E.H.S. Newsletter - January 2008

FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH
This is a reminder that free and reduced lunch forms are available in the main office.

PARENT MEETING

The next parent meeting of the year has been scheduled for Tuesday, January 29 th at 7:00 pm in the EHS library presentation room. The principal and assistant principal invite all interested parents and guardians to attend. Meetings are held several times during the year. Informal agendas are developed to address current issues and input from parents is encouraged.

CAFETERIA OPEN ON EXAM DAYS

The cafeteria will be open during exam week from 6:45 am to 11:00 am. A full breakfast can be purchased for $2.00 on the first, second, and third exams days during break time from the hot lunch lines.

Ala carte area will be open on all four exam days for a grab-and-go breakfast.

Pre-made grinders will be sold from the ala carte area for those wanting to purchase lunch.

Breakfast Menu

Every Exam Day: Sausage Egg & Cheese Sandwich, OJ & Milk

1 st Exam Day: French Toast Sticks, Sausage, OJ & Milk
2 nd Exam Day: Waffle Sticks, Sausage, OJ & Milk
3 rd Exam Day: Pancakes, Sausage, OJ & Milk

CONNECT - COMMUNITY SERVICE

CONNECT is a student run community service group that is consistent with Ellington High School’s mission.  The group strives to increase social awareness, demonstrate leadership and service to the community, while promoting diversity and practicing respect.  CONNECT’s goal is strengthened by the support of the community. 

CONNECT will be conducting a winter coat, hat, scarf and glove drive during the weeks of January 7 th and 14 th.  Please donate new or gently used items.  Boxes will be placed in the guidance department and items will be donated to Snipsic Village and the Town of Ellington Human Services.  Please contact Mr. Giansanti in the guidance department at 896-2357 or e-mail tgiansanti@ellingtonschools.net for further information.

SNOWBALL DANCE

The annual, semi-formal Snowball dance will be held on Friday, February 1st from 6:30 pm – 10:00 at Ellington High School. The snow date is Friday, February 8th. Advance ticket sale dates will be announced. No tickets will be sold at the door.

ELLINGTON SAFE GRADUATION

Now is the time to get your tickets for the annual Outback Luncheon fundraiser. It will be on Saturday, February 9, 2008 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Outback Restaurant in Manchester. Tickets are $15.00 per person and can be purchased from any Safe Grad Committee member. The menu consists of salad, bread, steak, chicken, soda, coffee, tea and dessert. Please consider supporting this fundraiser for this year's substance free party. The party is funded solely on donations from the community and fundraisers such as this one. For tickets, please call Mrs. Donna Pallotti at 871-9456 or Mrs. Trish Willis at 870-9684.

The decorating committee will have their first meeting on Monday, January 14th at 7:00 p.m. in Mrs. Lowe's kindergarten room at Windermere School. More hands make the job lighter. Please call Mrs. Jean Carver at 872-2966 or Mrs. Lucie Pantuosco at 872-1670 if you would like to help.

The next meeting of the Safe Grad Committee will be January 8, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in Room 239 at Ellington High School. For more information, please call Mrs. Natalie Lapointe at 875-8983. To make a donation for this year's party, please mail it to Ellington Safe Grad Committee, P.O. Box 377, Ellington, CT 06029

LIBRARY NEWS

“Booked for Lunch Club” A SUCCESS! – The organizational meeting of the “Booked for Lunch Club” was held on Dec. 12 th with 10 students in attendance. We had fun talking about books and their movie tie-ins. The next meeting is planned before mid-terms for a book discussion on Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin. See Ms. Strong for the book.

(From the book CIP: After fifteen-year-old Liz Hall is hit by a taxi and killed, she finds herself in a place that is both like and unlike Earth, where she must adjust to her new status and figure out how to "live.")

OPENING KNIGHT PLAYERS

The Opening Knight Players will host the Connecticut Drama Association’s State Play Competition on March 14 & 15, 2008 in the Gordon C. Getchell Auditorium. Twelve schools from around the state will participate in this two day event. EHS students will present the futuristic war drama “Booby Trap” by Ed Monk. This piece will also be presented for the community on March 13, 2008 at 7:30 pm. The short comedy “Aria de Capo” will also be performed that evening. Tickets, to help defray production costs, will be $5 and can be purchased at the door.

The Opening Knight Players will be producing Bye, Bye, Birdie, their first musical in over ten years, on May 9 and 10, 2008. Any student from EHS interested in performing in this production should sign up for an audition on either January 14 or 15. The OKP is also seeking volunteers from the community to serve in the orchestra. For more information, please contact Mr. Bill Prenetta at 896-2352, ext. 431 or wprenetta@ellingtonschools.net.

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

The National Honor Society would like to thank the community for its support of the Toys for Tots drive and the toiletries for the Tri-Town Shelter drive.  Together, we donated hundred of items!  The NHS is looking forward to continuing its efforts to serve the community in the new year, and we would welcome any suggestions for projects you may have.  Please feel free to email Mrs. Georgia Robert at grobert@ellingtonschools.net with ideas or suggestions!

BUSINESS DEPARTMENT NEWS

Stock Market Game Winners

The fall semester of the Stock Market Game has just concluded and three EHS students find themselves in the winner’s circle. Mrs. LaDuke’s personal finance classes participated in the ten-week game, which focuses on teaching students how the stock market works and helping them gain a greater understanding of the American economic system.

Out of 381 teams in our region, one personal finance team landed in 2 nd place with a 30% return on their money. The team members are Katie Plickys, Nicole Skipper, and Dan Cooksey. Congratulations to these students and all the personal finance students who participated in the game.

Business Law: 

The Business Law class took its annual field trip to the Rockville civil and criminal courts, accompanied by Mr. Dale Roberson, Esq.  Students were able to meet with the Court Clerk, Mrs. Kathleen Chase, Esq., Clerk of the Criminal Court, and a Judicial Marshall.  The class was able to view criminal court proceedings and get a tour of both court houses.  The trip was very informative and interesting to all.  We appreciate the time spent with us by Mr. Roberson and the entire court staff!

YEARBOOK

Yearbook Order Deadline Extended

Due to continued interest, we will continue to accept yearbook orders until January 4, 2008. You may either order on line at http://shop.jostens.com/yrbk.asp, or you may pay by cash or check here at the high school. Order forms are available in the main office or you may download a PDF version from the Yearbook page on the EHS web site. The base price is still $75.00 (personalization and covers are extra).

Parent/Sibling Ads

Parents and Siblings are still encouraged to submit ads. We have extended the deadline for those until January 31, 2008. This year we are using a new service which we hope is useful. You can upload your photos and the text of your message to your graduating child/sibling and pay with a credit card by going to the GradAd website at www.gradad.com. Use MIAPWZJ2 as the Log-in . You may also download the form from the EHS web site and send it by mail to the address listed on that form.

Call for Candid Photos

The Yearbook Staff invites students and parents to submit photos for the yearbook. If you have great photos of school and community events or of your children and their friends just having fun, we’d like to see them. Help us get as many photos as possible to create a terrific book everyone will want to have.

Here is how you can submit photos online:
Log on to: images.jostens.com
Enter Login ID: 1141957
Enter Your Password: ehs123
Browse on your computer to select the photo(s) you wish to upload.
Enter information about the photo and provide contact information in case the staff needs additional information.
Click "Save Details".

If you have snapshots on photo paper, those can be scanned by the Yearbook Staff. Please have those submitted to the yearbook office or placed in Ms Reed's mailbox. All photos must have a note or label on the back with the names of all people in the picture included. If you want your pictures back please make sure to note that.

 The last day to submit photos is 1/4/2008.

The Yearbook Staff will review all photos and determine final yearbook content. We cannot guarantee that all submissions can be used in the book.

SPORTS

Tri-Town Hockey

Changed from January 5th - Saturday, January 12 th is Ellington High School Night for Tri-Town Hockey as the team faces off against South Windsor at 5:00 pm. at South Windsor Arena. Fifty complimentary tickets to the game will be distributed to EHS students on Friday during the school day. The Ellington players will be highlighted that evening. Plan to attend and support our players and Tri-Town.

Schedules for the remainder of the season for all of our winter sports teams can be found on the sports schedule link of our school web site and also at www.ciacsports.org.

ELLINGTON ATHLETIC BOOSTER CLUB

The Booster Club is looking for volunteers to run the concession stand at home high school basketball games. Volunteers are asked to cover one game. What is involved? Arrive at 6:15 pm to the high school cafeteria, sell candy, drinks, popcorn, nachos and hot dogs and leave at the end of the game around 8:15 pm. Set up and break down are done by other volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering for one or more games, please contact one of our Concession Stand Volunteer Coordinators:

Girls’ Basketball Games: Mary Jane Rancourt @ 870-0460 Boys’ Basketball Games: Caren Gresh @ 872-2445

To view the basketball schedule go to the high school website:

http://www.ellingtonpublicschools.org/HighSchool/ and click on Sports Schedules

GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT NEWS

Scholarships

Students and Parents: Please take a look at the EHS website for a list of scholarships. Many of the deadlines are quickly approaching and new scholarships are added monthly. Any questions, feel free to contact Mr. Giansanti in guidance at 896-2357 or e-mail tgiansanti@ellingtonschools.net.

College Applications

Seniors are reminded to watch college application deadlines. Many colleges use January 15 th or February 1 st as their application deadlines, so seniors are encouraged to pay close attention to these dates and prepare their applications accordingly.  

How to Pay for College

Asnuntuck Community College is sponsoring a “How to Pay for College” seminar. This is a must for juniors, seniors, and their parents. This free community service workshop will be held on the following dates and times in the auditorium at Asnuntuck Community College:

Wednesday, January 9 from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. or
Wednesday, January 16 from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.

Mark your calendar and be certain to attend. Most financial aid is distributed by filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which is required by all colleges. Some colleges also require families to file a CSS PROFILE registration. Both forms are available in our guidance office. The FAFSA should be submitted as soon after January 1 as possible, even if you have to use estimated data. Please call the college financial aid office at Asnuntuck (253-3030) to reserve your spot at one of these workshops.

SAT

SAT test dates and registration deadlines for the remainder of this school year are:

March 1, 2008 – registration deadline – January 29 th
May 3, 2008 – registration deadline – April 1 st
*June 7, 2008 – registration deadline – May 6 th
*EHS is a test site for the June SAT

When registering for the SAT, please be sure to add our school code: 070643.

ACT

ACT test dates and registration deadlines for the reminder of this school year are:

April 12, 2008 – registration deadline – March 7 th
June 14, 2008 – registration deadline – May 9 th

 Junior Class Assembly:

Making Your College Search Count

Undoubtedly your thoughts and those of your student are turning towards the often-overwhelming task of selecting a college and all the details involved in that process – taking the appropriate tests, filling out financial aid forms and determining the appropriate match among them. As part of our effort to prepare our students for the college search, we have scheduled a Making Your College Search Count presentation for our junior class. The one-hour presentation will be delivered free to students and parents in the high school cafeteria at 12:55 p.m. on Thursday, February 14, 2008.

Making Your College Search Count provides high school juniors with crucial information on how to conduct an effective college search.  The program covers every aspect of the college search from visiting schools to the application process.  It provides students with a working plan that makes the process of choosing a college more manageable.

If you have any questions, please contact the guidance office at 896-2357.

PSAT Scores are In

PSAT results have arrived. School guidance counselors have been distributing results individually to students. Students will be given their score report along with the original test booklet. The PSAT is intended to help students evaluate their skills, practice for the SAT, look at their readiness for college and enter scholarship programs. Scores will be used for counseling students about educational plans. Students should schedule an appointment with their counselor in order to receive their results. As a reminder all students who took the PSAT/NMSQT will receive free access to MyRoad™, the College Board's Web-based career, majors, and college exploration tool. Students will receive log-in information on their PSAT/NMSQT Score Reports and will have immediate access to this rich array of college planning information.

EHS Web Site – Not to be Missed

This is a reminder to visit our web site for up-to-date information and helpful suggestions from Parents still make the difference! ® (ellingtonpublicschools.org/HighSchool/home.htm)

PLAN Administration

The administration of the PLAN exam to all sophomores took place on Tuesday, December 4 th. The PLAN exam, which is the practice to the ACT, is an exam that measures English, mathematics, reading and science reasoning skills. Upon receipt of the test results, each student will receive two additional Developmental Guidance lessons which will include instruction in the use of the DISCOVER ® Program , an Internet-based program that allows students to thoroughly investigate career choices.

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

The National Honor Society has elected its officers for 2007-2008: Erica Begin—President; Kevin Goldthwaite--Vice President; Casey Toombs—Treasurer; and Katie Burns—Secretary.

NHS will be facilitating two community service projects through mid-December.  NHS will be collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots as well as toiletries for the Tri-Town Shelter in Rockville.  Donations will be accepted through December 14 th.  There is a collection box in the main office.

SOPHOMORE TO ATTEND LEADERSHIP SEMINAR

Congratulations to Demetri Voukounas who was selected to represent Ellington High School at the Hugh O’Brien Youth Foundation Leadership Seminar (HOBY) in the spring. Alyssa DeLand was selected as the alternate. Demetri will join sophomores from across the state for a highly-interactive program. HOBY participants enhance their leadership skills through question and answer sessions, small group discussions, and leadership exercises with distinguished leaders of the community.

BUSINESS DEPARTMENT NEWS

Reality Check for High School Business Teachers

During the district’s professional development time this fall, EHS business teachers traveled to three area businesses to investigate the demands of today’s workplace. The goal was to compare the curriculum of the business courses to what is really happening in the corporate world to be sure students were getting the preparation needed for today’s challenging work world.

Mrs. Kathleen Capobianco, Mrs. Kim LaDuke, and Mrs. Debbie White made visits to Gerber Scientific in South Windsor, Phoenix insurance company in Hartford, and Brooks Brothers/Retail Brand Alliance in Enfield. Each visit was a first-hand look at typical office environments that many of EHS’s business students will encounter someday.

When asked what qualities are most desirable in employees today, representatives from all three companies reported that writing ability and all communication skills are very important, as well as proficiency with computers, especially in using Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint. People with accounting skills are also in great demand, and people who took initiative and demonstrated good work ethic are valued. Michelle Johnson, from Phoenix, said, “In addition to proficiency in technology, for entry level positions, we look for strong communication skills and a baseline knowledge or experience within the insurance or financial services industry.”

The business teachers agree that this type of real-world study will go a long way in helping our students make the connection between what they learn in school and what they’ll be doing in their work someday.

E-MAIL UPDATES AVAILABLE TO PARENTS

On the school web site our teachers have individual teacher pages on which they post pertinent information such as course objectives and grading policies. You can sign up for e-mail notification of updates to the pages such as special assignments, class projects, or resource information. From the EHS home page, click on Faculty Pages. Select a teacher’s name to view their page. Finally, click on Notify me to sign up for the service.

HEALTH OFFICE NEWS

This is a reminder that 10 th grade state-mandated physical forms are due in the health office.

If you have not done so already, please complete and return your son/daughter’s emergency/health update form. Students will not be allowed to go on field trips if their updated form is not on file.

DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION COUNCIL

April is Alcohol Awareness Month and the parent committee will be joining a nationwide effort to bring the urgency of the dangers of underage drinking to the public. The dangers are here right in Ellington! In addition, a student group at Ellington High School calling themselves RISE ABOVE has formed. Their mission statement is: Rise Above is a community based student leadership group focused on encouraging positive choices by sponsoring a variety of activities and acting as role models for Ellington's student community. The group will be planning activities as an alternative to drinking. So far, a dodge ball tournament at the end of January is planned in addition to halftime activities for both girls' and boys' home basketball games. 

The next meeting of the parent committee is Monday, January 14th at 7:00 p.m. at Ellington Youth Services at 31 Arbor Way. For more information on the DAPC, RISE ABOVE or the parent committee please call Mrs. Debbie Stauffer at Ellington Youth Services at 870-3130 or email dstauffer@ellington-ct.gov. New members are welcomed.

COOPERATIVE WORK EXPERIENCE

CWE students used their critical thinking, deductive, inductive reasoning skills (plus a lot of guess work) to play WHERE'S WALLER, on December19th at the Buckland Mall.  Students also collected for Toys for Tots .  Our speakers include department heads from Goodwin Community College and making a return trip to the Red Balloon Day Care.  

FAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES

In keeping with the goal of providing more food service oriented experiences, students in all foods classes participated in a Thanksgiving baking project. The classes took orders from faculty and staff for various pies, quick breads and yeast breads and produced more than twenty-five products. Prices were on the low side, but we were still able to make a modest profit. This provided valuable lessons in math, time management, quantity food production and sanitation. We offered similar fare for the holidays. The classes received rave reviews on their results!

A chef from the International College of Hospitality Management, now Clemens College, presented to all foods classes an informative program about the importance of college and the Associate Degree programs they offer. Interested students will take a field trip there to learn more and will be treated to a lunch in their fine-dining venue. Please contact Mrs. Hogan if you are interested in joining us.

Child Development students have nearly completed their experiences with the Baby Think It Over infant simulators and the Empathy Belly and have reflected on their experiences in a number of ways. The realism of these simulators and the constant demands of infant care have confirmed the point that these students want to wait a LONG time before having children. Presentations on the costs involved during the first year have further emphasized this point. The next lesson will be the harsh realities of Shaken Baby Syndrome that will be demonstrated via a similar simulator.

Looking ahead to second semester, we are now seeking 2 ½ - 5 year olds for our FCS Laboratory Preschool which will begin in early February. The days are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 – 10:15. Contact Mrs. Hogan at 896-2352 ext. 308 for more information.