From the Desk of Dan Goggins:

Each spring I enjoy watching the Kentucky Derby.  I love it when the horses and jockeys make the last turn toward the finish line, how the announcer belts out “And down the stretch they come!”  They race to the end with unbridled effort and fury to finish strong.  Following spring break, I shared with the students how they and we must do the same.  We must not give in to apathy and exhaustion.  We must ensure that the ending of our school year is just as fulfilling as the recent past.  Together we look forward to summer but understand there is work yet to be done.  Together, parents, students, and staff will finish what we have started and continue to move closer to our mission.  Cougars never tire, they never acquiesce, they never waste time.  It’s good to be a Cougar!  Have a great end of the year.

 

The following are action plans developed by our Parent Community Involvement and Communication Committee we will consider for implementation in the 2006-2007 school year.

  1. Create a standardized feedback mechanism for parent teacher conferences, reinforce conference with feedback form in three weeks.  Parent and teacher follow up.

2.   Secure parent volunteers for College Career Center, Learning Labs, Media Center, Bookstore, etc…

  1. Create a volunteer spotlight / information / resource area or room. Create a PSHS cougar boosters meeting room.
  2. Create parent-cheering block at athletic events. Discount season tickets.
  3. Create a mechanism for positive feedback / news to the home on regular basis.
  4. Create opportunities for parents to visit clubs / activities and take part in events.
  5. Cougar Caravan conducted more that twice a year.  (Parent hosted)
  6. Establish parent and community interests clubs that meet at PSHS
  7. Provide short seminar technology workshops, Spanish instruction, etc…
  8. Establish a tree / landscaping / planting / donation day or weekend.

 

The PTSO (Parent Teacher Student Organization) and the Athletic Boosters will be consolidating into one Parent Booster Club.  The following is a timeline of events for the creation of the new organization.

 

April                

·         Voted and passed to consolidate PTSO and Athletic Boosters.

 

May 1, after Athletic Booster Meeting in Room 198 (booster meeting begins at 7PM)

·         Nominate candidates for officers.  Mr. Goggins and Mr. Yanello will serve as the nominating committee.  They will present nominees and take nominations from the floor.

 

June 5, after Athletic Booster Meeting in Room 198 (booster meeting begins at 7PM)

·         Vote for officer positions.  Only members of PTSO and Athletic Boosters may vote.

·         Present By – Laws.

 

July 17, 7:00PM Room 198, first meeting of PSHS Cougar Boosters.

·         Ratify By – Laws.

·         Form and Organize Committees.

 

 

 

It’s Good to be a Cougar!

 



 

Important Dates:

 

 

PTSO:

Dear Fellow-Parents,

 

I am an outgoing Co-President of your Cougar PTSO.  I have served for two years here.  It has been an honor to serve, made even sweeter this year by receiving the PTSO Lifetime Membership Award, along with our Homecoming Chairwoman, Darlene Conrad.  I have enjoyed serving with the quality women and men who are dedicated to our students—people like Darlene, Melanie Jones, Co-President with me, Mickey Britt and Lynn Confiliano, fellow PTSO-lifers, and, of course, Dan Goggins.  I want to thank you, and all the parents who have volunteered their time and efforts this year—from the Cougar Quickie Mart helpers, to the mailing stuffers, to the hospitality servers, to the shoppers, to the Homecoming week volunteers.  You are all appreciated and I wish I could list every one of you by name.

 

Leaving active service with PSHS’s fine parent volunteers tinges my departure with sadness, though my overriding sense is one of satisfaction and gratefulness.  We have accomplished a lot in just a year.  We have a great deal more to accomplish together as a combined Parent/Athletic Booster organization next year.  I would like to invite every interested parent reading this to come to our first combined meeting on May 1st after the Athletic Booster meeting in room 198 (enter through entrance W).  The Booster Meeting begins at 7:00PM, so the combined PTSO/Athletic Parent Booster meeting will begin around 8:00PM.  We will be choosing our new Board for next year.  Your participation will help make this first transitional step into creating a great Cougar Parent Booster Organization for 2006-2007.  It’s even better to BE A COUGAR now!

 

Cathy Noa

PTSO Co-President

CatNoa@sbcglobal.net

 

 

Work Internship:

The Work Internship class is having its annual Employer/Supervisor Appreciation Banquet on Tuesday, May 2, 2006, at the Tamarack Golf Club in Naperville.  The students will be presenting their employers/supervisors with certificates of appreciation for employing them throughout the school year.  The students raised money through candy sales to fund the banquet for their employers.

 

Applications are now being taken for next year’s Work Internship program.  Any junior who would like to be interviewed for the program will need to submit an application to Mrs. Catherine Boyd or Mr. James Dye in room 124.  All students must be interviewed in order to be considered for the Work Internship class.

 

 

 

 




Social Studies Department:

The PSHS Social Studies Department has been busy.  Our department was lucky enough to have the two “Cougar Pride” award winners.  Kristi Radavich and Lee Dvorak were recognized for the outstanding job that they do both in and out of the classroom.  The department is gearing up for the government classes spring campaign project.  This project has been run for several semesters and continues to provide students a hands on approach to the governmental process.  On a similar note, Congressman Jerry Weller stopped by PSHS and spoke to the second hour Social Studies classes.  It was a great opportunity for our students to ask Congressman Weller some questions.

 

                                                                                                 

Modern Language Department:

The Modern Language Department celebrated a successful Foreign Language Week March 20-24.  winners of the poster contest were:

1st: Caitlyn Yimet

2nd: Justine Coleman

3rd: Dana Bingham

honorable mentions:

Gaby Liberatore

Eliza Zamora

Ariel Kariott

Larissa Cruz

Kaley Westfall

The three language clubs, German French, and Spanish hosted an assembly for all language students.  Skits included Goldilocks and the Three Bears by the French Club, Little Red Riding Hood by the German Club, and Lora la Buscadora by the Spanish Club.  Tessa Westhoff sang between each skit.

Entertainment by Dennis Stroughmatt and Creole Stomp was provided for the student body in the commons area during lunch periods.  This was made possible through a partial grant by the Illinois Arts Council.

 

The Modern Language Department congratulates its newest honor society members.  Inducted into the Deutsche Ehrenverbindung were:  Sarah Albert, Tiffany Ducato, Jayme Figueroa, and John Long.  Inducted into the Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica were:  Jordan Calderone, Kelsey Caldwell, Julianne Gleason, Katie Hall, Mariella Hernandez, Michael Maher, Grisselda Nava, Ileana Nava, Liliya Prinos, Stephanie Schultz, Colleen Stanley, Myra Syed, Guadalupe Trujillo, and Jon Woolwine.  Inducted into the Société Honoraire de Français were: Lauren Britt, Hannah Jaracz, Andrea Leschewski, Kory Michi, and Faith Moore.  The ceremony was sponsored by Adele Hunt, Maureen E. Miller, and Emily R. Swistak and was held on April 19th, 2006.  Family and friends were invited to witness the induction of the students, the candle lighting ceremony, and the pledge in each language. The induction ceremony was followed by a reception generously provided by the Plainfield South PTSO.  The ceremony was in recognition of the students’ accomplishments, and we are very proud of their hard work.

 

 

Cougar Student Charity:

As promised, the first edition of the PSHS Chili Cook-Off Cookbook is now available! For the low price of $1, you can have the prize-winning chili recipes perfected by Plainfield South staff members at February’s PSHS Chili Cook-Off. Proceeds from the cookbook benefit the Cougar Student Charity, which helps students who may need financial assistance with school supplies, etc. This book features simple, delicious recipes made of easy-to-find ingredients. Purchase this limited edition in the main office.

 

           

           

 

Athletics: 

The Athletic Department recently hosted the first ever WJOL Area baseball Invite for 8 Varsity Baseball teams.  The tournament went great.  In addition, our basketball program is currently hosting a youth (4-8th grade) basketball league.  Over 75 kids from all over the surrounding areas are participating.  Our Cougar Athletic Boosters and PTSO have agreed to merge their resources and form an organization that will benefit all students of PSHS. 

 

Additionally, facility improvements have been made to the varsity softball field/area. 

 

PSHS girls’ soccer scoring record (previously set by Shannon Mladucky) was broken by Kelsey Caldwell with her 34th varsity goal. 

Congratulations Kelsey!  We have a lot of season left, so that standard will be set very high.

 

On Sunday, March 19th, the PSHS varsity girls’ softball team helped the PSHS softball program’s coaching staff demonstrate skills at a coaches’ clinic for PAC.  The clinic was attended by about 30-35 coaches in the 8-14 year olds age groups.  These coaches received valuable information about skills of the game of softball by all three of the district high schools.  A big thank you and compliments from PAC and their coaches was sent to the girls and the coaching staff for their time and willingness to share their skills that morning.

 

 

Art Department:

Adam Ramirez, a PSHS senior, won a silver key at the National Scholastic Art competition.  His portfolio of 6 drawings and 2 videos was chosen as one of the top 10 portfolios across the entire country.  This is the biggest honor we have had for art.  His individual work was honored in our region, but this is far greater an accomplishment.  He received a silver award.  Only 10 students in this category were recognized with a $1000 scholarship.  Adam was one of the top 10 and will be recognized at a teacher and student reception on Thursday, June 10th in New York at Carnegie Hall.

 

PSHS Art teacher, Denise Albright, will have her picture and biography featured in a second edition of a book published by the Friends of Community Public Art.  She had painted a mural in 2000 and will be featured in the book, as well as the PSHS sculpture done by the Friends of Public Art.

 

 

Students of the Month: (February)

Applied  Arts: Tim Waldvogel, William Johnson, Markus Papa, Nick Baran;  English: Diana Arreola, Dan Sheets-Poling, Felicia Rodriguez, Allie Gavert;  FAML:  Natalia Axenti, Alesandra Radosevich, Holly Ebertsch, Griselda Ortega;  Math:  Destiny Ritli, Jorge Alonso, Vivian Vetter, Elizabeth Glyda;  PE/Health/Dr. Ed.: Cara Keifer, Meagan O’Connor, Amanda Martino, Jen Schuller;  Science: Megan Schwarz, Omer Orellana, Jennifer Trager, Nicole Griffis;  Social Studies: Idalia Navar, Brendan Metz, Stephanie Schultz, Tom Vongphakdy;  Special Ed.: Ryan Breier Santos

Students of the Month: (March)

Applied Arts: Luke Gunderson, Dan Bishop, Sandy Nunez, Matt Mays;  English:  Andrew Haney;  FAML: Kevin Supple, Krystina Castellanos, Eric Cuevas, Logan Leduc;  Math:  Jocelyn Alvarez, Megan Burgs, Kelly Flyte, Marsiela Galvez;  PE/Health/Dr. Ed.:  Todd Franklin, Denise Garcia, Dave Konopasek, Miguel Frias;  Science:  Liz Haussman, Linda Sanchez, Jenny Decker, Julia Drauden;  Social Studies:  Ellicia Kurowski, Dante Corbin, Brittany DeGirolamo, Alaina Bates; Special Ed.: Majduleen Alkhattab, Travis O’Connor

 

 

 

 

 

 

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 If you have any questions you would like to see answered in our newsletter, please send them to dgoggins@learningcommunity202.org or call 577-5544.  We plan in the future to have a section devoted to the top five questions.

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