PRINCIPAL S NEWSLETTER

Transcription

1 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Pacific High School Home of the Indians October 2015 Edition PRINCIPAL S NEWSLETTER 2016 WARRIOR YEARBOOK STAFF The 2016 PHS Warrior yearbook staff members are working hard as the first deadline quickly approaches. After attending a workshop at UMSL hosted by Herff Jones publishing company, the staff came back full of ideas and hit the ground running yearbooks are on sale now! The cost is $55, and can be ordered at (school code 17166), or students may bring money to room 219. Grad Ads are on sale! A great tradition of saying a special, personalized farewell to your graduate. Forms are available on the school website or in room 219. Grad Ads are due by Dec. 15. Be sure to download the free HJ eshare app to submit photos straight from your phone to the yearbook. Your photos could be in the yearbook! The PHS Warrior will host the annual cookie dough fundraiser in November, and students can earn a discounted or FREE yearbook! Pay attention to the announcements for additional information. Spring play announced.. 2 Library/Media info... 3 CAP/Kaleidoscope news 4 Model UN competes... 5 College prep info from Guidance dept Purchase Grad Ads for 2016 Warrior Yearbook PHS admin SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST November newsletter coming very soon!! Will feature FBLA Princess Party Winter sports updates ROTC activities and info And much more... HOSA Students Continue Hard Work Health Occupations students continue to work hard learning about anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology. They also have learned about the stages of grief associated with death and dying. In the class room, they continue to work on skills such as CPR/ First Aid and Vital Signs. On November 6, 2015, HOSA club and class members had fire extinguisher training and were able to demonstrate the proper use of a fire extinguisher in putting out fires. Thanks to Pacific Fire Department s Brian Jett and Ken Prichard for taking the time to speak to HOSA about this important skill. As a class project, both the AM and PM students made an outline of how the blood flows through the heart. They will be visiting with residents at Pacific Care Center in the upcoming weeks. Students of the month for September were Gabriella Sauvage and Collin Lampkin. Students of the month for October were Trevor Loeffelman and Raegan McDaniel. Pictured right: HOSA students get to try out fire and rescue gear and equipment.

2 PHS Drama Is proud to announce the Spring Play: The Miracle Worker By William Gibson March 17, 18, and 19, :00pm PHS Auditorium Auditions: December 7, 8, & 9 2:30-4:30 PHS Auditorium The Miracle Worker was immortalized on stage and screen by Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke. The true story of Annie Sullivan s struggle to bring Helen Keller out of silent darkness is one of inspiration. While those that surround Helen give in to her tantrums it is Annie Sullivan, her teacher, who realizes there is a light in the darkness. 2

3 Library Electronic Resources To access from school: Go to Destiny homepage To access from home: go to PHS homepage then to the Library/Media Center page Destiny Log on to Destiny using your computer log on id and password. Here you can see what is new in the library, go to the electronic books, audiobooks, and write reviews of books. Follett Shelf: From Destiny you may access the Follett Shelf to check out ebooks and audiobooks. Yes, there is an app for that! App: BryteWave K-12 After you download the app you will need to use your login for Destiny (the school computers) then type in the URL (see Mrs. Fleming in the library) From here you can check out ebooks and audio books. EBSCO Host EBSCO is a database of thousands of sources that are legitimate sources for doing research. The articled you find on this site come from other sources so when you cite these sources you NEVER cite EBSCO as your source. You will cite the actually newspaper, magazine, or journal it came from as your source. Encyclopedia Britannica You may access it from any computer. (See Mrs. Fleming in the library for user name and password) The 3 URL s are:

4 CAP/KALEIDOSCOPE CLUB WORKS HARD AND CELEBRATES HOMECOMING CAP / Kaleidoscope news After having a great time at the homecoming parade dressing as Nightmare Before Christmas characters, we decided to celebrate with our first annual Pumpkin Painting Party! Students had a blast decorating pumpkins, eating pizza, singing along to Halloween music, and watching The Nightmare Before Christmas. We currently need submissions for our annual creative arts magazine. If students would like to submit their own original and school appropriate art, poems, photography, and stories, they may drop them off in The Box in room 112. Digital submissions are much appreciated and can be ed to Amanda Stock at astock@mvr3.k12.mo.us CAP / KALEIDOSCOPE MEMBERS DECORATE PUMPKINS 4

5 PHS MODEL UN ENJOYS SUCCESS AT SEMO COMPETITION Congratulations to the PHS Model UN team on another successful competition. PHS teams dominated and took first place in three of five categories this year! Winners were: Egypt, consisting of Ashley Herbst and Micaela Ort for the flag competition; Saudi Arabia, consisting of Reema Gibbs and Nathan Davenport for the costume competition; and France, consisting of McCoy Meshach and John Whitelock for best delegation in the Security Council. PHS Teams dominated...in three of five categories this year! Matt Agee Model UN sponsor PHS MODEL UN STUDENTS IN THE MIDST OF COMPETING 5

6 TRANSCRIPT REQUESTS Seniors, if you need a transcript sent, please see Mrs. Tesson in the Guidance Office for the transcript release form. A transcript request must have the complete school address and a parent signature. If a student is under 18, a parent must sign the request form. Transcript request forms can be found on the PHS website. Please allow at least ten business days for a transcript to be sent. Do not wait until the deadline to request a transcript! Plan ahead when requesting a transcript. Allow at least a week between mailing of the transcript and the application deadline. We would hate for you to miss a deadline because you did not plan in advance. Please plan ahead! In order for a transcript to be official it must be mailed directly from Pacific High School. Most colleges will not consider a transcript official if it comes directly from a student. Please understand that we cannot fax or electronically send official transcripts. BROWN BAG LUNCH Seniors and juniors - do you have questions about the college application process? How to apply for financial aid and scholarships? What are the next steps? How do I start? Join us for lunch on the following days in the Guidance Office to have your questions answered. Sign up in the guidance office for the lunch period you want to attend on the following dates: November 17, 20, 23, 24 December 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 10, 11 Bring your lunch and your questions! Don t forget to sign up! SECOND SEMESTER SCHEDULE CHANGES Second semester schedule change request forms will be available in the Guidance Office on Monday, 30 November If you wish to request a class change, this form must be completed and returned to the Guidance Office. COLLEGE PLANNING GUIDE The Guidance Office has created a College Planning Guide. It was ed to all parents in the beginning of November. Plus, look for a copy on the district website.

7 SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES The scholarship and financial aid piece of the college process can be frustrating. Here are a few important things to keep in mind when researching scholarships and financial aid. 1. There are several places to look for scholarships: a. the institutions you have applied to plus their alumni organizations b. community organizations c. internet searches d. guidance calendar on the PHS website 2. The scholarship process is ongoing. Many scholarship deadlines are coming due now and many have later deadlines. The scholarship process begins NOW and can continue even once you are enrolled at a college. 3. Scholarships are available for a variety of factors and are not just limited to students with the highest GPA and/or standardized test scores. 4. It is difficult, but with a little dedication and hard work, your efforts will pay off. FAFSA Information The first step in the college financial aid process is to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). All students and parents are encouraged to get a FAFSA PIN number now before completing the FAFSA. The PIN number allows the student and parent to electronically submit their information. Electronically submitted FAFSA s can be processed and sent to the post-secondary institutions typically within 72 hours. FAFSA s requiring actual signatures can take up to 6 weeks to be processed. It is in your interest to get a pin number. Go to FAFSA.ed.gov and select the FAFSA PIN site. Need help completing the FAFSA? College Goal Sunday provides dates in February to assist students and parents in completing the FAFSA. College Goal Sunday stages help sessions at different sites across the state of Missouri. Each session features financial aid professionals and hands-on help with the FAFSA form. This program is free. It's a service sponsored by the Lumina Foundation, the Missouri Department of Higher Education and MOHELA (Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority) and presented by the Missouri Association of Student Financial Aid Personnel. More information will be provided when locations are announced. The FAFSA is FREE. DO NOT PAY to have your FAFSA submitted. When submitting your FAF- SA, be sure to use the correct website KEEP US UPDATED At this time of the year, many seniors will start receiving letters of acceptance and scholarship awards. We ask that you please bring in your letter of acceptance and/or scholarship award letter to the guidance office. We will gladly make a copy of the letter and return the original to you. We like to know where our students are going after they complete high school. If a scholarship letter is turned in, students can be recognized at the senior awards night in the spring. Submitting your scholarship letter allows us to track of the amount of scholarship dollars our students receive throughout the year. If you ve been waitlisted or denied admission please let us know as well. Keep in mind that being denied or waitlisted isn t the worst thing that can happen to you. That s why you have a back up plan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8 SENIORS AND SENIOR PARENTS: Tips on the College Application Process If your student is a senior, NOW is the time to apply. How does your PHS student apply? 1. Obtain an application from the mailings sent to your home or by applying directly to the school via their website. More and more colleges are attempting to go as paperless as possible. 2. The student should complete the form to the best of his/her ability; if the student has questions, stop by the Guidance Office and ask their counselor. 3. Drop the application (if you are applying by mail) and the transcript request form in the Guidance office at least TWO weeks in advance of the deadline. 4. If a recommendation is required, drop off the secondary school report/counselor section to your counselor at least TWO weeks in advance of the deadline. We will write that letter for the student! If a teacher recommendation is required, please give the teacher at least at least TWO weeks in advance of the deadline. 5. Ask the Guidance Office to mail the application for your student we will gladly mail the application, transcript and letters of recommendation in one package for you! Parents Colleges want the students application to be their work. Admission officials can spot a parent completed application package which can hurt your student s admission chances. ****************************************************************************** DO S AND DON TS OF COLLEGE APPLICATIONS DO: Read directions Pay attention to deadlines Be prepared to pay for the application(s) Make sure your application is neat Keep all of your correspondence in a file Create a professional address first and last name will usually work Relax and break up the process into chunks Request applications NOW Apply on-line if possible PRINT a copy of your application before submitting it for your records DON T: Wait until the last minute to complete your application Let someone else do the research OR fill out your applications for you Send your applications without keeping a copy for your records Apply to schools without first doing your research and finding a good fit

9 College Application Processing Below is a list of the steps required to complete the college application process. Please understand that each college requires different materials. It is your responsibility to fulfill those requirements. A couple of hints to help keep you on task: 1. READ THE DIRECTIONS (every application provides a detailed list of directions for completing their application). 2. BE ORGANIZED (create a spreadsheet see Ms. Brindell for a sample, or some way to track your applications, application materials, financial aid offers, and admission decisions) 1. Get Your Applications: Visit individual college websites to create an application profile, download a hard copy, or get on a mailing list. Some applications are also available in the guidance office college files. Helpful Hint: College admission professionals constantly complain about the number of applications and scholarships that have obviously been filled out by parents. Do not let this be the first impression the college has of you. Take the time to personally fill out all of your applications and do not leave it up to mom or dad. You can certainly have them help you, but you should be doing the work. 2. Know what is required and when it is due. 3. Essays and Recommendations: Ask anyone who has done this and they will tell you the hardest part is putting together your essays, and waiting on others to complete portions for you. So our advice skip ahead and work on the tough stuff first. If the school requires a teacher recommendation/evaluation form to be completed you must provide a hard copy of the form as well as a copy of your resume and a list of due dates. 4. Transcript Request Form: When your application is completed you must submit any materials you want mailed or proofread with a copy of the Transcript Request Form. See Mrs. Tesson in the Guidance Office to receive the transcript request. Counselors are able to proofread your paper and online applications. Just ask us.we are here to help you! Please do not request transcripts be sent to a school until you have completed the application for that school. Many students and parents want a transcript sent to a school, just in case they decide to apply. If a student sends a transcript to a college without completing the application often times the transcript gets lost in the shuffle. We encourage students to complete the application and then request transcripts be sent on their behalf. Of course, we will always send the application materials with the transcript if you have completed a paper application.

10 NCAA Eligibility and NAIA Eligibility Students who are interested in competing at the NCAA Division I or II levels should register with the NCAA Eligibility Center after the completion of your first semester of the junior year. Registration can be completed online through the NCAA website ( Once you have registered you must submit a Pacific High School transcript request form so we can send an official transcript to the NCAA. You should also have your official ACT or SAT test scores sent directly from the testing agency. If you are interested in competing at the Division III level you should contact the college or university directly. For the class of 2016 and beyond there are major changes to the NCAA division I requirements. Students must earn a core-course GPA of 2.3. This change will affect division II schools in August If you are interested in competing at an NAIA school, you should register with the NAIA Eligibility Center after the completion of the junior year. Registration can be completed online through the NAIA website ( Once you have registered you must submit a Pacific High School transcript request form so we can send an official transcript to the NCAA. You should also have your official ACT or SAT test scores sent directly from the testing agency. COUNSELING STAFF Do you have questions about college applications, financial aid, scholarships or other stuff regarding post -secondary education? The counselors and Mr. Adams are available before school and during lunch to answer your questions. If you need to contact us: Assistant Principal Jeff Adams jadams@mvr3.k12.mo.us Transcript requests Tammy Tesson, Registrar ttesson@mvr3.k12.mo.us Student last name A G counselor is Susan Ashby, sashby@mvr3.k12.mo.us H- M counselor is Susan Ketcherside, sketcherside@mvr3.k12.mo.us N Z counselor is Michel B. Brindell, mbrindell@mvr3.k12.mo.us

11 Purchase Your Grad Ad for the 2016 Warrior Yearbook now! Just contact Kristen Rogan, PHS Yearbook sponsor at today.

12 Pacific High School P. H. S. appreciates your support! Principal: Mr. Tom Sauvage The PHS principal s newsletter is created by Justin M. King and edited by Mr. Kappeler and Mr. Sauvage. Assistant/9th Grade Principal: Jeff Hermann jhermann@mvr3.k12.mo.us Assistant/10th Grade Principal/ Activity Director: Andy Herbst herbsta@mvr3.k12.mo.us Assistant/11th&12th Grade Principal: Jeff Adams jadams@mvr3.k12.mo.us The goals of education are the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth. John F. Kennedy 425 Indian Warpath Drive Pacific, MO Tel: Fax: Meramec Valley R-III School District 126 N Payne Street Pacific, MO 63069