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Greetings Apollo Families,
I can officially say, Happy Spring! I am hopeful that during our break in March you were able to spend some time with family and friends, or simply relax. As you are aware, when we returned from break our Trimester 3 began. It is an exciting time as we enter the last trimester of the school year and the process of student registration for next year is behind us. Our juniors and some seniors are gearing up for the ACT exam that will be proctored during the school day on Tuesday, April 19th. The ACT tests are designed to measure skills that are most important for success in postsecondary education and that are acquired in secondary education. Post-secondary means after high school- whether that be college, the workforce, or the military.
With spring comes many end-of-year celebrations, culminating with the graduation ceremony of our Class of 2022. Apollo's graduation will be held at the River's Edge Convention Center on Saturday, June 4th at 11:00 am. Each student has been contacted about ordering their cap and gown for the ceremony and each graduate will be allotted tickets for their guests. All guests must have a ticket for entrance into the convention center.
Sincerely,
Principal Alicia Fischer
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Attendance Policy Updates
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The third trimester of the school year is off to a great start. We are very proud of our students for their hard work. At the beginning of third trimester, we were able to share some new attendance information to help to encourage all students to be to class on time, every hour, every day. One of the most exciting incentives we have is that if your student is on time and present for every class the first month of the trimester, they will be in a drawing for Apple Air Pods. We will do this after the first, second and third month of the trimester and each time the student meets the criteria for the month they will be in the drawing.
Something new starting third trimester is that if your student has 1 unexcused absence or 2 tardies in a week they will have lunch detention the following week. If a student has additional weeks of more than 1 unexcused absences or 2 tardies, an additional day of lunch detention will be added every week with up to 5 days of lunch detention in one week. If this continues after 5 weeks then parents will be asked to come in for a parent meeting with student and administration. If your student needs to miss school for any reason, please be sure to call our attendance line so they can get that absence excused for you. The Apollo attendance line is 320-370-8944.
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You could say that chlorine is in my blood. I’ve been a swimmer all my life. I’m a former swim coach, who is the daughter of a swim coach, who is the daughter of a swim coach. My favorite days always start in a pool. But swimming has given me more than just a way to exercise. Swimming has given me lifelong skills like work-ethic, determination, grit, confidence, and the ability to work as a team. Through my experiences, I’ve seen the power of sports and activities to transform people and communities.
As a female activities director, my dearest wish is that I can help other young women develop their strength and confidence, and activities is an ideal way to accomplish both. Sports and activities empower girls and women in so many ways. Girls in sports build physical and mental strength. Fine arts and extracurriculars empower girls to find and express their individuality. All activities help girls develop leadership skills; skills they will use in their future careers. Activities also give young women new opportunities to be engaged in school and their community. Studies also show a direct correlation between girls’ participation in activities and scholastic performance.
I am unquestionably dedicated to getting all students involved in activities, no matter their gender. Still, I am inspired by Women’s History Month to ask you, dear reader, to reach out to the girls in your lives and encourage them to find a sport or activity and try something new. I can think of no better way to celebrate the women in our lives who have empowered us. My mother, and my first swim coach, would want me to leave this message with you: empowered women, empower women. The spring athletic season is upon us, with so many opportunities for girls to get involved.
Alex Badger
Activities Director
alexandra.badger@isd742.org
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Family Conferences: Thursday, April 21st, 2022 from 4-7:30 p.m.
Apollo family conferences are an important way for families to connect with teachers and counselors regarding the academic progress of your child(ren). Due to lifted COVID restrictions, the format for spring conference will be in person. We look forward to visiting with you about your student's academic success for trimester 3.
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“Testing season” began in January and ends in May. ACCESS testing was conducted January-March for many students. ACCESS for English Language Learners Online “(ACCESS Online) is a computer-based, adaptive test that responds to student performance and may be administered in group or individual settings. This assessment is given annually to students in Grades 1-12. It tests students' language in four domains: Listening, Reading, Speaking, Writing” (https://wida.wisc.edu/assess/access/tests).
Many 11th and 12th grade students will take the ACT on April 19. “The ACT contains four multiple-choice tests—English, mathematics, reading, and science—and an optional writing test. These tests are designed to measure skills that are most important for success in postsecondary education and that are acquired in secondary education. The score range for each of the four multiple-choice tests is 1–36. The Composite score is the average of the four test scores rounded to the nearest whole number” (http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act-educator/the-act-test.html#order-reg-materials). Click here for access to sample ACT tests (scroll to the bottom of the page). Juniors will also have the opportunity to take the ACCUPLACER test later this school year. “The ACCUPLACER Simplifies Placement Decisions: ACCUPLACER makes it easier for advisors and counselors to determine whether a student is ready to take a college-level class, or if they need additional support before enrolling in credit-bearing courses.” (https://accuplacer.collegeboard.org/about/get-to-know-accuplacer). Reach out to your student’s counselor if you are interested or would like more information.
MCA’s (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments) in Reading (grade 10), Math (grade 11) and Science (grade 10) will be conducted April through May. “The Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCAs) and alternate assessment Minnesota Test of Academic Skills (MTAS) are the state tests that help districts measure student progress toward Minnesota's academic standards and also meet federal and state legislative requirements” (https://education.mn.gov › MDE › fam › tests).
- MCAs looking ahead - The window for MCAs at Apollo is as follows:
- Reading- grade 10 only: April 19
- Math- grade 11 only: April 25 to April 29
- Science- grade 10 only: May 3 to May 6
And finally, AP (Advanced Placement) exams will be conducted during the month of May. “AP ® tests are college-level exams on specific subjects and are administered upon the completion of an AP course taken at a student's high school. At many colleges and universities, a high enough score will earn the student college credit” (https://www.princetonreview.com/college/ap-information).
Whichever test your student is taking, be sure s/he comes prepared with a good night’s rest and a good breakfast the morning of.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION for April 19th: Below is a high overview of the day. More details will be sent to families as the day gets closer. Detailed information will also be shared with your student(s) in advisory and schoology.
•Seniors: 12th graders who signed up for the ACT will report to campus. Upon completion of the test students will be allowed to leave for the remainder of the day. Students who need district transportation will have a space on campus to work for the remainder of the day. The Seniors who are not signed up for the ACT will have an e-learning day where they will complete a Career and College Readiness lesson, apply for scholarships or plan campus visits.
•Juniors: 11th graders who signed up for the ACT will report to campus. Upon completion of the test students will be allowed to leave for the remainder of the day. Students who need district transportation will have a space on campus to work for the remainder of the day. The Juniors who are not signed up for the ACT will have an e-learning day where they will complete Career and College Readiness lesson(s).
•Sophomores: 10th graders will report to campus and will be taking the reading MCAs. Upon completion of the test students will participate in several activities throughout campus.
•Freshman: 9th graders will have an e-learning day where they will complete Career and College Readiness lessons.
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April 15th- NO SCHOOL (Spring Break)
April 21st- Parent/Teacher Conferences
April 25th- Apollo and Tech Choir Pop's Concert
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We wanted to inform you that on April 19th, the American College Test (ACT), a career and college readiness test, will be administered to all 11th grade students choosing this option during the regular school day at no cost to you or your student. No registration is required.
The benefits to your student include:
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They can take the ACT on a regular school day and avoid any extra transportation concerns or added stress that sometimes happens when testing in an unfamiliar environment.
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A personalized report of results which can be used to explore future career and college decisions based on their strengths, interests and opportunities.
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Students can decide how to share their results. Some may decide to send their scores to up to four post secondary institutions, or simply use them for career pathway exploration purposes.
St. Cloud Public School students will be scheduled to take the ACT on April 19, 2022 at the High Schools. Students will hear more about this opportunity at their school in the very near future and details will be forthcoming as we get closer to the event.
If you wish to decline having your child participate, please complete this form , as soon as possible.
If you have any questions or concerns, please email ACTInfo@isd742.org.
Counselors:
A-E Gretchen VanHauen gretchen.vanhauen@isd742.org
F-LE Jessica Glieden jessica.glieden@isd742.org
LF-P Richard Larson richard.larson@isd742.org
Q-Z Toni Backes toni.backes@isd742.org
9th Grade Amanda Stangel amanda.stangel@isd742.org
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Hello from the Apollo Resource Center! The RC has had a busy year, with lots of new books and keeping up with our students’ Chromebooks.
As we approach the end of the school year, we are thinking about collecting Chromebooks and chargers. Please note that ALL devices, chargers/cords, and school books must be returned by the last day of school. We’ll spend the summer updating and cleaning devices so they are ready for next year. If your child’s device is in need of repair, please be sure to let us know so we can address the issue as soon as possible. More details will be sent out in May with the process for collecting devices.
Please also note that a charger recall has been issued. If your child has an affected charger (see image), please send it to school with them. They can bring the charger to the RC for a replacement. We’d prefer to get these back before the end of the year to ensure that your child’s device is charging properly.
Finally, we will be working with senior students in April and May to transfer their documents from their 742 Google Drive to a personal drive. Students will need a personal Gmail account to transfer their documents. If your child does not have a personal Gmail account, they can create one beforehand to save time. Keep these tips in mind when creating a personal email account:
- Keep it simple. A first initial and last name is easy to remember and helpful in identifying who the email is from. If you have a common last name, you can use your full first name.
- Keep it professional. An address that you will use for resumés should not contain nicknames or numbers.
Keep it easy to pronounce. If you use this address, you’ll probably be telling it to people. Make it easier on yourself by using something that doesn’t require a lot of explanation.
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All 9th grade students at Apollo High School benefit from BARR. Building Assets Reducing Risks (BARR) is a strength-based model originally created to guide students in their transition to high school by helping them with academic and social supports and by helping them to make connections and feel welcome in our school.
Thank you St. Cloud Area Golden Gloves Boxing Inc. for making a substantial donation to help us purchase BARR T-shirts for all 9th grade BARR students and staff. Above are some pictures of our BARR T-shirt distribution. The students had so much fun!
If you have suggestions, feedback, or questions about BARR, please complete the brief questionnaire form at the link below:
Optional Parent Feedback Form
Cindy J. Rimnac
BARR Coordinator
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Congratulations to the February Students of the Month: Olivia Bisping (10), Zeinab Haidar (9), , Breanna Stueve (11), Akrama Omar (11), Jackie Leon (11), Suky Morales-Sanchez (12).
Congratulations to the March Students of the Month: Miranda Forsythe (9), Samuel Macari (12), Abdifatah Muhumed (10), Georgia Jeddeloh (10), Jamie Troches-Camacho (9), Thomas Haeg (9), Tyler Ritten (9)
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Apollo High School has been an Exemplar Status, PBIS school for over 15 years. Being a PBIS school means we utilize Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports to create a positive learning community with all of our students. The PBIS Team works with students and staff to create our School-Wide Expectations and provide Social-Emotional Learning Activities for our students.
Something you might not know is that Apollo has a PBIS Rewards Chest in the Attendance Office. It’s filled with fidget toys, blank journals, pens, pencils, coloring books, stickers - and more! Each item in the Rewards Chest can be “purchased” by our students using SOAR Slips. SOAR Slips are concrete affirmations that a student is following our School-Wide or Classroom Expectations. Staff members will fill out a SOAR Slip and give it to a student so that student understands they are valued and that we appreciate their hard work to make Apollo a great learning community.
Soon we will be adding new items to the Rewards Chest, so tell your child to get ready and keep earning those SOAR Slips!
One final celebration that we want to share is that our Junior and Senior classes both met their behavior goals for Trimester 2! Because of that, they were offered a special snack during lunch to thank them for their dedication to achieving their behavior goals. If your child is a junior or a senior, ask them about their treat! If your child is a freshman or sophomore, please review Apollo’s School-Wide Expectations with them. Thank you!
If you have any questions about PBIS, you can reach out to Nick Ferguson (PBIS Internal Coach at Apollo) or Laura Freese (AP for PBIS at Apollo). Thank you!
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Apollo High School
A 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 Sustaining Exemplar School
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Copyright © 2019, ISD 742 All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
Apollo High School
1000 44th Ave North
St. Cloud, MN 56303
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