By: Gregg L. Morton, Principal
Robert S. Jackson, Assistant Principal for Instruction
We are so excited about the upcoming graduation for the class of 2011. Our seniors have put in a lot of hard work in preparation for this day.
It is our practice to denote in our commencement program the recipients of various scholarships and awards. The designation of scholarship recipients in our program or in any media is preliminary, based on information provided by the school and students at the time of this printing, and is subject to final confirmation and approval by the eligible higher education institution and South Carolina Commission on Higher Education.
We remain committed to providing a graduation experience of a lifetime that will culminate student's high school experiences. The class of 2011 is a very special group of bright, caring, and responsible young people. We look forward to having you, your families, and friends join us at graduation on Friday June 3, 2011 at 12:00 noon; Carolina Coliseum, when we will honor your efforts and wish each and every one of you all the best in your future endeavors.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Scholarship Recipients Recognized at Graduation
By: Gregg Morton, Principal
Dear Parents,
In the past, it has been the practice of School District 5 of Lexington and Richland Counties to denote recipients of the Palmetto Fellows, SC HOPE, and LIFE scholarships in our graduation programs. We will change this practice beginning with the graduating class of 2011 to denote only the conditional Palmetto Fellows recipients. This change is based on recommendations from the Commission on Higher Education (CHE). Please read the following quote from an email sent to all South Carolina guidance counselors from the CHE.
As seniors are moving closer towards graduation, high schools should take caution in announcing or publicizing its students earning state scholarships, such as the SC HOPE, LIFE, and the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, in their schools, districts, or communities. Please be advised that if the students at your school have not been notified by either the Commission on Higher Education (CHE) or the appropriate official at the eligible SC college or university, it is unwise to recognize them as such.
Colleges cannot render official notification of SC HOPE and LIFE scholarships until final transcripts are received from the high school. These transcripts cannot be completed, reviewed, and submitted by the high schools until all grades for the senior are entered, confirmed, and final GPAs calculated. The timeline for this process does not allow high schools to receive official notification of SC HOPE and LIFE scholarships from the CHE or colleges for timely inclusion in the graduation program.
Notifications of conditional Palmetto Fellows Scholarships are received earlier due to a different notification process. Those students will be denoted as conditional Palmetto Fellows Scholarship recipients in the graduation program along with the stipulations required for final award.
We appreciate you understanding the tenuous position we hold as a district when announcing scholarships. We have attempted to announce every appropriate accolade our students have earned and give them the attention they rightly deserve.
Dear Parents,
In the past, it has been the practice of School District 5 of Lexington and Richland Counties to denote recipients of the Palmetto Fellows, SC HOPE, and LIFE scholarships in our graduation programs. We will change this practice beginning with the graduating class of 2011 to denote only the conditional Palmetto Fellows recipients. This change is based on recommendations from the Commission on Higher Education (CHE). Please read the following quote from an email sent to all South Carolina guidance counselors from the CHE.
As seniors are moving closer towards graduation, high schools should take caution in announcing or publicizing its students earning state scholarships, such as the SC HOPE, LIFE, and the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship, in their schools, districts, or communities. Please be advised that if the students at your school have not been notified by either the Commission on Higher Education (CHE) or the appropriate official at the eligible SC college or university, it is unwise to recognize them as such.
Colleges cannot render official notification of SC HOPE and LIFE scholarships until final transcripts are received from the high school. These transcripts cannot be completed, reviewed, and submitted by the high schools until all grades for the senior are entered, confirmed, and final GPAs calculated. The timeline for this process does not allow high schools to receive official notification of SC HOPE and LIFE scholarships from the CHE or colleges for timely inclusion in the graduation program.
Notifications of conditional Palmetto Fellows Scholarships are received earlier due to a different notification process. Those students will be denoted as conditional Palmetto Fellows Scholarship recipients in the graduation program along with the stipulations required for final award.
We appreciate you understanding the tenuous position we hold as a district when announcing scholarships. We have attempted to announce every appropriate accolade our students have earned and give them the attention they rightly deserve.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Run With The Law Day
By Kelly H. Payne, Social Studies Teacher
"Run With The Law" for Special Olympics was a success! We had over three hundred students from Dutch Fork Middle and Dutch Fork High School participate and raised almost a $1,000. Thank you for supporting the Special Olympics!
"Run With The Law" for Special Olympics was a success! We had over three hundred students from Dutch Fork Middle and Dutch Fork High School participate and raised almost a $1,000. Thank you for supporting the Special Olympics!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Dutch Fork High is Ranked Nationally
By: Robert S. Jackson, Ed.S., Assistant Principal for Instruction
Each year, several publications seek out to rank high schools in their ability to prepare students for college and career readiness. This year, the author of the list (formally the Newsweek Rankings) has moved to The Washington Post and continues to publish "The High School Challenge" the list of rankings.
In ranking America's high schools, the formula is pretty simple. Divide the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or other college-level tests a school gave in 2010 by the number of graduating seniors. While not a measure of the overall quality of the school, the rating can reveal the level of a high school’s commitment to preparing students for college.
This year, we are proud to announce that Dutch Fork High School is ranked number 604 out of 1905 high schools nationally. Schools on this list are comprised of the following types of schools:
# 606 - Dutch Fork High
# 1311 - Chapin High School
# 1348 - Irmo High School
Regionally, looking at schools from the midlands, nine schools are represented:
# 327 - A.C. Flora High School
# 604 - Dutch Fork High School
# 973 - Dreher High School
# 1311 - Chapin High School
# 1348 - Irmo High School
# 1368 - Brookland Cayce High School
# 1524 - Lexington High School
# 1589 - Spring Valley High School
# 1628 - Richland Northeast High School
We are very proud of how Dutch Fork High and School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties continues to prepare its students for a level of college and career readiness that is consistent with state and national goals for educational progress. As a public, non-magnet high school, we will continue to advise and schedule our students into the most rigorous courses in our various programs of study. Doing so will allow them to continue competing with the best and brightest students from across the globe.
Each year, several publications seek out to rank high schools in their ability to prepare students for college and career readiness. This year, the author of the list (formally the Newsweek Rankings) has moved to The Washington Post and continues to publish "The High School Challenge" the list of rankings.
In ranking America's high schools, the formula is pretty simple. Divide the number of Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or other college-level tests a school gave in 2010 by the number of graduating seniors. While not a measure of the overall quality of the school, the rating can reveal the level of a high school’s commitment to preparing students for college.
This year, we are proud to announce that Dutch Fork High School is ranked number 604 out of 1905 high schools nationally. Schools on this list are comprised of the following types of schools:
- Public
- Private
- Charter
- Magnet
- Specialized Career Academies
# 606 - Dutch Fork High
# 1311 - Chapin High School
# 1348 - Irmo High School
Regionally, looking at schools from the midlands, nine schools are represented:
# 327 - A.C. Flora High School
# 604 - Dutch Fork High School
# 973 - Dreher High School
# 1311 - Chapin High School
# 1348 - Irmo High School
# 1368 - Brookland Cayce High School
# 1524 - Lexington High School
# 1589 - Spring Valley High School
# 1628 - Richland Northeast High School
We are very proud of how Dutch Fork High and School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties continues to prepare its students for a level of college and career readiness that is consistent with state and national goals for educational progress. As a public, non-magnet high school, we will continue to advise and schedule our students into the most rigorous courses in our various programs of study. Doing so will allow them to continue competing with the best and brightest students from across the globe.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Top Ten Students Recognized!
By: Robert S. Jackson, Ed.S., Assistant Principal for Instruction
On Wednesday May 18, 2011, we had the distinct pleasure of recognizing the top ten students in each grade for their exemplary academic performance. These students consistently take the most rigorous classes in their respective academic programs while maintaining very high grade point averages. Principal Gregg Morton reminded students to "continue to work hard and diversify their experiences. This will lead to their comprehensive preparation and post-secondary readiness." We are extremely proud of these students and congratulate them along with their parents for a job well done!
1. Frederic B.
2. Lauren B.
3. Jordan H.
4. Mark K.
5. Madeline K.
6. Stephanie O.
7. Alexis P.
8. Samadwara R.
9. Benjamin S.
10. Cole Y.
1. Benjamin A.
2. Jennifer I.
3. Aubrey L.
4. Rhianna L.
5. Clayton L.
6. Alyson R.
7. Michael S.
8. Elizabeth W.
9. Zachary W.
10. Austin W.
1. Jillian C.
2. Delaney H.
3. Hannah K.
4. Laura M.
5. Jesse R.
6. Tyler S.
7. Seth R
8. Tyler V.
9. Gloria W.
10. Emiley Z.
On Wednesday May 18, 2011, we had the distinct pleasure of recognizing the top ten students in each grade for their exemplary academic performance. These students consistently take the most rigorous classes in their respective academic programs while maintaining very high grade point averages. Principal Gregg Morton reminded students to "continue to work hard and diversify their experiences. This will lead to their comprehensive preparation and post-secondary readiness." We are extremely proud of these students and congratulate them along with their parents for a job well done!
Freshman |
1. Oliva B.
2. Haley C.
3. Christine H.
4. Rachel H.
5. Francis L.
6. Daniel O.
7. Shrusti P.
8. Tulsi P.
9. Logan S.
10. Tristan Y.
Sophomores |
2. Lauren B.
3. Jordan H.
4. Mark K.
5. Madeline K.
6. Stephanie O.
7. Alexis P.
8. Samadwara R.
9. Benjamin S.
10. Cole Y.
Juniors |
2. Jennifer I.
3. Aubrey L.
4. Rhianna L.
5. Clayton L.
6. Alyson R.
7. Michael S.
8. Elizabeth W.
9. Zachary W.
10. Austin W.
Seniors |
1. Jillian C.
2. Delaney H.
3. Hannah K.
4. Laura M.
5. Jesse R.
6. Tyler S.
7. Seth R
8. Tyler V.
9. Gloria W.
10. Emiley Z.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Tips for Exam preparation: A Principal’s Advice to Students
Posted by Jonathan Martin on 12/09/10 • Categorized as Best Educational Practices
Re-posted Remarks to students, 5.16.11.
Exams are next week (See Exam Schedules Here) : how many of you are looking forward to taking exams? I hope the answer is many of you, because I believe that when a well-prepared mind engages with a well designed test, fireworks can happen inside our minds. I had many experiences of feeling more intellectually stimulated, engaged, creative and innovative, when taking a well-designed exam than during almost any other time. My mind leapt to new insights and perceptions, made more connections and inferences, and discovered and constructed original solutions or approaches to vexing problems. I loved taking exams. But you do need to be well prepared to be successful. Some suggestions for you to be better prepared.
1. When you study, don’t just read: write! Too often we think we are studying when we let our eyes drift over the words in our notes, our textbooks, and our study guides. That isn’t enough; we must write to remember and develop better understanding. My freshman year of college I struggled with my midterms, and was quite disappointed with the results. Come finals, I chose to do something I had never done before: I simply rewrote, word for word, every note I had taken during lecture– and when I went to take my exams I was flabbergasted with how much more I recalled and how much more confident and authoritative I was addressing the questions. Recopy notes, or write about your notes and texts: what are the most interesting, more original, most surprising, most confusing, most important, most controversial ideas or informational nuggets in the texts you are studying? Write these out, and you will be better prepared.
2. Study in groups. When this works well, it is awesome; when it doesn’t work well, it can be a disaster. The opportunity is great, but effective execution is essential. When you do it well, the result will be better understanding and retention of key factual content and key interpretations , better anticipation of what will be on the test, and far more breadth of wisdom in how to answer those questions.Here is my suggested strategy for group study: gather 3-6 students, no more, together for a couple of hours: be clear up-front that this is serious study time. Have food available: this is very valuable! Bagels and cream cheese (not donuts or candy) is my recommendation. Spend thirty to fortyfive minutes brainstorming what you think will be asked on the test: review previous tests, study guides, textbook unit tests, and any other materials to guide you. You might have each member of the group individually write up 3-4 questions, and then share them with the group for discussion and feedback as you generate the best (and what you think are most likely) test questions you can identify.
Then, having established the best set of potential questions you can determine, spend 90-120 minutes answering them. You might talk about them, one at a time, taking turns having a group member be the note-taker, and talk as widely, deeply, and inclusively as you can about how to answer these questions. If you didn’t come up with good, challenging, and representative problems in the first round, this round might fall flat. Sometimes it works better to divvy the questions up, have each of you individually answer them in writing, then share the answers out loud for discussion and expansion.
The discussion benefits you two ways: as someone speaking and sharing your suggested answer, you yourself are gaining far more comprehension and retention of those ideas because the best way to deeply understand and remember ideas is to explain it to someone else. Second, by listening to others, you will get new ideas and perspectives to bring to bear on the question you might never have thought of, and by using this broader set of ideas in your answer on the exam, you will perform better than you would have alone!
3. Exercise and sleep. This is common-sense and universally advised, but it bears repeating. Exercise in particular is so valuable, and take the time to walk every 30-45 minutes around the block or up some stairs. You might even try to do very light exercise, on a treadmill or exercise bike at low rates for instance, while you are studying.
4. Move around. When you are trying to learn, master, and memorize ideas or facts, do so while moving from spot to spot. At each spot, focus on learning one idea/fact/topic, and do so while looking around and taking in your surroundings. Do this inside or outside your house or anywhere you might be. If possible, repeat, returning to the same location for the same nugget. Our brains are more like those of squirrels or pigeons than we realize; they are deeply wired to associate learnings with location. Squirrels memorize the location for their acorns so they can return to them months later; if we associate a physical location with an idea, it is imprinted in our brain, so that all we need to do is remember the location and the acorn buried there will return to mind in all its detail and specificity.
5. Connect smells to learning. This may seem bizarre, but as Proust taught us with the madeleine, memory and smell are deeply, powerfully intertwined. You might try sucking on a particularly flavored altoid mint while you study a difficult subject, and then, (with the permission of your teacher!), suck on that same flavor mint while you take your exam.
One more tip, not about studying but exam-taking. When you encounter a question which entirely stymies you– one you think you have no idea whatsoever how to answer– just begin writing. Begin to fill that white space with something, anything. You might try just rewriting the question, and then free associate to anything at all you do remember about the topic at hand– even if your ideas have no direct relationship to the question at hand. What you will find, more often than not, is that ideas are connected to other ideas; ideas follow each other like a long train of widely varying units, and by beginning to write words and ideas you do know, the connected ones that you have forgotten begin to emerge in your mind and on the paper. Just get the train of ideas moving, and what you are looking for will come along before too long.
Readers, please share other advice you might have on best study practices for our students as they anticipate exams.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Teacher Cadets Provide Relief for Tornado Victims!
Dutch Fork High School Grad Sarah Jaynes, Class of 2009 and current student at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, recently experienced first-hand the devastation of the worst outbreak of tornadoes in US history. After seeking shelter in the basement of her sorority house during the storm, she returned to her apartment only to find her neighborhood almost destroyed. Thankfully, her own apartment was okay, but a large housing project across the street was gone.
Sarah reached out to her former Teacher Cadet instructor, Carol Jackson, and asked for help for her Tuscaloosa community. Mrs. Jackson mobilized the Cadets and reached out to the entire faculty. The response was tremendous, and Sarah's car was fully loaded on Monday for her return trip to Tuscaloosa on Tuesday.
"We've received help from parents who came in to sign out their child and saw our boxes in the front office," Jackson said. "Teachers have brought in bags from home or gone shopping with Sarah's request list and brought in bags of new items. Teacher Cadets and students in T.A.P. have contributed, and we were able to fill Sarah's car with Fox Family love and support."
Mrs. Jackson told her current Teacher Cadets that this is what it means to be a part of the Dutch Fork Family. "If you are away at college, or teaching in a school with a need, or you have a personal need, you can always contact us and we'll help. This is why we pay it forward; this is what it means to be a Teacher Cadet."
Thursday, May 5, 2011
DECA Wins International Award
By: Norma Brown, DECA Sponsor
Please congratulate these students on a job well done! We are so proud of their accomplishments.
This week, DECA representatives from Dutch Fork High School traveled to the International Competitions in Orlando Florida. Our students competed with more than 20,000 students from US and abroad. Two students (Courtney and Courtland Thomas) won first place at the International level in Marketing Communications and two more students (Andrew Klasnic and Harrison Hall) won the Gold award for the Sports Marketing Team Event.
Please congratulate these students on a job well done! We are so proud of their accomplishments.
DFHS DECA Makes History
Courtney and Courtland Thomas won first place at the International level in Marketing Communications at the DECA International Competition in Orlando, FL. More than 20,000 students competed from around the world. This is the first time in history that anyone from South Carolina has won first place in the international competitions . Also, Andrew Klasnic and Harrison Hall won the Gold Award in the category of Sports Marketing Team Event. These students not only made DFHS proud but the entire State of South Carolina as well.
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