PHS Parent Newsletter

Email: sandersj@purcellps.org
Website: https://www.purcellps.org/o/phs
Location: 2020 North Green Avenue, Purcell, OK, USA
Phone: 405-442-0099
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/purcellhs
Twitter: @purcellhsdrgns

We Honor our Teachers & Students This Week for a Reason!

Amongst our most important responsibilities as a high school is our responsibility to celebrate the graduation of our PHS Seniors. This of course will take place in the Reimer Center on May 17th at 6:00 PM. I'm extremely proud of the class of 2024. This class begin their high school journey in the midst of an unprecedented global pandemic and have demonstrated extraordinary resilience, fortitude, and leadership throughout their high school careers. On a personal level, they are my first 4 Year Class and therefore very special to me.

I thanked our staff this week for their special contributions to our seniors and their mentorship and guidance of all students. We have a very special and unique staff at PHS. It's unlike any other staff I've worked with in my 27 years of education. As a building principal I'm truly thankful to have an opportunity to lead such a special group of people who embrace our defining mission as educators to serve our students and community. The foundation of our mission as a school (see our mission statement below!) are the relationships our teachers establish with students. These relationships help our students thrive, make a connection to a larger group, and find their own pathway to academic and personal success.

This week we will honor our student's success in many different areas including academics, activities, and athletics. We will also honor our Teachers as part of Teacher Appreciation Week. It's a perfect opportunity to highlight the power of Teacher/Student relationships in a high school setting. Teachers are far more than deliverers of knowledge and skill. They are mentors and advocates for students. Student are far more likely to learn in a classroom where teachers prioritize relationships with students. More importantly, students are more likely to grow as people in those type of classrooms.

High school is an important and complex period in any person's life. Students are transitioning to adulthood and it's critical for them to develop trusting relationships with responsible adults. This defines the important role of a high school teacher. It's a responsibility that our teachers take seriously and a shared value amongst all of our staff. We look forward to honoring our students over the next two weeks culminating with our graduation ceremony. I encourage all parents to take an opportunity to thank a teacher or any school personnel who has played an important role in your student's successful transition to adulthood.

Jason.

Please feel free to text or call me if can help

Cell: 918-873-0354

This week we honor and recognize our Purcell High School classroom teachers. Teaching has changed in many ways since my first year in the classroom (1997). Technology, testing culture, lack of support from state leaders, loss of respect for the profession, and outright attacks from some state politicians have made an already challenging job exceedingly difficult. Teachers who remain in the profession and thrive develop highly refined skills that cannot be easily replaced. In fact, it takes on average 10 years for most teachers to develop classroom instruction and management skills that could be considered at a mastery level.

We are fortunate to have a core group of teachers at PHS who have achieved a mastery level of classroom teaching. It's imperative, for the future of our school and community, that we build the next generation of master teachers. This only happens if we recruit quality individuals to the profession and KEEP them in the profession. The support of parents is critical to this process. Your support is meaningful to teachers. Take an opportunity to thank a teacher for their efforts this week. They will appreciate your support and recognition!

Purcell High School will provide Summer Extensions Learning options for students.

Summer School:

• June 3 -- 21st
• Mon-Thu
• 8AM -- Noon
• Cost: FREE!
• Breakfast & Lunch Provided

Summer School will be hosted at Purcell Junior High this year

Staffed by PHS teachers including Math, English and Special Education.

We will offer Learning Extensions through Exact Path (any student), Credit Recovery Options, and ACT Prep online learning options for students. If you are interested in signing your student up for Summer Learning Extensions, please submit form below.

Safety is always our top priority. Students and staff need a safe environment in order to learn and work effectively. We are focused on weather safety the next two weeks as we have many events scheduled and are experiencing an active weather season. Here are a few key points:

• If you are in the building during a weather warning we will move all individuals in the building to our shelter areas. These include our 3 internal classrooms (Computer Room - Trumbo, Choir Room - Donaldson, and Special Education Room - Beal). They also include our girls and boys locker rooms in the gym.
• VERY IMPORTANT: School will automatically move to lock-down status in the case of a severe weather warning (Tornado Warning). This means no individuals can enter or exit the building. We will move all individuals inside the building who are immediately outside the school or in the parking lot.
• We experienced a rare lightning storm this week during the beginning of school. This was an unusual event and did pose a potential safety threat particularly to students that drive. This was an opportunity to teach students that it's advisable to remain in your car until the lightning moves away from your immediate area. However, you should move inside to a permanent shelter if tornado sirens are activated and there is a tornado warning for the area. It's another example of the challenges Oklahoma spring weather can present.

We recently completed what some refer to as "testing season" in Oklahoma. Our PHS Juniors all completed the state required College & Career Readiness Exams including the ACT, Science, and U.S. History tests. These exams provide data regarding student mastery of state required learning standards. They also can provide important predictive measures of college readiness, particularly with the ACT. Testing and assessments are of course important aspects of the learning process.

Student learning is measured throughout the year in the form of unit tests and daily assignments. These type of assessments provide teachers more valuable and immediate feedback on whether their students are learning and mastering skills. Additionally, our freshmen and sophomores are assessed 3 times per year through our NWEA MAP assessments. These assessments measure student learning in Math, Reading, & Science.

Testing fatigue can be a reality for students. We are fortunate to have experienced High School Counselors who understand the delicate balance between gathering important data and avoiding disrupting the overall learning environment. I would like to thank our Testing Coordinators Sara Nichols and Melissa Feroli for their hard work administering these state required assessments while protecting a positive learning environment throughout our school.

Please be sure to stay updated on all things counseling from Ms. Feroli. Click on the Counselor's Corner tab below for all relevant info. This newsletter is updated throughout the year and includes many important resources and info including:

• ACT Info
• Graduation Requirements
• FAFSA info
• Oklahoma's Promise
• Curriculum Guides
• Graduation pathways
• and much more

The senior website is can be accessed by clicking on the link below. It includes important updates and information relevant to seniors and parents.

Senior sponsors:

Michael O'Neal: onealm@purcellps.org

Amber Findley: findleya@purcellps.org

Academic & Senior Awards Assemblies this Tuesday. Parents will receive email notification no later than Monday morning if their student will receive an award for Academic Assembly (1:30 PM). If you can't make the assembly a link to free live stream is copied below.

https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/.../purcell.../evta6c1adc657

Semester Tests begin on 5/14 for underclassmen and 5/10 (this friday) for Seniors. Teachers will submit Semester Test Exemption lists this week. Teachers have final say on semester test exemptions. I've copied the policy below. A few key points on semester tests and exemptions:

• Students have the option to take a Semester Test if they are exempt.
• Students need to prepare for their Semester Tests. They make-up 20% of a course grade.
• All classes are required to have a comprehensive semester test on the assigned schedule & time.
• Students exempt from a Semester Test are NOT required to attend school during the hour of the exemption.

PHS SEMESTER TEST POLICY

❖ Students will be exempted from Semester Tests in individual courses based on the following

criteria of grades and attendance:

A and 3 absences or less

B and 2 absences or less

C and 1 absence or less

❖ Students who receive either an in-school suspension and/or an out-of-school suspension during a semester will not be exempted from Semester tests regardless of their grade or attendance status.

❖ Students exempted from semester tests are not required to attend class on the day of the semester test. This applies only to classes in which the student is exempted from the test.

Seniors Alyssa Thompson (her big check wasn't available!) & Katy Keith were chosen from 80 applicants as the two $2000 Scholarship Winners from the Oklahoma Association of School Business Officials! The scholarships are awarded to students going into the education field. I'm so proud of both of these student leaders. I'm especially proud as a long-time classroom teacher myself and because they both have moms who are amazing teachers!

Please take the opportunity to read about the initiative below and contact me directly through email or phone to sign your student up for this potential opportunity. This is open to all current sophs and juniors who are planning on attending college and are in good academic standing.

Jason Sanders

sandersj@purcellps.org

405-4432-0099 (ext. 505)

This initiative will allow Oklahoma’s high school students to earn college credit during the school day at no cost. Funding for the initiative comes from Steven and Maureen Klinsky and the Carnegie Corporation - this opportunity comes at no cost to the student or the district!

For this initiative, high school juniors and seniors take courses online within the school day or on distance learning days. After students complete course content and pass a practice exam, they take the official College Level Examination Program (CLEP) test. Modern States provides all online courses and vouchers for students to take CLEP tests for free. There is no cost to districts or to the students who participate.

How would this initiative work in your district?

This spring, the OU Thrive Center will identify high school students interested in taking Modern States classes in fall of 2024/spring, 2025. Typically, eligible students are those who are on track academically (e.g., minimum 2.75 GPA). For the fall term, we set aside a class period within the school day (or distance learning day) for 11th and 12th grade students to take Modern States’ classes. From the pool of interested students, OU Thrive will randomly assign a portion of students to take classes via Modern States. The other students will be assigned to whatever class/study hall they were planning to do. We will compare the outcomes in these two student groups to test how well Modern States is serving your students.

What are the benefits for your district?

High school students will have an opportunity to earn college credit at no cost. If you find that the initiative works well within the district, OU Thrive will work with you to expand and deliver courses to your students. Our main interest is to study the effects of Modern States under a credible research design.

How will OU Thrive evaluate the initiative?

They will use a randomized controlled trial design that will generate causal estimates on the effects of Modern States on participating students. They will examine attendance, GPA, college credits earned, high school credits earned, course completions, and the overall cost-benefits relative to other college access options that students in your district use.

ACCESS WEBINAR VIEWING AT THIS LINK:

https://mymedia.ou.edu/.../Modern%20States.../1_ugauu78a

Students can access Varsity Tutors platform on their school-issued Chromebooks through their Clever account. Students & Parents can also access Clever account @ purcellps.org by selecting the Student Learning Page from the menu.

You can learn more about the tools available to your student here.

Congratulations to our 2024-25 Student Council Senior Officers. A special thanks to outgoing STUCO Sponsor Krysta Matthews and Asst. Sponsor Emma Rolin. They have done an amazing job leading this organization and upholding and building upon important PHS traditions!

I'm excited to announce Amy Stone, Purcell High School Media Specialist & Leadership Teacher is our incoming STUCO sponsor for 2024-25. Amy will conduct Freshmen elections at a later date.

This is the FINAL CALL to order a yearbook for this year. Yearbook has extended it to Monday, May 6th. Limited numbers still available. Contact Leigh Ann McGregor @ mcgregorl@purcellps.org if you have questions.

https://www.balfour.com/oklahoma/purcell/purcell-high-school

Congratulations to our high school & junior high Music Theater department for their amazing presentation of Sister Act under the direction of Cindy Donaldson. Cindy and these students have been working so hard preparing for these shows. Exciting times in our Fine Arts programs!

Our Freshmen Reality Check Event which allows students to learn about budgeting and personal finance is one of my favorite events of the year. I love the opportunity for local businesses and community leaders to come and work firsthand with our students. Thank you Purcell!

The Annual PHS Talent Show was such a fun event. Thank you to Candy Clark and David Hilger for leading this event each year. I always admire the courage it takes to step forward and perform in front of all your classmates. Thanks as well to our emcees: Devin Martin & Gunnar Baker. Congratulations to all of our talented participants.

Results:

1st Place: Kaden Pliler

2nd Place: The Funky Monkeys

3rd Place: Kamdyn Snow

Upcoming Seniors (PHS Class of 2025) will have opportunity to take Senior Pics over the summer with our new school picture company: Oklahoma School Pictures. This is NOT mandatory and regular school pics will occur on Oct. 15. click on link below to access flyer. Flyer was also provided to all juniors.

The PHS Band Banquet was a great evening honoring our band students and this great program. Congratulations to all students especially our senior honorees. Thank you David Hilger & Jacob Willing for all your hard work. A special thanks to our Band Booster Club.

We finished up an outstanding speech season last night at the Central Area Speech Contest. It is extremely tough to get in the top 5 at Area. These students have learned so much and grown a lot this season. Carli ended up placing 4th in Plant Science. They are all looking forward to next year!

Sophia Butler, Gracie Pruitt, Cole Smedley, and Carter Goldston gave our Senior Salutes this week at KBLP Radio. They did a tremendous job and we appreciate the opportunity to celebrate our seniors. Thank you Amber Findley & Mel Feroli for continuing this tradition.

Our spring sports seasons are coming to a close and we celebrated multiple student athletes who qualified for tennis & track OSSAA State Competitions. Many results were not available at the time of publication of this newsletter. Be sure to follow our social media sites for up-to-date results. Congratulations to our all of our athletes & coaches. State Qualifiers are identified in the graphics below.

PHS Softball finished the season one win away from the State Tournament after a tough loss in the Cache Regional. Congratulations to players and Coaches Sarah Jones & Roger Raper.

PHS Baseball lost in Regionals @ Elk City to conclude their season. The Dragons finished the season 18-17 and had a strong finish to their season before running into a tough Elk City squad. Congratulations to all of our players and Coaches Cole Sharp, Ethan Scott, Justin Knowles, and Matt Maral.

May 8th is physicals day for 2024-2025 school year. It will be in the high school commons. High school will start at 2:30 and junior high will start at 3:15. Please have your student pick up a blank form in the office, and have it filled out before the examination. Cost is $10.

At high school athletic events, do you:

-Keep your cool OR come unglued?

-Show empathy OR criticize?

-Accept the officials’ calls OR shout obscenities?

Our character is ALWAYS showing. How does YOURS look?

#BenchBadBehavior

Rank One Forms are now available to be completed. Visit rankonesport.com or scan the QR code to complete your athletic forms for the 23-24 school year.

My name is Renee Herrman and I am the Program Director for the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy. We are currently working on a project with Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma to help promote SoonerCare and to help make sure that eligible children are receiving the coverage they need. As of March 2024, 502,221 Oklahoma children were enrolled in SoonerCare, just over half the estimated number of children living in the state. Additionally, the state estimates that about seven percent, or 70,000 Oklahoma children, are not enrolled in insurance, and more than half of those, or about 35,000, would likely qualify for SoonerCare coverage.

Reading Enrichment Programs --- see contact info below

Summer 2024

see flyers below in English & Espanol

Ann Carls

Program Director

phone: (800) 964-1600 ext. 4191

fax: (888) 296-5456

The OSSM Summer Academy for High School Students

2024 Sessions: July 14-19 and July 21-26

The OSSM Summer Academy is a one-week residential academic enrichment camp for high school students who are interested in science and math. Campers attend exciting classes taught by the OSSM nationally renowned faculty. They also take part in fun afternoon field trips and evening activities.

All classes are held on OSSM's beautiful Oklahoma City campus. Students live and eat in the OSSM Residence Hall. Outings are scheduled to nearby cultural attractions as well.

Tuition for the week-long camp is $975, including room, board and activities; however, scholarships are available and awarded to students with financial need. Applicants must complete a registration form as well as 1) the application for financial assistance and 2) a nomination form submitted by a teacher, counselor, or other community member who knows the student well.

More Information & Registration

For more information, including the financial assistance application, visit www.ossm.edu. To register for the Academy, click

Space is limited, so please register soon! The deadline is July 1, 2024, unless space becomes available due to cancellations. Register here or scan the QR code.

For any questions, please visit contact Dr. Brent Richards at Brent.Richards@ossm.edu.

Summer FAMcamp Registration is Open!

Robots, animation, stickball, mural art and more… FAM is THE place to be for summer fun.

First Americans Museum offers dynamic FAMcamps for youth ages 6 to 12 in arts, culture, STEM and wellness. Led by Indigenous instructors, FAMcamps emphasize First American values and narratives through hands-on activities, presentations and games. Youth of ALL backgrounds are welcome to attend—no tribal affiliation is required. Course capacity is 10–12 students per camp. Each course is supervised by an experienced instructor and Teen Guide.

FAMcamp sessions are one week long and run June 3–Aug. 2, 2024. No sessions the week of July 1.

Learn More >

Register Now >>

INSTANT SCHOLARSHIPS

During the registration process, families may receive discounted tuition based on economic need. The base price of tuition is $225 per week with scholarships ranging from 25–75% off. Some families may pay as little as $56.25 per week!

25% MEMBER DISCOUNT

FAM Members at the Household level and above (Donor, Patron, Sponsor and Founder) receive 25% off tuition.

One-Week Sessions | June 3 to Aug. 2 (No Session July 1–5) | 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Before and after camp care is available for $35 per child per week.

Ages 6 to 8 >

Inspired By Nature

Indigenous STEAM!

Stoodis Sports

Garden Adventures

Dance Party

Critter Camp

Story Jam

Culture Crew with Ashley

Ages 8 to 10 >

Native Design Studio

First American Story Art

Stickball 101

Wearable Art

Cultivating Culture

Science Studio

Wellness Adventure

Culture Crew with Ace

Ages 10 to 12 >

Stickball Heroes

Drawing & Painting Studio

BIG ART

Stop Motion Animation (Two sessions!)

Indigenous Agriculture

Native Tech Quest

Creative Movement

Learn More >

Register Now >>

OTHER OPPORTUNITIES

Composition Academy (Ages 11 to 15)

Together with renowned composer Jerod Impichchaachaaha Tate (Chickasaw Nation), six students will write their own classical compositions to be performed by the CRUSA Quartet. This weeklong course runs June 10-14 with a required rehearsal and performance on Sunday, June 16. Students must be able to read music and play an instrument of their choice.

Learn more and apply by April 9 >

Job Opportunity for Teens

Youth ages 15–18 may apply to become assistants for summer FAMcamp sessions. This is a paid opportunity and all applicants will be interviewed.

Learn more and apply by April 3 >

QUESTIONS?

Email camp@famok.org or call (405) 594-2156

FAMcamp Sponsor

Museum Hours

Monday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Tuesday CLOSED

Wednesday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Thursday 10:00 - 5 p.m.

Friday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Sunday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Guest Services (405) 594-2100

Become a FAMmember in 2024!

FAM Members enjoy unlimited admission, members only previews, private dinners, early ticket access to special events. Plus, a 10% discount at FAMstore, Thirty Nine restaurant, classes, camps and more!

Join!

First Americans Museum | 659 First Americans Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK 73129

The Oklahoma Youth Preparedness Council will host the annual Oklahoma Youth Preparedness Camp (OKYPC), July 14-19 on the Murray State College Campus in Tishomingo, OK.

and

Oklahoma Youth Preparedness Camp (OKYPC), July 28-Aug 2 on the OK Panhandle State University Campus in Goodwell, OK.

The free overnight camp is open to students grades 9-12. Participants will stay in MSC or OPSU residence halls. All will need their own transportation to and from the campus.

The camp is geared to students who want to help their school and family become more prepared for emergency situations. Students will learn about community action planning and gain basic emergency response skills. At the end of the camp, all participants, including adult chaperones, will get a 20-hour Community Emergency Response Team certificate. The camp is a great chance for students to develop leadership capabilities while having fun. They will leave with the basic life skills needed to improve the safety and resilience in their homes, schools, and communities. Preparing these students is the greatest gift we can give them.

All students (teams) must have a chaperone (s) that will be attending the camp also.

The deadline to register is June 1, 2024.

Murray State College Link

Sign up at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1guxObo3ghnYDZdFCXfp-pnq0ag0U_WBCtrK4MLTsKSM/edit or through QR code on poster.

OK Panhandle State University Link
Sign up at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1hlcVljQdJjmhIuOlh5LahjlZ0ILdbAFpftcyZl2tw-k/edit or through the QR code on poster.

About the Oklahoma Youth Preparedness Council:

Since 2019, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security have worked with local emergency managers, tribes, volunteer agencies, youth and FEMA Region 6 to develop the Oklahoma Youth Preparedness Council. The council educates Oklahoma youth in emergency preparedness to develop future generations of resilient adults.

To learn how you can support the council and the OKYPC camp. For more information, please contact tracey.bender@okohs.ok.gov.

Registration is now open for the Oklahoma Math Tutoring Corps (OMTC) for the 2023-24 school year. This high-dosage tutoring program is available for Oklahoma students in grades 7, 8 and 9, providing 50-minute virtual tutoring sessions three times a week in groups of no more than four students.

Along with feedback from students and families, 78% of 7th and 8th grade students who participated during the 2022-23 school year had 2023 assessment scores within the same performance level as in 2022 or improved a performance level. Remaining at the same performance level is considered growth as the state’s academic standards increase in complexity each grade level. Please note, 9th grade does not have a state assessment, so we do not have testing information on them.

OSDE’s Math Tutoring Corps will host two sessions during the 2023-24 school year. The first runs September 17 through November 18, and the second in Spring 2024. Each session can accommodate up to 1,500 students and students are eligible to participate in one or both of the sessions. Families and students can register through this link. The OSDE will provide any needed technology or internet access, and tutoring schedules will occur during students’ free time outside of the school day.

Please contact the high school if you are unable to access Parent Portal. This allows students and parents to access real-time grades 24/7, attendance information and update personal information. I include a parent/portal link for all parents/guardians on every Parent Newsletter. This link is located immediately below this message. It's very important all parents have access to parent portal.

Please complete this form linked here if you are need of a Parent Portal Account:

https://forms.gle/kcw4yFh9UghpFKW76

If you have any problems accessing Parent Portal please contact the school directly: (405) 442-0099