HIGH SCHOOL OFFICE SUMMER HOURS
The high school office will have the following summer office hours:
JUNE: Open June 2-19 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
JULY: Open July 1, 7, 8, and 15 8:00 a.m. until 12 noon
AUGUST: Open August 4-28 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
ACCUPLACER RETESTS
Mesabi Range College will administer Accuplacer retests beginning now throughout the summer on Tuesdays at 1:00 p.m. on the Eveleth Campus and Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. on the Virginia campus. If you aren’t sure if you qualify for a retest before July 1, please contact Michelle Maczuga at Mesabi Range College : 218-744-7524.
From the Principal – Did You Know?
Did you know that we are missing around 180 library books? I know they are out there under those beds, in the car, or at Grandma’s but could you take a quick look around and get those back to school ASAP? THANKS! (I’m actually glad there are that many books being checked out but as libraries work, we need them back for the next guy.)
Did you know that we are working on an easier way for you to give us “beginning of the school information?” We know those information cards are a pain…but you guys keep moving around and changing your phone numbers which makes it hard to keep track of all of you. You know you moved….but you forget to tell us so we try to remind you at the beginning of each year. What’s new you ask? Well, we are going to print off the info we have and send it home (with your child). If there are changes, then just cross out the old and put the new info in. If there are no changes, then you just simply put “NO CHANGES” –send it back to school and you are done.
Did you know that your email addresses are VERY important to us? We do more communicating with the email than with the US Postal service. Please make sure we have your correct address.
Did you know that the Master Schedule is done? The schedule is done but you can’t view it in the portal yet. Why? Because we can’t have two school years active and open at the same time. We have to close the one we are in and then open the next year when we finalize all reports necessary for 2013-14 school year. That being said, we can print schedules for kids and we will do that and hand them out next week.
Did you know that schedule changes can be made during the first week of June? and then again the 1st of August until school starts? I will have staff here at those times to help with changes that need to be made. If your child needs to change a class, there is a document they must fill out and then they just drop it off. We will make the changes some time after that.
Did you know everyone wants a 7th hour study hall? It’s pretty true. Of course we can’t change all the schedules so kids get a 7th hour study hall. The same goes for PE–we can’t put all the PE classes during 7th hour so please don’t ask for that either. We typically change schedules only for kids who don’t have the classes they signed up for.
Did you know that if kids wear shorts, they should have legs on them? We need to see that they really have shorts on and not wonder. We can do this….we just have a few more days. Don’t let them escape from the house with those tiny little shorts…..OK you get my drift.
And finally….I just attended my youngest daughter’s graduation from nursing school in North Carolina. She is now an RN and I’m very proud. She said something to me that I will never forget…..She said, “Thanks for putting me first, Mom. I know you are very busy at this time of year. It meant a lot to me to have you here.” Parents–Your kids feel the same way about you. Every time you put your kids first….instead of your job or something else that seems more important than it really might be–you send a message. What message did you send them today?
Take care…..remember that Graduation is May 30th at 7:00 p.m. in Goodman Auditorium. I keep it under an hour and I keep it a very distinguished ceremony. It’s traditional in all aspects.
Enjoy the long weekend and remember those people who have served our country. They did it all for you.
From the Principal – Did You Know?
It’s May. Breathe…..we’ll all make it.
Did you know that if your child is considering taking a PSEO or a Concurrent Enrollment class (a college credit class taught in the high school by high school teachers), he or she must take the Accuplacer test? PSEO kids should take the test at the college but concurrent kids can take it with us. In fact, we are offering the test May 5, 6, and 7 right here at the high school.
Did you know that there is an Accuplacer study guide with sample questions at http://accuplacer.
Did you know that the 8th and 10 grade students will be taking their Science MCA test during their regular class times on May 13 and 14? Again parents— feed them well, send them to bed early and encourage them to do their best. Our students have consistently done well on this particular test.
Did you know that we have an Engineering Club? It’s an after school club that for the past few years has competed in a Solar Boat Competition held in the Cities. You will not believe your eyes when you see what these kids have done! Take a look at their boats on the student created website for the project:activities.vmps.org/vec/ “Shop Class” is not what it used to be.
Did you know that this club would not be possible without the generous donations from the community, the school, ALI, the volunteer work of Mr. Foster, and many other donations from local businesses? Thank you all…….you are making a difference in kids’ lives.
Did you know that we also have a club at school that targets the prevention of bullying? It’s called the Stand for the Silent Club? They presented to the elementary students today. They are teaching the kids how bullying feels and how to stand up to bullies. This club is also led by a volunteer advisor–Mrs. Bristol. Thank you to her and all the kids.
Tech Tip of the Week: There is an app for your iPhone or iPad called “Magnifying Glass with Light” found in the App store. I have no idea how it magnifies things with your phone but it does. It comes in handy when you need to see that fine print. OH….and it’s FREE.
And finally, I feel we all have much to be thankful for. We have a great school, great teachers, great kids and parents. We are supported by our community. I continue to see good things and to just share a little snapshot of “good” with you——-I was traveling with my husband last Friday night and we stopped at the McDonald’s in Aitkin. I know, it was a really romantic spot…..anyway….we no sooner walked in the door of McDonald’s and I heard, “Mrs. Hakly! Mrs. Hakly!” I found myself at the end of the line of the Virginia Boys Tennis Team…….long story short…..as I was sitting and eating my dollar chicken sandwich, the Manager of McDonald’s came out and spoke with me about “how well behaved our kids were” and “how amazed she was at how well-mannered and tidy our kids were.” I was very proud and I could not stop smiling. I expected nothing less from them. I attribute that behavior to my coaches and to my parents. You all have done a great job. Tell your kids you are proud of them–they did good things. People noticed.
Have a great weekend!
From the Principal – Did You Know?
Good afternoon!
Today’s information is a smattering of announcements and points of interest. I want to remind all of you to check our daily bulletin, found on the high school website, for lots more detail of the highlights found here. http://www.vmps.org/vhs-
Did you know that students who take PSEO classes have some paperwork to fill out? Kids just can’t show up at the college the first day of college classes and go to class. Please make sure this is done before your child leaves school this year. The paperwork requires signatures and our offices close shortly after school is out. Did you know that college classes begin a couple of weeks before the high school year starts?
Did you know we added 2 more semester college English classes for next year? We added College Writing I & College Writing II and if students have the proper GPA and pass the Accuplacer test, they can sign up for these classes. This adds another 8 college credits for students to attain right here in high school.
Did you know that the drug dog visited us and did not find one single thing?
Have you heard about Ask.fm? It’s another website and/or app that allows anyone to post anonymously and when people can do that, they get brave and say things that bully and hurt other people. We are dealing with situations resulting from posts on that site as well as other such sites. My best advice is this: Delete
And speaking of things that hurt people, I want to talk to you about the power of “words.” Words are some of the most powerful weapons in the world. The wounds from words last a lifetime- not 5 minutes like a punch in the arm. Think back……I’m sure you can vividly recall words that were spoken to you in anger or in hatred–words that you have never forgotten. That’s what I’m talking about. Memories of those words have lasted your whole life. Think how powerful those words were. On the flip side, I’m sure you remember the nicest thing a person ever said to you as well. Say something nice to someone–something from the heart–and you too will feel their happiness.
Add to your calendar: Academic and Activity Awards Assembly (say that 3 times real fast!) - May 23rd, in Goodman Auditorium, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. They do it all for you so come and see all of their accomplishments. It’s important to them.
Have a great weekend!!
From the Principal – Did You Know?
Hello! It was a great week at VHS! Hang on for the ride until the end of the year. From now on, everything will seem to happen faster than it did at the beginning of the year.
Did you know that if your child is not a great math student that he or she is not doomed to a life behind the McDonald’s counter? I know that’s contrary to what you may have heard but there is life after high school math class. I Googled “high-paying jobs for people who don’t like math” and according toBusiness Insider, they came up with these and more: Technical Writer – $65,500; Power Plant Operators – $66,130; Dental Hygienists – $70,210; Elevator Installers/Repairers – $76,650; Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary – $62,160; Occupational Therapist – $75,400–just to name a few of them. All of our children have different gifts and talents. We have to remember that and support their strengths.
Attention parents of Senior PSEO students: This is the time of the year that your kids must check the high school daily bulletin or they are going to miss out on very important information. Please have them get in the habit so they don’t miss graduation info and important times and dates.
Did you know that we are going to be way behind on spring sports? I suppose that’s no surprise but I do need to tell you this: We are not going to run your kids ragged during the week trying to make up all of those events. School is more important at this time of year. We will do the best we can to have a decent season but there’s a limit.
Did you know that marijuana is now being made into candy? We got word on that today. It’s being made into suckers, gummy worms, and pop rock-like candy. These are just a few candy items….there are more. Heads up on all that.
And finally, I want to take a moment to talk about bullying. There’s a lot of talk at the legislature about how to prevent or stop bullying. If I knew how to stop bullying, I would write a book and be a billionaire. Let me assure you that we deal with every single situation that comes our way. Are all situations bullying? No. Not all kids get along. Do your own kids in your family all get along all the time? No. Do you get along with everyone you work with? No. Well, throw 750 kids into one big happy family under one roof and you will see a few sparks fly from time to time. For the most part, we see kids “not getting along.” Once in awhile we see a true bully. It has become commonplace for people to loosely throw out this statement– “My child is being bullied.” That may or may not be true. We will find out and get to the bottom of it.
Now here’s how it goes: We try to teach kids about how to treat other students. We counsel. We sometimes give kids a consequence. We meet with parents. We do programs at school. We even get upset with kids when we can’t figure out why in the world they are being so mean to other students. We do all we can to stop the bad behavior.
Now…..this whole time you spent reading this article, you were thinking that your kid was not the bully I was talking about. But…..what if I were talking about your child? How would you like us to treat your child? Keep that in mind. It’s important.
Heads up! Today, April 11th through April 20th, law enforcement is looking actively for people texting and driving. It’s a $130 dollar fine. Ouch! By the way, it’s illegal to text at the stop signs too. No one’s last message in life should be a text. Put the phones down….it can wait. Set a good example for your children who are depending on you for a lot of things (including your wallet). For once, something is within your control.
Have a great weekend!!
From the Principal – Did You Know?
Hello on this fine Friday! It was a great week and I sincerely want to thank you for helping out on the testing. I had a mom tell me her child got her up early to “cook her a good breakfast” and it turned out to a good time for everyone in the family. Thank you very much!
And speaking of things parents can do to help out…..can we talk about the warm weather that I think is about to come around? Did you know that we dislike the warm days because it brings out the wardrobe nightmares for us? We see things we are not supposed to see. I’m talking about underwear, short shorts and revealing low-cut shirts. It is one of the hardest things we do because nobody wants to pull a kid aside and tell them that what they have on is inappropriate to wear to school. For sure no male teacher wants to tell a female student that she is not dressed properly. We don’t care what your kids wear for the most part but if grandma would be disturbed by what her grandkids have on, then we are feeling just like grandma. And by the way, just because your kids go out the door looking one way, doesn’t mean they show up here looking the same way you last saw them. (And again, that snow outside looks good to us until Graduation day.)
Did you know we now have a tutoring room for the high school kids that is open from 8 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.? It is staffed by two people–one is a certified teacher and she is assisted by a para-professional. Students who need a little more one-on-one teaching are sent there for extra help. Kids can go during their study halls or before school. They could even go during the lunch time. It’s not a hangout–it’s a place for work.
Did you know we don’t mail report cards anymore? In this age of technology and the Parent Portal, it’s not necessary–unless of course you don’t have access to a computer. In that case, we would be happy to mail you a report card. That being said, you can also have your child show you his or her grades on the iPad. Kids have a portal just like you do. If you need help logging in, just call our office–749-5437, Ext. 1906. We would be happy to help you set that up. Every single parent can have access to their child’s information.
Here’s my tech tip of the week: Did you know there’s an app out there called MyScript Calculator that allows you to just write your problem on the screen and then it figures it out for you? No typing letters or numbers and no special buttons….just your scribbling. It’s FREE and it works. That’s my kind of app!
Just a reminder that Prom is coming up on April 26th. Yes, it’s a special time for students. Yes it’s fun to get dressed up, go out to eat and dance the night away …..but remember to make sure you talk to your kids about being safe. We worry. We want them back on the following Monday. Mr. Kowalski has math for them to do on Monday. There’s no crying in Calculus.
And finally, my husband and I were out to dinner last Sunday in a Duluth restaurant with my oldest daughter and one of her children. When we were all done eating, the waitress brought us this wonderful dessert–for all of us. We said that we had not ordered dessert. She said, “I know–the people who were sitting next to you bought this for you.” The people next to us were strangers. They were a young family with several children and to this day, we are not sure why they did this for us. I believe it was a “pay it forward” moment. It was an opportunity for us to teach the only small child at our table about doing nice things for others for no reason other than kindness. The kindness of this family went a long way. I still feel good when I think about this. If you can or if you ever have the opportunity to do a similar thing, do it. You will feel good down to your toes.
Have a great weekend! Go Blue!!!
From the Principal – Did You Know?
Good Friday afternoon! There is much to talk about besides the depressing weather. In case you haven’t heard, we are in for another snow/rain mess on Sunday night. I’m telling you this because everything else I have to say after that weather report sounds great!
This week my topic is mostly about State Testing. On April 2 and 3, we give our 7th, 8th, and 10th grade kids the STATE MCA READING TEST. Why–you might ask? Because they use this information to compare us to every other school in the state. We get a grade on how well our students do. It matters that our kids do well.
Did you know that these test scores go on your child’s grade transcript? They do.
Did you know that eating a good breakfast will help your child feel and do better on the test? I wish I could feed all the children here at school on test days but I can’t. I need your help in this area. OH and did you know that while you are having breakfast, a word from Mom and Dad about doing well on the test would carry a lot of weight? Just tell your children to do their very best. I don’t need them stressed…..I just need them at their best. You parents have the greatest kids in the world and they are good readers, don’t get me wrong. Just send them out the door next Wednesday and Thursday with a little more encouragement than usual.
If you want to help your kids with the reading tests, I found these tips on-line. http://rpdp.net/
I think we have covered the testing–and I know you have heard me say some of this before but it’s that important to all of us. We all work very hard to teach your kids–and we are all very proud of our students’ success. We care.
What else is happening at school? We have the musical tonight through Sunday, the 30th. What an amazing talent the kids have! Not only do we have students participating, but we have many people from the community helping in the orchestra “pit” to the costumes, to the sets. What a fantastic event for the whole community.
And finally, did you know that according to PBS Learning, the findings in their national survey of K-12 teachers said the following about technology in the classroom:
Technology enables them to reinforce and expand on content (74%)
Technology motivates student to learn (74%)
Technology allows teachers to respond to a variety of learning styles (73%)
Seven in 10 teachers (69%) surveyed said educational technology allows them to “do much more than ever before” for their students.
In closing, this time of year is hard on people–hard for all of us. Try to remember that our students, your children, are probably doing the best they can. You sent us the best you have. In the big picture, school is a short period of time in which we cram their heads full of all sorts of things in order to make them successful. In the long run, the most important thing is that they know right from wrong, and that they treat others as they would like to be treated.
Get those inside projects done because pretty soon we will get to go outside–out onto the green grass ……along with hay fever, bug bites, sunburn, humidity …… so how’s that snow looking now?????
Have a good weekend!
From the Principal – Did You Know?
Good afternoon! Did you know it’s never going to stop snowing? Find something good about it like “it’s helping to deter a drought” or something…that’s the best I can do. Sorry….and moving on….
Did you know that the last ACT test date you can register for is June 14th? Check on-line at ACT.org for registration deadlines. Don’t miss out!
And speaking of tests, did you know we are making it possible for all 10th grade students to register for the PSAT test? There is a $14 non-refundable fee in order to guarantee a test for your child as we order them this spring and the test actually takes place next fall–as Juniors. Should your child change his/her mind about taking the test, the student can sell the test to another student. Parents of 10th grade students–please watch your mail for more information coming your way soon.
Did you know your students had an assembly yesterday that talked about “Student Differences”? Our topic stressed that all people are different and they all have special interests and talents that everyone might not be aware of. It was a huge success and another exercise in addressing “kindness” as an alternative to bullying.
And speaking of bullying….we can’t stop what we don’t know. Speak up.
I’m curious…..did you take the left brain/right brain test? And yes, I know there are other theories out there……but my point was to make you aware that teachers teach in different ways and kids learn in different ways. Knowledge is half the battle.
Did you know that if the 1.3 million dropouts from the Class of 2010 had graduated, the nation would have seen $337 billion more in earnings over the course of the students’ lifetimes? (Dosomething.org) Kids matter to us a great deal. They matter to the world.
Have a great weekend! If it’s too yucky to go outside, you can always pick up a book– that’s an archaic thing that may now be referred to as a Kindle, Nook, Smart Phone, etc….you get my drift. Hang in there…..we’ll all be fine.
From the Principal – Did You Know?
Hello! What a week! There is never a day that drags on and on….your kids are working hard in every class and crunch time is here.
Did you know……
* that MCA Reading Tests will take place on April 2 and 3? Grades 7, 8 and 10 will be testing over two days for approximately 4 hours of tests.
* that kids who eat a good breakfast do better in school than those who don’t? What should they eat for more brain power? Protein! Eggs, nuts, yogurt, cottage cheese, whole-grain cereal, oatmeal, blueberries and fruits to name a few. Avoid white flour items like cookies, cakes and muffins. Don’t eat turkey–we know what that does to us. And honestly, there’s nothing like a good night’s sleep for kids. Make sure all electronics are “off” when the kids say goodnight. Reading that great book under the covers will have to wait until after test time. As easy as this sounds, it’s critical to a good test score or good work in the classroom.
Did you know that your child will need to meet technology competency skills when they enter college? In fact, the University of MN, Duluth, has posted what those competencies are. Check it out and you will be happy to see how well your children have been prepared when you look at the list: http://www.d.umn.edu/itss/
Is your student getting ready to take the ACT test? If so, did you know there are many places to go on the web to find sample questions, testing tips, and ways to study? I even found a Sparknotes for the ACT. Sparknotes is condensed information on a topic to save you time in reading entire articles. It cuts to the chase. Check it out: http://www.sparknotes.com/
And for some sample ACT test questions in all categories, this is a great spot on the ACT site itself: http://www.actstudent.org/
Do you know what a “right brain” person looks or acts like as compared to a “left-brain” person? Acording to Carol Phillips, Ed.D, who is an associate professor in education at Harvard, there are a lot of differences. And to add to the confusion, there is a “middle brain” person as well. Right brain people make decisions based on emotions; left brain people are guided by time-oriented and sequential information. Middle brain people are “more flexible” than either one of the other two. So do you know what kind of brain you have? What kind of brain your child has? Or in our case, what kind of brain does the teacher have and how does your child learn from a teacher who has a different brain–a different way of thinking? I know you are really wondering now, arent’ you? Read this article– there is a test at the end of the article….it will tell you what kind of “brain” you have. http://www.scholastic.com/
Last but not least, please check out the article about our school Musical coming up shortly. Make plans to come and enjoy an evening of fun, laughs and music. http://www.hometownfocus.us/
Have a good weekend!!!