It is time for FALL 2022 state testing at Oak Ridge High School. In order to streamline testing and preserve as much instructional time as possible, we will use modified schedules for our testing days. If a student is enrolled in the tested subject area for the day, the student will begin school and testing at 7:50 a.m. If a student is NOT enrolled in the tested subject (s) for that day, the student may arrive after testing concludes. All classes will meet on an abbreviated schedule each day following testing. Attendance to these classes is mandatory for all students. Students will test online this year using their school devices. Please remind students to charge and restart devices prior to testing. The buses will run on the normal schedule. If a student does not have a test and arrives to school before regular classes begin, the student will report to the food court and remain until testing is over. Breakfast and lunch will be served.

The ORHS PTSO is hosting a soup luncheon for our teachers and staff on Wednesday, December 7th. If you can help out, please click on the link below and sign up to bring needed items or volunteer to help.

Thank you for showing support for ORHS and SCA!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0444A4A923ABFF2-orhs4

Need a stocking stuffer for your teen or Oak Ridge Alum? Check out the TSA Christmas ornaments made by our students!

https://tsaoakridge.spiritsale.com

• Wednesday, December 14th is a regular school day - Wednesday schedule
• Thursday, December 15th - Students who do not have a 3rd Block academic class may leave with a parent note - NO PHONE CALL CHECK OUTS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
• Friday, December 16th - ONLY Makeup exams at 8:00, no regular classes, students are excused for the day.

Get into the holiday spirit and attend one or more of our Holiday Music Concerts. All concerts begin at 7:00pm

Band 12/6

Chorus 12/8

Orchestra12/14

The ORHS Concert Band hopes to see you in the ORPAC seats on Tuesday, December 6th for their Holiday Concert! They have a great program planned with their annual Sleigh Ride closer! Tickets are $3 for adults/$1 for Students and Seniors/5 and under are free. Please come to enjoy and support your talented students!

FAMILIES WANTING A YEARBOOK - We have sold 500 yearbooks. There are only 250 books remaining to be sold. The price will go up in January to $80.00. Take advantage of the 4 payment plan with Paypal and purchase the Oak Log today!

We are so excited to visit your high school soon! Thank you for opening your doors and for your flexibility as we planned 333 meetings in less than six weeks. We could not do this work without you!

This email is to remind you that your Class of 2023 TN Promise students’ mandatory meeting will be held in TWO weeks! Please see below for the confirmed date, time, and location of the meeting for your students:

Meeting Date: 12/13/2022
Meeting Start Time: 3:40 PM
Meeting Location: Oak Ridge High School - Cafeteria

The tnAchieves staff member facilitating the meeting will arrive early to set up, so please help us ensure the space is unlocked and ready for set up about 45 minutes prior to the meeting start time listed above. Also, securing a microphone is a game changer for our meetings. Could you help ensure this is available? We will also need a table for sign in, if possible.

As you may know, the deadline for students to complete the UT Promise application is less than one month away! Any TN Promise student that is interested in attending a UT system institution next fall must complete the UT Promise application by December 15, 2022 in order to be considered for eligibility.

As a reminder, UT Promise is a last-dollar scholarship for students accepted into undergraduate programs at UT Knoxville, Chattanooga, Martin, Memphis (Health Science Center) and Southern (Pulaski). For UT Promise eligibility, students must complete the following steps!

• Apply for TN Promise at TNPromise.gov by November 1, 2022.
• Submit a UT Promise application by December 15, 2022.
• Submit an admissions application to a University of Tennessee institution of choice by December 15, 2022.
  • UT Knoxville
  • UT Chattanooga
  • UT Martin
  • UT Memphis (Health Science Center)
  • UT Southern (Pulaski)
• Complete the 2023-2024 FAFSA by March 1, 2023 using 2021 tax information.
• Attend assigned, in-person mandatory TN Promise meeting by March 1, 2023. Students can find more information regarding the mandatory meeting requirement here, including the meeting date, time and location!
• Submit 8 hours of community service to tnAchieves by July 5, 2023. Students can submit hours completed from November 2, 2022 to July 5, 2023.
• Enroll at a UT institution for fall 2023! It is also important that students are in close contact with their institution of choice prior to the start of the fall semester to ensure the admissions and financial aid offices have everything they need to complete their file.

Click here for information on all eligibility requirements! Please note, students must qualify for the HOPE Scholarship and have a family household income under $60,000 as determined by FAFSA to receive UT Promise funding.

Keep in mind, UT Promise functions separately from TN Promise and can only be used for universities in the UT system. Final eligibility will be determined by the University of Tennessee after the July 5, 2023 community service deadline.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

The Next Generation STEM Internship Program (NEXTGENS) affords rising juniors and seniors from high schools or accredited home school programs in Anderson, Blount, Knox, Loudon and Roane counties the opportunity to participate in STEM or STEM-related projects with researchers at ORNL. If you know any rising juniors or seniors, please share this with them. As stated, it’s open for high school students and also to home school students.

https://education.ornl.gov/nextgens/

Sign-ups for the ORHS Ski and Snowboarding Club's 2023 season are underway! We will be skiing at Ober Gatlinburg on Wednesday afternoons beginning January 11th. All forms and information can be found on the bulletin board near LC217. Forms need to be returned to Mrs. Longmire in LC217 or Ms. Strating in LC106 by Tuesday, November 28th. Seats are limited to 40 students and available on a first come first served basis, so stop by to pick up your forms today!

City of Oak Ridge’s Teen Basketball League registration opened on October 31 and will close on December 10. A boy’s and a girl’s division will be offered for the 2023 winter season with games scheduled to be played on Saturdays beginning January 7, 2023. Players must be no older than 18 to participate, must be enrolled in school, and may not be affiliated with any TSSAA basketball programs during the 2022/2023 season. Additionally, our co-ed volleyball program is open to anyone 14+. Any team comprised of teens must have a coach that is 21+.

Additional information for the basketball program may be found at bit.ly/ORteenbasketball or via e-mail: mreece@oakridgetn.gov.

The ORHS WildBand fruit sale fundraiser has been extended until December 11! You still have time to order fresh Florida citrus fruit for yourself or as a holiday gift for friends and family! Navel, Hamlin juice and Mandarin oranges, pink grapefruit and red delicious apples are all still available. Pound cake, cheesecake and Fiesta Soup trio mixes are available as well. Choose from several gift boxes such as Toffee & Mandarins, Navels & Marmalade, Navels, Apples & Pears, as well as Pecans & Mandarins. All fruit ordered from now through December 11, will be shipped directly to your home for a small shipping fee. Don’t miss this opportunity to get some fresh Florida fruit while helping to support the award-winning Oak Ridge High School marching band! Order fruit from any band student or online by visiting www.wildband.org. Questions? Contact Sandy Pelletier, Fruit Sale Chair wildbandfruitsale@gmail.com

Science teacher and ORHS swim coach Chad Hodge says, “Ella has had a great year in the pool already. Plus, she is one of the top student-athletes at Oak Ridge High School.”

OAK RIDGE SCHOOLS IS NOT THE SAME AS ANDERSON COUNTY SCHOOLS!

Decision to close or delay the start of school will be decided by 5:30 AM.

Once decision has been made, the following actions will take place:

1. Email will be sent to EX WEATHER (Executive Team, Principals, Food Service, Transportation, ECC, and media contacts).

2. Skylert message will be created and sent to staff and families.

3. Closure/School Delay information will be posted on social media platforms.

Class Rings

Jostens will return Thursday, December 8, to take orders for class rings. They will be located in the Main Lobby and the Arena Concessions’ Kiosk at lunch only. Any student at ORHS can order a class ring. A $60 deposit is required, and class ring packets are available from Mrs. Ledden in CS347. Orders may also be placed online at https://www.jostens.com/.

GRADUATION SUPPLIES - DUE DECEMBER 8TH

DEADLINE: The final day to place an on-time order for all graduation supplies including the cap, gown, and tassel set is Friday, December 9.

• Jostens will collect orders during lunch only here at school in the Main Lobby on Thursday, December 8. No deposit is required if the only item ordered is the cap & gown unit, and the order is given to the Jostens rep in person.
• Orders can be placed online at https://www.jostens.com/ by the end of the day, December 9. Online orders require full payment at the time of the order.
• Current pricing ends after December 9. Prices will DOUBLE.
• If you have questions concerning graduation supply orders, please email Teresa Ledden at tledden@ortn.edu.

The Tennessee Governor's Schools provide eleven challenging and high-intensity programs for rising 11th and 12th grade students nominated by high school faculty. Each school offers a unique learning environment for students interested in the arts, humanities, agriculture science, STEM programs, advanced mathematics, physics, leadership, international studies, Tennessee history, or potential teaching careers. Students interested in participating in a Governor's School should obtain the application from a high school administrator, school counselor, or other faculty member. Applications, submission information, and critical deadlines will be posted on the webpages of each individual Governor’s Schools site.

Please look at the dates of the applications because many are not available yet.

https://ortn.instructure.com/courses/19148/files/2110356/download

The East Tennessee Foundation offers several scholarships that are available specifically to students in Oak Ridge and Anderson County. These are amazing opportunities that seniors should check out! The list of scholarships for ORHS students is posted outside the Counseling Office and on the Scholarships Website.

The Dream Scholarships are for highly motivated undocumented students who want nothing more than to get a college education but are unable to afford the cost.

Chick-Fil-A Scholarships – Every year, twelve (12) $25,000 scholarships will be awarded to students based on academic success, community service and financial need.

There is a mandatory meeting for all Seniors for the TN Promise. The meeting will be in the Food Court at ORHS, December 13th, 3:40 pm.

As a reminder, this one-hour meeting will be mandatory for students to attend to maintain their TN Promise scholarship eligibility. It is extremely important that students make it a priority to attend the in-person mandatory meeting as the meeting will provide an overview of TN Promise/tnAchieves requirements and allow students to meet with their volunteer mentor.

Although this is a mandatory requirement, we do have an excuse form available to students that have a conflict with the assigned meeting date and/or time. It is important that students are reviewing our excuse form policy, which can be found here, prior to submitting an excuse form. Once a student has submitted an excuse form, they will receive follow-up communication from tnAchieves within 48 hours to the email address listed on their TN Promise application. If the excuse form is approved, they will be given access to a mandatory webinar via email on February 1, 2023 that must be completed by March 1, 2023 in order to remain eligible for TN Promise. Please encourage students to make arrangements to attend the meeting, if possible. Otherwise, you can find a link to the excuse form here!

We hope to work together to make the mandatory meeting as seamless as possible for you, your staff, and our students. We kindly ask for your assistance when it comes to the items listed below!

The ORHS Swim Team will be taking on Knox Webb Tuesday, Dec. 6th at 6:30 pm here at the Oak Ridge Civic Center. They also have a short turn-around by having a meet Saturday, Dec. 10th at 12:30 pm against Maryville at home.

Check out the new website (https://orhsmasquers.my.canva.site )! Check out these resources for all your Masquers information.

For more Masquers News checkout our Website: https://orhsmasquers.my.canva.site/

Important Dates to Remember for 2022-23:

January 2nd – March 2nd – Rehearsals for The Lightning Thief

• January 4th-April 21st – Rehearsals for Atomic Acts (Wednesdays - Acting Workshops 2-4 & Improv from 4-7)

• March 3rd-5th – Performances of The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical

• April 22nd – Atomic Acts Performance

• May 5th - Masquers Awards Banquet

There are many important dates coming up for the Class of 2023! Please make sure these dates are on your calendars.

• Tuesday, December 13, 2022 3:40 p.m. – Mandatory TNPromise Meeting for Students - ORHS Food Court

• Tuesday, January 24, 2023 5:30-7:30 Financial aid completion night - ORHS Media Center/Library

• Wednesday, March 1st – FAFSA deadline for the Class of 2023 (fafsa.gov)

As students receive admissions decisions from colleges, they should remember to update Naviance with their results!

Do you need help with the FAFSA but you are unable to attend one of the help sessions at ORHS?

Live 2023-24 FAFSA walkthroughs will be every Monday evening at 7:00 p.m. EST through December 12.

December 5: https://tn.webex.com/tn/j.php?RGID=r01a17347f24d9679d52914dfe66d942c

December 12: https://tn.webex.com/tn/j.php?RGID=rd714662146f4bfa5931718212f2394ef

2023-24 FAFSA Section-by-Section Videos have been recorded.

The 5-minute’ish recordings from the 12th grade family perspective can be found at https://www.collegefortn.org/fafsa/.

Seniors – be sure to check out the Counseling Offices’ Scholarship and Career Page! It is filled with tons of links to scholarship search programs, private and public scholarships, and career information. https://www.ortn.edu/highschool/academics/school-counseling/testing-scholarship-and-career/ Stop by the Counseling Office if you have any questions.

Click here for the Class of 2023 Newsletter: https://www.smore.com/kc3se

The newsletter is full of information for seniors and their families. Please mark your calendars for these important upcoming dates:

• December 13, 2022 3:40 p.m. – Mandatory TNPromise Meeting for Students - ORHS Food Court

• January 24, 2023 5:30-7:30 Financial aid completion night - ORHS Media Center/Library

• March 1st – FAFSA deadline for the Class of 2023 (fafsa.gov)

Counselors:

Seniors - Class of 2023 Brianna Ottinger - bottinger@ortn.edu

Juniors- Class of 2024 Heidi Foster - hafoster@ortn.edu

Sophomores- Class of 2025 Ashley Bennewitz abennewitz@ortn.edu

Freshman - Class of 2026 Paige Taylor - hptaylor@ortn.edu

Social Worker: Alison King aking@ortn.edu

Registrar: Rhonda Garrison rsgarrison@ortn.edu

Counseling Administrative Assistant: Amy O'Rourke akorourke@ortn.edu

Link to Website: https://www.ortn.edu/highschool/academics/school-counseling/

Follow our team on Instagram:

Watch for announcements on Twitter: @ORHSCounseling

Below are the most recent updates from the CDC regarding COVID. Please review the flyer for full guidance from the TN Department of Health and CDC. Students do not have to isolate if family members are positive unless symptoms develop.

Students driving to school are required to have a parking tag. There is NO cost; however, they must register their vehicle with Student Services and show their driver's license. Forms can be found in Student Services at Mrs. Viruet's desk.

Students who need lockers can request one on the form below. Students should walk around the school to find a locker that is convenient for them. They should take down the locker number and know the hallway where it is located in order to complete the form. Once the form is completed, they can report to Mrs. Viruet in Student Services to retrieve their combination.

For the last couple of years, the federal government has provided free breakfast and lunch to all students regardless of financial status. Free meals comes to an end this year. It is critical families complete the form below. If you have qualified for free or reduced meals in the past, a form MUST be completed or charges will accrue in the cafeteria.

While families may not plan to take advantage of free school meals, many families will qualify for services far beyond meals such as reduced ACT and AP test costs. This information is strictly confidential and can be sent to Julie Brockwell in the Main Office or directly to Dr. Larissa Henderson, Pupil Services.

Parents, students are NOT allowed to carry medications on their person at school. All medications must be registered with our nurse, Lori Gupton. Registration requirements are in the form below. This includes over the counter medications such as Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Benadryl or any type of allergy medications, etc. Students found with medication are subject to disciplinary action, which can include a Zero Tolerance and placement at alternative school. At the end of the school year, parents are responsible for picking up medications before the last day of school. The nurse will properly dispose of all medications remaining on the day of school.

Please reference School Board Policy 6.405 Medications

https://tsba.net/oak-ridge-board-of-education-policy-manual/#students

In order for a student to take their permit test, a form is required from the school. Mrs. Thacker, our attendance secretary, prepares these forms. Requests are accepted through the link below. When school is in session, a completed form may be picked up in the Attendance Office. However, if school is NOT in session, the form will be mailed home by USPS.

Did you know your teen will have their driver's license suspended due to poor grades and/or poor attendance?

Parents should review this information with their teen drivers!!

CDC is asking everyone to continue to save your Coke product lids/case codes. Each cap earns $.05 for this classroom! Coke lids/codes can be dropped in Student Services OR families set up their own account @ https://us.coca-cola.com/give/schools, input your codes and donate them to Oak Ridge High School. All proceeds donated go to CDC to help pay for classroom supplies, materials and student needs. Thank you for your support!!!

THIS MONEY SUPPORTS OUR CDC CLASSROOM!

Registration begins Thursday, September 1, 2022 with points starting to accumulate on September 7th and cards have to be registered by December 31st to count for this year. The program runs through May 9, 2023.

https://www.foodcity.com/schoolbucks/#:~:text=2022%2D23%20School,or%20lottery%20tickets.

How Can I Link My School Online?

• Visit http://www.foodcity.com/schoolbucks
• Click the blue “Login” button under Customer Login
• Enter your username and password for your Food City online account.
• At the top of the page click, “My Account”. This will load the customer dashboard page.
• Below the Fuel Bucks section, you will find “My School Bucks” section. (The total school bucks earned will show here as well)
• Click the “Update School” link listed below. Select the school and click, “Save”

School Bucks-Store Level Enrollment

• Stores can enroll schools from VC Enroll for customers who do not have access to the internet. (Only HRCs and HCs have authorized access.)
• To do so they enter the customers ValuCard number, selected “Look UP” and select the school the customer has chosen in the School Bucks field.

Common Questions

• Why is my school not on my receipt? Schools are no longer listed on receipts but can be managed anytime from their online account.

• When does this begin/end? The program runs from SEPTEMBER 1 THROUGH MAY 9, 2023.

Deadline to register is December 31, 2022.

Total awarded amount: $700,000

**PLEASE HELP OUR CLASS RAISE $$ BY REGISTERING!! Share w/ everyone you know!

• Sign into your Kroger account at Kroger.com or set up an account with your Kroger card if you haven’t registered your card before

• Click on your name to access your information (“My Account”)

• Choose account summary

• At the bottom of the page, you will see “community rewards”

• Click “Enroll”

• You are now officially linked to our account to earn money for the school through your purchases.

If you are using the app to enroll, click the three bars and choose "Rewards" then

"Community Rewards."

If you have any problems, please call Kroger at 1-800-576-4377

The following ORHS organizations have an Amazon Support account:

ORHS - Band Boosters

ORHS - PTSO

ORHS - Orchestra Booster Club

ORHS - Wildcat Football Boosters

ORS - Public School Education Foundation

Amazon Prime membership benefits are the SAME. The only difference is Amazon makes a donation to your chosen organization. Share this information with your friends, grandparents, alumni, and anyone who shops Amazon.

• Go to Amazon.com and login to your account or set one up if you will shop on Amazon.com

• Search for amazon smiles charity choices

• Click Change Charitable Organization at the top of the page

• Now click on #1 Sign in to smile.amazon.com on your desktop or mobile phone browser.

• On the right hand side you will see pick your own charitable organization:

• Type in Oak Ridge School and click search

As a reminder, this year our administration and Counseling Department moved to grade level teams to serve students for their scholastic careers at ORHS. In order to provide families with the swiftest and most accurate information, we encourage reaching out directly to the grade level administrator and/or counselor team when questions arise with students.

9th Grade team: Beth Estep kestep@ortn.edu and Paige Taylor hptaylor@ortn.edu

10th Grade team: Russ Wise rewise@ortn.edu and Ashley Bennewitz abennewitz@ortn.edu

11th Grade team: Stephanie Thompson sathompson@ortn.edu and Heidi Foster hafoster@ortn.edu

12th Grade team: David Foust djfoust@ortn.edu and Brianna Ottinger bottinger@ortn.edu

Executive Principal - Drayton Hawkins dshawkins@ortn.edu

SENIORS - David Foust djfoust@ortn.edu

Juniors - Stephanie Thompson sathompson@ortn.edu

Sophomores - Russ Wise rewise@ortn.edu

Freshman - Beth Estep kestep@ortn.edu

Curriculum Principal - Jennifer Milligan jmmilligan2@ortn.edu

It is our desire to keep our families informed of all of the activity and awesome news coming from Oak Ridge High School. We have multiple platforms for connection. We encourage you to explore the many ways and provide feedback!

Website - http://www.ortn.edu/highschool/

Daily Bulletin - http://www.ortn.edu/highschool/daily-bulletin/

Channel 15 at 7:50 AM - Watch the announcements each morning by our Crew! YouTube Streaming: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL9N_azmWeQByrIW6pWLBlQ

Live in Knox/Anderson/Roane - If you live throughout Anderson/Roane/Knox counties and have ATT Uverse you can find us on Channel 99 – just select the Oak Ridge Schools option.

INews - http://www.ortn.edu/highschool/news-events/news-links/

Skylert Messages and Emails - Please make sure your current email address and phone numbers are up to date!!!

PTSO Newsletter - PTSO distributes a VERY detailed quarterly newsletter to inform parents of upcoming events and LOTS of counseling information! This comes to your email! They also have a presence on the website: http://www.orhs-ptso.org/news-information with tons of information! PTSO also has a Facebook presence, and we encourage you to "LIKE" their page! https://www.facebook.com/ORHSPTSO/

Twitter - Follow the accounts listed below

Email: tseals@ortn.edu
Website: http://www.ortn.edu/highschool/
Location: 1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
Phone: 865-425-9600
Twitter: @ORHSWildcatMGM