Good evening RAMFAM! This is your proud Parkside principal, Brian Briggs. We had a great week here at Parkside and here are just a few highlights:
· Congratulations to our Parkside Marching RAMS on another great performance yesterday at the Naval Academy! They continue to build and expand on an already impressive show. Huge shoutout to Mr. Adams for his leadership and to all the parents who help support our band, we couldn’t do this without you!
· Highly effective instruction continues to occur in our classrooms as we are fortunate to have an amazing Parkside CTE staff that does their absolute best to make sure that our students are receiving the best instruction possible. This week we highlighted: Criminal Justice students learning about advanced interrogation techniques in Mr. Kaiser’s class, Zentangle and graphite still life artwork in Mrs. Carter’s classes, a de-stress scavenger hunt in Mr. Ayers Psychology classes, Hispanic Heritage Month activities in Senora Holdren’s Spanish classes, and Rice Krispie treat cooking activities in Mrs. Zanette/Parker/Mr. Weiss classes.
I am a big believer in communication and making sure that everyone knows what is happening here at Parkside, home of the RAMS. See below for important updates/reminders and dates over the next few months.
Important dates upcoming:
· October 11th – Jostens Senior Class meeting – 10:35 in Auditorium
· October 16th – CTE PAC Dinner
· October 17th – Early Dismissal Day for students (11:45 dismissal)
· October 18th – Schools closed for students
· October 23rd – PSAT for 10th graders (and 9th and 11th graders who sign up and pay for it)…this will be an asynchronous day for all students not taking the PSAT.
· October 28th 4-6 PM – Class visitation
· November 8th – 1st marking period ends, also Early Dismissal Day (11:45)
Updates/Reminders:
· Mid-Term Progress reports were handed out Friday morning, October 4th (also posted online on October 3rd). Please make sure you talk with your child about their grades at midterm and if you need tutoring, please let us know so we can get them signed up for our after-school program Step-Up, where they can get tutoring.
· Senior Application Night
Reminder: Senior Application Night – Don’t Miss Out!
Seniors and families, don't forget to register and attend Senior Application Night that will be held on Wednesday, October 9th from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Perdue Henson Junior Achievement Center (301 Tilghman Road; Salisbury, MD 21804).
This event is perfect for students currently working on, or thinking about, college applications.
At Senior Application Night, you'll learn about:
- The college admissions process
- Paying for college, including FAFSA and scholarships
- Writing a standout essay
- Workshops designed to support your success
You'll also have time to:
- Work on your college essays and receive feedback from teachers
- Work in SchooLinks and get assistance with the Common and Coalition applications from staff
Be sure to bring your school-issued laptop to work on these important tasks.
Please register by Monday, September 7th by using the following link: https://bit.ly/srnitereg .
Come prepared to get ahead with expert guidance! We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday, October 9th.
· College & Career Training Fair
Middle & High School Families: You're Invited!
Join us for the College & Career Training Fair on Tuesday, October 15th, from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. at James M. Bennett High School (300 East College Ave, Salisbury, MD 21804). This is a great opportunity to plan for your future!
Please register for a barcode before the fair at www.StriveFair.com. During the fair, colleges will scan your barcode to send you more information about their schools. The day after the fair, you will receive a report with information on the colleges with whom you scanned.
At the fair, you can:
- Learn about the college admissions process
- Explore college academics, student life, and extracurriculars
- Discover high school programs like CTE, VPA, TAM, Dual Enrollment, and AP
- Get info on career training and military service options
- Learn about class scheduling and graduation requirements
Workshops (6:00 - 6:35 p.m. & 6:50 - 7:25 p.m.):
- Paying for College/FAFSA Info
- Writing a Resume & Interview Tips
Spanish and Haitian Creole interpreters will be available. Parking is at both entrances off College Avenue.
We hope to see you on Tuesday, October 15th!
· College Essay Support
Good News for Seniors Working on College Essays!
Mr. Bright and Mrs. Hazzard are available to review your college essays and provide feedback through Tuesday, December 31.
Here’s how it works:
- Email Mr. Bright at cbright@mywcps.org -or- Mrs. Hazzard at ahazzard@mywcps.org to let them know you’d like them review your essay.
- They will add you to a Google Classroom assignment where you’ll upload your essay, the writing prompt, and any questions or comments you have.
- They will provide suggestions and feedback to help you improve your essay before submitting it.
While you’re welcome to ask other teachers for feedback, Mr. Bright & Mrs. Hazzard are part of this specific project and are excited to support you!
· Parkside is gearing up to meet with college admission’s representatives from all over the country! College Rep Visits are open to all juniors and seniors. Attendance is excused for students who participate. Students are responsible for any work missed or assigned during the visit. Please see the attached instructions regarding how to sign-up, as well as the current list of visits already scheduled.
Sign up for college rep visits
· Friday, October 11th – JOSTENS will be at Parkside to meet with seniors at 10:35 am. Information will be shared regarding ordering cap& gown, senior class ring, senior apparel, graduation announcements, etc. Students should report to FLEX and wait for the announcement to be called. Information will be made available for pick up after 4th period for any student who is unable to attend the meeting.
· Wednesday, October 16th – JOSTENS will visit Parkside during all 4 lunch shifts. Students will be able to place orders for their cap & gown and any other items they would like to have to commemorate their senior year. Students may visit JOSTENS’ website at any time to explore what they have to offer. Details have been posted in their Google Classroom. Students will have the opportunity to place orders throughout the school year and will be reminded of deadlines.
Testing Updates:
· On Wednesday, October 23rd, we will be administering the PSAT to all 10th graders and any 9th or 11th grade students who signed up and paid to take the PSAT. All other 9th, 11th and 12th grade students will not attend school that day, but will instead complete asynchronous work at home through their Google Classrooms. Teachers will assign work for them to complete at home for that day. If your student has difficulty accessing the internet please have them request a paper copy of the assignment from their teacher. Students taking the PSAT test that day will be exempt from asynchronous assignments. More information will be forthcoming regarding pick up times for test takers on October 23rd and bus departure times for those students who need to ride a bus home.
Thank you again RAMFAM for all you do! I am so proud to work with so many great students, families, and staff.
Thanks,
Brian