Week 11: October 21st - 26th

Dear Oiler Families,

I hope that each of you had a wonderful Fall Break and took the opportunity to enjoy some of the cooler weather.

As we enter the second nine weeks of the school year, it's important to keep in mind that historically, this is the time when attendance begins to drop. Regular attendance is crucial to your child's academic success and engagement in the classroom. Every day counts—consistent attendance not only helps students stay on top of their studies but also allows them to fully participate in the many events and opportunities happening on campus. Please encourage your student to be present each day and make the most of this critical time in the school year.

We have a busy week ahead with PSAT testing on Wednesday for all 10th and 11th grade students, and Senior College and Career Day taking place in Bullard at the same time. When students arrive at school, 10th and 11th graders can find their testing locations posted on posters in Bullard Commons and Searcy Cafeteria. Most testing locations will be on the Searcy side of the building.

Please note that many 9th grade classes will be relocated to the Bullard side of the building due to testing. These new class locations will also be listed on the posters in Bullard Commons and Searcy Cafeteria.

We encourage you to remind your student to check with their teachers this week to confirm where their classes will be held on Wednesday. The schedule for the day is included below.

Go Oilers!

On Wednesday, October 23rd, 10th and 11th grade students will take the 2024 administration of the PSAT/NMSQT exam FREE of charge. The exam will be given during school hours.

Students will be taking the Digital administration of the PSAT through the Bluebook application. We encourage all students to familiarize themselves with key aspects of the app before the test.

Students who have a district device will need to bring their district device on testing day. Devices will need to be fully charged and students need to bring their chargers. Students will also need to make sure to have their school ID.

Students who do not have a district device will be provided with a school laptop on the day of the exam. Students will not be using personal devices.

Please click the following link to access the electronic file of the 2024 Official Student Guide.

https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/psat-nmsqt-student-guide.pdf

Calculators will NOT be provided. A built-in Desmos graphing calculator is available for the entire Math section. If a student wishes, they can bring their own calculator. A link to a list of acceptable calculators can be found on page 20 of the 2024 Official Student Guide.

We strongly encourage you to speak with your child about taking the PSAT seriously as there are benefits to a good performance on this exam.

If your child attends classes at Turner in the morning please note that transportation will not be provided to and from Turner HS. All PHS students should report to PHS Wednesday morning. Transportation to and from Turner will begin in the afternoon after testing is complete at approximately 11:30.

We are thrilled to offer our seniors a unique and meaningful day of learning on October 23rd, designed to help prepare them for their next steps after high school. This day will be filled with a variety of sessions tailored to individual interests, offering practical skills and guidance for life beyond graduation. Whether students are planning to attend college, pursue trade school, or enter the workforce, there is something valuable for everyone.

We are thrilled to offer our seniors a unique and meaningful day of learning on October 23rd, designed to help prepare them for their next steps after high school. Please know that attendance is required for all seniors, as this day will be filled with a variety of sessions tailored to individual interests, offering practical skills and guidance for life beyond graduation. Whether students are planning to attend college, pursue trade school, or enter the workforce, there is something valuable for everyone.

Students will have the opportunity to select from a range of topics, including:

• How to safely jump-start a car
• College admissions guidance
• Trade school presentations
• Understanding credit cards and fiscal responsibility
• Job interview techniques
• And many more!

Attached is a preview of all available sessions. We encourage you to review the options with your student and ensure they have chosen three sessions that align with their interests and future goals.

The day will begin at 7:15 AM in the Bullard Cafeteria, where students can enjoy donuts and spend time with their classmates. Following this, we will hold a Senior Meeting to share important information about the remainder of the school year.

For students who have not yet finalized their session choices for this day in RTI Scheduler, there will be an opportunity to do so during the meeting. Each student will attend three sessions, with the schedule as follows:

• Session 1: 8:20 AM
• Session 2: 9:25 AM
• Session 3: 10:30 AM

Once the PSAT concludes, seniors will return to their 5th-period classes, enjoy lunch, and follow their regular afternoon schedule.

This is an exciting opportunity for our seniors to gain valuable knowledge and skills that will serve them well in the future. We appreciate your support in helping your student make the most of this important day.

This Monday, October 21st, is the last opportunity to sign your child up for the important fentanyl awareness presentation offered by the Pearland ISD Counseling Department. This presentation, taking place during 4th period on October 22nd at Pearland High School, will be led by Janel Rodriguez, a parent who tragically lost her 15-year-old son, Noah, to fentanyl poisoning, and Mark Andrews, a Hays County Sheriff's Deputy.

Please remember, this is an opt-in presentation, meaning your student will only attend with your permission. If you have not yet signed up, please take a moment to do so before Monday to ensure your child can participate in this life-saving educational session.

We also encourage all parents to attend the parent presentation on October 21st from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at the Pearland ISD ESC to learn more about the fight against fentanyl and how we can protect our youth.

For more information about Noah's story and the Forever15 Project, please visit the following links:

• Forever15 Project
• Noah’s Story

If you would like your student to attend the presentation on October 22nd, please fill out this form.

It’s been an exciting week at Pearland High School, and we are proud to celebrate the incredible achievements of our students across various organizations!

Cross Country
Your Oiler Cross Country team competed in the District Meet last week with outstanding results! Congratulations to:

• Varsity Boys for securing 2nd place
• Varsity Girls for taking 1st place
• JV Boys for claiming 1st place
• JV Girls for earning 1st place

We are so proud of their hard work and dedication! Go Oilers!

Academic Decathlon
This past weekend, your Oiler Academic Decathlon team participated in the Turner Invitational and brought home the 1st place title with an incredible 31,434.20-point team score! If you see these decathletes, be sure to congratulate them on the countless hours of studying and effort they’ve put in to achieve this amazing accomplishment. Well done, team!

Band
Our Oiler Band competed in the UIL Marching Contest yesterday and received the highest scores possible, earning straight 1's from every judge! We are so excited to see you advance to the next level—congratulations, and keep up the great work!

Football
Oiler Football dominated on Friday night with an impressive win over Pasadena Memorial, defeating them 52-3! Way to go, Oilers!

Theater

Congratulations to PHS Theater for wrapping up their first production of the year, Clue: On Stage! If you missed it, don’t worry—be sure to mark your calendars for their next performance of Catch Me If You Can, the Musical. We can’t wait to see what you bring to the stage next!

Pearland High School’s DECA chapter is proud to partner with the Houston Food Bank for our annual Fall Food Drive, and we invite all Oiler families to get involved! From October 15 to October 31, 2024, we will be collecting canned goods to help fight hunger and provide support to those in need in our community.

Donations can be dropped off at the PHS front desk or directly in Mr. Baxter’s classroom, Room 2740.

This is a wonderful opportunity for our students, staff, and families to come together and make a tangible impact. Your contribution, no matter the size, will go a long way toward helping families in need. Let’s show how the Oiler community can rally around this important cause!

Thank you for your generosity and for supporting DECA’s mission to give back.

Is your child interested in taking Dual Credit college courses? Please know that we have new state testing requirements!!! The state no longer allows students to take Dual Credit courses using a TSI waiver like PSAT or STAAR. Students MUST take the TSI (SAT or ACT can also work) to be in the Dual Enrollment Program. Students that are already in the Dual Enrollment program this year and using a waiver will be excluded from this new rule.

Pearland High School is now offering the TSI almost every week! Registration is open now. It is better to take it sooner than later in case you need to retest in a subject area.

ACC will be holding in an information nights regularly if you would like to know more about the Dual Enrollment Program visit this site https://www.alvincollege.edu/dualenrollment/

Contact Ms. Maartens with any ACC Dual Enrollment questions -

Christina Maartens

ACC Dual Enrollment Advisor

PHS College & Career Center / Mondays & Wednesdays

cmaartens@alvincollege.edu

The latest edition of Counselor Connection is here!

This month’s edition is packed with essential information for students and parents alike, including:
🎓 Upcoming College Fair
💬 How to Talk to College Representatives
📊 All things related to Credits and GPA
📝 ApplyTexas Help
💸 Scholarship Information
🎉 Senior Acceptance Pictures
...and so much more!

Stay in the loop and make the most of your October by checking out all the details:

Counselor Connection - October Edition

Exciting news! Pearland High School will be hosting the Houston Area Recruiters Network College Fair in the Bullard Commons during all lunches on Tuesday, November 14. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to connect with college representatives and explore their options for the future.

So far, 26 colleges and universities have signed up, including: Texas State University, University of Texas at Austin, Sam Houston State University, University of Houston, and Mississippi State University.

Don’t miss this great chance to learn more about what these schools have to offer!

Senior Parents and Students,

PISD Seniors have an exciting opportunity with Brazoria County Petrochemical Council (BCPC) to participate in their career signing day. This opportunity is for students who have taken one or more CTE classes and are interested in full-time jobs after graduation within the gulf coast petrochemical industry. These positions provide an opportunity to be hired directly after high school by contractor and owner organizations. Applications are due February 14th and selected students will be interviewed. There will be a presentation for interested Seniors here at Pearland High School. Please sign up here if you would like to attend the presentation: 2024-2025 BCPC Presentation Sign-up Sheet

Presentation Time: Wednesday, October 28th in the Bullard Lecture Hall (9:45 AM-10:20 AM) BCPC Career Signing Day Video

Here are a few reasons to encourage them to attend the presentation:

• There are over 60 companies committed to participating in the interviews
• Hiring companies have worked all over the gulf coast, including the Pearland area
• Looking for multiple crafts, including office administration, pipefitting, instrumentation tech, welding, millwright, and many more
• Many students hired through the program get hired at a higher wage and are often given special privileges than those hired off the street

Positions available to students include:

• Carpentry
• Electrical
• HVAC
• Instrumentation
• Insulation
• Ironworking
• Millwright
• Office Administration
• Pipefitting
• Robotics & Drones
• Scaffolding
• Welding

If you have any questions, please see or email Ms. Christina Hernandez, Assistant Principal, at hernandezcm@pearlandisd.org.

If you have not yet joined the PTA you can do so by visiting this site.

Joining the PTA is an excellent way for parents to actively participate in their child's education and school community. By being involved in the PTA, parents can stay informed about school events, advocate for important issues, and collaborate with teachers and staff to enhance the educational experience for all students. The PTA provides a platform for parents to contribute to positive changes, and help create a supportive environment that fosters student growth and success. Plus, it’s a great way to meet other parents and build a strong network within the school community.