Principal's Page by Kevin Kruger, MHS Principal

Last Days Of School Are Fast Approaching!

The 3rd trimester is almost history as the kids say and the weather is starting to improve which usually means it's almost summer break!

Be sure to check out our daily announcement sheet on our home page to get daily specifics of what is occurring.

Our Day of Service is Friday, May 17.  All students and their Academic Support Hour teacher have an assignment to complete during the day.  We hope that our service will be of hope to many of the senior citizens we will assist as well as other community service projects our students will undertake.  Watch for pictures to be posted to view some of the completed service projects that our students will complete. 

3rd Trimester Exams and Report Cards

Our 3rd trimester exams are posted on our newsletter.  Report cards will be mailed home the week of June  17, 2013.  Of course for those of you who just can't wait to see grades a day or two in advance, be sure to log into Power School to view final grades.  Have a safe and restful summer.

Everyday Test Success

Different kinds of tests call for different strategies.  Share these ideas with your son or daughter! Better yet, have them read the short tips below.

Multiple Choice:  On a reading test, skim questions before reading the passages they accompany.  This will let the reader know what to focus on as they read.  Try solving math problems before looking at possible answers.  If the solution is among the choices, it's likely to be right!

Short Answers:  Read each question carefully so you know what you're being asked.  Write neatly and keep your answers brief, clear and to the point.  Don't leave any answers blank.  Many teachers give credit for partial answers.  Math teachers require students to show their work. That way, they can point out where a mistake was made.

Essay: Make a quick outline to organize your thoughts before you write.  Cross off each idea as you add it to your essay.  Leave a few minutes to proofread your work and be sure you've answered the question completely. 

What Counts With Colleges?

We are asked that question a lot!  College applications are completed for the most part with our seniors and the junior class now is fully engaged in researching possible admission to many colleges/universities. 

Parents and students can increase the chance of acceptance by knowing these criteria:  1.  Keep grades consistent and improve as the year progresses.  Colleges like to see solid scores in academic classes.  They also like to see students taking challenging courses such as FST, PDM and AP courses.  2.  ACT scores usually count a great deal in the selection process.  A lower GPA in high school and a higher ACT score usually means success in college.  We encourage all students to take the ACT immediately after their 10th grade year to create a 'baseline' for coursework their junior year.  A "one shot test time" such as the state mandated ACT test day for all junior in March each year just might not be enough. 3.  Class ranking is also another factor in colleges selecting your child!  Encourage your son/daughter to improve their ranking each trimester.  4.  A final consideration is the college essay.  We encourage students to type up their essay into WORD or some other word processing program and save it, make adjustments to their essay depending on which college they are applying.  They all know how to cut and paste and this also helps with spell check, grammar check and run on sentences.  Don't forget internships, clubs, activities in the essay. 

Remember, the more information colleges receive in the essay and application, the easier it is for both of you!  If you have questions about the application process, be sure to contact our guidance office more  details. Good luck!