|
 Scotts Valley High School Administration
News from the Nest
Tuesday September 8, 2009 |
|
2009-10 It's Another Great Year to be a Falcon!
SVHS is back in action and we're delighted to
welcome another flight of Falcons.
During the summer, construction has brought completion to the shelter
over the quad. For now we will
refer to it as the "Big Top," but we will be soliciting new names from our
students. There has also been
extensive construction to correct access paths and restrooms to comply with
American Disabilities Act standards.
There are also new lights being added to the campus to provide for safer
access during evening hours.
As we begin this year our teaching staff is
virtually unchanged, with the only addition of our new Math/Physics teacher,
John Postovit. Holly Biancucci
awaits your arrival with big smiles in the front office, our new school
clerk. Two new resource aides,
Jenna French and Julia Mook will assist teachers in providing instructional
support. And we are delighted to
welcome our new Career Center tech from UCSC Career Center, Christine Danner. And Robert Castillo has joined our
Campus Supervision staff.
Perhaps the most challenging aspect of this
school year, as we grapple with the challenging economic state, is doing more
with less, and doing it better.
That is our challenge and that is our goal. Class sizes have increased with staff reductions imposed by
the poor economy. Surprisingly,
our course offerings have not only remained the same, but have grown by two
more courses this year, adding ROP Marketing II and Digital Photography to our
on-campus courses. With fewer
staff, there are a few courses that have combined into the same period
timeslot. Under these
circumstances, teachers deliver instruction tailored to the specific content of
the courses, and adjust the grading strategies to the student's academic
levels. This allows us to deliver
advanced level world languages and sciences to smaller groups within the same
class as IB level courses.
Our staff has also made significant changes in
the refinement of instruction, and they have taken great care in redefining the
content standards, activities to teach those standards, and assessments to
gauge the students' knowledge and growth.
Through those practices, we are seeing some gains in STAR scores. We have much more work to do on STAR
improvement, but progress is showing some gains. Scotts Valley High School was once again named among the Top
1500 high schools in the Nation, but we improved our ranking from 1210 in 2007
to 1170 in 2009.
Back to School Night 2009
Mark September 16 on your calendar! Come to the Student Union at 6:30 PM
for campus maps and details for the evening. Then beginning at 6:45 PM, follow your student's schedule
and meet their teachers. Please get your student schedule from your student or logon on to Powerschool to print it before the evening begins. This is
also a great evening to meet the volunteers who lead Scotts Valley Education
Foundation, Parent Club, Falcon Club, and the SVHS Sportsplex. There are so many devoted and caring
people that make up our high school community, and this is a great evening to
come and meet them! Please join
us!!
Get to Know SVHS
Our school website is one of the most convenient
ways to make contact with teachers via email, check homework assignments,
explore course information, or collect counseling and scholarship
information. Be sure to add this
link to your favorite bookmarks:
http://www.svhs.santacruz.k12.ca.us/01/index.htm
The best way to keep informed with upcoming
events is to monitor the School Calendar on our high school website. You can check for daily events and schedules HERE.
Athletic schedules may be tracked, sport-by-sport HERE.
PowerSchool Delivers...
This year we have provided separate student and
parent portals for access to up-to-date information on grades and attendance. The passwords were distributed at SOAR
day along with student's schedules.
If you did not receive your portal password, come on Back-to-School
Night or contact the school registrar to get yours.
Access to PowerSchool can be fond on the Home page of our school website,
or you may go directly there from this link:
https://scottsvalley.powerschool.com/public/
Bell Schedule:
Welcome to All (Principal Gregg Gunkel) in Student Union...........
6:30 PM
Informational
tables in S.U. for SVEF, Parent Club, Falcon Club, and others
First Warning
Bell to attend
classes 6:45
PM
| 1st Period |
6:50-7:00 PM |
| 2nd Period |
7:05-7:15 PM |
| 3rd Period |
7:20-7:30 PM |
| 4th Period |
7:35-7:45 PM |
| 5th Period |
7:50-8:00 PM |
| 6th Period |
8:05-8:15 PM |
| 7th Period |
8:20-8:30 PM |
Gregg Gunkel
Principal
| | |
We Need Supplies!
|
|
Cold and Flu season is upon us. If you have any tissue or hand sanitizer that you can send in with your student for their classrooms, please do!
The Parent Club contributes to that, but we are starting early with the flu season and have the need now.
If your student is sick please keep them at home to avoid the spread of germs.
|
| YEARBOOK! |
|
 SENIORS ...
Get your quote and your BABY PHOTO submitted! Please turn both items in to Ms. Brandt Room E104.
|
| BIG DAY AT SVHS !!!!! FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 25 |
|
Fall Sports Rally! 10:08-10:53
School Photo Makeup Day during break, 5th period, & lunch in Student Union
Back to School Dance! 
Theme is "Got Money?" Wear your Bling!
Time: 7:30-10:30pm Tickets will be on sale Thursday 9/10 in the Student Store at Lunch! $5 without ASB Seal and $2 with ASB Seal
|
| CSF - California Scholastic Federation |
|
Pick Up your CSF Application in Front Office!
 Applications are Due on Friday 9/11. The new CSF Faculty Advisor is Debby Rhoads. For questions, please email her at [email protected] |
| Parking on Campus |
|
Students must have a parking permit to park on campus.
 Senior parking Only available on a 1st come 1st serve in the upper parking lot in the lower 2 rows. No students are allowed to park in Staff or Visitor parking. Students are not allowed to drive or park on the perimeter road (K Street) that winds around the campus to the gym/tennis court area. Parking Citations will be issued if these rules are violated as follows: 1st citation $15. - 2nd Citation $20. - 3rd Citation $45. Including after school hours. Parents are NOT allowed to park behind the campus at any time or in fire zones in front of gym. |
| IMPORTANT DATES |
|
|
Wed, Sep 9
Frosh ASB Election Speeches, Voting on Thursday
Wed Sep 9
Surf Team Forms and Fees Due!
Wed, Sep 9
General Parent Club Meeting 7pm Teachers Lounge
Wed, Sep 9
Baseball Parent mtg
6pm/SU
Fri, Sep 11
Maroon & Gold Club Sign Up Day!
Fri, Sep 11
Back to School Dance
7:30-10:30pm/SU
Wed, Sep 16
Back 2 School Night 6:30pm
Thu, Sep 24
SVEF Mtg 7pm SV Hilton
Fri, Sep 25
Fall Sports Rally
Rally Bell Schedule
Fri, Sep 25
School Photo Makeup Day during Break, Lunch or 5th Period
|
| 2009-2010 SCHOOL CALENDAR |
|
Click HERE for the 2009/2010 Student Calendar Approved by the SVUSD School Board. | |
|
SVHS Parent Club News
|
|
 General Meeting Wed Sep 9th
7pm Teacher's Lounge!
Come to our general meeting this week, held in the teachers lounge. We will be addressing specific needs for this school year, due to budget cuts. We still have positions open for a Grad Night Chairperson and a Scholarship Coordinator.
More information will be available at Back to School night at the Parent Club table. Come visit us!
|
GOT an INSTRUMENT? and NO PLACE TO PLAY?
|
|
 Adults, Parents & Students ...
We need your talent! ... a PEP band & DRUMLINE is being formed NOW to play at home football games, please contact our district music director, Kent Kurrus at [email protected]. ALL instruments and music backgrounds are welcome!
|
Surf Team
|
|
 LAST DAY TO REGISTER!
TODAY! -All Fees Due
All members who
signed up at break or lunch in the quad last week need to get their paperwork
into the office ASAP!
|
| Student Government News |
|
Sign up for school clubs on Maroon and Gold Day on Friday, September 11th during Lunch in the Quad.
This is Freshmen election week! campaigning all week for Class officers, President, V.P. Treasurer, Secretary. Wednesday 9/9: freshmen during 5th period will go to the student union to hear the candidates speeches. Thursday 9/10: The Freshmen class will vote. Friday 9/11: Election results will be announced during morning announcements.
What is Falcon Forum? This was a tradition started by the pioneering class of this high school as a way for students (other than student government) to be heard by their school administrators. It has made its way back to us and is an excellent tool for both students and staff to open the lines of communication and better understand one another. The meetings will take place the last Wednesday of every month during 2nd period with the exception of November and December which will be combined into one meeting on the 16th of December due to the holiday breaks.
|
SVEF News
|
|
 Who we are
- Scotts Valley Educational Foundation (SVEF) handles critical
fundraising for programs at a district level. For example, this year we helped
to save the music program by donating $36k for all four of our schools.
Last year we were able to keep the libraries open at the 100% level by funding
half of the amount needed of $61k . The year before that we donated $80k to
fund a huge upgrade to the districts technology at each campus. With the
way the schools are being funded from the state it is even more important than
ever that we continue to raise funds!
Please check out our website and what we have been doing and what is coming up. We have our next meeting September 24th at the Hilton 7pm, all are welcome to attend.
We also have Oktoberfest tickets on sale at each of the school offices and 100% goes to SVEF. It will be October 16th, please click on Oktoberfest for more information.
If you have any questions about SVEF or how we work, please contact us by
emailing [email protected]. Or come visit our table at Back to School night.
Sincerely,
Scotts Valley Educational Foundation
|
College & Career News
|
|
Please let me
introduce myself - My name is Christie Danner and I am very excited to be the
new Career and College Center Technician at SVHS. My most recent
professional experience is in higher education. I was employed at the
UCSC Career Center for over six years helping students with career assessment
and development, resume and job search, and applying to graduate school.
I have extensive experience developing career and internship related campus
programs and special events and consider myself an expert in student
outreach. Also, I am currently working on my MA degree in Educational
Counseling at SJ State. Please contact me with any questions, comments,
or suggestions at 439-9555 x117 or email me at [email protected].
Please visit our SVHS website where I will keep current new updates including college rep visits and
useful websites.
http://www.svhs.santacruz.k12.ca.us/01/counseling/college-career.htm
 SVHS College and Career Center Facebook Group - Join to receive
instant updates about what's happening (college visits and new scholarships) at
the Scotts Valley High College & Career Center!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=154833184127
Santa Cruz Elks Lodge Scholarship six local scholarships for
graduating seniors in this area. Nov 2nd
deadline. For more information go to: Elks Scholarships
Cal Success Program Scholarship opportunities for Cabrillo College
vocational programs. Student must be receiving food stamps from Santa
Cruz County to qualify. For a list of vocational programs and more
information, go to: Cabrillo Scholarships
I look forward to
working with you!
Christy
|
PE News
|
|
 Locks and Uniforms
We are looking
forward to a new year in PE and hope to see improved levels of health and
physical fitness. The Freshmen
will be starting the year with Physical Fitness Testing and a Disc Golf Unit
and the 10-12th graders will be kicking off the year with Team
Handball.
All students should have brought a combination lock and their PE clothes on Thursday/Friday,
August 27/28. PE uniforms may still be purchased during class
(prices listed below), or you may bring your own. If you bring your own shirt it must be solid grey with no
writing or logos, and maroon or black solid shorts with no writing or
logos. -
SHIRT: $12
-
SHORT: $12
-
PANTS: $16
-
SWEATSHIRT: $25
*ENTIRE SET: $60 (SAVE $5) while
supplies last
|
SVHS Fall Concert
2009
|
|
Saturday September 26th
Student Union from 7:00-9:00 pm
$2.00 Entrance Fee
All proceeds will go the SVHS Athletics! This concert is put on by a collective body of students at the high school. and is different than the school's music program.
Auditons will be held Friday September 11th, after school. Students please come prepared with three songs.
Check out the Facebook group! SVHS Artists & Musicians If you want to volunteer at the event, it is a pre-approved community service activity! Contact Chris Youmans.
|
SENIORS - Request Transcripts NOW!
|
|
|
Seniors, don't wait until the last minute to request official transcripts for your college applications. We do not send transcripts directly to colleges; you must request them from the registrar and then send them to the colleges yourself. During the "transcript season" expect it to take up to two days for requested transcripts to be ready for pickup. The first two transcripts are free and all subsequent ones are $2 each. The registrar's office is in the back of the administration building, behind the attendance desk.
| |
|
Quote of the Day:
"The challenge in
the forest is to grow tall enough to Cast your OWN shadow." - Gregg Gunkel, Principal
|
If you leave the Scotts Valley Unified School District or decide you absolutely must opt out of these e-mails for any reason, please e-mail Angela Marshall, School Secretary directly at the reply e-mail provided, rather than go through the "SafeUnsubscribe" process. (We've discovered this method is not so "safe.") If you unsubscribe, you will no longer receive e-mails from any school within the District, or e-mails from the District itself. You opt out of every Scotts Valley School if you select this method, and opting you back in is not an easy process. Please e-mail Angela if you want to remove yourself from a list or need to update an e-mail address. It's easier that way, and we are happy to make any necessary changes. Thanks so much.
Sincerely,
SVHS News from the Nest
Scotts Valley High School Administration | |
|
