Red Lodge High School -In the News

January2016 Update

Red Lodge High School -In the News

for

Continued Academic Excellence

Dear RLHS Parents,

Happy New Year! RLHS parents and students we continue to encourage you to access student grades and attendance on line via our Infinite Campus Parent Grade Portal.This portal continues toprovide parents and students the opportunity to log in from any Internet capable computer or smart phone and check their student’s grades, attendance, and schedules. A reminder that Parents only need a single login to see all of their students K-12 in school. Specific access information along with detailed step-by-step directions can be obtained by calling the RLHS Office at 446-1903. RLHS students receive their own access codes and similar information, which provides direct access to their specific per course grades. We will continue to provide information for both parents and students on our district website at wwwredlodgeschoolwires.com.We hope this service continues to enable students and parents to be aware of the progress their students are making in their courses.

Sincerely

Rex Ternan, RLHS Principal

RLHS Parents

Please NOTE

~No School~

*January 20 No School For all K-12 Students*

PIR / Teacher Professional Development scheduled

New Semester #2 Begins January 21.

Red Lodge High School Top 15% of Montana High Schools scoring above state averages on recent results of the SBAC (Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium). The assessment covered Math and English/Language Arts and Writing skills. As per Montana State Office of Public Instruction requirements, the SBAC will no longer be administered for 9-12 grade students. Beginning this spring the ACT College Entrance exam will now be used for Montana High School’s state required assessment. Red Lodge High School will again administer the ACT exam this spring for all 11th grade students at no costs. Students who desire to re-take the ACT can access testing sites via the ACT exam website.

Red Lodge High School Is In The Spotlight for Academic Excellence

Recently National Newsweek Magazine RankedRLHS 313th out of the top 500 High Schools in the US and 2ndout of 4 ranked by Newsweek throughout the state in Montana.

*Latest-K12 Niche.com* has publishedK-12 School and District Rankings

Niche ranks more than 100,000 public and private schools and districts based on dozens of statistics and 27 million opinions from 300,000 students and parents.

Best Public High Schools in Montana

Best Public High Schools ranks 14,431 high schools based on dozens of key statistics and 4.6 million opinions from 280,000 students and parents. A high ranking indicates that the school is an exceptional academic institution with a diverse set of high-achieving students who rate their experience very highly. An additional 834 schools received a grade but were not eligible for ranking. The list includes magnet, charter, and online schools.

•4 Red Lodge High School Red Lodge,MT Niche ranked Red Lodge High School 4th in MT for Best Public High Schools!

•5 Bozeman High School Bozeman, MT Niche ranked Bozeman High School 5th in MT for Best Public High Schools!

Published by U.S NEWS and World Report Magazine

America’sBESTHigh Schools

2015 Red Lodge High School was Nationally Recognized as a

Top Performing Public High School Ranking #2 in the State of Montana

and In the Top 6% Nationally By U.S. News and World Report

RLHS GREEN TEAM SCORES A SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEM GRANT

The Red Lodge High School Green Team was just notified by Northwestern Energy that they have been awarded $42,500 for a 16kW solar-PV system from a grant application submitted by KrynDykema (2015 RLHS Graduate, currently attending Emory University) last spring. Once installed, the solar array is projected to provide 21,000kWh of electricity yearly. Kryn specifically identified in the application “Red Lodge High School will incorporate the system into the curriculum and monitor output regularly. Data from the system can be used to monitor trends in power usage for the High School. Analysis of the data will be use as a real-world exercise in the Mathematics, Science, Industrial Arts, Agriculture and Business curriculums.” The Green Team is excited to accept the grant and is currently putting the final touches on a fundraising plan to raise $7,500 for the system installation. Stay tuned for additional information regarding this exciting and sustainable project.

Frequently Asked QuestionsFrom Parents

About High School

The followingrepresents a sampling of questions that the RLHS Teachers, Counselors and Office personnel tend to answer for parents. The answers are meant to inform and act as ageneral guideline. Please call/or visit the RLHS Office for specific information regarding your student that may not be addressed in the information below.

1. What does my child need to graduate and how can I make sure he or she is on track to graduate?

RLHS High School diploma requirements are listed in detail in the "Graduation Requirements" section of the RLHS Student Handbook located on the redlodgeschoolwires.com website. The Four-Year Plan document that your students brings home each spring for you to look over and sign will also help guide you and your student to make choices to ensure success in the future. In addition, a minimum of 20 hours community/volunteer service must be recorded as a requirement for an RLHS diploma. The current senior class is exempt from this requirement all current 9-11 grade students will need to reflect community service hours on their individual transcripts.

Aside from looking over the listed credit and testing requirements for earning a Montana/RLHS diploma, there are several ways that parents are encouraged tomonitor their student's progress. The following are some suggestions to foster success in your child while he or she moves towards graduation.

* Attend Open House in early fall to meet teachers and get information from the grade level meetings conducted by our teachers and counselor.

* Be aware of progress and report card issue dates as posted on the district calendar. During parent/teacher conference times (Oct and late Feb or early March) report cards can be obtained by stopping at the office and attending conferences; otherwise, all report cards and progress reports will be mailed home.

* Monitor your student's attendance so that he /she is not in attendance trouble at the end of the semester.We highly encourage parents to continually access student’s grades and attendance on line via our Infinite Campus Parent Grade Portal. This portal continues to provide parents and students the opportunity to log in from any Internet capable computer and check their students grades, attendance, and schedules. Reports about attendance can be obtained by contacting Deb Smedsrud, RLHS Secretary.

*Review your child's 4-Year Plan in the spring of each year. This is when counselors meet one-on-one with every student to determine course and career planning. Understanding the process of selecting courses and how that translates into post secondary planning will surely assist you in helping your child prepare for the future.

*Contact your child's teachers and/or counselor during the year to get information or assistance. If contact is not made until the end of the grading period or semester, it may be moredifficult to implement strategies for success.

2. What does my student need to take to be ready to start at a 4 -year college?

In addition to the general Montana and Red Lodge High Schools graduation requirements, 4-year college bound students need to be aware of some additionalguidelines about preparation in high school. Students that intend to start at a 4-year college should consider taking 4-year college prep math including Algbera 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 (up to only Algebra 2 is “required” for an RLHS diploma) and another college prep math like Trigonometry/ Pre-Calculus and Advanced Calculus.4-year colleges will also encourage students to have taken Physical Science and 3 additional lab sciences. These are general preparation requirements--see your student's counselor for more information.

3. When is the next SAT or ACT? Which one should my student take?

Both SAT and ACT are widely used and accepted college entrance examinations. Information on test dates can be found at ACT.org and Collegeboard.orgHave your student speak to his/her counselor before registering to obtain moreinformation about testing. Juniors will test at RLHS in the spring. If they wish to improve their overall scores, they should test again in the fall of their senior year.ACT seems to fit our curriculum best, but our students also do well on the SAT.

4. I have a senior and we are interested in scholarships. How do you go about getting scholarship information to students?

The guidance counselor coordinates our Scholarship process. Scholarship information is advertised on this website and on the Scholarship Center in the senior hallway. It is the student's responsibility to search through available scholarships and apply for the specific awards. Students maypick up paper applications from the pockets in the center and/or they may apply directly through the links online.Students that do not apply for scholarships will not be awarded scholarship money! Please encourage your child to apply to as many opportunities as they are qualified for. Please encourage your senior to stop by and visit RLHS GuidanceCounselor, Susan Fischer for more information so that the maximum amount of scholarships can be earned!

5. What is this I've heard about my student needing to pick a major? What if she doesn't know what she wants to do right now?

In the spring semester of 10th grade, students can select a pathway. Beginning in elementary school and throughout middle school, students begin exploring career areas and clusters. In high school, students are asked to consider a pathway by the end of 10th grade to give the student's career exploration and college preparation classes a focus.

6. How can I have my child take the PSAT (Preliminary SAT)? Does the ACT offer a practice test like the SAT does with the PSAT?

Red Lodge High School offers the PSAT each fallfor college bound 10th and 11th grade students that register. This test is a practice SAT that offers detailed feedback on test results. RLHS will give this test on the national test date in October and registration will be done in the Guidance Office in the weeks preceding the test date. There is a cost to register and that is usually around $15. In 11th grade, student PSAT scores are screened for qualifying in the National Merit Scholarship program. march2success.com, alloffer free practicefor the ACT, PLAN, SAT and PSAT

7. I am interested in learning how to order a class ring for my student. How is the school involved with that process?

Each year, RLHS partners with the Jostens ring representatives to provide an informational meeting to all 12th gradersabout ring orders through Jostens. Packets are sent home and the ring representatives return several times in the spring to collect ring orders.

8. How do I get a cap and gown for my senior to wear at graduation?

Students are encouraged to order early to ensure that they have what they need at graduation time and to avoid potential late fees.Jostens is the company that RLHS uses for caps/gowns, invitations and graduation announcements. They will be on campus to takeorders in early fall each year. There will be announcements and signs to make sure all seniors are aware of the meeting. Students should besure to order your cap and gown--this is required to participate in the graduation ceremony! If you have questions please contact Senior Advisor, Libby Johnson or High School Secretary, Deb Smedsrud at 446-1903

Building the Foundation for a Healthy Teen & Parent Relationship

Spend time with your children and teens.

Spend time with your kids, engaged in activities that suit their ages and interests. Shared experiences build a bank account of affection and trust that forms the basis for future communication. Eat together as often as you can. Meals are a great opportunity to talk about the day’s events and to grow closer with your children. Use the time for conversation, not confrontation. Read, watch TV or movies, and surf the internet together. Exercise or play sports as a family. Get involved in community service with your kids.

Help teens gain a sense of self-confidence.

Self-confidence is earned, not given. Give kids opportunities to learn skills and gain confidence. Offer praise for jobs well done, accentuate the positive, emphasize the things your children do right. If they fall short, suggest ways to improve; don’t criticize. Affection and respect will reinforce good behavior (and change bad) far more successfully than fear or embarrassment.

Encourage your teens to get involved in fun, safe, fulfilling activities.

Help your children to identify their strengths, talents, and interests and to find opportunities in which these assets can be developed. Encourage them to volunteer in the community, join a youth group, or participate in arts or sports. It will give them a sense of accomplishment, connect them to positive peers and adult leaders, and – not least of all – keep them busy

RLHS Business Professionals of America

Continue To Take Top Honors at Regionals

Theresa Reimer Advisor

ENGAGING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

TO MAKE AN IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY

The Future of Montana Volunteer Corps:

Matches student interests to local volunteering opportunities with local non-profit organizations
Ensures diverse volunteer options, educational opportunities, safety, and a large variety of incentives
Collaborates with local schools to promote character building, youth leadership, and community involvement
Students gain experience for future pursuits such as applying for jobs and college
Non-profit organizations gain access to an organized volunteer pool for events, routine tasks and small jobs

Incentives

Students who complete volunteer hours will be part of drawings for gift cards and enjoy volunteerrecognition celebrations
Volunteer hours will be tracked by the program for future use on college or job application
Program will provide volunteering students with letters of recommendation

Sign up and get started:

1. Fill out the Volunteer-Packet.

2. Find a volunteer opportunity on our youth volunteering page.

3. Text/call(406)426-0419 or email your interest.

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