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Family Newsletter for Monona Grove High School
~ January 2018
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A Message From Dr. Brost
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Happy New Year:
The end of first semester is quickly approaching. Final exams are scheduled for January 16, 17, & 18. Please encourage your student to make sure that all semester projects are turned in on time and remind him/her to begin studying for finals early. During finals, students who are assigned to Academic Study Halls or Resource Centers must report to their rooms to review for finals. Otherwise, all students have open campus except during their exam times. Exams begin at the usual school starting time and are completed by 11:55 each day. The schedule is available on our web site. Buses pick up at the usual time, but will leave school at noon. Students do not have school on January 15 or 19.
If your family meets certain criteria, your children may qualify for free or reduced lunch. The application can be found on the district web site under "Links for Parents." We also have copies of the application in the main office that your student may pick up. All children in households who receive benefits from FoodShare, FDPIR, or W-2 Cash Benefits qualify regardless of income. Some children will qualify for reduced lunch prices if your family income falls in a certain range. Families must fill out an application every school year. Call our main office if you have any questions.
With the end of first semester, it is also time to begin thinking about scheduling classes for the 2018 - 2019 school year. School Counselors will be in classrooms on February 1 & 2 to begin the process of going over requirements and course options for next year. Students will enter course selections on February 7 & 8 to register for classes. The Course Handbook will be posted on the MGHS web site on January 9. We strongly encourage parents to be involved in course selection. We will continue to make our best effort to enroll students in the courses of their choice. However, it is important that students make informed course selections as there will be limited room for changes after the master schedule is developed in April.
It is common for college admission offices to list "Rigor of High School Coursework" as their highest priority in the admissions process. We also know that a rigorous high school schedule better prepares students for success in college once they have been admitted. However, students need to develop a course schedule that allows them to maintain some "life balance." This year we will be requiring students who enroll in four or more Advanced Placement (AP) courses to have a form signed by the AP teachers prior to their schedule being entered. This is NOT an approval process. On the form will be the approximate summer and school year time commitment of the AP course so students (and parents) can see what time commitment will be needed for this course load.
Congratulations to Sophia Keil for being selected as one of twenty state-level nominees for the national U.S. Presidential Scholars Program.
All parents are welcome to attend the monthly Parent/Educator Forums with me in the IMC. The meetings are informal. Current topics are shared and it is an opportunity for me to get feedback. The next meeting is on Monday, January 15, at 6:30 p.m.
Sincerely,
Paul Brost, Ph.D.
Principal
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2017-18 Student Calendar
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Click
here to view the 2017-18 school calendar.
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Parent Educator Forum Meeting
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All parents/guardians of MGHS students are welcome to attend the Parent Educator Forum meeting on
Monday,
January 15th
at
6:3
0 pm in the IMC.
This is a great opportunity to meet with Dr. Brost in a small group setting, hear what's going on at the high school level and discuss issues! Parents interested in what is discussed can email Lisa Stangler at
jlstangler@hotmail.com to get notes from our most recent meeting. We'd love to see new faces!
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Homework Help
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The Overtime Program is a program for students who need a place to do homework after school and for students who need extra time to complete an assignment or get extra help in a class. Some students may be assigned to Overtime by their teachers if there is a need.
Overtime takes place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-4:30 in the IMC. Please encourage your student to take advantage of the Overtime Program if they need additional help with an assignment or in one of their classes.
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News from the Student Services Department
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Students are encouraged to build a relationship with their school counselor during their high school years. Passes for appointments during school hours may be obtained by stopping in Student Services. Each student is assigned a counselor based on the student's last name:
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Ms. Bishop has A-G
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Mr. Groff has H-O
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Ms. Burke has P-Z
In addition, the Student Services Department includes Ms. Macias, School to Work Coordinator (co-op and apprenticeship information); Ms. Frain, School Social Worker; and Ms. Smith, School Psychologist. All are available to meet with students and parents to help with academic, career, social and emotional needs.
Student services welcomes all students! Please remember to stop in to make an appointment.
All MGHS juniors will take the ACT on Tuesday, February 27 and the WorkKeys on Wednesday, February 28. The ACT includes reading, math, English, science and writing. It is designed to assess a student's readiness for college, provide information to build rigorous high school course plans and identify career areas that align with their interests. The WorkKeys includes applied math, graphic literacy, and workplace documents. It helps students understand how they can improve their career readiness skills and employers may also use this information to determine whether individuals are qualified for positions. Participation in both tests is mandatory for all juniors;
please schedule non-school related appointments outside of these days.
Course Registration Timeline for 2018-2019
Important dates for 8th grade students and their families:
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January 9: Course handbook will be posted to Monona Grove High School website
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January 16-18: School counselors will meet with eighth grade students at Glacial Drumlin School
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January 22: Future Freshmen Night at Monona Grove High School
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By end of January: Current eighth grade students make course selections in Infinite Campus
Important dates for freshmen, sophomores and juniors:
Future Freshmen Night - January 22, 2018
Welcome to the class of 2022! Families and current eighth grade students are invited to attend Future Freshmen Night on Monday, January 22. The evening will begin at 6:00 pm with an Activities and Athletics Fair in the commons followed by a short program in the auditorium. Families will then have an opportunity to visit elective classrooms.
Advanced Placement (AP) Exams
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Students currently enrolled in AP courses should begin conversations with AP teachers about the exams offered in May.
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Registration for AP Exams begins on February 6 and ends on February 23.
No late registrations are allowed
. More information regarding information will be forthcoming.
SENIOR NEWS
Senior Meetings - All seniors are asked to schedule your senior meeting with your school counselor as soon as possible. We will discuss your post high school plans and answer your questions. Also, remember to review the post-secondary planning powerpoint that was sent to you in early September.
Letters of recommendation - Many of you plan to ask your teacher, employer, coach or counselor for a letter of recommendation. Quality recommendations take time to write! Please request your letters at least two weeks - preferably more - prior to your deadline.
Scholarship information can be found on the MG website in the student services tab under "Post Secondary Planning". It's up to the students to check this regularly for updates. Most colleges/universities also offer their own annual scholarship opportunities to incoming freshmen. Students are highly encouraged to explore these by contacting their future school(s) of choice or by visiting school websites.
Midwest Student Exchange Program
The
Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP) is a multi-state tuition reciprocity program with nine of the 12 states in the Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) participating. MSEP can help students and their families find ways to save on out-of-state tuition.
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Menus
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Students may leave the school campus for lunch, but each student is expected to be back to school in time for their next class. If students stay at school for lunch, they may bring their own lunch or purchase lunch in the cafeteria. Students are expected to eat only in the designated lunch area unless permission is granted for a specific reason.
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| Early Learning Fair |
On
Monday, February 5, 2018
, the Monona Grove School District will hold its annual Early Learning Fair and Together 4 Kids Registration at Nichols School (MG District Office) in Monona. This event is a free service to families of pre-school children. Parents will have the opportunity to meet with a professional to share information about their child's development and to register for the 2018-2019 T4K program. Registration information will be sent to families in mid December. Parents will need to schedule an appointment upon receipt of registration materials. If you have any new neighbors with young children aged birth to 4½, please have them call Gina in the Early Education Office at 839-2113.
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From the Athletic Department
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Sign up to be notified of changes to sporting events!
Winter weather is just around the corner! Have you ever wondered if a sporting event or activity has been cancelled due to weather? If so, it's time to get registered to receive email notification of the cancelled/changed sport/activity.
and click on "Notify Me" on the top banner. MGHS waits until approximately 2:00 p.m. to cancel a sporting event.
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Infinite Campus Information
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Is your Infinite Campus Information Up to Date?
Do you have a
c
hange of infor
mation such as a new doctor, a new e-mail address or phone number? It is very important that all of your information is up to date on Infinite Campus. Please log into your Parent Portal and enter the new information.
Infinite Campus Mobile App
Parents may access Infinite Campus on their mobile de
vices. The mobile app information can be found at the bottom of the parent portal window
. The District ID is GJGZMY.
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Reminders from the Attendance Office
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 24 hour Attendance Line:
608-316-1393
The Attendance Office is open from 7:00-3:30. Parents may call before or after school and leave a message regarding their child's attendance.
Parents are required to call the Attendance Line prior to 10:00 A.M. on the day of the absence.
Please be sure to indicate the student's name, grade, date of absence and reason for absence when calling.
Students must have absences excused within 24 hours after they return or the absences will be considered unexcused.
The MGSD recognizes a positive relationship between good school attendance and success in school and employment.
A student's attendance in school becomes part of his/her permanent school record and is often the subject of inquiry by employers. Most importantly, however, is the need for students to be in school to interact with the teacher and with other students as they gain the knowledge that is necessary for successful completion of the course of studies Monona Grove High School provides.
Excused Absences
Parents may excuse, in writing, a student for any reason
PRIOR
to the day of the absence. (Wis. Stats. 118.15(3)(c). If an excuse is not given prior to an absence, the school, not a student's parent, excuses an absence. Monona Grove High School will excuse a student from school for the following reasons:
- personal illness;
- illness in the family for which the student is required at home;
- funerals and weddings;
- religious holidays;
- legal obligations;
- dental, medical, and orthodontic appointments;
- family vacations that cannot be scheduled during non-school times or other family approved vacations or school visits with prior approval; and
- an emergency situation which must be reviewed by the assistant principal.
Unexcused Absences
The school will not excuse an absence for any reason other than those listed above. Specifically:
- single period absences for illness when the student fails to report to the Nurse's Office
- absences related to vehicle problems during the school day
- oversleeping
- absences due to working on other school work will not be excused unless it's a school-sponsored field trip.
Parents will be notified of unexcused absences by phone or mail. Students with unexcused absences from classes or study halls will be assigned one, two-hour after school detention per period missed.
Leaving School Early
Monona Grove High School is a closed campus except for the following occasions: lunch, cooperative education programs, medical/dental appointments, sudden illness, or open campus students. During passing times, students must remain on school grounds. All students wishing to leave school must obtain permission from their parent, the assistant principal, or the school nurse in case of illness. Students will not be allowed out of class for illness unless they are going home. At that time, the student must sign out in the Attendance Office and receive an out pass. If he/she plans to return to school, he/she must sign in upon returning. Students are not allowed to have other students drive them anywhere during the school day.
Planned Absences and Vacations
Occasionally a student will know in advance that he/she will be absent from school. This can be excused if, and only if, a planned absence form is
completed prior to the absence. This requires that the student notify his/her teachers of the planned absence so that school work missed during the absence can be given to the student. This must be done at least three days prior to the planned absence. Planned absence forms are available in the Attendance Office and are required for absences of 2 or more days.
If forms are not completed and returned before the student leaves, the absences will be unexcused.
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| What are Pocket Points? |
Monona Grove High School has joined over 250 college and High School campuses around the country and joined Pocket Points. Pocket Points is an app for your smart phone that helps students gain points towards incentives and coupons, just for staying off of their devices during school.
The program is free, voluntary, and only allows students to gain points from
7:45 to 3:15
,
Monday
through
Friday
, while they are in the actual high school building. For every twenty minutes that a phone is locked, the student will receive 1 point. The points are redeemable for incentives from teachers in the building, as well as the school store.
Incentives include 2 for 1 movie tickets and free popcorn with a purchase at the concession stand. Points can also be redeemed at local businesses. If you own a local business and are interested in having coupons available for MGHS students, please contact Mr. Roth at the High School.
If a High School student does not have a smartphone, but wants to take part in the school incentives, they can contact Mr. Roth to set up the program.
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| Chromebook Care |
Check
this out for the tips on
caring
for your Chromebook!!
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| Fine Arts and Athletics Touch Screen |
Next time you are in the building, check out the Athletics and Fine Arts touch screen. It is located in the Main Entrance hallway near the Commons. Search for students and activities dating back to 1955. Take a trip down memory lane!
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| Female Athlete Summit |
MGHS hosted a summit to support and empower our female student-athletes. Speakers were some of our MG coaches, MG alumni, and two outside speakers who work throughout the community to empower women through athletics.
Our high school athletes talked about the importance of community and reached out to our younger
#MGSoars athletes. They worked on mindfulness practices to develop confidence, learned ways to refocus their thoughts and also how to create a personal mantra, as well. Female athletes rock!
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| MG Hockey Youth Night |
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The Monona Grove Hockey Team would like to invite all staff and students to Youth Night on Saturday, January 13th
at Hartmeyer Ice Arena. The MG Varsity team will face off against Fond du Lac at
2:30
JV at
12:45
. Monona Grove Hockey Club will be giving away Schoep's ice-cream, hot dogs, popcorn and a choice of one select beverage to all students.
Patriots - plan to wear your jersey! Come to the rink and support your MG skaters!
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