Pirates Post

Congratulations to all of the Pirates Swimmers for their successful competition at the NCHSAA Regional Finals on Saturday. All team and individual performers managed to post season best times in their events. A special congratulations to Joliegh Connor, Catherine Howell and the members of our relays that qualified for the State Finals this Thursday in Cary. Good luck to each of our individual and relay competitors later this week.

Congratulations also to Ryder Hanson on his selection and participation in the All-District Band. Ryder was among a select group of performers selected to participate in this incredible opportunity. Great job Ryder.

This week is National School Counseling Week. A huge thank you to Mrs. Christy Thomas and Mrs. Erica Stallings for all that they do to help our students chart an individual pathway to success during high school and beyond.

This week at PCHS will again be a busy one.

Monday - Progress Reports will be handed out to students during homeroom. Parents please check your students progress report and discuss their current grades with them. Knowing that you care about their progress and that you are there to support them will go a long way toward helping them be successful all semester.

Tuesday - We will have Senior Night for all Winter Sport athletes. Seniors from our Swim, Indoor Track, Girls Basketball and Boys Basketball teams will be recognized. The ceremony will take place between the Girls and Boys Basketball games versus Bertie. All Senior parents and athletes are asked to be in the gym no later than 7:00 PM if they wish to participate.

Thursday - State qualifiers from our Swim team will compete in Cary at the NCHSAA State Finals.

Friday - HOSA club will host a blood drive at PCHS and our Basketball teams will play at Riverside.

Important Upcoming Dates:

February 6 - Progress Reports will be sent home with each student

February 10 - HOSA Blood Drive will be held at PCHS

February 13 - Beginning of Spring Sports practice. Any student wishing to play Girl's Soccer, Track, Softball, Golf or Baseball must have a physical on file before trying out.

April 10-14 - Spring Break

April 22 - PCHS Prom will be held for Seniors, Juniors and their guests at Albemarle Plantation

May 18 - Baccalaureate Service

June 9 - Graduation

National School Counselors Week> A BIG Thank You to Mrs. Thomas and Mrs. Stallings for all they do at PCHS for our students, families, and staff!!!

Math Department> Students of the Week...

Mrs. Baker - Sean Saunders - PreCalculus

Ms. Carver - Karleigh Marsh Riddick - Math 3

Mrs. Riddick - Cameron Goodrow - Math 2

Mr. Spruill - Kayleigh Holbrook - Math 1

Social Studies Department> Students of the Week...

Mr. Castle/American History --

Mrs. Jackson/World History -- Mattison Winslow

Mrs. Jackson/Civics -- Taylor Honza

Mr. Kajca/Civics -- Jer'maya Whidbee

Mr. Kajca/World History -- Charles Roach

Women's Soccer > Tryouts will begin next week. We will have Tryouts on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of next week (February 7-9) from 3:30-5:00. If you cannot make it but would still like to try out, please see Coach Tripp BEFORE 3:30 on Tuesday. It is preferred you have cleats and shin guards to try out. If you have any questions or concerns, please see Coach Tripp, Coach Williams, or Dayne Colson.

Summer Travel Opportunity> Would you be interested in joining an educational tour in Europe in June of 2024 through an outside travel group? There will be an informational meeting of interested people on February 9 at 6:30 in the PCHS Media Center. If you would like more information about this opportunity, see Mrs. Jackson or check out the website at http://www.eftours.com/2619981us

**THIS TRIP IS A NON-SCHOOL SPONSORED TRIP AND THE PERQUIMANS COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM AND THE PERQUIMANS COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITY AND/OR LIABILITY FOR NON-SCHOOL SPONSORED TRIPS.

Students that earned all A's = 20% (102 students)

Students that earned all A's and B's = 51% (262 students)

Students that earned all A's, B's, and C's = 70% (359 students)

Mrs. Spellman is a tremendous educator. She is patient, kind, caring and willing to do whatever she can to help. She coaches her students how to handle difficulty and adversity in a manner that allows them to flourish rather than flounder. She is a positive role model for all of our students in her roles as our EC Chairperson, Unified Champions sponsor, Girls Basketball coach, Girls Track coach, EC Teacher, colleague and parent. You can usually find Mrs. Spellman working with students in classrooms that are not necessarily hers supporting other teachers to help her students reach their goals. Mrs. Spellman is a key part of the Pirate Family and we are a stronger family because of the work she does each day.

Ms. Carver is an outstanding educator that is passionate about teaching and learning. She prepares lessons that are engaging, thought provoking, and that require students to collaborate. She also integrates technology, 21st-Century Skills, and other current research-based math strategies in her lessons. Additionally, students' responses to instruction and sidebar comments indicate that they find her math classes enjoyable. She makes learning fun and values the opinion of all students that she teaches. Ms. Carver is a teacher leader at PCHS and a professional role model. She has a great rapport with students, staff and administration. Hats Off to this PQ Champion, Ms. Sylvia Carver!

Mrs. Mathis gives her best from bell to bell for every student, every day. She knows her students in and out of the classroom. Her lessons are well prepared and modified in order to meet the various needs of her students. Students work at their own pace which gives them ownership in the classroom while Mrs. Mathis meets with them individually to give them additional academic support. This semester she gave up her planning period to take on an Academic Success class. She provides her students with snacks that helps them get through the day. Mrs. Mathis is a PQ Champion!

---

Mrs. Thomas = Last names A-K

Mrs. Stallings = Last names L-Z

Tentative Registration Schedule:

January 31 - Feb 3 - Individual meetings with juniors

February 3 - Sophomore class meeting during WIN

February 6 - 10 - Individual meetings with any remaining juniors, then sophomores

February 10 - Freshmen class meeting during WIN

February 13 - 17 - Individual meetings with any remaining sophomores, then freshmen

February 22 - 24 - Individual meetings continue

February 27 - March 3 - Individual meetings continue

Students will receive their registration form during the class meeting. Please review the course catalog with your parents over the weekend, complete the registration form, and return the signed form to student services on Monday.

Seniors:

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application opened Oct 1st. If you intend to attend college or think you might attend college after high school, and are looking for money to help pay for school, you will need to complete the 23-24 FAFSA Application.

It is never too early to start thinking about funding college and start the scholarship application process. Please check out the Student Scholarship Spreadsheet for a list of current and active scholarships.

Juniors:

It is post graduation planning season! Ms.Gray, the College and Career Advisor, will continue to meet with juniors 1:1 to discuss their post graduation plans.

"How to Pay for College" Series with NCSEAA:

As part of Financial Aid Awareness month, NCSEAA and CFNC are pleased to bring you the How to Pay for College webinar series. Students and their families are often confused about how to bridge the gap between family funds, financial aid and the total cost of paying for college. Funding a college education shouldn’t be a mystery. Having a better understanding of the funding landscape can help families build a sound plan so students can focus on their studies.

We will cover all the important topics they need to know to pay for college:

Register

Week 2 – Scholarships “Ask the Experts” panel

February 9, 2023, 6-7 pm

This week we bring together experts who lead scholarship programs at various organizations throughout North Carolina. The best scholarships are local ones, and these experts will share where to look for scholarships students qualify for and how students can put their best foot forward in their application.

Register

Week 3 – FAFSA’s done – show me the money!

February 16, 2023, 6-7 pm

Completing the FAFSA is one of the most important steps you can take in accessing financial aid to help pay for college. But there may still be steps to take once the application is submitted. In this session we will share how to read the Student Aid Report, how to correct any errors, what to do if students get selected for verification and how to work with their college financial aid office if their family’s financial situation has changed.

Register

Week 4 – Comparing financial aid award letters

February 23, 2023, 6-7 pm

The cost of going to a private college can be very different from going to a public one so it can be hard to compare financial aid award letters. In this session we will help students consider the financial aid award packages they received so they can make the best choice for their education goals.

CFNC en Español Parent Program:

Hello CFNC Friends! In just another two weeks, our Spanish Services team will be launching CFNC en Español Parent Program. It consists of three parent workshops for our Spanish speaking community. Attached you’ll find flyers in English and Spanish. Descriptions are of the programs are listed below.

Workshop 2: Supporting my Children to Take Advantage of High School Opportunities

The purpose of this session is to discuss with parents the great opportunities students have during high school to maximize their time and minimize costs. Topics such as graduation requirements, careers, college credit, internships, extracurricular activities, entrance exams, and personal development activities for future success.

Date: March 2, 2023 at 6pm

Registration: http://bit.ly/3Inceje

Workshop 3: Supporting my Child to Cover College Costs

The purpose of this discussion is to talk with parents about the different strategies available to pay for college. Including Residency Determination (RDS), Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), student loans, scholarships, grants, sponsorships, and other creative ways to finance post-secondary education.

Date: March 30, 2023 at 6pm

Registration: https://bit.ly/3vw8EM1

Elizabeth City State University’s Upward Bound Program provides fundamental support to high school students preparing to attend college. This federally funded program is also designed to motivate students academically and to provide opportunities for participants to improve their pre-college performance and ultimately succeed in higher education pursuits. If your student is interested in the program please see Ms.Gray in guidance for more information.

Qualifications:

Students must meet the requirements set by the U. S. Department of Education in order to receive services provided by the TRiO Upward Bound Program:

• Rising 9th, 10th or 11th grader with a grade point average of a 2.5 (if lower than a 2.5, the student may still be accepted, if other criteria is met).
• A United States citizen or legal resident.
• Potential first-generation college student.
• Income eligible, according to the guidelines established by the U.S. Dept. of Ed.
• Have potential to succeed in high school and in college.
• Have a need for academic support and guidance in order to successfully pursue a post-secondary educational program.

Interested students should know that Upward Bound participants who fully participate in the program receive a stipend (check).

NCSU SATELLITE CAMP

SATELLITE is a five-day STEM outreach and leadership development program with the goal of exposing high school sophomores across rural and underserved communities in North Carolina to post-secondary educational opportunities in STEM. SATELLITE Campers have had the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of activities including: a field trip to the Museum of Natural Sciences, an egg drop competition, and workshops in paper science engineering, textiles, biotechnology, and life sciences led by NC State faculty and students.

Our 2023 program will run from May 10th - 14th. Our application requires two letters of recommendation and a few short essays pertaining to the student’s interest in the field of STEM. Due to the nature of the program, we do not consider a student’s academic success when reviewing applications, we are looking only for a student’s desire to maximize their experience at SATELLITE. The deadline to apply is March 10th, 2023. If accepted, there will be a $25 registration fee, but a limited number of need-based scholarships are available upon request.

Attached is the 2023 SATELLITE flyer, we hope you can share this with students at your school! The link for students to apply can be found here at go.ncsu.edu/apply-satellite! For more information, check out our website at go.ncsu.edu/satellite-camp.

High school juniors are invited to apply to serve as a Student Advisor on Superintendent Catherine Truitt's Student Advisory Council. If you are interested in state education issues, advocating on behalf of your fellow peers, and serving as an advisor to decision-makers in K-12 education, this opportunity is for you!

Advisory members meet monthly and serve a two-year term that concludes at the end of senior year of high school. At the conclusion of each year, advisors will present a proposal to address an evolving state education issue to the Superintendent among other state leaders.

The deadline to apply is February 7. Learn more and apply here.