Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Knights Find A Way!
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Ocoee Community Member
Ocoee's basketball teams are nearing the end of their regular season schedules. However, our Knights still have some exciting games to play all this week including both boys and girls Senior Knight games (please see this week's athletics schedule below). If you enjoy the game, our varsity teams have played great basketball this season so please bring the family and join us one evening for a fun night out ( boys schedule/record; girls schedule/record).
** Congratulations to our Lady Knights on Monday evening's 61-17 win over Olympia which brings their season record to 17-4 with this latest 4 game winning streak. They play tonight at home vs. Deltona's Wolves. TICKETS **
We are also within the final days before teachers will lock in progress report grades. Parents, please remember to continually visit Skyward to view your student's progress all along. If you have any difficulties, please call the school or have your student access Skyward on their laptop. |
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Valencia College Dual Enrollment Info Knight will take place on Thursday, February 1st from 5:30-6:00pm in the auditorium. Following that session, AICE Parent/Student Info Knight will take place from 6:00-7:00pm in the auditorium.
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Our cheer team is going to states after competing last week!
Congratulations ladies!
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With the first month of the new year almost over, now is the time for our Knights to review their 2024 personal goals. I know many students have set challenging goals for themselves which is wise, but keep in mind that with challenging goals will come some difficulties. That's to be expected. The main thing today is take an honest appraisal of your efforts this month and assess any adjustments you may need to make. This self-reflection is important before much more time goes by. |
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With any goals that are school-related, remember that all of your teachers, counselors, and coaches are here to help, as able. Do not hesitate to ask for help and never quit on your goals. |
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Thank you for reading.
Knights Find A Way!
Dr. Karcinski
Principal
Ocoee High School
Pictured at the top of this issue: We are very proud of our BETA members who represented Ocoee High School at the state convention. We qualified for the National Convention in the following categories: Performing Arts, Solo, Show Choir, and Club Trading Pin. Bravo BETA Knights!
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Knight Spotlight
National Shakespeare Competition
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Last week we held our Second Annual ESU Shakespeare Competition. We had a record number of competitors all vying for a spot to represent OHS at the Regional competition in February. This year’s competitors were Eryana Collier, Colby Salvatore, Shlomit Barquin Cadena, Barbie Thompson, Brookes Green, Peyton-Ashley Method, Alessandra Roque, Molly Dunagan and Emelyn Schreiner. Our judges were Mr. Kelly, Ms. Rogers, Mr. Gecewicz, and our guest judge Ms. Amalea Vidas.
Taking home third place was Eryana Collier with her portrayal of Lady Julia from Two Gentlemen of Verona, second place was earned by Colby Salvatore for his portrayal of Bottom from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and for the second year in a row, first place went to Shlomit Barquin Cadena for her vengeful portrayal of Tamara in Titus Andronicus.
We wish good luck to Shlomit, who will represent Ocoee at the Regional ESU Shakespeare Competition at the Orlando Shakespeare theater in February.
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Shlomit Barquin Cadena holding her first place certificate |
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February Fling tickets sales end this Friday, February 2nd: |
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Student Government District 3 Conference:
Your Ocoee High School Student Government Association attended the Florida Association of Student Council’s District 3 meeting at Horizon High last weekend. The students performed skits based on the “Twilight” franchise, and gave speeches about leadership and why Ocoee High has the skills to be elected for executive office. We are proud to announce that Isabella Carreno won her campaign for District 3 secretary! Ocoee High SGA is now on the executive board at both the state and district level!
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Isabella Carreno and Brandon Smith performing in their skit. |
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Isabella Carreno giving her speech in front of 1,400 conference attendees. |
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SGA students came in over the weekend to add more color and creativity to our halls. Thank you Daniel Gonzalez, Gabriel Gonzalez, Sophia Tedder, Mike Darnell Innocent, and Yalitza Adame for your artistic skills! |
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Valentine's Day Candy Grams: |
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Black History Month begins Thursday, February 1: |
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School Crossing Guard Day this Friday, February 2: |
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FFA
Knights represented at Leadership Conference
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Our Ocoee High School FFA students recently attended the OCFED Leadership Conference at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. Students learned how to become stronger leaders through communication, devotion, and building connections. Students had a blast learning how to be better leaders and how it can impact our home chapter. |
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OTC Dual Enrollment
Special Knight Recognitions
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Student of the Month!
Johnny Tran is a 1st year Building Construction dual enrolled student at OTC. Johnny is a senior with plans continuing his passion for building construction. Let’s congratulate Johnny for being the Student of the Month!
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OTC Pharmacy Student of the Month!
Nalani Newland is a 2nd year OTC Pharmacy Tech student. She has been accepted to Florida A & M University to pursue a degree in Pharmacy. Let’s congratulate Nalani for the OTC Pharmacy Student of the Month!
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Girls Weightlifting District Meet at OHS
Ocoee hosted the girls weightlifting district meet this past Thursday. Six high schools and 120 girls competed in placing for regionals.
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Thank you to Colby Salvator for coming in handy for Districts! Colby drilled in all the platforms needed for the girls to compete on. |
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And as always, we could not have been able to pull this off without the help of our amazing SGA and Mr. Kelly. |
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Our girls weightlifting team had 10 girls place last week at districts.
* Jaslynn Gaskins and Cece Hills Charles took first in both Olympic and Traditional lifts in their weight classes.
* Shyanne Marble took 2nd in Traditional in her weight class.
* Khei-ann Carson took 2nd in Olympic in her weight class.
* Shaiina Pochette took 3rd Traditional in her weight class.
* Karmiya Smith, Kristina Barett, and Madison Thomas took 5th in their weight class.
* Sammy Singh and Joniah Seaverson took 6th in their weight classes for Traditional.
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Several seniors attended the HORUS College + Scholarship Expo on January 24th and walked away with full-ride scholarships and many acceptances!
Seniors: it is imperative that you check your email and school portals. If you have applied to a college, you need to make sure ALL required items are submitted to ensure you receive a decision. If you have questions about your portal, please come by the College + Career Center during your lunch or after school to see Ms. Wolfgramm + Ms. Hendricks.
FAFSA: The FAFSA is now OPEN! Please work with your senior to complete this important financial aid application. Schools will want to see this application submitted so they know how much they can award your student. Use these links to help you complete the FAFSA:
Valencia College: Seniors - if you qualify for application fee waivers and still need to submit an application to Valencia College, come by the College and Career Center during your lunch for help with the application fee.
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Seniors - there are MANY scholarships available. We are constantly adding new opportunities to the Scholarship Spreadsheet. Please take advantage and APPLY!
Bridges to Success Scholarship Program: The Bridges to Success Scholarship Program is designed to support students in their first two years of school. Students who could benefit from a mentor checking in with you to help you keep on track with your classes/grades will want to consider applying. You do need to be PELL eligible to apply for Bridges. You can find out if you are PELL eligible by completing the FAFSA application. In addition, you will need to participate in community service while in the program and attend sessions geared towards helping you with things like time management, leadership development, and more.
Additionally, the Bridges program provides financial support by covering the cost of your two years at Valencia College, provided you meet all necessary requirements while in the program. Bridges starts in the summer after high school graduation – something you must be able to commit to. The Bridges to Success application has been extended to February 1st! See Ms. Hendricks if you are interested in applying.
BigFuture Scholarships: open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors! This is the easiest scholarship you will complete! Take the time to complete the BigFuture tasks to enter drawings for $40,000 and $500 scholarships! No essay, application, or minimum GPA requirement!
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Horatio Alger Scholarship: for JUNIORS ONLY. Deadline to apply is March 15th, 2024. Open to students who demonstrate integrity, perseverance in overcoming adversity, strength of character, financial need, a good academic record, commitment to pursue a college education, and a desire to contribute to society. Begin the application HERE.
College Prep Programs:
Valencia Horizon Scholars: The Valencia Horizon Scholars – Take Stock in Children Program has extended their application deadline for eligible 9th grade students for the 2023-2024 school year to February 1, 2024! The Valencia Horizon Scholars – Take Stock in Children Program is a scholarship, mentoring, and college readiness program looking for economically disadvantaged students who are interested in continuing their education after high school with a scholarship and would benefit from personal, professional, and academic support throughout high school.
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Valencia Dual Enrollment Information: |
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This past Wednesday, our seniors had the opportunity to switch places with their favorite teachers for the day! |
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Alex Martinez embodied his inner
Mr. O'Brien.
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Mary Greeson took on the challenge of teaching biology for the day as Ms. Rascoe. |
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Makayla and Tony made sure to be the best Ms. Zucker for the day. |
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The Family Engagement team is excited to announce the Parent Academies for February 2024. |
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There will also be six virtual mini-academies this month. All virtual mini-academies are on WebEx Webinars from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on the dates listed below. Click here to register.
Building Resilience in Stressful Times
● Date: 2/1/24
● Audience: Parents/guardians of students in grades K-12
● Description: Parents will learn how to recognize when stress is concerning and how to help your child cope in times of stress.
● Language/accessibility options: Bilingual session live presented in English and Spanish. Closed captioning is also available in over 100 languages.
Rigorous and Advanced Course Options for Middle and High School Students
● Date: 2/6/24
● Audience: Parents/guardians of students in grades 5-11
● Description: Parents of middle and high school students will gain important information about Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment, International Baccalaureate and Cambridge course options just in time to turn in course enrollment forms for next school year! Join us as we have our partners share the opportunities available to OCPS students. We will share the types of programs, the process for students to participate, and keys to success.
● Language/accessibility options: Closed captioning is available in over 100 languages.
Enrolling at Valencia College
● Date: 2/7/24
● Audience: Parents/guardians of students in grades 11-12
● Description: High school students and their parents will meet admissions representatives and gain information from The Valencia College Outreach Department about the opportunities available at Valencia College and detail the steps to enroll.
● Language/accessibility options: There will be two separate sessions provided. One session will be provided in English and one session will be provided in Spanish. Both sessions have closed captioning available in over 100 languages.
Parents as Leaders
● Date: 2/15/24
● Audience: Parents/guardians of students in grades K-12
● Description: Parents will learn about how schools keep a safe and secure learning environment Strategies related to physical and psychological safety will be reviewed and information to help parents understand safety drills will be shared.
● Language/accessibility options: Closed captioning is available in over 100 languages.
College Disability Services and Accommodations: What to Expect
● Date: 2/22/24
● Audience: Parents/guardians of students in grades 11-12
● Description: The transition to college for some students with disabilities can be tough. The transition without the appropriate support and accommodations can make it even tougher. Join us as we explore common college disability services and accommodations.
● Language/accessibility options: Closed captioning is available in over 100 languages.
Advocate for YOUR Child | The Question Formulation Technique
● Date: 2/29/24
● Audience: Parents/guardians of students in grades K-12
● Description: Parents will learn about the Question Formulation Technique which helps generate questions and participate effectively in decisions. This can be used by all parents to enhance their ability to partner with educators to support, monitor, and advocate for their children.
● Language/accessibility options: Closed captioning is available in over 100 languages.
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Community Resources
Mobile Crisis Unit
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If your child is having an emotional crisis and/or you feel like they are a threat to themselves or others, you can take immediate action by contacting the resources below:
Call 911 if you need immediate emergency assistance
Devereux Mobile Crisis Unit: The Mobile Crisis Unit is a 24/7 free community resource that will send a Mental Health professional to your home to evaluate and de-escalate a person that is experiencing an emotional crisis. You can contact them by dialing 2-1-1 on your cell phone or dialing 407-839-4357.
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1) Knights Find A Way! Ocoee HS graduation rates vs. Florida HS average:
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2) High school students with jobs are on the rise again:
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Knight footnote: New data from the Labor Department reveals that US teenagers today are increasingly picking up part-time jobs, with 37% of 16-19 year-olds either being employed or seeking employment last year — the highest proportion since 2009.
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3) Black History Month begins Thursday. Percentage of Black Americans earning 4-year college degrees or higher since just before World War 2: |
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4) College enrollment rates: |
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Knight footnote: For those of our Knights who are not college bound, keep in mind that not every high paying job requires a 4-year college degree. This article ran in today's WALL STREET JOURNAL (Tuesday, Jan. 30). - "The $400,000 Job That Doesn’t Require a College Degree" - Walmart is giving store managers higher bonuses, stock grants as the job becomes more difficult in the e-commerce era.
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Excerpt from the WSJ article by Sarah Nassauer:
Walmart is giving bigger bonuses and adding stock awards to their annual pay packages, pushing the total compensation for the best ones to more than $400,000 a year.
The retail giant has thousands of store managers who act as midlevel executives. Each can often oversee a store with 350 workers and $100 million in annual revenue. Many start as clerks and climb the ranks without college degrees. That means a successful manager of a large Walmart store can earn up to $404,000 a year in total compensation.
Earlier this month, Walmart raised the average store manager pay to $128,000 from $117,000 and increased the possible bonus one could earn to 200%, up from 150%.
* The automatic stock grants are highest for Walmart managers who run supercenters, the large format Walmart stores that sell everything from food to vacuums. Those who run smaller format stores earn less.
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5) Super Bowl wins and losses through last year's Super Bowl LVII between Kansas City and Philadelphia: |
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6) WISDOM TO LIVE BY
Read inspirational quotes for our Knights about bouncing back from errors, focusing on your effort and pushing harder to win.
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Patrick Mahomes On Study
I just try to learn from every mistake that I make so that I never make them again.
~ Patrick Mahomes, quarterback
Bill Gates On Mistakes
It's fine to celebrate success, but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure.
~ Bill Gates, Microsoft co-founder
Ali Krieger On Effort
You can control two things: your work ethic and your attitude about anything.
~ Ali Krieger, soccer player
Norman Augustine On Inspiration
Motivation will almost always beat mere talent.
~ Norman Augustine, former Lockheed Martin CEO
Henry David Thoreau On Thankfulness
I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.
~ Henry David Thoreau, author
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Knights Find A Way!
Dr. Karcinski, Principal
Ocoee High School
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
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Ocoee High School Senior Leadership Team |
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This communication may contain information that is legally privileged, confidential or exempt from disclosure and intended only for the use of the addressee(s) named above. If you are not the intended recipient, please note that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. Anyone who receives this message in error should notify the sender immediately by telephone or by return e-mail, and delete the message from their computer and any printout thereof. Please note that OCPS utilizes spam and junk e-mail filtration applications in its e-mail systems. That filtering process may prevent or delay delivery of certain e-mail communications. If you do not receive a timely response to an e-mail communication, please contact the intended recipient by phone. |
Copyright Notice
Reproduction of this material, either written or electronically, including the general layout, graphics, analyses, and content topics without the express approval of Target Performance Systems, Inc., a Florida corporation, and OCPS - Ocoee High School is forbidden without written consent. Thank you for your support of the Orange County Public Schools and especially Ocoee High School. Please contact lisa.karcinski@ocps.net (principal) with any questions or for further information.
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Ocoee High School
1925 Ocoee Crown Point Parkway,
Ocoee, FL 34761
Phone 407-905-3000
Fax 407-905-3099
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