Dear OSS Families,

Help us spread the word about the opening of our Orlando Science East Campus located near UCF. It will be opening August of 2020 for grades K-6 with the addition of a higher grade each year to include grades K-8 by 2022. Students attending our East Campus will be able to continue at Orlando Science Charter High School which is located on Technology Drive. We would like to welcome our new East Orlando Campus to our Orlando Science family. They will have the same outstanding programs and educational model that we currently have at our existing campuses including:

· Small class size and individual attention for our students

· Award-winning academic and extracurricular programs

· Robotics, Science and Math Olympiad programs

· State of the art STEM classrooms, labs and media center

· Dedicated teachers and staff

· Hands-on learning experiences

· Full-time Gifted program

Orlando Science Charter School is a tuition free STEM focused public charter school. Orlando Science has been rated the #1 school in 2018 and 2019 in Central Florida by Niche. US News also rated Orlando Science Charter High School the best high school in Central Florida.

While our plans are progressing, we would like to ask for your participation by filling in an interest application to help us determine the capacity of each grade level. If you are on the waitlist for one of our current campuses or would like to transfer your children to the east campus, please complete the application form below.

http://www.orlandoscience.org/orlando-science-east-campus

Sincerely,

Yalcin Akin, Ph.D

Executive Director

Orlando-Seminole- Osceola

Science Charter Schools

Dear Families and Students,

Dear Parents,

As Orlando Science Middle High School is an AdvancED SACS/CASI accredited school, we are engaged in an ongoing continuous improvement process, of which all stakeholders are a part. Surveys are a means to systematically engage all our stakeholders in two-way communication. They provide school leaders and teachers a view into the thinking and perceptions of our stakeholders.

Careful analysis of the results enriches understanding of areas of strength and effectiveness as well as those areas that possibly need improvement. The survey results will enable our school leaders to measure stakeholders’ attitudes and help target improvement strategies focused on student achievement as well as school and system effectiveness.

Taking the survey also will help stakeholders understand the AdvancED Standards for Quality and provide a means for learning about what a parent, student or staff member should be looking for in a high quality at Orlando Science Middle/High.

Your cooperation and support in completing the surveys will be greatly appreciated. Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions.

Please find the links to the parent and student surveys below. The surveys will remain open until Friday, March 30th at 11:59pm. Please let me know should you have any questions.

Respectfully,

Abdulaziz Yalcin, M.Ed

Principal

Orlando Science Schools-Middle/High

Attention OSS Middle High Families, There are NO Saturday Leadership Academy and AP Studies Saturday on March 16th or 23rd. We will resume Saturday courses on Saturday, March 30th. Enjoy the Spring Break!

Orlando Science Families: This is just a reminder that Orlando Science Schools will be closed for Spring Break beginning at 3:00 PM on Friday, March 15th, 2019 (Student Holiday/Teacher Workday). We will resume normal operation on Monday, March 24th, 2019.

Saturday in the Park 2019 was a fun event! Thank you to the OSS student and staff volunteers and their families who made it happen. See you next year!

OSHS Students enjoyed the last 2 hours before Spring Break outside in the beautiful weather. As the pictures show, the students and staff had a great time together. Have a safe and wonderful break Orcas!

Last Saturday OSS 7th grader Ramsey Z. won 1st pace in the Lockheed Martin Science Challenge at the Science Center. This was an impressive feat; it was an exclusive event to only the first place winners in neighboring counties. With Tri-county accomplished, he looks forward towards the State Science Fair on the 26th of March!

This past February we had several high school students take a rigorous test known as the Open Exam for the Biology Olympiad. This test is very challenging, with an average score of 34%. Surprisingly, and thanks to the leadership of Tony H., we have had two students successfully make it to the next level in the nation!

Jaehyun A. and Siyona M. will be competing for 20 spots for the United States Biology Olympiad Team. This is a very impressive accomplishment as these students have shown mastery of High School level life science. Their USABO test will be held Friday during Spring Break. We wish them best of luck through their studies of biochemistry and comparative medical anatomy physiology. The rest of the students will be entered for the international exam too, held in April.

Orlando Science Families Join Us for A Special Parent Presentation on the "Dangers of Social Media" presented by FBI Special Agent Kevin Kauffman

Wednesday, March 27th, 2019

Orlando Science Technology Drive High School Campus beginning at 6 PM

MUST RSVP BELOW TO ATTEND-SPACE IS LIMITED.

The explosion of instantaneous communication systems such as e-mails, text messaging, and social media websites have made us more connected through technology than ever before. As technology progresses, the necessity to educate ourselves and our students about the dangers and safeguards when using it becomes paramount. FBI Special Agent Kevin Kauffman will be presenting "Dangers of Social Media and the Internet" at Orlando Science Technology Drive Highs School to inform parents of his expertise of this matter and to help families become more aware of these issues. Space is limited so please RSVP below!

Lynx Lane Orcas will get the chance to hear FBI Agent Kevin Kauffman speak on Monday, March 25th, 2019 during the school day. We recommend that only students over the age of 12 attend the parent presentation on March 27th, 2019 if alternate plans cannot be made. At this time there are will be no accommodations available for students under the age of 12.

It is important to note this presentation will be geared towards a parent audience.

Follow the OSS Lynx Lane Drama Club Down the Rabbit Hole during their production of "Alice in Wonderland" on Thursday, March 28th, 2019. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the show starting at 6:30 p.m.

Pre-sale tickets can be purchased in advance through the 25th of March for a discounted price of $3 using the link below.

Tickets may also be purchased at the door for $5. For additional questions or concerns please reach out to Mrs. Reagan for more information.

Attention 6th-12th grade Orcas: The Orange county Bar Association is sponsoring a speech contest! Use your writing skills to create an original speech on the topic of Free Speech Free Press Free Society. See the details on the entry form below. Good luck!

Who: Orange County students in grades 6-12

Deadline: Wednesday, March 27, 2019 at 4pm

All entries are to be hard copies, either mailed or hand delivered to Orange County Bar Association, 880 North Orange Avenue, Orlando, FL 32801, and must be to the attention of "Law Week Speech Contest". Each submission must have a full completed Entry Form attached to be considered.

Theme: Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society

In the United States and around the world, freedom of speech and the press are among the most important foundations for a free society. Free speech and free press are prominent topics in public discourse and litigation. It is impossible to imagine a free society without these individual liberties, yet historical and current debates surrounding them continually challenge us to consider their boundaries and resilience. Changes in technology have reshaped how free speech and free press work in the everyday world.

AWARDS:

1st Place - $100 Gift Card (1st Place Winner’s Teacher - $50 Gift Card)
2nd Place - $50 Gift Card

3rd Place - $25 Gift Card

All winners, along with a parent and teacher, will be honored guests at the Orange County Bar Association’s Law Week Luncheon.

Rules: Speech entries will be judged in their written form and are to be typed and double-spaced on 8 ½ x 11 white paper with completed entry form attached.
Speeches are not to exceed three (3) minutes.

The top three speechwriters will present their speeches at the OCBA Law Week Luncheon on April 25, 2019.

Please click on the link below to download all of the details and the entry form.

Attention Orca Artists: The Orange County Bar Association is sponsoring a poster contest! Use your art skills and thoughts on the topic of Free Speech Free Press Free Society to create and submit an original poster. See the details below, good luck!

Who: Orange County students in grades 2-12

Deadline: Wednesday, March 27th at 4pm

Categories: Grades 2-5 / Grades 6-8 / Grades 9-12

THEME: Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society

In the United States and around the world, freedom of speech and the press are among the most important foundations for a free society. Free speech and free press are prominent topics in public discourse and litigation. It is impossible to imagine a free society without these individual liberties, yet historical and current debates surrounding them continually challenge us to consider their boundaries and resilience. Changes in technology have reshaped how free speech and free press work in the everyday world.

Awards:

1st Place - $100 Gift Card (per category)
2nd Place - $50 Gift Card (per category)
3rd Place - $25 Gift Card (per category)

All winners, along with a parent and teacher, will be honored guests at the Orange County Bar Association’s Law Week Luncheon.

Please click on the link below to download all of the details, including the rules, and the entry form.

Theme: “Protecting Endangered Species”

Eligibility: ALL students K-12th grade (Judging is in 4 groups (K-2, 3-5, Middle and High School)

Deadline: April 8th, 2019

Award Ceremony: Crayola Experience in May 2019

Prizes: $100 for each 1st place winner and $50 for each 2nd place winner

All 40 finalists receive their artwork framed, tickets to Crayola Experience, Gatorland and other prizes.

Submit the completed entry form and drawing to:

Gatorland Art Contest

14501 S. Orange Blossom Trail

Orlando, FL 32837

* Please review the attached sheets for full contest information and guidelines*

8th-11th Grade Orcas, it is time to request your 2019-20 school year courses! Read the details and click the link below to formally submit your request.

Take time to carefully select possible courses in the order of your preference. Due to class size restrictions, prerequisites and your academic readiness, you may not be assigned the classes you requested. Sometimes, your last choice is the only option that will work when creating a schedule. Therefore, please complete all of the course categories including the contingency (back-up) course offerings. We will try our best to accommodate your requests. All final placement decisions will be made by the administration and guidance departments after reviewing students' end of year grades and test scores.

If you are not satisfied with your schedule or have different needs, please do not hesitate to email Mr. I until the end of the first two weeks of the new school year. Students should check their high school graduation requirements from the Florida Department of Education's website.

Please feel free to see Mr. I for further questions.

FLDOE Graduation Requirements are found here http://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7764/urlt/1415forwardflyer.pdf.

For detailed course descriptions, please visit http://www.cpalms.org/Public/search/Course.

For information about the AP classes, please visit https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/apcourse.

ATTENTION OSHS Tech Campus FAMILIES:

Above you will find the 2018-2019 OSS High School Tech Campus Assessment Calendar, please keep these dates in mind when planning any upcoming appointments and vacations. It is also important to note that on the following Wednesdays listed below we will not hold our regular early release schedule. Instead, we will follow our standard release schedule to allow more time for testing.

Wednesday, May 1, 2019

Wednesday, May 8, 2019

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

Download a copy of the testing schedule below.

Attention 8th graders: Our class is planning to take a field trip on Friday, May 17, 2019 to Universal Studios! Please complete the field trip permission form on the last page of the document below and return it before the deadline date.

This scholarship program helps support promising high school seniors who intend to pursue a career in an approved engineering, computer science, mathematics or physics program and who live in communities where Northrop Grumman Mission Systems has a major presence. That includes Florida's Orange County! OSHS Seniors check out the link below to learn more about NG's $8,000 scholarship opportunity.

FAFSA is the Federal Student Aid program. Every single college applicant needs to complete FAFSA regardless of their income. This application is free and completed through only one website. Do not pay to anyone or any website for completion of FAFSA. This should take no more than 45 minutes to complete if you have everything ready to go. FAFSA is time sensitive. The funds are distributed as first come first serve.

State of Florida has its own scholarship program called Bright Futures and it is managed through OSFA (Office of Student Financial Assistance). When you complete the application, you are also being evaluated for other scholarships through State of Florida. It is a very short application and should not take more than 15 minutes. Most important thing to know is that, you only complete the form and your transcript and SAT/ACT scores will be submitted automatically through OSS and the State of Florida University System. You are not required to satisfy all the application requirements until the end of the school year to apply to this scholarship. On the other hand, being qualified currently does not guarantee that you will receive this scholarship. If your end of year GPA falls under the requirement, then you will not be receiving the scholarship. Here are the current requirements:

Senior yearbook ads are now available!

Purchase an advertisement for your senior today. Include pictures and a short message for your student before they graduate. After payment is made be sure to email your pictures and your message to Ms. Lizarazo to make sure the correct information is placed in the yearbook.

Full page ad:

https://www.schoolpay.com/pay/for/FULL-PAGE-Senior-Yearbook--Advertisement-/IdDLy

1/2 page ad:

https://www.schoolpay.com/pay/for/HALF-PAGE-Senior-Yearbook--Advertisement-/IdDLx

Due date is March 29, 2019

The Orlando Science High School on Technology Drive opened its doors to a newly renovated campus in August 2018. One of the great features of the High School campus is the brand new Media Center. It serves as a space where all students can read, research and study. Please consider making a donation directly to the Media Center to help Mrs. Singleton stock the shelves and create a welcoming environment for our students. As always the Amazon Wishlist link below contains the most current requests from our staff and students.

We are excited to announce that the OCLS has partnered with OSS Middle/High to provide free Virtual Library Cards (VLC) to all of our students! There are many wonderful online resources students can access now from any computer with their credentials. Check out the website www.ocls.info and go to Research and Learning to explore all the learning opportunities the library offers. Use the credentials listed in the picture above to log in and learn!

OSS Families: See the important message below regarding FortifyFlorida.

We are pleased to announce that the FortifyFL app is LIVE. Now, any student, educator, parent or member of the public can report school safety concerns directly to law enforcement and school administrators anonymously and easily through the FortifyFL app or www.getfortifyfl.com. The Florida Legislature directed this tool’s development in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act.

The app, which is available for download on Apple and Android mobile devices, is critical to ensuring all Florida schools are safe environments where students and educators can experience and share the joy of learning without fear.

We hope that you will be come familiar with the app and help spread the word to other school families in Florida.

Sincerely,

Pam Bondi and Pam Stewart

Attorney General and Commissioner of Education

Our School System has recently updated our accounts on LinkedIn would love for you to join our network! Please see below for links to the official LinkedIn Company Pages for each of our campuses and feel free to share with current families and alumni.

• Orlando Science Schools (K-12): https://www.linkedin.com/company/orlando-science-schools/
  
• Osceola Science Charter School (K-8): https://www.linkedin.com/company/osceola-science-charter-school/
  
• Seminole Science Charter School (K-8): https://www.linkedin.com/company/seminole-science-charter-school/

This is an easy way to help raise money for Orlando Science Schools. Use the link below when shopping from Amazon. AmazonSmile donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Orlando Science Schools via Discovery Education Services, Inc. whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.

Office Depot provides the school with 5% back in credits for FREE supplies when you make a purchase of qualifying school supplies. Simply provide the school ID at checkout.

OSES School Code: 70228302

OSS School Code: 70218341

Hello OSS Families! Please remember that BOX TOPS are a wonderful FREE way to raise funds for our school. Each Box Top is worth $.10 and they really add up. Please make sure to continuously send these in so that I can mail them before their expiration dates. The monies received go to supporting our academic and sport teams, the PLTW (Project Lead the Way) along with many other OSS programs and classroom needs. If you would like to learn more about the Box Tops program go to www.btfe.com. Please register or login today. Make sure that you designate Orlando Science Schools as your school support.

To see a complete list of products go to: https://www.boxtops4education.com/earn/participating-products

Also, it is very important to check those expiration dates. We do not receive any credit for expired Box Tops.

Thank you so much for your support of Orlando Science Middle High School. For questions or thoughts please email me at jmallonee@cfl.rr.com.

Happy Clipping!

Denise Mallonee

Dear Orlando Science Lynx Lane and Technology High School Families,

It is time to join the Parent Volunteer Organization (PVO). Membership is $25 per family for returning families and $30 for new families, your membership dues go directly back into the school to provide items and supplies for our teachers. We are also asking that PVO members work with specific committees (School Improvement, Fundraising, Volunteer Work, Teacher Appreciation, Events, Etc.) Please utilize the SCHOOL PAY link below to pay your dues.

If you have questions, comments, or requests, you may email OSS.PVO@orlandoscience.org . A formal PVO committee, including president and vice-president, will be announced at the end of the first quarter of the 2018-2019 School Year. PVO will hold bi-monthly meetings that will inform parents of progress, agendas, and upcoming events.

Thank you for all of your help and support as we look forward to a great year.

If you are an ADDitions approved volunteer, OSHS can use your help! We are looking for parents or responsible adults over the age of 18 to help during lunch times (approximately 11am-1pm) and during car line before and after school. Please contact Ms. Foley to schedule the exact time slots. All volunteers must complete the ADDitions application is here: https://ocps.samaritan.com/custom/503/ beforehand. Thank you for all you do to help make OSHS great!

Orcas interested in dressing down for their birthday MUST submit a "Dress Down Day" form(found below) to Ms. Rebel at least two business days prior to the requested dress down date.

Technology Drive High School Orcas Families please make sure to review the Dress Code with your students. Dress Code may be found on page 29 in the OSS Handbook HS 2018-2019 below.

Families whose Free/Reduced lunch applications have expired, please take a moment and fill out the OCPS Free/Reduced Meal Application today! It must be completed each year to qualify for this federally funded program. To fill out the application click the link below.

Email: info@orlandoscience.org
Website: http://orlandoscience.org/highschool/
Location: 2600 Technology Drive, Orlando, FL, USA
Phone: (407)299-6595
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orlandoscience/
Twitter: @OrlandoSciMH