Wildcat Press Newsletter

Hello Pride,

I am grateful that this was a really good week at Mesquite High. Lots of good things happening: Many of our teachers got their new BenQ boards installed in their classrooms and we have already seen many of them using them to engage student learning. We had some great PD on Wednesday designed by our staff, for out staff to help increase our students problem solving skills, using Rubrics to lead to mastery of standards and clarity of student learning. Our girls basketball team beat the number one team in Arizona (regardless of size) on Thursday and we got to celebrate their coach Candace Gonzalez, the only women's basketball Mesquite has ever had on her 25th year coaching on Friday. Thank you Coach!

This week my heart was also broken by the events in Memphis. I do not want to judge or even put my own opinion out there on this topic. What I do want is to encourage all of us to think. I want us to have conversations around how we treat other human beings. I recognize the fact that evil exists, that we don't all love one another and that we are not all the same. However, I am dumbfounded by the fact that we have reached this place in time where a disagreement has become a reason to physically assault or to 'unfriend" someone. This nation, in my opinion the greatest nation, was founded by people who believed that discussion, education and compromise were the foundation of a great society. That no one person or idea were paramount and greater than another. That a uniform, wealth, strength or intelligence were not something that made you better than someone else, they were in fact, what made you more accountable to being kind, protective and helpful to those less fortunate. I hope and encourage you all take time to reflect on the common ground we share, the way we are more alike than we are different and how all of us are interwoven to make this nation and each others lives better.

I know that at Mesquite High School, we will continue to advocate for all or our students and staff, to treat them all with and encourage them to demonstrate respect to one another. I hope that you will do the same at home, in your workplace and that you will share this value of humanity with your children.

Best Regards

Rod Huston

Principal

1/30 - U of A visit in the Courtyard 11:30-12:30pm

Boy's Varsity Soccer vs. Arcadia @MHS 6-8pm

Girl's Varsity Soccer @Arcadia 6-8pm

Girl's Varsity Basketball @Arcadia 7-9pm

Boy's Varsity Basketball vs. Arcadia 7-9pm

1/31 - Chipotle Fundraiser for Boy's Volleyball @ 1084 S. Gilbert Road 4-8pm

2/1- Early release 1:20pm

Level Up~MJHS to visit MHS for a Preview 9-11:00am

Varsity Boys Soccer vs. Marcos De Niza 6:00pm

Varsity Girls Basketball vs. Marcos De Niza 7:00pm

Girl's Soccer @ Marcos De Niza 6:00pm

Boy's Basketball @Marcos De Niza 7:00pm

2/2 - 12th Night Musical in the Auditorium at 6:00pm

2/3 - 12th Night Musical in the Auditorium at 6:00pm

2/4 - 12th Night Musical in the Auditorium at 2:00pm

Girls Sectional Wrestling Championships @ Basha High School

Baseball Booster Car Wash 9:00am @MHS

2/7 Girls basketball first round playoff (site, time, location tbd)

2/8 Early release 1:20pm

Boys Basketball first round playoff (site, time, location tbd)

2/9 Incoming Freshman Orientation 6-8 PM

Girls basketball second round playoff (site, time, location tbd)

2/10 Mock Rock 6-8 PM

Boys basketball second round playoff (site, time, location tbd)

2/11 Boys Wrestling Sectional Championships @ Moon Valley High School

Choir at NAU

Abbott and Fenner Scholarship Program

Abbott & Fenner Business Consultants are pleased to be able to continue with our scholarship program for the 17th year.

We will be awarding up to $1,000 to the winner(s) each year.

Scholarship Deadline - June 10, 2023.

Application Process
Students will submit an essay on the topic that appears on the scholarship page of our web site: https://abbottandfenner.com/scholarships.php
Full details are available on our site.

The Richard G. Zimmerman Scholarship is named for a long-time National Press Club member who died in 2008 and endowed a scholarship in aid of high school seniors who wish to pursue a career in journalism. Recipients receive a one-time scholarship of $5,000.

Award Details: $5,000

Applicant must:

• Be a high school senior class of 2023 in the process of applying for admission to an accredited college or university in the U.S.

• Have a 3.0 grade-point average or higher.

• Plan to pursue a career in journalism.

Deadline Details: February 15, 2023

Link to Apply:https://app.goingmerry.com/scholarships/richard-g-zimmerman-journalism-scholarship/7345

Richard G. Zimmerman Journalism Scholarship:

The Richard G. Zimmerman Scholarship is named for a long-time National Press Club member who died in 2008 and endowed a scholarship in aid of high school seniors who wish to pursue a career in journalism. Recipients receive a one-time scholarship of $5,000.

Who may apply:

• Be a high school senior in the process of applying for admission to an accredited college or university in the U.S.

• Have a 3.0 grade-point average or higher.

• Plan to pursue a career in journalism.

Award Detail: $5,000

Deadline: February 15, 2023

Link to Apply: https://app.goingmerry.com/scholarships/richard-g-zimmerman-journalism-scholarship/7345

Starting on January 25th, counselors began one-on-one meetings with your students in regards to their 2023-23 Course Registration requests. In this meeting they will be discussing the courses they selected and ensuring the courses entered into the request meet their graduation needs and fall in line with what they want to do after graduation. Please talk to your students about the conversation they had with their counselor.

This year our district is committed to providing every student the opportunity to improve their level of understanding. One way that we are ensuring that students have every opportunity to earn credit needed for high school graduation is the Spring Intersession Grade Enhancement Program.

This program is specifically designed for a student that is achieving below a 60% in English, Math or Lab Biology. The students who attend ALL 5 days will have their current 9 week class grade (March 10th) adjusted to a passing score of a 60%.

LOCATION/DATES/TIMES:

Campus: Gilbert High School

*accommodates Gilbert HS, Campo Verde HS, Mesquite HS, South Valley Jr, Mesquite Jr students

Dates: Monday, March 20th - Friday, March 24th

Times: Session 1 8:15-9:45 or Session 2 10:00-11:30

REGISTRATION will open February 24th thru March 15th.

Please watch for further information regarding registration instructions.

As a way to help students understand sentence organization, Mrs. Pierce had students create sentences through movement. Each student in the class was given 3 vocabulary words. These words included subject pronouns, verbs, frequency words and school vocabulary. Students were given 20 minutes to create 10 sentences. Students could only use each word twice. Students were to communicate and discuss proper sentence structure. This was a fun and interactive way to get kids moving and understanding where certain words are placed in structuring a sentence in Spanish. It was a very active day en la clase de español con Sra. Pierce.

Level Up and Freshman Preview Night!

8th grade students from Mesquite Junior High will be on campus Wednesday, February 1st for Level Up! A “Welcome Assembly”, Club/Activity/Sports fair and Q&A session will highlight their morning at Mesquite!

8th graders will be back on campus, with their parents, Thursday, Feb. 9th from 6:00-8:00pm. Parents and students will start their night in the MHS Auditorium for a Welcome/information session from 6:00-6:30 pm then they will head out to visit Electives classrooms. All MHS Clubs, Activities and Athletic teams will be set up in the courtyard along with a DJ and food trucks. It’s sure to be a great evening for our soon to be Wildcats!

Twelfth Night Musical

Come out and experience a wonderful night of theater as the MHS Drama students whisk you away to another time with their inspiring performance of “Twelfth Night”. Performances will be Thursday, Feb 2nd and Friday, Feb. 3rd at 6:00pm. The final performance will be Saturday, Feb. 4th at 2:00 pm. All will take place in the MHS auditorium.

“If music be the food of love, play on. Come join the cast of Twelfth Night as we celebrate one of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies - as a musical. Shaina Taub offers a script and score that feels both modern and Broadway. Get your tickets now on GoFan. I would hate for you to miss out on this unique production that took a true ensemble to put together. Come see us caper. Sincerely, your Fortunate Unhappy. “

Speech and Debate!

Check out this update from Ms. Hart!!

Speech and Debate competed at the Basis Peoria Scorpion Spectacular this weekend! We did great!

Mohammed and Seth got to semi-finals in Radio! It's both of their first times competing in the event, and it was Mohammed's first tournament EVER! It's amazing to break (into elimination rounds) at your first tournament!

Wesley and Hunter won 3rd in Radio! It was Hunter's first time competing in Radio.

Hunter WON Impromptu and Prose/Poetry (this tournament combined the two events into one category, which means it's a lot harder to win!).

Polanges won 2nd in Original Spoken Word Poetry!

We're so proud of everyone who competed!

Check out the schedule above and join us as we celebrate the Seniors on Monday and Wednesday for Boys Soccer and Boys and Girls Basketball. We have a ceremony prior to the varsity games on those nights and would love to have you there to send the Seniors out with a victory!

The first day of Spring sports is Monday, February 6th. Please help encourage your kids to come out. We have lots of options in the Spring for kids of all skill level. Have them swing by Athletics if they have questions.

Baseball/Softball/Track/Beach Volleyball will start at 2:30

Boys & Girls Tennis will begin at 3:00

Boys volleyball will begin at 2:45 in the Mini Gym

Students must be cleared on www.registermyathlete.com prior to tryouts. In order to be cleared for tryouts, we need a current physical, all e-signatures signed, and completion of the Brainbook and Opioid Courses on the AIA website. Physical paperwork can be found under "Parent Resources" at www.mesquitewildcats.com

Email: mhsinfo@gilbertschools.net
Website: https://www.gilbertschools.net/mesquitehigh
Location: 500 S McQueen Road, Gilbert, AZ 85233, USA
Phone: 480-632-4750
Twitter: @MHSWildcat_News