Cyclone Connect

Cyclone Families-

We are excited to see your students next week! Our teachers, counselors, support staff, & custodians have been working hard to prepare our building for their return.

Please partner with us and encourage your students to check their email regularly as it's a major communication tool at Ottawa High School and will be in their world post-high school. We will also send monthly newsletters to families and use our website/social media outlets and Skyward as means to communicate.

We have many academic and extra-curricular opportunities for students. I encourage you to take a few moments to explore those options on our website by clicking the activities tab. In addition, we will host an activity fair at the end of the month as part of our Open House.

As we move through this school year, please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions! We look forward to partnering with you during the upcoming school year. We appreciate every one of you!

*IMPORTANT: This message is ONLY for incoming 9th grade & all other new/first time OHS students*

Good morning, new Cyclones!

We are so excited to welcome you to OHS on Monday, August 14th, for the New Student & Freshman half day from 7:45am-12pm.

We will kick off our morning with donuts and juice as you meet many of the educators that will be working with you this school year. You will receive your new Chromebook, learn about ways to get involved and start off well at OHS, and hear from upper-class students sharing their experiences and advice. Then we will assist you as you walk through your schedule and meet your teachers. We will wrap up the day with hot dogs, chips, and soda in the Cyclone Room.

FYI:

• If you need bus transportation, be sure to have completed the bus enrollment form as part of the enrollment process. You can find bus forms and other transportation information here (scroll to the bottom of the page). https://www.usd290.org/page/enrollment-information If you have additional questions about transportation, please call the transportation department at 785-229-8040.

• There is no official OHS supply list - standard supplies like notebooks, paper, folders, pencils, etc. will be helpful to start the school year. Individual teachers may suggest other supplies once the school year starts.

• Please bring your Chromebook, charger, and a screenshot of your schedule.

If you have any additional questions, please let me know.

We cannot wait to see you on the 14th! We are going to have a great year together!

Go Cyclones!

Dr. Johnny Lewis

Assistant Principal - Ottawa High School

785-229-8020 ext. 2143

lewisjo@usd290.org

On Tuesday, August 15th students will begin their day by spending 25 minutes in each of their class periods. Students will then check-in with their Advisory teacher before moving to the North Gym for our 1st Renaissance Rally of the year! Next, students will enjoy lunch before moving through 4 stations with their grade-level.

Station 1- Dr. Lewis & Mr. Phillips will address students with behavior expectations, bullying, Title IX information, and so much more!

Station 2- Mrs. Kane will lead each grade level group in a differentiated activity planned by our students as they make a recommitment to graduate!

Station 3- Mrs. Whittaker will discuss Cyclone Hour & Academic expectations.

Station 4- Our OHS counseling team will gather the students for a class picture, hand out snacks, and play a game!

Thank you to the Ottawa High School Renaissance Program for thinking outside the box and planning our day!

Schedule changes can be requested and considered through Friday, August 18th if the request meets the criteria below.

Schedule changes will ONLY be granted for the following reasons:

• Class needed for graduation

• Class needed to fill an incomplete schedule for the first semester only (Counselors will meet with students at a later date to fill second-semester incomplete schedules)

• Class needed to meet minimum Kansas Honors curriculum, pathway completer status, and OHS Honors designations

• Scheduled in a course for which they already have credit

• Enrolled in a course for which the student does not have the prerequisite

All schedules are subject to change from the OHS Counseling for the following reasons:

• A change needed to balance class size

• Review of transcript requires a specific schedule change

NOTE: No teacher change requests will be granted

Check out OHS social media to see pictures of each new Staffulty member that is being shared throughout today!

Dr. Johnny Lewis- Assistant Principal

Regan Headrick- Counselor A-J

Deanna Brown- Bookkeeper

Dustin Mortenson- OLC Teacher

Brock Huddleston- OHS Special Education Teacher

Morgan Paddock- Culinary Arts Teacher

Jen Fernandez- Spanish Teacher at OMS & OHS

Rebecca Ward- English Teacher

Emily Hampton- English Teacher

Aliks Serna- Math Teacher

Nancy Tooley- Math Teacher

Remember, this is a time for students to access their teachers during the instructional day and allows them to self-direct their learning and academic needs.

All students will participate in Focus Days which will be the first day of the week. Students will report to their Advisory Teacher for grade-checks and email pauses then report to lunch.

9th graders will participate in a 9th Grade BootCamp for the first nine weeks, easing into Cyclone Hour. While 10th-12th graders spend the first few weeks with their Advisory teacher before transitioning into Cyclone Hour as we've done in the past.

Parents/Guardians of 11th graders: Just a Reminder Notice to ALL 11th Grade Parents

Below is the required information for immunizations that are due for your students- 11th graders for the 2023-2024 school year.

• Meningococcal (MCV4): one dose is required at 11 years of age with a booster dose at 16 years of age.

• First dose is required for 7th grade, and the 2nd dose is required for 11th grade. ( after the student turns 16 years of age.)

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Please contact The Franklin County Health Department or Denise Hiatt, RN at Ottawa High School for questions.

Denise Hiatt

785-229-8020 ext. 2159

hiattd@usd290.org

Attention Sophomores and Juniors,

The PSAT will be offered at Ottawa High School this fall. The PSAT is a standardized test that provides practice for the ACT or SAT, feedback to better prepare for college, and potential scholarship opportunities. Juniors who take the PSAT could qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program, an academic competition for recognition and scholarships. If you are interested in taking the PSAT, please refer to the information below.

Registration: Contact Karah Gearhart at gearhartk@usd290.org by Friday, September 1st to sign up for the PSAT.

Cost: Students need to bring $18 (cash or check payable to 'OHS') to Mrs. Coffman in the office by Friday, September 8th.

Test Date: Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Reasons to take the PSAT:

1. Practice: Helps prepare you for the ACT or SAT and it can help you get comfortable testing under timed conditions.

2. Feedback: Receive feedback on your strengths and weaknesses regarding skills necessary for college.

3. Scholarship Opportunities: If you are a Junior, your score might qualify you for scholarships including National Merit Scholar recognition.

4. Information from Colleges: Receive free information from colleges when you check 'yes' to Student Search Service.

5. College and Career Planning Help: Receive free access to online tools that help you plan for college and a career.

IMPORTANT: Colleges DO NOT see PSAT scores. If you score poorly on the test, it WILL NOT hurt your chances of getting into college. If anything, the PSAT will improve your chances because it provides personalized information regarding the types of skills that can be improved to be better prepared for the ACT, SAT, or college.

For more information about the PSAT, visit:

https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt

If you have any additional questions or concerns, please contact Karah Gearhart at gearhartk@usd290.org.

Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with our busy Cyclones, their sponsors, and for updated information regarding academics. We post information on our website as well. Click here to access OHS Website

Facebook @Ottawa High School

Twitter @OHSActivities

Instagram @ohs_cyclones

Ottawa USD 290 is thrilled to announce our new app for mobile phones! Stay up-to-date with access to events, documents, news from administrators, student stories, and more! The quick video below will walk you through the use of the app.

You can download the app for FREE on Google Play or Apple App Store.

Download for Andriod http://bit.ly/2PlQvuG

Download for iPhone https://apple.co/38gErDU

Ottawa High School office open daily when schools in session from 7:20am-3:45pm.

Wednesday, August 9th- Physicals, Medical Consent, & Concussion Forms due!

Monday, August 14th- 1/2 day for Incoming 9th Grade Students (Class of 2027) and new to Ottawa High School students. It begins at 8:00 am, doors will open at 7:30 am, and concludes at approximately 11:30 am with lunch provided! Breakfast & Lunch provided by OHS!

Tuesday, August 15th- First full day for all students 9th through 12th grade

Tuesday, August 22nd- Ottawa High School Back to School Open House 6:00-7:00pm

Monday, October 16th and Wednesday, October 18th- 9th/12th Grade Student-Led Conferences 10th/11th Grade Open Conferences

Email: whittakerk@usd290.org
Website: http://ottawaks.apptegy.us/o/ohs
Phone: 785-299-8020
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OttawaCyclonesHighSchool
Twitter: @OHSActivities