Interesting in a 2011-2012 Student Parking Pass

By: Jason Pollock, Assistant Principal

Are you intersted in driving to school next year? If so, parking pass sign-up for rising seniors and rising juniors will be Thursday, April 28th and Friday, April 29th. Rising seniors will pay $40 at this time. Rising juniors will only sign-up at this time. Alive@25 is not required at the time of the sign-up but will be required at the time of pick-up in the summer. All debts must be taken care of before signing up for a parking pass. Parking pass sign-up will be in the commons area during all four lunches on both days. This will be the only time to sign up for a parking pass for the 2011-2012 school year.

Run With The Law

By: Kelly Payne, Social Studies Teacher

@ Dutch Fork High 

Law Enforcement Special Olympics 

Entry Fee Minimum: $30.00

T-shirt, Pizza & Drinks

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Run With the Law is an event that brings together students and local law enforcement officers to raise money and awareness for Special Olympics.  The concept involves School Resource Officers and students

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Special Feature: Dunking Booth for Administrators, Teachers, and SRO's

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Date: May 5, 2011

Time: 2:00-3:45

Where: Dutch Fork High School Track

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See Ms. Kelly Payne in Rm 230

Email: kpayne08@gmail.com

Student Body Election Results

By: Laurie Humphrey, Student Activities Sponsor

Sophomore President: Carter Cowsert
Sophomore Vice President: Francis Lee

Sophomore Secretary: Grace Etherington

Sophomore Treasurer: Blake Page

Junior President: Rachel McAfee
Junior Vice President: Michael Faikes

Junior Secretary: Logan Ellis

Junior Treasurer: Shannon Roberson

Senior President: Caitlyn Etherington
Senior Vice President: Savannah Norton

Senior Secretary: Dana Hurtik

Senior Treasurer: Emilee Pence

Student Body Public Relations: London Lecy and Erica Wells

Student Body Clubs, Elections, and Recognition: Morgan Holton

Student Body Activities Directors: Adam Devenport and Davis Tuggle

Student Body Secretary: Erica Duane

Student Body Vice President: Nick Wyatt

Student Body President: Alex Ziesing

Interact Club Adopts A Highway

By Kelly Payne, Social Studies Teacher

Dutch Fork High Interact Club and the Lake Murray Irmo Rotary Club collaborated for an Adopt A Highway Project on Saturday April 9th. The students and Rotarians helped to beautify Farming Creek Road.

Poetry Tweet Contest Winner Week One, Kristen Jensen

           Homeless Man

His sky-blue eyes cloud with desolation
Scream out for a sense of security
His lips tremble in the stinging cold
I wish to be his comfort.

HSAP Reminder for Students & Parents: Tips for Test-Taking

By: Robert S. Jackson, Ed.S., Assistant Principal for Instruction

Dutch Fork High School will administer the High School Assessment Program (HSAP) Exam to all students in their second year of high school on April 12-14, 2011. Additionally, any student who was unsuccessful on a previous administration will receive another opportunity to score proficient or advanced on this assessment. The schedule for HSAP testing is as follows: 

April 12 - ELA Day 1

April 13 - ELA Day 2 (NO DELAYED OPENING)

April 14 - Math

April 15, 25-29 - Make Up Exams

There are several steps parents can take to help maximize their child’s performance on the HSAP exam. Parents can make sure their student gets a good night’s rest, eats a healthy breakfast, and reports to school early on these dates. It is also important for parents to talk with their child about HSAP to help reduce test anxiety, praise their child when he or she performs well on HSAP, and encourage him or her to try harder and focus when they encounter difficult questions on the test.

Students can also take steps to help them perform better on test day, such as arrive early on test day, be comfortable but alert, and stay relaxed and confident. When nerves take over, students should remember to take several slow, deep breaths and relax. During the test, students should try to answer questions in a strategic order; that is, answer the easy questions first to build confidence and tackle the difficult questions last. A final step for students is to review their tests after completion, making sure they did not forget to answer any questions, miss-mark any answers, or made any other type of careless mistake.

These few simple steps could help Dutch Fork High School students earn proficient and advanced results on HSAP. For more information about testing you can contact Ms. Melissa Turner, Testing Coordinator at 476-3416 or Robert Jackson, Assistant Principal for Instruction @ 476-3353. Additionally, you can visit the South Carolina Department of Education website http://ed.sc.gov/agency/Accountability/Assessment/old/assessment/programs/hsap/.

Academic Team Brings Home a Trophy

By: Carol Jackson, English Teacher

In a rebuilding year with only one experienced player, the Dutch Fork Academic Team took third place in the Conway State Invitational Academic Team Tournament, just one place away from qualifying for national competition.

After a year without a team, a Dutch Fork AP English teacher stepped forward to coach the team and began recruiting in September. One student - junior Jennifer Iacono - had been on the team as a freshman and answered the call to offer her experience and leadership to the team. Other students who completed the team are Gloria Wang, Justin Moore, Zach Wang and Jessica Wang. The team practiced weekly in Mrs. Jackson's room and decided they were ready to try a competition just for the experience. They had decided that this was a rebuilding year and that the focus would be on learning in preparation for next year.

Saturday, they realized just how good they really were. The team won four out of six matches in the first round of competition, then advanced in the single elimination afternoon brackets to take the third place trophy.

DF parent and SIC member Debbie Iacono accompanied the group to Conway, Mrs. Carol Jackson is the team coach.

The trophy is on display in the front office.