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Family Newsletter for Monona Grove High School
~ February 2020
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A Message From Dr. Brost
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Dear Parents:
The start of a new semester helps to breathe a little energy into tired students after Final Exams. However, February and March often seem like a long stretch as we grow weary of cold weather and begin anticipating spring. Seniors may be receiving notices from colleges that are needed to finalize post-secondary plans. Whether seniors are going into an apprenticeship, the military, a technical college, or a four-year university; they should be communicating with their school counselor to make sure they are meeting deadlines. Financial aid opportunities should also be pursued. Please refer to our website for a variety of post-secondary planning resources.
As noted in the January newsletter, underclassmen will soon be registering for classes to be taken during the 2020 - 2021 school year. If you have not already, please take the time to go to our website and review the course handbook with your student. The Course Handbook can be found on the left-hand side of the high school web page. Students will begin filling out course grids on February 5 and then complete their selections on February 10 & 11. We ask that you sign the bottom of the grid to indicate that you have reviewed the course selections and approve. We cannot emphasize the importance of thoughtful course selection enough. Students will not be allowed to change their course selections unless they are missing a required class or there are extenuating circumstances.
During their Advisory Period on January 15, students participated in a lesson focused on the complexity and impact of offensive language. Education aimed at eliminating the use of racist, sexist, and homophobic words will continue to be part of our work. We appreciate any conversations you may have with your student regarding this topic.
Juniors will take the ACT on March 3. We are no longer required to administer the WorkKeys assessment so there will be just one day of testing for juniors this spring. Details regarding the schedule will be communicated later in February. Winter activities are in full swing. Some sports will begin their post-season competition before the end of the month. Music concert dates can be found on our calendar. Show Choir hosts our invitational on February 15. If you have time to attend part of the day, the student performances are exceptional.
The 36th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Recognition Breakfast was held at Edgewood High School on January 19. Congratulations to Anneeshya Perkins, Chloe Rembisz, Jacob Fisher, Jada Turner, Jadai Rex-Dean, Kamryn Johnson, Xavier Faison, and Yordanos Mussie. They were honored for their academic achievements as Outstanding Young Person Awardees.
We look forward to a great second semester.
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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| Breakfast and Lunch Menus |
February 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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| 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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| MG21 Liberal Arts Charter School |
MG21 is a public charter school for students in grades 6 through 12. It is part of the Monona Grove School District. Applications are now being accepted for the 2020/21 school year. You can learn more and apply at
www.mg21.org.
There are also 3 open houses coming up:
Tuesday February 11th 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Monday March 23rd 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Tuesday April 7th 4:30-7:30 p.m.
(10th Anniversary Open House)
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| National Honor Society |
I would like to extend a welcome and congratulations to all the junior class members who have demonstrated a strong academic commitment to their studies, and who have chosen to participate in the Monona Grove National Honor Society. Your service and dedication to your school and community reflects positively on Monona Grove High School. I look forward to seeing how your commitment to community service lifts and shapes our community. Congrats!
Mrs. Kramer,
NHS Advisor
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| MLK Youth Recognition Breakfast |
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Back row, left to right: Kamryn Johnson, Yordanos Mussie,
Xavier Faison, Jadai Rex-Dean
Front row, left to right: Jada Turner, Anneeshya Perkins,
Jacob Fisher, Chloe Rembisz
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These MGHS students are the 2020 recipients of the Martin Luther King Jr. Outstanding Young Person Award. They were recognized for their leadership on Sunday, January 19, 2020, at the 36th annual MLK Youth Recognition Breakfast sponsored by the Urban League of Greater Madison. Congratulations to these outstanding leaders!
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| Intro to Engineering Design |
Students in the PLTW: Intro to Engineering Design class here at MGHS get to spend a good amount of time working with design problems and prototyping solutions with one of the 3-D printers. In this project, students cut and propagated Jade plants and then designed a container to house the small succulents. The designs were 3-D printed and painted for visual appeal.
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| News from the Spanish Department |
17 MG families hosted Costa Rican students and their teacher this past January for 12 days. The "Ticos" (Costa Ricans) arrived in true Wisconsin fashion in the middle of a snow storm! They said the snow was "magical!" Costa Rican students had opportunities to go ice skating, tubing and sledding, attend a Packer's football party, try cheese curds and frozen custard, build a snowman, go to a hockey game, and many more awesome winter and Wisconsin activities--for most, it was their first time experiencing snow and temperatures below 50 degrees. Costa Rican students also spent two days attending classes at Monona Grove with their MG host students. Mrs. Ramirez helped to organize the group events and Mrs. Rossing and Mrs. Boehm were among the families that hosted Costa Rican students too! Great memories were created and hopefully this opportunity was just the beginning of long-lasting international friendships and time spent together! As the Costa Ricans say,
"Pura Vida!"
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| Monona Grove Music |
Orchestra
The Badger Conference Honors Orchestra will play at Edgewood High School on Thursday, February 6th. MGHS has ten students participating.
Choir
The Midwinter Choir Concert is on Wednesday, February 12th at 7:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium.
Band
The 2020 Chili Luncheon and Pops Concert will be held on Sunday, February 9th. There will be lunch and jazz in the MGHS Commons from 11:30-1:30 followed by a free Pops Band Concert in the Auditorium from 2:00-3:00. Lunch is $10 for adults, $6 for students and seniors and free for children 5 and younger. This event features 8th through 12th grade band students.
On January 16th, seven Monona Grove High School Band Students participated in the 2020 University of Dubuque Honor Band.
High School musicians were selected from various schools in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Representing Monona Grove were
Sara Vandervort, trumpet, Alexandra Schultz, clarinet, Kelsey Hilgart, trumpet, Eli Scott, euphonium,Quentin Simmons, euphonium, Alex Sievert, trombone, and Brendan Ostrowsky, baritone saxophone.
Students spent the entire day in rehearsal and performed a concert that evening. The band was led by Dr. Cassandra Berchard and Dr. Nolan Hauta of the University of Dubuque.
Musical selections performed were "Chasing Sunlight" by Cait Nishimura, "Solas Ane" by Samuel R. Hazo,"Courtly Airs and Dances" by Ron Nelson, and "Amparito Roca" by Jaime Texidor.
Pep Band
Tuesday February 4th
Boys Basketball
*pep band appreciation night*
Tuesday February 11th
Boys Basketball
Show Choir
Saturday February 8th
competition at Fort Atkinson
Saturday February 15th
hosting Silver Stage Competition
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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.
Recent Happenings
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Girls Basketball recently had a Parent Practice, where all parents were invited to participate in some of the team's favorite drills, alongside their daughters.
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| Monona Grove senior Emmery Korfmacher signed her National Letter of Intent to play women's hockey at Yale University next year. |
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| The MGHS Gymnastics team visited Ms. Klassman's phy. ed. class at Cottage Grove School to help with the gymnastics unit. |
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| After finishing second in two categories, the MGHS our Dance Team qualified for the State Tournament. The Dance team will be performing in La Crosse on Saturday with their best momentum in team history. |
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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Important dates for freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and their families:
- January 29 - ACP: Students watched the registration video and began reviewing course offerings in the Course Handbook.
- February 5 - Advisory: Students will 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, they must also have signed AP Course Registration Form.
Youth Apprenticeship Program
The Youth Apprenticeship Program is open to juniors and seniors. Interested students should have met with Ms. Shore (covering Ms. Deibele's maternity leave) prior to the end of January. If this has not happened, please have your student reach out to Ms. Shore immediately to discuss the application process and help determine if the program is a good fit for them. 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 date
; 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 schedule non-school related appointments outside of these days.
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.
Employment Opportunities
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.
Scholarship Resources and Helpful Hints from UW HELP
Check your prospective UW system schools.
UW HELP has links to scholarship and Financial Aid resources on our website. Important dates are listed for students to reference but students should NOT assume all deadlines are the same.
Never pay for scholarships.
There are enough resources available to students for free that they should never have to pay to apply for a scholarship.
Apply for all scholarships that pertain to your interest:
merit base, athletic and artistic scholarship even if you've only dabbled in that activity.
All dollar amounts are important.
Smaller scholarship amounts add up and may be more accessible than larger single dollar amounts.
Keep organized
of deadlines and what materials (essays, letters of rec., transcripts) goes where.
Good letters of recommendation take time.
Ask for references from people you know with at least two weeks lead time for the scholarship due date.
All support counts!
Applying for reciprocity for out of state colleges is a type of scholarship (discount) to reduce tuition cost. Additional aid through FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) can provide need or help in emergencies. You never know what you are eligible for until you apply so don't skip out on the free application. Applying for FAFSA shows you are open to all types of financial aid and might help your chances of receiving scholarship dollars
Attending a UW System School Next Year? Placement Testing Opens Soon
UW System Regional Placement Testing opens February 1, 2020. Seniors who will be attending a UW System school, sign up now! For more information check out the
UW System Regional Placement Testing
website.
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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 Monday, February 17.
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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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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