Hello Cardinals! Well … we are rounding third and headed home! It is hard to believe that we are headed to Spring Break and then into the final quarter of the school year. And, the busiest time of the school year too! In between all of the end of the year concerts, banquets and celebrations, students and teachers must also remain focused on high standards for teaching and learning. Beginning April 18th, state testing will resume with our End of Course exams for students enrolled in English 1, English 2, Math 1, Math 2, United States History, American Government or Biology (you can read more by clicking here). Our testing schedule is being finalized and will be released after spring break. Parents and students are encouraged to ask questions about the tests and the testing process. It is also important to practice and prepare for each test. Click here to find sample test items and practice tests on the Ohio Department of Education website. With all that will be going on at our school over the next few months, it is important for students, parents and teachers to maintain open lines of communication regarding academic performance. Parents should not hesitate to contact a teacher or administrator when there is a question, concern, or celebration to share. We are all in the together – and together we’ll grow! Have a great Spring Break – please take the time to rest, relax, and reconnect with family and friends. See you on March 28th! The next TWHS Weekly News and Updates will be sent on April 1, 2016.

Have a safe and enjoyable Spring Break!

TWHS Weekly News & Updates March 17, 2016

Weekly Calendar

Friday, March 18 No School – in lieu of Parent/Teacher Conferences; Diploma Presenter forms due to Mrs. Wilson

Monday, March 21 First day of Spring Break (through March 25, 2016)

Monday, March 28 Regular Bell Schedule; Teachers’ 3rd Nine Weeks grade due at 12:00 p.m.

Tuesday, March 29 Regular Bell Schedule

Wednesday, March 30 Regular Bell Schedule

Thursday, March 31 Regular Bell Schedule

Friday, April 1 Regular Bell Schedule; 3:00 p.m. deadline for seniors to submit completed Honors Diploma form to Counseling office

TWHS Website

Thomas Worthington

High School

Home of the Cardinals

300 W. Dublin – Granville Road Worthington, Ohio 43085

TWITTER: @TWHS_Cardinals

Jim Gaskill, Principal Greg Garris, Assistant Principal Allie Seiling, Assistant Principal Gene Smith, Assistant Principal Scott Dorne, Athletic Director David Quart, School Counseling Chair Mary Mechenbier, Registrar

ATTENDANCE OFFICE

twhsattend@wscloud.org

(614) 450-6291

Ohio Governor's Regional Art Exhibition Results Congratulations to the following students: CERAMICS William Ford - Regional Selection; Addie Zeller - Regional Selection; Madison Altnoff - Regional Selection PAINTING/PHOTOGRAPHY/2D Carolyn Lalonde - Regional Selection; Owen Burnham - Regional Selection METALS / JEWELRY Marcella Chavez - Regional Selection; Sarah Corbin - Regional Selection; Brooke Richeson and Carmen Staton - State Selection!

The Regional Show will be held at the McConnell Arts Center from March 17 through May 22, 2016. A reception will be held on May 22 from 5:00 -7:00 p.m. The State Show will be held at the James A Rhodes state office tower downtown from April 17 through May 19, 2016.

Ohio Math League #6 Top 15 Scores for March 15, 2016 Click here for the list of the top 15 scores of TWHS students who participated in the Ohio Math League #6 math competition on March 15. This is a state wide event and there are a total of 6

competitions. Each high school competes and we take the top 5 scores to represent our team score. A perfect team score would be a 30 and a perfect individual score would be a 6. Click here for the names and scores of the top 5 TWHS finishers for the 6 OML competitions. We are presently tied for 6th in the state and 3rd in our district. Last year, we finished tied for 8th in the state and 3rd in our district. Dublin Jerome finished first in our district and Sycamore finished first in the state.

Senior Annie Zou scored a perfect 6 out of 6 resulting in a perfect 36 out of 36 for the entire contest. Annie is the only TWHS student over the past 10 years to earn this great accomplishment. There are presently only 2 other students in the state of Ohio as of the 5th contest to have a perfect cumulative score so Annie will at least finish in the top 3 in the state. She has been our top finisher for the past 3 years. Annie is TWHS’s only 3 time AIME qualifier as well. Congratulations to Annie! Science Olympiad Regional Tournament Results On Saturday, March 12th, TWHS students competed in Division C of the annual Science Olympiad Regional Tournament held at Grandview Heights High School. Students earned awards in the following events:

2nd in Chemistry Lab - Liv McKinney, Annie Zou; 2nd in Disease Detectives - Peter Fang, Savitha Ravi; 2nd in Dynamic Planet and 4th in Green Generation - Viraj Kumar, Liv McKinney; 2nd in Hydrogeology - Ellen Guerra, Viraj Kumar; 5th in Cell Biology - Nitin Gopinath, Annie Zou

Congratulations to all! Community Members Invited to Meet and Talk with Superintendent Dr. Trent Bowers

Dr. Trent Bowers is planning a number of Friday morning coffees to meet with the public and discuss Worthington School issues. Click here for a list of dates and locations.

Summer School Registration Summer School is offered to Worthington students as well as students from other districts. Unless stated otherwise, enrollment is based on the student's 2015-16 grade level. Classes are subject to cancellation due to insufficient enrollment. Click here for more information and to register for classes.

Gifted Advocate Newsletter Click on the Gifted Advocate Newsletter to access the 2016 winter edition. The newsletter can also be found under Gifted Services on the district website by clicking the “Academics” tab. Topics in this edition of the newsletter include various summer programs, Invention Convention, Advanced Placement exam information, upcoming Parent Transition Nights dates and other resources for parents.

District Assessment 2015-16 Newsletters and Calendars Available on Website The Academic Achievement department publishes a monthly parent assessment newsletter designed to help students and parents stay informed. Click on the December 2015 Newsletter to learn more about “Overview of Ohio’s CURRENT Graduation Requirements for current Grade 9 and Grade 10 Students.” Please refer to the article on page 2 of the newsletter for important information about students retaking an Ohio End-Of-Course Test: “Under current law all students are eligible to retake any End-of-Course State Test if they would like, or need, to earn more points. Students who earned a 1 or 2 on last year’s test will be contacted by their school to schedule them for retesting. Students earning a 3 or 4 should contact their school counselor if they would like to retest during the Spring (April 11-May 6) window.” Click here to access the district assessment calendar.

FROM THE CLASSROOM …

Materials science students have been creating Raku pottery, using an ancient Japanese method that takes advantage of redox reactions to get a metallic glaze finish. The finished products looked great!

Students enjoy a nice day outside in strength training.

SENIOR ANNOUNCEMENTS Senior Members of National Honor Society April 15th is fast approaching! Forms for senior service (20 hours) should be completed and returned by April 15th in order to ensure you receive your gold cord at graduation. Please see or email Mrs. Poleway for more information. Last Chance to Save $5 on 2016 TWHS Yearbook Order! Last chance to save $5 on your copy of the 2016 TWHS yearbook! Click here to place your order by the March 19 price increase. We plan to sell out this year so pre-order your copy today!

Congratulations to the Thomas Worthington Cardinal Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Wind Ensemble for qualifying for OMEA State Adjudicated Event over this past weekend. This marks only the third time that Thomas Worthington has qualified all 4 concert bands to State Finals. The bands are directed by Eric Doolittle and Derek Scoles. OMEA State Adjudicated Event will be held at Gahanna Lincoln High School on April 22 and 23, 2016!

This week Ms. Abram took 3 of her Honors Math 2 students to Ashland University to attend a math seminar on Magic Squares. A great group discussion with two professors followed during which time they performed and explained math behind some "card tricks". The students enjoyed themselves!

Students Rebecca Romano, Ella Savors and Aaron Zeller are pictured above and at right with TWHS Math teacher, Marissa Abram, and Ashland University professors, Christopher Swanson and Gordan Swain.

Graduation Caps and Gown Orders Available for Pick Up on April 14 – 15, 2016 The ordering window for graduation caps and gowns officially closed on February 15. If your student is planning to participate in the Thomas Worthington High School commencement ceremony on May 29, please visit www.nrpgradohio.com to make arrangements for a late order. Cap/gown orders submitted prior to the February 15th deadline will be available to pick up in the Senior Commons on April 14 & 15 between 10:20 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Please contact class adviser Lori Poleway (lpoleway@wscloud.org) if your senior is NOT participating in the ceremony so their name can be removed from the list. Forms Available to Apply for President’s Award for Excellence or Achievement and Honors Diploma The School Counseling department would like to invite your students who may be eligible to apply for the President’s Award for Excellence or Achievement. The President's Education Awards Program (PEAP) honors graduating elementary, middle and high school students for their achievement and hard work. The program has provided individual recognition from the President and the U.S. Secretary of Education to those students whose outstanding efforts have enabled them to meet challenging standards of excellence. The deadline to submit completed forms for the President’s Award for Excellence or Achievement to the Counseling office is 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 22. Also, in an effort to verify that students have met the criteria for the Honors Diploma, we are asking that students please use the Honors Diploma form to make sure they have met the established guidelines for this diploma. The deadline to submit the completed form to the Counseling office is 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 1. Click here for additional information and forms that are available on the TWHS website under the School Counseling tab. TWHS Graduation Yard Banners!!! Let your family and neighborhood know how proud you are of your TWHS graduate! Order your graduation yard banner today! Very reasonably priced and very good size and quality!! Click here for more information. Fundraiser benefits the TWHS Band Boosters!! Thanks for your support! GO CARDS!! Diploma Presenters for Graduation Every year, each graduate is given the opportunity to choose a diploma presenter who has been influential in his/her life. The special person that each senior selects must be a current or former Worthington City School's employee. The person you select will be invited to present your diploma to you at Commencement on Sunday, May 29, 2016. In order to request the person you would like as your diploma presenter, you must turn in your request on the red form handed out during the Senior Class Meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016. Forms not picked up at the meeting will be delivered through classes or mailed home. There is NO need to ask the person you are requesting ahead of time. The diploma presenter coordinator, Mrs. Wilson, will do that for you. Forms must be submitted to either Mrs. Wilson in Room 198, or to Mrs. Johnson in the Principal's Office by Friday, March 18, 2016. Due to the time and effort involved in inviting these individuals and in organizing this addition to the Commencement ceremony, your cooperation in meeting this deadline is imperative. If you do not request a guest presenter, a member of the Worthington Board of Education will present your diploma. Please see Mrs. Wilson, Room 198, or email her at mwilson@wscloud.org, with any questions concerning this process.

Attention Seniors: All Outstanding Fees and Fines Must Be Cleared ASAP All final student fees/fines must be cleared in order for a senior to receive a diploma at the Commencement Ceremony, receive a final grade card by mail, and for final transcript requests to be processed. All

unpaid fees and fines (which include the $65 Instructional fee, $35 Senior fee, library books, textbooks, athletic and activity participation fees, missing athletic uniforms or gear) must be settled and paid in full as soon as possible. For questions regarding an outstanding balance, please contact: Academic/Activity: Cathy Shaw, Finance Office, at cshaw@wscloud.org or call 450-6272 Textbooks: Kathie Volpe, Central Office, at kvolpe@wscloud.org or call 450-6261 Library books: Lori Poleway at LPoleway@wscloud.org or call 450-6278 Athletic fees/uniforms: Athletic Office -Susan Heberling at sheberling@wscloud.org or call 450-6288, or -Pat Stegman at pstegman@wscloud.org or call 450-6285

PARENT TEACHER STUDENT ORGANIZATION (PTSO) PTSO Meeting Dates Set for 2015-16 – Please Join Us! All PTSO meetings are on Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. in the TWHS Principal's Conference Room (Room 127). Everyone is welcome - please join us! The 2015-16 meeting schedule for the school year is: September 8, October 13, November 10, December 8, January 12, February 9, March 8, April 12 and May 10. PTSO to Elect New Officers It's that time in our school calendar that we say farewell to some of our PTSO officers. Cristina Brandt and Jeannette Haunty have been Thomas Worthington's Co-Presidents since the beginning of the 2014-2015 school year. As with all PTSO positions, each lasts for two years. We are also seeking a member(s) to volunteer as Vice-President, also a two-year position. Elections for these two empty positions will be held at the May PTSO meeting on Tuesday, May 10, 2016 at 6 p.m. in room 127. If you are interested in knowing more about PTSO and filling one of these positions, please contact Cristina Brandt at cissieb64@yahoo.com for more information.

Join Us at Subway Restaurant on March 17 and Support TWHS PTSO! On Thursday, March 17, the Subway restaurant, 905 High Street, (corner of High and North Streets), is going to donate 15% of their profits to our PTSO! All that you have to do is present this flyer or simply mention that you are ordering to support the TWHS PTSO at any time on March 17 with your purchase. For more information about the fundraiser, please click here.

Sign Up for Kroger Community Rewards® and Help Support PTSO! Shop at your favorite Kroger store and support the TWHS PTSO at the same time! Click Sign In or Create an Account to Enroll. Once you have created your account, Go to Community Rewards. Click Enroll. In the box under Find your Organization, enter “Thomas” to locate and select the Thomas Worthington H.S. PTSO button. Click Enroll. Thank you for your support! PTSO Memberships Available Our PTSO needs your support! Please consider joining our organization and help our parent volunteers with fun activities for students and staff, supplies for teachers and scholarships for seniors at the end of each year. Click on the following link to access the membership form: PTSO Membership Form.

SCHOOL COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Attention 11th Grade Parents/Guardians: Important Immunization Change for 2016-2017 The Ohio Department of Health has recently updated the immunization requirements for students. Beginning with the 2016-2017 school year, Ohio Law (ORC 3313.671) requires all 12thgrade students receive two (2) doses of the Meningococcal vaccine. If the first dose was given after the 16th birthday, only one dose is required. Meningococcal vaccine helps protect against meningitis, a bacterial infection that affects the spinal fluid and lining of the brain.

Your student may have already had these immunizations. Please check with your student’s doctor to determine if they have been completed. If they have not, immunizations may be obtained from your doctor, at the health department, or at any urgent care center. Please have your student drop off the updated record in the TWHS Health Office as soon as possible, or it can be faxed directly to TWHS Fax 614-450-6393. Ohio law also requires schools to exclude students who do not have documentation of the immunizations. Please go to www.odh.ohio.gov/, or contact me if you have questions. BEAT THE SUMMER RUSH AND HAVE YOUR CHILD IMMUNIZED NOW! Gretchen s Hancock RN, MSN TWHS School Nurse Email: ghancock@wscloud.org Last Chance to Save $5 on 2016 TWHS Yearbook Order! Last chance to save $5 on your copy of the 2016 TWHS yearbook! Click here to place your order by the March 19 price increase. We plan to sell out this year so pre-order your copy today!

Cardinal Theatre Production, Alice in Wonderland – April 8, 9 – 7:00 p.m. Alice in Wonderland By Jason Pizzarello From the Stories of Lewis Carroll After Alice tumbles down a mysterious rabbit hole, she finds herself in a strange land where everyone is raving mad. A more faithful version of Lewis Carroll's classic tale that reimagines the experience of Wonderland, and ends with an unexpected excitement. Click here for the 2015-16 Thomas Worthington High School Theatre Repertory. Attention Parents/Guardians of 17 and 18-Year Old Male Students Federal law requires all men living in the U.S. to register with Selective Service within a month of their 18th birthday. Registering keeps males eligible for federal student grants or college loans, job training benefits, many state and federal jobs, citizenship for immigrants, and driver's license renewal in most states. You can register online at www.sss.gov, at any post office, or by using your smart phone. If further information is needed, you may contact the school’s Registrar at mmechenbier@wscloud.org.

Empty Bowl Soup Supper TWHS students enrolled in Ceramics and Food and Fitness classes made bowls and soup for the Empty Bowl Project held on February 26. This is a yearly fundraiser and all proceeds go to the Worthington Food Pantry (WFP). The WFP organization works to help fight hunger problems in our community. Over $700 was raised during this year’s fundraiser – thank you to the school community for your generosity and support!

Please Check Your Student’s Account Balance at MyPaymentsPlus.com Parents/guardians, please check your student’s current balance for any outstanding fees for current year and/or prior years. All current fees and outstanding fines and/or fees are to be paid via the online payment system, www.MyPaymentsPlus.com. For questions regarding an outstanding balance, please contact: Academic/Activity: Cathy Shaw, Finance Office, at cshaw@wscloud.org or call 450-6272 Textbooks: Kathie Volpe, Central Office, at kvolpe@wscloud.org or call 450-6261 Library books: Lori Poleway at LPoleway@wscloud.org or call 450-6278 Athletic fees/uniforms: Athletic Office -Susan Heberling at sheberling@wscloud.org or call 450-6288, or -Pat Stegman at pstegman@wscloud.org or call 450-6285

Wake Up TW!!!!! Need some extra motivation to get up for school in the morning? Subscribe to our daily text messages using the link below. Each weekday morning you will receive a motivational quote to start your day.

remind.com/join/wakeuptw

Online Application Process Available for New Volunteers in Worthington School District The Worthington City Schools District now offers an online application process for parents/guardians and community members who would like to volunteer in the school building(s). To begin the application process, click on the “School Volunteer Background Checks” icon that is also located under “Quick Links” from either the district website or TWHS website. Once the background screening is complete, the volunteer will receive an email indicating they are approved and will be directed to come to the Worthington Education Center to have their photo taken. Existing approved volunteers are not required to complete this process until their ID Badge expires. Upcoming Events Include: March 17: End of 3rd grading period March 17: PTSO Fundraiser at Subway Restaurant – all day March 18: No School – in lieu of Parent/Teacher Conferences March 18: Diploma Presenter forms due March 21-25: No School – Spring Break March 28: Teachers’ 3rd Nine Weeks grade due at 12:00 p.m. April 1: Deadline for seniors to submit completed Honors Diploma form to Counseling office by 3:00 p.m. April 6: Academic Honors Ceremony & Breakfast, Auditorium/Library – 6:50 a.m. April 8-9: Cardinal Theatre Production, Alice in Wonderland – 7:00 p.m. April 12: PTSO Meeting, Conference Room 127 – 6:00 p.m. April 13: Pre-State Band Concert, Auditorium – 7:30 p.m. April 14: Graduation Cap & Gown order pick-up, Senior Commons – 10:20 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. April 15: Graduation Cap & Gown order pick-up, Senior Commons – 10:20 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. April 15: Completed National Honor Society forms for senior service (20 hours) due to Mrs. Poleway April 20: Extended 2nd Period Bell Schedule – Prom nominations April 21: Talent Show, Auditorium – 7:00 p.m. April 22: Deadline for seniors to submit completed President’s Award for Excellence or Achievement forms to Counseling office by 3:00 p.m. April 28: Spring Vocal Concert, Auditorium – 7:30 p.m. April 30: Gary Smith Track Invitational April 30: Deadline to order graduation banner May 29, 2016: Graduation Ceremony at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, Battelle Grand Hall – 4:00 p.m.