the SPARTAN NEWS

CalendarOctober 5, Spartan Spectacular, Don Edick Field, 7:00 p.m.

October 10, Homecoming Parade Pep Rally and Bon Fire, 6:00 p.m.

October 14, Columbus Day, No School

October 15, PTSA Hosts the Board of Education 6:30 HS Library, Meeting to follow

October 18, Sports Physicals

October 19, PSATs, High School, 7:45 a.m.

October 25, Superintendent’s Conference Day, No School

October 27, Field Band Championship, Carrier Dome

October 29, Secondary Early Release. Dismissal at 10:40.

October 30, Commissioner King to present to parents, 7:00 p.m. Dr. Meyer Performing Arts Center

New Hartford Senior High School33 Oxford Road

New Hartford, NY 13413315-624-1214 FAX 315-624-1209

www.newhartfordschools.org

Ms. Jennifer Spring, PrincipalMr. Timothy Crowe, Dean of Students

October 2013

National Merit Scholars!Adeeba Arastu and Elizabeth Cavic have been recognized by the National Merit Program as National Merit Semi-Finalists in the 2014 competition. They join only 16,000 high school seniors nationwide who qualified as semifinalists. Both Adeeba and Elizabeth will continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships offered in the spring.

Join Us for Town Hall Meetings on the Common Core

  

In response to NYS PTA’s recent Common Core survey,  your comments focused on the following issues: 

 

Testing   Impact on instructional time and content  Implementation schedule  Security and privacy of student information 

 NYS PTA is providing you with this opportunity to gather information, ask questions, and share concerns with NYS Education Commissioner John King and/or other SED Representatives at one of five town hall meetings around the state. You are invited to attend whichever session is closest to you:  

Thursday, October 10th: Spackenkill HS, 112 Spackenkill Rd, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 Tuesday, October 15th: Garden City HS, 170 Rockaway Ave, Garden City, NY 11530 

Wednesday, October 16th: Shenendehowa HS West, 970 Rt 146, Clifton Park, NY 12065 Thursday, October 24th: Williamsville North HS, 1595 Hopkins Rd, Williamsville NY 14221 Wednesday, October 30th: New Hartford SHS, 33 Oxford Rd, New Hartford NY 13413 

 The meetings are scheduled to take place at each location from  7pm to 9pm and will be divided into 3 parts:  Introduction, Questions and Statements  For Questions:  Cards will be provided, collected and questions will be read by our moderators.   For Statements: Statements will be limited to 2 minutes.  Anyone wishing to make a statement must sign in upon arrival.  

Counseling News... September was a busy month for the Counselors. They started talking with students at the class meetings. During class meetings, counselors were able to talk with sophomores and juniors about the PSAT’s and how to register for them. They addressed the photo requirement for the SAT and ACT registration and admission procedures with the juniors and seniors, and discussed upcoming activities with each grade level. The counselors have had small group sessions with the seniors on what the procedures are for the col lege application process, how to get teacher recommendations, and how use

Naviance in the college search/application process. They are just finishing Senior Reviews. The Senior Review is an opportunity for each senior to meet individually with his/her counselor to discuss what progress has been made toward a post secondary plan and answer specific questions about the college application process.

Counselors will be using Naviance to transmit school documentation to the colleges in e ach s tuden t ’s Family Connection application l ist. M a n y c o l l e g e

admissions representatives also visit our school in the fall. For the list of scheduled visits, please check our c a l e n d a r o n l i n e a t h t t p : / /www.newhartfordschools.org/Page/270. Seniors should register to meet with college reps through Naviance then get a pass from Mrs. Faber in the Counseling Office or their counselor.

College Night will be held on Tuesday, October 8th, from 6:30 to 8:30pm at Mohawk Valley Community College. RFA will have the same colleges at their College Night on Wednesday, October 9th, from 6:30 to 8:30pm. Attending College Night is a great way to gather information.

Registration has begun for the PSAT for 10th and 11th graders. The test will be given at the high school on Saturday, October 19th at 8:00 a.m. To register students should simply bring $20 to the Counseling Office during lunch by Friday, October 11th.

Club Fair a Success...

The annual Club Fair was held on September 10th. Students happily promoted their clubs and signed up new members. Students are pictured

representing the following Clubs: M a s q u e , S t u d e n t s f o r J u s t i c e a n d E q u a l i t y a n d Ecology.

Student Clubs Off to a Great Start!

AP ScholarsOne hundred thirty-one students, the highest number ever at New Hartford High School, have been named AP Scholars, demonstrating an average score of 3.83. Students are recognized by the College Board in recognition of their exceptional achievement on the college-level AP Examinations. Students take AP Examinations in May after completing challenging college-level courses. AP Examinations are graded on a 5-point scale (5 is the highest). Most of the nation’s colleges and universities award credit, advanced placement, or both, for grades of 3 or higher. The College Board recognizes several levels of achievement based on the number of year-long courses and exams. Congratulations to all of our AP Scholars!

Eleven students qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average exam score of 4 or higher on eight or more exams. These students are: Xinyuan Chen, Joseph Donovan, George El-amir, Vishnu Kakuturi, Zach Kaye, Brian LaGrant, George Levi, Anjie Liu, Nichole Pollard, Tiffany Teng and Khaleela Zaman

Sixty students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. These students are: Adeeba Arastu, Karan Arul, Richard Bates, Brandon Bedell, Thomas Bieganowski, Stephanie Cappelli, Mario Carrillo, Elizabeth Cavic, Mark Chanatry, Xinyaun Chen, Joseph Cornacchia, Neesha Desai, Nathan Donaldson, Joseph Donovan, George El-amir, Zain El-amir, Andrew Fountain, James Franco, Nitin Garg, Benjamin Graniero, Blake Haddad, Gi-yeon Han, Sayyida Hasan, Luc Herbowy, Eileen Hernon, Samantha Hollister, Karol Jablonski, Deepak John, Vishnu Kakuturi, Zach Kaye, Clarisa Kelly, Tory King,

Michael LaBella, Brian LaGrant, George Levi, Anjie Liu, Molly Lorenz, Herbert Ludowieg, Julia Madore, Diane Mathews, Daniel Meislin, Sarah Morehouse, Banan Otaibi, Melissa Paravati, Madelynn Paul, Marco Pittarelli, Nichole Pollard, Daniel Rabbia, Zain Saigol, Lanika Sanders, Benjamin Sklar, Justin Smith, Tiffany Teng, Joseph Thistleton, Mark Tichensky, Anna Tsibina, Morgan Weber, Kimberly Wrate, Khaleela Zaman and Christina Zeina

Eighteen students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award earning an average of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. These students are: Colleen Burth, Tatyana Carrillo, Jared Chontow, James DeFazio, Kevin Geary, Emily Hull, Emily Hutto, Claire Kowalczyk, Serae LaFache-Brazier, Jordan Massa, Sarah Muder, Abigail Owens, Cassandra Papaleo, Benjamin Phelps, Brianna Pollard, Vanessa Steele, Margaret Steward and Annika Zalewski

Fifty-three students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with grades of 3 or higher. They are: Annabelle Abbadessa, Danielle Bali, Stephanie Boucher, Matthew Caltagirone, Tom Chea, Maegan Collins, Patrick Daly, Erin Donovan, Samantha Ellsworth, Bridget Finnegan, Isabella Fulop, Anthony Giaccio, Shang-Yeon Han, Stephanie Havens, Noel Heaney, Jared Henderson, Jordan Henderson, Ooha Kambhampati, Kayla Kamp, Camilla Keady, Caroline Kelberman, Aila Khan, Shayan Khan, Kathleen Krumbach, Alice Lee, Isabella MacIsaac, Shannon Mahoney, Alexander Malta, Michael Maneen, Stephen Massi, Kelsey Mattison, Vincent Maugeri, Louis Monaco, Aska Muok, Judayah Murray, Cameron Oliver, Ross Padula, Joshua Pearlman, Whitney Petralia, Gabriel Ponce, Kevin Powroznik, Aparna Raju, Hannah Rayhill, Michaela Sandock, Forrest Sears, Savannah Sears, Hashim Shaikh, D’mitri Simmons, Simrit Singh, Eric Strassberger, Andrea Tehan, Marissa Visingardi and Krista Zalatan

Student Council Spirit Week!The New Hartford High School Student Council is proud to once again sponsor Spirit Week from Monday October 7th through Friday, October 11th. The week will be filled with themed dress days and activities. On Thursday, October 10th the annual Homecoming Parade, Pep Rally and Bonfire will take place, beginning with the Homecoming Parade at 6pm. The Homecoming parade will begin at the N.H. Recreation Center with the New Hartford Marching Spartans leading the way! Marchers will proceed South on Park St., east on Pearl St. and finally head north on Sanger Ave, with students marching to the bleachers at the Don Edick Field. The Pep Rally and Bonfire will follow the Homecoming Parade. Spirit Week caps off on Friday, October 11th with Red and Blue Day and the New Hartford Spartan’s Varsity Football team meeting the rival Whitesboro Warriors at 7pm.

Parents whose children are enrolled in AP courses recently received the AP Billing Statement in the mail. Please know that if your child is taking an AP course, he or she must take the corresponding exam in May. If you have any questions, please contact Principal Spring.

On October 4th, Chris Herren, former NBA basketball player will be back at New Hartford High School presenting to students in grades 8-10 to share his rise, fall and redemption from drug and alcohol addiction in and outside the world of sports. A special thank you to our PTSA and Paul Vitagliano for bringing Chris Herren to New Hartford!

Evacuation – Students are instructed to quickly evacuate the building to either the Recreation Center, St. John’s Church or the stadium. This may be implemented when conditions outside are safer than conditions inside the building.

Drug Detecting Dogs - It is vital to ensure that the school is free of illegal drugs and contraband. Lockers and other school property are subject to inspection at any time by school officials. It is important for students to use and secure the locker to which they are assigned. The district has the right to inspect student lockers at any time without a search warrant, without notice, and without student consent. Inspections may be conducted by school officials and/or law enforcement officials, and may be conducted with the assistance of drug detecting dogs. It is our intent in the 2013-2014 school year to use drug detecting dogs to ensure that illegal drugs are not on school premises.

Emergency Procedures

It is essential that our school continues to be as safe and productive as possible. The school continually updates emergency plans and procedures so that we are prepared for a range of situations that may occur. Throughout the school year, we will conduct practice drills of our emergency procedures. Please know that in the case of a real emergency, the school messenger call system will be activated. We are committed to safety and preparedness and appreciate your support. A short description of these drills is as follows:

Fire – The fire alarm signals students to quickly exit the building. These are conducted in the fall and spring.

Lockdown – Students are instructed to remain in a specific location within the building, i.e. classroom, hallway, gym etc. The purpose of this drill is to protect building occupants from potential dangers that may exist within the building.

PTSA NEWS: 

Lorey Zaman, President The PTSA welcomes all of you back to school!  PTSA (Parent-Student-Teacher-Association) plays an active role here at the High School. The programs provided here are sponsored by our organization and we also provide several scholarships annually.  I have been involved with PTA for 14 years now and with 4 children of my own, I can relate to the stress and pressure we all feel, especially as our children reach these high school years.  Any time or talent you can lend us is greatly appreciated, and although we would love all of you to be involved with the programs we provide to our school, we appreciate how busy everyone's lives truly are.   We do count on your $5 membership support, which allows us to continue to provide these programs.  This year I am happy to say we are a hosting site for a Town Hall Meeting with Commissioner King.  We encourage all of you to come out for that event!  We have been busy this past month focusing on our membership drive.  More than 30 years' worth of research has proven that children do better when their parents are involved both at home and at school.  Grades and test scores climb.  Self-esteem grows.  Schools improve.  PTA helps parents, students, school staff, and communities work together to share ideas about programs and activities that benefit children.  PTA supports educators as they strive for excellence in our schools.  Our PTSA provides information and resources that strengthen the connections between children, parents, schools, and the community.  We encourage all of you to lend your support and join the New Hartford Senior High School PTSA!   Our membership chair this year is Marie Abraham. 

SAVE THE DATE-NHHS Semi-Formal Dance for grades 10-12 will be held Saturday December 7, 2013 from 7pm-11pm in the HS Gymnasium, and is hosted by the PTSA. There will be music by Kenny The Promo Guy and light refreshments will be served.  Tickets are $15.00 each and will be on sale in the foyer one (1) week prior to the dance.  NEW THIS YEAR-All students who join the PTSA will receive $2.00 off their dance ticket when their membership card is presented.  That means $2.00 back on your $4.00 membership!  We are looking for parents/ students who are willing to volunteer their time on this committee .  Please contact Jodi LaBel la at jodianne1669@yahoo.com .  

Now is the time for students to start working on submissions for  PTA REFLECTIONS 2013-Believe, Dream, Inspire!  Reflections is a national program which gives YOU an opportunity to express yourself and be recognized for creativity, skill, and talent.  Create an original work - literature, film, dance choreography, visual arts, musical composition, photography - which is your interpretation of this year’s theme.  New Hartford entries will be judged in December; winners will a d v an ce t o t h e Reg i on a l l eve l o f a d j ud i c a t i on and possibly progress to State and National level evaluations.  You may submit multiple entries.  Local deadline is Friday, December 6, 2013.  Winners will be recognized at all levels.  New Hartford has had student work   advance to state and national levels in the recent past.  Show what you can do this year!  Be INSPIRED!  Have an idea for a Reflections theme – submit that idea by October 18 for consideration by the NYS PTA Reflections Committee.  Ideas which are accepted receive a c a s h a w a r d .  C o n t a c t M r s . H o t v e d t a t hotvedt@roadrunner.com

If you have any PTSA questions or concerns, I can be reached at loreyzaman@yahoo.com or 315-794-4865.  Our next meeting is on October 15th in the High School library.  We will be hosting the school board that evening, so we will begin at 6:30 p.m.  Hope to see some of you there!