Viking Voice Weekly Newsletter
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Viking Voice Weekly Newsletter Fort Walton Beach High School December 4, 2020 John Spolski, Principal 400 Hollywood Blvd, SW Fort Walton Beach, Florida 32548 (850) 833-3300 **If you no longer wish to receive the newsletter, please send me an email (include your student’s name) and I will remove you from the distribution list. Please read through the entire newsletter; there is an awful lot of information presented this week. Messages from Administration Holiday Checkout Procedures Contact: J. Tucci, B. Craig, or S. Pitman (850-833-3300) The attendance office would like to thank those who send in notes when their student is absent. With so much activity in the attendance office, notes help to create a paper trail to fall back on if there is a discrepancy with absences. Parents, with the holidays quickly approaching, please remember to send notes for absences, late check ins, and early check outs. Please include your student’s legal first and last name, grade, dates of the absence, and dismissal times (if necessary) on the note. If you know in advance that your student will be missing school, it is helpful if you send a note prior to the absence. The week of December 14 through 18, we will be accepting notes or parent in person for checkouts. Phone calls for checkouts will not be permitted. Please do not fax in a request for a student to check out (there is not a fax machine in the attendance office). Also, please do not email Mrs. Craig or Mrs. Pitman with requests to check out. Their computer screens are opened to the attendance files and they may not see the email request in a timely manner. Please plan ahead for checkouts during this week. Holiday Break Closing Please remind your senior students that Okaloosa County Schools will be closed for the Winter Holiday Break from December 21st – January 1st. This means that the front office, attendance office, and guidance office will be closed during this time. There will not be any staff on campus to answer the phone, process transcript requests, sign forms, etc. Email and voice mail will not be monitored during the holiday break. If your senior has any transcripts to request (for delivery prior to January 4) they must speak with the guidance secretary or registrar by Tuesday, December 15th. If your senior has college application or scholarship information that requires input or signature from their guidance counselor (for delivery prior to January 4) they must request this information by Tuesday, December 15th. Please encourage your senior student to check their deadlines and if any information is needed prior to January 4, request that information before Tuesday, December 15th. Winter Holiday Students and Teachers will not be in school Monday, December 21 – Friday, January 1. Teachers and Students will be back in school on Monday, January 4. **Reminder from the District Office: As you know, we missed a week of school due to Hurricane Sally. Based on those missed days, we will not have early dismissal on December 18th. Guidance Department News Congratulations Kylee Bobb! For the month of December, the Emerald Coast Exchange Club will recognize Kylee Bobb as their “Youth of the Month”. The Exchange Club presents this award three times a year to an outstanding FWBHS senior who has demonstrated success in academics, extra-curricular activities, and community service. Congratulations Kylee! Congratulations Caroline Colby Orcutt! FWBHS very own Colby Orcutt was selected as the female National winner of the 2020 Heisman High School Scholarship! “The Heisman High School Scholarship extends the Heisman prestige to our nation’s most esteemed high school seniors by recognizing and rewarding outstanding scholar-athletes who understand the most important victories not only happen on the field, but in their schools and communities.” As a State Winner, Colby will be receiving a $500 scholarship; as a National Finalist, Colby will receive a $1,000 scholarship; and as a National Winner, Colby will receive a $5,000 scholarship, as well as national recognition during the televised ESPN Heisman Trophy ceremony. Way to go Colby!! Congratulations Olin Wolfgram! Olin Wolfgram has been selected as Fort Walton Beach High School’s 2021 Sunshine State Scholar nominee! The Sunshine State Scholars’ Program recognizes Florida’s top 11th grade students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Congratulations to all of the Vikes who were nominated and completed the application process: Robert Bailey, Madison Baker, Kathryn Ballard, William Bevenour, Maura Liles, and Bennie Nkwantabisa. Scholarship Opportunities Contact: S. Rodriguez (850-833-3300 or [email protected]) Scholarship opportunities for ninth through twelfth graders may be found at www.okaloosaschools.com/fwb/. Students may also come to the Media Center to find out what scholarships are available. Please check each week for updates. Career Connection Center Contact: S. Rodriguez (850-833-3300 or [email protected]) We are currently working with Universities, Colleges, and teachers to provide zoom meetings for students to get information about the admissions process, financial aid, and general school information. Please be patient with us as we navigate our way through the Covid restrictions while still making this a positive experience. Parent/Student Webinar: CollegeBoard Opportunity Scholarship Information An invitation is extended to parents and students at the schools in our district to attend a webinar hosted by the College Board Florida Partnership outlining the steps needed to plan, prepare, and pay for college. The December 15, 2020 session will focus on how to assist students with the college planning process through free services and tools available to all students across the state of Florida. Completing the steps needed to apply for college can be complicated and the Florida Partnership recognizes the need to help students and their families navigate this process. To encourage more students, the College Board has created a scholarship program that guides students through the application process and is rewarding their efforts by investing $5 million per year in College Board Opportunity Scholarships. Half of these scholarships are designated for students whose families earn less than $60,000 per year. When: Dec 15, 2020 6:00-7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time (5PM-6PM CST) Topic: College Board Opportunity Scholarships Register in advance for this webinar: https://collegeboard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VWqPnHagSue-QylpMqZt_g ACT/SAT Prep Contact: A. Hart (615-585-2401 or [email protected]) Mrs. Alice Hart is still available to provide ACT/SAT preparation workshops and tutoring. Please contact Mrs. Hart if you are interested in learning more about the availability of the ACT/SAT prep workshops and tutoring: 615-585-2401 or [email protected]. For workshop registration forms visit: www.junebuggin.com/testprep. Class of 2021 Navigating Your Financial Future P. Hernandez ([email protected]) Senior Supplies (including cap & gown orders) Contact: C. Wren ([email protected]) Remember you can order your Cap & Gown online! Order today! Welcome to Senior Year! Though it may seem like graduation is a long way off, preparation for the big day starts now. As your school’s official graduation provider, I want to make sure that every Senior can celebrate their achievements in their own special way. The graduation process starts with these easy steps! 1. Check out our digital catalog here. Herff Jones provides a variety of products that are guaranteed to meet your needs for the celebration. 2. Place your order here. Your school’s official announcements, gowns, and senior supplies can only be purchased at this link. Don’t wait, order now! For ordering assistance, please contact our office at 850.432.7464 or visit www.herffjones.com. Congratulations Class of 2021! I look forward to celebrating with you this Spring! Sincerely, Clay Wren, Herff Jones Representative Herff Jones of North Florida/South Alabama Senior Recognition Ads Contact: M. Harden ([email protected]) Senior Recognition Ads for the yearbook are now on sale in full page, half page, quarter page, and eighth page increments. Seniors have received a flier in their English class. Parents can email the address above for more information. The deadline to order ads will be January 31, 2021. Senior Quotes Contact: M. Harden ([email protected]) Seniors who wish to put a quote in the yearbook need to see a yearbook staff member, Mrs. Harden in room 307, or check out our Instagram page for more information. Quotes are $3 apiece. Leave your mark on the 2020-2021 yearbook! The deadline for quotes is January 15, 2021. Get it done now and have less worries later! Seniors – Community Service Hours Attention Seniors – Please turn your community service hours into the guidance office. In order for these hours to appear on your transcript we must enter them on to the computer. **Bright Futures retrieves your community service hours from the school district’s computer system. At a State University System zoom meeting with admissions officers, it was suggested that students and families could look at https://www.volunteermatch.org/search/index.jsp for community service/volunteer hours suggestions. Please turn your community service hours into the guidance office!!! Honors Graduation Criteria The cumulative weighted grade point average is used to calculate honors graduation designation. At the end of the seventh semester, honors graduates will be determined by the following cumulative scale: Summa Cum Laude – 4.25 and above Magna Cum Laude – 4.0-4.2499 Cum Laude – 3.75-3.99 In order to be considered an honors graduate, students must be enrolled in the same year-long course at the same level and receive a grade for the eighth semester. FAFSA – October 1, 2020 Contact: www.FAFSA.ed.gov SENIORS – complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) beginning October 1, 20120, at www.FAFSA.gov.