Federal Way High School Eagle Times Principal: Dr. Matt Oberst Assistant Principals: Richard Lasso ▪ Chelsea Gallagher ▪ Jamie Tough Dean of Students: Ruth Erwin-Svoboda ▪ Randy Long 30611 16th Ave S. · Federal Way, WA 98003 Main Office 253-945-5400 · Fax 253-945-5454 · www.fwps.org/fwhs Attendance: 253-945-5419 • Attendance E-Mail: [email protected] Important Dates Principal’s Message Dear Parents and Guardians, As the month of April begins, we look forward to a week of Spring Break to refresh and revive us all before the many activities that occur towards the end of the year. We have had an incredible winter with a WA State Championship for our Boys’ Basketball Team and a State Champion Gymnast on Floor Exercise. Add to this the excitement for the construction that is occurring to build our beautiful new school. During the next few months, testing will give students the opportunity to show what they have learned throughout the year. The new test this year, The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) will measure students’ ability to meet the Common Core State Standards. Our SBAC English Language Arts testing begins for grades 10 and 11 on May 21 through June 1. The SBAC Math testing begins for grade 11 on June 2 through June 4. For more information, please view the Federal Way High School website about testing at: http://schools.fwps.org/fwhs/testing/. Thank you for your continued support of our students and our school. Please continue to check our child’s grades online and contact teachers, counselors and deans if there is a pattern of assignments and projects not turned in. It’s great to be an Eagle! Dr. Matt Oberst Principal Federal Way High School is on Facebook and Twitter. Follow us on Twitter “@federalwayhigh” and like us on Facebook @ facebook.com/FederalWayHighSchool. April 2015 4/20 4/28 5/1 5/4 5/5 5/13 5/14 5/16 5/20 5/25 5/26 6/2 6/12 6/13 6/16 PTSA Meeting, 6:30 pm Parent Night (Prom & Graduation), 6 pm Jostens Graduation Announcement Delivery No School - Data Day Band/Orchestra Concert, 7 pm Senior Banners Due Key Club Blood Drive Celebrate Ourselves Assembly, 6 pm Prom, Temple Theater, 8 pm Senior Awards, 6:30 pm No School - Memorial Day No School - Snow make up day, if needed Spring Choir Concert @ Decatur, 7 pm Graduation Rehearsal Graduation, 10 am @ Tacoma Dome Last Day of School, Early Dismissal Attendance Information Regular school attendance is necessary for students at FWHS to be successful with their educational program. What to do when your student is absent: Contact FWHS via telephone or email regarding your student's absences. Text messages are NOT accepted. All students need an off campus pass when leaving school for any reason. FWHS operates a closed campus. Once students arrive on campus and start their class schedule, they are not allowed to leave campus at any time during class time or at lunch. Please send a note in the morning before picking up your student for an appointment so we can have them ready to go. Phone: 24/7 Attendance Line: 253-945-5419 Email: [email protected] Federal Way High School State Champions 2015 Tia Thomas, 2015 State Champion 4A Gymnastics (floor) (pictured with coaches Karrie (left) and Kimmie (right) Marton). FWHS Boys Basketball team, 2015 4A State Basketball Champions, pictured with City of Federal Way leaders. Federal Way Mayor, Jim Ferrell, proclaimed March 18, 2015 Federal Way Eagle Day in honor of the Boy’s Basketball State Championship. Counselor’s Corner There are many affordable and educational opportunities available to high school students over the summer. Whether students would like to learn more about a specific field or program or if they are looking to be active over the break, there are several opportunities they can pursue. Many communities such as Federal Way, Kent, and Auburn offer summer camps and volunteer opportunities. Go to http://itallhappenshere.org/ for more information on programs at the Federal Way Community Center this spring and summer. Summer is also a great time to do some fun and educational reading! It is important that students continue reading during the summer so that they can stay academically sharp for the following school year. The following books are recommended by FWHS Cambridge English teachers. Try your local library to check out one or more of the following. As several books on this list are classics, they may also be available at discount book and secondhand stores. The Namesake by Jumpa Lahiri A Gathering of Old Men by Ernest J. Gaines House of Mirth by Edith Wharton How the Garcia Sisters Lost their Accent by Julia Alvarez The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros I am One of You Forever by Fred Chappell The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics by Daniel James Brown Another great use of time over summer break would be to prepare for the new SATs that will be implemented starting the following school year. Khan Academy has partnered with CollegeBoard to offer FREE SAT prep materials so that students can easily access the information. Go to https://www.khanacademy.org/sat for more information and test materials. Another fun way to prep for the SATs is to download a SAT Word of the Day app on a smartphone. April 2015 2 Federal Way High School Smarter Balanced Testing Coming to High School State testing information from the District Office: This spring, Federal Way students in grades 3-8, 10 and 11 will take new state assessments. These are referred to as the Smarter Balanced Assessment and students across Washington state, and in many other states, will take them. The assessments measure student knowledge of the new state standards. This is the second year we have been teaching to these standards, which are often referred to as Common Core. What is different about these assessments? For one thing, instead of a pencil and paper test, Smarter Balanced Assessments will be taken online at a computer. The tests are “adaptive.” This means the questions will adjust automatically depending on how a student answers earlier questions. Something else that’s different: one part of the assessment is called a performance activity. This means the class participates in a teacher-led activity and then students complete an assignment on their own. What does this mean for high school students? High school students are nearing graduation and haven’t been learning to the new state standards for long. They are not expected to pass the new Smarter Balanced Assessments in order to graduate for the next four years. Beginning this year, 10th and 11th grade students will have the opportunity to take the new assessments. Taking them will help FWPS and the state determine what parts of the testing works and what might need to be changed. The results will also provide a new benchmark for schools. When will Smarter Balanced results determine graduation? Beginning in 2019, high school students (those currently in grade 8 or lower) will need to pass the Smarter Balanced Assessments in English Language Arts and Math, as well as the Biology End-ofCourse (EOC) Exit Exam, to graduate (see the chart below for more information). When are the tests? Students will take these assessments over several days this spring. The testing period will be slightly longer than it has been in the past. You will receive information once the schedule is set. What other assessments will students take? At various points throughout the school year, students are assessed so that teachers and parents know where they are in their learning. We use the STAR tests for much of this, and also give assessments that are similar to the end-of-year state assessment. Assessments are not just tests, though. Students are assessed in many ways, all through the learning continuum. An assessment could be as simple as a classroom conversation or a student presentation. These ongoing (or “formative”) assessments allow the teacher to determine if the student needs more instruction. If so, the teacher tries to teach the concept or skill using a different approach -- what we call differentiated instruction. Depending on the courses students take, they may also take a variety of other tests throughout the school year, including Cambridge, Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests. Remember—Performance on any assessment shows only what a student knows and can do at that point in time. It does not show whether your child is capable or not, or how good his or her teacher is. There are many other gauges of a child’s capability and knowledge, and a teacher’s skill. This is especially important to keep in mind when new tests are being rolled out. Smarter Balanced Assessments are challenging. And we know that anytime there is a new state assessment, there is always a temporary drop in test scores. We’ve been through this before with the WASL, the MSP and HSPE. It will take some time for students and staff to learn and adapt to a new assessment. Ultimately, FWPS students will be prepared for 21st century jobs and college. Resources There are many online resources where you can learn more about Smarter Balanced Testing at your child’s grade level. Here are just a few: The FWPS Smarter Balanced Assessment webpage (http://www.fwps.org/teaching/washington-standards/student-smarterbalanced-testing/) includes a chart showing which tests high school students must pass for graduation each year through 2019. Roadmaps to read about what your high school student should be able to do in English Language Arts by the end of the grade level (http://www.cgcs.org/domain/36. Also in Spanish at http://www.commoncoreworks.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=365). Roadmaps to read about what your high school student should be able to do in Math by the end of the grade level. (visit http://www.cgcs.org/ Page/244. Also in Spanish at http://www.commoncoreworks.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=367). Your Child’s Progress at http://yourchildsprogress.com/, is an online publication about Washington’s learning standards and state testing (all grades) for 2014-15 school year. It has been translated into 9 languages. April 2015 3 Federal Way High School Federal Way High School Accolades Key Club Photography Congratulations to Andrea Diep for being elected Lt. Governor for Key Club Division 33! Our photography students are doing great work! Congratulations to Nicole Davis and Kemi Akinlosotu for being selected as finalists in the 35th Annual College & High School Photography Contest, sponsored by Nikon USA and to Chloe Kim for being recognized in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition with a Silver Medal for her photograph titled "Elsie". Key Club members (below) collected over four full shopping carts of food during a recent food drive they held to restock the Eagle Pantry! Way to go! “Elsie” by Chloe Kim By Nicole Davis By Kemi Akinlosotu Who has the best teachers in Federal Way? We do! Congratulations to Mr. Powers for being named the best High School teacher in Federal Way by the Federal Way Mirror, and to Mr. Cameron for tying for second place! April 2015 Congratulations to Rachel Arnold for winning the 2015 Americorps Mural contest! Her mural (pictured above) will be painted at a location in Federal Way (TBD). 4 Federal Way High School French Corner Students in French classes are more involved than ever this year! We took our biggest group to French Camp on February 28, where students spoke French all day while playing games, singing songs, building Eiffel Towers out of candy, eating French food, and having a dance party. We also have our largest group ever participating in our guest student program, known as Program Passepartout. Students come from our sister school (Lycée Jules Verne) in Nantes and stay with families of our students for three months while visiting our school. The following year, their host siblings get to do the same thing in France! Currently, one of our students is living in France with the family of a former exchange student, and we will be welcoming three students to FWHS in mid-April. Stay tuned for information on our upcoming spring field trip for all French students! Now that World Languages are being recognized as more important for a well-rounded high school graduate, we are seeing increased enrollment. You might think that studying French is impractical, but on the contrary, it is HIGHLY beneficial to a student's intellectual and personal development. French has had such a large influence on English over the centuries--over 40% of English words come from French, with many of them more formal and college-level words. French is not only spoken in France, but also in 54 other countries, including the one that is just 3 hours north of us! It is an official language on all continents except Antarctica and Australia. Plus, if you can't tell, French at Federal Way High School has great opportunities and is just plain fun. Sign up for French today! PTSA Federal Way High School PTSA is back! Join now and make a difference. Become a member and you can be informed at monthly meetings in an open forum for transparent communication from our Principal, Dr. Matt Oberst. Topics such as updates on our construction and grading system will be included in our agenda. Please join us and together we can make Federal Way High School the best it can be. Contact the Main Office for more information. The next PTSA meeting is on April 20th at 6:30 pm in Library Portable 7. Key Club Key Club is helping to organize FWHS teams for Relay for Life. There will be more info on student participation coming out soon. What is Relay for Life? RFL is an event sponsored by the American Cancer Society where communities come together to honor cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against cancer. It is an overnight walk-a-thon where participants raise funds to donate to the American Cancer Society. It is a team event, where you work with a team to make sure that a person is walking (or running!) on the track through the whole event. When/Where is it? Friday May 29th 6:00pm - Saturday May 30th Noon at Saghalie Middle School. What do you need to know? Yes, it is an overnight event for students but there will be no tents. We will have open canopies and camp chairs, etc. Guidelines will be forthcoming. To be able to stay overnight, students must raise a minimum amount of money or volunteer a certain number of hours (TBD), so only dedicated students will be allowed to stay. Here is a link for more information about Relay for Life: http://relay.acsevents.org/site/PageServer/? pagename=relay_learn Blood Drive Key Club is holding a blood drive on May 13th, during the school day. Students, family members and friends are welcome to come to the school and donate. The blood drive is through Cascade Regional Blood Services, which supports local regional emergency services. Every donation could save three lives! 5 April 2015 Federal Way High School FWHS Construction Update The layout and installation of the new building's foundation is already starting. Demolition of the 500 wing is wrapping up. This is looking from the 308th side toward the theater. A view from near the theater, looking south/southwest toward the demolished 400 wing and what's left of the 500 building. A view from the old Nutrition Services Building, looking east. April 2015 Photo looks south at what is left of the 500 building. For more information, please visit http://www.fwps.org/highlights/constructionupdates/ 6 Federal Way High School Traffic Safety Registration for Traffic Safety (Driver’s Ed) Summer Classes began on April 13th and will be accepted through the last day of school (as long as space is available). Registration forms can be picked up in our Main Office, but must be turned in to the Traffic Safety Office at Thomas Jefferson High School (4248 S. 288th Street, Auburn 98001). Summer classes will start on June 17th and end on July 15th. Classes run Monday through Thursday with the morning session at 8:00am to 10:00am and the evening session at 6:00pm to 8:00pm. All Summer Classes will be held at the Support Service Center located at 1211 South 332nd Street, Federal Way. Please call the Traffic Safety office at 253-945-5731 for any questions regarding this program. Eagle Expectations This year, we have created five Eagle Expectations for students and staff. As Eagles, we strive to be: -Respectful -Responsible -Engaged -Dependable -Resilient Students are acknowledged for exhibiting one or more of these characteristics by receiving an Eagle Feather from staff members. Feathers are then placed in a box in the Main Office for weekly and monthly drawings. Students whose feathers are drawn receive small items to acknowledge their positive behaviors. For more information, please contact Colleen Allen at [email protected] or 253-945-5433. Communities in Schools As we gear up for the end of the school year and summer break, Communities In Schools wants to ensure that our students and families are prepared for the time off. If you are in need of a community resource, food for home, or other information, please contact Kaitlin Thomas, our School Outreach Coordinator, at 253-945-5416 or [email protected]. Prom is just around the corner! Many gently used prom dresses have been generously donated to CIS for our students. If you have a student in need of a dress, please have them see Kaitlin Thomas. There will be more information coming soon! Keep an eye out for Communities In Schools’ national graduation celebration! #changethepicture. Federal Way High School Staff Scholarship One male and one female from the graduating class of 2015 will be awarded a scholarship sponsored by the staff at Federal Way High School. To qualify, students must be planning on attending an accredited post secondary institution upon graduating (includes Community College, Technical College, 4-Year Colleges and Universities both public and private), have a minimum GPA of 2.5, have accumulated at least 23.5 credits as of June 7th, completed application must be turned in to Ms. Boone no later than 2:00 PM on April 23rd. Late applications will not be accepted! Application Process: 1. Application Cover Sheet (available on our website www.fwps.org/fwhs). 2. Two letters of Recommendation. These can be letters you have for other scholarships, jobs or college applications (you should already have 2 in your 13th Year Plan, Master Portfolio !). 3. A one page essay titled “What a Post Secondary Education Means to ME.” April 2015 7 Federal Way High School SENIOR CALENDAR APRIL ► SENIOR CLASS MEETING: April 22nd during Advisory 8:30 am – 8:55 am in the Gym (Master portfolios, senior profiles, banners) ► PARENT NIGHT: April 28th @ 6:00 pm , Location TBD. Topic: Prom/Graduation ► ANNOUNCEMENTS distributed: April 28th during lunches and 6pm in the cafeteria MAY ► BYU correspondence coursework turned in May 1st ► May 2nd: SAT, SAT II test ► SENIOR BANNERS DUE: May 5th ► May 8th: Register for June SAT, SAT II ► Let the Career Center know if you received a scholarship or award by May 2nd ► SENIOR CLASS MEETING: May 5th during Advisory 8:30 am – 8:55 am in the Gym (Prom & Graduation) ► GRADUATION SINGER TRYOUTS: After school in the Choir Room, May 6th ► GRADUATION KEYNOTE SPEAKER TRYOUTS: After school in Library, May 7th ► GRADUATION THANK YOU TO PARENTS SPEAKER TRYOUTS: After school in Library, May 8th ► Advanced Placement and Cambridge tests given ► Arrange to have your final transcript sent to the school that you will definitely attend in the Fall ► Spring Career and College Fair ► CELEBRATE OURSELVES ASSEMBLY: May 15th (evening performance, May 14th) ► SENIOR PROM: May 16th at Temple Theatre, Tacoma, 8:00pm – 11:00pm ► SENIOR AWARDS EVENING: May 20th, 6:30 pm ► CAPS & GOWNS distributed: May 20th during lunches ► BYU final exams must be completed by May 15th ► SENIOR CLASS MEETING: May 28th during Advisory 8:30 am – 8:55 am, in the Gym (Graduation) JUNE ► Running Start and PSSC students bring proof of passing to the Counseling Office by June 3rd ► June 6th: SAT, SAT II test ► Cambridge testing continues ► SENIOR CHECKOUT SHEETS distributed during Advisory June 1st, begin check out process ► LOCKER CLEAN OUT: June 4th during Advisory ► SENIOR FINALS: June 1st – 5th ► MOVING UP ASSEMBLY and CHECK OUT SHEETS DUE: June 5th ► BACCALAUREATE: Time and location TBD ► TEST MAKEUPS/RETAKES: June 8th, 9th and 10th ► GRADUATION REHEARSAL: June 12th, 10:00 am ► SENIOR BBQ: Following rehearsal and 2nd lunch (will begin at 12:30) April 2015 ► GRADUATION: June 13, 2015 @ 10:00 am @ Tacoma Dome JULY ► DIPLOMA PICK UP: July 8th, 15th, 22nd, & 29th 2015 (Wednesdays) 9:00 AM Graduation Tickets Each graduating Senior will be given ten tickets to Graduation when turning in their completed check out sheet. Additional tickets can be purchased through bookkeeping for $2 each or at the ticket booth at the Tacoma Dome. 2015 Senior Prom Senior Prom will be held on Saturday, May 16th from 8:00 to 11:00 pm at The Temple Theater, located in the historic Stadium District of Tacoma. Ticket sales will start on April 27th at $20 per ticket. April 30 through May 8th tickets will be $25, May 11 & 12 they will be $30, May 13 & 14, $35 and the last day to buy tickets is May 15th at $40 each. From the Bookkeeper Please remember to check your student’s fines & fees before the end of the school year. Your student will not be able to purchase Prom tickets, receive official transcripts or their diploma if they have any outstanding fines or fees. If you any questions please feel free to contact Mr. Green at 253-945-5412. CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF 2015!! Eagles are One, Second to None! 8
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