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Family Newsletter for Monona Grove High School
~ December 2017
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A Message From Dr. Brost
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Dear Parents and Friends:
We are heading into the holiday season! As the weather makes the roads more challenging, please encourage your student to leave some extra time in the morning to get to school safely and promptly. With snow season, we need to plan for bad weather. If school is cancelled, students will have a "skinny" schedule the next day when they return. Students will have all of their "A & B" classes and they will be 47 minutes in length. This allows us to stay on our A/B schedule for the semester. The "Skinny Schedule" is posted on our web site under "Calendars and Schedules." It is unlikely that we would have two consecutive snow days. However, if this were to happen, we would have a regular "A" or "B" day when students return to school.
Even though we have seven weeks of school remaining in first semester, the time will go by quickly. Encourage your student to work hard in December and go into the Winter Break in "good standing" in all classes. When we return from break, there are just a couple weeks of classes before final exams. The "Holiday Season" can be a difficult time for many students and families. Please communicate with our guidance staff if your student needs some additional emotional support.
Monona Grove High School participates in the Dane County Youth Survey that is administered in most of the area high schools every three years. The survey is anonymous. It provides us with information in a number of areas including alcohol and drug use, sexual activity, and mental health. Because we give the survey every three years, we are able to review the data and look for trends that may inform how we use resources and better serve students and families. You will receive a communication with more details regarding this survey soon; including the process to opt out if you do not wish for your student to participate. All students will take the survey electronically on Friday, December 15.
We are beginning initial preparations for the 2018-2019 school year. Shortly after Winter Break, counselors will be going into classrooms to talk with students about course registration. We encourage you to take an active role in the course selections for your student. Preparation for post-secondary plans should drive student schedules with consideration given for rigor and balance. We are hopeful that the implementation of the monthly advisory period this year will provide students with even more information regarding their academic and career planning. Teachers and school counselors are also happy to assist with course decisions.
Congratulations to our girls who qualified for the Girls State Dive and Swim Meet. Nikki Benedict and Trinity McNall competed in diving. Cassandra Keller, Mary O'Malley, Olivia Seymour, Brianna Back and alternate, Alexandra Gennerman competed in the 200 Free Relay. Brianna Back also competed in the 200 and 100 Freestyle. We are also very proud of our football team's unbeaten regular season and their post-season run to the third round of playoffs. On November 4, the Model UN Team competed in Middleton against seven schools and won 14 of 28 awards presented. They travel to Chicago on December 1 for their major competition. The Drama Club advanced to State Competition in Whitewater and received awards for Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Crew. Reez Bailey and Tyree Jensen earned Outstanding Acting Awards, and our Director, Becky Osman, received an award as well. Lastly, Boys Cross Country Coach, Jeremy Duss, was chosen as Coach of the Year in District Five after the Boys Team won Sectionals and finished 4th at the Cross Country State Meet. We are very proud of the dedication of our students and coaches/advisors in athletics, music, theatre, and clubs.
Enjoy your time with family during winter break!
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,
December 18
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
[email protected] 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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| Mental Health Resources |
The Monona Grove School District is committed to supporting the social/emotional/academic well being of your student. As an adolescent, working to grow up and to be a successful young adult requires the support and guidance of all the student's trusted adults. The MGHS Student Services team would like to share some resources with parents, to promote a better understanding of when your teen may be in need of mental health support. Below are two links to mental health resources. Please review, and if you have any questions or concerns, we invite you to contact a Student Services staff member.
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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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| Sibling Photos |
The yearbook staff is looking for
sibling pictures for the yearbook
. All siblings pictured must be in high school. Please put the names of the students on the back of the photo and drop them off in the main office.
Also, we are looking for pictures of seniors from grade school and middle school, such as group pictures, birthday parties, field trips, or sporting events. Those can be dropped off in the main office as well.
The deadline to submit pictures is December 22.
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| 2017 MGHS Holiday Project |
 The 2017 MGHS Holiday Project is underway. This year we have many MGHS families who can benefit from the generosity of our community. As in years past, we have tags hanging outside the main office for household needs, clothing, and gifts that MGHS families in need have requested.
If you are interested in helping out a member of the MGHS community please consider picking up a gift tag or two. Detailed instructions are posted near the tags
. Gifts should be returned to room 257 at the high school no later than Monday December 18. If you have any questions or would like to select a tag or donate money but cannot make it to the high school, please contact...
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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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| Academic Awards Night |
On November 13, over 270 students were recognized for their academic achievement at the Fall Academic Awards Night. Students were recognized for maintaining certain grade point averages each semester. A cake and punch reception was held after the program.
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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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| Parent Teacher Conferences |
Parent Teacher Conferences concluded on November 16 with a record turnout! 349 families attended Fall conferences!
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| Congratulations to State Qualifiers |
MGHS celebrated the State qualifiers for
our
Girls Swim & Dive team and also the Drama Club's One Act Play in a State Send-Off Celebration!
Pictured above are the
State qualifiers for Girls Dive team and Girls Swim: Nikki Benedict, Trinity McNall,
Brianna Back, Mary O'Malley, Cassandra Keller, Olivia Seymour, and alternate Lexie Gennerman. They are coached by Amber Earleywine and Mae Bretl.
Pictured above are the State qualifiers for Drama Club: Zoe Keck, Avery Thompson,Tyree Jensen, Reez Bailey, Elizabeth Ng, Emma Krueger, Kylie Miller, Grace Ritcher, Adrianna Goldsby, Juniper Nielson, Rachel Hepp, Janelle Sanabria, Taylor Schroeckenthaler, Gabre Moon, Gabrenna Davig, Mackenzie Smith, Lydia Miller, Kortney Pohl, Rebecca Plourd, Xavier Robins, Megan Robinson, Ben Vandervort, Luke Gavins, Kyle Wheeler, Miles Woerth, Amanda Revolinski, Meghan Kohl, Dorothy Truman-Yadon, Zoe Keck, Elizabeth Ng, Mackenzie Smith. They are directed by Becky Osman.
These special awards were earned! WAY TO GO!
Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Crew, Outstanding Directing, and Reez Bailey and Tyree Jensen got Outstanding Acting awards! It's a great accomplishment for all the Drama Club students!
Congrats on these accomplishments! We are so very proud of you and how you represented Monona Grove!
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Congratulations to MG Athletes
Letters of Intent signing...
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Three MGHS athletes signed their National Letter of Intent and we couldn't be more proud of them!
Congratulations to Nikki Benedict who will be diving on the Women's Diving team at Iowa State.
Congratulations to Ben McDade who will be swimming with the Men's Swimming team at Indiana.
Congratulations to Charlie Ellenbecker, he signed his Letter of Intent with UW-Milwaukee for Cross Country and Track.
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| Congratulations Model UN! |
The MG Model UN team had an amazing conference competition on Saturday, November 4th at MADMUN as they won 12 of the 24 awards given out! They were competing against 7 other schools in Southern Wisconsin.
- Pictured from left to right (back row). Junior Tyler Hengst, Best Position Paper in US Cabinet; Junior Carter Foust, Best Delegate in US Cabinet; Junior Daniel Scaife, Best Position Paper in Security Council; Junior Kate Wallner, Best Position Paper in League of Arab States; Freshmen Eli Scott, Honorable Mention in African Union; Junior Brady Clark, Best Delegate in Organization of American States; Junior Reez Bailey, Best Delegate in the General Assembly.
- Middle Row (standing): Senior Bridget Ralson, Best Delegate in Soviet Cabinet; Sophomore Sylvia Reinebach, Outstanding Delegate in Organization of American States; Freshmen Rojaan Koupaei, Honorable Mention in General Assembly.
- First Row (kneeling): Junior Andrew Klinke, Best Delegate in League of Arab States; Junior Nicholas Deuchars, Outstanding Delegate in the African Union; and Junior Sarah Fahlberg, Honorable Mention in Soviet Cabinet.
- Sitting: Junior Christian Schuster, Best Delegate in Security Council.
The MG Model UN team is led by Co-Advisors Maddie Short and Jeremy Wallace.
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| MGEF Gala |
See the link to the recording of the MGEF Gala presentations last month. Thanks again for all of the support
gala
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| Math Department Shenanigans |
| November was full of fun for the MGHS Math Department. Dress up days started with flannel Friday, threw in some fall colors with all red, and ended with pajama day after a busy night of conferences. Thanks to all the parents who came in for conferences the last two weeks - your conversations and insight are very appreciated!
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| NBC15 Sounds of the Season |
The
camera crew from NBC15 was at the HS videotaping a performance of the combined A cappella and Bel Canto Choirs. The performance will be aired December 24th as part of the Sounds of the Season Program. NBC15 Sounds of the Season Program is an hour-long commercial-free program that is sponsored by WYSO and runs on Christmas Eve at 10 p.m., in place of the 10 p.m. news.
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| Teen ATOD Prevention Newsletter |
 Click
here to read the December issue of the Teen ATOD Prevention Newsletter. This newsletter is provided by PICADA, a program of Family Service Madison.
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