News from Maize South High School

Sara Richardson was an Assistant Principal at Wichita High School East for the past 4 years. She taught English/ESOL at Wichita High School North and various other schools for 8 years. She is very excited to be a part of the Maize South Community and working with such positive students, staff and parents. In her free time, Sara is busy with her two little boys and watching K-State Athletics.

Rob Archibald - Science

After graduating from Maize in 2000, I attended WSU where I met my wife and earned my Masters in Education. I taught 4 years at Kapaun Mt. Carmel before returning home to teach at Maize. My wife and I have been married for 6 years and have one little boy named Jack. When we have free time, my wife and I enjoy traveling, dancing, scuba diving, watching movies and sitting by the pool in the summer. I am truly ecstatic to be teaching at Maize South! It's going to be a great school year!

Jean Conkling - Gifted

Graduating from OSU with a degree in math education, Jean Conkling taught math in middle and high schools in Oklahoma & Kansas before a career change to special education in 2001. This is her 3rd year as an itinerant gifted facilitator in the Maize district, and she enjoys the variety of challenges & new experiences with her students in her classes at MSHS, MMS, and MSMS. Her young granddaughter & two daughters, one in Garden City, KS and one in Starkville, Mississippi, keep her laughing & learning & traveling.

Stephanie Grote - Coop English

I attended Liberal High School in Liberal, KS and graduated in 2004. I went to Emporia State University and participated in track and field in the areas of shot-put, discus, and hammer. After graduation I worked at Eureka High School for a semester and then at Emporia High School as a Junior and Senior English teacher and shot-put and discus track coach for four years. I obtained my Masters degree in special education and decided to make the switch to not only this educational area but also a new city, Wichita. I have one brother and my mother who both currently live in Hutchinson, KS.

Tony Lane - COOP Math

Tony Lane is embarking on his third year at Maize South High, working the previous two years as a paraeducator. be the school mascot Many moons ago, he taught social studies at an at-risk school in Hendersonville, TN and a public high school in Franklin, TN. In the interim, Tony was a sportswriter in Nashville and New Hampshire. He is ecstatic about the opportunity to teach at Maize South since his son, Maverick, might someday. In his spare time, Tony likes to get married, buy a house, get a new job and expand his family - all in one year.

Michael McDaniel - English

Michael McDaniel spent the last two years teaching in his home town, Liberal, Kansas. While Liberal had delicious Mexican food and familiar company, he feels truly privileged to be a part of the Maize South High family. Before teaching in Liberal, McDaniel graduated from Friends University with a degree in English Literature and Dramatic Studies, emphasizing in writing. McDaniel did a stint as a hippie between graduating from college and enrolling in the Transition to Teach Program, but found growing dreadlocks to be too tedious. He enjoys dancing, reading, writing, spontaneous acts of awkwardness and considers himself a conversationalist. He believes that all who are honest are interesting.

Kelly O'Hara - English

Kelly O'Hara comes to the Maize District after teaching English at Andover Central High School for six years. Kelly graduated from Kansas State University and got married this past April and moved to the west side of Wichita. Kelly is excited about teaching Sophomore and Junior English at Maize South High School and becoming a Maverick!

Rey Ramirez - ESOL/Reading

I have been teaching for four years. Prior to Maize I taught in Wichita USD 259. I currently teach ESOL at both MHS/MSHS and I also teach Reading Seminar at MSHS. After playing soccer at Garden City Community College and Dodge City Community College, I moved to Wichita to attend Wichita State University. This is about the time that my wife and I married and we now have 2 kids, a 4 yr old girl and 3 yr old boy. Soccer is my hobby, pastime, and pretty much religion. I enjoy coaching the MSHS men's soccer team and officiating MISL and BIG-12 soccer matches.

Maggie Rapp-Purvis

My name is Maggie Rapp-Purvis and I look forward to starting my 11th year of teaching at Maize South High School. I previously taught PE in the Wichita Public Schools before making the move to Maize. I graduated from KU and WSU and I am so happy to add to the KU fans which are few and far between in Maize. My husband and I have 3 wonderful boys who are very active in sports! Thanks for welcoming me into your community and I look forward to being a Maverick for a very long time!

Kim Reichenbach - Social Science

Kim Reichenbach is from Fort Worth, Texas and taught there the past 6 years. She lived in Texas her entire life besides four years spent at the University of Oklahoma. Kim is enjoying living in Kansas for the first time, and she is excited about being a part of Maize South High School. Her fiancé teaches at Wichita State University and they are getting married in March.

Steve Simmon - Math

Steve has been an 8th grade Algebra/ PreAlgebra/Intervention teacher at Brooks Middle School in USD 259 for four years. He graduated from Friends University and is currently attending Wichita State to finish his master's degree in teaching. Steve is excited to join his wife (a teacher at Maize ECC and the dance coach at MSHS) at Maize South High and is looking forward to a fantastic year with great students and staff. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his children and playing music.

Jennifer Vigil - WATC Anatomy and Physiology

Jennifer Vigil is the new WATC instructor for the dual credit Anatomy and Physiology class being offered at MSHS. She is in her 9th year as a science teacher, the first 4 of those years spent teaching in New Mexico, and most recently in USD259. Jennifer is married and has 2 children, one of which is still in high school. She is excited to be a part of this great new opportunity being offered to students in the Maize district.

MAVERICK BULLHORN
Parent Newsletter

September 2012

Welcome to the 2012-13 school year. The Mavericks of Maize South HS are off to a fantastic start. As expected, our enrollment is up and we anticipate being classified as a Class 5A high school after the KSHSAA student count on September 20. With our increased enrollment we have opened up a new hallway that was the previous home of the Early Childhood Center, and we have added several new staff members to the Maverick family.

We have added several new classes and programs to our curriculum this year, including building a partnership with Wichita Area Technical College. We are currently offering a class called Human Body Systems and students can receive 5 hours of college credit for the class. We are also offering a Certified Nursing Assistant certification program through WATC and students can obtain certification through this college course. WATC instructors come into MSHS and teach the courses to our students. We have a nursing classroom, as well as a nursing lab so our students get hands on training in a lab setting.

I would like to thank our teaching staff at MSHS for their professional work ethic and ability to make MSHS a highly collaborative environment. Our staff is dedicated to providing your son/daughter with a quality educational experience in a safe environment. We meet in PLC groups every Wednesday to discuss instructional strategies, review data, discuss assessments, and review practices and procedures. We do these things to make sure we are focusing on student learning.

I am excited for the school year and look forward to working with the students, staff, and community to build on the strengths of Maize South HS. I am privileged to be the principal of MSHS and I will continue to collaborate with all stakeholders to make the Maize South experience successful and rewarding. Thank you for supporting MSHS both in the classroom, on the athletic field, on the stage, and in the community.

I hope you attend Parent-Teacher conferences on Sept. 12-13. On Sept. 12 conferences will be from 4-8pm and on Sept. 13th conferences will be from noon-8pm.

Please do not hesitate to contact your son/daughter's teachers or the administrative staff if you have questions or concerns. Go Mavs!

Sincerely,

Dave Hickerson

Principal

DRESS CODE

Dear Parent(s),

With the school year off to a wonderful start, we wanted to remind you of some of the expectations we have for the students of Maize South High School. Not only do we strive to challenge students academically and behaviorally, we have high standards for appropriate clothing. The dress code must be followed closely. As fashions continue to change please be mindful of the guidelines set forth by the district.

All pants should be fingertip length. It is fashionable to wear athletic shorts and roll them at the waist line. Please remember shorts must be fingertip length all the way around. Low cut blouses are also not allowed. Camisoles and tank tops are allowed but should not be something that constantly need tugged at in order to align with dress code. Midriff must also be covered at all times. If the shirt does not cover midriff, with both hands raised, it is not appropriate.

Parents are our most significant ally. We want to partner with you to make sure all students are appropriately dressed. Dressing inappropriately is a distraction to the school day and will be addressed. If students choose to wear an article of clothing that is questionable they should be: prepared to change, have parents bring them different clothes, drive home and change, or have the school officer escort them home to change.

With your help we can ensure that students are held accountable and that dress code standards are abided by.

Thank you.

Dave Hickerson, Cort Haynes, and Sara Richardson

MSHS Administrative Team

Bull Statue Dedication

Please join us on Friday, Sept. 7th at 6:30pm to help celebrate the acceptance of our new bull statue. The event will take place at the front entrance of MSHS just prior to the kick-off of our first home football game with Goddard Eisenhower.

One of the two chrome bull sculptures moved from the Kansas Coliseum last fall found its new home just outside the Maize South High School front doors.

Thanks to the efforts of BOE member Nancy Hughbanks and MSHS parent James McDonald, the Sedgwick County Commission approved MSHS as one of the new homes for the sculptures created in the late 1970's by John Kearney.

A group of MSHS parents and students have worked on restoring the bull sculpture since last fall and it was placed in its new home on August 8.

Front Office Processes

MSHS Office Hours 7:00 A.M.-3:30 P.M.

To help the Front Office of MSHS to run as smoothly as possible and communicate important information, please be aware of the following processes:

When your child is absent:

Please call 462-8000.
Provide your child's name (and spelling).
Provide a reason for the absence (ill, out of town, etc.).

When your child needs to leave school before the end of the day:

Please call 462-8000.
Please call as early as possible so that interruptions to the classroom can be avoided.
Provide your child's name (and spelling).
Provide the time your child needs to leave the classroom.
Provide the reason your child is leaving.

When you bring something in for your child
- Please have it labeled with the first and last name printed legibly.
- Have money (cash & checks) in a sealed envelope with their first and last name printed legibly.
- Understand that the Front Office is not responsible for any items left for students.
- Understand that your child is responsible to pick up his/her item. It will not be delivered.
- Please remember the office does not accept delivery of items such as flowers, stuffed animals and balloon bouquets.
When you have to leave a message for your child:

Please call 462-8000.
Provide your child's name (and spelling).
State concisely what the message is.
Understand that your child will be called via intercom during passing periods to receive the message.

One of our goals in the Front Office is to not disrupt classrooms during the school day except in case of an emergency. Emergencies will be identified by the principal. Students' names will be called during passing periods via our intercom system to notify them of passes or messages awaiting them in the Front Office. When an item or message is received just a few minutes before the student needs it, it is extremely difficult to get it to the student on time and without interruption to the classroom. It is the student's responsibility to come to the Front Office when called.

CLOSED Lunch

Maize Schools have a "closed lunch" policy. Students are not allowed to leave the building during this time. If a parent elects to take their child out to lunch, they will need to come into the front office and sign their student out. We will not be able to dismiss any student via requests over the phone. Students will only be released to their parents. Friends are not allowed to accompany another family.

If a student is dismissed during their lunch hour, they must still adhere to the bell schedule. A tardy will result if they do not return on time. Students returning twenty minutes after their class has resumed will be marked absent. Please contact the front office with any questions.

Attendance

Students are allowed up to five absences per term/nine weeks. If a student incurs more than 5 absences during a nine week period, credit will be lost. Medical and dental notes will NOT count towards this total. However, it is the responsibility of the student and parents to make sure the medical/dental note is on file in the school office.

Students arriving 20 minutes after the start of class will be marked absent. Parents need to call the front office within 24 hours to verify the absence. An unverified absence will result in a four hour detention. Verified (V) absences still count towards the allowable five, for each nine weeks. *Absences DO start over each term/nine weeks.

If a student elects to leave the school for a dress code violation, they will be marked absent (clothes are provided by the school). Parents will be contacted prior to a student leaving the campus.

Students arriving late to class, but within the first 20 minutes, will be marked tardy. Beginning with the third tardy, students will start to incur detention time. Parents may excuse up to three, first block tardies, during the school year. *Tardies do NOT start over and are cumulative for the year.

Please see pages 9 & 10 of the student agenda book or click here for the full student handbook for more information.

Stay Connected with MSHS Events

Dear Maize South family,

We are off and running with the 2012-2013 school year. The start of a new year is always exciting with so many activities happening. Stay updated with MSHS events by clicking here and saving the link in your favorites. This link is updated in real time; if we have athletic/ activities moved, postponed or cancelled this will be updated immediately after the decision. While on the site please use the nice features provided by rschool software. All schedules can be accessed by using the drag down menu labeled 'view schedules'. Additionally, there is a 'notify me' link that allows you to get emails and/ or texts when events your child participates are added, altered or cancelled.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns, and GO MAVS!!!!

Sincerely,

Aaron Jackson

Athletic Director

Maize South High School

Gold Card Events

We are excited about our upcoming Gold Card tailgate party at the first home football game on Friday, September 7th. We will begin at 5:30 with hot dogs, chips, and water (donated by Wichita Vending Co.). Students will enjoy music and games on the front lawn. At 6:30 we will walk over to be a part of the Bull dedication at the front of the school. The football game is set to kick-off at 7 pm.

At our first Gold Card meeting of the year, Natalie Mark won a $10 gift card donated by McAllister's Deli. Brett Barney was the lucky winner of a free Chick-fil-a sandwich, and all of the members received a coupon for a free order of breadsticks from Domino's.

Gold Card members are anxiously awaiting their upcoming parking privileges. Hang tags will be distributed and the students may begin parking in preferred areas of our lots. Gold card parties, gift card give-a-ways, and other special events will make 2012-13 one of the best! Congratulations to our current members with this prestigious membership. We look forward to welcoming many new members as the year progresses.

Check out the new link on our MSHS school website Gold Card Membership, for more information and a list of all current members.

Use of Student Information in Media and District Publications

Information which may be shared with media or used in district publications is limited to: participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, school activities, honors and awards received, grade level and photographs.

Parents/guardians have the right to refuse or permit the designation of any or all of the above information for use in the media or in district publications. Parents/guardians who do not want this information published must file written notification to Karen McDermott, Director of Communications, Maize USD 266, 905 W. Central, Maize, KS 67101 on or before September 20, 2012.

If you do not file a refusal, Maize USD 266 assumes you have no objection to the release of the above information for media or district publication purposes.

Click here to access the "Do Not Photograph" form.

Graphic Design Fundamentals

Great things are happening in room B-104 at Maize South High School. Mr. Huber is teaching a new class called Graphic Design Fundamentals, and students are learning firsthand about the graphic design process. Students will be creating projects using vinyl cutters, laser engravers, and large format printers. They have already completed their first project; a vinyl decal for an automobile window. Both high schools offer the class, Mr. Huber at MSHS and Mr. Albin at MHS have been working together for the past year creating meaningful projects. The really exciting part of the class is that its practical, fun, and an area that is growing in industry. Students so far seem to really be enjoying it.

Graphics Design Class

Tailgate Party

The MSHS Baseball Backers are hosting a tailgate on Sept. 21st for all baseball families and perspective baseball families for the upcoming year. The tailgate will start at 5:30 p.m. and end at 6:30 p.m. and will be held up by the commons at MSHS. Please have your son sign up your family with Coach Christensen (C 104) so we know how many people we will be feeding that night. We are asking that Freshman and Sophomores bring a side and juniors and seniors bring dessert or drink. The backers will provide the rest.

Help US Help Our School

Because we always want to offer our children the resources and opportunities they so richly deserve, our school is always looking for simple ways to raise money and we have found a way that's super easy. All you have to do is use your Target Visa or Target Card. We will receive a percentage of the amount of each purchase in the form of a cash donation from Target through the Take Charge of Education® program.Grandparents, alumni, friends and neighbors are all welcome to participate in the program. The more people we involve, the harder the program works for our school.

Visit target.com/tcoe, or call 1-800-316-6142 to designate our school or to check out our school's progress.

Don't have a Target card? It's easy to apply. Get started in person at any Target store or go to Target.com/redcard.

A BIG thanks to those who are already doing their part to make a great school even better.

Cheer Clinics

Girls and boys ages PreK-6th grade who love to cheer can sign up for Cheer Clinics with both high schools' cheering squads. Each high school cheerleading squad will offer a two hour clinic for the kids. Following the clinic, the participants will have the chance to cheer at a football game. The girls and boys will learn sideline chants, jumps, student and have two fun filled evenings with our high school cheerleaders!

MHS Little Cheer: Registration Deadline (to guarantee t-shirt and poms) - Friday, August 31
Clinic - Thursday, September 13 from 6-8 p.m.
Football Game - Friday, September 14

MSHS Mini Mavs Cheer Round Up: Registration Deadline (to guarantee t-shirt and poms) - Wednesday, September 5
Clinic - Tuesday, September 18 from 6-8 p.m.
Football Game - Friday, September 21

Cost is $25 for each clinic and registration deadlines are coming soon! For more information or to register for the clinics, download the forms attached to this message.

MHS Little Cheer click here

MSHS Mini Mavs Cheer Roundup click here

SCHOOL NURSE'S NOTES

Immunization Updates

Thank you for sending in your child's immunization updates from your health care providers. Just a very few parents still need to send immunization documentation to the nurse's office as soon as possible. Immunization requirements and a great deal of other information about immunizations can be found at: www.kdheks.gov/immunize/schoolInfo.htm

Sports Concussions

Making sports in Kansas safer is the goal of the Kansas Sports Concussion Partnership, a project sponsored by the Kansas Medical Society. The Kansas Legislature provided momentum to KSCP's work when it passed a bill in April 2011 (HB 2182) requiring a MD or DO to authorize a student athlete's return to practice and play following a suspected concussion.

To achieve KSCP's goal, concussion assessment tool, education guidelines and this website were created by a team of Kansas health care professionals with a special interest in head injuries -trauma surgeons, sports and family medicine physicians, neurologists, neuropsychologists and athletic trainers.

The educational guides are targeted to coaches/athletic trainers, school officials, parents, student athletes and physicians. Each guide outlines the signs and symptoms of a concussion and answer specific questions for managing a student athlete's recovery from a mild traumatic brain injury. SOURCE: KSCP website.

Links to concussion facts; recognition, management and return to play guidelines; and the Education Guides for students, parents, schools, coaches, and physicians can be found at their website: www.kansasconcussion.org/.

Always notify the school athletic trainer or school nurse if your child has symptoms of a concussion after even a minor sports injury.

Vision and Hearing Screenings 2012-2013 school year

The school nurse will be conducting vision and hearing screenings this year according to district guidelines and state laws. Sophomores and seniors will have vision screenings and sophomores with have hearing screenings. Other students can be screened at the request of teachers or parents.

IF A PARENT DOES NOT WANT THEIR CHILD TO HAVE HEALTH SCREENINGS AT SCHOOL THIS YEAR, PARENTS MAY EXEMPT THE STUDENT BY WRITTEN REQUEST OR CALL THE SCHOOL NURSE AT 462-8085.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Student Name Printed________________________________________________

Do not perform health screenings at school this year 2012-2013 for my child.

Parent signature __________________________

Date ________________

Counselor's Corner

"Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood."

-Daniel H. Burnham

Every month the Counseling department compiles all of the known opportunities for Maize South students, splits them by class and disseminates them through the newsletter. It is important to note, however, that all of these opportunities are continuously updated on the Counselor's Corner webpage and advertised via Twitter @MavCounseling.

If you have a question regarding your student, please direct your question to the appropriate grade level counselor.

Diane Close: Freshmen and Juniors
Adam Melichar: Sophomores and Seniors

Please read the following information carefully, checking for grade level deadlines.

Seniors

Individual conferences with Mr. Melichar will begin early in September. He will be discussing graduation requirements, current schedule, postsecondary plans, ACT tests, etc.
ACT information brochures are available in the counseling office. Remember when registering, MSHS has a Wichita street address. This is important to note when entering the school code and site location for the test. Registrations are to be completed online at ACTstudent.org. Registration deadline for the October 27th test date is September 21st.
College applications and scholarships deadlines are approaching. If still undecided, take time to schedule those final college visitations. It is highly advised that students begin applying for admission to at least three different colleges of interest. Students can not apply for or accept any institutional scholarships (scholarships given by the college) until they are admitted to the school. Most of these scholarship deadlines are November 1st.
Need a transcript sent to a college? Use www.parchment.com. This is the only way that a transcript can be requested. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the counseling department at 462.8003.

Juniors

Individual conferences with Mrs. Close will begin soon. She will review students' transcripts, check graduation requirements, and discuss testing such as the PSAT and the ACT. Suggestions for senior coursework will be made. Questions from students are highly encouraged.
Students choosing to take the PSAT on October 17th will be able to register in the main office September 17-28, 2012. The cost of the test is $17 and space is limited. The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a program cosponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).
We will be giving the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) at MSHS on October 19th. There is NO CHARGE for this test and students can sign up in the counseling office beginning in October.

Sophomore

Mr. Melichar will be presenting information on topics of relevance through the World History classes. Students are encouraged to begin saving and organizing their personal information such as: activity involvement, awards, honors, community service and work experience. These records will be helpful applying for colleges and scholarships in the future.
Sophomores are eligible to that the PSAT as a practice test this year. The test will be administered on October 17th. Registration is required and will be in the main office September 17-28, 2012. The cost of the test is $17 and space is limited. The Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) is a program cosponsored by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC).

Freshman

Freshmen will be given the Kuder Career Search with Person Match assessment through the Kansas Career Pipeline. The goal of the assessment it to help students to begin looking at career paths and aligning high school goals with their career choice.

Yearbooks

The Maverick yearbook has been a big hit. Get your order for the 2012-2013 yearbook in EARLY so you won't miss out! The cost of the yearbook is $40 from now until April. After April, the price goes up.

There are a few ways to order your child's yearbook. You can bring a check or cash to E110. If paying by check, please make sure to include your student's name on the memo line. You may also order online at www.mshsyrbk.com.

Senior Yearbook Ads

Parents of Seniors!! Interested in placing a recognition in the 2012-2013 yearbook? This is a perfect opportunity to let your child know how much you care and have supported them through their school years. Priority deadline is in early November! Don't delay. Click here to take you to the order form. If you have any questions, please contact Shelly Walston, yearbook adviser, at swalston@usd266.com. Recognition spots range from $55-$250, and there are plenty of EARLY BIRD discounts!

Homecoming

Homecoming is September 28. The dance will begin at the end of the football game. This year's theme is Flashback. Students are encouraged to wear their favorite outfit from the 70's and 80's to both the game and the dance. The dance will end at 11 PM.

MSHS Bullseye Online

With daily updates, covering everything from sports to what's happening in the halls at South, be sure to check out http://mshsbullseye.com. We'll continue to have regular paper publications, but the online paper should be your source for up-to-date coverage of all the happenings in MavLand. Bookmark us!

You can also follow us on Twitter.

USD 266 Mission Statement Mav Head 3

Maize USD 266 exists to inspire students to discover their potential through connecting, learning and leading.