PHS Parent Newsletter
9/2/23
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Purcell High School Contact Info
Email: sandersj@purcellps.org
Website: https://www.purcellps.org/o/phs
Location: 2020 North Green Avenue, Purcell, OK, USA
Phone: 405-442-0099
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/purcellhs
Twitter: @purcellhsdrgns
Message from the Principal
Good Afternoon Dragon Family:
College or No College...What's the right path?
Last week Melissa Feroli, high school counselor, and myself attended the Crimson & Cream Summit at the University of Oklahoma. We had the opportunity to hear about changes in college admissions policy. OU, like many colleges, have adopted test optional policies. This allows college applicants to choose whether they want to include their ACT scores in their application. Colleges are taking a more whole-student approach to deciding whether to admit students. Did they take challenging courses in high school? Were they involved in extracurricular activities? Did they give back to their school and community? What did teachers, counselors, and administrators say about them in letters of recommendation?
ACT scores still matter. They lead to more scholarship money and help assess whether students are academically prepared for college. They allow students to avoid expensive, remedial, non-credit courses in college. However colleges are moving in a positive direction. As a college graduate myself, I've always understood the positive and negative aspects of college. College graduates, on average, earn high salaries and college opens the doors to new ideas and lifelong connections. However, college is far too expensive and past admission policies have blocked access to many students capable of succeeding in college.
Next month students will gather in their advisory courses and complete their college and career guides. This allows our advisors (including myself) an opportunity to engage students in conversations about their future. Are they planning on attending college or vocational school, join the military, or head straight to the workforce? How can we help guide them on the path they choose?
As a high school our job is to help students understand that they can do whatever they can dream if they work hard and make good decisions. However, I'm grateful and appreciative that colleges are making access to higher education more accessible for all. Although the cost of college remains far too high, colleges have thankfully realized that test scores alone are not a good predictor of future success for students.
Please encourage your students to think about their future and plan a path to navigate high school to adulthood. Whether students choose to attend college or not, the formula for success is the same: Make good grades, attend school regularly, build relationships with teachers and staff, and find an extracurricular activity to join!
Go Dragons!.
Jason
Always feel free to call or email me if you have questions
405-442-0099 ext 505
cell# 918-873-0354
NO SCHOOL MONDAY 9/4/23
Service to School & Community
PHS Leadership Students
Serving our Younger Students
Math Games
TUESDAY TALK VIDEO W/ Mr. Sanders
Guests: Jenny Allen-Price: New PHS English/Special Education Teacher. Savanna Edwards & Payci Constant: Senior members of PHS Softball Team, currently 15-1 and undefeated in district.
PHS Football Kicks Off Season With Victory!
Change in Homecoming Parade Route
Temporary Change in Homecoming Parade Route for Purcell Public Schools for SY24
Purcell Public Schools wants to inform everyone of a temporary change in the Homecoming parade route this year due to ongoing construction on Main Street. The traditional parade route will be unavailable, necessitating an alternate path to ensure the safety and enjoyment of all participants and spectators.
The Homecoming parade, a cherished tradition that brings together students, families, and community members to celebrate school spirit and unity, will occur on September 15th at 1:30 p.m. While we regret any inconvenience caused by this change, we are committed to providing an enjoyable experience for all involved.
The new parade route will begin at Van Buren & 3rd St. It will head south on 3rd St. and turn east on Monroe St. The final turn will be on 2nd St. and it will head north, concluding at Conger Field. This revised path has been carefully planned in collaboration with local authorities to minimize disruption while ensuring the safety of participants and spectators alike.
We encourage everyone attending the Homecoming parade to familiarize themselves with the new route ahead of time. We also invite everyone to join us for a community-wide pep assembly that will follow the parade at Conger Field. We will all gather on the Home side stands. Come help us celebrate our Homecoming Court and cheer on the Dragons to victory!
Purcell Public Schools would like to express our gratitude for your understanding and flexibility during this temporary adjustment. We remain dedicated to delivering memorable experiences that foster school pride while prioritizing everyone's well-being.
Thank you for your continued support as we navigate these changes together. We look forward to celebrating a fantastic Homecoming event with our entire community!
Proud to be a Dragon!
Sheli McAdoo, Ph.D.
College & Career Night
All Things College Financial Aid
Thursday, Sep 21, 2023, 06:00 PM
PHS Commons
School Safety Report
- We conducted a successful Tornado this past week. The drill was held at 1:35 PM which is the beginning of 6th period. All students and staff were quickly moved into our designated safe areas. Those areas include our 3 large interior classrooms and our locker rooms in the Reimer Center. Per our safety policies, we enacted lockdown procedures. In the case of an actual Tornado Warning the school would move to a lockdown scenario and no individual would be allowed to enter or exit the building.
- This Wednesday at the beginning of 4th hour (10:55 AM) we will execute a building evacuation drill. We will practice re-assembling as individual classes and accounting for all students and staff.
No Skateboards Allowed on Campus
- We have had some issues early in the year with students bringing skateboards on campus. Let me be clear that I'm not opposed by any means to students skateboarding. In fact I happen to be a fan of skateboarding. Nevertheless they present safety issues that cannot be ignored. First of all, we do not have an appropriate area for students to safely skateboard. There are injury concerns as well as one student did suffer a minor injury. This week alone students skateboarded onto our parking lot and nearly knocked over students and patrons in our front walkway. Students who bring skateboards on campus will have them confiscated and secured in the front office. I respectfully ask parents to support this policy by reminding their students to NOT bring skateboards to campus.
PHS Counselor's Corner
- ACT Info
- Graduation Requirements
- FAFSA info
- Oklahoma's Promise
- Curriculum Guides
- Graduation pathways
- and much more
The senior website is complete and can be accessed by clicking on the link below. It includes important updates and information relevant to seniors and parents. I've also copied below information important to all seniors and parents.
Senior sponsors:
Michael O'Neal: onealm@purcellps.org
Amber Findley: findleya@purcellps.org
important Senior Stuff
ACT INFORMATION
PLEASE NOTE THE LATE REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR THE SEPT 9TH DATE JUST EXPIRED. REGULAR REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR OCT. 28TH TEST IS 9/22.
ACT FREE COLLEGE WORKSHOPS
Register Now for This Fall’s ACT College and Career Readiness Workshops
Start your 2023-24 school year off right with a one-of-a-kind opportunity to learn from college and career readiness experts and to network with fellow counselors in your region. We’ll cover trends, tips, and tools to help keep your students fully informed and prepared to start their post-high school journeys.
PHS ACADEMIC NEWS
FALL MAP ASSESSMENTS / ELIGIBILITY / ATTENDANCE MATTERS / CHROMEBOOK PROTECTION PLAN
- Map Assessments
- Eligibility
- Attendance Matters
- Chromebook Protection Plan
Contact the following individuals for more information
Aaron DIllard: dillarda@purcellps.org
Amy Stone: stoneamy@purcellps.org
PHS CAMPUS LIFE
Pep Rally Fun
Pep Rally Fun
Pep Rally Fun
Cheer Coaches
Pep Rally Fun
Pep Rally Fun
Pep Rally Fun
PHS Staff
New Soccer Coach!
PHS Custodial Staff
Student Section!
Buy Your New Parking Passes
PHS Band
Drumline
PHS Drum Major
PHS Dragon Pride Marching Band
Esports!
Purcell FFA
Hawaiian Night
FFA President Hudson Andrews
THIS WEEK IN DRAGON ATHLETICS
- PHS Football opened their season last Friday night with a 13-0 win vs. Alva. The win marked the first win for Head Coach Aaron Dillard. Congratulations to all coaches, players, and managers. Well done! The Dragons will travel to Pauls Valley on Sept. 8th
- PHS Softball is currently 15-2 and in the midst of an outstanding season. They placeD 3rd at a very tough inaugural Heart of Oklahoma Tournament. They play at Sulphur this Tuesday and later in the week will play in the Tecumseh / Dale Tournament.
- I'm very excited for our Cross-Country Team this year. The boys placed 3rd overall at the recent Marlow Meet. The 8th-9th boys place first. We also had several medalists.
Follow all of our PHS sports team on their Facebook accounts linked below.
Congratulations Coach Dillard
Freshmen Football
Dragon Pride!
PHS Football Defeat Alva
PHS Softball
PHS Cross-Country
PHS Cross-Country
PHS Softball
Boys CC Medalists
RankOne Information
PARENT RESOURCES
OKLAHOMA MATH TUTORING CORP IS NOW OPEN (GREAT RESOURCE!)
Registration is now open for the Oklahoma Math Tutoring Corps (OMTC) for the 2023-24 school year. This high-dosage tutoring program is available for Oklahoma students in grades 7, 8 and 9, providing 50-minute virtual tutoring sessions three times a week in groups of no more than four students.
Along with feedback from students and families, 78% of 7th and 8th grade students who participated during the 2022-23 school year had 2023 assessment scores within the same performance level as in 2022 or improved a performance level. Remaining at the same performance level is considered growth as the state’s academic standards increase in complexity each grade level. Please note, 9th grade does not have a state assessment, so we do not have testing information on them.
OSDE’s Math Tutoring Corps will host two sessions during the 2023-24 school year. The first runs September 17 through November 18, and the second in Spring 2024. Each session can accommodate up to 1,500 students and students are eligible to participate in one or both of the sessions. Families and students can register through this link. The OSDE will provide any needed technology or internet access, and tutoring schedules will occur during students’ free time outside of the school day.
2023-24 School Meal Prices
Parent and Student Portal Access
Please complete this form linked here if you are need of a Parent Portal Account:
https://forms.gle/kcw4yFh9UghpFKW76
If you have any problems accessing Parent Portal please contact the school directly: (405) 442-0099