Dear MHS Family:

Second semester is in full swing at MHS! More importantly, course selection for the 20-21 school year is just beginning. MHS is unique in that we design our master schedule around student requests. This means getting accurate course request data from our students to avoid having overloaded courses. Please collabo-rate with your counselor, explore options, and choose wisely! Parents of rising seniors I encourage you to consider all of the special schedule options with your student to allow them to explore college and careers!

Coming to MHS in 2020-2021 is a change in our bell schedule! We recognize the importance of educating the whole child and the power of relationships. In order to cultivate this concept we are instituting a Potter Hour for freshmen through juniors. The concept is to ensure that all students have to opportunity to build relationships with a trusted adult in the building. Some key aspects of this shift:

Students will have the same Potter Hour teacher and classmates for freshmen through junior years.

Seniors will be released every day at 2:27pm.

Juniors and seniors (who fulfill the criteria) will have open campus. This is a privilege, not a right.

Potter Hour is not a study hall, but rather a time where students can develop habits of success.

Have a great semester!

Mrs. Deidre Ripka

Principal

FEBRUARY

5 Early Dismissal @ 11:00am

8 ACT National Test NOT at MHS

12 ICC Placement Tests in MHS Library at

8:00am

14 Last Day to Drop a Class for Study Hall

without Penalty

17 No School President’s Day

20 Student Council Blood Drive-be

watching for further details

21 Local Scholarship Information

MARCH

3 Jostens Senior Delivery

(Bertha Lobby 11:33-1:14)

4 Career Day

4 Early Dismissal @ 11:00am

6 School Improvement Inservice,

Half-day (p.m.)

17 Deadline for Local Scholarships

At 3:00pm

20 Final Date to Drop a Class for a

Study Hall

30-April 3 St Jude Week

EASTER BREAK

IS

APRIL 6TH

THROUGH

APRIL 13TH

APRIL

1 Early Dismissal @ 11:00am

4 ACT National Test NOT at MHS

6 Easter Break Begins

14 School Resumes

14 SAT/PSAT Test for FR-JR class

MHS PAK RECIPIENTS

Beginning February 3rd

Parents need to register their

athlete on the website: http://

il.8to18.com/mortonilhs

You must turn in a paper copy

of your physical to Mrs. Frey in

the athletic office.

SPRING SPORTS

August 2019

Mikya Wiegand, Autumn Greiner,

Mikaela Anderson, Logan Anderson, Braylan

Smith, Lauren Miller, Sam Vlahos, Naomi

Baird, Courtney Jones, Nick Scime

September 2019

Peyton Snell, Dakota Klein, Paige Malson, Izzy

Mishler-Trerice, Sarah Wefer, Madison

Murtha, Quinn Rinkenberger, Joel Getz, Tristan

Parker, Rylee West

October 2019

Peter Grant, Mark Bischoff, Delanie Springer, Cody

Burton, Tori Sauder, Aidan Buckingham

November 2019

Daison Williams, Brock Hasty

December 2019

Bella Gehrt

"In Their Own Write" will be

Sunday, February 9 at 6:00 pm in the

Bertha Frank Auditorium. It is the

8th annual Composers' Guild recital

that will feature 3 musicians from Illi-

nois St. University performing original

compositions by Morton High School

students.

ICC Placement Test - February 12th

Attention Sophomores, Juniors & Seniors! As a convenience

for you, MHS Counselors are offering ICC Placement Testing at MHS on

Wednesday, February 12th at 8AM in the library. Who should take the

Placement Test on Feb 12th? Sophomores taking Earth-H, Astronomy-H,

Music Theory, ICC Psychology 110, and/or Economics in 2020-2021 Students tak-

ing AP Chemistry (CHEM 130) Fall of 2020. Seniors graduating in May and at-

tending ICC. Juniors interested in Early College ICC/Strong Start senior year.

Please sign up via this google form:

https://forms.gle/nYfUUh7tYVoALuut5 This form also was sent

to your MHS email from Mrs. Spicklemire. You will need to

bring your ICC student ID number the day of the

test. Students can also take the ICC Placement Tests on campus by mak-

ing an appointment: icc.edu/admissions/enrollment/placement-testing/

MORTON HIGH SCHOOL, 350 N ILLINOIS AVE, MORTON, IL 61550

ATTENDANCE (309) 263-0611

COUNSELING/STUDENT SERVICES (309) 263-8585

MAIN OFFICE (309) 266-7182

MHS Career Day will take place on Wednesday, March 4th from 8-11am at Morton High School. MHS Career Day is designed to encourage students to explore their interests and pas-sions as an extension of their academic program and in the process better understand them-selves, their community, and the world. MHS Career Day events will include a panel of up-and-coming careers, a college fair, a career fair, and debriefing session with a faculty member. There will also be special programs and activities for seniors in the Class of 2020. For more infor-mation, please click here.

Go to https://www.khanacademy.org/sat and click Start Practicing. Follow the di-rections to link your College Board Account (PSAT, AP, etc.) OR take the diagnos-

tic quiz to get personalized help.

(FAFSA.gov)

All 2020 graduates and students taking any ICC on campus should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

2020 Graduates - Most colleges and universities require FAFSA completion before dis-pensing merit (non-need) based scholarships and awards. Please contact your college or uni-versity financial aid office or the website for details.

ICC Placement Testing is being offered at MHS on Wednesday, February 12th in the MHS Library.

Students taking dual credit AP Chemistry (CHEM 130) or Strong Start during the 2020-2021 school year are required to have a Math Accuplacer (placement test) score.

Also, students graduating in May 2020 who plan to attend ICC should take the placement test.

Students can register for the placement test by following this link:

ICC Classes and dual credit classes, do they transfer? Find out which classes will transfer from ICC

to another school. Please contact the office of Transfer Assistance

(https://icc.edu/students/transfer-assistance/) or use www.transferology.com .

All Students:

It’s not too late to order your 2019-2020 Yearbook. The cost is $70.

Parents of the Class of 2020

Baby Ad

Dear families of seniors graduating this year. We are offering the opportunity for you to send a special message to your graduates. To help you, we have created a sample ad used in past years. Messages should be no longer than 15-25 words; the more words you have, the smaller the print must be. We will only accept electronic copies of baby photos, and can be no smaller than a 4x6 and should be por-trait, or vertical, style. Please email the photo and information to krista.kolls@mcusd709.org. I will respond to you once I receive the photo; if I do not respond then you will need to contact me so that we can fix any problems. The cost of the ad and message is $35, and will need to be paid through efunds. The money will need to be paid electronically by March 15, 2020 to be included in the senior section so please don’t wait!!

Name of Senior: _______Dear Joe

Message:_____We are so proud of your accomplishments and

cannot wait to see where your next steps will lead

you. _______________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

_____________________

Closing and signature:__All our love, Mom & Dad

Please send your picture and information by March 15; late

pictures will not be accepted!

APRIL 14TH PSAT/SAT IMPORTANT INFORMATION On April 14th, students in grades 9-11 will be taking the PSAT or SAT test. The state of Illinois has adopt-ed the SAT test as a college and career readiness test required for all 11th grade students before gradua-tion from high school. To better track student progress and align with the SAT, 9th and 10th grade stu-dents will take the PSAT 9 and PSAT 10. All tests are part of the same testing suite and measure the same skills and knowledge allowing students, parents, and educators to monitor student progress.

More information will follow in a detailed letter later this month. Students will follow a special schedule depending on their personal testing schedule. School will start at the normal time, but release time may be before or after 3pm depending on each student’s needs. Please be looking for this information in the mail in the next couple weeks.

All Senior students will receive an excused absence from MHS on April 14th. The entire building and staff will be used to conduct testing. Senior students are strongly encouraged to use this time produc-

tively. It is recommended students focus on the 3C’s to help with post-secondary focus.

COMMUNITY

Find a place to serve on this day. Suggestions will be shared with students and parents in later communication.

COLLEGE

Go on a college visit. Your counselor would be happy to help with this set-up if needed.

CAREER

Contact a family, friend, or community business and use this opportunity to job shadow them. You will be surprised at how valuable this experience can be!

ATTENTION ALL JUNIORS:

All Juniors will be taking the SAT after spring break 2020. Morton High School will be offering a review for this assessment in mid-late March. This review is designed to prepare Junior students for the SAT. These sessions are from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. on March 16, 23, 26, and 30. Each ses-sion will have a focus - reading, writing, language, SAT essay, math, and science. The cost for all 4 nights is $75. This covers the book, materials, and instructors.

Extracurricular activities and/or work often conflict with the start times of these sessions. Please do not let this prevent you from registering if you see a need for the classes. Students are al-lowed in late due to these circumstances.

Registration in December is a 2 step process: 1) Make your payment through EFUNDS in De-

cember 2) Complete a google form. The Google Form will be shared through email in December.

The registration process opens in December and must be paid before Thursday, February 6th.

This firm deadline ensures book delivery and hiring of personnel for the first session.

Questions? Email Mrs. Holmgren at mary.holmgren@mcusd709.org

Edward Bloom is a travelling salesman who lives his life to the absolute fullest and his larger-than-life stories entertain all who hear them--especially his devoted wife, Sandra. In the storybook past, Edward ages from a teenager and encounters a Witch, a Giant, a Mermaid, and the love of his life. While a now sixty-year-old Edward is facing his own mortality, his son Will, approach-ing fatherhood himself and extremely doubtful of any truth be-hind his father’s supposed experiences, wishes to uncover the secrets of his father’s epic tales. As the story shifts between two timelines, Will must decide to accept his father’s wild stories as fact or risk losing him completely. Join us for this wondrous story of the ups and downs of family, life, and love. Including a cast with over 40 singers, dancers, and actors, a live pit orchestra with 20+ MHS students, and a tech crew of 6, Big Fish is sure to make you laugh, cry, and come away singing some amazing songs. Tickets will be $10 for adults and $5 for students and will be available at the door on show nights. April 23, 24, & 25 per-formances will begin at 7:00 pm and April 26 is at 3:00 pm. All performances are presented in the Bertha Frank Auditorium at Morton High School.

AP Exam Schedule

Students taking AP Exams in May 2020 registered for each exam in Fall 2019. The registration process is now closed. Tuesday, May 5th - Calculus AB (AM)* and Calculus BC (AM) Thursday, May 7th - Chemistry (AM) and Physics 1: Algebra-Based (PM) Friday, May 8th - Computer Science A (PM) Monday, May 11th - Biology (AM)* Tuesday, May 12th - Spanish Language & Culture (AM) Wednesday, May 13th - Music Theory (PM) Friday, May 15th - Computer Science Principles (AM) and French Language & Culture (AM) and Statistics (PM) For any exam listed on the schedule as (AM), please arrive for your exam at 7:40. Once all students are accounted for, we will start the exam. Section 1 will start at 8AM. For any exam listed on the schedule as (PM), PLEASE EAT A LUNCH AND LEAVE LUNCH EARLY FOR YOUR EXAM. You should arrive for your exam at 11:45. Once all students are accounted for, we will start the exam. Section 1 will start at 12:00. **Special note: Any exam marked with an * on the schedule will be taken at the District Office. Further com-munication will be sent via email to students registered for this exam regarding times, meeting locations, and transportation information. What to bring: -- government-issued or school-issued photo I.D. -- No. 2 pencils for the multiple-choice answer sheet -- pens with black or dark blue ink for completing areas on the exam booklet covers and for free-response questions in most exams -- approved calculator - a scientific or graphing calculator is recommended; a four-function calculator is al-lowed but not recommended. (https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/takingtheexam/exam-policies/calculator-policy) What NOT to bring -- any electronic equipment or communication devices, like cell phones, smartphones, tablets or anything else that can access the internet, any cameras or other photographic equipment, or even any watches that beep or have an alarm (or smartwatches). -- any food or drink in the exam room, including bottled water If you eat A lunch, please inform your teacher that you will need to eat during your 5S. See Mr. Bushman with any questions. Students should be checking their email regularly for updates, new information, and reminders!