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Golden Eagle Gazette
Parent Newsletter of Fleming Island High School
End of Year
May / June
2015
Preparing tomorrow’s leaders, today.
I
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S
I
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National Merit
Finalists
War Eagles
page 2
Dear Parents, Students, and Fleming Island Community,
Looking back over the last school year, I am pleased with
how we have grown as a family. I was extremely proud to
take the role of principal at Fleming Island High School,
and I am thankful for the parental support, the hard work
of our students, and the leadership and dedication of our
faculty and staff. We truly are one of the best high schools
in the state.
As our school year comes to an end, let us remember the
great successes we had this year and look forward to a
restful summer. Over the summer, we will work diligently
to be ready for another exceptional school year. Please
take time to relax, reflect, and prepare for the new school
year.
Graduation for the class of 2015 will be Friday, May 29th
at 8:00 PM. I look forward to seeing you there.
page 7
Quilting
page 13
Movie Night
page 16
Sincerely,
Thomas E. Pittman
Principal
AWARDS CEREMONIES
Senior — Thursday, May 14 – 7pm café
Sophomore — Friday, May 22 – 8:15am café
Freshman — Tuesday, May 26 – 8:15am café
Junior — Wednesday, May 27 – 8:15am café
Fleming Island High School 1st Semester Exam Schedule
Early Dismissal for STUDENTS at 10:45 a.m. each day!
Mon.
6/1
Tues.
6/2
Wed.
6/3
7:20—9:00 1st Exam
2nd Exam
4th Exam
9:06-10:45 3rd Exam
6th Exam
5th Exam
The Talon Yearbook 2015
Yearbooks will be off sale until they arrive
and preorders are distributed through English teachers. Once that has happened, any
leftover yearbooks will be sold from the concession stand by the gym after school for
$85. Yearbooks should arrive in mid May, so
listen to afternoon announcements for the
exact day yearbooks will be back on sale.
Golden Eagle Gazette
May / June 2015
Page 2
Six Fleming Island High School students
are named National Merit Finalists
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has recognized the following six Fleming Island High School seniors as finalists in the 2015 National Merit Scholarship competition: Daniela Rodriguez, Martine Montgomery,
Joseph Wittman, Nolan Johnston, Emma Doukmak, and Katie Bohn.
These students have distinguished themselves among 1.5 million students from more than 21,000 high
schools. The PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, taken during the junior year, serves as the initial screen of program entrants. Among the 1.5 million entrants in the program, only 15,000 are recognized as
finalists, and only 8,000 will become Merit Scholarship winners. Representing less that 1 percent of each
state's high school seniors, semifinalists are the highest-scoring program entrants in each state.
To become a finalist, a semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, must
be endorsed and recommended by the high school principal, and must earn SAT scores that confirm the student's earlier performance on the qualifying test. The semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, which includes the student's self-descriptive essay and information about the
semifinalist's participation and leadership in school and community activities.
Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered in the spring of 2015. Every finalist will compete for
one of 2,500 National Merit $2,500 scholarships that will be awarded on a state-representational basis. About
1,000 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by approximately 240 corporations and
business organizations for finalists who meet their specified criteria, such as children of the grantor's employees or residents of communities where sponsor plants or offices are located.
In addition, about 200 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 4,100 college-sponsored Merit
Scholarship awards for Finalists who will attend the sponsor institution. National Merit Scholarship winners of
2015 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. These
scholarship recipients will join more than 308,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the
Merit Scholar title.
Golden Eagle Gazette
May / June 2015
Page 3
SCHOOL YEAR 2015-2016
SUMMER READING & ASSIGNMENTS
English I, Academy English I, English I Honors, Academy English Honors I (9 th): Flowers for Algenon
by Daniel Keyes
English II, Academy English II, English II Honors, Academy English Honors II (10 th): The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
English III, Academy English III (11th):
The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
(Free E-Text at: http://www.classic-enotes.com)
English III Honors, Academy English Honors III: The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
(Free E-Text at: http://www.classic-enotes.com)
AND
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas Foster
AP English Language/Composition (11th):
AND
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald . (ISBN 0743273567 will be used during class discussions.) For each chapter, the student should select the best written sentence in that chapter
and write a paragraph explaining why that sentence is so impressive. The purpose is to focus
minutely on the language Fitzgerald uses to express his ideas.
The Best American Essays of the Century by Joyce Carol Oates, editor. (ISBN
0618155872 used during class discussions). The student should select, read and analyze
twenty (20) of the fifty-five essays in this book. For each essay, write a paragraph
explaining the purpose/theme/message of that essay. Be certain to identify the title and
author of each essay at the top of the page.
English IV, Academy English IV, English IV College Prep (12 th): Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. A free electronic audio
and text version is available at http://www.gutenberg.org under The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyl
and Mr. Hyde.
English Honors IV/Academy English Honors IV (12th):
AP English Literature/Composition (12th):
AND
Dual Enrollment: English Composition I:
Pre-AICE English Language (9th):
Dracula by Bram Stoker. A free electronic text and audio version is available at
http://www.gutenberg.org . Search using the title Dracula to access the file.
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas Foster
The Sound & the Fury by William Faulkner
Dracula by Bram Stoker. A free electronic and audio version is available at
http://www.gutenberg.org. Search using the title Dracula to access the file.
The Princess Bride , 30TH Anniversary Edition ,by William Goldman.
You must read the entire text including “Buttercup Baby”.
AICE English Language:
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
AICE English Lit AS Level :
A short story collection provided by Mr. Shannon (Room 222) before summer break
AICE English Lit A Level:
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
AICE General Paper AS Level:
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Pre-AICE Global Perspectives:
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Pre-AICE Math II: https://sites.google.com/site/mraltmanfihs/home/summer-assignments
AP Art History:
Please see Mrs. Green in Portable 95 for summer reading packet before summer break
AP US History:
Chapters 1-3 in the AP US History text – See Ms. Jenkins in portable 80 before summer break
Golden Eagle Gazette
May / June 2015
Page 4
College Placement Tests
It is recommended that all students begin taking the
SAT and/or the ACT in the spring of their junior year.
We also encourage students to take the Practice ACT
and the PSAT as early as their freshman year, as this
allows the opportunity to take an actual assessment
without it being on your record. After the test, students keep the test booklet and get a solution key.
Within a few days, students receive a complete analysis that pinpoints areas of weakness to help focus
improvement efforts. To register through the mail,
you can pick up registration packets in the Guidance
Office.
SAT
FIHS Code is CEEB #101-798
Register online at www.collegeboard.com
Test Dates
Registration Deadlines
October 11, 2014
September 12, 2014
November 8, 2014
October 9, 2014
December 6, 2014
November 6, 2014
January 24, 2015
December 29, 2014
March 14, 2015
February 13, 2015
May 2, 2015
April 6, 2015
June 6, 2015
May 8, 2015
ACT
Register online at www.actstudent.org
Test Dates
Registration Deadlines
September 13, 2014
August 8, 2014
October 25, 2014
September 19, 2014
December 13, 2014
November 7, 2014
February 7, 2015
January 9, 2015
April 18, 2015
March 13, 2015
June 13, 2015
May 8, 2015
Register in Guidance for:
Practice ACT
August 30, 2014
FIHS Year At A Glance
All test dates are in italics
MAY
JUN
1
9
TBD
TBD
22,26,27
25
29
1,2,3
1,2,3
3
11
Interim Reports
Prom, Herbert Univ. Center
@ UNF, 8:00-11:00 PM
AP Exams
AICE Testing
Senior Exams
Memorial Day (no school)
Graduation
Final Exams (Grades 9,10,11)
Early Dismissal, 10:45 AM
Last Day for Students
Report Cards (mailed)
Media
Center
News
The Media Center continues to be the “heart of the school”
with many classes coming in for reference and research, checkout, testing and lessons. A record number of books and materials are being circulated and students are working hard on projects and assignments.
More activities are planned for the last few months of the
school year. The Teen Advisory Board is planning a “Book
Swap” during Senior Week, May 19, 20 and 21. Students can
bring in an appropriate young adult book in good condition and
swap it for another! Please come by and pick up some books
for reading over the summer.
Everyone is invited to attend the last “Cover to Cover” Parent/
Faculty/Community Book Discussion group meeting of the
year. We are reading Me Before You by JoJo Moyes and will
discuss it on Tuesday, May 12 from 2:00-3:00 pm in the Media
Center. This book was selected as an Amazon.com “Best Book
of the Month” for January, 2013. A movie based on the book
will be released August 21, 2015. We hope to see you there.
Please have all books back to the Media Center by May 15th
so that we can get everything inventoried for the end of the
year. Please pay for any lost books by this date also. Contact
the Media Center if you have any questions.
We want to take the time to thank our wonderful volunteers for
all of their help during the school year and wish everyone a
relaxing summer!
S E N I O R DAT E S
Class of 2015
May
Senior vs Staff Basketball Game May 7 7pm Gym $5 in advance/$6 at door
Prom 5/9 – Herbert Univ Center @ UNF 8-11:00P estimated $60 per person
Senior Awards Ceremony 5/14 - 7pm - Cafetorium
Senior Week
5/19 - 5/20 Activities tba, 5/21 Swim Party $10
Baccalaureate tba (student organized)
Senior Exams
Periods 5 & 6 on 5/22, periods 3 & 4 on 5/26 & Periods 1 & 2 on 5/27
Mandatory Graduation Practices 5/28 & 5/29 7:45am Stadium
Senior Breakfast 5/29 - 9:30am – Fleming Island Plantation Club House
Graduation 5/29 - 8pm - Stadium
Golden Eagle Gazette
May / June 2015
Page 5
AICE students get a dose of practical advice
at a medical career fair!
Written by: Toni Padgett, Academy Coach
Over eighty AICE students attended an after school medical career fair sponsored by the
AICE Academy Advisory Board. Fourteen doctors were present to provide information
about their various professions ranging from dentistry to pediatrician to oncology. In a career fair style venue, students were able to ask the professionals about their careers and current college students were available to share their experiences getting into medical, dental,
and nursing schools.
This is the second career exploration event for the AICE students. In March, students explored the career of law. Four attorneys, along with a current UF law student, shared the
various pathways for students with law degrees.
Golden Eagle Gazette
From the
Nurse
The Blood Alliance relies on
volunteer donations every day to
serve the needs of patients in the
N.E. Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina hospitals. For our spring drive our goal was to collect
60 units and we surpassed that goal by collecting
65 units! Special thanks to the FIHS students
and staff who volunteered to contribute toward
these much needed life saving donations!
The end of the school year is quickly approaching and our Lost & Found is full of unclaimed
clothing, shoes, jewelry, and glasses. Please feel
free to stop by and check for your students missing items. All items unclaimed by June 3 rd will
be donated to the Orange Park Clothes Closet
and the Lyons Club.
Dress Code is still in effect and enforced through
June 3rd. Tank tops (less than 4 fingers width),
muscle shirts, and shorts/skirts more than 3”
above the knee are not permitted. Please make
wise choices when dressing for school.
Parents who provided medications for their student during the school year will need to reclaim
them by June 3rd.
Medications will not be
stored over the summer. Any unclaimed meds
(including prescriptions) will be discarded at the
end of the school year. Medications will not be
sent home via student, no exceptions.
Parents of students with chronic illness- Medical
Management forms for the 2015-2016 school
year will be mailed to you early July. These
must be reviewed and updated every year, so last
year’s forms can’t be reused. Also, to the parents of students who have been recently diagnosed with a chronic illness, please contact the
nurse so that the proper forms can be sent to you.
All completed forms will be due by the first
week of school in August.
Any questions you may have regarding medical
forms, medication pickup, lost & found etc.
please don’t hesitate to call the nurse at 5412080. I wish you all a safe and healthy summer!
May / June 2015
Page 6
College Entrance Examination Testing
A Recommended Guide for Sudents
The following is a proven formula for preparing students to be successful on the college entrance
examinations. There is no right or wrong as to taking the tests, the only wrong is to not take the
tests. College admission is very competitive and the more prepared you are as a student, the better
your chances of acceptance.
Challenge yourself with as many advanced Math and English classes as you are capable of
succeeding in each year of high school!
9th Grade: Take a Practice ACT Test in August, it is given each year and any grade level
student may take it. You are also welcome to try the PSAT for practice in October.
10th Grade: Take the PSAT Test in October (it is free during school). Take a Practice ACT in
February, and if you have completed Algebra II, you might want to take a real ACT and
or ACT in June.
11th Grade: Take the PSAT in October, it is a scholarship competition for Juniors (and only
counts for National Merit Scholarship competition in the Junior year.) Take an ACT Test
with writing and an SAT Test in December. Take the tests for the second time in May or
June.
12th Grade: Review your results, apply to colleges early (August/September) and finalize college plans with your Guidance Counselor. If needed, take the tests a final time in September and October in order for it to count for early college admission notification.
There are many free and online preparation classes at some of the following locations: act.org,
collegeboard.com, maxthetest.com, ineedapencil.com, number2.com free test prep, and
gleimpsat.com. Kaplan Test Prep, The Princeton Review, UNF, Sylvan Learning, and Jantzi Test
Prep are just a few of the local test prep sources for actual classes.
Advanced Placement (AP) vs. Dual Enrollment
We in Guidance, are often asked the question which of the above is better?
Which do the colleges count more? Which is more beneficial to my student and his or her
needs? The answer in a nutshell is both! The two programs provide excellent opportunities for students to earn and accumulate college credit while still in high school and many
students do combinations.
The Advanced Placement program is sponsored by The College Board (the
people who make the SAT College Entrance Examination) and consists of a rigorous academic class that is weighted on a 5.0 scale. In May, the student takes a national standard
exam in the subject area and finds out the results online in July. The exam is scored on a
scale of 1 – 5, with 5 being the highest. If a student scores at least a 3, they receive college
credit and a 5 guarantees them credit for two college classes. There are limits to the
amount of college credits they can earn in each subject area and the student should consult
with the college they hope to attend as well as their Guidance Counselor.
The Dual Enrollment Program is sponsored by St. Johns River State College (or any local
State College, formerly known as Community Colleges). Students take classes here on the
FIHS Campus or the St. Johns Campus. The earliest opportunity to take these D.E. (Dual
Enrollment) classes are the summer between the 10th and 11th grade years. A student
MUST have an unweighted 3.0 grade point average and have taken the College Placement,
SAT, ACT or PERT Postsecondary Education Readiness) tests to be eligible. Different
subjects may have additional qualifying requirements or pre-requisite subjects. A grade of
C or better enables the student to earn college credit at any Florida State College or University. The accumulation of at least 60 credit hours during high school may enable the
student to earn an A.A. or A.S. two year college degree. The program is funded by the
Clay County School Board and the completed subjects are also weighted on a 5.0 scale. It
is also considered a rigorous academic program and most colleges count all credits and
subjects as having started a college grade point average!
Please note that the decision as to what to take rests with the students, parents
and college for which they are preparing. The most highly selective colleges and universities may recognize the courses (AP or DE), but yet demand that they take their school’s
prescribed courses regardless (examples, our Service Academies, Ivy Leagues, MIT, Stanford, etc.). If you plan to attend college in Florida, Dual Enrollment might be a better deal
for you; if you are looking to go outside the state of Florida, AP might be better for you.
In conclusion, BOTH programs are good, have their advantages, and are looked upon
favorably for college admission.
Golden Eagle Gazette
May / June 2015
Page 7
“War Eagle” News
Fleming Island NJROTC Unit News, April 2015
Unit Phone: 278-4554/4556 Email: dekeller@oneclay.net
tlewnes@oneclay.net
It’s been another busy month for our “War Eagles.” The majority of our after school efforts were
focused on the Drill Team preparing for the big Daytona Drill Meet.
CADETS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
During the unit formation held on 22 April, several cadets were front and center to receive recognition for a
job well done.
CADET OF THE MONTH Lance Southard was selected by the senior cadets as the Cadet of the
Month for April 2015 for his outstanding performance.
ADVANCEMENTS The following were advanced to their new Rank:
Butler-PO2
Croft-PO3
Ferrin-PO3
Reyes-PO3
Chase- PO3
Keller-E-3
Edwards-E-3
Hernandez-E-2
Tivey-E-2
Kelly-E-2
3RD QUARTER HONOR ROLL CADETS
2 STAR 4.0 GPA – Gumbs, Southard, L.
1 STAR 3.0 and Above GPA
Bangkrasor, Braddy, Brown, Butler, Code, Delong, Faviano, Hascin, Hernandez, Kujala, Kayonna Lewis,
Molnar, Mullin, Nelson, Pattison, Daniel Piner, Slack, Syed, Watson, Abel, Bertolini, Zach Bombard,
Brooks, Castillo, Degraaf, Doyle, Edwards, Escalera, Evans, Ferrin, Gray, Henrikson, Herrera, Joins, Keller, Kelly, Marsden, Moreno, Parker, Pham, Bailey Piner, Poblete, Rechis, Reyes, Rivera, Rivers, Romero,
Smenda, John Southard, Thacker, Tivey, Villalta, Chase Whitaker, Russell Whitaker.
COLLEGE ACCEPTANCE Cadet Zach Marsden was recently accepted to the University of South
Florida (USF).
USNA SUMMER SEMINAR : Cadet Valesha Watson was selected to participate in the 2015 Naval
Academy Summer Seminar (NASS).
ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENT Track and Field Conference Results
Kayona Lewis – Triple Jump Conference Champion and 3rd Place High Jump
Valesha Watson - 5th Place Shot Put and 4th Place Discus Throw
Grant Bolin - 5th Place 1600 m
Golden Eagle Gazette
May / June 2015
Page 8
GENERAL NEWS
Awards Dinner The cadet staff and their committees are busy working out the details for this event which is
scheduled for 6:00 p.m. 20 May in the school cafeteria. Dinner will be catered by Bonos BBQ so we really
need a good head count. Please be on the lookout for a flyer we sent home with your child that you can fill out
and return, or email myself or 1st Sgt NLT 8 May if you or other family member’s plan on accompanying your
cadet so we can better gauge the amount of food required.
End of Year Report The unit submitted its End of Year (EOY) report 15 April and I just wanted to share with
all of you one of the highlights which was the recording of 2,409 Community Service hours. This is no small
feat and we could not have achieved these numbers without outstanding parent support! Thank you.
School Support April was the month of the Military Child and 22 Cadets earned school support hours by sacrificing their lunch periods to hang up flyers, hand out goodie bags, and serve cake, during the “Purple Up” event
held by the Military Family Life Counselor. During this event, everyone was encouraged to wear purple to
show support, honor, and respect for children of active and reserve military and veterans, and the sacrifices that
they make.
TEAM NEWS
Drill Team – In addition to the teams intense practices prior to Daytona, the Color Guard performed two events
during the month with one at the Eagle Harbor Country Club and one at Montclair Elementary.
Air Rifle Team – As the year comes to an end, we would like to welcome our newest members, Wendy Nelson, Jacob Bombard, and Bailey Piner. We look forward to enhancing the current team and participating in
more events next year.
Stockbridge Postal with medals awarded to the following:
Team #1 Top Score 244 Colton Davis
Team #2 Top Score 201 Jared Wilson
Team #3 Top Score 196 Daniel Piner
Nease Postal results with medals awarded to the following:
Team #1 Top Score 183 Aaron Parker
Team #2 Top Score 186 David Molnar
Academic Team – We closed out the Academic season Saturday 25 April with the Clay NS1 and NS2 Brain
Brawl with our “B” Team coming in 8th out of 20 teams. A special thanks goes to the following first time Brain
Brawlers who filled in the holes in our two teams and prevented us from forfeiting: Daniel Piner, Shannon
Beechum, Ahmed Syed, and Bailey Piner.
Stockbridge Postal results with medals awarded to the following:
Team #1 Top Scores of 45 (Tie) - Keller, and Villalta
Team #2 Top Score of 57 – Roberts
UPCOMING EVENTS
2-3 May – Daytona Drill Meet
24 May - FRA-126 Color Guard
8 May - RSVP for Awards Dinner 25 May - Memorial Day Color Guard
20 May – Awards Dinner
29 May - Graduation
Golden Eagle Gazette
May / June 2015
Page 9
Let’s Talk Lunch
What happens if my child forgets their lunch money?
The food and Nutrition Services Department allows student sot go into the negative if they forget their lunch money. We allow elementary students to
go $3.50 into the negative and secondary students $4.50. If the negative balance exceeds the limit the school determines what the alternate meal will
be.
We offer an online service called MySchoolBucks. It is free to set up an account. You may receive low balance notification, set up automatic payments
and view transactions/payments made to the account. There is a service fee for online payments made through this site. Cash or check payments can
be made at school at no charge. MySchoolBucks also offers a mobile app for your convenience.
What kind of restrictions can I place on my child’s account?
You may either contact the Food and Nutrition Services Department or your school cafeteria to place restrictions on the account. We can add serving
line notes such as “ala carte on Friday only”. We can also limit the amount spent each day.
The cafeteria staff often tells my child to pick up a fruit or vegetable for the meal to be considered “reimbursable”. Why?
In order for a meal to be considered “reimbursable” a student’s tray must contain a certain number of components...bread, fruit, vegetable, milk, meat/
meal alternate. If a cashier encourages a child to pick up an extra item it means he or she is missing a component to make the meal reimbursable (if not
reimbursable it may cause the meal to cost more).
Free and Reduced Eligibility
Can a free and reduced application be filled out online?
Yes. Applications can be completed in the convenience of your own home. This process is safe, secure and confidential. On-line applications are transferred electronically to the FNS office. Eligibility is determined within 1to2 business days. If you have not received your eligibility notification in the mail,
you may call the FNS office to check the status.
Do I need to fill out a Free and Reduced application for each child?
No. Use one Free and Reduced application for all students in your household. If you are applying for a foster child, check the box on the application
indicating this application is for a foster child.
Who should I include as members of my household?
You must include all people living in your household, related or not.
How do I show my income if I only work 9 or 10 months?
You may project your annual income. The prior year’s income may be used if it provides an accurate reflection of the household’s current annual income.
Will the information I give be checked:
Yes, you may be asked to send written proof of your income or eligibility for Food Stamps or TANF at any time during the year.
If I do not qualify now, may I apply later?
You may apply at any time during the school year if your household goes up in size or income goes down or if you start getting Food Stamps or TANF.
If I transfer from another District Will my status carry over?
No. You will need to complete a new application for Clay County.
Will I be reimbursed for charges that were made against my account before the application was approved?
No. Money will need to be provided until notification of the approved status.
Should I fill out an application if I received a letter this school year saying my children are approved for free meals?
Please read the letter you received carefully and follow the instructions. Call the Food and Nutrition Services Office at (904) 284-6534 if you have questions.
My child’s application was approved last year Do I need to fill out another one?
Yes. Your child’s application was only good for that school year and for the first few days of the new school year. You must complete a new application
unless you have received a letter saying your child is eligible for the new school year.
We are in the military. Do we include our housing allowances as income? If you get an off base housing allowance, it must be included as income. For
the purpose of determining household size, deployed service members are considered a part of the household. Families should include the names of
deployed service members on their application. Report only that portion of the deployed service member’s income made available to them or on their
behalf to the family. If combat pay is received, in addition to basic pay, because of deployment and it was not received before deployment, combat pay
is not counted as income.
Golden Eagle Gazette
May / June 2015
FLEMING ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL
“Home of the Golden Eagles”
2014-15 HONOR SOCIETIES, ACTIVITIES & CLUBS
HONOR SOCIETIES
Beta Club
High-Q (Academic Team)
Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honor Society)
National Art Honor Society
National Honor Society
National Technical Honor Society
Spanish Honor Society
Thespians (Drama Honor Society)
Lourdes Khosrozadeh (Room 226)
Robert Taylor (Room 1022)
Howard Altman (P45)
Milisa Taylor-Hicks (P12)
Michelle Green (P95)
Toni Padgett (Room 30B)
Ruth Brasfield (Room 302)
Amy Young (P50)
Page 10
STUDENT PLANNERS FOR SALE
These great organizers are for sale in
the Main Office for only $8. They are
offered by our NJROTC program.
STUDENT CODE OF CONDUCT
The Student Code of Conduct will not
be printed this year. It is available on
the FIHS website or the School District
Website at: www.clay.k12.us/fih or
www.oneclay.net under “parent
information.”
ACTIVITIES
Band
Color Guard
Cheerleaders – Junior Varsity
Cheerleaders – Varsity
Chorus
Fla State Spanish Competition Group
Freshman Class
Golden Girls
Jazz Band
Junior Class
Lacrosse, Boys
Lacrosse, Girls
Math Team
NJROTC (Drill Team/Color Guard)
Senior Class
Sophomore Class
Student Council
Styles 4 Life
Teen Advisory Board/MediaCenter
Velocity
Winter Guard
Yearbook
Mara Rose (Band Room)
Mara Rose/Ben Adams (Band Room)
Lisa Noel (off campus)
Janae O’Dell (Room 52)
Kathleen White (Chorus Room)
Elizabeth Irigoyen-Meyers (Room 321)
Jordan Bright (Room 79)
Allison Connell (P23)
Mara Rose (Band Room)
Kimberli Repper (P40)
Gary Andersen (P31)
Clint Lyons (P 92)
Howard Altman (P45)
1st Sgt. Lewnes (P46)
Jennifer Gunder (P84)
Dusty Newberg (Room 255)
Calvin Malone (P31)
Laura Kirk (Room 41)
Janet Hallstrom/Carol Papuga (Media Ctr.)
Mara Rose/Ben Adams (Band Room)
Mara Rose/Ben Adams (Band Room)
Courtney Poole (Room 258)
TARDY / ABSENTEE POLICY
If a student is late to school, a parent
must accompany the tardy student to the
attendance desk (located in the main
office) for them to be given an excused
tardy slip. Any student with three (3)
unexcused tardies and/or absences
during 1st period during the nine weeks
will result in the loss of parking privileges. The student’s name will be placed at
the bottom of the list to get a new permit.
If a student is absent from school for an
entire day, then a note from a parent
with parent signature and phone number
is needed for an excused absence; this
note should be turned in to the attendance desk within three (3) days of the
student returning to school for the absence to be considered excused. Be
sure to write the student’s first and last
name as well as grade level on all notes.
Mysteri Arthur (P25), Laura Gerds (Rm 306)
and Jennifer Kruse (P14)
Anime Club
Tom Pandich (P43)
Debate Club
Benita Saunders (P63)
FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) Brenda Kirkland (Room 231)
FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes)
tba
FCCLA (Childcare)
Laura Kirk (Room 41)
Fleming Island RPS
Tonya Stansberry (P 13)
Frisbee
Paul Suter (Room 134)
Gamers Gathering
Jason Merritt (P35)
Girl Up Club
Amy Stalker (P96)
Golden Quill Literary Magazine
Jason Merritt (P35)
GSA
Rick Shimer (P12)
Hospitality & Tourism Club
Teresa Cornett (Room 74)
Interact
Howard Cushnir (Room 35)
Invisible Children
Jennifer Gunder (P84)
LEO
Brian Nedrich (P62)
MADE Club
Robert Taylor (Room 1022)
Robotics
Howard Altman (P45)
Spanish Club
Elizabeth Irigoyen-Meyers (Room 321)
S2S
Kimberli Repper (P 40)
ATTENDANCE FOR SOCIAL
FUNCTIONS
Students who are suspended from
school may not attend or participate in
any extra-curricular activities. Students
with 10 or more excused or unexcused
absences for 1st semester, or a total of
20 excused or unexcused absences for
the year will not be allowed to participate
in social functions, primarily intended to
reward students. This includes Grad
Nite, Prom, dances, field trips unless the
student can provide documentation of a
physical condition verified by a physician, or other unusual circumstances.
Students may be barred from participation in extracurricular activities because
of the number or severity of discipline.
CLUBS
ASL & ASL Hand Clubs
\
Golden Eagle Gazette
May / June 2015
Page 11
ESPAÑOL EN ACCION (Spanish in Action)
Atención, atención…our 21st century FIHS students are successfully learning Spanish in large quantities. They have done podcasts, created their own
avatars, recorded videos with their phones, and recited the pledge all in the
Spanish language. Wow, they are dedicated, knowledgeable, and creative!
This year, Spanish 3 students celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month,
concurrently playing the national
anthem of several Spanish speaking countries through the school
announcements, they researched
some curious facts about them
and opened an exhibition with the
words of the National Anthems at the school library. This way, the students brought some cultural enrichment to the entire FIHS population.
Their positive outlook to studying Spanish is amazing. They
are constantly demonstrating success in using vocabulary, building sentences in present, past, and imperfect tenses, creating skits, reading poems, singing songs, writing recipes in the Spanish language, and learning
about the culture.
Thanks guys for
your
continuous
hard work and dedication in the classroom and your patience and understanding for la Señora Irigoyen-Meyers.
Thank you for reciting the pledge in Spanish every morning! And thanks to all the parents who on a daily basis support your children and me in our academic and school activities. Yet, our students’ journey doesn’t stop in the
classroom. It goes on even after school hours through the
Spanish Club and the Florida State Spanish Conference
(FSSC). The Spanish Club built a wonderful float to represent a castle where El Zorro fought the enemy for justice
and peace in this year’s Homecoming parade. In addition to cultural activities like the Day of the Dead and St.
Valentine’s Day, the club members organized a collection of blankets to donate to the Clay Animal Control Center bringing in a total of 120. The six poets on the team
also performed beautifully and some of them adorned
their presentation with nice props and outfits. Also, our
play scored “Sobresaliente” with 39 points out of 40.
This score was well earned. In fact, Emma and Jaimie
together with the other delegates having roles in the play
made changes to enhance it and to adapt it to the number
of characters participating. What an awesome way to
show the Spanish learning gained in the classroom and
extensively applied in the play script.
\
Golden Eagle Gazette
May / June 2015
Page 12
ESPAÑOL EN ACCION (Spanish in Action)
Again this year, we had AICE and regular class students representing our school. On another note, the Florida State
Spanish Competition FIHS team had yet another rewarding
year at the State level. They did a fine job in their impromptu
and many of them brought back individual trophies. I would
also like to emphasize that although this year we could not
decrease
the trip
fee due to
reduced
fundraising money collection, not a single student was unable to
participate due to financial issues. I am so proud of our
kids and so grateful to the Lord for these opportunities.
This year
is somewhat bittersweet for our academic team. For this year
is the last one to count on the great contributions of our six
seniors who graduate this year and will not be with us the
next one. Emma Doukmak, Zack Marsden, Jaimie Newland,
Ryan Nicholls, Daniela Rodriguez, and Lance Velasco, we
wish you a successful college career and many blessings in
your journeys. We are going to miss you. On the other hand,
we are looking forward to new delegates who may bring as
valuable a contribution as that of those departing.
I also want to thank you parents for your strong and constant support to all of us, to Ms. Johnson for her
incomparable candy selling abilities and together with Ms. Lapinski (a teacher and collaborator) for their
cooperation and hard work, and to the Foreign Language Department, the Spanish Club members, Mr.
Pittman and the FIH administration, and the larger FIH family that helped us to carry on with this accomplishment.
Finally, as a side note, I am glad to say that having represented
FIHS in the Clay County Spanish Book Adoption Committee for
next year, I am looking forward to the new material that will be
implemented to integrate technology into sound purposeful teaching techniques for
a more effective and
efficient
learning
experience
for our students
of
st
the 21 century.
Golden Eagle Gazette
May / June 2015
Page 13
Q U I L T I N G
NTHS Chapter
Year 3 and 4 Fashion Design students in Mrs.
at Fleming Island High School
feed the homeless at Clara White Missions Harris' class have learned how to quilt! The
On Saturday, April 11th at
6:15 am, nine brave souls
from the NTHS chapter
made their way downtown
to the Clara White Missions
to experience something
they had never done before, a chance to feed over
200 homeless people from
the streets of Jacksonville. In an effort to continue their interest in helping
those in need, the students took on this project after feeling
such satisfaction in providing their school’s homeless students
with bags at Christmas. “What an experience it was to see hundreds of people lined up for a meal, maybe their only one for the
day,” said Randy Vice-President of the organization. Blake, the
one who spearheaded the project, spoke to the group and asked
them to consider taking on the project with Clara White Missions, an organization aimed at helping our veterans.
While at the missions, Ms. Toni Padgett, sponsor of NTHS, met
Adrian (pictured in the back), a former resident of the mission
who volunteers nearly every week. When asked about his connection with the organization, he simply stated “it saved my
life”. He shared his story with the group when it was their turn
to eat. He said he was surrounded by people who helped him
during a dark time in his life. He was encouraged to get back in
school, which he did
and he proudly shared
that he is a current
UNF student, in a limited access program in
health and exercise
science.
Adrian
agreed to come speak
to the organization
next year to encourage more students to
get involved.
“This
will be a project that
the group will participate in during the holidays,” shared Laura
Kirk, co-sponsor of the
group.
quilt design that they have done is called a "Rail
Fence" and it is the basis for all quilt patterns.
This has been a long and somewhat tedious
project but they are overjoyed with their results! Most of the students will be going off to
college in a year or two and are excited to take
their quilts with them. Quilts = Love, Comfort
and Happiness!
Golden Eagle Gazette
May / June 2015
Page 14
VyStar Academy of Business & Finance and Future Business Leaders of America
End of the Year Banquet and Awards Is May 12, 2015 @
6:30 p.m. at Magnolia Point Golf & Country Club
2015 Clay County Agricultural Fair
High School Night of Competition
Thursday, April 2nd
We had another outstanding representation of Fleming Island High School through our Business and Finance Academy at the Clay County Agricultural Fair High School competition. The competition was held on April 2nd. Participants
were: Ty Corfield, Jasmine Carroll, Kyle Connors, Jasmine
Earley, Victoria Earley, Callie Evans, Brett Romanoski, Garrett West, Nathaniel Wright.
These young adults went against teams from all other
high schools in the county in multiple events and represented FIHS very well. The events were: animal call, tug of war,
land skiing, cow pie toss, pie eating contest, and cow milking contest. We want to thank everyone for their outstanding representation of FIHS and the business academy. A special thank you goes out to with Mrs. Dani Weinstein-Heric
and Mrs. Brenda S. Kirkland for being our academy chaperones and photographers this year.
Mock Job Interview
Results are In!!
Academy Students: “You’ve Got the Job!”
Our annual Mock Job Interviews for all Business and Finance Academy students were held on March 26 th and
March 27th in the Teacher Training Center. Over 270 students were involved as they demonstrated their personal interviewing skills. Members from our local business community volunteered their time to interview and evaluate their
skills to determine if have what it takes to “Get the Job”. The students were required to bring their Resume, References, and Letter of Application as they applied for a job at their current skill level.
The interviews were “outstanding” as indicated by one of our community volunteers. They really have
demonstrated their writing and speaking skills well again this year. Each student is given one on one feed back to assist the students in improving their personal interviewing skills. This in turn gives them a better understanding on what
is expected as they proceed into college and the real world of work. Academy students participate every year so they
continuously have the opportunity to improve before they graduate. A special THANK YOU goes out to all of our volunteers that made this such a great success!
Golden Eagle Gazette
May / June 2015
Here are a few snap shots of this year’s interviews in progress!!
Mock Job Interviews in Action!
Page 15
Golden Eagle Gazette
May / June 2015
Movie Night at FIHS!
Written by: Toni Padgett, Academy Coach
The second annual movie night at FIHS went off without a
hitch as the students in the Academy of Digital Media showcased projects created from the year to family and friends. “I
thought it was inspiring and really showed the potential of our
academy students,” shared Alex Garcia. “It was a great event
and I am looking forward to it next year!”
Projects created from EPCOT, the Jacksonville Zoo, St. Augustine and the Amazing Grace Crop Maze were highlighted
through photography and videography. Trailers and movies
created jointly with photography and television production
students. It was a great event that was enjoyed by all!
Page 16
Cross Country Summer Practices
If you plan on running cross country this fall,
come to summer practice to get in shape for the
season! We will be practicing Monday-Thursday
every week over the summer. The first practice
will be held on Monday, June 8. There are two
practices held each day.
The morning practices
begin at 7:00am and the
evening practices begin at
7:00pm. We meet in the
high school parking lot by
the tennis courts. We recommend that people who
are new to running come
out to one practice a day
until they feel comfortable
running longer distances. Returning or experienced runners should attend both practices to get
in optimal shape for the beginning of the season.
Eagle Band One
This spring has been very busy for Eagle Band One.
For the fourth year in a row, the Islander winter
guard team won a medal in the FFCC State Championships. Then the Concert Band received a superior rating at the state music performance assessment for the first time in School history. Then the
Symphonic Band received straight superiors with
straight A’s at the State music performance assessment which earned them the coveted Otto J.
Kroshaar award for music excellence. Eagle Band
One is gearing up for next year with the 2015
Marching Band rehearsal June 1 at 6:30. If you are
planning on being a member of the Golden Eagle
Marching Band you and your parent needs to be
here so you will be assured a spot.
Golden Eagle Gazette
May / June 2015
Page 17
All Sports Schedules can be found on the FIHS Athletics website (click on “Athletics” on
the school website; or go to www.fihsathletics.com).
If you have a student on an athletic team, make sure to register yourself and your student
on the athletics website. Included in this newsletter is some information regarding summer
practices.
PARKING
ISSUES
On-Campus Parking: Please be aware that only Seniors and Juniors are allowed to drive to
school and park on the campus. This year we have 533 seniors and 556 juniors. The school only has
475 parking places for students. Early in the year, part of the lot may be not be full, but as the year
goes on more Seniors and Juniors will acquire cars and the lot becomes overloaded. No sophomores
will be driving and parking on campus this year. Cars without parking stickers will be towed!
Student drop off and pick up: Parents, if you are dropping off or picking up your student from
school, please use the entrance leading to the main entrance to the school (south side facing
shops). Do not pick up or drop off at the gym end of the school – this is the student parking
area and we need to get the students into the lots in the morning and out in the afternoon.
Golden Eagle Gazette
Parent Newsletter of
Fleming Island High School
The Golden Eagle
Gazette is a newsletter
for parents produced
by FIHS Administration. Please submit
information to be included in upcoming
issues of the Gazette
to Mrs. Gaynes, Asst.
Principal; or you may
email your information to:
dgaynes@oneclay.net
or call 541-2126.
Issues are produced
five (5) times during
the school year.
Parents:
Please Update Contact Information
If any of your contact information has changed, please
come to Guidance to update
your information. This includes
your address, phone #, Email,
etc. The Guidance office is open
during the summer break from
7am—12pm and 1pm—5pm,
Monday through Thursday.
541-2076.
REMINDER:
IF YOU LIKE IT, LOCK IT!
School Resource Officer,
Deputy Hawkins
2014 – 2015
Guidance Office Student Allocation
COUNSELOR
ALPHABET
Shannon Jordan, Counselor
A - Cur
Brian Haggard, Counselor
Cus-I
Shirley Baggett, Counselor
J-Nol
Carly Netherland, Counselor
Nom-Sch
Howard Cushnir, Director
Sci-Z
Toni Padgett
Academy Coach
FIHS Frequently Used Numbers:
Administration
Attendance
Guidance
Clinic
School office hours 7:00
541-2100
541-2125
541-2076
541-2080
a.m.- 3:00p.m.
For More Information visit the FIHS Website
www.fih@oneclay.net