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Need Help picking the
RIGHT College?
WHS Counseling Department Provides Opportunities to Explore YOUR Options!
The PROBE College Fair: Sponsored by WHS and the PTSA, the PROBE College Fair gives students and their parents a unique opportunity to meet representatives from colleges across the country. Admissions professionals from over 150 colleges and universities will be present to provide information and field questions about their respective schools. This event allows visitors to peruse the informational booths that each college has set up, take packets and brochures, and speak to the college rep who is there to answer questions about admissions, housing, financial aid and more. Many schools represented at PROBE are located great distances from Georgia which could make it difficult to visit the campus in person for a preliminary trip. The PROBE fair allows families to learn about a wide variety of potential schools from all over the country, all in one spot! PROBE also allows schools that aren't as well known to introduce themselves to students who may ultimately decide it is the 'right fit" for them! Kathy Hanks, PROBE College Fair co-chairman, agrees the Fair offers students and parents a great opportunity to explore their options. "Students attend the fair for different reasons but I do feel that each attendee will walk away armed with information that will aid them in the college application process."
The PROBE Fair is a popular event so plan to come early to take full advantage of all the information. The Fair will be held on Tuesday, September 1st, from 6pm-9pm at North Point Mall in Alpharetta. Preregister at PROBE REGISTRATION and print a personalized barcode to bring to the mall with you. For a list of colleges that will be represented, click PROBE COLLEGE FAIR.
At Walton: The College Corner schedules information sessions with college admission officers representing schools throughout the country. These sessions are held at Walton and are only for juniors and seniors (no parents). The majority of the visits are scheduled in August, September and October although there are a few who visit in the spring.
Each week a "green sheet" is updated with the names and dates of college representatives who are visiting Walton and is posted in junior and senior homerooms. The scheduled visits are also on the morning announcements, posted outside the Guidance Department doors, and can be found on the WHS website by clicking here: College Corner
Students must sign up online through their Naviance account at least one day before the visit. After registering, the student will receive a reminder email the day before the visit. (Students should enter their email address in their Naviance profile). The email must be printed at home and brought to school. This email will be the student's pass and it must be signed by their teacher before they can be excused from class. It is always at the discretion of the teacher whether a student is able to leave class and students may not be allowed to miss a test, quiz or lab. The student is responsible for any missed work in class.
The Counseling Department also offers parent informational nights for juniors and seniors, bringing in speakers from various colleges for presentations and Q&A sessions. Power Point presentations from these sessions will be posted on their website for review. Additionally, the College Corner, located in the Guidance suite, is open from 8-3:30 daily and offers expert guidance to students through each step of the college application process.
On-line: Walton High School is excited to launch the Naviance program this year to assist our students and parents in the college application process. Not only will the program be used to send transcripts and teacher/counselor recommendations as e.docs directly to colleges, it also allows students to research over 5000 colleges, sorted by the student's interests and expectations. Naviance provides scholarship information, allows students to explore career options and build their resume, and to track their volunteer services hours.
The WHS Counseling Department urges students and families to take advantage of all these opportunities to explore the wide variety of possible post-secondary education options available to find that PERFECT FIT!
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Stop. Breathe. Pay Attention.
 PTSA Expands Sponsorship of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Classes at Walton
The WHS PTSA will bring Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Classes to all Health Classes at Walton this fall! Building on a very successful pilot program from last spring, the PTSA is committed to providing this impactful program to as many WHS students as possible. Lisa Jones, certified as a Classroom Instructor by Mindfulness in Schools, will teach a MBSR curriculum in the 8 fall semester sections of Health. Jones will teach 8 lessons, once per week to each health student, all designed to develop Mindfulness Skills.
Mindfulness is simply a method of mental training. New imaging technologies show that mindfulness practices have a positive impact on the brain. Through neuroplasticity, these practices can train our brain to control our body's responses to stressors in our lives. Studies have proven that practicing mindfulness decreases anxiety and depression; increases memory, reaction times and mental stamina; and reduces the key indicators of chronic stress. Additionally, studies show up to a 15% increase in math scores for students skilled in MBSR. It makes sense that if testing anxiety lowers math scores, giving students tools to manage test anxiety can dramatically increase test scores.
Jones will be teaching the highly-acclaimed Mindfulness Curriculum, .b (pronounced dot-b), designed to engage adolescents in the classroom. The .b course skillfully adapts key mindfulness practices to appeal to young people. Lessons include training the muscle of the mind for focus and attention but also strive to develop skills for recognizing and coping with worry, stress and fear.
Mindfulness is a research supported practice that anyone can learn. It can be practiced anywhere at anytime and can drastically impact emotional intelligence, academic performance, focus at any task, and life long health. To learn more about mindfulness or the .b program, sign-up for informational updates and resource references here: Mindfulness@WaltonHS |
Band Camp Kicks off Another year of Excellence (as told from a parent's perspective)
While other students are hanging out at the pool or catching waves at the beach, the Walton Marching Raider band starts their preparation for the coming season with 2 intensive weeks of BAND CAMP! The first week is held at Walton from 8-4 each day. But, the second week is where the magic happens. This year we took almost 200 high school students to LaGrange College in LaGrange, GA for the camp. Band Director, Mike Back, feels this time is vital to the program. "Since we are away at camp for a week, we are able to get a lot accomplished. We have a staff of about 20 people that work with the students on music and marching fundamentals, as well as the show music and drill. Going off campus for camp allows us to have concentrated, uninterrupted time with the students."
Accompanying the students are 25 dedicated parents who volunteer their time to chaperone the band students. Being a band camp chaperone is a blast! This was my 3rd and final time to be a chaperone. It has been an amazing ride since my daughter's first time at band camp before her freshman year. We dropped off a quiet young girl who was taken in and quickly found a home with her band "fam". Band has been a transformational experience, an opportunity to be part of a group and to grow as a leader. I can't express how exciting it was for me to be taking my "Drum Major" to camp as a senior. Amanda was pretty excited too as the seniors show their spirit every day at camp by having a special dress code - forget Nike shorts and t-shirts, our seniors channeled Disney, Harry Potter, Holidays, and, of course, Swap Day. And as a parent, being a part of the Band Booster Club has been an amazing journey as I watched these students learn and grow, mentor the younger students and all come together to shine as a group.
But band camp isn't all about music and drill, there is the camaraderie that develops between the students and the mandatory FUN! The students march for several hours each morning, break for lunch, come inside for sectionals where they work on the music by instrument, have a break before dinner and then head back to the field - weather permitting - for evening rehearsal. And if that isn't a full day, we then have evening activities such as Band Camp Idol, karaoke, dance party and more. Freshman Hannah Ross describes band camp like this: "Band camp was the best experience. It was hard work but we also had fun. We accomplished a lot in that week. We rehearsed twice a day and had fun social activities too! As a rising freshman, it was great being able to meet so many other kids before the start of school."
As you can see we are a busy bunch, and we appreciate the support of our families and our WHS community. Look for our students selling fruit in the fall and come out to support the band as we put on The Taste of East Cobb each May. Don't miss the band performing our half-time show, "The Missing Piece", at the first home football game, August 28th. Our fall competition schedule will include the Seminole Sound Spectacular in Tampa, Florida and the Bands of America competition at the Georgia Dome on 10/30.
Hope you've enjoyed this behind-the-scenes glimpse of the band and can better appreciate how hard our students work to present their show.
Enjoy the season!
Cheryl Miller
Band Camp Mom of a 12th grader
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WaltonStrong
Jump Start Your Day With A Balanced Breakfast!
These days, parents are busier than ever. Getting a house full of children dressed, fed and off to school in the morning can be a challenge. You already know how important it is that your kids eat breakfast before they leave the house. But do you know how to feed them something that is nutritious, FAST and balanced enough to maintain their energy levels throughout the school day? Here are a few "kid-friendly", healthy and fast breakfast solutions.
First, it's important to remember that a breakfast that is balanced in protein, carbohydrate and fat is ideal for you AND your child as well! A balanced breakfast will help to stabilize your child's blood sugar which is important to maintain a healthy body weight, prevent fatigue and keep their minds sharp during a long school day. Here are some of our favorite breakfasts that take only a few minutes or less to prepare and can be eaten on the go:
Protein Bar- It doesn't get any easier than this. Rather than the standard, sugar filled breakfast bar or pop tart, aim for a protein bar that has a good balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat. Some brands to try: Detour, Zone, Balance Bar, or Cliff Pro Builder, Quest, Think Thin or Power Crunch. If you want a balanced protein bar made with only natural ingredients, try Greens Plus Protein Bars.
Fage Greek Yogurt Parfait- Combine low fat or fat free Fage Greek Yogurt (a high protein, low sugar yogurt found in some grocery stores and any specialty market like Whole Foods), fresh fruit like berries, honey or Stevia to sweeten and a touch of vanilla extract. Top with nuts like slivered almonds or chopped walnuts for healthy fat.
Egg and Cheese Roll-up-If you're pressed for time in the morning, try scrambling enough egg beaters or scrambled eggs to last a few days. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. When ready to eat, top a scoop of the eggs with cheddar cheese and microwave for 20-30 seconds. Put egg and cheese mixture in a whole wheat roll up and wrap in foil to go. Or you can serve the eggs with whole grain toast if your kids have time to sit down and eat.
Protein Smoothie- In a blender combine whey or egg white protein powder, 2% milk or unsweetened almond milk, fruit like banana or berries (or both), a small scoop of natural peanut butter or flax oil (for healthy fat) and ice. Blend until frosty and smooth.
Cereal to go- In a "shaker" cup with a lid, combine low fat milk with vanilla protein powder and shake until smooth. Pour over a whole grain, high fiber, low sugar cereal. Top with nuts for heart healthy fat.
Jill Gregory, NC
Nutritionist and Health and Wellness Co-Chair
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| "THANK YOU!" to
Ms. Petka and her
WHS Student Artists!
The PTSA would like to recognize the following students and their teacher, Ms. Kathleen Petka, for their artistic contributions to the 2015 PTSA Calendar and Directory. Alexis Conway designed the cover art for the Directory while Kaitlyn Holtzclaw, Britney Foster, Morgan Horton, Catherine Courtney, Rol Vandenhoudt and Maggie Shaw contributed art for the calendar.
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WHS Bass Fishing Team Qualifies for State Championship
On Saturday, Aug. 1st, the Walton High School Bass Fishing Team competed on Clarks Hill Lake against twenty five other high school teams, securing a coveted, invitation-only spot to compete in the Georgia State High School Championship October 17-18 on Lake Hartwell. William Perry and Emil Wagner, Juniors at Walton, along with their teacher sponsor, Coach Amos, chartered the Walton bass fishing team in February of this year. The team was created just in time to participate in the 2015 High School Bass Fishing Tournament series. William and Emil have done very well representing the Raiders in this first year of the team.
Georgia BASS Nation High School Fishing, the governing body for competitive high school fishing in Georgia, hosts eight high school tournaments each year, starting in late winter at Lake Seminole in southwest Georgia and concluding with the Georgia State High School Championship this fall at Lake Hartwell. Over 80 Georgia high school teams will compete this year within Georgia BASS Nation High School Fishing.
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| | William and Emil show off their prize winning catch! |
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The WHS Website, eBlast,
Connections and The Raider Review
are paid for by funding from your
Visit Our Website to Learn more about Walton's PTSA
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