bulldog - Edmond Memorial High School

BULLDOG
February 2016 Edition
NEWSLETTER
A publication of the Edmond Memorial High School Parent Organization
I hope everyone had a peaceful and restful holiday season. Here at EMHS, we hit the
ground running with several events and activities upon returning from the break. Our second
semester is definitely action packed with activities ranging from Swine Week, End-of-Instruction
and AP testing, and numerous contests, competitions, and athletic events.
In the weeks to come, we will begin one of the most important of many spring rituals at
Memorial – enrollment. At this time, we are still working out the particulars of next year’s master
schedule, but we anticipate offering a broad range of classes, including courses for students with
learning differences requiring special education modifications, courses that combine special
education and mainstream teacher teams, on-level core courses,
pre-advanced placement and AP courses, and a vast array of
on-level and AP electives.
“In the weeks to come, we
To the variety and range of course offerings, add an equally
will begin one of the most
diverse array of course subjects within each curriculum. For
important of many
example, a look at the courses in the math department alone
demonstrates how baffling enrollment might become without clear
spring rituals at
advice and purposeful conversation. Math choices include all of the
Memorial – enrollment“
following: Math for Finance, Preparation for Algebra, Algebra I,
Algebra I Support, College Prep Algebra, Algebra I Essentials,
- Principal Coffelt Geometry, Geometry Support, PreAP Geometry, Algebra II, PreAP
Algebra II, Intermediate Algebra, PreAP Trig/Pre-Calculus, Trig/Pre
-Calculus, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, and AP Statistics.
As you review the choices for your child’s schedule next year, consider these important
factors: his/her previous preparation, difficulties, and successes; extracurricular involvement;
responsibilities outside of school (e.g., a job, taking care of family
members); the cumulative challenges of all six/seven requested
In This Issue
classes; and post-secondary ambitions. Opportunities like
February 2016
completing the enrollment process provide the perfect setting for
families to have valuable conversations about previous and present
Important Dates
3
experiences, and future goals.
Continued on page 2
High Levels of Learning for All
Counselor’s Corner
4-5
Freshman News
6
Senior Class
7
Clubs and Activities
8-11
MPO
12
BULLDOG NEWSLETTER
February 2016 Page 2
Mr. Coffelt’s Letter, continued from page 1
To all of this information, the most important resources to consult for a well-planned,
appropriately rigorous, yet manageable academic schedule are the key people in your child’s
school life: his/her current and prospective teachers, his/her counselor, and his/her coach or
mentor. Of course, the two most informed opinions will be yours and your child’s. By examining all
of these observations and insights, our hope, for each student, is to balance the right amount of
academic rigor with his/her other involvements.
By the time you read this, we will have had our Curriculum Information Night. Soon, the
counselors will be visiting the students in their English classroom to share additional information on
the new on-line enrollment process. The first step of this new process is that each student must
know his/her login and password into the portal. Each student’s initial login is his/her
student ID and the default password is his/her first initial of his/her first and last name, and his/her
date of birth in mmddyy order. Please encourage your son or daughter to complete this step if he/
she has not already.
If you have any questions, we invite you to make an appointment with our counselors or any
of the principals; the teachers, too, are eager to help both you and your child. Experience indicates
if we work together and discuss various scheduling options in the spring it significantly reduces the
number of schedule change requests the following school year. Our website will have a variety of
information, including phone numbers, emails, class syllabi and teacher class site links. Enrollment
decisions should not be a matter of automatically filling in a form with whatever works. We can do
better than that; and we’d like to offer our help this spring to ensure that next year is your student’s
best year ever!
Justin Coffelt
There is an easy way to give back to our schools
The Edmond Public Schools Foundation has set up a fund in support of the #giveitbackok
movement which allows individuals an opportunity to give back their Oklahoma income tax
savings to the Foundation to support Edmond Public Schools.
The money that is donated will go directly to schools to purchase needed supplies and
equipment. Superintendent Bret Towne was the first to contribute to the fund.
To learn more about the movement and calculate your tax
savings, go to:
http://edmondpsf.org/giveitbackok.htm
#giveitbackok
BULLDOG NEWSLETTER
February 2016 Page 3
EMHS Calendar of Events for 2015-2016
Please make note of these important dates for the rest of the school year. Dates are subject to change.
February 10
To-be Sophomores Enrollment
Assembly
April 8
End of 5th 6 Weeks
February 15
Professional Day – No School
April 9
ACT
February 19
End of 4th 6 Weeks
April 9
Band Mattress Fundraiser
February 23
Band Chili Cookoff
April 11 - May
13
EOI Testing
February 24
Fine Arts Assembly
April 12 - 16
Cheer Tryouts
March 2
Musical Matinee for Students
April 18*
NHS Induction
March 3 - 4
Musical Evening Performances
April 23
Prom – 8pm to Midnight
March 5
Musical Afternoon Performance
April 26*
Senior and Underclassmen Awards
Ceremony 6pm
March 7 - 11
Swine Week
April 29
April Day - No School
March 14 - 18
Spring Break
May 2 -13
AP Exams
March 21*
“Dog Show” for Incoming
Freshmen”
May 3
Choir Spring Concert
March 21
Non-tutorial Bell Schedule begins
May 5
End of Year Art Exhibit
Spring Sports & Mr/Miss All-Sports
Assembly
May 5
Jazz Band Spring Concert
March 30
May 9
Band Spring Concert
April 2
Band on the Run 5K
May 10
Jazz Band Auditions
April 4 - 8
Pom Tryouts (tentative date)
May 12
ACT II Auditions
April 5
Spring Photos Taken
May 17
Orchestra Spring Concert
April 6 & 11
To-be Freshmen pre-enrollment
conference nights (4:30 - 7pm)
May 20
Graduation Practice/Senior Picnic
April 7 - 9
Follies Evening Performances 7pm
May 21
Graduation 2pm
May 23 & 24
2nd Semester Tests
May 24
Last day of school
* Indicates a change to this date since the last newsletter
Parent Volunteers needed
during Spring EOI testing
It's already time to start looking ahead to Spring
End-of-Instruction (EOI) testing. Please look at your
calendars to see if you have time available to help monitor
the thousands of students we must test from April 11
through May 11. We need monitors during these blocks of
time: 7:40--9:40, 9:45--11:45, and 12:25--2:30.
Please begin to look at your busy schedules to
determine if you are available any of those days and times.
We will send out more information in the months to come
of whom to contact if you are interested in volunteering.
Join us for our
MPO meetings!
Each month we meet at
12:30pm in the
Counseling Office
Conference room
February 11th
March 10th (at 11:30am)
April 14th
We would love to
see you there!
BULLDOG NEWSLETTER
February 2016 Page 4
Counselors’ Corner
9th Grade - Kay Moore - [email protected]
10th, 11th, 12th Grades A-G - Stacey Tate - [email protected]
10th, 11th, 12th Grades H-N - Paula Tate - [email protected]
10th, 11th, 12th Grades O-Z - Carol Doherty - [email protected]
Student Assistance Counselor - Dawnetta Russell - [email protected]
Career Counselor - Herkisha Hardy - [email protected]
Follow us on
Twitter to see
reminders of
deadlines and
upcoming
academic events
@emhscounseling
ACT Assessment Planned
For Juniors
All Edmond Memorial Juniors will have the opportunity to participate in the ACT
assessment on March 29th, free of charge. This is an initiative of the Oklahoma State Department
of Education. Students will take assessments in English, Math, Science and Reading. Students
will be testing at Memorial starting at 7:40am on March 29th. This offering of the ACT will follow
the same guidelines as other national test dates. More information will be sent out via the Blast, in
future newsletters and will be given to your students before Spring Break. If you have questions,
please contact Brandon Kysar at [email protected] or 726-6802.
Get ready for AP Testing
It’s time to start thinking about signing your AP student up for AP exams. The cost is $93 for
one exam, and $68 each for two or more exams. Registration runs from February 1-26, with late
registrations accepted (with an additional $20 late fee) from February 27-March 2. See the next
page for dates/times and information about the testing process. To register, please follow these
steps:
Step 1 - REGISTER: Go to www.TotalRegistration.net/AP/371185. Create account. Print a
copy of your registration confirmation for yourself or for making payment at school.
Step 2 - PAY: There are two payment options: Option #1: Go to finance office with a copy
of your registration confirmation and pay with cash or check only. Option #2: Go to https://okedmond.intouchreceipting.com and pay with a debit or credit card. Your username is your student
ID number. Your password is your last name (first letter only capitalized). Do not log in as a guest!
Next, click on your name. Go to menu, and click on “Items at Your School.” Click on “Testing.”
Click on “AP.” Click on the amount of tests you are purchasing. You will not list the names of the
tests you are ordering on this payment website. You will be charged a small (a little less than 3%
of your total) convenience fee when paying on-line with a debit or credit card.
BULLDOG NEWSLETTER
February 2016 Page 5
2016
AP TEST DATES
May 2-13
Edmond Memorial
DATE
Monday, May 2
Bulldogs
7:40 A.M.
Week 1
Chemistry
Environmental Science
12:30 P.M.
Psychology
Tuesday, May 3
Computer Science A
Spanish Language
Art History
Physics 1
Wednesday, May 4
English Literature & Comp.
(Senior English)
NO EXAMS
Thursday, May 5
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
*German Language
United States History
Week 2
Biology
*Music Theory
United States Government &
Politics
English Language &
Composition (Junior English)
Comparative Government &
Politics
World History
Microeconomics
NO EXAMS
Friday, May 6
Monday, May 9
Tuesday, May 10
Wednesday, May 11
Thursday, May 12
Friday, May 13
European History
*Studio Art
Physics C Mech. - 12:30
Physics C Elec & Mag – 2:00
French Language
Macroeconomics
Statistics
NO EXAMS
AP test location: EMHS Cheer/Pom Facility unless otherwise advised. For morning tests,
the door will open at 7:25am. For afternoon tests, the door will open at 12:15pm. *Test held in
other location on campus TBA
What to bring to the test: #2 Pencils (not mechanical!), erasers, black ink pens, calculator
for specific tests only, straightedge for specific tests only, light jacket. Watches (not digital) are
allowed with alarms turned off. Students may also bring a light snack which will be left in a
separate room and can be accessed during the break.
What not to bring: NO ELECTRONIC DEVICES - NO CELL PHONES.
NO BAGS OF ANY TYPE. DRINKS OF ANY KIND (ALL DRINKS/
WATER BOTTLES CAN BE KEPT IN A SEPARATE ROOM),
BLANKETS, PILLOWS, STUDY MATERIALS, BOOKS,
HIGHLIGHTERS, SCRATCH PAPER, CLOTHING WITH
SUBJECT-RELATED INFORMATION
Leave all cell phones in another area other than the Dog
House/Cheer/Pom building. Do not walk into the
building with a cell phone!
BULLDOG NEWSLETTER
February 2016 Page 6
Where has the
time gone? It seems
like yesterday our
freshmen entered the
doors of EMHS with
anticipation,
nervousness, and
excitement to begin
their high school career.
I hope it is safe to say
that they are now
comfortable and finding
their niche in their
Bulldog home! Each
day I am delighted to
learn of a new
accomplishment of one
of our students. There are so many reasons to be proud of our freshmen - from the arts, to
athletics, and finally, to their strength in academics. Mrs. Moore and I have truly enjoyed watching
them grow and transition to high school.
Please continue to be actively engaged in your student’s academic and social needs as a
freshmen student. During second semester, they will have the opportunity to complete their
enrollment requests for their sophomore year. Please take time to visit with your student with regard
to their goals and future plans. We want our students to challenge themselves academically but also
find the appropriate balance that suits their desires and needs. The enrollment process should be a
collaborative effort between parents, students, teachers, and counselors. As you decide between
on-level courses, AP/Pre-AP courses, and extra-curricular activities, please keep your child’s
stress-level, time-management skills, organizational skills, and outside demands in mind. We have
found that thoughtful course selection in high school best prepares students for the challenges of
post-secondary life.
Additionally, for many of our 9th grade students, this will be their first experience taking the
state mandated End-of-Instruction tests. Students will take an EOI test in their Biology class and
respective math course (Algebra I, Geometry or Algebra II). Teachers and students have been
preparing for these exams since the first day of the school year. Please keep an eye out for review
material in the upcoming months, as well as test preparation opportunities in the spring, as we get
closer to the testing dates.
Finally, Swine Week is just weeks away! Our freshmen will have the opportunity to fully
engage in their first Swine Week. I am confident it will be an experience they will not forget! Each
year it is truly inspiring to see our students, parents, teachers and community pull together to give
back to a deserving organization. This year our students will raise money to help Calm Waters.
Please encourage your child to be involved during this incredible week and to participate in as many
of the events as possible.
Thank you for sharing your child with us at EMHS. It has been
an amazing year already, and we are expecting great things to
continue this spring!
Respectfully,
Emily Steele
February 2016 Page 7
seniorclass
Class of 2016 Calendar of Events
March 2 and 3
April 10
April 22
May 15
May 20
May 21
Graduation announcement delivery from 9:30am to 12:30pm in Commons.
Last day to order gowns in time for graduation. Must call SGS at 607-4343.
Final Senior Assembly. Pick up cap/gown and take Senior class picture.
Baccalaureate sponsored by Edmond Ministerial Alliance.
Graduation practice at 9:30am, picnic will follow after; cost $5
Class of 2016 Graduation, 2 pm at Cox Convention Center
EMHS Robotics team
is in full swing
Members of the Robotics teams have
been working hard to develop their entry
for this year’s FIRST STRONGHOLD
competition. Teams across the country
have exactly six weeks to build a worldclass robot that can meet the recently
revealed requirements. Working with
adult Mentors, students design, build,
program, and test their robots to meet the season’s engineering challenge. Once these young
inventors build a robot, their team will participate in one or more Regional and District events that
measure the
effectiveness of
each robot, the
power of
collaboration,
and the
determination of
the team. Best of
luck to these
amazing, hard
working
students!
BULLDOG NEWSLETTER
February 2016 Page 8
Swine Week is almost here
Edmond Memorial’s annual community service
project, Swine Week, began in 1986 when a small
group of students decided to raise money for a friend
in need. The students approached the principal, who
supported the endeavor and even agreed to kiss a
pig. $3,000 was raised, the principal kissed a pig, and
Swine Week was born. Flash forward 30 years, and
EMHS students have since raised over $5 million
for charity. Last year, we raised $701,334 for Angels
Foster Family Network! Swine Week’s money was
able to help Angels build a daycare for foster
children.
This year’s Swine Week Recipient
We would deeply appreciate your support in our mission to help this year’s recipient, Calm Waters
Center for Children and Families, an organization dedicated to support anyone whose
family has experienced great suffering or loss. They provide support groups for people of all ages.
In Oklahoma, the mental health of families, especially after tragic loss or suffering, is at times
overlooked. Calm Waters Center for Children and Families address this growing problem in our
state by providing the resources to bring together families of many different walks of life to share
their grief with each other and face the challenges of suffering as a community. In 2000, Calm
Waters added school-based support groups to extend the community-based support groups to
school systems across Oklahoma. Presently, Calm Waters provides such services to 20 public
school systems. In its 22 years of activity, Calm Waters has served nearly 27,000 people in
Oklahoma. Learn more about Calm Waters.
Mark your schedule for these exciting Swine Week events
February 6th 6-9pm
February 13th 9-12pm
February 18th 6:30-8:30pm
February 21st 1-6pm
February 25th
February 27th
February 27th
February 28th
March 5th
March 5th
March 10th
Old Bulldog Band $25 - dinner included
Hamazing Race $40 per team
Daddy Daughter Dance - dinner included and live
music - $35 couple $15 additional daughter
Dodgeball Tournament
Laser Tag
Hog Jog
Swine Week Auction
Bryce Merritt
Pom Clinic
Golf Tournament
Memorial's Got Talent
Visit www.swineweek.org for more information and how to purchase tickets online.
BULLDOG NEWSLETTER
February 2016 Page 9
Bulldog Band and Winter Guard are working hard
Band students are practicing hard on their
solos and ensembles! Each student is required to
perform a solo and play in an ensemble for spring
contests, which only makes our overall band sound
better and better. Look for two more band concerts
before the end of this school year - one in March
and another in May.
Winter Guard, the indoor performing arts season for
Color Guard, is well underway. The Varsity and JV
guards have been practicing since December, and
recently competed in their first competition at
Mustang High School. The season runs through
February and March, with State Championships
being held on April 2nd.
Edmond’s Varsity Winter Guard at Mustang High School.
If you like chili, come out to our annual Chili Cookoff
held on February 23rd at 6 pm in the Lower
Commons cafeteria. There will be lots of delicious
chili, fantastic music and friendly competition between
sections. There is no cost to get in, but voting tickets
are $1 each. Also, the annual Band On The Run 5K
will be held on April 2nd at 8 am at Mitch Park. 100%
of proceeds go towards funding scholarships for
graduating EMHS band students. Look for details
soon but mark your calendars now!
Junior Varsity Winter Guard lining up for their
performance at the first contest of the season.
Archery Club News
Archery Club’s competition team is getting
ready to compete at State in the West Tier 1
division on February 11th. Please wish them
lots of luck and may their arrows fly true.
The competition team includes Aubrey
Bradford, Paige McLaughlin, Summer
McLaughlin, Hannah Flores, Josh Beatty,
Joe Hoehner, Kelsey Kersgieter, Jimmy
Wood, David Marquez, Josh Hill, Michael
Goyne, Shane Hamlin, Logan Palmer, Matt
Quick, Shane Pybas, and Denton Huff.
Coached by Rick Leath.
BULLDOG NEWSLETTER
February 2016 Page 10
Kooky, Spooky, All Together Ooky! The Addams Family
Musical to premiere in Edmond on stage March 3-5
"They're creepy and
they're kooky,
mysterious and
spooky, they're
altogether ooky!" The
Broadway musical
sensation The
Addams Family is on
stage at the Edmond
Memorial High School
Auditorium March 3rd
through March 5th.
Award-winning
Memorial thespians,
vocalists, orchestra,
and band students
shine in this musical
comedy, complete
with show-stopping
musical numbers that
bring the beloved
characters, created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, to life. In a prolific career
spanning six decades, Charles Addams created several thousand cartoons, sketches and
drawings, many of which were published in The New Yorker. But it was his creation of
The Addams Family characters that brought him his greatest acclaim. His unique drawings
combined the twisted, macabre and just plain weird with charm, wit and enchantment. They
have entertained millions worldwide and served as the inspiration for multiple television series,
motion pictures and, now, a new stage musical.
THE ADDAMS FAMILY features an original story that is every father’s nightmare. This
delightfully mysterious, PG-13, world of Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Grandma, Wednesday,
Pugsley and Lurch comes to life in this all new story. This morbid family is put to the test when
Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a
sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. A man her parents have never met. And if
that weren't upsetting enough, she confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother.
Now, Gomez Addams must do something he's never done before - keep a secret from his
beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host
a dinner for Wednesday's "normal" boyfriend and his parents.
Tickets for The Addams Family are $10/adult and $8/student for general admission, and will be
available for purchase at the box office in front of the auditorium beginning one hour before
each performance. Gold, star cards, and teacher passes are accepted at all performances.
MUSICAL
BULLDOG NEWSLETTER
February 2016 Page 11
Follies
auditions will
be held in
March
This year’s Follies Auditions
will be held March 19th, 21st
and 22nd. Sign-ups have
already occurred. “This year we are trying something new by cutting down the gap between the
audition and the performances,” stated Carolyn Merritt, one of the show’s directors. “This means
the acts have to be on point at the audition. Unlike in past years where they have had time to
tweak acts, this year there just won’t be time. The audition has to be 100% performance ready.”
This later date allows acts plenty of time to get ready, so expectations will be high. “They have
already submitted their pre-audition forms, audition forms, Parent and Participant Contracts, lyrics
and scripts, and by February 5th all of the CD’s for back up music will be in and we will be ready to
go for the auditions.” Audition times will be posted on or before February 19th, so everyone will
know a month in advance of their date and time. Please note that the date will be given based on
the information the student contact person already provided. Once date and time are given, they
cannot be changed.
Come and enjoy Memorial’s Annual Variety show
Follies, the Edmond Memorial High School annual variety show, returns to the EMHS Auditorium
at 7pm on April 7th, 8th, and 9th. The tradition of outstanding entertainment will continue this year
where there is sure to be something for everyone. Tickets are available at the door starting at
6:00pm. Tickets are $8.00 for students and $10.00 for adults. The curtain is at 7pm.
Taylor Teifke hanging out with our mascot
at Taste of Memorial in December.
Congratulations
to Summer
McLaughlin for
winning
Canes for a
Year!
This was the first
time to do the
raffle. All
proceeds
benefited Big
Booster, which
supports our
sports at
Memorial.
Thank you to all
who participated!
Summer McLaughlin winning Canes
for a year!
BULLDOG NEWSLETTER
February 2016 Page 12
Memorial Parent Organization
The MPO is excited to announce a new MPO Grant fund for EMHS
teachers and staff! The deadline to send in a grant request was February
4 and all requests will be reviewed by a Grant Committee consisting of
principals, MPO board/committee members plus MPO members
at-large. Approved grants will be presented to the MPO for voting
approval at the February 11th MPO meeting.
The grant requests totaled a little over $11,000 – it is obvious that the need is real – but based off of
our 2015 Campaign donations, the MPO was only able to budget $5,000 toward this new Grant
Fund. As you can tell by doing the math, we will only be able to fund less than 50%, but we hope to
squeeze more out of our tight budget in order to reach a higher percentage. The requests were varied:
electric staplers, reading books, Professional Development, special desks, subject specific learning
kits, document camera, and a 3D printer just to name a few. Your students deserve the best possible
educational experience, and while it is true that they are getting an excellent experience right now, we
can certainly do more. Can you imagine the possibilities? It is important to note that if a request is not
approved, it may not be due to lack of funding; rather, it could simply be due to effectively managing
school and MPO resources already in place and making the best decision possible for our school.
The MPO 2016 Bulldog Campaign has begun and the $5,000 we designated for grants this year could
easily be doubled or tripled next year with your help! How fantastic would it be to fully fund every single
reasonable request that we receive? This campaign was specifically developed to raise funds for our school
and make possibilities become reality. With mandated state cuts of almost $1.3 million to our district, it is
imperative that we step up and help our school continue its legacy of excellence. Please see the flier on the
next page for more information and ways you can help.
The MPO continues to encourage our hard working and dedicated teachers and staff by providing an
occasional lunch and/or treat. It is amazing what a good meal or a thoughtful treat can do to lift spirits. Our
next Staff Appreciation lunch is February 12th and if you'd like to help in any way, please email us at
[email protected]. Next time you see a teacher, administrator or staff member, take a moment to
express your thanks to them for all they do - a simple word of kindness or an encouraging comment can
make all the difference in their day. In today's teaching environment, you have to be dedicated to continue
teaching - we are blessed to have dedicated, caring people spending time with your students every single
school day.
Our next MPO meeting is February 11th at 12:30 pm in the College Room. Lori Dickinson from the EPS
Foundation will be our guest speaker. Come hear how the Foundation helps our schools and find out ways
to get involved! Our March meeting is March 10th at 11:30 am (due to Swine Week) and our guest speaker
will be Christina Hoehn, EPS Chief
Operating Officer. Christina will be
sharing the plans for the EMHS building
projects which are made possible by the
Contact the MPO
passing of bond issues.
[email protected]
Co-President
Co-President
Ex Officio
Ex Officio
Secretary
Treasurer
Newsletter/Directory
Senior Rep
Junior Rep
Sophomore Rep
Freshman Rep
Teacher Appreciation
Lisa Bradford
Dot Offerman
Kim Greiner
Angela Cox
Robbi Kinnaird
Pat Lebs
Jody Cordeiro
Vicky Nance
Denise Ebersbach
Kim Shirley
Amberg Loberg
Miriam Teifke
The school year is winding down and
2016/2017 enrollment has begun. We
look forward to seeing you at our
meetings and we hope you will take the
time to read through our 2016 Bulldog
Campaign on the next page. If you
have any questions, comments or
concerns, please do not
hesitate to contact us.
Dorothy Offerman and Lisa Bradford
MPO Co-Presidents