Panther PRESS

Hey Panthers! 🐾

With just two weeks remaining before the holiday break, the season’s spirit and a focus on finishing strong are evident across campus. As our students prepare for final exams, we’re also adding some festive fun with our 12 Days of Christmas dress-up days. Each day brings a new theme to celebrate the season—check the schedule below so your Panther can join in! You’ll also find the final exam schedule to help your student stay organized and ready for success. Let’s make these last two weeks meaningful as we live out our motto, “Go 2 Go Panthers!”

Amanda Rodgers, Midlothian High School Principal

As the middle of the year approaches, I would love your feedback on your Panther experience this fall. Please complete this short survey (I promise it won't take long at all) so that we can review the feedback and continue to work to make your Panther experience a good one!

Please note: this survey is for families. Students will have an opportunity to complete a student centered survey.

At Midlothian High School, fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment begins the moment students step onto campus. Each class period, staff members greet students at the door, setting a positive tone for the day. Adding to the excitement, many classrooms now feature student greeters, creating a dynamic and joyful atmosphere. This year, we’ve taken it a step further by organizing student groups to greet peers at the exterior doors each morning, ensuring every student starts their day with a smile and a sense of belonging. A heartfelt thank you to our JROTC, Pantherettes and Royals, Cheer, Baseball, and Theater Arts programs for leading this initiative and making mornings at MHS a true celebration of Panther pride!

On November 22nd the Midlothian FFA Chapter took on the Area VIII LDE contest.

Only the top two from every contest will advance to the State Contest. Below are the results.

Greenhand (Freshman) Skills- 1st Place State Advancing

Olivia Graves

Rebbecca Linsey

Cam Anderson

Senior (Upperclassman) Skills- 2nd Place State Advancing

Macie Griffin

London Day

Cale Anderson

Greenhand (Freshman) Creed Speaking- 8th Place

Kennedy Phillips

The State contest will be on Dec 6th and 7th in Huntsville Texas.

Troupe 5601 proudly represented Midlothian High School at the Texas Thespian State Festival this past week. More than 5,000 delegates from across Texas attended workshops with guest artists, competed in various events, auditioned for colleges, and networked with industry professionals.

Congratulations to our company - it was quite a successful event!

• Recognized for Gold Honor Troupe status 2023-2024
• Scholarship Finalist Quinn Hullett
• Main Stage Performance Callbacks - Olivia Leath and Katie Parker
• National Qualifiers in Solo Musical - Keiona Anthony, Olivia Leath, Katie Parker, Emma Scott, Joshua Wilkins
• National Qualifier in Monologue - Tristan Garcia
• College Audition Callback cumulative total: 65
• Disney Audition Callback (1 of 16 candidates selected at the festival) Zachary Cardenas

We are so proud of these students!

#mhslockedin

#traditionperformshere

So far this year, MHS has had 13 students become state certified as as Certified Nursing Assistant!

To become certified, students must do the following;

1. Complete 60 hours of classroom instruction

2. Complete 48 hours of clinical rotations

3. Participate in skills labs that last from August up until the date of their exam, which equals around 130 hours or more of time, completing skills to become successful for hands-on patient care.

4. Pass a written exam

5. Pass a clinical skills exam that consists of completing 5 skills at random out of the 22 skills that are testable.

1. Each skill has approximately 20-25 steps and students must complete each step, in order, by memory to pass this test.

Please congratulate the following students! We have many more testing in the following days who appreciate your support!

Recently Certified:

Karley Massey

Addison Moore

Savannah Morgan

Madison Demouchette

Kanna Burwell

Tatum Barnett

Ava Morales

Shelby Flamenco Woodward

Jessica Zanti

Ryan Heath

Oreoluwa Odenike

London Coffman

Mandi Baltierra

During our annual Blood Drive, we were able to collect 150 units of blood, which ultimately will save 450 lives! This surpasses our record from last year by 30 units, making this the most successful blood drive to date! We are very pleased with not only the success, but also how our Panthers behaved, as we received many compliments from the Blood Drive staff.

Thank you to our many staff, students, and community members for your participation! You can see some of our toughest patients here.....

Senior Night went off incredibly. Everyone worked hard and had a blast. Seniors were recognized before the meet began (see photo of them with their goodies). All five senior boys and sophomore Reed Short successfully completed the Iron Man. This is when one athlete competes in all eleven events possible (normally a max of 4). I am happy to report that, despite the epic fatigue of that undertaking, everyone of them PR'd in at least one event — a couple PR'd near the end of the meet after already having raced several times. On the whole, there were 20 PRs (lifetime best swims). Woot! All is going well and the team is having a blast getting faster.

Tuesday, December 10th: Band Concert

Tuesday, December 10th: Girls Basketball @ Home

Tuesday, December 10th: Boys Basketball @ Home

Wednesday, December 11th: Varsity Wrestling @ Paschal

Thursday, December 12th: JV Wrestling @ Arlington

Friday, December 13th: Choir Concert

Friday, December 13th: Swim @ CFBNatatorium

Friday, December 13th: Girls Basketball @ Kaufman

Friday, December 13th: Boys and Girls Varsity Soccer @ Home

Saturday, December 14th: JV Boys and Girls Soccer @ Life School Waxahachie

Saturday, December 14th: Varsity Wrestling @ Burleson High School

Saturday, December 14th: Varsity Swim @ CFB Natatorium

Senior Year is here and you do not want to miss out on all the exciting activities planned! Please register now to join Project Graduation and follow the social media pages to stay up-to-date on all the fun things planned for the Class of 2025.

Your senior must be a Project Graduation member to attend the “big four” events including the Senior Breakfast, Senior Picnic, Senior Dinner and the All-Nighter on Graduation Eve. Please register now as Senior Year will be a whirlwind.

Please email MHS2025PG@gmail.com with any questions.

If your child is going to be out all day, coming to school late or leaving early, please email the attendance clerk. You may also email any doctor notes to them.

When a student checks out with attendance and then returns to school at a later time, that student will need to check back in through the attendance office before resuming their normal schedule.

Students cannot be released by a phone call.

Email or call the Attendance Clerks for any assistance needed!

Last Name A- La = sandy.heit@midlothianisd.org and 469-856-5123

Last Name Le - Z = karen.girman@midlothianisd.org and 469-856-5122

It is imperative that students are in class on time for each period throughout the school day. In order to receive credit for the class, students must be in attendance for 90% of the class period. If a student is late more than 10 minutes to class, the tardy will change to an absence for that class period.

At MHS we will be using a consistent system to monitor, address, and communicate tardies to parents/guardians.

When the tardy bell rings, teachers will shut their doors and they will be locked for the instructional block. If a student is tardy (10 minutes or less), they will:

• Go to the nearest Tardy Kiosk located in their hallway.
• The student will scan their Student ID and a tardy slip will be printed.
• On the printed slip, it will notify the student of the number of tardies they have received and issue a consequence If needed (determined by the matrix listed below).
• The parent/guardian will receive an email and text (optional) notifying them of the tardy and the assigned consequence.

The Tardy Matrix is listed below with details regarding the Disciplinary action taken for tardy accumulations. This will be the primary source of communication from MHS regarding tardies.

Thank you for your support as we continue to enforce the MISD Dress Code and ID requirements on campus. The vast majority of our students are in compliance and we are very appreciative!

Students are expected to follow the MISD Dress Code linked below:

https://www.misd.gs/student-life/dress-code

If a student is found to be out of dress code, they will be sent to their Assistant Principal (AP). If the student can correct the issue, they will be allowed to return to class. If the issue cannot be corrected, disciplinary action will be taken.

If a student is late to class because they are out of dress code and are trying to correct the issue, they will be counted tardy.

Remember it is mandatory for students to wear their ID on all MISD campuses. If they forget their ID, they will need to get a temporary ID for the day ($1). If they lose their permanent ID, they can purchase a new one for $3. Holders and Lanyards are each $1. We will not issue a new ID Badge without payment.

If a student is late to class because they have to get an ID, they will be counted tardy.

As we start this new school year, we want to address an important matter regarding the use of cell phones during instructional time and its impact on the educational experience of our students. Over time, we've noticed an increase in classroom distractions due to cell phone use, which interrupts learning. To ensure a focused and engaged learning environment, we will be strictly enforcing the District cell phone policy from the first day of school in a streamlined and structured manner.

Outlined below are the procedures designed to minimize disruptions caused by cell phones during each of the seven instructional periods, from the tardy bell to the dismissal bell of each class. Students will still be permitted to use their phones during passing periods as they transition to their next class and during lunch. We kindly ask for your support in ensuring that these procedural changes are followed.

Cell Phone and Electronic Device Procedures:

1. All Phones and Headphones Must Be Turned Off and Stored Away: During instructional periods, students are required to turn off their cell phones and store them in their backpacks. This will help maintain a more focused learning environment and prevent distractions.

2. Instructional Activities Requiring Apps: If a teacher initiates an instructional activity that requires the use of a cell phone app, they will set clear expectations for that activity to ensure that cell phones are used solely for educational purposes.

3. Restroom Pass: When students need to use the restroom, they must hand over their cell phones to the teacher to receive the restroom pass.

4. Consequences for Unauthorized Cell Phone Use

   • If a student is found to have their cell phone out during the instructional block when the device should be stored away, the teacher will confiscate the cell phone until the end of the class. This will documented in Skyward as a warning and the teacher will make parent contact.
   • For a second violation, a referral will be issued and the cell phone will be turned over to the Assistant Principal. The cell phone can be retrieved by the student at the end of the school day at their Assistant Principal’s office.
   • Refusal to Hand Over Phone: If a student refuses to give their phone when requested, a referral will be written immediately.

These procedures are in place to create an optimal learning environment where students can fully engage in their studies. MISD’s Electronic Devices Policy can be found at https://www.midlothianisd.org/student-life/student-handbook starting on page 41. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding in this matter. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

Thank you for your support and commitment to the education and success of our students. Together, we can ensure that each student reaches their full potential.

As a reminder: Students are not permitted to have food delivered by third-party vendors or services (Ex: UberEats, DoorDash, Chick-fil-A Delivery, Papa Johns).

We only permit students to have food delivered by a parent or guardian reflected on their Skyward account. Parents or guardians can only bring food for their student(s).

Thank you for your cooperation!

All students & staff members need a parking pass to park on MISD property. See Brett Ratzlaff to purchase a parking pass. Student parking passes are $45.00. Citations for not having a parking pass will start on Monday, August 19th.

Student safety is our top priority!

Please take a few moments to view the maps below which show the drop-off and pick-up locations/routes for the 2024-2025 school year. Please pay particular attention to the entrance and exits for each parking lot.

AM Drop-off

Students can be dropped off in the North and South Parking Lot in the morning. They will enter the building through either Door 29 (Cafeteria) or Door 37 (Auditorium).

If a student arrives after 8:30 am and does not drive, they should enter at Door 1/Main Entrance.

If a student arrives after 8:30 am and they drive themselves, they should enter at Door 37.

PM Pick-up

Students can be picked up after school in the North Parking Lot or the Front Drive/Rotunda area only. There is no student pick-up in the South Parking Lot.

Thank you for your help in keeping our campus safe and efficient!

Midlothian ISD Athletics Hall of Honor is thrilled to announce the second annual Hall of Honor 5K and Fun Run, set to take place on Saturday, September 28, 2024 at Midlothian ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium. This exciting community event celebrates and honors the legacy of outstanding athletes, coaches, teams, and community supporters from Midlothian ISD.

The Fun Run will kick off at 8:00 a.m., followed by the 5K Race at 8:15 a.m. Participants of all ages are encouraged to join in this family-friendly event, whether you’re a seasoned runner or looking for a fun morning out with friends and family.

The Hall of Honor 5K and Fun Run not only promotes health and wellness in our community but also raises funds to support the Midlothian ISD Athletics Hall of Honor Scholarship Fund. Proceeds from the event will help provide scholarships for graduating MISD student-athletes and help promote the annual induction banquet.

Event Details:

- Date: Saturday, September 28, 2024

- Location: Midlothian ISD Multi-Purpose Stadium

- Packet Pick-Up / Day of Registration: 7:00 a.m.

- Fun Run Start Time: 8:00 a.m.

- 5K Start Time: 8:15 a.m.

Participants can register online at www.midlothianhoh.com or on-site on the day of the event. Early registration is encouraged to secure your spot and T-shirt size (Virtual Runner Options are available).

Join us in celebrating the spirit of Midlothian ISD Athletics and honoring those who have made significant contributions to our athletics programs. We invite everyone to lace up their running shoes and be a part of this exciting day!

For more information, to register, or to become a sponsor, please visit www.midlothianhoh.com.

Together, let’s make this year’s Hall of Honor 5K and Fun Run an event to remember!

MISD Visitor Procedures

MISD prioritizes the safety and security of our staff and students. We ask our MISD visitors to help us in the effort to keep kids as safe as possible. MISD appreciates your patience as we follow these procedures. To learn more about campus security and visitor guidelines, visit https://bit.ly/3QqqQzl.

If there is anything you would like to see in the newsletter that you do not, please let us know!

Email: amanda.rodgers@midlothianisd.org
Website: https://www.midlothianisd.org/
Location: 923 South 9th Street, Midlothian, TX, USA
Phone: 469-856-5000
Facebook: facebook.com/MidlothianHS
Twitter: @MHSPanthers