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Family Newsletter for Monona Grove High School
~ October 2019
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A Message From Dr. Brost
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Dear Parents:
The school year is underway and students have gotten into their new routines. Progress Reports will be available on Infinite Campus the week of October 7. I will send you an e-mail when they are ready. Please stay in touch with your student's teachers and school counselor if you have any concerns.
The Fall Academic Awards Banquet will be held at 7:30 p.m. on November 4. To qualify for an award, students must earn 6, 12, or 18 points. Students are awarded points each semester based on their GPA: 3.0 - 3.49 = 1 pt.; 3.5 - 3.74 = 2 pts.; and 3.75 - 4.0 = 3 pts. Lists of award winners who qualify will be posted in the Student Services Office window so students can check their status.
Homecoming is next week. Class Officers have worked hard to plan for Dress-Up Days, the Pep Assembly and Parade on Friday, and the Homecoming Dance on October 12. You should have received an Infinite Campus message this week with details. Encourage your student to get involved.
Some fall sports are already nearing post-season play. We are proud of the commitment our student athletes make to their sport and the classroom. A number of clubs are also very busy. There are high levels of participation in many of these. If your student is not already involved in a co-curricular activity, it is not too late to join a number of clubs and winter sports are around the corner. We know that students who are involved in activities beyond the school day tend to feel more connected to school and have better academic outcomes.
Seniors should be working on, or completing, college applications. Whether attending a two-year, or four-year college, it is advantageous to be organized and get information submitted well before deadlines. School counselors can assist with any questions about application processes. Financial Aid Night is at 6:30 p.m. on October 2. This meeting used to take place after the first of the year when taxes were complete. However, you can now submit applications for financial assistance before the end of the fiscal year. Seniors will meet with Midwest Scholastic on October 28 to receive information regarding graduation; including the process for ordering caps and gowns. Seniors should be bringing home a folder after the meeting. Orders will be turned in on November 6.
The high school will be conducting a Universal Mental Health Screener with all 9th-graders during Advisory in October. Our goal is to identify students who may need support. Mental Health concerns have been a topic of discussion in schools for years and have gained state and national attention more recently. The Dane County Youth Survey that our students participated in two years ago indicated that 19% of our students felt depressed for more than 6 months and 30% of our students had anxiety that lasted more than 6 months. As a school, we are participating in staff development to inform us of strategies to decrease anxiety for some students. We also want students to have at least one adult in school who they trust to talk with regarding mental health. Please contact one of our Student Services staff if you have any concerns regarding struggles your student may be having.
Capital School Pictures will be available on October 3 for students who want to retake their picture. They will be set up in the auditorium. Students who have not had their picture taken for the yearbook and school ID's must get this done that day.
You are invited to attend the Parent/Educator Forum at 6:30 p.m. on October 21. Please e-mail or call us at 221 - 7666 with any questions or concerns.
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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| Yearbook Order Deadline is November 1st |
Yearbooks cost $45. To order your student a yearbook, pay $45 either on the parent portal OR cash/check can be brought to the main office. (payable to MGHS)
Click on My Accounts to access the optional fees and add them to your cart.
Deadline is November 1st.
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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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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, October
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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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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News from the Student Services Department
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, and
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Ms. Burke has P-Z.
In addition, the student services department includes Ms. Deibele, School to Work Coordinator (co-op and apprenticeship information); Ms. Danielson, 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.
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. Please bring a copy of your "Senior Information Form" to leave with your counselor.
Letters of recommendation
- Many of you plan to ask your teacher, employer, or coach for a letter of recommendation. Quality recommendations take some time to write! Please request your letters at least two weeks - preferably more - prior to your deadline and remember to send a thank you note.
Scholarship Information
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 for incoming freshmen. Students are highly encouraged to explore these by contacting their future school(s) of choice or by visiting school websites.
REMINDER:
Financial Aid Night for Junior and Seniors and their parents/guardians
Wednesday, October 2, 6:30 - 8:00 pm, MGHS Auditorium
Juniors and seniors and their parents/guardians are invited to join us on Wednesday, October 2 at 6:30 pm for Financial Aid Night in the MGHS auditorium. Kari Temkin from the UW-Madison Office of Student Financial Aid will be here to provide families with a general overview of the financial aid process as well as to share information about important updates. The window to complete the FAFSA opens on October 1, 2019 - come learn the most current financial aid information from an expert in the field!
New this year
- We will also be offering the presentation in Spanish. Sal Carranza, formerly from the Latino Education Council, will be here to share
general information about the FAFSA, the different kinds of financial aid available, and scholarship opportunities. He will also share information regarding opportunities specifically for Spanish-speaking families to receive assistance with completing the FAFSA. The presentation will be on Wednesday, October 2 at 6:30 in the library.
Please note that Financial Aid Night is primarily for current seniors and their parents/guardians;
juniors and parents/guardians may also be interested in attending for a preview of the financial aid process.
PSAT
Registration for the PSAT is closed. For those that are registered, a reminder that the PSAT will be held at Monona Grove High School on
Saturday, October 19 from 7:30 am until approximately 11:45 a.m.
Students may begin checking in at 7:40 a.m. at the main entrance of the building. Please bring your student ID, #2 pencils, and approved calculator.
HOW DO I PREPARE?
When you registered for the PSAT, you received a PSAT Student Guide. Please review this carefully before taking the test. It includes information about the test and materials (i.e. calculators, no cell phones, etc), a sample of a complete exam which you can self score, as well as additional information about the National Merit Scholarship Program. Additional information and practice can be found at
CollegeBoard
,
Kaplan
, and Googling "Free PSAT Practice and Tests".
ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) Exams
The AP Program gives students a chance to experience college-level classes in high school and opens the door to earning college credit before a student sets foot on campus. To have the possibility of earning college credit, a student must take the AP exams and earn a certain score.
For students enrolled in AP classes, note that The College Board has set a new timeline for ordering AP exams. Starting with the 2019-2020 school year, students will be required to register for the AP exams in the fall, by
November 1, 2019
. The exams will still take place in May. The exam fees charged by MGHS remain the same at $99 per AP exam. If the fee for taking exams is prohibitive for your student, please contact Susan Bishop. More information on how to order and pay for exams will be coming soon to students in their AP classes. Be sure to communicate with your student regarding their interest in taking the AP exam.
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| Let's Eat!! |
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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News from the Athletic Department
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Click HERE is access the Monona Grove High School Athletics and Activities web page.
Winter Sports Registration
Monona Grove High School online registration for winter sports will take place through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.
A message will be sent to your Infinite Campus Parent Portal Inbox within the next two weeks. Please click on the message with a date range, labeled "Winter Sports Athletics Registration" to complete the online registration process.
All forms will now be completed online, except the Physical Form. These should be turned into the High School Main Office. Payments will be assigned to Infinite Campus after teams are formed.
Sign up to be notified of changes to sporting events!
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 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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| MGEF Annual Celebration |
Please join us in the Celebration of this year's MGEF Innovation Grant Winners. On November 2, 2019, the MGEF will host its Annual Celebration at the Eastside Club to honor the 2018-19 Innovation Grant winners. The MGEF will be honoring these ten recipients with a short video montage highlighting their grants, an interactive presentation of one of the winners and our Featured Speaker, Jennifer Goodnough, who is also a grant winner. The primary funding source of these grants is the Annual Celebration. Each year the MGEF earmarks $10,000 for the next year's Innovation Grants. These grants go directly to the MGSD team to help support innovation within each school. The Innovation Grants have been used as pilot programs (like rocker chairs), for teachers to attend seminars, purchase new equipment (such as a paint sprayer for H.S. Art dept.) and enhance maker spaces.
Without great sponsors like Monona Bank, TDS, Boardman Clark, Monona Motors, UW Credit Union
and many others we would not have the ability to continue this vital opportunity to push the educational and teaching boundaries of our MGSD students.
Please consider going to the MGEF page on the MGSD website to become a sponsor or purchase tickets to attend this year's event.
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| Band Director Receives Grant |
Pictured above: Kristi Williams, Matt Koenig and Cara Collins
MGHS Band Director, Cara Collins, received a grant from the Madison Civics Club. Cara used the grant to purchase a new clarinet for a freshman and to repair a clarinet for a junior. Both clarinets will be added to the band inventory and will continue to give students the opportunity to play music in band.
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| Meningitis Information from the Nurse |
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For your information about Meningitis!
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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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