PHS Parent Newsletter

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

Parents & Guardians:

Thank you for your support of our Bell to Bell No Cell Phone policy. Cell phones are strictly prohibited in all classrooms. Phones cannot be seen or heard and teachers have the option to require students to store their phones in an assigned wall pocket, or allow students to secure their silent cell phone in their backpack. This is not a new policy. It's simply the final phase of implementing a strict no cell phone policy in the classrooms. Parents have been informed and included in the policy conversation from the beginning. I shared a survey last month and nearly 80 parents responded. The results are listed below. The majority of respondents supported a cell phone ban in classrooms. 40% of parents (who responded) opposed restrictions on student cell phone access.

The harmful impact cell phones have on student learning and mental health requires us to act on behalf of our students. We need to all work together to limit student screen time and the distractions that cell phones and social media can create. Research shows that even the presence of a cell phone can be distracting to student learning. The temptation to check their social media or messages can be as much of a distraction as actually being on their phone. Simply put, students cannot concentrate and learn difficult concepts or skills. We must protect our students learning time.

Students are safer when we limit their screen time. Mental health improves, they are more likely to exercise and sleep better. Students are safer when we limit their access to screens and protect them from the harmful parts of the internet. This alone requires more action to protect our students from spending too much time online.

You can support our efforts at school. Avoid messaging your students during class time. Of course you can always contact the office in the case of an emergency. You can contact me directly on my cell. My number is listed on this newsletter. More importantly, you can voice your support for this policy when you talk to you student. Help us protect our students at school by supporting this policy at home.

Thank you,

Jason

https://www.kosu.org/education/2025-01-06/oklahoma-legislature-to-consider-bell-to-bell-school-cell-phone-ban

Purcell senior Parker Page recently received a nomination from Congressman Tom Cole to be admitted to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. Parker is an outstanding young man and leader in his school and community. He will serve his country with distinction. We are proud of Parker for this accomplishment.

"I am honored to recommend these brave young men and women from the 4th District for appointment to one of our esteemed military academies."

-- U.S. Congressman Tom Cole

Dear Parents & Guardians:

• We conducted two safety drills including a security drill (lock-in) and fire/evacuation drill.
• Our transportation department conducted a bus evacuation drill Friday morning.
• These drills were our first to include the support of Officer Daniel Fumi, our new school resource officer. This is an important added layer of security and safety
• We have NO scheduled drills this upcoming week

Winter weather is predicted for Monday and Tuesday. It's still to early to know the impact on school closures. . We reminded students to take home their chromebooks and chargers. Parents should monitor school communication for any potential messages. The school district will announce any closure or transition to virtual learning through direct text notification, email, facebook, and local news stations.

The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States and its territories. The 988 Lifeline is comprised of a national network of over 200 local crisis centers, combining local care and resources with national standards and best practices.

Our Counselor's Corner is a resource for all things counseling related. Please click on the link below to access relevant information including Academic Guidance, Student Supports, Scholarships, College & Career counseling, social and emotional supports, and more. This link is updated regularly. Seniors and senior parents can also access the Senior Website which is also linked below.

Highlights:

• The next National ACT test date is February 8. The late registration deadline is Jan. 24t.
• Seniors: Please be sure to see Ms. Feroli if you have any questions about scholarship applications. There is a link to available scholarships in the Counselor's Corner (linked below)
• Please see confirmed school assessment dates for the spring. ALL juniors are required to take state mandated college & career readiness assessments (CCRA)

1. ACT Test (juniors) - Wednesday, April 9th
2. U.S History CCRA Exam (juniors) - Tuesday, April 16th
3. Science CCRA Exam (juniors) - Wednesday, April 16th

• All seniors are required to complete state mandated CPR training in order to graduate. School training will be provided this spring to all students. Students can be exempted from the training if they hold a current CPR certification. Students should bring documentation of their certification to the front office.
• State required ICAP (Individual Career Academic Plan) lessons including college and career guidance are completed through advisory on January 29 & February 12th.
• Course selections for 2025-26 Academic Year (pre-enrollment) for underclassmen is March 5 through advisor

High school seniors, even if you haven’t chosen your college yet, complete the FAFSA now. Don’t wait! Some types of financial aid are first-come, first-served. Learn more at:

https://www.startwithfafsa.org/

Get answers to some of the most common financial aid questions, such as:

• What is financial aid?
• Why is financial aid important?
  
• Who qualifies for financial aid?
  
• How do I apply for federal financial aid?
  
• When do I apply for financial aid?
  
• How often do I have to complete the FAFSA?

Freshmen and sophomore students are completing MAP assessments in their English, Math, and Science classes. These assessments measure learning progress in math, reading, and science. Students are assessed at the beginning of the school year and again in January. These assessments measure growth over a student's schooling from 6th grade through 10th. They are an accurate predictor of future performance on the ACT. All students take the ACT their junior year.

The focus of MAP assessments are learning growth over an extended period of time. Students should demonstrate their highest growth rate on the winter assessment (current assessment). These assessments are unlike most assessments students take due to their focus on learning growth. Students will answer questions that are determined by whether or not students answer questions correctly. For example, if a student misses a question the next question will most likely be easier in nature. Alternatively, if a student answers a question correctly, the next question will increase in difficulty. The assessment also measures rapid guessing and will indicate if a student is not trying their best.

It's very important for students to give their best effort on these assessments. The data is important and helps us identify students who may need accelerated learning or may qualify for our honors/AP programs. It can also help identify students who need additional support. The testing window will end on 1/31. I will send each parent an individualized family report after the window closes. This will show parents student learning growth and indicate if they are on-track for college and career readiness. Please see links below (in English & Spanish) for more information about MAP assessments.

SCHOOL HONOR ROLLS

Purcell students will be recognized on the Superintendent’s Honor Roll- GPA of 4.0 or greater and no grade lower than a B or the Principal’s Honor Roll- GPA of 3.0-3.9 with no grade lower than a B. (Weighted grades will be used to determine honor rolls).

Congratulations to the following students for their hard work and achievements in the classroom.

Congratulations to our PHS Academic Team for their hard work and success this year. Their season ended in Round 3 of a very competitive Area tournament. A special thanks to our seniors and Coach Jasmine Quinonez for a great season!

At our recent teacher professional development we discussed the importance of integrating active learning strategies in the classroom. Active learning strategies are any instructional methods that get students moving. We have long known that students learn more effectively when they are active and moving. Following the session I was pleased to observe several teachers integrating active learning strategies in their lessons. For example, Ray Samford had his physical science classes moving throughout the hallways while they learned how to measure velocity.

Purcell High School offers students both in-person and online tutoring opportunities Below you will find information about Varsity Tutoring which provides students free, comprehensive, and unlimited access to online help. You can click on the button below this message to access Varsity Tutors.

2025 PHS Homecoming Winter Dance! Thank you STUCO for hosting a fun night. Over 100 students in attendance. Thank you DJ Kenzie Cunnius and sponsors Amy Stone, Leigh Ann McGregor, Jasmine Quinonez, and Kurt Gray.

PHS Students Franklin Linker and Madison Jarvis shared with our staff their initiatives to increase health and wellness awareness amongst our students. Their main focus points are encouraging students to exercise, eat more healthy foods including fruits and vegetables, and avoid vaping. This presentation also highlighted for teachers the need to integrate more movement and activity in lessons. We have long know that students learn more when lessons include physical activity that can stimulate the brain and keep students more engaged.

Thank you to everyone who made our Basketball Homecoming such a great night. A special recognition to Kendra Dobbins and our junior parent volunteers for their hard work organizing After Prom. Their silent auction was a huge success thanks to their efforts and the amazing support of the community. Thanks to everyone who supported our school and students!

Email Leigh Ann McGregor for more information or call the front office: (405) 442-0099

mcgregorl@purcellps.org

Great job PHS Cheer for leading school spirit at basketball games and throughout the school. We appreciate your hard work and enthusiasm at games. It helps keep our fans positive and the student section engaged in the game!

Thank you for performing at PHS home basketball games. Great job.

Say “hello” to two-way messaging and classroom announcements in the Purcell app! With the addition of Rooms, our district app keeps getting better. Parents/guardians check your email and text messages tomorrow (9/3) with instructions to sign up and access new features.

To make sure you are ready to use Rooms, download the Purcell app today!

Download for Android https://aptg.co/Bp9PVp

Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/H7tnMs

Functional Family Therapy

The Oklahoma Office of Juvenile Affairs is offering the Functional Family Therapy (FFT) program for highly at-risk youth and adjudicated youth in specific Oklahoma counties. FFT is an evidence-based treatment program designed to reduce at-risk behavior in adolescents with an 70%-80% effectiveness rate. FFT is the leading treatment to address adolescent substance use, delinquency, and family system change. FFT targets youth aged 11-18, younger siblings, and their parents/caregivers. Intervention ranges from, on average, 8 -12 one-hour sessions for mild cases and up to 30 sessions for more difficult situations. FFT is conducted over an approximate three-month period and is largely an in-home intervention that is provided at no cost to the family.

FFT is appropriate for youth ages 11-17 exhibiting frequent and high degrees of the following problematic behaviors: defiance of authority figures (home and school), aggressiveness toward other people, extreme sibling rivalry, running away, truancy, vandalism, negative peer association, poor academic performance, chronic absenteeism from school, frequent school suspensions/expulsions, current/history of arrest, bullying issues, gang affiliation, and or substance abuse.

Is FFT available to students in my county?
To learn if FFT is available in your county please click below. Counties are where FFT is available are highlighted in blue: Functional Family Therapy (FFT) (oklahoma.gov)

How to do I make a referral?
To make a referral, please reach out to your local county Office of Juvenile Affairs. FFT can be provided as a preventative intervention. You will have to make a referral to OJA services and request FFT if the student does not have OJA involvement.

Students can access Varsity Tutors platform on their school-issued Chromebooks through their Clever account. Students & Parents can also access Clever account @ purcellps.org by selecting the Student Learning Page from the menu.

You can learn more about the tools available to your student here.

Please contact the high school if you are unable to access Parent Portal. This allows students and parents to access real-time grades 24/7, attendance information and update personal information. I include a parent/portal link for all parents/guardians on every Parent Newsletter. This link is located immediately below this message. It's very important all parents have access to parent portal.

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