Dear HHS Families,

Welcome back to school this week! I hope each of you had an enjoyable and relaxing holiday break to prepare for the fast pace of the Spring Semester.

We have given students a few reminders as we return for the Spring Semester that I wanted to share with familes as well.

• Attendance: As a reminder, consistent school attendance is mandatory for all students under 18 years old in Tennessee. When students are absent from school, they may submit an excuse note from their parent. Excused absences must fall under the guidelines defined in the KCS Attendance Policy. Any attendance excuse notes that don't qualify under this policy will be considered unexcused absences.
• Dress Code: During these cold weather months, please remind your student that blankets are not allowed at school.
• Cell Phone Policy: A reminder that the classrooms at HHS are free of the distraction of Personal Communication Devices. If students are caught using their cell phone, earbuds, or other PCD during class, the teacher may confiscate it and submit to the office for return to the student or parent at the end of the school day.

Best regards,

Spencer Long, Ed.S

Executive Principal

Halls High School

Dedicated to Excellence

January 13th - The Spring Open House will be held from 5:00-7:00pm. All families are invited to come meet their student's new teachers for the semester. This is a great time for Freshman Academy students and their parents to speak with CTE (Career and Technology Education) teachers that represent the Career Academies they will select later this semester.

Stop the time at 49:30 to see us!

Wrestling: January 9th Halls @Lakeway (Team Red)

Basketball: January 7th Central @Halls, January 9th @Oliver Springs

• January 20th: Martin Luther King Day - No School for Students/Staff
  
• January 31st: FINAL DAY TO ORDER CAP & GOWNS! Balfour on campus at all lunches.
• February 3rd-7th: National School Counselors Week-Thank Your Student's Counselor!
• February 12th: KCS Early Release Day. 12:00 Student dismissal.
• February 17th: Student Holiday. Staff In-Service Day.
• February 18th: Student Transfer Request Window Closes
• March 17th-21st: Spring Break
• April 25th: Prom
• May 2nd: Senior Awards Day
• May 14th:
  
• May 22nd, 2025: Halls High School Graduation
  

HHS offers after-school tutoring for Math and ELA subjects. This will happen from 3:30-4:30 on Monday and Thursday afternoons in the College & Career Center. There will be a Math Teacher and an ELA Teacher on both days.

Beginning January 22nd, HHS will offer ACT Prep Tutoring on Wednesday mornings from 8:00-8:40 for all 11th grade students in preparation for their first attempt at the ACT Exam in March. Students will meet in the cafeteria by 8:00, and will be escorted by Ms. Helt to a classroom for the tutoring sessions.

Sam's Closet has been restocked. We have hoodies and sweatpants in stock. We also have the ability to provide gift cards for coats or other winter wear. If any student is in need of winter clothing or food assistance, please contact their guidance counselor.

Dear Parent or Guardian:

I am pleased to announce that Halls High School will be offering the ASVAB Career Exploration Program (CEP) to our students on Thursday, January 21, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. Deadline is January 14, 2025. This test is optional, and students must sign up to take the test this year.

The ASVAB CEP, sponsored by our Department of Defense, is a public service provided to our nation’s schools at no cost and no obligation. The ASVAB, the world’s most widely used aptitude battery, is comprised of eight subtests that yield three Career Exploration Scores (Verbal Skills, Math Skills, and Science and Technical Skills). These three scores, combined with results of an interest inventory, will assist your child when exploring a wide variety of educational and career options. This test in no means obligates your student for the military.

Research has shown that students who participate in the ASVAB Career Exploration Program enjoy greater confidence in making career decisions, experience less career indecision and more thoughtfully consider their options than do students who do not participate in the ASVAB CEP. After the ASVAB test, students receive Exploring Careers: The ASVAB Career Exploration Guide with their test results. To learn more about the student benefits of ASVAB CEP participation, please view the program website and visit “Info for Parents” at www.asvabprogram.com.

Our goal at Halls High School is to provide quality career planning resources, such as the ASVAB Career Exploration Program. When students are able to connect their present education to their future plans, they select more classes based on future plans, participate in more career exploration activities, and see more relevance for the need to get a good education and take the next steps for a satisfying career. As a parent, your experiences in the world of work make you a valuable resource. I encourage you to talk with your child about their career options and plans beyond high school.

If you wish for your child to take the ASVAB this year, please notify me at trina.polston@knoxschools.org

Sincerely,

Trina Polston,

Testing Coordinator

Halls High School

Order your yearbook!

https://secure.smore.com/n/mypqt

Pellissippi field trip: February 14, 2025

Seniors are invited to visit Pellissippi State Community College with us on February 14! Spend your Valentine's Day learning about what makes Pellissippi State Community College so special. Pellissippi is the largest community college in Tennessee, and the college is a TN Promise eligible institution. Any high school senior who meets all the TN Promise requirements can attend tuition free for 2 years and receive an associate's degree with no student debt!

On the field trip, we will hear an admissions presentation and have the opportunity to ask any questions students have about the college. We will also go on a walking tour of campus and get to see some different classrooms and speak with professors. Permission forms can be picked up in College & Career and must be turned in to Caitlyn Helt no later than Friday, February 7. There is no cost associated with this field trip. There are limited seats available. When our bus is full, we will no longer accept permission forms.

Mini College Fair: January 23, 2025

All students are invited to attend the Halls High School mini college fair on Thursday, January 23. The college fair will run from 12:00-1:30 pm in the HHS library. This is a great opportunity to hear from colleges in the area and gain information about their programs. The colleges that have signed up to attend are: Pellissippi, LMU, Tusculum, TCAT Knoxville, Austin Peay, Carson Newman, King University, ETSU, UTC, Maryville College, Tennessee Tech, LMU Caylor School of Nursing, MTSU, Douglas J Aveda Institute, and UT Knoxville!

FAFSA Workshop: February 11, 2025

Join us to get help completing your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on February 11 from 5:30-7:00 pm in the HHS library. This workshop is open to senior students AND parents. We will have Rita Turchetta here from Tennessee Student Assistance Corp to help with this college-going milestone. As a reminder, FAFSA is required for any student who wishes to be eligible for financial aid (including but not limited to: TN Promise, HOPE scholarship, federal pell grant, federal loans, institutional scholarships, and private scholarships). Those who attend should do their best to bring a laptop and relevant personal information (FAFSA login, social security number, 2023 tax documents).

Parent/Family input helps the HHS counselors better serve students and meet their needs as we open school year 2024-25. We look forward to supporting your child's academic, college/career, and social/emotional growth. Please fill our our Parent Needs Assessment: https://forms.gle/nVay2gwvyZH5XwpX8

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January 13th - The Spring Open House will be held from 5:00-7:00pm. This is a great time for freshman students and their parents to speak with CTE (Career and Technology Education) teachers, that represent the pathways.

January 15th - Freshman Pathway Selection will take place through Freshman Seminar classes. Students will select their top 3 choices of pathways.

February 6th - Student Pathway Reveal Day - Freshman will find out which pathway and academy they will be in beginning their 10th grade year.

Parents, please have conversations with your students about the many Freshman Seminar experiences and pathway exploration opportunities they have had this semester. They have been asking thoughtful questions and are excited about future opportunities.

Have questions for our Halls High School Social Worker?

Email her: Sherry.Branstutter@Knoxschools.org