The Bronco Monthly
October Edition
Principal's Message
Happy Fall Y'all!! I know I sound like a broken record but I can not believe that today is the first day of October! Fall is by far my favorite time of year because in our area there is not a better time to be outside with friends and family. Nothing says Fall in the south quite like bonfires, corn mazes, pumpkin patches, college football, and my personal favorite apple cider. Last year the our school family decided to add one more to that list and host our first ever Trick or Treat with the Broncos. Last year's event was a huge success and we anticipate this year's event to be even better!
I would like to congratulate Matthew and Joshua Putman for becoming the first student athletes this year to pledge their college commitment. The two distance runners have committed to continue their academic and athletic careers at Indiana Tech University for the next four years. We will be hosting a signing celebration for them in the high school library on November the 6th. Travis Barnett has started off this season in the same fashion as he did last season winning races and setting school records! Travis is currently nominated for the national Milesplit athlete of the week award so if you get a chance go to their website and cast a vote for him.
October is also Mental Health Awareness month. At Holly Pond High School it is our goal to make sure that all of our students learn and achieve to the fullest of their abilities. One way that we do this is to offer multiple opportunities for our students to find help if they need it. If you are a student or the guardian of a student that needs help in any way please do not hesitate to reach out to us. At Holly Pond High School no one fights alone. IT'S A GREAT DAY TO BE A BRONCO!!
Dr. Ayers
AP's Input
For this month’s piece, I want to focus on academics and attendance. We have blinked twice and report cards are on the horizon. As students, it is time to make sure you have your habits and strategies in place to help you be successful in the classroom. Make sure you are not taking zeros for missing assignments, and make absolutely sure you don’t miss a test and fail to make it up. In my 20+ years of education, the most common reason I have seen for academic failure is having zeros, while I rarely see failing grades for students who turn in every assignment. Don’t let the ongoings of teenage life distract you from your learning. One thing that will help is to be at school as much as possible, which leads me into my next topic: attendance.
At Holly Pond High School, we value your presence. For one, we enjoy having you on campus, but we also know how important it is for your success. When you are too sick to come, we expect you to stay home, but make sure to get those excuses in and follow up with your teachers. You have three days to get excuses turned in before an absence is considered unexcused, and you have a week to make up tests that you miss during an excused absence. Don’t forget, you get three days per semester for which you can use parent notes. Beyond that, you will need a doctor’s excuse.
On a very positive note, I want to congratulate the students who have won snack store vouchers through our weekly attendance drawings. When a student has perfect attendance for a week, he or she is included in the drawing that takes place the following Monday. Make sure to check out the announcement videos on our Holly Pond High School Facebook page each week. Until next time, have a great month! Go Broncos!
Counselor's Corner
Reminders from the Guidance office:
Students who earn 100 community service hours will receive a special seal on your diploma. These hours begin when you are in the 9th grade. Pick up a form from Ms. Gay.
FREE COLLEGE APPLICATION WEEK- OCTOBER 7th-11th. I will be working with students to apply to Alabama colleges and universities throughout that week.
How can you help your senior in preparing for college application week?
Help them work on a resume. There are many templates available online. I will be happy to look over these and make changes if needed.
Make sure that they know their demographic information including social security #.
Speak with your child about their college choices.
Parchment Accounts- For any senior that hasn’t created a parchment account, please do so today. You must have an account to order transcripts. www.parchment.com
Reminder that seniors can have two “college visit absences” with proof of attendance. I would advise students to take advantage of these visits. There is so much to learn by attending.
Student Spotlight Darla Fredrick
`To start off my senior year I have had the opportunity to bond with the people I have
spent the majority of my childhood growing up with. This was because of the sports I have been
involved in and the events presented to us to help build and strengthen those relationships. Along
with building relationships, I've had the opportunity to expand my leadership skills through
workshops in FFA and being an officer for my chapter.
This summer our FFA Floriculture team got the chance to compete at state competition in
Auburn. While we were there we not only worked hard preparing for competition time but we
also got time to enjoy ourselves and go out as a group to play games and eat. As a group we
accomplished many things and that had led us to being at state for a second year in a row. In
competition we had achieved fourth place at state out of twelve teams. Going forward I hope to
have the opportunity to attend state for a third year in a row with my team and place even higher
than before. To be able to, we will all have to be committed to becoming better and wanting to
win for not only our team but for Holly Pond.
Another group I've been a part of is the Varsity Volleyball team. During the summer we
woke up early to be there to work out and practice to be ready for our upcoming season. We all
put in the work and time to be better for ourselves and our team. With this hard work and time
put in Coach Adams has said we need to have school pride to carry us through and represent
Holly Pond. This is because we are a small school but a small school with a lot of school pride
that needs to be upheld. Not only have we worked hard together but we have grown closer as a
group. With this growth we have started playing together better because we know each other and
how we will react to each other and our environment.
With these groups and opportunities I've been presented with so far I've been prepared for
what's to come in my senior year, and I'm thankful for the people around me and the teachers and
coaches who have got me to where I am today. I hope to continue to grow and have fun with the
people I have known for my whole life and make the relationships I can continue to keep
throughout my life.
Teacher Spotlight Mrs. Hep
Hi! I’m Donna Heptinstall. This is my third year teaching geometry at HPHS. We had a wonderful start to the new school year! We came back to new improvements around campus and a new group of ninth grade students entering our classes. Thanks to the work of our administrators and staff over the summer, coming back to school could not have been smoother. .
The past six weeks have been packed full of events. Our football team has been setting new records! The cheerleaders are second to none! The band has been rocking and the support of our students at the games and pep rallies is fantastic! It hasn’t been all fun and games. Our 9th-11th grade students have taken the mock ACT exam in our Master Prep program and the scores were outstanding. This program allows students and teachers to identify strengths and weaknesses so that we can focus on specific areas for improvement. It will be exciting to see the results of the test when it is taken again at the end of the year.
My classes have been wonderful! A special thanks goes to the parents and previous teachers for the time and love they have invested in these students. My goal is for my students to leave my class prepared with the geometry skills they need for the future and how to be respectful and kind to others. I am certainly blessed to be a part of HPHS staff and everyday is a great day to be a Bronco!
Mrs. Hep
Own a piece of Bronco History
In 1983 the Felton Easterwood Gymnasium was constructed on the campus of Holly Pond High School where the old softball field was sitting. Forty years of Bronco ballgames, graduations, Spring Festivals, and programs have taken place in it since then. This year we have focused on renovations to our gym and as a result we will also be getting new bleachers installed. Rather than someone else taking the boards away we wanted to offer our alumni the opportunity to own a piece of Bronco history by purchasing the bleacher boards. These would make great additions to the man cave, beautiful hardwood floors, or great for making keepsake crafts for future generations to enjoy. The boards will be presold for $10 per board and the maximum number of boards you can purchase during the presale is 10. All you have to do to reserve your boards is come by the office to prepay and we will hold your boards. On the day you pick up your boards the remainder of the unsold boards will be available for purchase without a limit on quantity. These boards will be available for pick up on 11/3/24 and that time will be released later.
Trick or Treat with the Broncos
On Halloween night Holly Pond High School will once again be partnering with other community stakeholders to host our annual Trick or Treat with the Broncos. Last year's inaugural event brought over 1,000 people on to our campus for a night of fun and fellowship. This year is already shaping up to be bigger and better as our vendor numbers are higher than ever!! If you would like to set up a booth please reach out to the school and get added to the list so we can have a spot for you. If you can't get a booth set up and would like to donate candy you can do that as well. All you need to do is bring the candy donation to the front office and we will handle it from there. This year's event will run from 6:00-8:00pm on 10/31 and we ask that our vendors be there starting at 4:30 to set up. Attached below is our current list of vendors committed to be there.
Bronco Gear for Christmas
Follow the link below to access exclusive Bronco gear from some of your favorite brands including Lululemon and Nike! A purchase made through the store is guaranteed to be delivered before your Christmas holiday parties and will be shipped directly to your door. There is not a better way to spread Christmas Cheer than to make it rain with Bronco Gear!!
https://artwork.bsnteamsports.com/v3/flyer/1228/122885/12288540/657250/12288540-flyer.pdf
