HORSEHEADS HIGH SCHOOL
“NOTES”
January/February 2010 High School Phone Number: 739-5601 Ext. 1600 Karen Donahue, Principal Ext. 1612 - Attendance Office Ext. 1602 Dan Buseck, Assistant Principal Ext. 1630 - Guidance Office Ext. 1603 Mike McCawley, Assistant Principal Ext. 1622 - Nurse's Office Ext. 1618 Ron Holloway, Assistant Principal Ext. 1608 - Main Office ***********************************************************************************************************
MESSAGE FROM SUPERINTENDENT MARINO Recent changes have been made to this year’s school calendar. The changes are as follows: ¾ Friday, April 30, 2010—A newly added half day for all elementary schools (Pre-K through Grade 6 students/staff) ¾ Monday, May 3, 2010—A newly added Conference Day for all elementary schools (Pre-K through Grade 6 students/staff).
MESSAGE TO PARENTS During budget preparation the Board of Education determined that the temperature in all district classrooms will be set at 68 degrees as a cost saving measure. Please encourage your student to dress appropriately.
THANK YOU FROM THE NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY The National Honor Society would like to thank all those who purchased poinsettias! Our fundraiser was a big success! The money is used for scholarships awarded to seniors in the May ceremony. Also, reminder to the Juniors that the activities sheets for selection into NHS are due February 9th. If you have any questions, please see Mrs. Kurcoba or any NHS officer.
2010 YEARBOOKS FOR SALE Don't miss out on this opportunity to capture your memories from this school year. Place your order at www.jostensyearbooks.com or call Jostens directly at 1-866-282-1516. The cost for this year's book is $55 plus tax. Place your order soon because the cost of books increases closer to delivery. You can also add personalization and/or icons for an additional charge. Questions? Contact Darby Thompson or Deb Kisloski, yearbook co-advisors. SENIOR CLASS NEWS Seniors will be ordering their caps and gowns and graduation announcements on January 11th and 12th outside the cafeteria during periods 5,6,7,8. Information regarding ordering was distributed to seniors in homeroom on December 23rd. The cost of a cap and gown will be $26.00 unless seniors earned it through magazine sales. Even if you earned your cap and gown through magazines sales, you still must fill out and hand in the order form. The Senior Class is in the process of preparing for the Senior Prom to be held on Saturday, March 13, 2010 at Wings of Eagles from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Dinner will be served. Tickets will be on sale outside the cafeteria during lunch periods on February 23rd, 24th, and 25th, 2010. Students who reached quota will also be picking up their tickets at that time. Students may reserve their table on February 24th and 25th, 2010 outside the cafeteria during lunch periods. If you will be bringing a date who is not a current Horseheads High School student, a guest registration form must be filled out and returned to Mr. Hamula or Ms. Doren by February 25th for approval by the principal. These forms can be picked up in the Main Office or they can be downloaded on the senior class website. Please note that no person over the age of 20 will be permitted to attend the prom.
MUSIC NEWS Join us for A Capella Friday on Friday, February 26, 2010 at 8:00 p.m. in the High School Auditorium. The concert will include Men's, Women's and Mixed A Capella Groups from Cornell, Syracuse and others plus our own Acafellas and Contrary Motion. See you there!
PROJECT GRADUATION 2010 Project Graduation is a “safe”, “fun-filled”, “chemical free” night for our graduates. The event starts the evening following graduation and continues until early the next morning. The evening is chaperoned by parents and the graduated seniors are bused to and from all events. All of this takes lots of planning and help. We depend upon parents/family members to help plan this event and the generosity of community to make this a safe, fun and memorable night. Project Graduation meetings will be held on the 1st Monday of each month at the Horseheads HS Library at 7:00pm unless there is no school. Everyone is welcome to attend. Call Teresa Goldthwait 562-5321 or Mike McDarby 857-3280 for more information.
PROJECT GRADUATION FUNDRAISING EVENTS HORSEHEAD’S H’S ON SALE Now Bottle & Can Drive @ Quick Stop Beverage College Ave. Art Auction – February 27th, 2010 Texas Roadhouse – Pancake Breakfast February 2010 Hot Dog Stand - TBA Golf Tournament – June 5th , 2010 Watch for more!!
CLASS OF 2010 PROJECT GRADUATION ART AUCTION Horseheads High School Project Graduation is a committee of this year’s senior class parents and families that, together with the assistance of the community leaders and local resources join forces to fundraise for, plan and execute an all night event for the senior class that is provided in a safe, secure environment that is drug, alcohol and tobacco free. The event will commence the evening of graduation on June 26th, 2010 and ends early the next morning when parents pick up their graduates. One of the largest and most entertaining fundraising events sponsored by the Project Graduation Committee is the Art Auction. This year, Spike Auctions will host the Project Graduation 2010 Art Auction on Saturday, February 27th, 2010 at Appleridge at Bethany Village, 3005 Westinghouse Road Horseheads, NY. The Art Auction is a great Opportunity to view and purchase quality art from a reputable Art Auctioneer as well as a chance to come out and have an enjoyable evening with friends. With efforts towards the sale of 500 tickets for the event, and the support of the entire student body, we look forward to a successful night. Advance tickets for the event will be available. Your support of this and other Project Graduation Fundraisers throughout the year is appreciated. For more information on how you can get involved with Project Graduation 2010 please call Teresa Goldthwait 562-5321 and Mike McDarby 857-3280.
ACADEMIC CHALLENGE Congratulations Academic Challenge on an auk-cellent match in the Knowledge Master Open! Our team placed 6th in the state and in the top 20% in the nation. Next up, we are preparing for the TC3 Match in the spring. As always we are open to new members. Our meetings are every Thursday after school in Rm 267 Newsletter Question: “What part of the body is Venus de Milo missing? Answer: arms Have a wonderful winter season, excelsior!
RECOGNITION COMMITTEE STUDENT SURVEY The Recognition Committee would like to recognize students for their unique qualities and characteristics. We will randomly select students to be featured on the student announcement system in the cafeteria. To be featured please fill out this survey and return it to the Library.
Name______HR ______Grade______
1. What activities do you participate in?
2. What organizations do you belong to?
3. Describe your volunteer experiences.
4. What are your hobbies?
5. What awards or special recognitions have you received?
6. What are your favorite books, music, movies etc.?
7. Is there anything that your peers may not know about you that you’d like to share?
8. I would like to meet other students that ……
9. What has been your biggest accomplishment?
10. List any other information you would like to share.
If I am chosen I would like: (please choose one) ___ my school picture used ___ a new picture taken ___ no picture used
Parent or Guardian: If my child is selected I give Horseheads High School permission to display the information provided in this survey on the projected announcements.
*Parent or Guardian signature: ______
Spotlight on “Business” Get the 411 on Business Courses at Horseheads High School...
The way Business is conducted in today’s world has changed drastically over the years, and so have our Business course offerings. Business courses continually evolve to keep pace with current and projected Business practices in order to prepare our students well with 21st century skills. Billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump has touted the importance of high school Business courses for years (please copy this link into your browser to read the article). http://donaldtrump.trumpuniversity.com/default.asp?item=103063
Business degrees account for more than 80% of all degrees earned today (collegegrad.com). For a student wishing to pursue any type of Business degree at an accredited college or university the following courses are recommended as a minimum: Accounting, Marketing, Business Law, College Computer Concepts, and Dreamweaver. These courses will provide the sound basic business knowledge that Mr. Trump states high school students need in order to be well prepared to pursue a Business degree in a post‐secondary setting. We proudly offer 17 different Business Courses at Horseheads High School: ACE (Accelerated College Education) Courses: ACE First Year Experience – Learn personal, academic, and professional success strategies ACE Web Page Design – Design web pages using Hyper Text Markup Language ACE Accounting I – (course can also fulfill the 3rd unit of Math) Basic accounting principles ACE Accounting II – Continuation of course I, advanced accounting principles used in various business settings
One Credit Courses: Career & Financial Management – Basic Economics, Career Assessment, and Financial Literacy Computer Applications – sound, basic knowledge of business computer uses and assoc. software Dreamweaver – Design web pages to promote business with Adobe Dreamweaver & Photoshop Business Law – Develop basic understanding of laws that will affect you on a daily basis Math for Personal Finance – (course can also fulfill the 3rd unit of Math) Math applicable to taxes, insurance, payroll, banking, budgeting Introduction to Marketing – Basic marketing principles as they apply to our global society Business Math Using Excel – (course can also fulfill the 3rd unit of Math) Practical math learned using Excel, such as checking accounts, sales & income taxes, home and auto purchases Business Ownership & Marketing – All aspects of entrepreneurship, including creation of a business plan to startup, fund, choose a location and market a business.
Half Credit Courses: Sports & Entertainment Marketing – project based learning of how marketing functions are applied to these two multi‐billion dollar industries Career Pathways – Sixteen career clusters are explored to determine proper career pursuit Notetaking – Learn strategies to take concise notes for college and professional settings International Business – Learn culture, geography, trade, currencies, international law and business communications College Computer Concepts – Learn formatting for resumes, letters, reports, spreadsheets and presentations for use in other classes, college and the workplace
We will continue to integrate the latest high tech skills and knowledge necessary for our students' success. As you can see, Business IS where it's at!
To schedule your child to take a Business course, please contact their designated Guidance Counselor at 607‐739‐5601. Scheduling is taking place now for the 2010‐2011 school year. For further information on Business courses, please contact Cindy Ryan at [email protected]; Kathy Sisti at [email protected] or Sandy Deiseroth at [email protected]
SPORTS NEWS Congratulations to the following Fall Athletic programs! These teams earned the coveted NYS Scholar Athlete Team Award. In order to qualify, a majority of the students on each team must attain a grade point average (GPA) that is a 90 or higher in order to be considered. This is a credit to the hard work, determination, and willingness to get the job done in the classroom. In addition, here are the GPA’s by team: Boys Cross Country (95.373), Girls Cross Country (96.639), Football (92.071), Boys Soccer (95.029), Girls Soccer (93.873), Girls Volleyball (92.064), Girls Tennis (97.149 1st in Section 4 and 12th in NY State) and Girls Swimming (97.687 1st in Section 4 and 4th in NY State!) In addition, our Varsity Cheerleaders attained a 93.96 GPA too. (They are not recognized in this state led program yet; however, that is supposed to change in the 2010-2011 school year.) Congrats again to all student athletes! We are proud of your efforts and wish you all luck during the upcoming Winter and Spring seasons! Spring athletic sports sign ups will take place during Physical Education classes on January 22 and 25th. If you do not have PE class currently, please see the high school PE staff and get signed up! Also, please check with Mrs. Tubbs or Mrs. Dugliss in the Nurses’ Office to see if you need a physical. You must have a current physical (within one year) in order to participate. School physicals will be held at the South Wing Nurses’ office on February 23, 2010. You also will need to fill out the Past Medical History form and Medical Eligibility duplicate form too. Both of these forms are to be turned in together at the same time to their office and can be picked up in the PE offices. If you are in need of the physical, you can sign up for the Spring School physical or you may attain one at your family physician. Be sure to bring in a copy of the physical for our records. Thanks! Spring sports include: Boys and Girls Spring Track, Baseball, Softball, Boys and Girls Lacrosse, Girls Golf, and Boys Tennis. There is a Boys Sectional Volleyball Tournament being held on March 20th at the Intermediate School Fieldhouse. Tryouts and practices for that tourney will be held starting in February. There will also be a Boys and Girls Sectional Badminton Tourney to be held on March 13th. Mr. Kevin Hillman is the tourney director again this season and will be having badminton open gym dates to practice your skills on the court and to hold tryouts. Singles and doubles matches will be played against teams from all over the section. This year we will be adding a coaches doubles division as well. Come join the fun and participate in one of the athletic programs during the spring season! Summer camps in all athletic programs will be held throughout the summer months. Information on the dates and locations of camps will be available in early January at the Athletic Office and on the Horseheads Website. Last year we had a record number of participants. Thanks for joining us! It is a great week of training both sport specific and also to improve your overall fitness levels! The annual All Sports Banquet will be held on Friday June 4, 2010 at the high school. If you have participated in the athletic program, we invite you to attend this end of school year celebration for our athletes. More information to follow! Please mark your calendars! If you have any questions, please give us a call at 739-5601 ext 4254 or send us an email at [email protected] or [email protected]. Mrs. Nicole Overacker, Athletic Office Administrative Assistant or Mr. Scott Williams, Director of Physical Education and Athletics will be glad to help you. Be great!
AREA ALL STATE NEWS Congratulations to the following Horseheads High School Band students on their acceptance and recent performances with the Junior High Area All-State Band. The Music festival was held at Broadway Middle School in Elmira on November 2nd and 3rd. Participating were: Mike Reed –Oboe, Kate Nicole Hoffman –clarinet, Sean Bassler –trumpet, Emily Jay –trumpet, Shuwei Chen –clarinet, Natalie Good -clarinet, Michelle Li -flute , Mariah Robbins -French horn, Sadie Cutler -trombone , Olivia Fontana -trombone, Patrick Mayville – percussion, and Megan Walker –trombone. Jessica Alexander- cello, Becca Chaffee –violin, Natalie Dauphin –violin, Ruby Frei –violin, Emily Grella –viola, Sophia He –violin, Nina Ionta –cello, Abigail Leland –viola, Emma Leonard –violin, Corey McCann- viola, Alyssa Militello –violin, Katryn Phaneuf- cello, Morgan Stoltzfus –violin, Alexandria Stryker –violin, Maddesen Wright –violin, and Brandon Xu -cello The students performed a solo at the New York State School Music Association Festival last spring to be able to participate in the event. Congratulations to the following Horseheads High School students on their acceptance and recent performances with the Senior High Area All-State Festival. The Music festival was held at Elmira Southside High School in Elmira on November 20th and 21st. Band students are: Rachel Fivie -Flute, Morgan Mathews -Clarinet, Sara Stuart -Clarinet, Mike Potter -Bass Clarinet, Shaunak Amin -Alto Sax, Andrew Grella -tenor Sax, Michael Maynard - Trumpet, Julia Weaver – French Horn, David Walrath -Euphonium, Erica Thompson -Euphonium, Cory Sweet -Trombone, Kirstin Campbell -trombone, Adam Myers -Trombone, Jonathan Bergman -Tuba, Andrea Gaylord -Tuba, and Ian Boor –mallet percussion. Orchestra Students are: Abigail Komarc, Mckenzie Stoltzfus, Jasmine Green, Nors Hexum, Justin Sun, Kevin Hansen, Nicole Wright, and Caitlyn Buck Choir students are: Kylie Smith, Morgan Troia, Claire Blaney, Janaye Poteat, Ginelle Edger, Shelby Dickenson, Whitney Williams, Matthew Hobler, Rebecca Mozdy, Zachary Crowle, Kiera Ochab, Jordan Fischer, and Bekah Kosky. The students performed a solo at the New York State School Music Association Festival last spring to be able to participate in the event.
SCHEDULING FOR THE 2010-11 SCHOOL YEAR In January students will start to meet with their counselors to select courses for the 2010- 2011 school year. The Curriculum Guide has been updated and will be handed out to students when they are printed. As you probably know, the High School is utilizing the intensive scheduling model. Study halls do not exist; therefore, students will have a course scheduled every period except for lunch/activity period. To help you with your student’s evaluation of his/her course selections, a copy of the completed course selection sheet will be mailed to you after your student makes initial selections with his/her counselor. This is your copy to keep. If a student wishes to make a change in his/her course selection, they should complete the “Course Selection Change Form”, which will be mailed home with the course selection sheet and return it to the Guidance Office before June 25, 2010. Students who wish to make changes to their course requests are encouraged to do so as soon as possible, as any class with low enrollment is subject to cancellation by the end of April. Between June 28-July 31, requests for course changes must go through a petition process. After July 31st, no course request changes will be accepted. The deadline to request to change any second semester course is December 15th. The ability to grant any such request is contingent upon seat availability. Students do not receive their High School schedule until the first day of school and students will not be able to drop any courses after the above deadline dates so it is important that they consider their courses carefully. If you have any questions or concerns upon review of your student’s course selection sheet, please contact your student’s counselor.
FINANCIAL AID What is Financial Aid? Financial aid from the federal government consists of federal Pell Grants, Work-Study, Perkins Loans, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and the federal loan programs. These include Stafford (student) and PLUS (parent) Loans. The U.S. Department of education (USED) has released information on the Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) Program. These grants are available to certain Pell-eligible college students. New York State financial aid consists of Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), Aid for Part-Time Study (APTS), scholarships, and other special awards. College financial aid consists of institutional grants, loans, scholarships, work programs, and loans.
Who should apply for Financial Aid? Families should apply for financial aid each year a student is applying for college or is presently in college. Even if you think your student is ineligible, you should apply. Changes in your family’s financial situation affect eligibility. Some colleges also have their own financial aid application. To determine which financial forms are required, contact each school to which your student is applying. Make sure all required applications are completed. When do I apply for Financial Aid? The Financial Aid applications must be sent out after January 1st, but it is important to send them in as soon as possible after January 1st.
How do I apply for Financial Aid? • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can access this form and easy 1-2-3 instructions at www.fasfa.edu.gov. This website will give you directions on what to do before beginning the FAFSA; filling out the FAFSA; and follow-up after you file the FAFSA. • You should apply for a PIN for the FAFSA. This will allow you to electronically sign the FAFSA and access your personal information. Both the student and parent will have a PIN that will remain the same throughout your post-secondary education. You can apply for your PIN directly when you complete the FASFA on the web or you can go to www.pin.ed.gov. • If you are a New York State resident, and you are applying to a New York State school, then you will also be able to apply for New York State Aid online when you complete the FASFA on the web. The link to the online TAP application is on the FAFSA Submission Confirmation page. • Be aware of deadlines! Each school may set their own deadlines for filing the FAFSA or other financial aid materials (especially for scholarship consideration). Be sure to respond by the deadline or you could lose aid eligibility. • Remember, applying for New York State and federal student aid is FREE! Go to the FAFSA website or the New York State Higher Education Services website (www.hesc.org). What information will I need to file a FAFSA? • 2009 W-2 forms, or end-of-the year pay stubs records of 2009 untaxed income such as child support and untaxed income from such agencies as: Social Services, Social Security, and the Veterans Administration • 2009 Federal and State income tax forms for you, your spouse, and your child • Bank account balances; lists of stocks, bonds and other assets; and the estimated value and mortgage balance of your other real estate (not including your home)
INVITATION TO SUNY STATEWIDE FINANCIAL AID DAYS SUNY’s Statewide Student Financial Aid Days are offered as a service to all prospective college students and their families. Each campus program is designed to answer questions and provide assistance regarding the financial aid application, types of aid available, and the award process. To get the most out of the Financial Aid Day, you should bring the following information with you: Driver’s License, Alien Registration card (non-U.S. Citizens), bank statements and investment information, FAFSA PIN number, Social Security Numbers, Completed 2009 Federal Income Tax Return (or estimated 2009 tax information), W-2 Forms and other records of income earned for 2009 and 2009 untaxed income information. Corning Community College is hosting this event on Saturday, February 27, 2010. It is first come, first served. You must pre-register for this event by logging on to the SUNY website and following the Student Financial Aid Days link. The format is a one-on-one consultation with a financial aid counselor. You will be able to complete your FASA on the spot if you have the necessary information. Visit www.suny.edu under the “Future Students” area.
REMINDERS • Seniors applying to colleges need to be aware of deadline dates, and get applications to the Guidance Office in a timely manner. (At least 10 days prior to the deadline is required). • Seniors asking for recommendations should give self-addressed, stamped envelopes to those writing the recommendations. Counselor recommendations, if requested, will be sent directly to the college. • Students should regularly check the “Scholarship Board” outside the Guidance Office or look on www.horseheadsdistrict.com and follow the link to the High School, Guidance Office, Scholarships, so they are not missing opportunities for scholarship money and awards. Applications are available in the Guidance Office from Mrs. Kastenhuber. • The Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning will be hosting scholarship information nights for local high school seniors. There will be an informational meeting on January 6, 2010 at 7pm at Corning East High School and a meeting on January 7, 2010 at 7pm at Elmira Free Academy. Many local scholarships are awarded through the Community Foundation, and this program will highlight the scholarships and application process.
CALENDAR REMINDERS
Monday, January 4, 2010 Students Return to School Wednesday, January 6, 2010 Report Cards Issued Monday, January 18, 2010 Martin Luther King Jr Day - NO SCHOOL Monday, January 25, 2010 End of Marking Period Tuesday, January 26th - Friday, Regents Exams - No Regular January 29th Classes Monday, February 1, 2010 Conference Day - NO SCHOOL Tuesday, February 2, 2010 Beginning of Second Semester Wednesday, February 10, 2010 Report Cards Issued Wednesday, February 10, 2010 Parents Night - 7:00pm - 8:15pm Monday, February 15th - Sunday, Winter Recess - NO SCHOOL February 21st Monday, February 22, 2010 Students Return to School
NOTICE: The Horseheads Central School District offers educational programs without regard to gender, race, color, national origin, or disability. Inquiries regarding this policy may be made to Judith Christiansen, Title IX Coordinator, or Kim Williams, Section 504 Coordinator, Horseheads Central School District, One Raider Lane, Horseheads, New York 14845, (607) 739-5601.
Horseheads Central School District ● One Raider Lane ● Horseheads, New York 14845 ● (607) 739-5601