McFatter News – (Week 10/06 to 10/10)
Lillie Henry - Magnet Coordinator
Hello McFatter Family,
Wow! What a week… Can you believe that we have two more weeks of school and then it is already time for mid-term exams? This week we have an exciting Innovation Zone Pep Rally event where we get to showcase many of our students’ talents. I hope you are able to join us at Nova High School on Tuesday, October 7th at 6pm in the gymnasium, as our several of our students will be performing and we will have a table set up to answer questions about the SMART Bond and its impact on your student’s education. Also, please make sure to get your SMART Card stamped at all 6 school program displays on Tuesday evening (located in the cafeteria and NMS gym). When you purchase a meal at one of our food trucks and present your SMART Card with stamps from all 6 schools, you will receive a FREE drink. We really hope to see you there.
There is a lot of important information below. As always, please send feedback or questions regarding the format of the newsletter or accessing attachments to lillie...@browardschools.com
(Reminder: For referenced attachments in this email, please go to: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0ByXD3QYvLm7jclNaY3V0SDQ3QlE&usp=sharing )
Take care,
Lillie Henry
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Important Dates:
Ongoing until November - Homecoming Tickets go on sale (outside of the cafeteria)
October 7, 2014 – Senior Assembly at the west end of campus (in from of the high school building) at 3pm
October 7, 2014 - SMART Showcase at Nova High School Gym beginning at 6pm
October 14, 2014 – Parent Seminar (The House WE are Building Together: How to Construct a Strong Educational Foundation) 6-8 pm in the cafeteria.
October 20-23, 2014 - Midterm exams
October 21, 2014 - Underclass picture Day
October 23, 2014 – Early Release Day (students leave campus at 2:15)
October 24, 2014 – Teacher Planning Day
October 21, 2014 - NACAC College Fair at The Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention Center from 5:30 - 8:00 pm
November 13, 2014 - Spirit Day - Football Super Bowl
November 14, 2014 - Homecoming Dance at the Signature Grand
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Lunch Options:
**** See attachments entitled Traditional School Lunch 1006-1010 or McFatter menu 10_06 thru 10_10
REMINDER: For traditional school lunch,
orders must be placed and paid for in student services by 9:45am. Please
be aware that lunches ordered but not picked up will incur the charge equal to
the student’s lunch rate. The options this week are available on the attachments
entitled Traditional School Lunch 0929-1003. The link to submit your order
online is http://www.quia.com/sv/680242.html
(Students: Please Type
your Full Name on Survey)
Your username you set up should be your
first name and lunch number
Your password should be "Lunch"
Be sure to select one choice for each Entree and one choice for Milk per day. (Note: You must select a milk for each meal)
It is very important that you pick up your order each day. If it is not picked up, your lunch is returned to throw out and noted on your account by the service provider.
Please be in line before 12:45.
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Whole school service opportunities:
The Future Educators of America club is having a school supply drive to benefit Broward Homeless Education. Collection boxes are throughout the school (see attached). Please support this event!
Lynn Goldman is helping to collect cocktail dresses and gowns that are in good condition for Becca's Closet. These dresses/gowns are given to high school students who can not afford to purchase a Homecoming or Prom dress.
Please let her know if you have any, and she will arrange to get them. You could help make a wonderful memory for a deserving young lady. Please email her at lynn.g...@browardschools.com with donations or bring them by the high school student services office.
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News from Mrs. Ziegler, BRACE Advisor (attachments: Scholarship bulletin 10.1.14)
Please call (754)321-5805 with any questions you may have regarding BRACE News.
I would like to congratulate the following students who have received offers of admission to the various institutions. Anthony Jacome - FAU, Jonathan Kimmel and Bradley Sinanan - UCF. Great Job! I am sure that there are other students who have received offers and deserve recognition. Be sure to stop by my office and let me know and you can get a flag pin and put your mark on the map.
As many of you know, my goal to have all of your 4-year college applications out was Sept. 15th. Although schools have later deadline dates, it is always best to apply as early as possible. The admissions criteria gets stronger as time goes on and merit based scholarships are handed out on a first come first served basis. You may be able to get in, but you may not receive scholarships, if you wait too long.
New information to share:
There has been some confusion with using college application waivers. College application waivers are available to all students who have taken the test/s (SAT and/or ACT) using a fee waiver. This is usually our free or reduced lunch students. Unlike the test waivers, the application waivers do not have codes. It is basically a piece of paper that gets sent to the school asking the school to waive their application fee. Since there is no code to enter at the time of application, I ask the students to complete and submit their college application as if they are going to make payment at a later date, such as check or money order. Sometimes the school will have the student print a paper to attach to the payment. Once the students have submitted their application, they should then come and see me (Ms. Ziegler)to get an application waiver. Many of the Florida public universities allow me to fax the waiver to them. Others require the original waiver, which will be mailed in. It is always best to have the application submitted prior to making payment as the fee waiver tends to get lost otherwise.
If you are applying to Florida Gulf Coast University, you will want to complete the application completely, until you get to the payment page. As there is no way to submit the application without using a credit card, you will stop before making payment. You should then come to me to get a fee waiver. I will email the waiver to the appropriate person at FGCU who will complete your application for you.
Florida Atlantic University is holding an EXPO for high school students on Oct. 18th and Nov. 1st. They are offering free tickets to the football game on those dates. During the third quarter of each game they will hold a drawing for 5 freshman scholarships. You must register in advance at: www.fau.edu/expo. Originally the Oct. 18th date was for Palm Beach students; however, you may now sign up for either or both games. See flyer for details.
Kappa League - Junior Kappa League would like to invite parents of males from 9th to 11th grade for an informational luncheon on Sunday, Sept. 28th at 3:00 pm. For details and to RSVP contact Bro. Michael Shorter at 954-914-9058
UCF has a new Top 10 Knights program. Students who are in the top 10% of their class, have a 1010 SAT (reading and math) or a 21 ACT and apply before Dec. 31st are guaranteed admission to the university. However the term is not guaranteed.
Students using college application fee waivers (especially College Board waivers) may now submit them online at: uaoper...@ucf.edu
Becca's Closet is a non-profit organization that collects and donates formal dresses to high school girls who cannot afford to buy them. They are now open for homecoming. Contact them to request an appointment at www.beccascloset.org or 954-424-9999
Senior year can be a very stressful time. Georgia Tech has an Accurate Admissions Resource Guide that offers videos and tips to combat Admissions Induced Stress (AIG). Check it out at: aarg.gatech.edu
As many of you are aware, Virtual Counselor has been down. This has created a bit of a problem with seniors completing their college applications. If you are having trouble accessing your information, you can email me (Ms. Ziegler) listing the information that you need and I will respond to your email.
The University of Florida and Florida State University are using the SSAR, (Student Self reports Academic Record) process. A student can complete the SSAR once and decide whether to apply to UF, FSU or both.
The University of Florida has changed their deadline date is Nov. 3rd.
Florida State University has two notification dates. The first deadline is Oct. 15th. Students who apply before this date will receive an admissions decision on Dec. 17th. Students who apply after Oct. 15th will not get a decision until mid-March.
Problems with the Common College Application - The student's dashboard is not accurately reflecting whether or not a college requires a supplement. Many schools are listed as not requiring a supplement when, in fact, they do. The biggest problem is that it results in no link being there to take the student to the supplement.
Interesting Articles/Opportunities:
This is a link to a FREE 8-week Selective College Admissions MOOC course available to high school sophomores and juniors. https://www.edx.org/course/st-margarets-episcopal-school-high-3801#.VCOOY2K9KSM
Broward College Corporate and Continuing Education is offering various test preparation classes (GMAT, SAT, PERT, GRE and LSAT). Registration and details available at:www.broward.edu/academics/ce/Pages/Test%20Preparation.aspx
CollegeWeekLive.com is offering many virtual events throughout the fall. These events include virtual college fairs, scholarship, testing and essay writing workshops. See attached flyer for details
Free and Reduced
Lunch - There are many benefits
to qualifying for free or reduced lunch, other than the meals themselves.
Students are eligible to receive SAT and ACT fee waivers for both their
junior and senior years (1 per test, per year). Additionally,
seniors who have taken a test using a fee waiver are able to receive college
application fee waivers. If a student were to take advantage of all
of the fee waiver offers, they could save over $500. It is well
worth the time to complete an application to see if you qualify.
Fee waivers for the Class of 2015 are ready for pick up.
On Campus Events: College visits are open to juniors and
seniors.~ All students must have a college visit pass to attend.~ The student
must sign up in the BRACE office in order to get a college visit pass.~ Space
is often limited.~ Passes are assigned on a first come first come basis.~ It is
between the teacher and the student whether it is appropriate for the student
to miss class time to attend the college visit.~ Students should stop by the
BRACE office often as visits are constantly being added.
Oct. 13th - Liberty University @ 1:30
Oct. 14th - Florida Gulf Coast University @ 9:30
Oct. 14th - University of North Florida @ 11:00
Oct. 15th - University of South Florida @ 1:30
Oct. 17th - Champlain College @ 3:00
Oct. 29th - University of Florida @ 11:00 (visit is full)
Oct. 30th - Nova Southeastern University @ 11:00
Nov. 10th - St. Thomas University @ 11:30
Off Campus Events :
Oct. 4th - United States Naval Academy Admissions Forum
When: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Where: Hyatt Regency Miami Downton, 400 SE 2nd Avenue, Miami 33131
To register, go to: www.usna.edu/admissions/events
Oct. 12th - Boston University Admissions Information Session
Where: Ransom Everglade Middle School. 1998 Tigertail Avenue, Miami @ 1:00 - Refreshments and registration @ 12:30 Or Pine Crest School Boca Campus, 2700 Saint Andrews Blvd. @ 7:00 - Refreshments and registration @ 6:30 RSVP on BU Website.
Oct. 16th - Cardinal Gibbons High School College Fair - Free and Open to the Public *See attached flyer for details.
When: Thursday, Oct. 16th 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Oct. 16th & 20th - Discover Duke
Where & When: Thursday Oct. 16th @ 7:00 pm - Boca Raton Renaissance, 2000 NW 19th Street, Boca Raton 33431
or
Monday, Oct. 20th @ 7:00 pm - Miami Courtyard Coconut Grove, 2649 South Bayshore Drive, Miami 33133
Please register at admiss.ugrad.duke.edu/discover-duke
Oct. 21st & 23rd - Carnegie Mellon Fall Information Sessions
When & Where: Oct. 21st - Miami @ Marriott Miami Dadeland, 9090 S. Dadeland Blvd., Miami 33156
or
Oct. 23rd - Boca Raton @ Renaissance Boca Raton, 2000 NW 19th Street, Boca Raton, 33431
Time: 7:30 pm
Register at admission.enrollment.cmu.edu/pages/information-sessions-in-a-city-near-you
Oct. 21st - Fort Lauderdale NACAC College Fair
When: 5:30 - 8:00 pm
Where: Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention Center
What: Over 200 colleges, universities and post-secondary options
Who: Open to the public
*More details to follow
Oct. 18th and Nov. 1st- Florida Atlantic University EXPO for high school students
What: Free football game & Register to win 1 of 10 FAU Freshman Scholarships - Attendees will be able to: Speak with college representatives, Learn about scholarships and financial assistance, pick up literature and learn about various degree programs, receive free giveaways and the chance to win scholarships to FAU, and attend an FAU Owls football game for free
When:3:00 pm - Game @ 7:00 pm
All students and parents must register
prior to the event. For inquiries about the Expo please call 561-297-5500
or email fau...@fau.edu. For registration assistance, call
561-297-3999.
Scholarships :
Southern Scholarship Foundation, Inc. - Deadline: Ongoing - Award: Low-cost housing
Rent free housing for students admitted to FSU, UF, FAMU, or FGCU.~ Motivation
demonstrated through awards and activities.~ Financial need.~ Minimum 3.0 GPA.~
Information and application available at: http://www.southernscholarship.org
Also see the
attached scholarship bulletin (8.15.14 scholarship bulletin)
Interesting Websites:
Following are a couple of free
test prep websites:
PERT prep - Go to Broward.edu.~ Click on Student Resources, then click Testing
center.~ When you click the PERT link it opens up to offer you a PERT study
guide and practice test.~ They also have links to YouTube tutorials.~ You can
also register for a free 4 - week on line college foundations course.
March2Success~ - www.march2success.com
Website includes test prep for the ASVAB, SAT and ACT.~ They also offer help
with high school math and verbal skills.~ There is a high school science hub to
help with Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth Science.~~~ Additionally they
offer a college readiness online course.~ There is a Spanish option for this
website.~
[ http://www.maldef.org ]www.maldef.org - MALDEF (Mexican American Legal
Defense and Educational Fund) Scholarship List.~ This list is an informative
resource for students, parents, and educators.~ MALDEF is not a direct provider
of the scholarships on the list, with exception of the MALDEF Law School
Scholarship Program. (This can be a good resource for students who have
residency issues.
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Underclass Picture day is about three weeks away on Tuesday, October 21, 2014 in the Bistro. Student photos will be taken throughout the day by classes at the assigned times. The order form is enclosed. You can retrieve it by clicking the attachment link at the beginning or end of this email (attachment picture day order form)
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REMINDERS
Parent teacher conferences are scheduled through the
appropriate guidance counselor. Conferences are arranged before school at
8:45am. A conference with your child's team of teachers will be scheduled
with a minimum of 48-hour notice to the teacher. You can call 754-321-5702
to reach the department or Email information the grade level counselor
directly.
Class of 2018 Alvin Ranzy email address: alvin...@browardschools.com
Class of 2017 Esme Maldonado email address: esme.ma...@browardschools.com
Class of 2016 Mary Barone email address: mary....@browardschools.com
Class of 2015 Juliet-Ann Olagbemi email address: Juliet-an...@browardschools.com
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Gradebook News:
Below are the links to set up your account for FOCUS Parent Portal (to check into student grades).
FOCUS Parent Portal (To access student grades)
To set up your parent account: http://browardfocus.com/auth
You will need the 10 digit student number and date of birth for the student(s) to create the account.
To log in to FOCUS go to http://browardfocus.com (Please access Focus Parent Portal Page using Chrome, Firefox, or Safari.)
Username: Enter the username assigned to you during registration for access (commonly your email address)
Password: Enter the password assigned to you during registration for access (IMPORTANT: Write it down as it will not be emailed to you by the system)
If you are having trouble setting up your parent account, please email Ms. Henry at lillie...@browardschools.com .
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Parent Seminar at McFatter:
McFatter Technical High School is offering its 4th Annual Parent Seminar Series beginning on October 14, 2014. Be on the lookout for the mailer. RSVP early as seats fill up quickly. The dates of the seminars are: OCTOBER 14, JANUARY 6, and MARCH 3. Our parent seminars will provide you with a wealth of knowledge that will assist you in supporting your students in their education endeavors and are from 6 to 8 pm in the Cafeteria where a complementary dinner will be served. To RSVP contact Cyd Dixson (cyd.d...@browardschools.com or 754.321.5702) OR Mary Romanski (mary.r...@browardschools.com or 754.321.5735). We hope you can join us.
OCTOBER 14, 2014 The House WE are Building Together: How to Construct a Strong Educational Foundation. This seminar will focus on the tools necessary for the "construction of a strong house". We will discuss graduation requirements and study skills strategies to assist students in the 21st century, including technological resources available to all students and parents (including Focus- our new grade book program). Please RSVP before October 8, 2014.
Additional Opportunities:
The Broward County Public Schools ESE Department is offering several workshops to parents that are great information. Attached is a calendar of oall of the events currently scheduled. Additional workshop opportunities are available at: http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/studentsupport/ese/html/WORKSHOP_FIRST.htm
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District News:
If you haven’t had a chance to go to the link yet for the SMART initiative website, www.browardschools.com/smartfutures, you may be interested to know that the students speaking in the high school video are from our very own William T. McFatter Technical High School. It takes about 30 seconds to view, so if you get a moment please check it out. Additionally, there are many updates regularly occurring on the site. If you missed it before, there is a flyer attached entitled SMART Flyer McFatter 9.5.14
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Exciting Student Opportunity:
Additionally, registration is now open for Leadership Broward Foundation’s 9th Annual Youth Leadership Summit on October 23-25, 2014. This is a wonderful opportunity for all Broward County high school sophomores, juniors and seniors interested in developing their leadership skills and learning more about the community, and we would love for your school to be represented!
This year’s Summit, Finding the Leader in You, is a 2 ½ day program that will provide students with the opportunity to develop their own personal leadership styles; connect with students and established professionals from all over the county through hands-on leadership activities; and impact the community through awareness and service.
Workshops will focus on leadership development through three tracks: Leading Self, Leading Others, and Leading in the Community, and topics will include Bullying, Communication Styles, Consensus Building, Goal Setting, Personal Values and Self-Awareness, Social Media Branding and more.
The cost of the program is $200, which includes meals/snacks & a t-shirt. A limited number of scholarships are available for students in extreme need.
Attached is the event flyer and full information packet. Registration can be completed online at http://www.leadershipbroward.org/youth-leadership-summit, and payment is due by October 13, 2014. Space is limited! Please see Mrs. Maldonado or Mrs. Barone, if you would like to be considered for this opportunity.
News from McFatter PTSA:
We will be selling Enjoy the City Entertainment books for $10.00! Each book contains (4) $5 coupons off the total price of groceries at Winn Dixie (also accepted at Publix) for a savings of $20! Wow! that more than pays for the book! More importantly, McFatter earns $8.00 for each book sold! You can stop by high school student services and see Ms. Henry, or you can contact PTSA member Shirley Dickinson at shirll...@aol.com to request your copy! Additionally, we are selling Pollo Tropical food and beverage coupons. Each coupon costs $5.00 and you get $5.00 worth of food and beverage. The benefit is that McFatter gets $2.50 of each $5.00 coupon sold! Please contact PTSA member Shirley Dickinson at shirll...@aol.com to purchase coupons. Thanks for your support!
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Homecoming Dance:
Announcing the 2014 McFatter High School Homecoming Dance. Join us on November 14 from 7-11pm at Signature Grand in Davie for a night to remember. Our theme this year is James Bond. Tickets will go on presale 9/29/14 for $55. The regular ticket price will be $60 after the presale. Tickets can be purchased online at Mcfattertech-hs.com or during lunch. Look for our table outside
the cafe. Email Mary....@browardschools.com for more information.
Becca's Closet South Florida is now accepting homecoming dress appointment requests. Please complete the Appointment Request Form go to http://www.beccascloset.org/get_a_dress.php A volunteer will contact you soon to schedule an appointment once you submit your request. See attachment BECCA'S CLOSET POSTER
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Save the Date! Thursday, October 16th at 4:30 pm Barnes & Noble Plantation will host Author Felicia Hatcher.
Named one of the "Top 10 Superstar Entrepreneurs Under 30" by Allbusiness.com, Ms. Hatcher motivates young people to look past their challenges to find success. Hatcher, a "C" student in high school, beat the odds and won over $100,000 in college scholarships. She will discuss and sign copies of her book The "C" Student's Guide to Scholarships. http://www.whitehouse.gov/champions/african-american-history-month-stem-access-and-diversity/felecia-hatcher
- Ms. Hatcher will speak from 4:30-5:00 pm.
- We will also present the new Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Nook, and
- Answer your questions about bookfair fundraisers and other B&N resources for educators.
Barnes & Noble Stores celebrate Educator Appreciation Week October 11-19th.
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Parent Learning Opportunity:
Positive Solutions for Families Fall 2014: If you have younger children, this series will help you learn how to promote children’s social and emotional skills; understand their children’s challenging behavior; use key strategies to address the behaviors; and implement positive approaches to help children learn appropriate behavior. This program promotes the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5, but the skills learned apply to ages through elementary school. (Attachment entitled Positive Solutions for Families Fall 2014)
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Become a part of the FAU university community!
Learn about the outstanding degrees, programs and opportunities Florida Atlantic University has to offer at the 2014 Expos for high school students.
These exciting events provide students and parents opportunities to learn about the outstanding degrees, programs and future collegiate careers FAU has to offer.
Come explore FAU's beautiful campus and help cheer on the FAU Owls as they play at home in their new stadium! For more information go to https://expo.fau.edu/ or see attached flyer titled FAU EXPO
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Student Government:
Message for the Class of 2018 -
Attention Freshmen: If you are interested in running for a Class Officer position, applications will be available from Mrs. Minichiello in room 370 or from Mrs. Barone in the Guidance Office beginning October 1. The deadline to turn in completed forms is October 9 by 4:10 PM, then campaigning, speeches and voting will follow. It is a great opportunity for leadership to represent your class as President, Vice President, Treasurer or Secretary, so pick up the packet if you want to make a difference this year!
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Volunteer Service Hour Opportunities
Kiwanis Horses & Handicapped, Inc: We need of volunteers to assist with horses. See the attached document Kiwanis Horses & Handicapped, Inc. This is an ongoing opportunity.
Glam-A-Thon: We are in need of volunteers for our daytime breast cancer fundraising event in downtown Ft. Lauderdale to benefit the hospitals of Broward Health. This is a great cause and two events need an additional 15-20 volunteers to help Glam-A-Thon, a great Chamber member in the fight against breast cancer. The Strut - Call for Volunteers 2014 flyer is attached.
Project Stable is a non-profit organization that depends on the generosity of its volunteers to help special needs children achieve their personal goals. What can I do at Project Stable? Become a sidewalker. A sidewalker walks along side of the horse during our therapeutic riding sessions to ensure safety of the rider. Sidewalkers interact with both the rider and horse during our sessions. Feed and care for the horses and animals. Besides horses we have farm animals that we use for both our special needs students and agricultural education classes. Our volunteers start as side walkers and if interested may become horse handlers and help with caring for our animals. Minimum age is 14 years old.
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Advance Learning Opportunities
Included are two attachments for the University of Florida Dual Enrollment program for Spring Semester. If interested in this opportunity, students should speak with their assigned counselor ASAP to complete all of the requirements in time. The deadline for submission of all documentation to the McFatter counselor registration is December 5th.
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(Reminder: For referenced attachments in this email, please go to: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0ByXD3QYvLm7jclNaY3V0SDQ3QlE&usp=sharing )