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Family Newsletter for Monona Grove High School
~ January 2020
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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 21, 22, & 23. Please encourage your student to make sure that all semester projects are turned in on time and remind them 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. The Social Studies Resource Center and the English Resource Center will meet in the IMC during 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 website. Buses pick up at the usual time in the morning, but will leave school at noon for drop off. Students do not have school on January 20 or 24.
We take the integrity of all assessments seriously. Final exams are especially important because of their potential impact on semester grades. Students must have their
cell phones turned off and put away during exams
. Having a cell phone out any time during the 70-minute exam is an Academic Honesty violation.
With the end of first semester, it is also time to begin thinking about scheduling classes for the 2020 - 2021 school year. On January 29, during their Academic Career Planning (ACP) period, students will watch a video presentation from counselors regarding course registration. During ACP period on February 5, teachers will assist students in beginning the registration process. Counselors will go into classrooms on February 10 and 11 to finalize student course requests. You may reference the Course Handbook on the MGHS website. 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. It is important that students make informed course selections in February as the Master Schedule is built to accommodate these requests.
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." Again 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.
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 Tuesday, January 21 at 6:30 p.m.
Sincerely,
Paul Brost, Ph.D.
Principal
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| Office Hours |
The MGHS Main Office and
Student Services Office are open from
7:30 a.m - 4:00 p.m.
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2019-2020 Calendars and Schedules
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District Student Calendars:
Click
HERE to view the English version.
Click
HERE to view the Spanish version.
District Events Calendar Link:
Athletics Calendar Link:
MGHS CALENDARS MAIN PAGE IS
HERE
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| Semester 1 Finals Schedule |
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Tuesday January 21
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Wednesday January 22
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Thursday January 23
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7:55-
9:05
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1A
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5A
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3/4B
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9:20-10:30
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2A
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1B
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5B
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10:45-11:55
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3/4A
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2B
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make-up
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| Breakfast and Lunch Menus |
January Menus (switch between breakfast and lunch in the upper left hand corner)
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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| SkillsUSA District Competition |
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Congratulations to all the SkillsUSA competitors who represented MG with pride bringing home 1 Bronze, 4 Silvers and 1 Gold at the District Competitions. Ellie Thoma took bronze in Related Technical Math. Silvers were earned by Ben Vandervort - Carpentry, David Delyea - Welding Sculpture, Bailee Patt - Electrics Technology, and Lily Stern - Graphic Design. Logan Soderholm earned Gold in Architectural Design.
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| Glacial Drumlin Courage Retreat |
These MGHS students
volunteered
on Thursday, Dec 5, 2019, at the Glacial Drumlin Courage Retreat. They worked alongside the Youth Frontier leaders to lead activities for a full day retreat for over 200 7th-grade MGSD students!
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Wisconsin Memorial Chess Tournament
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Ethan Frydenlund of Monona Grove High School played in the Wisconsin Memorial chess tournament in Middleton on December 7-8. The Wisconsin Memorial is a Wisconsin Chess Tour event and a major tournament in the state with 64 players participating. Ethan finished with one win, and one draw out of
five games. His provisional Elo chess rating was 1290 which is very good for a player at their first tournament. Ethan enjoyed playing in the tournament and would do it again.
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Ken Rasmussen (chess facilitator at MG) and Ethan
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| Monona Grove Music |
Jazz Festival
All three of Monona Grove High School's Jazz Bands will be traveling to UW Steven's Point on Friday, January 31st for the UW Steven's Point Jazz Festival. The groups will play for clinicians who will provide written and verbal feedback and a video recording. The high school musicians will also attend a show put on by The Wallace Roney Quartet.
Pep Band
Friday January 3rd
Boys Basketball
Pep Band Alumni Night (if alumni are interested in playing, they should contact
Mrs. Collins)
Tuesday January 7th
Girls Basketball
Friday January 24th
Boys Hockey
Tuesday January 28th
Girls Basketball
Show Choir
Saturday January 4th
competition at Parkview
Saturday January 11th
competition at Onalaska
Saturday January 18th
competition at Milton
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News from the Athletic Department
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Click HERE to access the Monona Grove High School Athletics and Activities web page.
Sign up to be notified of changes to sporting events!
Winter weather is back! 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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| Boys swim recognized their Very Inspirational People at their MG VIP Night earlier in the season |
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| The MGHS Boys Basketball Program had a great turnout for their Little Eagles Camp! |
Looking Ahead to Spring Sports
Spring Sport Meeting Dates
Believe
it or not, spring sports are just around the corner! Pre-season meetings for spring sports will be held on the following dates. Please mark these dates on your calendar, to meet your students' coaches and learn more about sport expectations.
Baseball - March 26, 6:30 pm, MGHS Commons
Boys Golf - March 23, 6:30 pm, Door Creek Golf Course
Girls Soccer - February 24, 6:00 pm, MGHS IMC
Softball - February 24, 6:30 pm, MGHS Auditorium
Boys Tennis - February 25, 6:00 pm, MGHS Room 130
Boys Track & Field -- March 3, 6:00 pm, MGHS Auditorium
Girls Track & Field -- March 3, 6:00 pm, MGHS IMC
Spring Sport Start Dates
Practices
for spring sports will begin on the following dates. Online registration for spring sports will open at the beginning of February.
Baseball - March 23
Boys Golf - April 6
Girls Soccer - March 23
Softball - March 16
Boys Tennis - March 30
Boys & Girls Track & Field - March 9
Physicals
If your student athlete 1) didn't play a fall or winter sport this year, 2) will be trying out for a spring sport, and 3) doesn't have a physical on file dated on or after 4/1/2018, get an appointment with their provider for a sports physical ASAP.
Strength and Conditioning
There is after-school strength and conditioning Monday through Friday. It is open to all athletes. On Monday and Wednesday, the focus is on speed from 3:45-4:30. On Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, the focus is on weights from 3:45-5:00.
Is your child planning on participating in a spring sport? Help with injury prevention by asking them about strength and conditioning.
Please contact
Coach Bellamy with any questions. See you in the weight room!
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News from the Student Services Department
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Course Registration Timeline for 2020-2021
Important dates for 8th grade students and their families:
- January 6: Course Handbook 2020-2021 will be posted to Monona Grove High School website
- January 13: Future Ninth Grade Night at Monona Grove High School, 6:00 pm ~ Activities Fair in Commons, 6:30 pm ~ Presentation in Auditorium
- January 15: School counselors meet with eighth grade students at Glacial Drumlin School
- By January 23: Current eighth grade students enter course selections in Infinite Campus
Important dates for freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and their families:
- January 29 - ACP: Students will watch the registration video and begin reviewing course offerings in the Course Handbook.
- February 5 - Advisory: Students review the "Course Selection Presentation", receive course selection forms and continue reviewing course offerings in the Course Handbook (online).
- Some students/families appreciate the course selection forms in advance of their distribution during ACP/Advisory; please see the student services website to print a copy.
- February 10-11: MGHS students enter course selections in Infinite Campus; students must have their completed course offering sheet - signed by a parent/guardian - and their Chromebook. If taking an AP class, must also have signed AP Course Registration Form.
Future Ninth Grade Night - January 13, 2020
Welcome to the class of 2024! Families and current eighth grade students are invited to attend Future Ninth Grade Night on Monday, January 13. 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 and get a general idea of the expectations at the high school.
Youth Apprenticeship Program
The Youth Apprenticeship Program is open to juniors and seniors. If your current sophomore or junior is interested in applying for the Youth Apprenticeship program for next year, please have them make an appointment with Ms. Shore (covering Ms. Deibele's maternity leave) before the end of January. During the meeting, Ms. Shore will discuss the application process and will help determine if the program is a good fit for your student. Applications for the Youth Apprenticeship program are due in February. Please direct any questions to Ms. Shore at
[email protected]
; Ms. Deibele will return in mid-April.
ACT for All Juniors - Tuesday, March 3, 2020
All MGHS juniors will take the ACT on Tuesday, March 3, 2020. 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. This ACT is an official test date and the scores can be submitted to colleges for admission purposes. Pretest bubbling will be completed in classes prior to the testing dates; students are encouraged to consider which colleges they would like to have their ACT scores reported to so they are prepared to enter codes for each college/university. Participation in the ACT is mandatory for all juniors; please do not schedule non-school related appointments on March 3rd.
ZAPS ACT Test Prep Seminar for Juniors - Saturday, February 8, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Juniors - Register today for the upcoming ZAPS ACT Test-Prep Seminar. The seminar will be held at MGHS on Saturday, February 8 from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm. Register at
www.doorwaytocollege.com
or call 877-927-8378.
There are a limited number of seminar scholarships available for students who have demonstrated financial need; please see Ms. Burke in Student Services.
Free ACT Test Preparation Resources
ACT has also launched a free, personalized test preparation program through the
ACT Academy
. ACT Academy is free to all students. Students, teachers, and parents can create an account. Having an account allows students to track their progress and keep moving forward in their test preparation. Short quizzes are designed to help students identify the content they have mastered and to clarify areas where more focus is needed. If students have already taken the ACT, they can simply enter their scores and custom playlists will be automatically created. ACT Academy creates automated daily playlists to hit on the basic lessons each student needs to master the ACT. After each lesson, a short quiz will determine if the resources given helped the student learn the material.
Here is a video to learn more
about the ACT Academy.
Advanced Placement (AP) Exams
- AP Exams will take place from May 4 - May 15.
- All exams will take place at the District Office at 5301 Monona Drive. Transportation is not provided. We encourage all students to carpool as parking is limited. If transportation will be problematic for your student, please contact Susan Bishop at least one week prior to the test date and she will help make arrangements.
- Registration for and payment of AP Exams have concluded. Thank you for all you did to make this possible.
- A reminder that no refunds are given for exams registered for but not taken. Please encourage your student to work hard and do their best so that they feel confident in taking these exams.
Employment Opportunities
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.
SENIOR NEWS
Scholarship Information
Scholarship information
can be found on the MG website in the student services tab under "Post-Secondary Planning". It is up to the students to check this regularly for updates. Most colleges/universities also offer their own annual scholarship opportunities for incoming freshmen. Students are highly encouraged to explore these by contacting their future school(s) of choice or by visiting school websites
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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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Infinite Campus Information
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Is your Infinite Campus Information Up to Date? Do you have a change of information 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 and students may access Infinite Campus on their mobile devices.
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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 Tuesday, January 21.
Parent Educator Forum is an informal meeting in which Dr. Brost gives a brief overview of current issues in education and events occurring at the high school, occasionally followed by group discussion. There is no formal agenda, it's an opportunity for parents to have contact with high school staff, without dues or volunteering. Typically, we meet on the 3rd Monday of each month at 6:30 in the IMC (library) for about an hour. 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 Cathy Bernards at [email protected] to get notes from our most recent meeting. We'd love to see new faces!
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| Early Learning Fair 2020 |
On Monday, February 3rd, 2020, 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 2020-2021 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 4 ½, please have them call Gina in the Early Education Office at 839-2113.
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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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