.
Chemistry Club had a great turnout at the first meeting and is looking forward to the homecoming parade. Also with presenting at the elementary schools.
Friendship Club buddies are helping to plan thier own activities this year. We are off to a great start. Hadley and Maddi chose to bake cookies with thier buddies. We are planning to go to the Cedar Creek Pumpkin Patch on October 7th.
Students in Mrs. Fisher's English 10 class were able to create their own cover art for the book Lord of the Flies. Sophomore Nola Olien knocked it out of the park!
Maslow's Pantry News
We are excited to be able to get back to school and work with Maize students. Students have been busy organizing clothing items and the pantry. We have been able to give out 28 bags of food, an estimated 112 meals, so far. Fundraisers this fall will include a neighborhood food drive, sponsored by Cara Poole and the FCCLA club. We will have a student sponsored Coat Drive in October. We will have Homecoming dresses available for students for FREE. We hope to have those available to view and try on by October first. If your family has a need please contact the counseling office.
Project SEARCH and Project LIFE
If you are the parent or guardian of a junior or senior student with an IEP remember to ask your IEP case manager about Skills Day on November 9th. Our programs ask students interested in getting a job after graduation to participate in our skills day to see if they are a match for our program offerings. Project SEARCH and Project LIFE are international programs offered through Maize District to help identified students gain the life, vocational and social skills required by today's competitive workforce. It all begins with an application and a fun skills day the morning of November 9th. Check it out.
Attention Students!
KAY Club is hosting our annual fall blood drive on October 6th. Sign-ups will be available during lunch in a couple of weeks, but here is an opportunity to get signed up early for the exact time you'd like! Students age 15 can email dlowry@usd266.com to get signed up. Students 16+ can sign-up here on there own:
If any parents or guardians are interested in following MHS eSports events and competitions, you can follow the team on Instagram at @MaizeEagleEsports or subscribe to us on YouTube at the Maize High Esports channel. The Rocket League teams compete every Thursday and live streams and recorded matches can be found on our YouTube page.
Congratulations to our very own MHS teacher and coach, John Anderson, was inducted into the Valley Center High School Hall of Fame!
Trouble with Numbers?
LET US HELP YOU WITH MATH!
Mrs. Hampe, Mrs. Kiley, & Mrs. Meirowsky are ready to help!
Come see us in H16 on Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:45 - 3:45
Driver Education
Driver Education
USD 266 Maize offers Online Driver Education each term during the school year. The online driver education program strives to prepare students to become knowledgeable and respectful of the law; to learn basic driving skills; and to develop a responsible attitude toward driving. The instructors will provide critical experience to students; involve parents in the process, and foster cooperative interaction with others in the driving environment. Students should be studying the Kansas Driver Handbook and be ready to take a handbook test at the start of the course. Students that have a Kansas Permit that is valid through the course dates will be exempt from taking the handbook test. More detailed information on Online Driver Education can be found on the high school website, (click on Counselor then Driver Education).
Online Driver Education 2022-2023: Both the Student & Parent/Guardian must attend the enrollment night in order to be in Online Dr. Ed. Each term class is limited to 50 students. Enrollment packets may be picked up in the counseling office or downloaded off the high school website.
- Term 2 October 17th Student/Parent Enrollment Night 6:00pm MHS Commons
- Term 3 January 9th Student/Parent Enrollment Night 6:00pm MHS Commons
- Term 4 March 6th Student/Parent Enrollment Night 6:00pm MHS Commons
**Both the Student and one Parent/Guardian will be required to attend the enrollment meeting. Please bring your enrollment packet, a writing pen, corrective eye wear (if needed) and any type of Kansas Permit/License you already have to the Enrollment Meeting**
Yearbook
Time to buy a yearbook
The award-winning Regal Red yearbook is on sale. Books can be purchased for $40 until Dec. 31, when the cost will increase to $45. Yearbooks can be purchased by going to the Jostens website or by check. Checks can be delivered to yearbook adviser Dan Loving in Room D14 and must be made out to Maize High.
Honor your senior
Help your Class of 2023 graduation remember their senior year with a senior recognition ad in the yearbook. Ads can be purchased for as low as $50. Go to the Jostens website to place the ad. It's a simple process.
Be a Yearbook Angel
If you would like to donate a yearbook to a student in need, you can sign up to be a Yearbook Angel. You can go to the Jostens page and click on donate a book or send a check to Dan Loving. Questions can be directed to dloving@usd266.com.
Free/reduced yearbooks
Students who demonstrate a financial hardship are eligible for a free yearbook. There are a limited number of free books, and first priority will be given to seniors. The price can also be reduced if you are able to pay a portion. To be considered, fill out this form before Dec. 31.
Spirit Central
Visit Spirit Central at Maize High School in Room E1 to get Eagle apparel. This student-run store is operated by Maize High's Business Professionals of America students and sponsors. The store is not funded by the school district and is entirely self-supporting.
The profits earned help BPA students to attend regional, state, and national competitions each year. Please stop by and take a look! Store hours are from 7:15 a.m. to 7:35 a.m, during Encor, and during all lunches. The store has a website for online ordering!