We are roughly a month into the second semester, and continue to experience great success in the classroom, hallways, and in extra curricular activities. We are thankful for each day that we get to spend together and do not take for granted the opportunities ahead of us. For the most part we have remained healthy and strong. Our staff will also soon begin training for our State ISASP testing. These tests will take place in early April, but families can expect to begin receiving information and updates.

We have also enjoyed bringing students back into the gym to bring the energy and home-court advantage that only our students can bring (see pictures below)! At PHS our goal is to find ways for students to enjoy the year as much as possible, even with current guidelines and restrictions in place. 2021 is off to a great start thanks to our staff and the wonderful students you share with us each day.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you soon!

GO DUTCH!!!

Thank you,

Adam Beckel

Principal

Derek Schulte

Principal Assistant

ZAPS will not be coming to Pella High this semester; instead, they will offer virtual training options. Register at www.doorwaytocollege.org or call 877.927.8378. Use code PellaTestPrep at checkout to receive special school pricing.

The planning for post-secondary education greatly hinges on financial aid for families, especially as educational costs continue to rise. The regulations within the financial aid world have changed, and families of seniors are allowed to apply for aid starting October 1st of senior school year. Visit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) website to begin.

With the current Covid restrictions, we will not be hosting an in-person Financial Aid Night this spring. As junior families are exploring college options and financial planning, there are many unknowns about the process. The link below is a ‘Financial Aid Step by Step’ video:

https://www.icansucceed.org/about-ican/services/presentations/livestream-events/fafsa-step-by-step

The video is a great starting point as preparations are made for completing the FAFSA. Or if you have completed the FAFSA before and need a reminder on a few specifics.

The ICAN (www.icansucceed.org) organization is a fabulous resource for families.

It is a free resource in Iowa, for any assistance about the online filing process and policies, please contact them. Virtual appointments are available to assist with any questions or concerns in regards to your family's financial aid process. Junior families, the best time to schedule an appointment for assistance will be in the fall.

Mrs. Manning and Mrs. Thompson have met with every grade level to discuss course options for their four-year plans. Our official registration day will be during homeroom on Monday, February 8th with the final deadline to make changes as Friday, February 12th. Please review and discuss your student’s four-year plan on Infinite Campus.

Parent-Teacher conferences are soon approaching. At the high school, we know that It may be a little bumpy at times, but here are a few suggestions for making it as smooth as possible:

• To access your conference links once you have them scheduled, there are two avenues: one, if you added the link to your Google, iCal, or Outlook calendar, you should be able to access the meeting link on that calendar event. Alternatively, you can search your email inbox for email that begins with “Confirmed:” Inside that email, you should see a blue link that reads “join now”. See the image below for additional help.

• Please get set up and access the conference link a few minutes before your conferences begin. Check your volume and camera settings prior to the meeting.

• Conferences slots are limited to 10 minutes so that teachers are able to provide a conference for as many students as possible. If you are unable to meet with a teacher, please contact that teacher by email to establish a time for future conversation.

• The teacher will need to accept you into the Google Meet conference, so if you haven’t been allowed to join, please be patient as the teacher may not have quite finished with the conference before.

• If you are waiting for your conference to begin, please know that the teacher is doing their very best to get to your conference on time. We thank you for your patience and grace as we continue to navigate new ways to connect with students and families.

Again, teachers enjoy collaboration with you to best serve our students, and we appreciate your flexibility in making this a safe process for all of us.

Follow this address, or click the link below to schedule your virtual conferences:https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vS-5sK0T8_D-DShBqwVCGPpbQnkiOnqx2raf3vIns2O9IM0xG7FOcE3CGjfA_O9KGaCzb9yT-zd6yYE/pub

All district families are encouraged to register all of their school aged children for the 2021-22 school year starting March 1. Have a child turning 4 by September 15, 2021? We need you to register them for preschool too! More details to come in the next few weeks about this exciting annual event, so watch your inbox! Questions about the 2021-22 school registration can be directed to Allissa Grandia by emailing allissa.grandia@pellaschools.org or by calling 641-628-9539.

February 1: No School - Professional Development

February 8: HS P/T Conferences 4:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. / Excellence in Electives

February 10: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

February 16: 2 Hour Early Dismissal

February 16: 6-week grades are due

February 18: 2 Hour Early Dismissal

February 19: No School

February 24: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

March 3: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

March 4: HS P/T Conferences 4:30 - 8:00 (Format Pending)

March 9: 9-week grades are due

March 10: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

March 12: End 3rd Quarter

March 15-21: Spring Break

March 22: Begin 4th Quarter

March 24: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

April 2: No School

April 6-10: Iowa Assessment Week

April 6: 12-week grades due

April 7: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

April 14: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

April 17: Junior/Senior Prom (Format Pending)

April 21: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

April 27: 15-week grades are due

April 28: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

May 6: Tulip Time - 11:15 Dismissal

May 7: Tulip Time - 11:15 Dismissal

May 12: Senior Awards Night (Format Pending)

May 12: Professional Development: 90-Minute Early Dismissal

May 12-14: Seniors Check out and Laptop Return

May 14: Seniors Last Day

May 21: Graduation