Springfield Public Schools News Release

News From Springfield Public Schools

Communications Department

1359 E. St. Louis Street

Springfield, MO  65802

417-523-INFO 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  May 11, 2017

  • Explore and Artworks Information Packets for students can now be downloaded
  • SPS counselors to participate in community suicide prevention event
  • Two CHS seniors named National Merit Scholars
  • Seniors get send-off with commencements May 11, 12 and 17
Explore and Artworks Information Packets for students can now be downloaded
Parents and students can now view and print their Explore Information Packets. These downloadable packets include pertinent information about a student's Explore experience, including a class schedule.
 
Here's how:
  1. Visit the Explore Registration Page
  2. Login in with a student ID number and birth date.
  3. Click the button that says "Download Printable Schedule."
SPS counselors to participate in community suicide prevention event
Three SPS counselors will partner with three other community organizations for a panel discussion on preventing suicide in our community Thursday, May 18.
 
A Million Reasons Why Not: Addressing Suicide in Our Community will be held from 6-8 p.m. at Central High School. The community meeting will feature the Signs of Suicide Trusted Adult Training, focused on debunking common misconceptions about suicide. The event will also provide attendees with information detailing signs and symptoms to look for, as well as strategies for how to respond appropriately. A panel discussion will follow, addressing suicide in the community and offering parents tips on how to engage in conversation about suicide with their children.
 
Panel participants include Dr. Paul Thomlinson, Burrell Behavioral Health, Alaina Williams, Community Partnership of the Ozarks and Rhonda Mammen, director of SPS counseling services, as well as SPS counselors Callie Newton-Woods and Jeanene Gerhardt. 

Two CHS seniors named National Merit Scholars
National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced this year's $2500 scholarship winners. Central High School's Alexander Baker and Rafael Xu were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program.
 
National Merit $2500 Scholarship winners are the Finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state's percentage of the nation's graduating high school seniors.
 
These Scholars were selected by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors, who appraised a substantial amount of information submitted by both the Finalists and their high schools: the academic record, including difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned; scores from two standardized tests; contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay written by the Finalist; and a recommendation written by a high school official.
 
This year's competition for National Merit Scholarships began in October 2015 when over 1.6 million juniors in some 22,000 high schools took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. Last fall, the highest-scoring participants in each state, representing less than one percent of the nation's high school seniors, were named Semifinalists on a state-representational basis. Only these 16,000 Semifinalists had an opportunity to continue in the competition.
 
From the Semifinalist group, 15,000 students met the very high academic standards and their requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. By the conclusion of the 2017 program, about 7,500 Finalists will have earned the "Merit Scholar" title and received a total of about $32 million in college scholarships.

Seniors get send-off with commencements May 11, 12 and 17
The class of 2017 will be honored with seven commencement events districtwide. 

Thursday, May 11, at JQH Arena:
5 p.m. Glendale High School
7 p.m. Hillcrest High School
9 p.m. Parkview High School

Friday, May 12, at JQH Arena:
5:30 p.m. Central High School
8:30 p.m. Kickapoo High School

Friday, May 12, at Study Alternative Center:
12:30 p.m. Fourth Quarter Commencement

Wednesday, May 17, at Gillioz Theatre:
5:30 p.m. Middle College Commencement

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