THE EAGLE’S NEST Eden Prairie High School’s Monthly Family Newsletter Volume 24, Issue 2 October 2013
Principal’s Perspective
Conn McCartan
October Calendar 1
Juniors meet with counselors
1
Conferences 4-7pm
3
Conferences 4-7pm
8
Picture retakes 711am
9
Referendum Presentation 6:15 AUD
9
PTO Meeting “College Planning 7pm, AUD
16 PSAT Gr. 10-11 Late start for Gr 9 &12 17&18 No School 24 On site admissions EPHS 7:30-11:30 24 District Orchestra Movie Concert 7pm 25 No School
Looking at the October calendar of events, it is easy to see that we are in full swing here at EPHS! In the first week of the month we will hold our first term conferences. On our October 16th we will have a late start day for PSAT/PLAN testing and on October 24th we will have our college on-site day for seniors. Please look for e-mails from me with more details as we approach these events. I point this out to illustrate how important it is that we do a good job keeping families informed on all the happenings at EPHS and how important it is that families stay connected to those information channels. With that in mind, allow me to highlight several communication channels that I would recommend our parents utilize. 1. The Parent Portal – Visit this site periodically to check on your son/daughter’s performance in class. 2. 2. The school web site (www.edenpr.org) and select Eden Prairie High School from the drop down menu)) – Along with a lot of other great information, you can see a copy of the student daily bulletin by clicking on the “Quick Links” tab in the middle of the page. 3. 3. The Eagles Nest- Obviously this publication is packed with important information each month! 4. 4. E-mails from the Principal-I will regularly send out e-mails to highlight or reinforce key events and/or messages for families. 5. 5. Your son/daughter – OK, I know this isn’t always the most reliable source, but there is an obvious benefit to prodding your son/daughter to tell you about what is going on in school. Beyond just information, these “school talks” can help you gauge how your son/daughter is feeling about their high school voyage.
26 ACT Testing 8am 28 Indoor Marching Band Concert 7pm
Through our continued communication efforts and your monitoring of your child’s progress through the day to day life of high school, we form a network of support that increases the levels of success of our students. Conn McCartan
EP Schools Referendum Presentation: October 9 at 6:15 PM. The presentation will conclude promptly at 7:00 just in time for the PTO meeting. Come for both meetings and get all of your questions answered. October PTO Meeting: October 9 at 7:00 PM in the Auditorium. "What I Wish I Knew about College Planning" Parent panel. A panel of experienced parents will offer suggestions and answer questions on helping your student manage the college search. We will also have an outline about EPHS’ exclusive On-Site College Admissions Day (Oct. 27). Our panel will share tips, resources, success stories, and less than success stories. They will offer advice about the application process, campus visits, listening to gut instincts and getting your child ready for the next step in his/her life. You don’t want to miss out on this valuable information. This meeting is a great one for parents of Juniors and Seniors – students are also welcome to attend! PROP Coat Drive for Kids: October 14-25. Drop off your new or gently used kid's coats at Eden Prairie High School. Over 600 coats were distributed to the children of PROP shop clients last year. PROP has served 1,408 local families. November PTO Meeting: November 11 at 7:00PM in the Lakeside Lab. This session will focus on the use of technology at EPHS, what your child is doing and can do within the walls of EPHS with technology, how it is used for their education and some highlights on future plans. Time will be allowed for Q&A. Volunteers Needed: Volunteers are still needed in many areas. Please fill out the form at the following link and send it back to the high school: http://www.edenpr.org/domain/266 Questions? Please contact PTO President Roxane Gilje: rockygilje@hotmail.com or Past President Elaine Larabee: elarabee@comcast.net
Student Directories To anyone who ordered & paid for a STUDENT DIRECTORY, they will be delivered to your student in their Connections class in late October. Thanks for ordering! Resource Center Volunteers! Join the over 100 volunteers who keep our Dept. Resource Centers (Math, Business, English, Science, Social Studies) open so our students have a place to study and meet with their teachers. Resource Center volunteers may also do support work for teachers, on an as needed basis, as well as help with book check-in/out and other administrative jobs. You also get to see lots of kids and get to know teachers well. We are looking for volunteers to make at least a monthly commitment for the school year. Shifts, are approximately 7:40 - 11:10 and 11:10 to 2:40. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Holly Parker, jphp@aol.com. with the following information: day of week preferences - M, T, W, Th, F shift preference (morning or afternoon), frequency for volunteering (1/week, 2/month, 1/month).
Counselors Corner The Counseling Department is also excited to have our twelfth annual Onsite Admissions day this year on October 24. This day will be an exciting opportunity for a senior to apply to a maximum of two colleges and be accepted on this day. Additionally, this will afford students the ability to solidify housing and financial aid decisions early in their senior year. In order to participate, students need to review the 29 participating colleges (the brochure was handed out at the senior meetings and is online). If they are interested in applying to a college, they can find applications and corresponding checklists for the colleges in the Career Resource Center. For a senior to participate 1. Go to the CRC. Review the list of On-Site Admission requirements. If you meet the minimum requirements for the On-Site program, pick up an application and checklist in the CRC. 2. Complete the application and include a copy of your transcript and schedule from Student Center South for a fee of three dollars. 3. Return the completed application, fee, transcript, and checklist to the counselors in the Student Center East on October 8th or 9th from7:30-3:30 and sign up for an October 24th appointment with your chosen colleges. Important Dates: October 1: Counselors will meet with juniors to discuss postsecondary planning. Times and locations will be given out in Connections October 3: Junior (6-7:00 PM and Senior (5-6:00 PM) Parent Meetings in Auditorium October 16: The Plan Test for 10th graders is a practice ACT test. This is a late start day and is only offered once a year at EPHS. There is no registration fee needed. All sophomores in school on October 16th will take the PLAN unless they are registered for the PSAT The PSAT Test: The Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) will be administered to college bound juniors and sophomores that sign up from the EPHS website by October 7. The PSAT/NMSQT is the entryway to the National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarship competition is only available to students that are juniors. October 8 and 9: Seniors participating in the Onsite Admissions day need to turn in their applications to Student Center East between 7:30-3:30. October 24: Onsite Admissions day for seniors who choose to apply and turn in their applications on October 8th or 9th. The program will be held in the South Commons from 7:30-10:30. Seniors will be assigned an appointment.
Spirit Store Booster Spirit Store will be open during conferences!! Stop by between 4 and 7 to look at the new sports wear in stock and check out the stadium chairs and blankets. For your convenience, the spirit store also carries a large variety of school supplies and English Eden Prairie books. Keep in mind that letter jackets make a great Christmas gift! Don’t wait to get yours ordered. Always remember that all proceeds from the spirit store are used to support all student activities at Eden Prairie High School! Thank you! Spring break 2014: Dublin, North Wales, Stratford-Upon-Avon and London: castles, cool cathedrals, Shakespeare, and London highlights! This tour is for 10th – 12th grade students. For more information, please go to www.eftours.com/1345010 and click on the "tell my teacher I'm interested" link to be included in any tour updates. Students should sign up by Tuesday, Sept 30th to be included on this amazing trip. For further info, contact swheelock@edenpr.org or have your student see Ms. Wheelock in room 212. Eden Prairie Community Education and ZAPS Learning Company are sponsoring an ACT preparation course on Sunday, October 6 from 12:30-6:00 pm at EPHS. Participants will receive practice materials, including practice tests, a special study guide and test taking strategies. Cost is $89. For additional information and to register online, go to www.epcommunityed.org. Box Tops for Education for EPHS our next submission for box tops is October 31. If you have these collected please send them to school with your student! Collection boxes are available at the Entrances. Driver Education Classes EP Community Ed. offers monthly Driver Education classes after school throughout the school year and a variety of times in the summer with licensed, certified teachers. Eligible students need to be at least 15 years of age by the last day of class and either live or attend school in Eden Prairie. The class fee is $110 for 30 hours of class instruction and $300 for six hours of behind-the-wheel driving instruction or $399 if paid in one payment. Driving instruction is also available for adults. To register online, you may go to www.epcommunityed.org or call 952-975-6942 if you have questions.
Foundation for Eden Prairie Schools The Foundation for Eden Prairie Schools (FEPS) thanks all EPHS staff, faculty, student & parent participants, and volunteers for their support of the 5th Annual 5K for EP Schools. We especially thank EPHS Choir, the PEP Band, Cheryl Harjes from the EPHS Outreach room who rallied students to be our volunteers, and all the students who helped set up and cheer on the runners throughout the morning.
Beautiful weather, incredible sponsors, and an energetic planning committee helped make this year’s 5K Race For EP Schools a record breaking event with 321 participants and over 100 student and adult volunteers helping run the event this past Saturday, September 21. Thanks also goes to Lauren Furmanski, EP Alum, for leading our Zumba work out, Conn McCartan, Ruth Coppock our Emcee, and Adam Voreis for handling all the tech equipment and meeting us at 5:00am to open up the gates! We also wish to thank the EP 5K Committee: Mary Lenker, FEPS Executive Director, Sarah Platner, Carrie Heler, Julie Young, Susan Keilly, Sheryl Keeley, Andy Malone, Elaine Larabee, Denise Kurp, Jennifer Burke, Robyn Belongie, Kris Miner, Patty Leunig, Page Wolf, and Suzan Kammer, and the FEPS Board members. We would like to thank the following sponsors for their generosity and commitment to the 5K for EP Schools. Platinum Sponsors ($2500+) : Fairview Southdale Hospital, Walmart, Egan, Gold Sponsors ($1000+): Twin Cities Orthopedics, Kona Grill, Wildfire Silver Sponsors ($500+): Gallagher Benefit Services Inc., Anderson Lake Dental, Kennedy and Graven, Hildi Inc., Lion’s Tap. Bronze Sponsors, ( $100+): Kowalski’s, Anderson Race Management, Decision Resources LTD, Fortress Investment Services LTD, Great Harvest Bread, Hallberg Engineering, Jason’s Deli, Mathnasium, Road ID, Urbanski Family, Dobler Family. Look for EP 5K race results, race photos, and information regarding FEPS at www.foundationforepschools.org. The FEPS Annual Report to the Community for the year ending June 30, 2013 is now available online at www.foundationforepschools.org. Learn more about all the big investments FEPS made recently.
HEALTH SERVICES As a new school year is already up and running, we have a few reminders for parents and students. Please remember to call the attendance line (952-075-8001) each day your student is absent. If your student is ill, please list the nature of the illness so we can track trends and determine the extent of specific illnesses in our school. Please contact me at (975-8074) if you know your student will be gone for an extended length of time due to any type of illness or health related concern. Students must go through the Health Services office to leave school if they are ill or injured. This is essential for student safety, attendance record keeping and is part of our high school policy. Students may request to leave class and come to health services if they feel they need to go home or to a health care provider. Health services staff will call a parent/guardian or a listed alternative contact. An ill or injured student will not be sent home from school unless the parent/guardian or designated adult can be reached. If your student requires medication during the school day, it must be dispensed through health services with parental and health care provider authorization unless alternative arrangements have been made. Prescription and non-prescription medication must be in original labeled bottles. The district will no longer be mailing home a yearly health form for your completion. Please contact me directly regarding any significant changes to your child’s health status or specific health care needs so we can work together to plan for a safe and healthy school year.
Carolyn Henning, RN School Nurse
Coats for Kids Who? Sydney Wrobel, going into 11th grade at Eden Prairie High School Been in Girl Scouts for 12 years and am now working on my Gold Award. (Continued on next page).
What? My Gold Award project: Coat drive for PROP through the Eden Prairie Schools I have been volunteering every month at PROP for over a year and I decided to work with them on my Gold Award because there was a growing need for children’s winter coats Through my Gold Award, I will also give kids a chance to see that they can easily help others in their own community PROP has a coat drive that they hold; I will just be expanding it to the schools. They are in need of more children’s coats. In 2012, PROP served around 200 families and gave out 603 coats to children last winter I also hope to make the project sustainable by creating a manual and giving it to the Key Club/student council to run in years to come When? October 14th-25th Ending around conference time, so parents will have a chance to bring coats in 2 week time period How? Have collection containers at each school near front of schools Posters throughout Eden Prairie and at the front entrances of each school Flyers to go home with the kids in backpacks Article in the Eden Prairie News Include in schools e-newsletter (if possible) I will be responsible for putting collection bins in each school, getting in touch with the office staff, and collecting all the coats