Homer High-Lights
Volume 2, Issue 3, October 2013
Message From the Principal
Thanks for the great start to the school year. We have some big events coming up in the month of October. Quixotic will perform and give workshops to students in the Homer area during the week of October 14th. Our accreditation site visit will happen on October 22-23, and Parent-Teacher Conferences are on October 24th.
While we are excited about all the events and enrichment opportunities we provide students at Homer High School, it is also important that we focus on doing well in the classroom. We want every student to be successful and there is one simple thing that each student can do to improve their chances of doing well in school.
The easiest thing a student can do is show up. I know this sounds simple, but there is a growing body of research that shows that students with good attendance do better than those that have poorer attendance. You can't learn if you are not there. Students at HHS who have more than 10 absences have over half a point lower GPA and score 10% lower on average on the SBA's. Students with 20 or more absences do even worse. You can view the data and graphs below.
It is amazing how the small things can make such a big difference. Let us know how we can help you when it comes to attendance or anything else at Homer High School. Our goal is to have 100% of our students graduate and qualify for the Alaska Performance scholarship and good attendance is a great start to meet both goals.
Sincerely,
Douglas Waclawski
HHS Attendance vs SBA Scores
HHS Attendance vs GPA
Find Information on the APS on Powerschool!
Highly Qualified Staff
Dear Parent:
I hope that your child is having a great year at Homer High School. Our teachers have worked hard for many years to prepare themselves for the challenging and rewarding role of providing a quality education for your child.
To that end, I wanted to share with you that our teachers have met all the criteria established by the State of Alaska’s Department of Education and Early Development, as well as the criteria established by the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District, to obtain their teaching credentials and hold a teaching position with our school district.
In addition, the teachers listed in the link below have acquired the “highly federally qualified” designation required under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002. This is a wonderful accomplishment for them. You are certainly welcome to request, through your principal, information about the professional qualifications of your child’s teacher.
Please click the following link to see the highly qualified status of all HHS teachers.
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B7pupjlF5wF9X0MtY2I4OW5XcDg/edit?usp=sharing
Our district is fully committed to the success of your child. We appreciate your partnership in our efforts. With parental and community involvement supporting our teachers and administration, together we will ensure that success.
Sincerely,
Douglas Waclawski
Principal
HHS
Our Girls Cross-Country Running Team keeps Winning!
Our girls earned second place at the Palmer Invite and first at the Seward invite. Keep up the good work.
Our Swim and Dive Team Keeps improving.
Jasmine Lewis shows perfect form in a dive at the Homer Invitational. Jasime Lewis earned first place and Katherine Dolma placed second for the girls. Brian Rowe earned second place for the boys.
The Pep Band in Mid-Season Form
Thanks for supporting our football team. It was great to hear the band play and pump up the crowd.
Dates To Remember
Oct. 1 - Site Council Meeting
Oct. 1, 2, 3 - HSQE for juniors and seniors who have not passed the exam—this will not affect our normal schedule
Oct 4 - Football at Houston
Oct 5 -SAT test
Oct 5 - XCR at Bartlett for State Championships
Oct 16 - PSAT
Oct 18 - End of Quarter (grade check), in-service for teachers, no school for students
Oct 19 - PSAT
Oct 22-23 - Accreditation Site Visit
Oct 24 - Parent Teacher Conferences
Oct 25--No school
Oct 30 - Early Release
Homer Turf!
Homer High School will be getting turf for our lower field. Voters approved the bond to replace roofs and provide turf on October 1, 2013. Tentative plans are for the turf to be installed in the summer of 2014. An architects drawing of the proposed field is included below.
We want to be able to give you instant up-to-date information about what is going on at school. This could include emergencies, sports scores and dates and times of events. If you want to stay tuned to what is going on at Homer High, "like" us on Facebook. The address is www.facebook.com/homerhs.
Pictures From Homecoming Weekend
Students Enjoy the Homecoming Fire!
The Homecoming Parade was Fun for All.
Lady Mariners Win the Peninsula Challenge!
Thanks to Paul Banks for Participating in our Parade!
Sophomores get Ready for the Parade
Decorations are Ready for the Big Game
Homer High School
Website: http://homerhighschool.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/wpmu/
Location: 600 E Fairview Ave, Homer, AK
Phone: 907-235-4600
Facebook: www.facebook.com/homerhs
Message From the Nurse
Dear Parents,
This fall as we do heights and weights on all students, we are not telling them their weight. Maybe you have heard how “stupid,” this is—that is what we heard a lot. But we are not telling students their weights because there is pressure to compare when we do a mass screening. When they don’t officially know it, they can blame the nurse and say , “She wouldn’t tell me.” All information was obtained privately—out of sight and hearing from other students. We did tell students that parents will receive this information in the mail.
Below is the letter that you will be receiving this fall about your child’s height and weight. KPBSD nurses obtain height and weight annually on all children. Sometimes it is hard to figure out what to do with this information when your child falls into the range that may be unhealthy. I think the letter below, which all parents will receive, is the beginning of a conversation to look at one aspect of your child’s health. It is information that you can take to a local dietitian and health care provider to discuss your child’s health.
We would also enjoy hearing from you--- What do you think of the letter?
Thank you.
Sharon Gorman, RN and Ella May Cooper-Waldron, RN
Homer High School Nurse