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Homer High-Lights
VOLUME 12, ISSUE 6, January 2024
Principal's Corner
I want to officially welcome everyone back from our Holiday Break. I hope you filled up with family connection, rest and relaxation. The start of the new year is always a great time to review what you have accomplished and to make changes or set new goals. Many people call these New Year Resolutions; we call it the improvement process. We continue to assess what we are doing and make changes to improve.
We are pleased with how the first semester ended. The changes we made at the beginning of the year have been successful, but we are still reviewing the data. We will look at our December MAP scores, attendance data, the percentage of how many students passed their classes, and discipline data and make changes if needed. These numbers will be reviewed at our February Site Council meeting February 2 in the library at 4:10 pm. Please plan to attend this meeting and bring your questions.
Here are some reminders for the new year:
Students return on Wednesday January 3rd. All three days will be block days. (Wednesday will run on a Tuesday schedule, etc.)
You should be able to see your child's 2nd semester schedule in PowerSchool starting in January. If you have questions or want to request changes, contact the counseling office.
- ·Click “My Schedule” under Scheduling on the left side, then the “Matrix View” tab.
I look forward to working with you and your children. If you have concerns or suggestions please schedule a time to meet with me by calling 235-4600 or sent me an e-mail at dwaclawski@kpbsd.k12.ak.us.
Douglas Waclawski
Principal
907-235-4600
CTE, Financial Aide & Scholarship Information Night
Thanks to everyone who presented or attended our CTE, Financial Aid & Scholarship information night. Over 100 people showed up for the presentations. Thanks to Nancy Johnson & Karen Shemet from KBC, Sargent Jenkins from the US Army, Nancy Bishop from the Department of Labor, Laura Seaton from the Homer Foundation, Lucinda Martin for the Marine Trades Association of Homer and Paul Story and Sue Rennolds from Homer High School for providing great information to our parents and students.
Alivia Fefelov Earns Full Ride Scholarship
Congratulations to Alivia Fefelov on earning a full ride scholarship to a prestigious institution. Carleton Collage has award Alivia Fefelov a full ride scholarship worth over $80,000 a year. Great work!
Seniors Come Through in the Can Drive for Share the Spirit
Congratulations to the Seniors for filling their chute in the HHS annual can drive. Our goal was to collect 2000 cans and we came close. All cans are donated to Share the Spirit and given to local families in need. This event is put on annually by Homer High School's Student Council. This is a great event where everyone wins!
Homer High School Is Using Remind
Homer High School is now using Remind for all classroom and sports communication. Please make sure you opt in to Remind when get a message from HHS. We are using remind for sports communication and with some school-wide communication.
If you have opted out and are not receiving Remind Messages, go to notification preferences and opt back in. If you are having problems or questions with changing your preferences, call our office at 907-235-4600 for help.
We encourage you to check out this parent guide to get tips on how to use Remind. We're excited to use Remind to make connecting with your family more engaging.
Please sign up for Remind and allow HHS to send you text messages.
The Mariner Way.
Last year our teachers, students and parents from our Site Council got together and helped write the Mariner Way. This is what we think it means to be a Mariner and what we want to aspire to. We hope that when people think of Homer High School they will say we are living the Mariner Way.
We are the Mariners, a special blend of toughness, compassion, grit and integrity. We understand we are part of something bigger than ourselves and endeavor to be better every day. We show sportsmanship, help out community and strive for academic excellence. This is the Mariner Way.
Homer Makes Noise at State
Homer sent 10 athletes to state this year even in a rebuilding year. Super sisters Saoirse and Roane Cook won state titles for the second year in a row. Brayden Woods battled his way to state runner up. Paul Minke earned third, Justice Grimes earned 4th place and fantastic freshman Luca Fitzpatrick earned 6th place.
With most wrestling coming back, next year looks bright for the Mariners.
Dates To Remember
- 1/1: No school Happy New Year!
1/2 : No school/Teacher In-service day
- 1/3: Back to School
- 1/6: Girls Basketball vs Seward 12:00/3:00
- 1/6: Boys Basketball vs Seward 1:30/4:40
- 1/11: Hockey vs Soldotna 6:00
- 1/12: HPD Community Presentation on Drug use
- 1/12: Early release @2:20
- 1/12: Girls JV basketball vs Ninilchik 4:00 & Boys JV 5:30
- 1/20: Hockey vs Palmer TBA
- 1/23: C Team Basketball vs Kenai; Girls 4:00/Boys5:30
- 1/29: Random Acts of DDF 7:00
- 1/31: JV Girls basketball vs Sand Point 4:00
Mariner Way Award
Each Homer High teacher selects one outstanding student per year based on exhibition of the Mariner Way traits. Honorees, their families and the nominating teachers attended a December 10th celebration. First semester winners were (front row L to R, then back row L to R):
- Nikole Drake – nominated by Jessi Felice
- Max Herndon – nominated by Leo Dykstra
- Hannah Klima – nominated by Erin Brege
- Kat Basargin – nominated by Sue Rennolds
- Lucas Story – nominated by Michelle Borland
- Brightly Thoning – nominated by Suzanne Bishop
- Clark Milstead – nominated by Eric Simondsen
- Noah Smith – nominated by Mike Tozzo
- Leland Curtis – nominated by Jan Spurkland
- Jayden Eagleman – nominated by Dan Newsted
Briar Boyd - Mushrooms
Semester One Ceramics Projects
Ceramics has been busy with many firings occurring to wrap up the second and third projects. Ceramics 1 lidded slab containers are exemplified by Vincent Neal’s Pistachio organizing box, Anthony Gonzalez’s reiki symbol box, Kay Bartel’s tower lantern, Madilyn Illg’s octopus lantern, and Swift Blackstock’s butter dish. Ceramics 2 designer bowls project is demonstrated through Johannah Wickstrom’s baking bowls. Ceramics 3 scultptural and wheel challenger projects are embodied by Briar Boyd’s mushroom houses and Charity Martin’s skeleton excavator.
Charity Martin - Skeleton
Johanna Wickstrom - Bowls
Kay Bartel - Castle
Antony Gonzalez
Counselor Corner
HHS School Counselors
Sue Rennolds – Class of 2026 srennolds@kpbsd.k12.ak.us ~ (907) 235-4691
Paul Story – Classes of ’24, ’25, ’27 pstory@kpbsd.k12.ak.us ~ (907) 235-4685
A Scholarship Opportunity for Juniors (and maybe seniors)!
Most scholarship applications are for seniors, but the HAA Foundation has national awards primarily for juniors (Seniors can also apply for other awards depending on what school they plan to attend, and there is a CTE-specific award coming out March 14, 2024.). A 2023 HHS graduate won the highly lucrative national award after applying in his junior year, so there’s precedent!
Attention seniors and families!
Graduation countdown is underway. Please check your emails for an important message from Elena Mathis about diplomas, caps and gowns, yearbook, etc.
2nd Semester schedules available in PowerSchool
To see what classes you’re scheduled to take starting January, log into PowerSchool. If you have questions or want to request changes, contact the counseling office! J
- ·Click “My Schedule” under Scheduling on the left side, then the “Matrix View” tab.
SAT - PSAT - ACT
SAT – register at www.sat.org/register
ACT – register at www.act.org
PSAT (for 10th/11th graders planning to apply to 4-year college). Great, cheap practice and Junior entry into the National Merit competition.) – registration for October testing through HHS to be announced soon.
Homer High School
Email: dwaclawski@kpbsd.org
Website: http://homerhighschool.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/wpmu/
Location: 600 E Fairview Ave, Homer, AK, USA
Phone: 907-235-4600
Facebook: www.facebook.com/homerhs