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Breakfast and Lunches may be paid for on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Online payment and student account information is available at https://www.mymealtime.com/ Questions may be directed to Mary Filip at 852-879-3913, or Angie Phillips at 520-879-2015.

Thank you to all our sponsors and participants who attended the 4th annual MMHs Golf Tournament. Shout out to our MMHS PTO for putting this event together and making it so successful. All money that was raised went right back into the school's fine arts, athletics, and activities.

Class of 2024:

• The Important dates to remember were delivered to all parents and students in February. Mark your calendar for the graduation information meeting on April 24th at 6:00 PM in The Peak.
• If your graduating senior has not yet picked up the cap and gown or announcements, they are in Mr. Tritz’s office if they have been ordered and paid for in full.
• Reminder: To participate in the ceremony, all transcripts and online courses must be completed by May 10th. The only exception is if the student is enrolled in a Pima class.
• Honors night is May 15th at 6:00 PM. Any student graduating with honors or high honors will receive their cord(s) that evening. Anyone who has been added to the wall of the future will also be invited and recognized.
• FAFSA update: Due to the new version of the FAFSA, information has been delayed in getting the SAI (student aid index) to colleges until mid-March at the earliest. Admissions offices are asking parents and students to be patient. Colleges are urging parents and students to complete the FAFSA early. Submit it NOW if you still need to do so. 
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 AP Students:

• Important: All AM tests will begin at 8:30 AM. Please arrange transportation on those days you are testing in the morning.

Parents of AP students. The College Board will administer in-person paper and pencil and digital tests May 6th– 17th on campus in Room 201(Band room) unless noted below.

• May 6^th AM: American Government (Digital)
• May 6^th PM: Chemistry (Paper and Pencil)
•  May 7^th AM: Human Geography (Paper and Pencil)
• May 7^th PM: Seminar (Digital)
• May 7^th PM: Statistics (Paper and Pencil) Room 504
• May 8^th AM: English Literature (Digital)
• May 9^th AM: Environmental Science (Paper and Pencil)
• May 9^th PM: Psychology (Paper and Pencil)
• May 10^th AM: US History (Digital)
• May 13^th AM: Calculus AB and BC (Paper and Pencil)
• May 14^th AM: English Language (Digital) Room M1
• May 16^th AM: Spanish Language (Paper and Pencil) Room M1
• May 16^th PM: Biology (Paper and Pencil) Room M1
• May 17^th AM: Physics 1 (Paper and Pencil) Room M1

Preparing For College While In High School

• Career Exploration
• Deciding on a degree can be daunting before going to college. However, if you start early, this may save you money and time in the future. There are many resources available to you. This website offers career information, academic requirements, salaries, and employment growth.
• Schoolinks is a great resource for helping you research careers and do assessments to better understand what careers might suit you the best. This will give you a starting point to narrow down your chosen field or gain more information in an area you think you may want to study in college. Whatever you do, make sure you also take your time and research the career or careers you may be interested in. It is advantageous to check out the growth rate and salary as well when doing this.
• Get Good Grades
• This seems obvious, but your GPA is by far the most critical factor an admission office looks at when you are applying for college. It’s vital to focus on getting good grades. You might use transcripts that may not necessarily have all your senior year grades since you may still be attending school and haven’t graduated yet.
• There are a few tips to help you get good grades. Start big assignments sooner rather than later. This will help you manage your time better and allow changes if necessary, which often leads to better grades. You can also set aside time for homework with no distractions and ask for help if you don’t understand something. It’s important to get a good night's sleep as well so you can learn more effectively while at school.
• Research Colleges
• You may have decided where you want to go, but you still need to research the college to find out its requirements and application deadlines and (maybe) take a tour before you make your decision. Most high school students apply to more than one school to ensure they get accepted.
• Students can use Schoolinks to research colleges and majors and apply to colleges and universities. Schoolinks is where counselors will send transcripts to those schools. 
• Look for Scholarships
• For years now, universities and colleges have raised their rates. Therefore, it may lower the cost if you start applying for scholarships as early as your junior year of high school. There are a variety of scholarships based on academics, characteristics, or even odd scholarships you may never have thought of. In addition, there may be grants available as well. Both of these provide monies that do not need to be paid back and can be used towards lodging, books, materials, college classes, and even living expenses while you are attending school. 
• Students can search for scholarships on Schoolinks. Counselors will send out emails through Schoolinks with new and upcoming scholarships.
• Standardized Assessments for College Entrance
• Many colleges now do not require the SAT or ACT for admissions. But be sure to research your college/university for the admissions requirements. These tests are designed to determine a student’s college readiness and potential for academic success.
• If you are a good test taker and score well on the SAT or ACT, you can submit your score(s), which may help with your admissions decision.
• The Accuplacer is an entrance exam often used by community or state colleges. You can take this exam in high school or at the college you plan to attend. It consists of Mathematics, English, and Reading comprehension. It’s not a timed test, and it is computerized. This exam depends on the number of questions pending and how many you get, incorrect or correct. This test is based on your skill level and is used more to place you into the appropriate level courses when starting college.
• Extracurricular Activities
• When applying for college, admission offices often look not only at your academic record but also at a well-rounded student. Their goal is to ensure that their student population has people with various interests and backgrounds. This means they look at extracurricular activities such as clubs, performances, sports, internships, volunteer opportunities, or community service projects. These activities demonstrate that you can balance academics and leisure while showing colleges your determination and time management skills.
• Recommendation Letters
• College applications often request letters of recommendation. Your letters of recommendation can be from teachers, coaches, or mentors that you have had throughout high school. It’s essential to plan to collect these letters by the application deadline. Ask for recommendations from teachers you have a good rapport with and know you. Asking early allows them to do a good job. Often, they may need to send a letter of recommendation to the college or submit it online. Make sure to give them the correct address and information. These letters often describe your character as a student during high school and may list some accomplishments.
• College Essays
• Some colleges may require you to write an admission essay. It is their way of capturing your characteristics beyond grades and assessment scores. Write your essay, but have others proofread it. You also want to be careful not to use the exact essay for every college application. Make minor tweaks to ensure it is relevant to that particular school, and double-check the address or college name if you included it in your essay.
• Filling Out The Application (via Schoolinks)
• Each school has an admissions process. Always check the deadlines, requirements, and additional items that must be included. Essays, transcripts, personal information, declaring a major, and further information is often required.
• If a college application allows you to include optional materials, always try to include something when possible. This indicates to the admission staff that you will go above and beyond, which could give you an edge over someone who does the minimum amount of work. Admission representatives review applications and materials to determine if you are a good fit for their school. They review grades, test scores, letters of recommendation, essays, and extracurricular activities.
• College Prep Classes
• College prep classes are an excellent way to gain skills to be successful in college. Many colleges or universities offer summer programs that prepare high school students for college success. These programs provide career exploration, study skills, and academic tools that may be useful when transitioning into college. Even college readiness courses are offered at some high schools for juniors and seniors. These are very similar to the ones offered at colleges and may help you research schools, apply to colleges, and write admission essays. For more information, ask the college's admission office if they offer prep courses

Emily Bass

TASA Counselor

23-24 Voltage Yearbooks are going QUICKLY! There are ONLY 63 yearbooks left for purchase. The final date to order a yearbook is April 31, 2024. Go to balfour.com to purchase. If you have questions email yearbook advisor Ms. Mari at marij@vailschooldistrict.org

Marching band

May 4, 2024 - U of A Mini Band Camp - mandatory 8:00 am to 12:00 pm at U of A

July 8-12, 2024 - Band Camp for all marching band and color guard students. 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm daily - at MMHS

Steel Drums

April 19, 2024 - Culinary Gala Concert at MMHS (tickets for the Gala are by reservation only) 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm 

May 10, 2024 - concert at DSMS at 1:35 pm

May 13, 2024 - spring concert at MMHS at 6:00 pm

May 17, 2024 - morning concert at CWE at 7:45 am

Choir 

April 15, 2024 - ALL choirs masterclass at U of A with Dr. Davis and Dr. Schauer 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (lunch included); bus leaves MMHS at 9:00 am and returns at 2:45 pm

April 19, 2024 - Culinary Gala Concert (show choir only; tickets for Gala are by reservation only)

May 13, 2024 - spring concert at MMHS at 6:00 pm

Happy April Thunderbolts!

It's almost election time for the Mica Mountain PTO!

If you would like to be a part of the MM PTO Board, your time is now!  The officer positions needed for the 2024-2025 school year and their duties are:

• President: Presides at general PTO meetings and Executive Board meetings, serves as the official representative of the PTO and retains all official records of the PTO.
• Vice President: Oversees the committee system of the PTO, assists the President and chairs meetings in the absence of the President.
• Recording Secretary: Records and distributes minutes of all Executive Board meetings and all general PTO meetings, as well as holds historical records for the PTO.
• Treasurer: Serves as custodian of all PTO’s finances, collects revenue, pays authorized expenses, reports financial activity every month, prepares year-end financial reports, facilitates an annual audit and holds all financial records of the PTO.

If you feel that you would make a great MM PTO board member, please submit a paragraph or two about yourself and which position you are interested in to MMHSPTO@vailschooldistrict.org. Due date for nominations is May 1, 2024. Only current, paid members are eligible to vote and serve. New officers will be announced at our last scheduled meeting Tuesday, May 7th at 6:00 PM in the Student Union.

 Our next regular meeting will be on Tuesday, May 7th.  

Opportunities to Support MMHS PTO:

One EASY WAY to support our PTO is the Fry’s Community Rewards program.! The funds we receive directly benefit Mica Mountain, allowing us to help and give back to our amazing students and staff! To sign up visit the Fry’s website and use Group NPO #NF341 or search MICA MOUNTAIN PTO at https://www.frysfood.com/i/community/community-rewards. Shop at Fry’s and swipe your V.I.P Card and Fry’s sends us a check! Be sure to re-enroll each school year starting Aug. 1st!

Find us on Facebook: Mica Mountain PTO for information on how to join, meetings, news, and to check out our current Thunderbolt Jewelry Fundraiser! For questions, comments, or concerns, please email us at mmhspto@vailschooldisctrict.org. 

#mmhsvailaz #theboltsinvail #fearthebolt #thundercountry #boltsup #proud2babolt #mountainstrong #micamountainhighschool