Homer High-Lights

The data from last year keeps coming in and HHS continues to prove it is one of the best schools in the state and country. HHS continually tracks how students perform on these assessments and makes adjustments so we can continue to grow and improve.

Here is a cross section of how Homer High did on state and national tests and rankings:

• Ranked 2nd in AK from US News & Work Reports for 2019
• Ranked second in State Star Score for traditional High Schools (State of Alaska Report Card Rating)
• Silver Medal Award 10th year in a row (US News & World Report)
• Earned top State honors for Choir, DDF & Art
• Very high MAP scores
• One of the top PEAKS scores in state each year
• National Merit Scholars almost every year
• SAT, ACT, AP scores higher than national and state averages
• #2 in Best High Schools for STEM in Alaska . From Niche

Homer High is a great school, but we are always trying to get better. This year HHS is working to improve in three areas. Our goals for 2019 are as follows:

1. By May of 2020 Students will improve their ability to identify or deal with anxiety and stressors by 10% as measured by a stress-anxiety inventory.
2. Teachers will develop multiple ways to review and utilize data with students at least once per quarter.
   

3. 80% of all students in the bottom 25 percentile will improve by at least one percentile by May 2020 on relevant assessment data.

As always, I would appreciate hearing from you. If you have ideas or suggestions, please drop by. If you can't make it in, call me at 907-235-4600 or e-mail me at dwaclawski@kpbsd.k12.ak.us.

Yours in great education,

Douglas Waclawski

Principal

Thank you to the student council and Michelle Borland for all the planning and effort they put into spirit week, our Pep Rally, Dance and the great Homecoming Weekend. All the events were well attended, well planned and fun for all..

We received this award for 2019! We are currently ranked the #2 high school in Alaska!

Homer High School has earned the Silver Award from the US News and World Report for the 9th year in a row as one of the top schools in the nation! This prestigious award ranks us as one of the top 5% of schools in the country. We are proud of our students and how hard they work every day. Thank you Homer for supporting our school and these amazing students.

Check out link below to read the article:

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/alaska

Students will be choosing from a variety of career options during FOL on Tuesday, October 15th. This is an annual event where community members come speak about their chosen career paths. Students are able to ask questions and gather information that helps the students decide their future plans.

Note: all dates for sports are home events; away events are not listed here

Oct. 8 - Volleyball vs SoHi: Cteam 4:00, JV 5:00, Varsity 6:30

Oct. 14 - Homer High Fall Concert 7:00

Oct. 16 - Early Release Day--School ends at 2:15

Oct. 18 - No School - End of Quarter 1 (Teacher Inservice)

Oct. 18 - Varsity Wrestling at home 3:00

Oct. 19 - Varsity Wrestling at home 10:00

Oct. 26 - 10th Grade Activity Night

Oct. 27 - 4 v 4 Soccer Fundraiser 1:00

Oct. 29 - Volleyball vs Kenai: Cteam 4:00, JV 5:00, Varsity 6:30

Oct. 31 - Varsity Wrestling vs Barrow 3:00

Oct. 31 - 9th Grade Haunted Hall 7:00

Books change lives! After writing their first essay of the year on a book that changed their lives, Mr. Campbell’s AP Literature class shared their favorite children’s book with Kim Fine’s kindergarten class at Little Fireweed.

SAT and ACT

College-bound students are recommended to take both tests if possible, because some students perform better on one than on the other, and most universities take students’ best score. Students whose family income qualifies them for free or reduced lunch can get a fee waiver from the counseling office.

Juniors who need to take these tests should consider these dates and put them on their calendars now. Otherwise, busy lives tend to roll along and they may finish the eleventh grade without having tested, which is not good for a college-bound student.

Seniors should generally finish their testing by December.

Remaining 2019-2020 Test Dates at HHS (all Saturdays beginning at 8am)

September and October are such busy months in the Counseling Dept. Standardized testing, college opportunities and changes to the AP policy are all part of the fall at HHS. A parent permission form, which will give your student the okay to continue with any AP classes/tests, is available by clicking here. Please let us know if we can clarify anything:

PSAT

Once again it’s time for the PSAT. This year it will be offered on October 19 at HHS starting at 9:00. Cost is $25 and can be paid to the bookkeeper (make checks out to HHS). Juniors taking the test will be entered into the National Merit Qualifying Test competition. Those who score in the top 99% often become National Merit scholars and can qualify for benefits when applying for college.

We recommend that college bound sophomores take the test for practice—there will also be an opportunity in the spring to take the PSAT 10, designed specifically for sophomores (10th graders can take one or both tests). HHS has a long history of National Merit Finalists, most of whom took the PSAT as sophomores and then qualified as juniors. Taking a practice test can provide practice and confidence.

Financial Aid – file the FAFSA beginning Oct. 1

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the most important financial form for seniors and their families if they are continuing their education at an accredited trade school or college. It becomes available for the 2020-2021 school year beginning October 1st, and some aid is granted on a first-come, first-served basis. Click here to file the FAFSA (NEVER pay to file the FAFSA).

It is always free, but there are scams out there.). It is required to:

• Receive any federal aid
• Receive any state aid
• Receive any work study
• **Be eligible for the Alaska Performance Scholarship**

Career Exploration FOL event

Also on Oct. 15th, students who don’t attend the college and career fair will be choosing from a variety of career options during FOL. This is an annual event where community members come speak about their chosen career paths. Students are able to ask questions and gather information that can help them discern their future plans.

College and Career Fair

On Tuesday, October 15 between 10am and 1pm, KPBSD will host the annual college and career fair at Kenai Central High School. You may view the universities and trade schools who have (so far) committed to attend at http://cacfair.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/2014-participants/.

This is a great opportunity for juniors and seniors, as well as 10th graders currently taking an AP or Honors class, to visit with admissions representatives from various post-secondary institutions. Many HHS grads have gone on to attend schools they first learned of by attending this fair. Buses will take interested students to and from the fair. To promote students attending, HHS faculty has agreed not to schedule any major tests, presentations, labs, etc. for that day. Permission slips are available here, on the Counselor’s Corner of the HHS web site, and in the HHS counseling office. Parents/guardians are also welcome to drive up themselves to visit with admissions reps.

College visits to Homer

Homer High is well known for producing high-caliber graduates who go on to be successful at some of the best colleges and universities in the country. As such, we are lucky to have admissions representatives who make special visits to speak with our students and market the merits of their respective institutions. This a good chance for interested students to make connections with a rep, to glean more detailed information about their programs, and to establish a personal connections to someone in the admissions office, which can come in quite handy. To date, the following schools are planning to visit HHS. If you or your student would like to make an appointment, please contact the counseling office.

• Western Colorado University – October 1
• University of Portland – October 16
• University of Puget Sound – October 17

Want to know what is going on at HHS?

Sometimes things change at the last moment and we can't call everyone. If you want the most up-to-date event schedules, start times, scores and last minute changes, like us on Facebook. Go to https://www.facebook.com/HomerHS/ and be sure to follow us. This is the most efficient way for HHS to post last minute details, school closures and more. We also post lots of the cool things our students and staff are doing.

See you on Facebook!

Thank you to Sarah Vance for coming to HHS and discussing Climate Change along with other difficult issues. We look forward to additional visits with social studies classes and to discuss what is important to HHS students.

Email: dwaclawski@kpbsd.org
Website: http://homerhighschool.blogs.kpbsd.k12.ak.us/wpmu/
Location: 600 E Fairview Ave, Homer, AK
Phone: 907-235-4600
Facebook: www.facebook.com/homerhs