PHS Newsletter

Hello Pella High School Families,

Our administrative team at Pella High School is very appreciative of the continued support that we have received from parents, families, and the community. Thank you for all that you are doing to support our students and staff! GO DUTCH!!!

Josh Manning - Principal

Derek Schulte - Assistant Principal

Matt Fouch - Activities Director

Alexander has been named as a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist! He is one of 16,000 finalists chosen from over 1.3 million high school juniors who entered the scholarship program by taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. He will continue in the competition in the hopes of receiving one of 6,900 National Merit Scholarships. Congratulations, Alexander!

Congratulations to Marissa who ran a 16:38 5K at the Gilbert Tigers Invitational at Iowa State University on September 12. This is the fastest ever 5K recorded by an Iowa High School girl!

At the same race, Canaan Dunham broke the 15 minute 5K barrier and ran the fastest cross country race in school history at 14:43!

There will be an ACT Test Prep Seminar at Pella High School on Monday & Tuesday, October 7 & 8, from 6:00 to 8:30 PM. The seminar fee is $99.00. You can register at: www.doorwaytocollege.org. If you have questions, stop in the counseling office!

Picture retake day at the High School is October 9th. If you missed our first picture day or want to have your pictures retaken, this is your chance!

Are you wondering about the Apprenticeship Program? Do you want to learn how students can get paid to learn on-the-job skills while earning high school credit? Come find out more at the Work-Based Learning Information night in the Pella High School Commons on November 4, 2024, from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. You will learn about the programs offered and hear personal experiences from employers and participating students. Interested students and parents are encouraged to attend.

WorkSMART connector website

For a brief overview of the Work-Based Learning Opportunities, please view the video linked:

Apprenticeship.mp4

Programs offered:

• Construction Trades (apprenticeship)

• Hospitality/Culinary Arts (apprenticeship)

• Manufacturing Experience (apprenticeship)

• Manufacturing Technologies (apprenticeship)

• Patient Care (apprenticeship)

• Welding (apprenticeship)

• Early Childhood Education (job placement)

• Information Technology (certificate)

Future Ready Parent-Teacher Conferences at the high school will be on Tuesday, November 12, and Tuesday, November 19, from 4:30 to 8:00 p.m. Teachers will be available in their rooms for Future Ready Conferences and for parent visits during scheduled times.

Students are expected to attend their Future Ready Conference with a parent. Now is a great time for your students to request time off of work, if needed, to make sure they will be available to attend on one of the scheduled nights.

Conferences Dates and Times:

• Tuesday, November 12 & Tuesday, November 19: 4:30 - 8:00 PM

• Links will be sent home in November to sign up for times.

If your student is feeling overwhelmed when they think about life post-high school, let us help! Making plans for after graduation, whether it's for college, work, military, or a gap year needs to start now! Our goal is to meet with every single senior in the next couple months to discuss post-secondary plans. We are here to help with resumes, applications, essays, etc. - you name it!

Senior students can sign up for a time that works best for them, and the coffee (or hot chocolate or tea) is on us! Sign Up Link

Parents/guardians will be invited to attend Future Ready Conferences in November. This conversation will help prepare students for that.

Mrs. Manning and Mrs. Van Zante

It is important that we ensure our students gain the skills to thrive in an AI-driven future, we are thoughtfully incorporating AI technologies into our curriculum and operations because AI will be a part of our students’ futures.

Teachers will communicate with students:

• The purpose of using AI on the assignment
• What allowable use will be
• What uses will not be tolerated

When and what tools will be accessible to students at Pella High School:

• Perplexity will be our first approved tool, and it is available to those over 13.
• We opened this tool up for high school student access today, Monday, September 23, 2024.

AI Information and Guidelines.pdf

Senate File 2435 was signed into law on May 9, 2024 with an effective date of July 1, 2024. Division VII of SF2435 details public school attendance requirements. The following provides a summary of district responsibilities.

Chronically absent means any absence from school for more than ten percent of the days or hours in the grading period established by a public school.

Pella Schools wants to assure you that school safety continues to be our highest priority. We are implementing the Safe Schools system to enhance our ability to notify administrators of any safety concerns raised by students, and it can be found on the bottom right corner of our Pella High School homepage. This proactive system/tool helps us maintain a secure and supportive environment for all.

Thank you for your continued support in keeping our school community safe.

One small part of the “Empowered Learning” journey is the weekly iLead session on Wednesdays. This is an intentional time set aside each week for our students to focus on using what they are learning in classes and about themselves to blaze a path to their future. It’s where Pella High School gets to empower and encourage our students to make choices for right now that will help them navigate whatever path leads them to their future.

All of what we do in iLead is recorded in each students’ Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP). There are six different “units” to their ICAP: Self Understanding, Career Exploration, Career Information, Post Secondary Exploration, Post Secondary Decision, and Financial Advisement. Students have started working on the Self Understanding Unit and will progress through each one as the year continues.

The results of the conversations and tasks that are completed with each unit are all documented for their Future Ready Conferences. Our goal at Pella High School is that every student leaves with a plan or a clear path forward into their future, knowing full well that plans and paths often change directions. We want to lay a foundation for these plans and paths so that students feel confident no matter how many twists and turns life takes!

We are excited to invite our families once again to our Future Ready Conferences in November. Your students will have the opportunity to show their families how they are leading their learning and blazing their paths during this conference. Please be watching for more details and information in future notifications and newsletters!

Thank you for partnering with us as we engage and empower the learners at Pella High School this year!

*For more information about the ICAP, please go to the Department of Education’s website: Career & Academic Planning | Department of Education or view this information document also from the Department of Education.

The planning for post-secondary education greatly hinges on financial aid for families, especially as educational costs continue to rise. The regulations state that families of seniors are allowed to apply for aid starting any time, as the applications are stated to be available on or before December 1, 2024. Visit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) website to begin.

ICAN website

For a free resource in Iowa, you may visit the ICAN website for any assistance about the online filing process and policies.

FAFSA Application

Ms. Julia Howe was so impressed by her junior and senior students creativity and dedication to this mini-unit. They asked for teachers to give them ideas or cake needs, and the student fulfilled the orders.

Senior Bulletin

October 2th: 90 minute early dismissal for PD

October 8th: 6 week grades due

October 9th: 90 minute early dismissal for PD

October 16th: 90 minute early dismissal for PD

October 23th: 90 minute early dismissal due to K-3 Parent/Teacher Conferences

October 24th No School

October 25th: No School

October 29th: Midterm grades due

October 30th: 90 minute early dismissal for PD

Through the Campus Parent Portal, parents are able to see a journal on all fees paid to the Pella Schools for school fees and food service fees. See the steps below on how to see that fee journal on the ICPP:

• Fee Journal: under FEES > TYPE DROPDOWN > PAID

• Food Service: under FOOD SERVICE > CLICK ON CHILD’S NAME > SELECT TIME FRAME

Applying to college? Please follow these steps on the Pella District website for any official transcript requests: pellaschools.org/transcript or click HERE.

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Website

www.pellaschools.org