Welcome to Cobra Country - Academy Publishing, Inc.

A publicat io n fo r t he par ent s, st udent s, and
c om munit y o f Par k Vist a Co mmunit y Hig h School
JULY 2016 | ISSUE 3
Mission
Statement
Park Vista Community
High School is
committed to fostering
a safe environment,
which respects
diversity while providing
an atmosphere of
academic excellence,
student involvement,
and positive
opportunities for all.
C ourteous
Be O n Time
Be B rilliant
Be R esponsible Be
and Respectful
A Role Model
Be S afe
Be
Administration
Principal
Reginald B. Myers
Assistant Principals
LuAnne Daucanski
Marie DiFonte
Brent Higley
Reginald Lanier
Ronn Peteck
Dr. Pia Pierre
www.pvchs.com
@pvcobrashs
parkvistacommunity
highschool
Welcome to Cobra Country
Hello Cobra Families and Friends:
Principal’s Message
On behalf of the faculty and staff at Park Vista Community High School, it is indeed an honor and a
pleasure to welcome you to Park Vista Community High School for the 2016-2017 school year! It is my
hope that each and every one of you had an enjoyable and safe summer. Now it is time to get back into
the swing of things. As always, teachers and administration have been working diligently to prepare for
the upcoming year. Some have attended curriculum workshops, trainings, or conferences this summer
constantly searching for new and innovative ways to support the success of our students in the classroom.
Everything that we have either heard or read about successful schools indicates that they are so because
of collaborative school partnerships between the parents, teachers, students, and the community. We
are looking forward to a productive partnership with you to ensure that all students enrolled at Park Vista
Community High School are able to achieve their highest potential, both within the classroom, as well as
outside of the classroom. We recognize that in order to be successful in school, students require support
from both the home and school. We know a strong partnership with you will make a great difference in
your child’s education. All students will be respected as individuals, but they too are expected to respect
the rights and property of other students, adults, and the school.
Each year we are striving to enhance and improve our communication efforts with our students and their
families. If you would like to receive text messages from Park Vista relating to school events, important
dates, or emergency information, text @33999k to 81010 from your phone. This will allow you to join the
2016-2017 Cobra Families group for Park Vista and you will receive updates via text from the school. This
number can be utilized by both the parents and the students. Each year a new account is created so that
only current families receive these messages. If you are a returning family that received our messages last
year, you will need to re-enroll utilizing the information above.
This year’s Freshmen Orientation is scheduled for Monday, August 8th from 1:30 pm to 6:00 pm. The
orientation day is structured in a way so that the focus is on important information about the school’s
practices, how to navigate the campus, organizational skills, study skills, and the assignment of a mentor
for each freshman who can assist them throughout the year answering questions and providing them with
support. During the Freshmen Orientation, students receive their tentative class schedule and are able to
purchase a locker.
At 5:00 pm on August 8th in the auditorium, there is the parent orientation for the parents/guardians of
incoming freshmen. This presentation by the Guidance Department will focus on tips and information for
parents which can be utilized to aid their child in getting off to an extraordinary beginning in high school.
Then, from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm, both the parents and the students will come together to get the 411 on
clubs, sports, and other activities at Park Vista. I encourage the parents of all incoming freshmen to attend
this informative session.
The remaining Grade Level Distribution Sessions are scheduled as follows: Seniors - Thursday, August
4th, 7:30 am – 9:30 am, Juniors - Thursday, August 4th, 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm, and Sophomores –
Monday, August 8th, 8:00 am – 11:00 am. During the scheduled distribution session for seniors and
juniors, students will receive their tentative schedule, be able to purchase a locker, and if eligible, purchase
a parking decal. During the orientation for sophomores, students will be able to obtain their tentative
schedule and purchase a locker. All students must have either a PV photo ID, Driver’s License, or some
other photo identification in order to attend their respective sessions.
The School District of Palm Beach County is committed to providing a world-class education with excellence and
equity to empower each student to reach his or her highest potential with the most effective staff to foster the
knowledge, skills, and ethics required for responsible citizenship and productive careers.
2
School News
PRINCIPAL’S
MESSAGE continues...
Throughout the year in our
newsletter, “Cobra Bites”, we
will provide you with the latest
information on upcoming events
and activities happening both on
and off the campus of Park Vista
Community High School. The
newsletter will include practical
strategies designed to support
our students both academically
and socially while in school.
Please take some time as well
at the beginning of the year to
preview the 2016-2017 Student/
Family Handbook which is
posted online at pvchs.com or
edline.net. The Student/Family
Handbook contains practices
and procedures which govern
some of the daily operations of
the school. It is very important
that you and your child are
familiar with the expectations
related to appropriate behavior
in order for us to have a safe and
productive school year.
This awesome faculty and staff
of Park Vista Community High
School look forward to working
with the students and their
families this coming school
year. As always your continued
support of our school is very
much appreciated!
Welcome
to
Park
Vista
Community High School, home
of the “Cobras”!
Educationally Yours,
Reginald B. Myers, Principal
ATTENTION!
GRADE LEVEL DISTRIBUTION SESSIONS
LOCKERS • SCHEDULES • DECALS
SENIORS - Thursday, August 4, 7:30 -9:30 am
JUNIORS - Thursday, August 4, 12:00-2:00 pm
SOPHOMORES - Monday, August 8, 8:00- 11:00 am
MUST HAVE A PV ID TO ATTEND ORIENTATION!!!
From the Desk of your
Health Care District
School Nurse
It is important that up-to-date emergency
contact information and working phone
numbers are on file for each student.
Please be sure to provide the school with
any emergency contact changes as well as
any new phone numbers, this way you will
be able to be reached in the event of an
emergency. This can be completed in the
Guidance Department.
If your child has any medical conditions or
requires medication in school, please make
arrangements to speak to your School Nurse
regarding a plan of care for 2016-17 school
year. Medication orders will be required for
2016-17 school year. The nurses will be back
in the clinic on August 9th, 10th, and 12th,
from 7am-2pm to bring in all new orders and
medication. It is important to have all of this
completed prior to the first day of school
August 15, 2016. Thank you in advance for
your cooperation. For more information visit
www.hcdpbc.org/schoolhealth
PTSA
Hey parents and students of Park
Vista, have you heard the latest?
We are excited to announce that
beginning the 2016-2017 school
year, our school will have an
active PTSA. We look forward
to creating an atmosphere that
inspires community involvement
and showcases our “cobra” spirit.
Stay tuned for more information!
Media Center
Your Media Center is the place to be! The Media Center is open
before school at 7:00 am and after school until 3:30 pm. We are
also open during lunch - all you need is your PVCHS ID. Come in
to study, use computers, copy or print, or check out the latest YA
books. We also have eBooks, so stop by and ask us how you can
access them. Did you know you have access to our district portal
with tons of Google Apps such as email, Google Drive, and Google
Docs? When you come to the library, ask Ms. Burke-Peart to tell you
about it! We look forward to seeing you create and collaborate in
YOUR Media Center!
3
School News
Positive Behavior Support
Courteous
On time
Brilliant
Responsible
and
sp
Re ectful
A Role Model
Safe
Park Vista fosters a positive school climate to support the instructional, behavioral, emotional, and social development of students. Each
student will receive our matrix of expected behaviors during the first week of school. High expectations for academics and behavior are
promoted throughout the school. All students will take part in a school-wide lesson, Integrity and Academic Achievement, on August
17th, 2016. This lesson aligns with the Park Vista Honor Code and Positive Behavior Support. The lesson highlights honoring academic
achievement, integrity in student development, and the proper behavior to be exhibited when faced with an academic dilemma. We
encourage all COBRAS to be Courteous, On time, Brilliant, Responsible and respectful, A role model, and Safe.
Save the Date!
Dress Code
Please join us for Open House
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
School is a student’s place of business and appropriate professional dress is important to the
quality of student life. Please refer to the PVCHS Student Handbook which is available on our
website at www.pvchs.com. Dress code goes into effect upon arrival on campus.
Start at your child’s first period classroom.
“College Readiness” in the auditorium at
5:00 p.m. prior to Open House
Stay up to date on the latest
Park Vista News! Text @33999k
to 81010 to receive updates
from Mr. Myers via text.
One Lunch Period
Park Vista will continue to have one 45 minute
extended lunch period for the entire student
body. We will keep the same bell and lunch
schedule for the 2016-2017 school year. To
assist students in planning their school day,
at the start of the school year every student
will be provided with a copy of the Odd/Even
calendar and bell schedule. A copy of the
calendar will also be available on our website
at www.pvchs.com.
School Hours
School begins promptly at 7:30 a.m. and
students are dismissed at 2:45 p.m. Allow
plenty of time to get to school by the first bell.
Traffic is backed up along Jog Road as early
as 6:50 a.m. For your safety, do not drop
students off on Jog Road! In efforts to get
to school on time, students often jump out of
cars and dart through traffic. This is not only
illegal, but it is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!
Please protect your child by using safe dropoff procedures.
Acceptable clothing:
• All shorts, skirt, and dresses must be long enough to touch the knee.
•
Blouses, shirts, and tops must have sleeves and must be long enough to tuck into pants,
shorts, or skirts.
•
Necklines must be high enough to prevent exposure of cleavage.
Prohibited Clothing:
• Transparent clothing.
•
Clothing, jewelry, buttons, etc., with words, phrases, symbols, pictures, or insignia which
is disruptive, obscene, profane, racist, suggestive, or related to drugs and/or alcohol use.
•
Clothing that defaces alters, or improperly displays the national emblem.
•
Sunglasses, hats, hoods, bandannas, picks, combs, wave caps, or any type of head
covering. If you must wear sunglasses during outside physical education activities, please
clear this with the appropriate coach.
•
Pants, shorts, or skirts which ride below the base of the spine or hips.
•
Wallet chains, spiked collars, or any other type of metal chains.
•
Skirts and dresses shorter than the knee or with a slit that reaches above the knee.
•
Sleeveless shirts, tank tops, tube tops, and spaghetti straps.
•
Clothes that have holes, are torn, have see through and/or cut out fabric including leggings
or patches under the holes.
•
Items containing references to death, murder, or gangs.
•
Bare midriffs, backs, or sides.
•
Pajamas, house or bedroom slippers, or bare feet.
Consequences:
Parents are requested to play an active role in the enforcement of dress code policy. Students
who are not in compliance with dress code will contact parent or guardian for a change of
clothing. Students with continuous or flagrant violations of the dress code policy are subject
to further disciplinary action.
Exceptions:
Any student who requests a temporary exemption from the dress code for medical reasons
must present a doctor’s note to his or her appropriate Assistant Principal for review.
4
School News
Food Services
Park Vista offers an outstanding food service program with breakfast
and lunch provided daily. A free breakfast is available to all students.
Reduced food program price (subject to qualifications)
Hot Lunch $.40/meal
Regular price
Hot Lunch $2.30/meal
Separate a la carte items are available for purchase. Price varies.
Cell Phone and Electronic Devices
School Board Policy 5.183 allows students to possess wireless
communication devices (including cell phones) on campus for use
both before and after school. These items must be kept in the off
position (powered completely off and not simply set on a vibrate,
silent, standby, hibernation, or airplane mode) and stored in a vehicle,
locker, purse, backpack, or other non-visible, secure location.
Unauthorized use of wireless communication devices include:
Go to www.palmbeachschools.org/sfs to apply online for free or
reduced price meal benefits. Prepayments can be made for food
service meal accounts using a valid credit card. This convenient
payment method is secure, private, and available 24/7. Parents/
Guardians can access meal histories online. To enroll, visit http://
palmbeach.schoolcashonline.com.
For the first few weeks, the school cafeteria is very crowded. Students
should be patient until their lunch-time procedures are established.
We recommend that students bring a packed lunch for the first couple
of weeks to make sure that they have time to eat.
•
Interference with, or disturbance of, the instructional or
educational environment.
•
Use which violates academic integrity.
•
Communication of grades or any evaluation activity being
completed by an individual(s).
1. Go to district website at www.palmbeachschools.org.
•
Used to commit a crime under federal or state law.
3. Input needed information such as your address and school.
•
Violation of a student’s or other person’s reasonable expectation
of privacy. Cell phones and other wireless communication
devices may not be used to take photographs or videos on
school property, while on school-sponsored transportation, or
while a student is engaged in school-sponsored activities.
4. When the map appears, locate your house, school, and nearest
bus stop. Click on the bus stop icon (that is closest to your
home) and write down the information provided in the pop-up
box.
•
Use in a manner that is profane, indecent, obscene, threatening,
discriminatory, bullying, or harassing language, pictures, or
gestures.
Acceptable uses of wireless communication devices include:
•
•
During a class period or school activity when specifically
approved by the Principal in conjunction with educationally
appropriate objectives.
Refer to School Board Policy 5.183.
Any student who chooses to bring a cell phone, other wireless
communication devices, and electronic devices (iPads, iPods, etc.)
to school shall do so at his/her own risk and shall be personally
responsible for the security of the device. Neither the school
personnel or School Board will assume any responsibility or liability
for loss, theft, damage, or vandalism. The following consequences
will occur when a student violates School Board Policy:
1. The item will be confiscated and released only to a parent/
guardian. The second time a student violates this policy he/she
will receive an extended detention. The third time a student
violates this policy he/she will be assigned one day of in-school
suspension.
2. Failure to serve an extended detention will result in a 3-day inschool suspension.
3. Failure to surrender an electronic device will constitute
disobedience and will result in a 3-day in-school suspension.
Find My Bus!
Need to find your bus stop?
2. Click on ‘Find my bus’ under ‘Explore’.
5. To obtain drop-off information, exit the pop-up information for
AM and change the drop-down menu to PM.
6. If you have any questions, comments, and/or concerns about
school transportation, please contact 561.242.6565.
2016-2017 Parking Decals
Only seniors and juniors are eligible for parking privileges IF they meet
the following requirements:
Seniors
• 20 community service hours completed and forms submitted to
Guidance.
• Minimum of 2.0 cumulative GPA.
• No financial obligations.
• Online course requirement fulfilled.
Juniors
• 20 community service hours completed and forms submitted to
Guidance.
• Minimum of 2.0 cumulative GPA.
• No financial obligations.
Parking decals as well as lockers will be on sale during grade level
distribution sessions on August 4th. Don’t forget your PV ID or State
issued driver’s license or photo ID.
*Important*
Students’ cars will be towed if parked illegally on campus or in the
surrounding community.
5
Club News
Cobra Chronicle
National Spanish Honor Society
Cobra Chronicle newspaper staff members
need to drop off a case of water (marked
for Ms. Glazier) on or before the August
8th Freshman Orientation. Everyone will
work their assigned shift that day for our
newspaper fundraiser!
New Officers
By Patricia Martinez
We would like to introduce our Officers
for 2016 - 2017. From left to right: Maribel
Davila (co-president), Stephan Dupont (copresident), Samuel Montero (vice president),
Alexandra Novak (secretary), Kylie Ryan
(treasurer), Molly Ehrlich (historian) and
Clara Loftis (historian). Congratulations!
Key Club
Key Club does not make keys, but it will
help you open doors! Key Club is the
largest and oldest service organization
for teens. There are more than 5,000 Key
Clubs around the world. In each of those
clubs, members work together to improve
their schools and their communities.
The Park Vista Key Club is sponsored
by the Greenacres Kiwanis. We perform
a variety of service in our community
such as cleanups, collecting clothing
and organizing food drives, as well as
volunteering at local elementary schools.
Our members also learn leadership skills
by running meetings, planning projects
and holding elected leadership positions
at the club, district and international
levels. The Park Vista Key Club has the
3rd largest club in the state of Florida with over 200 members! Stop by the Key
Club table at New Student Orientation
to find out more about Cobra Key Club
activities for the upcoming school year.
New Members
by Carey J. Slesinger
The Granada Chapter of the National Spanish Honor Society at Park Vista Community High School
has accepted 57 new members to be inducted in the fall of 2016. Membership in the Spanish Honor
Society is a great privilege. To qualify, students must have earned an overall GPA of 3.0 and also
maintained a 3.5 GPA in Spanish. All students must have completed a minimum of three semesters
of high school Spanish. After being inducted in October, the new members will continue to fulfill the
goals of the society, which are to promote the Spanish language and culture and to foster better
communication and understanding in our global community. Congratulations to these students that
have successfully qualified for membership!
Kiana Barbieri
Isabella Bellido
Cameron Berezuk
Tiffany Blue
Dimitri Cadet
Orla Clancy
Serina Combs
Jordyn Costosa
Sidney Cota
Tommy Dague
Lucas Deininger
Morgan Fine
Shannon Fitzgerald
Rexie Gaviola
Amelia Glas
Sophie Goldstein
Hannah Goodman
Laura Granados
Kara Guillaume
Cameron Haffke
Duc Huynh
Ashley Jenkins
Grant Kintzler
Alexa Koch
Nisha Kotta
Eli Kovacs
Valentina Lara
Jake Lehman
Francesco Leveroni
Erica Marotta
Rebecca Maze
Carter Mermer
Daniela Miele
Victoria Moses
Cassandra O’Connor
Johan Palad
Robert Pancione
Jason Pieri
Caitlyn Pinto
Alexandria Pizzino
Brianna Quigley
Alexandra Rando
Brianna Repetti
Alexandria Samuels
Dana Sardina
Katia Schettino
Jamie Schulman
Kaitlyn Short
Nicole Simoes
Caitlynn Telafor
Kiara Torres
Cassidy Trimble
Abigael Valcena
Victoria Valenzuela
Santiago Vanegas
Annalise Wellman
Madison West
SGA and
Class Council
What’s new in the world of SGA and Class
Council? Are you ready for some football?!
SGA is hosting the first kickoff tailgate for
our game on Friday, August 19th here in the
Snake Pit from 5:30-6:45 before the football
game at 7. Come out for games and fun!
HOMECOMING!
Get ready!
The
Homecoming football game will be on
Friday, September 30th with the dance on
Saturday, October 1st! Powder Puff starts
REALLY early and there will be a mandatory
meeting on Wednesday, August 17th in the
Auditorium during lunch.
Packets for freshmen elections for Class
Council and SGA will be available on Monday,
August 22 and will be due on Friday, August
26th. There will be a mandatory parent and
student meeting on Wednesday, August
24th for all interested students.
Fridays are Cobra Spirit days! Wear your
Blue, Black or Gray to show your school
pride! Every Friday!!
6
Guidance
Schedule Changes
PSAT Is October 19th, 2016
Students at Park Vista High School attended registration assemblies and reviewed
their course selections with their current guidance counselor at the time of course
selection. Park Vista students are registered for courses based on teacher
recommendations, demonstrated scholastic ability, academic history, and their
expressed interests, talents, and goals. Every effort has been made to assure that
each student has been scheduled in the most appropriate coursework to meet
his or her ability level, interests, and objectives. All students have received prior
recommendations for academic course placement from their previous subject
area teachers, advisement from their guidance counselor, and consultation from
their parent or guardian. Students were directed to select and rank their elective
course choices and every available measure was taken to accommodate these
requests according to course availability and scheduling factors. Students who did
not complete or submit a course selection sheet were given a schedule designed
by their guidance counselor. Students whose performance on FSA, PERT, or EOC
exams is below proficiency levels, as mandated by the State and district, are
placed into the required remediation or intensive coursework.
Juniors that are college bound and any interested freshmen
should take the PSAT on WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 19TH,
2016. Registration is September 1 - 30, 2016 (or until we
sell out of tests). The cost is $15.00 or free for students
participating in the Free/Reduced Lunch Program. The
PSAT is free for all sophomores and they will automatically
be registered. Practice for the PSAT can be found at
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqtpsat-10/practice.
Schedule changes at Park Vista High School are only permitted under the
following circumstances:
1. Student is enrolled into a course for which they have already earned credit, or
for which they are concurrently enrolled in and near conclusion in for virtual
school or credit lab. Rule exclusion for repeatable courses (i.e. PE or intensive
coursework).
2. Student is in the wrong level or is unqualified for the course. This rule excludes
courses for which a student applied, such as AP, AICE, or dual enrollment.
3. Student previously failed the same course with the same teacher.
4. A grade 12 student needing a course change to meet an outstanding
graduation requirement.
Schedule changes are not otherwise permitted at Park Vista. Under no
circumstances will the following schedule changes be permitted:
1. Teacher change except as noted in item 3 above.
2. Period or class hour changes.
3. Any elective course changes.
If a change is necessary, we will be using the following schedule for students
to see their guidance counselor:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
August 9th: Seniors Only, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
August 10th: Juniors & Seniors, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
August 11th: Juniors & Seniors, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
August 15th: Juniors & Seniors, During Lunch & After School
August 16th: Juniors & Seniors, Before School / During Lunch / After School
August 17th: Sophomores, Before School / During Lunch / After School
August 18th: Freshmen, Before School / During Lunch / After School
GPA & Credit Recovery
Park Vista offers options for students to retake courses
where they earned a “D” or an “F” and for students
needing to improve their grade point averages. Student
can retake the course in their regular schedule, retake it
on virtual school, retake it in a credit recovery program on
campus during the day, or retake it in the credit lab offered
through the community school program after school.
Students may repeat a course for forgiveness if a grade of
“F” or “D” is earned in a course. Forgiveness for required
courses shall be limited to replacing a grade of “D” or “F”
with a grade of “C” or higher, earned subsequently in the
same or comparable course. A course is forgiven only if a
student receives a grade of “C” or higher. Middle School
students may replace a grade of “C”, “D”, or “F” with a
grade of “C” or higher, earned subsequently in the same or
comparable course. Students earning a grade of “D” on the
repeat effort earn credit for that course; however, the initial
failing grade is not forgiven. Students may again choose to
repeat the same course, and upon earning a grade of “C”
or higher, all earlier grades will be forgiven. In all cases of
grade forgiveness, only the new grade, of “C” or higher,
shall be used in the calculation of the student’s grade point
average. Any course grade not replaced according to a
district school board forgiveness policy shall be included
in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average
required for graduation. In all cases where courses are
forgiven under the provisions above, the initial “F” or “D”
grade(s) will remain as part of the academic history but
will not be calculated in the grade point average. Students
should be advised that many universities calculate GPAs
based on all courses attempted.
7
Guidance
Taking an Online Course is a Requirement
for Graduation!!
The following semester courses are good choices for students to fulfill this obligation:
•
•
•
•
Driver’s Education
Career Research and Decision Making
Peer Counseling
Personal and Family Finance
•
•
•
Parenting Skills
Social Media
Outdoor Education
Go to FLVS.net to create an account and register for a class. Your counselor approves online
classes daily. Continue to check your FLVS website. You will be notified by FLVS when your
course has been assigned and you are able to begin the class. This may take a few days to a
few weeks. Look for a welcome message from a teacher to begin the class.
IMPORTANT! If the class is a single segment (semester) class (i.e. Parenting Skills, Social
Media, etc.) this will complete your requirement. If the class is a full year 2 segment (semester)
course (i.e. English, Spanish, Algebra, etc.) you must take both semesters on the computer to
complete your requirement.
REMINDER! Upcoming Seniors – You must complete your online class and 20 community
service hours before purchasing a parking decal and participating in some school activities for
your senior year! Due to the guidance department no later than August 1.
Upcoming Juniors – You must have completed 20 community service hours before purchasing
a park decal and participating in some school activities for your junior year! Due to the Guidance
Department no later than August 1.
Virtual Classes for Next School Year
If you and your child chose to enroll in a virtual class, either on campus or off campus, beginning
in August, we recommend they register early in the summer and ask for a start date of August
8th. This date is one week before school begins. Students should be active (shown as an “A”
for their status on FLVS) in the online class and working on the first day of school. If students
are not active in the online class and working on the first day of school, they may be taken out
of the on campus computer lab if it is on their schedules or put in a class on campus if the online
course is scheduled during a period off campus.
Community Service News
All Park Vista Students need a minimum of 20 documented hours of community service in
order to graduate. Students interested in certain scholarships or special programs may
need more hours. For example, students interested in Florida Bright Futures need either 100
(Florida Academic Scholar Award), 75 (Florida Medallion Scholar Award) or 30 hours (Gold Seal
Vocational Award). Community Service is defined as non-paid volunteer work with a non-profit
agency (an organization that is established to achieve an objective or a purpose, not to make
money). The following guidelines must be followed:
•
•
•
•
Students may begin accumulating service hours as early as the summer prior to entry of
the 9th grade year.
Service should benefit the community at large. Working solely for an individual will not be
acceptable.
Hours must be documented in writing, with a supervisor’s signature. Parents cannot sign
to verify their child’s participation in an activity.
The following are examples that would not count as community service:
• Rehearsal time for participation in a fine arts or performing arts program.
• Practice time for sports and band.
• Club meetings to organize community service activities.
• Donating canned goods or items to gain community service hours.
For a full list of the community service guidelines and a copy of the current Community Service
Log, please see the Guidance tab on our website, pvchs.com.
Undecided About Your
Plans After High School?
Go to www.mynextmove.org, then go to ‘tell
us what you like to do’, and complete the
survey. Participants will find many possible
future occupations and career choices
based on interests.
Keep up with the Latest
Guidance News!
Park Vista School Guidance Counselors
invite you to receive information via texts!
Text @pvguidance to 81010 in order to
receive important information regarding
scholarships, college visits, summer
programs, financial aid, etc.
8
Guidance
College Application Time for Current Seniors!
New FAFSA Information!
Attention all seniors! Did you know you can start applying to some colleges as early as
August 1st? This is the time to start narrowing down your college choices. There are
many college search engines that can help you with this process such as www.inlikeme.
com or www.collegeconfidential.com . Also, please take the time to review our “College
Admission” booklet located at www.pvchs.com under the “Guidance “ tab and then
under “College Information”. It has all of the information you will need for the college
application process. APPLY EARLY!
New upcoming seniors, the FAFSA (Free Application
for Federal Student Aid) application process will
begin in October 2016 for the class of 2017. Apply
online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
Scholarships
Have you considered how you are going to pay for college? Park Vista High School has
many resources that may help you cut down on college costs. The Scholarship Bulletin is
updated every two weeks throughout the school year until May. The bulletin is available
as a hardcopy in the Guidance office and also at www.pvchs.com under the “Guidance”
tab and then under “Scholarships”. Sign up on www.fastweb.com and www.cappex.
com to have scholarship applications emailed directly to you. You will build a profile
on these websites and they will match you to scholarships. For students, we also host
Scholarship Thursdays throughout the year, once or twice a month, in the Guidance
Office during lunch. During Scholarship Thursdays students can ask questions and pick
up current scholarship applications that are available.
College Visits This Fall
Each fall, Park Vista arranges for colleges,
universities and career colleges to visit with our
interested students. We will begin sign ups in the
guidance office as soon as we return. We offer
students up to 5 visits.
Military Visits
All branches of the military have access to meeting
with interested students each Wednesday during
lunch. Just look for the folks in uniform each
Wednesday if you are interested.
ASVAB
(Armed Services Vocational
Aptitude Battery)
Parents...do you remember taking a test in high
school that indicated you should be a doctor or an
auto service technician or something else? That
test was probably the ASVAB! We will be offering
the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude
Battery) on November 2nd (tentative date). Signups will begin in the Guidance Office October 1st.
The ASVAB Career Exploration Program provides
high quality, career exploration and planning
materials at no cost to high school students
throughout the country. The program encourages
students to explore a wide variety of careers,
rather than limiting their exploration by telling them
what they can or should do. Schools receive a
comprehensive career development program that
meets the needs of today’s students, based on
current career development theory and practice.
You can practice by going to http://m.military.com/
join-armed-forces/asvab.
Freshmenology
Parents of incoming 9th
graders!!! Make sure you attend
Freshmenology on Monday,
August 8th at 5:00 p.m.
Come and hear all about your
child’s first year in high school.
Topics include: the transition from
middle school to high school,
graduation requirements, grades,
GPA vs HPA, Edline, high stakes testing,
college admission requirements, Bright Futures
Scholarships, important dates, dress code, etc.
9
Guidance
Guidance Checklist
“Rigorous curriculum is a greater factor in determining college graduation rates than class standing, standardized test scores or grade point average.” Clifford
Adelman, Senior Research Analyst, US Dept. of Education
Refer to this Checklist often to assure that you are meeting all the necessary
requirements!
Any questions, please contact your Guidance Counselor!
Throughout the school year:
Sign up for guidance reminders, updates, scholarship information, etc by
texting @PVGUIDANCE to the number 81010.
Continue to take challenging, rigorous courses with a focus on your postsecondary plans (university, community college, vocational program, military,
work force). Universities are looking for students with high honor point
averages, high SAT and/or ACT test scores AND a bare minimum of 18
academic credits. Academic credits are in English, Math, Science, Social
Studies and Foreign Language.
Earn good grades!! Your GPA and HPA include all high school level courses
taken and are important for promotion to the next grade level, graduation,
athletic/activity eligibility, awards, scholarships, college entrance, vocational
school entrance, military recruiting, etc.
Students will need to take and pass one complete course in a virtual learning
environment for graduation. The class can be completed any of the 4 years,
but we do recommend students try to complete this class early in their high
school career. Most students achieve this through Florida Virtual School.
Their website is www.flvs.net
Undecided about what you want to do in the future? Go to www.
mynextmove.org and then go to “TELL US WHAT YOU LIKE TO DO” to
complete the survey. This will give you suggestions of possible future careers
and interests.
You will take the PSAT in October of your sophomore year and it is strongly
recommended that you take it again as a junior. National Merit Scholarships
based on PSAT scores can only be earned when the test is taken as a junior.
The results will be correlated to the score you would most likely receive on
the SAT. If you would like to practice the types of questions that you will
see on the test go to www.sat.collegeboard.org. You can receive an “SAT
QUESTION OF THE DAY” as an app on your smartphone.
Freshmen
c/o
2020
Sophomores
c/o
2019
Juniors
c/o
2018
Seniors
c/o
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Sign-ups are
Sept. 1-30 (or until
sold out) in the
Guidance Dept.
Cost is $15.00 or
free if you receive
Free/R lunch.
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October 19,
2016 - Free for
Sophomores. You
will receive your
scores 6-8 weeks
after taking the
test.
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Sign-ups are
Sept. 1-30 (or until
sold out) in the
Guidance Dept.
Cost is $15.00 or
free if you receive
Free/R lunch.
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Start researching college choices based on location, price, majors offered,
etc. This can be done on the internet, by phone, or in person. Park
Vista schedules presentations by several colleges each fall. Listen to the
announcements or come to the Guidance Department for a schedule of
colleges and times. Also, plan visits to prospective colleges.
Start (or continue) performing community service hours to apply towards
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the 20 hour requirement for graduation and certain scholarships. The
documentation form and suggested places to perform volunteer hours can be
found on our website at www.pvchs.com under the GUIDANCE heading or in
the Guidance Department.
Begin building a résumé of school/community activities, awards, honors,
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summer programs, and work experience. Check file in Guidance for
community service opportunities and form to submit hours to your counselor.
Anyone you ask to write a letter of recommendation for you should be given
a copy of your resume. Remember to give that person a minimum of two
weeks to write the letter!
Do SAT/ACT test prep in the library or on the web: www.collegeboard.com
or www.act.org. Park Vista offers an SAT Prep class during the day. There
are also private companies (Revolution Prep, Princeton Review, Kaplan,
Educational Services Center, FAU) that offer SAT/ACT test preparation
courses.
Check the website https://www.floridashines.org/ for COLLEGE INFO and see √
your own transcript evaluation and your BRIGHT FUTURES EVALUATION!
This is also an excellent resource for researching Florida colleges and career
and interest exploration.
2017
(Time to finalize
choices)
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Students must
have a 3.0 GPA
and be enrolled in
at least Algebra
II to qualify for
PVCHS SAT Prep
class.
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Students must
have a 2.75 GPA,
passed FSA and
be enrolled in at
least Algebra II to
qualify for PVCHS
SAT Prep class.
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10
Guidance
Guidance Checklist
Explore the Florida Department of Education’s financial aid website, run
through the Office of Student Financial Assistance. This site will give students
a preview of state grants, scholarships, and loans (including the Bright
Futures Scholarship Program) available for post-secondary education. The
website address is www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org. Apply for the Bright
Futures scholarship after December 1 of SENIOR year at: https://www.
floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/UA/SAWSTUA_uaform.asp
Consider dual enrollment opportunities available at PVCHS, PBSC or FAU to
students with a 3.0 GPA. See your counselor October, February, or April for
enrollment information for spring, summer or fall semester.
A junior should consider taking BOTH the SAT and the ACT college entrance
exams in the SPRING of the junior year if he/she has taken Algebra II.
Register for the SAT and ACT online. Pick up SAT and ACT fee waivers (if
applicable) in guidance office and apply online at www.sat.collegeboard.com
for SAT and www.actstudent.org for ACT. Our CEEB # is 101923.
Read our “COLLEGE ADMISSION” booklet located at www.pvchs.com under
the “GUIDANCE” tab and then click on “COLLEGE INFORMATION”. It has all
of the information you will need for the college application process to prepare
you for your senior year.
Check weekly for scholarship information at www.pvchs.com under the
GUIDANCE tab and then under SCHOLARSHIPS. Attend SCHOLARSHIP
THURSDAYS in the Guidance Office. There are also two drawers full of
scholarship information and applications in the Career Center located in the
Guidance Department. Stop in frequently for updates. Register at www.
fastweb.com and www.cappex.com for scholarship info. Also use www.
myfuturepalmbeach.org.
Student athletes should complete the NCAA Clearinghouse form at www.
ncaaclearinghouse.net in June 2017.
If you have not successfully passed the FCAT Reading, sign up for the SAT or
ACT as these scores can be used in place of FCAT scores.
FSA - Reading levels 3, 4, or 5
SAT - Reading 430
ACT - Reading 19
Males MUST register for the Selective Service at the age of eighteen.
Register online at www.sss.gov. NOT registering WILL affect financial aid.
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2016­-2017 SAT and ACT Tests
Juniors should take the PSAT on Wednesday, October 19th, 2016 (register in Guidance beginning September 1st, 2016. Registration
ends September 30th or until sold out.) Juniors should also take the SAT (with essay) and ACT tests (with writing) in the spring of their
junior year for the first time.
**Free school day SAT for juniors – March 2017**
SAT TEST
REGISTER ONLINE AT www.sat.collegeboard.com
Park Vista’s SAT location code is 10­372
$54.50 test fee with essay or $43.00 without essay
Fee Waivers are available in Guidance if you have
Free/Reduced Lunch
Practice at https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org
PARK VISTA’S CEEB NUMBER IS 101923
ACT TEST
Register online at www.actstudent.org
Test Center Code for PVCHS: 235070
$56.50 test fee with writing or $39.50 without writing
Fee Waivers are available in Guidance if you have Free/
Reduced Lunch
Practice at http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/index.html
PARK VISTA’S CEEB NUMBER IS 101923
SAT Test Dates 2016-­2017
Registration Deadline Late Registration
Deadline
October 1, 2016
September 1, 2016
September 20, 2016
November 5, 2016 October 7, 2016
October 25, 2016
December 3, 2016 November 3, 2016
November 22, 2016
January 21, 2017 December 21, 2016
January 10, 2016
March 2017 (TBA) SCHOOL DAY SAT FOR JUNIORS ONLY
March 11, 2017
February 10, 2017
February 28, 2017
May 6, 2017
April 7, 2017
April 25, 2017
June 3, 2017
May 9, 2017
May 24, 2017
Test Dates
Test Date
September 10, 2016
October 22, 2016
December 10, 2016
February 11, 2017*
April 8, 2017
June 10, 2017
ACT Test Dates 2016–2017
Registration Deadline (Late Fee Required)
August 6­19, 2016
August 5, 2016
September 16, 2016
September 17­30, 2016
November 4, 2016
November 5­18, 2016
January 13, 2017
January 14­20, 2017
March 3, 2017
March 4­17, 2017
May 5, 2017
May 6­19, 2017
Guidance11
Graduation Requirements for Grades 9- 12
(Requirements are subject to change with each legislative session.)
Traditional 24-Credit Program
English Language Arts
Mathematics (must include Algebra 1 and Geometry)
Science (must include Biology 1 and two equally rigorous science courses, one of which must be a physical science)
Credits
4
4
3
Social Studies (World History, US History, ½ Economics, ½ US Government)
Fine or Performing Arts, Speech and Debate, or Approved Practical Arts
Physical Education (must include the integration of health)
Electives
Total
Additional Requirements:
2.0 Cumulative GPA
20 Hours Voluntary Community Service
Assessments: Grade 10 ELA Common Core Assessment and Algebra 1 EOC
1 Course Must Be Completed Through Online Learning
3
1
1
8
24
There are two (2) diploma designations that may be awarded to students who earn a standard diploma through the 24-credit program or the
ACCEL program. Students may be eligible to earn one or both designations.
Scholar Designation
In addition to meeting the standard high school diploma requirements:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Merit Designation
In addition to meeting the standard high school diploma
Pass the ELA Grade 11 Common Core assessment once implemented requirements:
1 credit in Algebra 2 (must pass Algebra 2 EOC once implemented)
• Attain one or more industry certifications from the list
1 credit in statistics or an equally rigorous mathematics course
established, pending State Board of Education approval.
Pass the Biology 1 EOC
Pass Geometry EOC
1 credit in chemistry or physics
1 credit in a course equally rigorous to chemistry or physics
Pass the U.S. History EOC Assessment
2 credits in the same world language
Earn at least one (1) credit in AP, IB, AICE, or a dual enrollment course
High School Credit Courses Taken in Middle School:
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Grades earned in all high school credit courses taken in middle school will count
in the cumulative high school grade point average (GPA) and cumulative class
ranking, but will not be used in the meritorious class ranking used to determine
valedictorian/salutatorian.
Three (3) of the four (4) mathematics credits and all three (3) of the science
credits required for graduation must be earned in grades 9-12.
Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, to earn high school credit for an
Algebra 1 course, a middle school student must pass the Algebra 1 End-ofCourse (EOC) Assessment. (Due to recent draft legislation, this requirement
may change to align with high school and to include the EOC to count as 30%
of the final course grade.)
Beginning with the 2012-2013 school year, to earn high school credit for a
geometry course, a middle school student must take the Geometry EOC, which
constitutes 30% of the student’s final course grade, and earn a passing grade
in the course.
Bright Futures Scholarship Test Score
Requirements for Florida Academic Scholars
and Florida Medallion Scholars
Class of 2016-2017
Florida Academic Scholars (100 VOL HOURS)
3.5 Minimum Weighted Grade Point Average
Florida Medallion Scholars (75 VOL HOURS)
3.0 Minimum Weighted Grade Point Average
SAT
ACT
1290
29
1170
26
(CRITICAL
(COMPOSITE
READING & MATH)
SCORE)
12
Guidance
Senior (Class of 2017) Timeline
September 2016
October - December 2016
January 2017
February - May 2017
During senior credit check meet with counselor to discuss:
My top three college choices are: 1.__________________
2.__________________
3.__________________
If I’m not going to college, then I want to:________________________________
Read our “COLLEGE ADMISSION” booklet located at www.pvchs.com under the “GUIDANCE” tab and then
click on “COLLEGE INFORMATION”. It has all of the information you will need for the college application
process.
Begin to research applications for colleges and adhere to their application deadlines for early decision or
regular decision.
Start credit lab, E2020 or online courses, if necessary, for earning missed credits needed for graduation.
Speak to military recruiters, if interested. They are on campus each Wednesday during lunch.
Apply for FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.
Upon receipt of FAFSA results, check for the EFC (Estimated Family Contribution). This is how much money
the student and his/her family is expected to contribute each year towards college expenses. Continue to
look for other scholarships to make up the difference that is not covered through federal and state financial
aid.
Take SAT and/or ACT—be sure to have scores sent to potential college choices. Register online at:
SAT
www.sat.collegeboard.com
ACT
www.actstudent.org
Park Vista’s CEEB # is 101923. Park Vista High is a test site for the SAT on all dates except November and
the ACT on all dates.
Submit NCAA Clearinghouse (student athletes) form at www.ncaaclearinghouse.org and have Mrs. Richter in
the Guidance Office send transcript to potential colleges.
December 1 apply online for Florida Bright Futures Scholarship at
https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/UA/SAWSTUA_uaform.asp
See counselor for Dual Enrollment application for Spring semester, if interested. The deadline is usually the
first week in December.
Do final preparations for submitting college applications (submit application fee or waiver; proofread essays;
send transcript through parchment.com).
Make sure college applications are completed online or mailed. If not, do so ASAP!
(January, February, March, April) Retake SAT and/or ACT if necessary to raise scores.
Clear all obligations. You cannot participate in graduation if obligations are owed.
Make sure college of choice has received a copy of FAFSA results. They will put together a financial aid
package (if applicable).
Fill out transcript request at Senior Checkout indicating where final transcript should be sent after graduation.
This should only be done for the college that the student is planning to attend.
Help You Narrow Your Options Down To Your Perfect School
As getting into college gets more and more competitive, students
are applying to more schools to better their acceptance chances.
Diversifying one’s options is always a good plan, but for many students
these extra applications mean extra acceptances, so picking the right
school can seem even more difficult.
To help you narrow your options down to your perfect school, we’ve
identified 7 important categories you can consider when comparing
the colleges and universities to which you’ve been accepted. Take
some time and think about what matters most to you so that you’re
ready to tackle decision day!
college experience to take you. Do you want to have the support of
friends and family nearby, or experience life in an entirely new part of
the country?
Location: do you see yourself attending college in a small town where
the campus is the center of activity, or a major metropolitan area
where you’ll enjoy the benefits of city living?
Size: a tiny liberal arts school and a huge state university will give you
two very different college experiences. Visit colleges at both ends of
the size spectrum and a few somewhere in the middle to see where
you feel most comfortable.
Learning Environment: consider factors like each college’s average
class size, student-to-teacher ratios and whether classes are taught
mainly by professors or graduate assistants.
Diversity: do you want a college where you’ll be surrounded by
students similar to yourself, or one where you’ll meet people from a
variety of backgrounds?
Campus Life: what do you want your college experience to be like
outside of the classroom? Think about what’s important to you in terms
of extracurricular activities, social life, school spirit and traditions and
housing options.
Cost: think realistically about how you plan to pay for college, and find
schools that work within your financial circumstances. Also, check to
see if your college offers fly-in programs or fee-waivers if you have a
particular financial hardship.
Check out http://www.collegegreenlight.com/
Distance from Home: decide how far from home you want your
Guidance13
Guidance Department’s
Wish List!
1. BEGIN YOUR COLLEGE SEARCH EARLY
(like…right now!!!) Beyond the obvious, get to
know what GPA and SAT/ACT score will give
you your best chance of being accepted.
Make a table of application requirements
(essays, recommendation letters, community
service, SAT II requirements and so on)
2. TEST EARLY: complete all of your SAT/ACT
testing by the end of your junior year or early
senior year. Plan out a strategy as to which
tests and what dates to register for. Allow for
time to either take a test preparation class or
work with a tutor if you find yourself scoring
below what you need to get into your dream
college.
3. APPLY EARLY: Students applying in August,
September, October and November have a
better chance than those applying in late
December, January, February and March
(slim chance). Achieving your target GPA
and Test scores by the end of your junior
year will also allow you to take advantage of
Early Decision and Early Action deadlines in
October and November.
4. BEING ACCEPTED EARLY: By applying
early, you may be accepted early. Just
think how nice it would be to go you your
family parties and dinners in December and
tell everyone that you have already been
accepted to college!!!
5. APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID EARLY: By
being accepted early, you can apply for
financial aid (FAFSA) early – beginning
October 1 of your senior year. “The early bird
gets the worm” is so true when it comes to
financial aid. MONEY RUNS OUT!!!!!
6. EVALUATE YOUR AWARD LETTERS: If you
apply for financial aid early, you will receive
your financial aid award letter early. You will
now be able to sit down with your parents
and go over with them the financial “bottom
line” of your final college selection.
7. YOUR FINAL CHOICE…AND THE WINNER
IS!!!: This whole process boils down to the
day you select “the winner”. Most colleges
would like an answer from you by May 1st.
Remember not only should you notify the
college that you’ll be attending “that you’re
coming” but it is also courteous to notify
those colleges that you are declining. A nice
courteous and thoughtful letter on your part
may very well open up a slot for another well
deserving student.
And so begins another wonderful and exciting
journey in your life!
Florida International University On Site
Admissions at Park Vista Again This Year
FIU will be offering onsite admissions again this year to our interested seniors. This
year they will be doing it twice on our campus to accommodate more students!! This is
a perfect opportunity for seniors to apply and be accepted into FIU at a very early date
right on Park Vista’s campus. Last year we had several seniors apply and be accepted
right on the spot. Applying and being accepted this early will also make our seniors
eligible for FIU’s scholarship deadline of November 1.
Below are the dates and times:
Thursday, August 25th – Application Workshop / Onsite Admissions Session /
Information Session
Students interested in applying to FIU can work on their applications with FIU’s
admissions coordinator in the Guidance Department computer lab. FIU will be taking
application fee waivers, application fees and transcripts at this time. Sign-ups begin the
first day of school, August 15th, in the Guidance Office.
Thursday, October 20th – Onsite Admissions Session
FIU will be here to take applications, fee waivers, application fees, transcripts and test
scores from students and counsel them through the admissions process if they are still
waiting on their decision. Any students who have already been admitted can also come
to meet with FIU should they have any questions and to claim their FIU giveaway for
being admitted!
During their visit FIU will conduct on the spot admission decisions for seniors who have
already applied or want to apply to FIU and conduct onsite information sessions for
seniors and juniors.
If you are a senior who has already applied to FIU you are strongly encouraged to attend
this visit. FIU will be able to discuss your admission status!!!
Seniors who have already applied to FIU may review their application/admission status.
If the student has not applied yet then they can do so online before the visit or complete
it during their visit.
FIU will be taking fee waivers and students can even submit their applications right then
and there (a debit/credit card will be necessary) and submit their transcripts to FIU on
the spot. It will be an application workshop/onsite admission session.
The students that are submitting applications on the day-of may not be able to receive
a decision while FIU is here which is why they encourage applications to be submitted
online 24-48 hours beforehand.
Things students should have:
1. Submitted online application (they cannot take cash or check payments at this
session, debit/credit only)
2. Application fee waiver if applicable (must participate in free/reduced lunch program)
3. Official transcripts (Park Vista will print them for a $5.00 fee, bring the $5.00 when
you sign up in the Guidance Office)
4. Printed SAT and/or ACT scores from the respective websites (if the most recent
scores are not on their transcripts)
If students have scores or GPA’s in-between or below the automatic requirements, it
does not mean they will not be admitted – FIU will just have to review further (which can
definitely be done on the day of their visit).
Park Vista Community
High School
7900 Jog Road
Lake Worth, FL 33467
We are an
“A” rated
school!
Hours
7:30 a.m. - 2:50 p.m.
Phone
561-491-8400
14
Athletics
Park Vista Swim Team
Summer Pre-Season conditioning for the Park Vista Swim
team began in June at Lake Lytal Aquatic Complex in West
Palm Beach. Conditioning is every Tues, Wed, and Thurs.
Tryouts for the swim team will begin August 9th at Lake Lytal
at 3:30 pm. Any questions see Coach Andrews in Portable
7, Mrs. Moorhouse in 4-109, or email sharon.moorhouse@
palmbeachschools.org.
Special Olympics Athletes
Our Park Vista HS team of Special Olympics Athletes will
begin practicing for the bowling season on August 17th! If
you would like to become a volunteer, please contact Ms.
Ladner ([email protected]) or come
see her the first week of school in 4-105B. We have an
upcoming year filled with fabulous events and community
service opportunities and we would love to have you
volunteer with us!
Non Profit Organization
US Postage Paid
Orlando, FL
Permit #2346