Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Highland Newsletter 5/17-5/22/21

                            HIGHLAND HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL'S NEWSLETTER

Image result for School District 25 logo images
Highland High School Upcoming Events
Highland Academic Calendar
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/embed?src=wallacbr%40sd25.us&ctz=America/Denver
Highland Activities Calendar
https://highlandrams.org/main/calendar

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Dear Highland Parent, Student, and Ram Supporter,

Graduation and End of School Year Information

Some restrictions have been lifted regarding graduation. There is no longer limited seating and tickets will not be required to enter. At yesterday's Regular Board meeting, the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 Board of Trustees took action to suspend its face covering/mask requirement, effective immediately. For the duration of the 2020-2021 school year, face coverings/masks will be optional for all learners, staff and visitors. 

ALL SENIORS WHO PLAN ON CONTINUING YOUR EDUCATION AFTER HIGH SCHOOL: You must request a final transcript to be sent to the college or university you will be attending in the fall. This must be requested before your last day of school on (5/21/2021) either in person, with the Registrar at Highland High School, or by this link Class of 2021 Transcript Request Form. Please remember that before your final transcript can be sent all fees must be paid in full with Mrs. Huelsman, the HHS Bursar. Please check Infinite Campus and/or the parent portal for outstanding student fees. Any unpaid fee balance will be sent to Bonneville Collections at the end of the year.

Yearbooks have arrived! See Mrs. Greco if you need to pick up your yearbook, you must have a photo ID when you pick it up. She is in room C44, in the basement in the C hall.

NHS cords and stoles and STEM cords were handed out on Monday 5/18 at lunch. Please see Mrs. Plato in room B20 if you were not able to pick them up so you can get them. These are the only cords and stoles approved to be worn at graduation.  

     Dates and locations have been decided for graduation and graduation events. Here are the events for graduates.
      -5/19 Senior Pictures in Cap and Gown for Graduation Ceremony Display-Stuart's Photography
      -5/19 at 12:30pm in Media Center=Highest Honors Recognition Luncheon and Awards 
      -5/20 and 5/21=Senior Finals
      -5/26 at 7am Departure from Highland=Parent sponsored Senior Lagoon Trip Day Cost is $45 (see school counselor if you need help paying for this, parents have provided opportunities so everyone who wants to can go).
      -5/27 at 9am Mandatory Graduation Rehearsal at Holt Arena-Graduates must show to be able to walk at graduation.
      -5/27 at 11am in Highland Cafeteria=Parent sponsored Senior Graduates Breakfast and Awards. 
      -5/27 at 6pm in Holt Arena=Highland Graduation 
      -6/2-6/3/21 9am-12pm Diploma Pickup from Registrar @ Highland High School
      
      We are excited that we are able to have these events and we are so excited to celebrate with our graduates.

Seniors, please make sure your fees are paid. Contact Mrs. Hueselman, Bursar, to pay or with questions/concerns. 

Juniors that are looking to graduate early, please see your counselor before the end of the school year to make a plan. 

SAT scores are released for those who took the test on 4/19/21. Please check your college board account for your scores. 

Here is the testing schedule to finish out the school year:
  • Wed 5/12 7:45am Media Center AP Lang & Comp
  • Fri 5/14 7:45am Gateway Rm-205 AP Biology Exam
  • Tue 5/18 Junior SAT Makeup in Media Center
  • Thu 5/20 Senior Finals 
  • Mon 5/24 AP Calculus Exam Gateway Rm-205
  • Tue 5/25 8am AP Chemistry Exam & 12pm AP Statistics Exam Gateway Rm-205                       
  • Tue 5/25 Fresh, Soph, Junior Finals 0, 1st and 4th Periods
  • Wed 5/26 Fresh, Soph, Junior Finals 2nd, 3rd and 5th Periods 
Finals schedule for Freshman, Sophomore's and Juniors on Wednesday 5/26 and Thursday 5/27.

Finals Bell Schedule Tue 5/25/21Finals Bell Schedule Wed 5/26/21
0 Period Final7:118:41TA: Prep for finals/Work on Missing Assignments/Academic Planning/Etc.8:329:15
TA: Prep for finals/Work on Missing Assignments/Academic Planning/Etc.8:4610:502nd Period Final9:2010:50
Break10:5011:00Break10:5011:00
1st Period Final11:0012:303rd Period Final11:0012:30
LUNCH12:301:30LUNCH12:301:30
4th Period Final1:303:005th Period Final1:303:00
TA: Work on Missing Assignments/Academic Planning/Etc.3:003:42TA:Work on Missing Assignments/Academic Planning/Etc.3:003:42
Please plan to be present and prepared for each test. Get a good night's rest and a eat a good breakfast. 

Please contact your counselor with any questions or concerns.   

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Extra-Curricular's

Congratulations to Girls Track, winning the district tournament and also being recognized as 5A State Academic Champions with an average 3.938 GPA! We are so proud of the hard work inside and outside the classroom these girls have dedicated. Go Lady Rams!

Good luck to all our spring sports. They all qualified and are competing in state tournaments this week. Golf, Baseball, Softball, Tennis, and Track & Field.  
 
Tonight, 5/18/21, is the last showing of the Highland Drama Department's last performance of the school year, their senior show. The name of the show is A Play About A Dragon: A Medieval Comedy. The show is at 7pm in the Highland auditorium. You can pay at the door, it is $7 for students and $10 for adults. 
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College & Career Advisors

Dear Students & Families, 

Just a few reminders to everyone as the school year draws to a close. I want to give our students a pat on the back for keeping their eyes on the prize, even during a super uncertain and certainly stressful year. I look forward as I’m sure you all do, too. Good luck to all students with their final exams and projects and I do hope the summer will offer some respite and rejuvenation. ~ Sarah 

S E N I O R S

Idaho Opportunity Scholarship

If you applied to the Idaho Opportunity Scholarship, the first couple rounds of students have had communication from the state of Idaho informing them that they have earned this scholarship – which is a really good one, renewable for two or four years. Check your e-mail! You have to formally accept or decline this scholarship by e-mail. If the state does not hear back from you, the $ you might have been awarded, will go to someone else. 

FAFSA deadline

June 30th is the priority deadline for students to complete and submit their FAFSA for a fall 2021 start or for students who have applied to college / training but are deferring for a mission or other commitments. You cannot be awarded financial aid or scholarships without a completed FAFSA on file. First, the student creates an FSA ID (type that into a search bar), a parent or guardian does the same (if older siblings have gone ahead to college, then an FSA ID should already exist for parents / guardians), and then you complete the FAFSA => Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Go to the URL below using your FSA ID to log in.

https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

Intent to Enroll

Every school, college, and training program has a slightly different procedure, but if you have decided where you plan to go next year for college, education, or training, let them know – formally and properly by e-mail. Colleges cannot plan, and neither can you, unless people know to expect you.

New-Student Orientation

Once you have informed your school of choice that you intend to enroll, find out what is involved / when / where your new-student orientation will be. Just type “new-student orientation” into the school’s search bar and start to make your plans.

It Bears Repeating – Final Transcripts

If you plan to attend two or four years of college, a career technical program, or an apprenticeship, please request your FINAL transcript from the Registrar. Follow the URL below, and in the notes section on page 4, please indicate that you are asking for your FINAL transcript to be sent to your school of choice (the one you have communicated to saying that you intend to enroll – see above). Please – please – be sure to do this before graduation. After graduation, it will cost you money; before graduation, it is free.

Simple 4-page form for requesting your transcript:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1rpr5DTTePd0OEN6Q6oTELImVyeq059B0sSA3AcqFnu0/viewform?edit_requested=true

ISU’s College of Technology

If you plan to attend any of the career technical programs offered through ISU’s College of Technology, you need to schedule an advising appointment before you can: 1) reserve a place in your name, 2) begin the program. Please call 208-282-2622 or e-mail ctech@isu.edu to schedule – right away ! 

Check Your Financial Aid, Scholarships

Assuming that you have made a choice about where you plan to attend next year, be SURE to go onto the Financial Aid webpages for your school of choice. Check to be sure that any scholarships have been awarded and that you follow the next steps directions for accepting your financial aid. These webpages should also link you to the amount you may owe after financial aid and scholarships, so be informed about that now. Getting all that sorted out well before the start of school or programs in the fall will help make your transition smooth and exciting (not unnecessarily stressful). 

Apply Idaho

If you haven’t yet applied to college or training programs, Apply Idaho – the state of Idaho’s free common application to ten colleges, universities, and training programs – is open until June 30th. Follow the URL below. You will need your EDU ID to establish an account, so get that information from your guidance counselor or the CCA this week or next. After June 30th, it will cost you to apply to colleges or training programs AND it will cost you to request your high school transcripts.

Apply Idaho portal:  https://apply.nextsteps.idaho.gov/

What the Numbers Say . . .

Thanks to Katie Schwartz in the Registrar’s Office for the following bit of information:

  • 258 Highland students had . . .
  • 646 transcript sent

That is 76 percent of our senior class, which is very impressive.

FAFSA completion, though, shows a disconnect. Only 42 percent of our senior class have completed and submitted a FAFSA. Follow the link above (in the paragraph about the FAFSA) to get started on your FAFSA.

J U N I O R S (& Underclassmen)

ALEKS

There will be one last opportunity to take the ALEKS math assessment before school starts in the fall (for any dual-credit math class and for some dual-credit science courses). A goodly number of students have taken it, but some have to re-take it to earn the required score and some have not made an effort to schedule it yet. We strongly advise students to take or re-take ALEKS this summer, well before the start of school . . . because all your strong math knowledge goes south over the summer (and then you can’t earn dual credit without having met the ALEKS score pre-requisite). Here are the details:

Thursday, June 10th

Highland Media Center

Please bring your own laptop, and there are a small number of desktops.

Students may bring any notes, textbooks, favorite calculator, etc.

9:30 a.m.

AND

1 p.m.

Sign up in advance by leaving a note with your preference for time with the college career advisor or e-mailing Sarah May Clarkson => clarkssa@sd25.us .

How I Spent My Summer . . .

Words of advice and encouragement. We hope you spend your summer . . .

Reading.

Reading some more.

If possible, have summer work or shadowing experiences that will, hopefully, help you know where your gifts and talents lie and what gives you satisfaction. As you go forward with your classes, your jobs outside of school, and your extra-curriculars it will be as important to know what you don’t like or don’t want to do after high school for college / training or work.

Staying safe and well.

Staying safe and well.

Before you leave for summer, give all your teachers and administrators an acceptable hand shake or hug or heartfelt thanks; they all deserve that.

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Summer School dates are set. There is one summer school session this year from June 1st to July 8th. Summer School will be online. There are accommodations for students who do not have internet. Please contact your school counselor to register or for other questions or concerns.
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The counseling center has started a google classroom in order to make accessing information and resources easier. The classroom code is C22SK7K

There is a specific counselor's google classroom for information for graduates. The classroom code for graduates is 3BWSNGP.

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We can think, be, and learn more as we work together to continually improve.    

Go Highland Rams!

Highland High School Administration (208)237-1300
-Dr. Brad Wallace-Principal (wallacbr@sd25.us) phone ext.103
-Travis Bell-Assistant Principal/Athletic and Activities Director (belltr@sd25.us) phone ext.105
-Jena Wilcox-Assistant Principal (wilcoxje@sd25.us) phone ext.104
-Steve Morton-Assistant Principal (mortonst@sd25.us) phone ext.107

Bursar
-Shelley Huelsman (huelsms1@sd25.us) phone ext.106

Registrar
-Elaine Whitehead (whitehel@sd25.us) phone ext.114

Counseling Center (208)237-1300
-Tami Romriell=students with last name A-D (romrieta@sd25.us) phone ext.131
-Christa Santos-Smith=students with last name E-K (santosch@sd25.us) phone ext.109
-Cali Baker(Department Chair)=students with last name L-R (bakerc1@sd25.us) phone ext.110
-Tricia Harvala=students with last name S-Z (harvaltr@sd25.us) phone ext.116

School Psychologist
-Debra Erlandson-(erlandde@sd25.us)
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