At A Glance
December 11th-20th
Self Care
I was recently reminded of the importance of Self Care when a Para came to me and said, "Mrs. Perry, are you okay? How are you holding up, as I know that you take it from several directions and you seem to check on everybody, bu nobody is checking on you."
This reminded me of the importance of Self-Care. As the stress levels increase for students, families, they also increase for us. Since the Collaboration Time Period has been given back to you, please consider taking a portion of that time to take a walk on the track, read a book, listen to a song, or write a nice note to a colleague. When you make a deposit into someone else's emotional bank account, you are also making a deposit in your own.
Take care of yourself! Secondary trauma is a real thing and it impacts your health, as well.
Grading Practices & Checks
We've been looking at them and worried about the following:
*Less than 20 grades in with 18 weeks of work, which is problematic. There should be a minimum of 30 grades.
*Assignments Listed, with no grades entered
*Excessive Missing Assignments
- Will these be zero's at the last minute?
- Have parents been contacted along the way regarding failing grades or missing assignments? (Has this been documented?)
- Have grades been updated along the way?
*Is attendance reflected in your grading? How?
- Participation
- Homework Check
- Bellwork Completion
*If a student is ELL and/or IEP have you made the necessary modifications and accommodations listed? Have you contacted the PI?
Finals Schedule Expectations
*Follow the Finals Schedule
*Limited to No Passes during Finals Week to include Review and Re-teaching
***Encourage Students to be in class and on time daily the week of Finals with Extra Credit to the Final Exam or Project for the next 7 days. (Suggestion)
From the Counseling Center: ABOUT SECOND SEMESTER SCHEDULES AND DEADLINES
"***Whenever possible, please call The Counseling Office BEFORE sending students to reduce long wait times due to unavailable (out of the building, in meetings, counseling other students) counselors.***
Students have until January 18th to move out of Honors and AP classes. Please discuss this change in detail with both students and parents/guardians. To streamline communication, complete changes by January 10th, and minimize unnecessary schedule changes, per Administration, please adhere to the following regarding second-semester schedules:
General Education
Submit schedule errors ("The student has not met the prerequisite to be in the class. The student has already taken the class and passed it. A core graduation requirement is not listed on the schedule. The student has failed a previous semester with a particular teacher." as well as underclassmen with schedule holes) in the form of department lists via Google Sheets provided. Administration will handle all other requests. Please be sure to include both the first and last name of the student from PowerSchool, the class that needs to be dropped/added and one of the above reasons for the change. Google Sheets should be provided by each department chair to the counseling department chair (Aaron Ebke, aebke@tps501.org) and Juli Watson (jwatson@tps501.org) by the December 11th Department Chair meeting. Counselors will actively change schedules while indicating completion by making necessary notations in the Google Sheets for the teachers to see.
SpEd
Please submit schedule errors ("The student has not met the prerequisite to be in the class. The student has already taken the class and passed it. A core graduation requirement is not listed on the schedule. The student has failed a previous semester with a particular teacher." as well as schedule holes) directly to division counselor and principal(Division 1 A-F: Aaron Ebke aebke@tps501.org and Daniel Ackerman dackerman@tps501.org, Division 2 G-N: Dana Owens dowens@tps501.org and Juli Watson jwatson@tps501.org, and Division 3: Tasha McLellan tmclellan@tps501.org O-Z, All Seniors: Principal Perry sperry1@tps501.org) with the SpEd Coordinator (Michelle Shambow, mshambow@tps501.org) carbon copied via caseload roster in Google Sheets. Please be sure to include both the first and last name of the student, the class that needs to be dropped/added and one of the above reasons for the change. Schedule a meeting to review your caseload with each counselor."
December 8th-December 11th: Department Drop/Add Lists Window to Aaron Ebke/Juli Watson
TBA: SpEd Department Meetings w/Counselor
January 18th: Deadline to move out of Honors and AP classes
January 10th: All S2 Schedule Changes Completed
Remember Flex Day & The New Form
College & Career Corner
PLEASE USE THE LINK BELOW TO ACCESS ALL THINGS COLLEGE & CAREER
https://www.topekapublicschools.net/Domain/85
College Visits
University of Kansas – 9th Grade – 12/13/17
FAFSA & Scholarships
Seniors, if you haven't already completed your FAFSA, please do so ASAP. Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov to get started. Also, if you have received notification that you have been selected for verification, read the documents carefully and submit the requested documents so the colleges and universities can continue processing your financial aid packages. If you have questions or need help, contact Dr. Duncan.
Scholarship deadlines are quickly approaching. Follow this link to see a variety of scholarships that are available
At HPHS This Week
https://www.topekapublicschools.net/Page/28
ATHLETICS:
Girls Basketball:
Tuesday 12/12
4:30 pm Fr Girls at Topeka High
6:00 JV Girls at Topeka High
7:30 Varsity Girls at Topeka High
Friday 12/15
4:30 JV Girls at home with Topeka West
6:00 Varsity Girls home with Topeka West
7:30 pm Fr Girls at home with Topeka West
Boys Basketball:
Friday 12/15
4:30 JV Boys at home with Topeka West
6:00 pm Fr Boys at home with Topeka West
7:30 Varsity Boys home with Topeka West
Wrestling:
Saturday 12/16
9:00 Varsity Wrestling at Ottawa Invite
FINE ARTS:
Thursday 12/14
7:30pm
Combined Band, Choir & Orchestra Concert
*Please come out and support them
Holiday Building Hours
December 27th-29th 7:00am-5:30pm
January 2nd-Regular Schedule
All other days, the building will be CLOSED and ARMED.
If the alarm is triggered, there will be a $25 charge for the false alarm.
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!