April 2016 www.polk-fl.net/gjhs Main Number 648-3566 School Fax 648-3573 Attendance Office 701-1015 Guidance 648-3589 Guidance Fax 701-1131 Polk County Schools Mission Statement “The mission of Polk County Public Schools is to ensure rigorous, relevant learning experiences for our students that result in high achievement.” Administration Buddy Thomas Principal Tom Patton Assistant Principal José Farinas Assistant Principal Lacy Emmerling Assistant Principal Kevin Robertson Assistant Principal Erin Crosby Dean of Students Brad Hiers Dean of Students Daniel Rawson Dean of Students Diane Werrick Dean of Student Services For The Parents, Students, Staff And Community of George Jenkins High School School Contact Information Volume XIX Issue 3 “A Five Star School” George Jenkins High School Newsletter April 2016 • Issue #3 Published Five Times Per Year George Jenkins High School 6000 Lakeland Highlands Road Lakeland, Florida 33813 Principal’s Message Dear parents, Each day I tell my students and staff, “You are the Best Students, You are the Best Staff”. I do have the best students and the best staff. I don’t want them to ever think differently. As the year progresses, we have our days of laughing, caring, crying, sharing, and working together. These moments create our culture of everyone pulling together to make sure each student is receiving the best instruction each day. As we are still in the midst of testing, I need you to keep encouraging your child to do their very best on every test they take the remainder of the school year. The results of their scores do have an impact on what courses they can take next year and keeping them on track to graduate on time. Your encouragement is greatly appreciated by all of us. Everyone has read about the different scenarios regarding the state legislature appropriating money or not for personnel and programs. Once the budget is finalized, then our district makes decisions with the funds that are allocated to us. We may have to reduce in some areas and tighten our belt in others; but it appears at this moment, that the governor and state legislature is trying to find a way to produce a fiscal budget that will best serve the students and staffs of Polk County and the state. This has been an exciting year for me as well as for you, the staff, students and community of George Jenkins High School. We continue to do well in all academic, athletic, and co-curricular areas at both the district and state levels. The master schedule is being worked on as you read this letter and our students have many opportunities to take advantage of our courses and academies being offered. Our students have been involved in various school and community projects that have benefited those in need of assistance. The continued success in all areas of academics, athletics, student performances and club activities are the reasons parents want their child at GJHS. My administrators, staff, students and parents have been very helpful in sharing information that I have needed to make decisions which affect our school. Please remind your child that we still have a number of school days left, and it is very important that they are here every day, on time and on task, and complete all requirements to get their credits for this year. We are all in this together with the vision that each student will graduate with the skills necessary to be successful in college or in a career. I am looking forward to working with the George Jenkins High School Family next school year. It is important that you know and understand what is going on at our school. I urge you to become involved at GJHS--be a volunteer, be a substitute teacher, or be a mentor. Maybe you would like to work with one of the many clubs or sports teams, some place or someone is waiting for you. Take an active part in George Jenkins High School. Our mission is each student is Prompt, Polite and Prepared with a vision that each student will graduate with the skills necessary to be successful in college or in a career. Buddy Thomas Principal
Transcript
April2016
www.polk-fl.net/gjhs
Main Number 648-3566School Fax 648-3573Attendance Office 701-1015Guidance 648-3589Guidance Fax 701-1131
Polk County Schools Mission Statement“The mission of Polk County Public Schools is to ensure rigorous, relevant learning experiences for our students that result in high achievement.”
AdministrationBuddy Thomas
Principal
Tom PattonAssistant Principal
José FarinasAssistant Principal
Lacy EmmerlingAssistant Principal
Kevin RobertsonAssistant Principal
Erin CrosbyDean of Students
Brad HiersDean of Students
Daniel RawsonDean of Students
Diane WerrickDean of Student Services
For The Parents, Students, Staff And Community of George Jenkins High School
School Contact Information
Volume XIXIssue 3
“A Five Star School”
George Jenkins High School Newsletter April 2016 • Issue #3
Published Five Times Per YearGeorge Jenkins High School
Principal’s MessageDear parents, Each day I tell my students and staff, “You are the Best Students, You are the Best Staff”. I do have the best students and the best staff. I don’t want them to ever think differently. As the year progresses, we have our days of laughing, caring, crying, sharing, and working together. These moments create our culture of everyone pulling together to make sure each student is receiving the best instruction each day. As we are still in the midst of testing, I need you to keep encouraging your child to do their very best on every test they take the remainder of the school year. The results of their scores do have an impact on what courses they can take next year and keeping them on track to graduate on time. Your encouragement is greatly appreciated by all of us. Everyone has read about the different scenarios regarding the state legislature appropriating money or not for personnel and programs. Once the budget is finalized, then our district makes decisions with the funds that are allocated to us. We may have to reduce in some areas and tighten our belt in others; but it appears at this moment, that the governor and state legislature is trying to find a way to produce a fiscal budget that will best serve the students and staffs of Polk County and the state. This has been an exciting year for me as well as for you, the staff, students and community of George Jenkins High School. We continue to do well in all academic, athletic, and co-curricular areas at both the district and state levels. The master schedule is being worked on as you read this letter and our students have many opportunities to take advantage of our courses and academies being offered. Our students have been involved in various school and community projects that have benefited those in need of assistance. The continued success in all areas of academics, athletics, student performances and club activities are the reasons parents want their child at GJHS. My administrators, staff, students and parents have been very helpful in sharing information that I have needed to make decisions which affect our school. Please remind your child that we still have a number of school days left, and it is very important that they are here every day, on time and on task, and complete all requirements to get their credits for this year. We are all in this together with the vision that each student will graduate with the skills necessary to be successful in college or in a career. I am looking forward to working with the George Jenkins High School Family next school year. It is important that you know and understand what is going on at our school. I urge you to become involved at GJHS--be a volunteer, be a substitute teacher, or be a mentor. Maybe you would like to work with one of the many clubs or sports teams, some place or someone is waiting for you. Take an active part in George Jenkins High School. Our mission is each student is Prompt, Polite and Prepared with a vision that each student will graduate with the skills necessary to be successful in college or in a career.
As spring approaches and you are doing some spring cleaning around the house, please help us by returning to the school any textbooks or library books that you might find. All library books and textbooks should be stamped with George Jenkins High School’s name and/or have a GJHS/PCSB barcode on them. Please note that items checked out do not “go away” when a student leaves a school. Obligations carry over from elementary and middle schools as well as all years at George Jenkins High School. When a student is placed on the obligation list, per the Polk County School’s Student Code of Conduct, he/she may not participate in extra-curricular activities. To be removed from this list, the student needs to return the item or satisfy the obligation. If you have items that belong to another school and you cannot return them to that location, please have your child bring them to GJHS and we will be happy to return them to the school where they belong. If you have any questions as to whether or not your child is on the obligation list, you may check his/her student portal for items they have out, or call Ms.Sandra Brown, (648-3566 ext. 289) our secretary who handles the obligation list.
Performing Arts
GJHS Presents: “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown”
Spring Musical
Come and be entertained by our talented performing arts students. There will be plenty of songs, laughs and lots of fun for all.
Do not miss this amazing musical.
Times: Friday, April 29 @ 7:30pm, Saturday, April 30 (2:30pm &
7:30pm) and Sunday, May 1 @ 2:30pm.
Ticket Prices: Children $5, Adults $10, GJ Faculty and Students $7
On an Activity Day in February, GEICO Academy students visited Keiser University where they toured the campus and visited the Business, Integrated Marketing Communication, and Legal Studies Departments. They enjoyed hands-on learning in each field facilitated by the Program Directors at Keiser. Lunch with their tour guide Adrianna Smithson, Associate Director of Student Services, was served before returning to George Jenkins High School. Keiser University is a level six regionally accredited (SACS), not-for-profit University and is the second largest member of The Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida (ICUF). Keiser has over 90 career oriented degrees ranging from Associates to Doctoral in a number of different fields. There are 17 Keiser University campuses in Florida, including the newly acquired Flagship campus in West Palm Beach, FL. The Lakeland campus is the second largest campus with approximately 1,300 on-ground, online, and hybrid students. For more information, please visit keiseruniversity.edu or call the Lakeland campus at 863-682-6020. Those attending included instructors, Donna Canning and Carole Rollins along with students, Graedon Burns, Clay Canning, Taylor Collins, Jillian Davis, Kaylie Dumas, Jonathan Genutis, Ethan Girouard, Brianna Gorley, Shaniah Ham, Kim Hill, Fredricka Jacobs, Ashley Jones, Brooke Macmaster, Ami Mistry, Sofia Ortiz, Alysia Perry, Lauren Ploof, Chris Rex, Thomas Rex, Jonathan Spivey, Kaylie Stephenson, and Monica Sykes.
Business instructor from Keiser University, Dr. Whitfield, engages students from GEICO Academy in a marketing activity.
All students are required to complete a virtual course as part of their graduation requirements. Those who have not already taken a virtual course are encouraged to take one this summer. One segment (.5 credit) courses will meet this graduation requirement. Courses with two segments (1.0 credit courses such as World History or Guitar) require the completion of both segments to fulfill the graduation requirement. Some courses that we recommend include Driver’s Education, Parenting Skills, Personal and Family Finance, Critical Thinking Skills, Fitness Lifestyle Design and Law Studies. Students wanting to take a virtual course over the summer must have the FLVS registration complete by mid April in order to secure a space in their requested course.Besides students who need to satisfy the virtual graduation requirement, who else should take a virtual course?• Any student needing additional academic units for college admissions• Any student wanting to replace a grade of D or F to raise their GPA• Any student who is behind on credits required for graduationThe registration process is simple. Here are the steps:• A student registers for coursework through the Florida Virtual
School (FLVS) website: www.flvs.net. • Then, the student will complete the Notification of Registration for
Florida Virtual School form available both in the Guidance office and through the GJHS website
• This form must be signed by both the student and parent and returned to their GJHS counselor before the virtual class may be approved.
• After the counselor approves the course, the student request will be placed in a queue to be assigned a virtual teacher (may take two to four weeks). Once the teacher is assigned, the student begins the virtual course. When registering for summer, the student should register now and request their course start date to be in June.
Online education enables a student to take an additional course that may not be offered at GJHS or retake a course for grade forgiveness. Working from home, this virtual arena offers students the valuable opportunity of choice!
Guidance News We are three-quarters of the way through the 2015-16 school year! Registration for the 2016-17 school year was completed on March 16th. Counselors will be working diligently to input each student’s requested courses into the scheduling system. Individual Student Course Request summaries will be distributed to students in mid-May. Changing academic teacher recommendations requires documentation which may be obtained in the Guidance Office. Any corrections to these requests along with supporting documentation must be received in the Guidance Office prior to the end of the school year. Over summer, counselors will transform course requests into schedules. Final schedules will be distributed at orientation in August. Please note requests for course changes are subject to approval based on graduation requirements, Florida Legislative Testing Mandates, and/or college admissions requirements. Please remember, we do not have the flexibility required to honor course change requests once schedules are complete. Counselors will be meeting with juniors individually through April to review graduation status, post-secondary plans, and other important information. Students will review their requested courses for next year and make changes as necessary. A copy of the Junior Conference Checklist (also on the GJHS website) and postsecondary planning resources will be sent home in their Junior Conference folders. The GJHS website is a valuable tool. A series of resources have been compiled for students and parents including Dual Enrollment information, Class Presentations, scholarships, and college and career planning. Visit the website at www.georgejenkinshs.com.Advanced Placement Testing: All students enrolled in advanced placement courses are required to take the advanced placement exams. These exams take place from May 2nd to 13th. All AP exams will be given at Florida Southern College, except for AP Spanish Language which will be given at GJHS. The testing dates are nationally set by College Board. Students who do not take the tests will not receive the AP weight nor college credit for taking the advanced placement course. The AP exam schedule is as follows:
5Admissions Advice from Florida Polytechnic University(While this advice is specific to Florida Poly, it is relevant to all students seeking scholarships or admissions to universities or colleges)10 Tips to Increase Your College Admission OddsAn Admissions Counselor’s Guide to College Applicants1. Build a strong foundation in high school. To get ahead, begin establishing a strong grade point average
(GPA) in ninth grade.2. Participate in at least one extracurricular activity and community service activity. What you do
in your free time reveals a lot about you, particularly your passions and values. Involvement in outside activities, particularly STEM-related clubs and organizations, may give you an edge over another applicant with equal academic qualifications.
3. Take standardized testing seriously. Test scores play a big role in landing an acceptance letter, so take plenty of time to prepare. Sign up for prep courses and practice tests like the PSAT. There are also free study guides and materials available online. Make the effort to take both the SAT and ACT and take at least one of them twice to get a better score. When taking advanced placement (AP) exams, keep in mind top colleges accept scores of only five or higher.
4. Prioritize Your College Applications. It takes time to compile a thoughtful, thorough college application. Keep that in mind as you decide which universities to apply to. Keep in mind, you’ll still need time to manage your high school course load and enjoy your free time with friends and family.
5. Incorporate your personality in the personal essay. While you don’t want to be too casual in your application, neither should you overuse jargon. A good practice is to give specific examples. So, for instance, instead of writing that you “value community service,” tell a brief story from your volunteer work.
6. Show why you’re special. Schools are looking for students who demonstrate noteworthy ideas and accomplishments. Sharing how you have triumphed in the face of difficulty like a challenging semester, family issue or other life circumstance demonstrates your best qualities.
7. Stay organized. Mark your calendar and stay on top of application deadlines, as well as cut-off dates for submitting deposits, transcript requests and immunization records. A missed deadline could delay registration, prompt additional fees or lead to a lack of admittance into the university altogether.
8. Do not let finances deter you. Don’t automatically discount a school you’re interested in just because of cost. Reach out to the Financial Aid office for more information and research your options. Dig deep enough and you’ll find there are more scholarships available than you might think. Check out the Scholarship Search tool on STEMStudy.com, a great resource for students interested in applying to a STEM-focused college.
9. Contact the College. College fairs and university tours are a great way to not only collect firsthand information about the school, but meet one-on-one with an admissions counselor.
10. Be careful about your social media posts. Admissions Counselors may access your social media accounts, so be sure what they find is appropriate. Something negative or unfavorable can lead to a denial letter or withdrawal of acceptance.
An Associate’s Degree may be Your Path to Success
In last year’s State of the Union address, President Barack Obama presented a plan to lower the costs of community college stating, ‘Too many bright, striving Americans are priced out of the education they need.” Our Florida College System offers students the opportunity to earn an Associate of Arts (AA) Degree prior to pursuing a bachelor’s degree. This path is called the 2+2 system. In Florida, any student who completes an AA degree at a Florida college is guaranteed the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree at a Florida college or university. The Florida College System includes 28 public state colleges and community colleges at 178 sites across the state. An “open-door” admissions policy allows any student with a high school diploma the opportunity to pursue an Associate’s Degree. Students are then required to take the Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT) or submit scores on the ACT or SAT to determine appropriate course placement. College developmental courses may be needed to learn additional college ready skills. The Florida Department of Education defines college ready as a student who has the knowledge, skills, and academic preparation needed to enroll and succeed in introductory college level courses. College ready scores are as follows:
August14, 2013 A Bachelor’s Degree is not needed in every career field to achieve a well-paying job. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, many high demand fields like health care, information technology, and logistics have median salaries over $55,000 per year for graduates with an Associate’s Degree. Many other high demand jobs only require specialized or technical degrees. These programs can offer big salaries without spending big on a 4-year college degree.
6Historical Perspective: The 2014 students in the George Jenkins GEICO Academy determined that need wasn’t limited to a holiday season of giving, but was essential throughout the year. Most people perceive George Jenkins as a rich school. We don’t totally agree with that perception. We know we have a very diverse populous with students and families that are in dire need, students that are homeless, and families that fall victim to tragedies. These realizations inspired the mission and vision of George’s Closet. The original idea was to expand a little closet with a few bags of clothes into a small boutique, called George’s Closet, with new or gently used clothes, shoes, belts and accessories. It quickly grew and so did the scope. Our boutique now serves several other initiatives including a food pantry, school supplies, hygiene products, free gowns for prom & homecoming and recycled graduation gowns. All of these items are extended free to the students, families, and staff at George Jenkins High School. Each of the founding students and staff members involved brought something different to the table and left their handprint on something that we hope will have a life of its own and will continue to grow for years to come.
Our Mission is to provide students and families in need with clothing, supplies, and food throughout the seasons. Our Vision is to establish an ongoing mission of “Helping Others One Hanger at a Time.” Our hope is that the administration and staff will carry on the legacy that we created here far beyond those of us who started it.
How does our program work? Students, parents, or staff members can bring any need to us without question. Most of our students come to us by a referral from a teacher, dean, guidance counselor, nurse or coach. The most important part of our program is to make sure that the students and families we serve are treated with compassion while protecting their privacy, dignity and self-respect. Our program also promotes a Pay It Forward concept of helping each other. It instills a heart of giving within the students for both those that provide help and those that need it.How can you help? All of those involved in the inception and development of George’s Closet invite you to participate in its mission by utilizing its services, donating financially to the cause, contributing items for distribution to those in need, or volunteering to help. We can’t do this on our own. Your ongoing donations are needed desperately! If you have new or slightly used clothes/shoes/belts/accessories, school supplies, hygiene products, canned and non-perishable food items, please bring them to the Main office and place in the George’s Closet’s bins provided there. You can help make our slogan a reality…“Helping Others One Hanger at a Time.”
Needs: Here is our list of some of the needs for George’s Closet. Periodically we will put out a wish list for immediate needs and shortages. Any small donation will really help meet the needs of the students and families we serve throughout the year.
Medical Academy The Medical Academy students have been busy this year. Medical Skills students are learning medical math, body mechanics, and will be learning CPR before the end of the year. Health Science Foundations students are learning about infection control and diseases, safety precautions and will be learning CPR as well. Senior EKG students continue to work and practice for their upcoming National Certification Exam. Students in Direct Study are busy in the medical community observing Healthcare professionals in the workplace and learning invaluable lessons beyond the classroom. Some students helped with the county disaster drill by playing patients at Lakeland Regional Health. They got to see how patients are triaged, quickly cared for, and were even able to talk with the trauma surgeons. It was a great learning opportunity! HOSA members competed at Regionals and six are moving on to State Competition! Good Luck!
HOSA Regional CompetitorsDisaster drill students with LRH Trauma Surgeons
George Jenkins High School6000 Lakeland Highlands RoadLakeland, Florida 33813
Non Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage PAID
Orlando, FLPermit # 2346
To Addressee or Current Resident
8
Aca
dem
y Pu
blis
hing
Sch
ool N
ewsl
ette
r Pro
gram
™ 8
00-6
44-3
541
Academic Booster Club Academic Booster Club (ABC) is dedicated to recognizing and rewarding student achievement. Students who have made positive achievements in the third grading period are nominated by their teachers to receive Soaring Eagles certificates along with a Chick-fil-a sandwich coupon. These will be awarded at the end of April. Congratulations, Soaring Eagles! ABC is hard at work planning an extra special Teacher & Staff Appreciation Luncheon for May 5th, Student Appreciation/Cookie Day scheduled for May 5th, and preparing for Senior Awards that will take place May 26th. Don’t miss the next ABC meeting on Monday, April 11, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. in the media center. This will be the ABC Annual Membership meeting. All members are welcome and encouraged to attend. Bring a friend! The monthly meetings are a great way to find out what’s going on at GJ – testing requirements, new school/district/state rules and policies, and much more. The last ABC meeting of the school year is Monday, May 2nd (a week earlier than normal) at 6:00 p.m. in the Media Center. The incoming board members for 2016-2017 will be elected during this meeting. If you know a parent of an incoming freshman, please invite them to attend. Congratulations to our 11 GJHS Silver Garland Nominees and congratulations Class of 2016! We are proud of you!
CheerleadingAre you interesting in trying out for GJHS Cheerleading? Below are some dates to keep in mind.
Also, please check the cheerleading website regularly for information and updates.
