Have a Great Sping Break!

Read, Rest, and Rejuvanate.  See you in April!

Spring Break Alert

Next week is spring break.  It feels like we’ve just got started.  Many families will be travelling this week.  If you have the opportunity, be sure and work in a college visit.  My niece and I stopped by University of Alabama on our way to the Gulf Shores one year.  She is a BIG Bama football fan.  As much as we loved the beach, I think she would say taking those few hours to visit the college were pretty awesome.  She eventually chose to attend a college closer to home.  Taking the trip alleviated any question of “what if?” for her.

Our son knew he wanted to be an engineer.  He had picked out colleges, Purdue, MIT, and Georgia Tech, which he wanted to attend.  We supported his decision, but also made him visit in-state schools in case he was not admitted into one of those.  My husband’s family is from Georgia.  On a trip to their house we stopped at Georgia Tech.  I was wowed.  Here was a small college feel (it reminded me of Berea College), nestled in one of the busiest cities in our country.  If you are planning a trip to Atlanta, be sure and eat at The Varsity.

If you are not travelling out of state next week, take some time and visit some local colleges.  Start with Georgetown.  KY State, UK, Transy, EKU, and Berea are all very close.  Did you know Berea College is FREE?  You must be below a certain income level in order to attend.  It is work based meaning all their students work on campus.  If you travel to Berea, be sure and have lunch at Papaleno’s.  YUM!

If you can’t squeeze in a college visit this next week, be sure and have your student grab a good book.  Let’s keep reading!

As we finish the 3^rd nine weeks grading period this week, I’ll leave you with a John Wooden quote.

“Don't be content with average because average is just as close to the bottom as it is to the top”. - John Wooden

Let’s finish this week closer to the top!

MARCH MADNESS

I love this time of year.  Spring is just around the corner and UK is on its quest to have an undefeated season.  Do you participate in the NCAA brackets?  This would be a great opportunity for you and your student to research different colleges.  All colleges will have a web-site.  Have your student explore it.  Does it have a major which fits his/her interests?  How far away from home is it?  How many of its students receive financial aid?  What does the admission application look like?  What types of extra-curricular activities are offered?  How are their sports teams?  I had never heard of Gonzaga until the year they entered the tournament.  Gonzaga, by the way, is located in Spokane, Washington and their basketball team is 32-2 going into the tournament.  We have some great colleges in KY.  The next couple of weeks can provide you and your student an opportunity to learn and research some other schools.  Use these next couple of weeks not just to focus on basketball, but on the colleges they represent.  GO CATS!

Taking Care of the Little Things

As we prepare to tackle the last third of the school year, I came across a blog by John Maxwell on success.
Help us teach your kids it's the little things in life which make a big difference.

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO WHAT YOU DO DAILY

BY JOHN C. MAXWELL.
JANUARY 14, 2015
How would you describe your life? Are you achieving what you desire? Are you accomplishing the things that are important to you? Do you consider yourself a success? How do your prospects look for the future?

If I could come to your house and spend just one day with you, I would be able to tell whether or not you will be successful. You could pick the day. If I got up with you in the morning and went through the day with you, watching you for 24 hours, I could tell in what direction your life is headed.

When I tell this to people at conferences, there's always a strong reaction. Some people are surprised. Some get defensive because they think I would be making a snap judgment about them. A few get ticked off because they think my claim sounds arrogant. Others are intrigued and desire to know why I make such a statement.

Here is why: I believe that the secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda. If you make a few key decisions and then manage them well in your daily agenda, you will succeed. You will never change your life until you change something you do daily. You see, success, doesn't just suddenly occur one day in someone's life. For that matter, neither does failure. Each is a process. Every day of your life is merely preparation for the next. What you become is the result of what you do today. In other words... You are preparing for something.

The question is, What are you preparing for? Are you grooming yourself for success or failure? As my father used to tell me when I was growing up, "You can pay now, and play later, or you can play now and pay later. But either way, you are going to pay." The idea was that you can play and take it easy and do what you want today, but if you do, your life will be harder later. However, if you work hard now, on the front end, then you will reap rewards in the future.

Think about it: What are you preparing for today? Success or failure? Does your daily agenda indicate that you make a habit of paying before you play? Answering these questions is a good predictor of what you will become tomorrow and in the future.

From Today Matters

We are two-thirds through the school year!

Beginning Monday, your student will receive a schedule request for next year.  Can you believe it is time to start planning for the sophomore year?

Please read the request form carefully.  Your student has the opportunity to take an early morning class.  The class begins at 7:30 and ends in time for 1^st period.  It is often referred to as zero hour.  Transportation is not provided so if you are interested you must bring your student to school.  Class choices for zero hour are AP World History, Geometry, Spanish 2, and World Civilization.  By taking a zero hour course your student has the option of leaving school after sixth period.  Once again, transportation is not provided.  Several students take advantage of this in order to work after school.

If your student does not score on or above grade level on the MAP test, he/she may be scheduled for a study skills class.  This class is not an option.  It is a class geared toward helping your student grow in the areas of math or reading.  The most important test your student will ever take is the ACT as a junior.  Learning strategies to be successful on it is a good thing.  Your student may be pre-scheduled for a study skills class now; however, that could change depending on how he/she will do on the spring MAP test.

The other neat thing about scheduling is all the electives your student can choose.  Scott County High School offers anything from computer science to environmental science, from strength and conditioning to the arts, from money skills and relationships to world languages, from agriculture and ROTC to business and journalism, just tons of options!

Schedule request forms are due next Monday, March 9^th to the 1^st period teacher.  This is a great week to discuss career options with your student.  What does your student want to do?  What classes will help him/her to achieve that goal?

If it looks like your student may fail a 9^th grade class, contact me soon – jonda.tippins@scott.kyschools.us or 502-863-4635.  Allow me to share some options with you.   

I hope you will join me in doing some 70 degree dancingJ.  Spring is just around the corner!