You are receiving this email because you have expressed an interest in the Perry Hall High School PTSA, are a Perry Hall High School staff member, or have a student enrolled in the school. To ensure that this newsletter does not end up in your SPAM folder, please add [email protected] to your contacts.

You may unsubscribe if you no longer wish to receive our emails.

Gator Gazette

December 9, 2018

In This Issue Greetings! From the Principal's Desk December is off to a fast start. Last Sunday the PTSA held News from the PHHS PTSA its annual Winter Arts & Crafts Fair. We had more than 1000 people attend again and wonderful feedback from News from PHHS both the vendors who participated and community News from BCPS and PHHS members that came by to shop. Thank you to all of you Community who stopped in last week to make our event a success. PHHS PTSA Business Partners This week brings the conclusion of our Great Gator This Week at PHHS Restaurant Raffle. There are only three more days left Next Week at PHHS to buy your ticket. The drawing will take place on Thursday, December 13, at 4 p.m. at Safeway in Perry Hall. One person will win our grand prize, 20 $50 restaurant gift Quick Links cards. Two other people will win $250 in restaurant gift PHHS PTSA cards. Chances can be purchased online through Perry Hall HS Wednesday using PayPal, or you can send in your order PHHS Alumni Association form and payment with your student or drop it off at the PHHS Athletic Boosters school office. It just needs to find its way to the PTSA Baltimore County Public mailbox by the end of the day. You also can purchase Schools tickets at the concert on Tuesday night from the Theatre

Boosters.

All three Booster organizations have worked with us to make this first-time fundraiser a success. Our goal and hope are that it raises money for the Band, Theatre, and Athletic programs, as well as our PTSA. Each of those organizations is working hard to meet their selling goal. If you would like one of the Booster organizations to get credit for your purchase, you can note that when you buy online or on our order form.

Winners need not be present for the drawing. We are planning to broadcast it on our Facebook page. If you aren't at Safeway and don't watch, we'll call you after if you are one of our three winners. The names of the winners will be posted to our website on Friday after all are notified.

Good luck to everyone who purchased a ticket and, in the process, helped make this new PTSA fundraiser a success. We appreciate your support for our first Great Gator Restaurant Raffle. Three lucky winners are about to win some really GREAT PRIZES!!!

Have a good week. Chris Christine Hagan President, PHHS PTSA 2018-2019 School Year [email protected]

From the Principal's Desk

Dear Parents,

Maryland schools have been ranked by the state's new accountability system designed in response to the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The rankings are based on academic and non-academic factors. The Maryland Report Card factors in progress in achieving English language proficiency for English Learners, chronic absenteeism, preparation for postsecondary success, access to a well-rounded curriculum and graduation rate. Those awarded points are measured against possible points, and the resulting percentage is used to compare the school against other Maryland schools and to determine star ratings, from 5, highest performing, to 1, the lowest performing. Perry Hall High's current rank is a 4. Detailed report cards for all BCPS schools and for the school system are available on the state's Report Card website.

The High School Capacity Study will be presented to the Board of Education on Tuesday (December 11) evening.

We held the Registration Night on Wednesday evening. Many parents came to learn about the programs we offer to help them make informed decisions about the courses for their children next school year. I hope you can attend one of our winter concerts this month.

Andrew Last PHHS Principal

News from the PHHS PTSA

UPDATED Don't Miss Out! Only 3 Days Left to Buy Your Great Gator Restaurant Raffle Tickets!

Now is the time to purchase your chances in our "Great Gator Restaurant Raffle." Ten dollars could win you $1000 in restaurant gift cards, 100 times the value of your investment. What are you waiting for?

Everyone who purchases a ticket has three chances to win. While the grand prize is $1000 in restaurant gift cards, two second place winners will win $250 in restaurant gift card money. Proceeds benefit Perry Hall High School PTSA, and potentially our three Booster organizations. Once the Band, Theatre and Athletic Boosters sell 100 tickets, they too make money.

This is a win-win fundraiser. The risks are small. The potential rewards are great. The odds beat the heck out of Mega Millions and Power Ball, and you will raise money for the PTSA, which supports the needs of every student at the school. The PTSA pays for scholarships, the After-Prom Party, student recognition programs, planners for every student, and supports a variety of student and staff initiatives. And, this year, we hope to assist the fundraising efforts of the Band, Theatre and Athletic Boosters, helping them to pay for equipment, uniforms, transportation and supplies.

Download an order form from our website, contact your favorite Booster club, or buy your raffle chances online. Spread the word at work. Tell your family and friends. Ours is a fundraiser everyone should want to support not only because the cause is good, but because the prize is great!

The prize drawing will take place on Thursday, December 13, 2018, at Safeway, 9645 Belair Road in the Perry Hall Marketplace. Please note that no physical tickets are issued. Your name is entered in the drawing in the quantity you purchase. Your cancelled check or PayPal confirmation of your purchase are your receipts. Raffle rules and the order form are online.

______

NEW PTSA Introduces New Golden Gators Sponsor Congratulations to all those students who made honor roll for the first quarter and received our Golden Gators award. Golden Gators envelopes went home last week. For those of you who are new to our school, the Golden Gators award is a small token of recognition from the PTSA to those students who have done especially well academically that quarter. It is a "pat on the back" in the form of food, thanks to the generosity of a few supportive area restaurants. For years, students on the honor roll have received a gift card for a free Chick-fil-A sandwich or nuggets. Chick-fil-A of Perry Hall is by far our biggest restaurant supporter donating over a thousand of these gift cards to our PTSA each year.

Until a policy change last year, our honor roll students who earned straight A's received a Chick-fil-A gift card and something extra. Unfortunately, regulations at the state level trickled down to the county and our something extra, an ice cream sundae, was no longer an option. The PTSA has been looking for a replacement prize and is very pleased to announce we have a new partner helping us to recognize those students who achieve academic perfection each quarter. Seasons Pizza of Perry Hall is giving every student who earns straight A's on their report card a free personal pan pizza. We are very excited to have them join our Golden Gators program and feel very fortunate to have the support of both Chick-fil-A and Seasons Pizza.

______

December's Driver's Ed Class Begins December 10 Greg's Driving School is a prominent supporter of Perry Hall High School PTSA. Greg's Driving School classes offered at Perry Hall High School cost $360 and are held from 2:45 to 6 p.m. at the High School throughout the year. For every participant, Greg's donates $50 to our PTSA. Students that are PHHS PTSA members are automatically entered to win a $50 Amazon gift card. For a complete schedule of classes offered by Greg's Driving School at Perry Hall, and a link to register, visit the Driver's Ed page on our website. The next class begins on Monday, December 10, and concludes the last day of school prior to the Christmas/Winter Break, on December 21.

Perry Hall High School PTSA thanks Greg's Driving School. This business donates thousands of dollars to our organization each year.

______

NEW Anyone Have a Connection to a Small Box Truck? The PTSA's monthly Used Clothing Drive is going great! Our storage facility is nearly full and we'll soon have to transport everything we've collected from our storage unit on Rossville Boulevard to the Savers store on Joppa Road. If you or your business has a small box truck and are willing to help us move a load of clothing a few times over the course of the school year, we could really use your help! Please send an e-mail to our committee chair, Diane Kahler, for more information and to work out the details. Thank you!

______

UPDATED Next Used Clothing Drive: Saturday, January 12 Thank you to everyone who donated to yesterday's Used Clothing Drive. We appreciate your support! Our next collection will be on Saturday, January 12, from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the student parking lot. Please bring your gently-used clothing, accessories, shoes, and household items (bedding, towels, curtains, tablecloths, pillows) as well as children's toys, games, puzzles and stuffed animals to the PHHS student lot. Donations should be secured in tightly tied plastic bags or sturdy, sealed boxes. Proceeds from the Clothing Drive are used to support our PTSA.

This event follows the BCPS Inclement Weather Policy for closings and cancellations. Please check the BCPS website when bad weather threatens. If activities get cancelled, then our clothing drive gets cancelled too. We will attempt to reschedule whenever possible. Click here for more information or to download a schedule of dates for the school year.

______

Have You Joined the PTSA? Our membership drive is ongoing and we invite everyone to join. Dues cost just $10. Approximately half of which supports our local PTSA efforts, with the remainder helping to fund the county, state and national PTA.

There are a variety of benefits associated with PTSA membership.

At Perry Hall High School, students that are PHHS PTSA members and that attended the Greg's Driving School program at PHHS are automatically entered into a drawing to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Seniors who join by January 25, 2019, are eligible to apply for a PHHS PTSA scholarship. Faculty members who are PTSA members are eligible to win a reserved parking space, and may be considered for a faculty grant in the spring.

Membership forms are available in the school office. They also can be downloaded from the PTSA website. Or, if you prefer, you can purchase your membership online via a PayPal link.

Congratulations to Ms. Julia Weiss, math teacher, who is December's winner of the PTSA's reserved parking spot! ______

Special Thanks! Our organization survives and thrives due to the generosity and support of others. We count on our parents, the students and staff of the school, and the strong support of our alumni, but we would be remiss if we did not also thank those businesses that support us on an ongoing basis throughout the year. The contributions made to our organization both financially and through in-kind gifts means a lot to us and our success and for that reason PHHS PTSA acknowledges the following businesses:

The Avenue at White Marsh: Each summer The Avenue provides our PTSA with the opportunity to rent chairs at their Shop & Eat to the Beat concert series on Fridays and Saturday nights. This is a wonderful opportunity for our PTSA to be in the community, and put us on the path to reaching our financial goals for the year.

Greg's Driving School: As mentioned earlier, Greg's has been a huge supporter of our PTSA, making a donation to our organization for every student that takes a class at the High School.

Chick-fil-A: The biggest supporter of our Golden Gators Program, Chick-fil-A donates heavily to our student recognition program.

Self Storage One of Perry Hall: Self Storage One provides us with a storage facility for the items we collect for our Clothing Drive.

Jerry's Toyota: Jerry's remains one of our biggest supporters of our After Promo Party donating money for prizes and food in hopes of creating a safe environment for continued fun the night of the prom.

Safeway: A big donor to our organization last fall, Safeway is hosting the drawing for The Great Gator Restaurant Raffle this December.

Giant: A donor to our staff Welcome Back Breakfast this August.

Starbucks: A frequent donor of coffee to PTSA events throughout the school year.

The All American Steakhouse & Sports Theater, Applebee's, Bar Louie, Basta Pasta, Bertucci's Italian Restaurant, Bill Bateman's Bistro, The Bowman Restaurant, Buffalo Wild Wings, Carrabba's Italian Grill, Casa Mia's White Marsh, Conrad's Seafood Restaurant, Das Bierhalle, Della Rose's Avenue Tavern, DeNiro's Pizza, DeSantis Pizza Grill & Bar, Dominick's Pizza of Perry Hall, The Green Turtle Sports Bar & Grille, Gunpowder Lodge, Italian Sensation, Ledo Pizza, Lib's Grill, Liberatore's Ristorante, Looney's Pub, MidiCi The Neopolitan Pizza Company, Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse, P.F. Chang's, Red Brick Station, Seasons Pizza, Silver Spring Mining Company and Slice on The Avenue--all are supporters of our Great Gator Restaurant Raffle.

______

Pop Tabs for Ronald McDonald House PHHS PTSA continues to support the Ronald McDonald House by collecting pop tabs. Pop tabs are the little tabs on soda, tuna fish cans, soup cans, etc. The money raised from the collection of these allows families to stay in Ronald McDonald House while a family member undergoes treatment at a nearby hospital. Collection containers can be found in the main office and the library. Please support this great cause!

______

PTA Connected: Take Charge of Your Digital Life National PTA announced the launch of PTA Connected, an initiative to educate and engage families in digital wellness, security, access, equity and literacy. The initiative formalizes and builds on the association's work in the digital space in response to the growing needs and interest of parents nationwide. Click here for additional information.

______

Be sure to "like" Perry Hall High School PTSA on Facebook!

News from PHHS

PARCC Testing at Perry Hall High School

The PARCC exams for English and Algebra I will be given on December 10th, 11th, and 12th with make-ups on the 14th. Students who are testing must attend three sessions, one per day, in order to have their test scored. Please be advised that the use of electronics such as cell phones and smart watches during the testing sessions will cause student tests to be invalidated. Additionally, if students leave prior to the end of the session, the test will be invalidated. Students who have tests invalidated will retake their exam during the next testing window in late spring. Invalidated exams can impact graduation as the PARCC exams are an important part of your child's graduation requirements.

To assist your child to do well on the test, ensure s/he arrives to school well-rested and on-time each day of the exam with a fully-charged device and charger. Students testing in the afternoon sessions will have an opportunity to eat lunch prior to testing. The School Messenger system should have already advised whether your child is expected to test during the current window. It's important to keep current information on file at the school so that you receive critical messages to support your child. If you have questions about the PARCC exam or other graduation requirements, please contact your child's counselor.

______

Junior Ring Ceremony Information The Junior Ring Ceremony will be held in the auditorium at 6 p.m. on Saturday, December 15. If you have a ring that you want included in the ceremony, it must be delivered to Ms. Krause in room 130 by December 12. Students who have purchased a ring through Jostens will receive their ring at the ring ceremony.

Students who cannot attend the ceremony need to make arrangements with Ms. Krause to collect their rings.

Families are invited to attend the ceremony. While the ceremony is a special occasion, formal attire is not required. Please refer specific questions about attire to Ms. Krause or Ms. Lininger.

The Junior Prom is scheduled for April 6, 2019.

______

NEW Do You Like Pie Five Pizza? Want to Help Support the Theatre Boosters? You can do both - come to Pie Five Pizza in White Marsh for dinner on Tuesday, December 18, between 5 and 9 p.m. and mention Theatre Boosters at check out - done! Support your PHHS Theatre Boosters and enjoy great food !

______

NEW First Ever Professional Wrestling Show at PHHS in the Gym! Looking for that unusual holiday gift for the discerning wrestling fan? The PHHS Athletic Booster club has you covered. Come see the first ever professional MCW wrestling show, New Years Mayhem 2018, held right in the gym at Perry Hall High School. The show is on Saturday December 29, 2018. Doors open at 6 p.m.; show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Ticket prices are as follows:

$40 front row $30 second and third row $25 floor general admission $20 bleacher general admission Special - Family 4 pack of bleacher general admission seats only $60 (online only).

Buy your tickets through the Athletic Booster club or online. Concessions will be available. Tickets are selling fast, don't miss your chance to be there!

______

Gerst Avenue Parking Lot Closed The parking lot behind Perry Hall High School off of Gerst Avenue is closed effective immediately until construction of the new turf field is complete. Estimated finish date is January 19, 2019.

______

Attention Seniors: Graduation Cap & Gown Update Graduation will be hosted at Towson University's SECU Arena on Saturday, June 1, 2019, at 7 p.m. Jostens will again be the contracted vendor for caps and gowns this year. To unite the student body, all caps and gowns must be Jostens-issued and will be navy blue in color. Jostens also sells graduation announcements and apparel, but you are not required to purchase these additional items.

Following are the steps to purchase items online:

Go to jostens.com Type in "Perry Hall High School" In the search box, type in "cap and gown" Scroll down the search results and select "Caps & Gowns - Cap & Gown Unit" Input your height, weight, and gender, and "Add to Cart." Type in the student's first and last name. The Cap & Gown Unit is $8.05 (6% sales tax is added at the end to make the order total $8.53) There is no shipping and handling since the cap and gown will ship directly to the school. Click "Checkout" and put in your payment info. A J-Pay program is available that spreads your total amount due over three payments. Print receipt! The deadline for the $8.53 Cap & Gown Unit is January 31! After this date, prices will increase! Billing questions should be directed to Jostens' customer service staff at 1- 800-567-8367.

______

Parents of the Class of 2019: Say "Goodbye" to your Senior with a Special Graduation Ad in the 2019 Hallways Yearbook Click here for instructions on how to submit your ad materials either electronically or via mail. Spaces are limited! The deadline for submissions is January 31.

______

Checkout the Latest Edition of the College Counselor's Newsletter for Freshman and Sophomores Here is a link to the latest newsletter from the college counselor for 9th and 10th grade students and their families. It includes information on what students should be doing now to prepare for college as well as timely events for homework help and volunteer opportunities.

______

UPDATED Updates and Resources from the College Counselor for Juniors and Seniors

Gator Gateway Here is a link to the Junior/Senior newsletter, published on Tuesday, November 27, by PHHS's College Counselor, Ms. Campbell. It includes information on what your student should be doing now to prepare and apply for college, as well as timely information on available scholarships and upcoming events. Enjoy!

FYI New College of Florida, a liberal arts school in Sarasota, Florida, is waiving their application fee for students who apply using the Common App prior to January 2, 2019. Click for more information.

______

Stay Up to Date with ALL your GATOR Athletic Events Go to Digital Sports Link - PHHS Gators to stay in the loop about all our Gator teams. Go Gators! #chompchomp #HALLTOGETHER

______

Schoology Access Codes Want to know what's up with your child's class? Following are Schoology Group Page access codes that have been shared with the Gator Gazette.

Class of 2020: GSC8C-2DWWX Class of 2021: K33Q5-7CKG8 Class of 2022: 368CP-HQKSN

______

Free PSAT/SAT Prep Available Did you know that you can practice for the PSAT/SAT for free? Did you know that there's a program FOR FREE that will help you work on your PSAT/SAT weaknesses? All you need to do is sign up for it. It's called Khan Academy. Check it out and see how you can bump up that score FOR FREE!

News from BCPS and the PHHS Community

NEW Date Changed for Presentation of High School Capacity Study The Sage Policy Group, Inc., will present the final report of the High School Capacity Study to the Board of Education of Baltimore County during the Board's meeting on Tuesday, December 11. (The presentation was originally scheduled for a week later.)

This meeting will be held on the Greenwood campus of Baltimore County Public Schools at 6901 N. Charles St. in Building E, Room 114 beginning at 6:30 p.m. The public is welcome to attend, and the meeting can also be viewed via Livestream.

The purpose of the High School Capacity project was to study all BCPS high schools and identify potential options and strategies for providing enough seats for growing enrollment. A complete timeline for the study is posted online.

______

BCPS Publishes "FACEtime," a monthly newsletter from division of Family and Community Engagement Check out the November/December edition of FACEtime!

______

National PTA Asks for Support for Families Affected by California Fires National PTA is committed to assisting families affected by the California fires during this difficult time and has created a Disaster Relief Fund, which was established to respond to tragedies that grievously disrupt a school or education system. The funds go directly to PTAs and schools in need and will help provide important supplies for students and teachers when schools reopen in Northern California.

In addition to National PTA's Disaster Relief Fund, several community and charitable organizations are assisting victims. The Salvation Army is accepting financial donations for those people displaced by the Camp Fire. National PTA also encourages members to support The United Way of NorthernCalifornia, which provides emergency cash assistance and gift cards to help those who have lost their homes.

______

Holiday Pajama Drive Help a youth in foster care have a more comfortable first night in a strange home. Woodbourne Treatment Foster Care in Baltimore is collecting pajamas for youth coming into foster care. Adult sizes for teens are especially needed. Donations can be dropped off at 1301 Woobourne Ave, Baltimore, MD 21239. Local pickup can be arranged. Contact Katherine Heinz, foster parent social worker, for more information or to arrange a pickup. Not everyone can be a foster parent, but anyone can support a foster parent.

______

NEW Baltimore Union Soccer Club Coat Drive Underway Baltimore Union Soccer Club's first annual winter coat drive in connection with Community Assistance Network (CAN) is in full swing. It's you chance to provide a warm coat to a needy member of our community. Gently used adult and children's coats are needed. Donation drop boxes are located at Conrad's Seafood Restaurant, Angelo's Soccer Corner, Amanda Gallager Othodontics, and Honeygo Village Dunkin' Donuts. Dunkin' Donuts requests that all coats please be put in plastic bags before being put in the donation box. All coats must be turned in by Friday, December 14.

______

STEM Summer Apprenticeship Program Are you a student, or do you know a student, who is interested in STEM? The Army's Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) offers several summer apprenticeship programs for high school students - all provide educational stipends while working with a mentor in a research lab.

The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) and the Research Engineering Apprenticeship Program (REAP) are accepting applications for summer opportunities. Since each program has unique requirements, please ensure that you read the descriptions carefully so you will apply for the one that best suits you.

SEAP: https://www.usaeop.com/program/seap/

REAP: https://www.usaeop.com/program/reap/

Please note that no housing is provided so it is important to choose a location within close to you. We encourage students to apply at multiple locations for a greater chance of participation.

If you do not find a location nearby, the High School Apprenticeship Program (HSAP) opens on January 2, 2019 - new universities will be available at that time. You can visit that site on January 2, 2019.

Applications close on February 28, 2019. Apply early.

______

March Is a Great Time for Bingo! Eastern Tech PTSA, another one of our PTSA friends, is hosting a Basket Bingo on Friday, March 22, at Eastern Technical High School. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. Doors open at 6 p.m. and bingo begins at 7 p.m. Prizes include Vera Bradley, Thirty One and other bags. Tables can be reserved for groups of eight or more when purchased in advance. For more information, send an e-mail to [email protected] or download the order form.

Perry Hall High School's Band Boosters also have a Bingo fundraiser planned for March. Theirs is Saturday, March 23, at Perry Hall High School. It's not your typical basket bingo! Save the date and watch for more information as the date nears!

PHHS PTSA Business Partners

We appreciate the support of these local businesses! Thanks to their generosity, our PTSA is able to meet our objectives.

Used Clothing General Supporter Golden Gators Program Supporter Drive Supporter

www.gregsdrivingschool.net classes taught at 8867 Belair PHHS Road 4601 Ebenezer Road Baltimore 7750 Rossville Blvd Baltim ore 21236 21236 8833 Belair Road Perry Hall 21236 Baltimore 21236

If you'd like to partner with the PHHS PTSA and make a donation of money, food, prizes or discounted coupons, contact [email protected]. The PHHS PTSA is a non-profit volunteer organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, so your donation may be tax deductible!

This Week at PHHS

Tuesday, December 11: Winter Concert, 7 p.m. in the Auditorium Thursday, December 13: Great Gator Restaurant Raffle Drawing, 4 p.m. at Safeway Thursday, December 13: Winter Concert, 7 p.m. in the Auditorium Friday, December 14: Guitar Night, 7 p.m. in the Auditorium

Next Week at PHHS

Tuesday, December 18: Tri-M Coffee House Friday, December 21: Christmas/Winter Break Begins at the end of the School Day