March 2015 - Norwalk Public Schools

23 Calvin Murphy Dr., Norwalk, CT 06851
Phone: (203) 838-4481 Fax: (203) 899-2815
From the Principal
Dear Parents/Guardians,
March is a time for mid-year
reflection and for planning for the
ensuing year. As seniors continue
to receive correspondence from
colleges to which they’ve applied
and contemplate other postsecondary school pursuits, we
remind underclassmen to take the
subject selection process seriously. Our school
counselors will spend considerable time this month
and next, meeting with students in groups and
individually, guiding students to select both the
courses that are necessary for graduation and the
other classes that will broaden and enhance their high
school experiences. Please review the Program of
Studies carefully and, before you sign off on courses,
call or meet with your child’s counselor if you have
questions, to ensure that the selected courses are the
best fit.
Relative to post-secondary planning, the Norwalk
Early College Academy, which we began this year, is
thriving. As you may know, 100 Freshmen were
accepted into this collaboration between Norwalk
High School, IBM, and Norwalk Community
College, whereby, at no cost to the student, students
earn a high school diploma and an associate’s
degree in computer programming or software
engineering in four, five, or six years. The first in the
state, this initiative produces “NECA scholars,” NHS
students who participate fully in the social, sports,
and music life of NHS and who also have a rigorous
college curriculum, a dedicated Housemaster, Ms.
Amaker, and an IBM mentor to help them navigate
their careers.
As a reminder, please check the parent portal so
that you are aware of your child’s attendance and
March 2015
grades; teachers are responsible for updating
the portal weekly and this tool is an invaluable one
for progress monitoring.
As I mentioned in last month’s Fact Finder, our
NEASC visit will take place March 22 – 25.
Please see the Parents for Norwalk High weekly
email for the specific time on Sunday, March 22,
when the NEASC visiting team will arrive and
listen to our school’s presentation, the first event of
the four-day accreditation visit. Also on the horizon
are the Science CAPT (March 11), jazz
festival (March 13 -14), the PGP Fashion
show (March 20), Alumni Career Day (March 31),
and the spring choral concert (March 31).
Lastly, congratulations to our Bear Peer Tutors
and to our students and their teachers who ranked
as follows in the Scholastic Art and Writing
Awards: Maeve Bustell and Michaela Lignelli
(Honorable mentions); Sam Zaref (Silver Key).
Students are awarded gold or silver key awards and
honorable mention in 17 media categories; past
recipients include Andy Warhol and Stephen King.
Further, NHS has one finalist, Quinn Robinson, for
the prestigious National Merit Scholarship. I also
applaud the following staff whom I’ve named
Employee of the Week, with complimentary floral
arrangements from MrRedRose, one each week
since November: Ms. Rentas, Mr. Cundiff, Mr.
Belmonte, Ms. Abrahamsen, Ms. O’Connor, Ms.
Zawatski, Mr. Marchetti, Ms. Hermida, Ms. Milne,
Ms. Truitt, Ms. Wax, Mr. Kirschner, Ms. Robison,
and Mr. Raila.
Sincerely,
Reginald Roberts
Principal, Norwalk High School
(203) 838-4481
Get Up! Get into It!
Get Involved!
S Is for Safety
Schools nationwide have been working on safety
plans to ensure that students and staff are safe
within their buildings. Norwalk has taken an aggressive approach as well; providing plans and
adding resources to buildings. The district has a
districtwide safety committee, and representatives
from all building levels meet on a regular basis to
address safety issues, and look for additional ways
to keep all of our school safe.
At Norwalk High School, there is a safety committee, and they meet to discuss safety planning
within the high school. The members of the safety
committee are:
Just a few weeks ago Norwalk High School hosted the Bear Flop Challenge. This year, NHS had
the greatest participation from staff and students.
B-House raised the most for the event, and we are
very proud of our achievement. I bring this up not
as a bragging right, but as a message that school
engagement and participation is so important in
creating a good climate, having a positive image,
and having fun. Getting involved whether is it being a volunteer, a bear-flopper, a sports team
member, a club member, or a spectator at an event
is healthy for the individual and great for
the school community. If you have not
been to music, art, sporting event, or
other school sponsored activities why
not consider going? Take a friend or
family member and enjoy. Norwalk
High has such talent in all areas. Get out
there and see for yourself, enjoy and
brag about NHS.
Speaking of bragging: Thank you BThe View
House Team for your efforts and particifrom
pation in the Bear Flop. We raised the
B House
bar!
By Carol
Marinaccio,
housemaster












Dr. Carol R. Marinaccio,
chairperson
Glenn Couture, co-chair
Robin Beavers
James Corradino
Caitlyn Engle
Clare Juden
Katelyn Moffett
Sean Ireland
Dale Ford
Angelus Papageorge
Donna Carswell
Tom Kalamaras, Norwalk Police
Department
Monthly drills take place in the
building and outside of the building. Every staff
member has an NHS Emergency Binder, and has
received training and all updated information. Students and staff participate in training drills. These
practice drills are necessary and important and are
taken very seriously. The school has new locks on
all classroom doors, and additional security measure are being considered for the future that could
include cameras and exit door alarms. Plans are
being developed this year for an evacuation to another location. The safety team and staff will be
provided with training and everyone at the high
school will participate in an evacuation drill in the
near future.
School Safety is extremely important, and taking planning and participation seriously is everyone’s responsibility.
2
A Reminder about the
NHS Attendance Policy
Students are required to produce a note whenever they are absent from school. Failure to bring a
note to the attendance clerk, Mrs. Morgan, within 24
hours of your return to school, will result in an unexcused absence for all classes on that day. Three
unexcused absences will result in an (H), Denial of
Credit. Please be responsible and return to school
with a note when absent for any reason. Your note
needs to include your name, the date of the absence, reason for the absence, and parent, guardian, or other authorized signature. Please feel free
to contact the attendance office at 203.838.4481
x 13235, to confirm that your student has turned in
the absent note.
Absences and Attendance Policy: The parent or
guardian must write a statement explaining every
instance of a student’s absence. Parents are also encouraged to telephone the attendance secretary in
order to inform the school that the parents are aware
that their child is not in school. Board of Education
policy requires that the aforementioned note be presented within 24 hours of the student’s return to
school; otherwise, the student may eventually be
denied course credit.
Attendance and Denial of Credit Policy: Pupils
accumulating THREE or more unexcused absences
in an enrolled course per quarter will receive an H
(denial of credit due to excessive unauthorized absence or tardiness) with no credit given for that
marking period, which will be noted on the report
card and permanent record.
Attendance and Denial of Credit Information:
Every teacher will take attendance every day, in
every class and study hall.
This policy begins on the second (2nd) day of
school.
Quarterly report cards reflect letter achievement
grades and effort grades. Credit earned is
reflected upon completion of the course.
Quarterly credits lost due to denial of credit can
be made up, but cannot exceed the normal
full credit for the course.
Two unexcused tardies to class equal one
unexcused absence.
If a student drops and adds a course with an “H”
in the dropped course, the “H” will follow to
the add course. No distinction is made among
similar, related or unrelated courses. The
“H,” as well as unexcused absences, will follow in all cases.
An unexcused absence from study hall will result in detention.
Teachers should notify students when an unexcused absence is recorded. The total responsibility for a discrepancy rests with the student.
Denial of credit disagreements may be appealed
to the housemaster, but the housemaster has
the final say.
Notification of student attendance will be sent to
the home. Counselors and administrators will
receive copies of the attendance reporting
forms.
Interim reports and report cards show the total
number of absences and the total number of
unexcused absences.
Students are responsible to attend their scheduled
classes regardless of any loss of credit. The
“H” identifying the denial of credit, has no
bearing on the grade a student receives in the
course.
At the eighth tardy and/or absence from school or
classes per quarter, a student will be denied credit for
that quarter in the class in which the tardies/absences
occur. Any combination of tardies or absences,
“excused” or “unexcused,” that add up to eight (8)
will automatically result in loss of credit.
The following examples of excuses will not be
accepted as excused absences and tardies: (1) “car
did not start” (2) “overslept” (3) “my ride was
late” (4) “had a late start” (5) “babysitting”
(6) “driver’s test.”
In case of prolonged illness, when a physician is
involved, parents are responsible for providing the
school with a physician’s note within 5 school days
after the student returns to school. Parents may request administrative intervention if there are concerns.
3
From the
SAT Subject
Test Info
Juniors and some
sophomores may
wish to consider taking the SAT Subject
Tests on June 6. This
may apply to students who are completing their study in a subject area such as science
or U.S History. A number of colleges require or recommend one or more SAT Subject Tests. Counselors are available to help with the registration process. There are a number of websites, where students may prepare for the SAT including collegeboard.com, Princeton Review.com, Number2.com, 4Test.com and Kaplan.com.
Juniors should consider taking the SAT in March,
May or June. Both juniors and some sophomores
should also consider taking the SAT Subject Test in June.
Please contact the appropriate counselor to discuss
standardized testing.
SAT
subject
test dates
Regular
registration
($52.50)
Late
registration
by mail
(Fee is $28)
Late
registration
online
(Fee is $28)
March 14
May 2
June 6
Feb. 13
April 6
May 8
Feb. 27
April 17
May 22
March 3
April 21
May 27
Student Recognition
On the Norwalk High School web site, there is a
link to Student Recognitions. These students have
been nominated and recognized by staff members
for that month regarding their progress, leadership,
achievements, hard work, etc.
Go to www.norwalk.k12.ct.us/nhs, then go to
student recognition or click News and scroll down
to Students of the Month Recognition.
Online registration for SAT Programs is available at
www.collegeboard.com. Paper/mail-in registration
materials are free and can be picked up in the Career
Center, Room 209C. Registration must be
completed by the deadline and sent/mailed to the
College Board. The NHS Code is 070580 and the
NHS Test Center Code is 07-460. On Test Day,
please be sure to bring the proper picture I.D.,
Admission Ticket, calculator, and #2 pencils.
Junior Meetings
Counselors will be mailing home invitations in
March to parents of the Junior Class, inviting them
in to discuss post-secondary plans, scheduling and
graduation requirements for their students during
March, April and May. Parents and guardians
should contact counselors to set up appointments.
During March and April, counselors will meet with
juniors to discuss their post secondary plans in individual sessions.
Online SAT Prep Courses
There are a number of SAT Prep courses available
online, including number2.com; satexamprep.com;
majortest.com; sat.collegeboard.org;
khanacademy.org/test-prep/sat
Financial Aid
Our Financial Aid Counselor, Mrs. Laura Blackwell,
4
Guidance Department
is available to meet with students and their families every Wednesday from 8:00 to 11:00 am in
the school’s Career Center. Students can register
for an appointment with Mrs. Blackwell directly
in the Career Center and can pick up and complete the necessary paperwork before meeting
with her.
able to come to the Career Center between the
hours of 9 a.m. -1 p.m. to receive assistance
with the college scholarship search. Guidance
staff members and guidance interns will be
available to help students navigate the process
and revise their essays, if needed. Please note
that this service is available to students only.
Filling out the NHS Common Scholarship
form is the best way to start your scholarship
search. Last years almost $400,000 in scholarship money was awarded to NHS seniors!
Applications may also be obtained from Mrs.
Williams in the Career Center. The form is
also available on the NHS website.
Course Selection for
2015-2016
The subject selection process for the next school
year – 2015/16 – began on Thursday, Feb.
12 ,when subject selection sheets were distributed
to students during the Advisory Program. The students’ current teachers signed subject selection
sheets and made recommendations in their respective subject areas from 2/12-2/27. On Friday,
Feb. 27 students brought the sheets to their homerooms to be collected and given to Mrs. Joy
Skowronski in D House. Parents may contact the
appropriate Guidance Counselor to discuss the
2015/16 course selections for their student. Counselors will have individual meetings with all students to review subject selections for next year:
Grade 9; 3/2 - 3/6, Grade 10; 3/9 - 3/13, Grade
11: 3/16 – 3/20.
Important Dates
Scholarships
Please be aware that all senior parents will receive an email containing details regarding Scholarship opportunities. The email will include information about the NHS Common Scholarship
as well as scholarships available only to residents
of Fairfield County and/or Connecticut and general scholarship web sites.
The scholarship web site on Naviance has
been updated. The site now contains scholarships
that are known to be active. You may accessible
the information www.naviance.com and follow
the log in procedures.
Beginning on Monday, February 23 and continuing until Friday, March 6, students will be
5

Mon. Mar. 2: Common Scholarship Application
due to students’ counselors.

Mon. Mar. 2 – Fri. Mar. 6: Counselors will have
individual meetings with all freshman students to
review subject selections for next year

Wed. Mar. 4: Trip to NCC for interested seniors
from A-House. Includes placement test. Dates for
other Houses to visit NCC will be in April and
May.

Mon. Mar. 9 – Fri. Mar. 13: Counselors will have
individual meetings with all sophomore students to
review subject selections for next year

Tues. Mar. 10: Early college awareness trip to
UCONN – Storrs for freshman.

Sat. Mar. 14: SAT Test Date

Mon. Mar. 16 – Fri. Mar. 20: Counselors will
have individual meetings with all junior students to
review subject selections for next year

Wed. Mar. 25: Trip to NCC for interested seniors
from B-House. Includes placement test. Dates for
other Houses to visit NCC will be in April and
May.

Wed. Mar. 25: Trip to SUNY Stonybrook, Long
Island for 10th and 11th grade students

Tues., Mar. 31: NHS Alumni Career Day – graduates of NHS return to share career experiences.
News from the
Senior Class
PGP Raffle: In addition to the PGP Fashion
Show, there will be a raffle to raise funds for
PGP. Tickets are $5 each. The 1st prize is a
MacBook Pro, the 2nd prize is an iPad mini and
the 3rd prize is Beats by Dre. Please contact
Monica Arcario at 203-667-0905 or
[email protected] to purchase your ticket. The
raffle will be drawn at 8:30pm on 3/20/2015 at the
PGP Fashion Show.
Thank you to everyone who came out to see Ronny
Romm – the hypnotist and ESP extraordinaire.
Please keep your eyes and ears open for more
senior class fundraisers!
We are no longer accepting dues for the Class of
2015. There is a list of seniors who have paid their
dues in full in each house office. Please have your
son or daughter check these lists to see if they are
eligible for one of the many discounts to come.
SENIOR PROM: Senior Prom will be held on
Saturday, May 30, 2015 at the Greenwich Hyatt
from 7 pm to midnight. Tickets for NON-DUES
paying seniors will be between $125 and $150.
Tickets for DUES-paying seniors will be between
$50 and $75. THE MORE MONEY WE RAISE,
THE LESS THE SENIOR PROM TICKET WILL
COST. Please make every effort to attend any
fundraisers we have between now and the end of
the year. (Note: Students who are NOT seniors, or
students who do not attend NHS, will be charged
the NON-DUES paying price).
PGP: This year, the Post Graduation Party
(PGP) will be held at Quassy Amusement Park.
There will be bus transportation provided for all
who attend. Throughout the course of the night,
there will be a variety of food served, an interactive
DJ, several rides, a laser maze and much more. We
are asking for parent donations to help fund this
event. Please mail your donation to Wendy
Bonanni, PGP Treasurer, 10 Mill Brook Drive,
Norwalk, CT 06851. A suggested $80.00 would be
great but any amount is truly appreciated. We are
also raising funds through our annual PGP Fashion
Show and a raffle.
PGP Fashion Show: The annual PGP Fashion
Show will take place on Friday, March 20, 2015 at
7 pm in the NHS Auditorium. Ticket prices are $5
per student and $10 per adult. We will be
auctioning off a senior prom basket, a junior prom
basket, a party bus for prom and reserved parking
and seating for Graduation. The Marinello’s Food
Truck will be there as well! It is going to be a great
night with over 100 models- you won’t want to
miss it!
News from the
Junior Class
The Class of 2016 online store for NHS Green and
White Spirit Wear is up and running! Click on this
link to choose from our selection: https://
www.teamstoresatlax.com/index.php/team-stores/
norwalk-hs
Just a reminder that our dues are $50 per year or
$180 if paid all at once. The dues cover discounts
on prom tickets, school activities, and FREE caps
and gowns for graduation. The LAST day to pay
dues before the prom is April 10, 2015. Checks can
be made out to “NHS Class of 2016.” Please make
sure to write your son/daughter's name on the
memo line. (Attn: to Ms. Trepovich or Mrs. Turek,
formerly Shimkets.) We will mail you a receipt for
your records. Thank you to all the parents who have
already submitted payment
Our prom theme will be HOLLYWOOD! Prom
is May 16, 2015 at the Italian Center in Stamford
from 6 pm to 11 pm. Tickets are $95 without paid
dues and $50 with dues. Tickets will go on sale
after spring break. Bus transportation from NHS to
the Italian Center will be available for an extra fee.
Wednesday April 8th, we will have parent Meet
and Greet fundraiser at O'Neill's Pub and
Restaurant in Norwalk from 5:30 pm to
9:30 pm. Come join us for dinner. We would love
to meet you and get your ideas and thoughts for the
Class of 2016. A flyer will be sent out soon with
more information. We will have a silent auction
with prom tickets and other great prizes.
Thank you for your support! If you would like
to be added to our parent email blast, please send an
email with “Add me” to the email list in the subject
line to [email protected]
6
Promoting Responsible and Ethical Use of Technology
Today’s learners have the innate ability to easily
navigate and use the internet. The internet has
evolved into a “participatory culture,” allowing
students to create, connect, and collaborate with a
global audience. This is seen in Norwalk High
School through the use of Google Classroom, student emails, and the PowerSchool Portal among
others.
We are constantly educating the students of
Norwalk High School to be responsible and ethical life-long learners of
the digital age. On a daily
basis, teachers demonstrate, guide, and help
students practice appropriate and professional
behavior while actively
participating in authentic
learning experiences using blogs, wiki spaces,
The View
learning management
from
systems, online research,
A House
and much more. We are
By Adam
beginning to emphasize
Reynolds,
the following topics in
housemaster
classrooms of all grades,
levels, and disciplines.
daily. They can write just about anything on these
platforms, which then can be forwarded to many
with just a few clicks, causing more issues if the
information is sensitive or hurtful to another.
Make Use of Netiquette
Be courteous and respectful when communicating
with others online. It is best to think about and use
“netiquette.” Netiquette can be defined as rules for
online communication (Aranda, 2007).
Always Give Credit to Original Source
When using someone else’s work, it is important
to give that person credit. Copying or stealing
someone else’s work is immoral and a very serious
matter in academia. This is known as plagiarism.
Students need to continue to be educated about
plagiarism and the consequences for not citing
borrowed words from a source (Davis, 2011).
Remember to Be Effective, Thoughtful, and
Ethical Digital Creators
Norwalk High School teachers and staff are teaching students to be effective, thoughtful, and ethical
digital creators.
Sources
Aranda J.F., (2007). Journal of Instruction Delivery Systems, 21(4), 11-14.
Explore Appropriate and Safe Sites for
Learning and Research
The internet is an immense storehouse of
knowledge and should be used appropriately at all
times. Students should use known and trusted digital resources (Cennamo et al., 2010).
Cennamo, K.S., Ertmer, P.A., and Ross, J.D.
(2010). Technology Integration for Meaningful
Classroom Use: A Standards-Based Approach, 1st
ed. Belmont, CA:
Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
Pay Attention to Copyright Law, the Fair Use
Act, and Creative Commons
Technology makes it easier to create, access, duplicate, and share information. It is therefore essential for teachers and students to understand the
use of copyrighted material (Cennamo et al.,
2010).
Davis, L. (2011).
Arresting student
plagiarism: Are we
investigators or educators? Business
Communication
Quarterly, 74(2),
160-3.
Help Prevent Cyberbullying
Prevent cyberbullying by discussing it, addressing
it, and reporting it. Students interact with one another via social networks, chat rooms, blogs, etc.
7
Support the NHS
Marching Band!
Upcoming Events
The NHS Winter Guard
and Percussion groups
are busy! The AA and
Open Guard teams
opened their season
with first place wins!
Both groups have competitions every weekend in March.
The Jazz Ensemble
and Orchestras are
hosting a Jazz Festival
at NHS on Friday March 27th. Many talented students from NHS and local schools will perform.
The next day (Saturday March 28th), NHS is
hosting the Musical Arts Conference (MAC)
Winterguard and Percussion show. Over 20 Winterguard and Percussion groups will be performing at NHS that day. Come out to support your
friends and school! This will be a busy weekend
for the NHS band!
The NHS Spring Musical, Annie, is coming
soon. Many NHS students will be performing on
stage, playing in the pit orchestra or behind the
scenes in tech crew. You will be amazed at all the
talent at NHS!
For the complete winter Guard & Percussion
competition schedule, Jazz group performance
dates and Spring Musical information, please visit
www.nhsband.com and click on MBI calendar.
Remember, you can support the NHS band by
contributing to their monthly Can & Bottle drive
held at Andrews Field on the second Saturday of
the month from 9 am to 1 pm. This event is year
round. The band also sells Gift Certificates for
Stew Leonard’s, Stop & Shop, Shop Rite, Cranbury Market and O’Neills Pub & Restaurant. Information on how to purchase Gift Certificates is
posted on the band website www.nhsband.com in
the Info & Forms section. The band gets up to
10% back from all gift certificate sales.
March 7 – AA, Open Guard and Percussion at
Newtown HS
March 14 – AA, Open Guard and Percussion at
Shelton HS
March 21 – AA at Jonathan Law HS, Open
Guard at Long Branch, NJ
March 27 – Norwalk HS Jazz Festival
March 28 – NHS Guard and Percussion home
show!
March 31 – Spring concert #1 Choir only
April 4 – NP MAC finals
April 8 to 11 – WGI World Championships Percussion at Dayton OH
April 11 – MAC Winterguard Championships at
Trumbull HS
April 16 to 18 - WGI World Championships
Winterguard at Dayton OH
April 24, 25 & 26 – NHS Spring Musical - Annie
May 1, 2 & 3 - NHS Spring Musical - Annie
May 12 – Spring concert #2
May 19 – Spring concert #3
For the latest NHS band news and schedule,
please visit www.nhsband.com and click on MBI
calendar.
8
FBLA
The Student of the
Month Program
The NHS FBLA Club will
be attending the Connecticut
FBLA Conference on March
10 at the Crowne Plaza in
Cromwell. This is an annual
event where all FBLA clubs
in the state come together to share ideas, compete
in business-related events and display yearly
activities. We have completed 10 out of the 15
required activities this year which included; a
Toys for Tots toy drive, taking part in a Read
Across America event with the Naramake First
Graders and a March of Dimes coin collection.
We have 6 students from NHS attending the
conference this year. Wish us luck! We will do us
best to make NHS proud!
Last month in the Fact Finder we spoke about creating a positive school climate, and in this issue, I
would like to highlight one whole-school initiative
that helps NHS build a positive culture. Each
month, several students are recognized for being
the best of the best through our Student of the
Month program. In a joint effort, our Guidance
department interns and our PBIS committee coordinates the nominations and celebration of these
noteworthy students. All NHS faculty and staff
have the opportunity to nominate students based
on the following criteria:
 Exhibiting positive behavior toward peers and
staff
 Supporting a positive
school environment
 Being highly engaged
academically
 Participating in extracurricular activities and/or
The View
volunteer opportunities.
from
These four areas cover a
E House
broad spectrum of ways
By Jackie
that students contribute to
Aarons,
making NHS the very best
housemaster
that it can be. We are so
very proud of the achievements of these students!
In recognition of their efforts, the students of
the month are featured on a bulletin board posted
outside of the Career Center, our most visible hallway. Beginning this month, with the sponsorship
of the NHS Fathers Club, they will be formally
recognized and rewarded at a celebration planned
by our PBIS committee members. Additionally,
the committee plans to recognize all of the other
nominees, as well as the staff members who nominated the students in appreciation for encouraging
positive student behavior at NHS.
The nominated students can also be seen on the
NHS website, under the Guidance tab. Stay tuned
for more highlights in future editions of the Fact
Finder.
Congrats to Scholastic
Art Award Winners!
For more than 90 years, the Scholastic Art &
Writing Awards have celebrated the creative
achievements of teens across the country. The
Awards provide students in grades 7-12
opportunities for exhibition, scholarships,
publication, and recognition in the visual and
literary arts.
Three Norwalk High students won this year:
Maeve Bustell, Honorable Mention Award,
Digital Art, Grade 11. (Art Teacher: Ms. Delong.)
Michaela Lignelli, Honorable Mention
Award, Grade 12, Drawing and Illustration.
(Art Teacher: Ms. O’Connor)
Sam Zaref, Silver Key Award Grade 12,
Painting. (Art Teacher: Mrs. Ellett)
Congratulations!
The NHS Community is very proud of you!!!
9
Looking for a special
way to celebrate
your senior? Show
your pride with a
graduation tribute ad
in the 2015 Norwalk
High yearbook!
The Norwalk High yearbook is on the rise and our 2015 edition promises to be the best yet.
Be a part of this exciting addition to the community, and honor your senior with his or her
very own tribute ad. It’s the perfect way to mark this important milestone.
Your child will treasure it forever!
Ads for Grads are due by March 31.
You can design your own ad or get help from the students on the yearbook staff.
Color
Black & White
full page: $475
1/2 page: $295
1/4 page: $175
1/8 page: $125
full page: $325
1/2 page: $195
1/4 page: $105
1/8 page: $75
Basic tribute
No ad. We’ll include your senior’s name
and a brief message in a list: $40
Send all ad inquiries to Russell Smith, yearbook adviser, Norwalk High School, 55 County St.,
Norwalk, CT 06851. Make checks out to “Norwalk High School Yearbook.”
Questions? Contact Mr. Smith at [email protected].
10
Pick Your Course
Schedule Wisely
It's that time of the year again — no, not spring or
March Madness…. It’s time for students to pick
their class schedule for next year! It can be an exciting and nerve wracking time for all — but remain calm! Here are some tips to navigate you
through the process:

Read the book. The Program of Studies book
(which is also available in a PDF version
online) is your first stop to being aware regarding your options for classes.
 Ask your current teacher. Regardless of level, there may be other electives that you could do well
in, or you have interest in.
 Don’t be lazy. Study
halls? Man…Forget about
it! REMEMBER: your
high school transcript becomes your college resume. Begin to separate
The View
yourself from other stufrom
dents who will be competD House
ing for the limited seats in
college. Follow your pasBy Ray
sion, build your foundation
Manka,
housemaster
and take more classes.
 Rigor? CHECK! Add/
Drop Policy? CHECK!
Do not forget, there is a very specific, enforced
add/drop policy for NPS. If you do not know
about it, ask for clarification.
 Prerequisites! You may need them to take
certain courses. Not sure? Refer to my first
point above! (The one about the Program of
Studies book.)
 Don’t forget the selection sheet. It needs to
be completed, with a selection of alternatives
in case your top-choice class is already full.
Also, it must be signed by your parent/
guardian. Talk to your folks about it and get
them involved.
 Listen to the guidance counselors. They
know this process inside and out. They know
what you have taken and what you need to take

to graduate. If you don’t know your counselor
by now, this is a great opportunity to begin
strengthening a relationship with an asset who
will assist you on your journey through high
school.
You do not have the luxury of selecting the
teacher you want for a certain class. Too
many times I’ve heard, “I want Mr. So-andso’s class!.... Oh, he’s not teaching that? I’m
out.” Don’t worry about all of that! Select the
courses you want to prepare you for success.
Choosing classes can be a challenge, as your decisions have an impact on next year, college and career. So, don’t try to do it alone. Involve your
folks. Ask your housemasters and teachers for
their input, and trust that your counselors will help
you find your way to success in this journey.
News from the
Freshman Class
The Class of 2018 is currently taking part in a
Cookie Dough Fundraiser. The Cookie Dough
forms are due back by March 5th to Ms. Gleason
or Ms. Gardiner. There will be a class meeting after
school on March 5th to discuss class events, fundraisers, dues and other important class topics. We
will have our monthly Garden Catering Fundraiser
after school in the NHS Main Lobby on March
13th.
We are currently collecting class dues. As clarification, class dues help pay for yearly activities
and help prepare the class for future activities.
These activities include prom and graduation. To
help offset the cost of these activities, dues will be
collected over the course of 4 years. Dues are $50
per year or $200 total. If students pay in full by the
end of Freshman year, the total will be reduced to
$180. Students were given dues envelopes in homeroom last month as a friendly reminder. We thank
those students and parents who have currently sent
in payment for dues. Please direct questions to: Ms.
Gardiner (207A) [email protected] and
Ms. Gleason (314D) [email protected].
11
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
NORWALK, CT
PERMIT No. 12
Norwalk
High
School
Fact Finder Newsletter - March 2015
Norwalk High Schools' Newsletter for Parents
23 Calvin Murphy Drive, Norwalk, CT 06851
Phone: 203-838-4481, Fax: 203-899-2815
norwalkps.org
Phone: 203-838-4481, Fax: 203-899-2815, norwalkps.org
Apply mailing label here
Dated Material - Please open now.
Core Values and Beliefs
If you have news or would like to contribute
information for the next newsletter, please send an
email to the editor of the newsletter, Mr. Russell
Smith at [email protected].
If you want your name added to the email
reminder list, please send an email to
[email protected]. Your comments and
contributions are appreciated.
Norwalk High School, a community of students, teachers, administrators and families, embraces its diversity and encourages intellectual curiosity.
We value a safe, accepting culture rooted in a
rigorous, relevant curriculum rich with technology
and artistic expression.
We must challenge students to become
knowledgeable, ethical citizens capable of
making independent and
collaborative decisions
in real-world settings.
We must prepare
students for the social,
civic, and technological
demands of the 21st
century in order to
effectively participate in
an ever-changing global
society.