From the Principal, Jeffrey S. Theodoss

Connecticut Academic Performance Test

(CAPT)

Every year sophomores are tested in the area of

science as part of Connecticut’s Academic

Performance Testing. Prior to last year students

were tested in math, reading, writing and

science. Now with Smarter Balanced

Assessment testing taking place in May, science

is the only subject remaining from this former

battery of tests.

CAPT’s will take place on March 10, 2015. It is

required that all students take this test and results

are published by the state. The testing will take

approximately 2 periods to administer. Please

make sure your child is well rested and in school

on the 10th.

Selecting Classes

I would like to thank those eighth grade parents

and high school parents who attended the

Program of Studies Night or the Advanced

Placement/Early College Experience Night that

was held on February 5, 2015. The presentation

for the eighth grade parents provided them with

an overview of the school’s graduation

requirements, the course selection process and

the courses available to students. Guidance

counselors also met with parents in smaller

groups to discuss any related Program of Studies

or child specific questions.

During the second hour of the evening, teachers

instructing either the Advanced Placement or

Early College Experience courses presented

pertinent information to many sophomore and

junior parents. The parents had the opportunity

to view up to three fifteen minute presentations.

Departments were clustered in classrooms so

that parents could learn about AP and ECE

opportunities associated with each department.

As I mentioned to the parents who attended the

Program of Studies Night; the most time

consuming and sometimes frustrating, yet most

important task we do is to create the school wide

schedule. Balancing class sizes and teacher class

loads and ensuring all students have the

necessary courses and a schedule that meets their

needs, are all important components toward

creating a successful school year.

It is important as parents that you have

conversations with your children that will help

you understand their needs during their four

years of high school. Changes ultimately happen,

sometimes students feel comfortable and move

from a college prep course to an honors course,

or sometimes the reverse is true. However, any

changes that need to be made may prevent your

child from being placed in a class of their

choosing.

I can’t emphasize to each and every parent the

importance of not only planning your courses for

this year, but also discussing the course selection

process for the next two, three, or four years. As

I mentioned to parents, if you have a discussion

on a Tuesday night and your son or daughter

cannot be bothered to have that conversation,

threaten to make it a Friday night at 6:30 and I’m

sure you may get better results.

There is a fine line between challenging and

overburdening your child with a course schedule

they cannot handle. The necessity for looking at

your overall plan allows you to recognize that

one year may be more demanding than the

following year, so that courses can be selected

with this in mind.

Feel free to contact or meet with your child’s

guidance counselor or teacher to find the

appropriate answers to your questions. In the

long run, these conversations between your child

and yourself are necessary and important to the

success of your son or daughter.

Welcome Aboard!

MHS would like to welcome Brian Waddicore to

the faculty. Mr. Waddicore will be a member of

the Technology Education Department. Brian

recently received his degree in technology

education from Central Connecticut State

University.

Montville High News February 2015 www.montvilleschools.org Issue 3, Volume 2

Calendar of Events

MARCH

2 No School

Staff Dev. Day

9

School Governance

Council Meeting

4 PM

10 CAPT Testing

12

13

Drama Production

7 PM

14 Drama Production

2 PM & 7 PM

20 Half –day

Staff Dev. Day

APRIL

3 Good Friday

No School

6

School Governance

Council Meeting

4 PM

8 College Knowledge

Night 5:30 PM

13-17 Spring Vacation

See MHS web calendar

for complete listings.

Table of Contents

2

Montville Education

Foundation

College Knowledge

Night

3 Counseling Corner

On-Line Registration

4 CSI: Understanding

the FAFSA

5 Music

Academic Decathlon

6 Social Studies

Student Government

7 Student Articles

8

TRCC Career Fair

Drama Production

Lost & Found

MHS NEWS Page 2

www.montvilleeducationfoundation.org

li r gi r

M gi i lp to a t qualit of lif for all

Every year, donations from parents and friends of the

Montville Education Foundation, (MEF) help make

education grants available to learners of all ages within the

community. February is MEF’s annual appeal

month for contributions from grandparents,

alumni, staff and friends. Our goal this February is to

raise $3,000. All of funds raised go directly back into

our community, supporting creative, innovative and

quality educational grants that enhance and

enliven students’ current

Yes! 100% of the funds raised go back to our community.

If your child hasn’t been by one of the grants that

MEF has funded, they will be at some time. MEF awards

$10,000 a year and has funded over $50,000 in

grants to date. The Montville Foundation

Grant Program has become a very important and

positive part of our

Today, we are asking you to help. Working together, we

can raise funds and awareness the MEF Grant

Program. The funds are used to reinvest in our

community and schools year after year. As the appeal

continues to grow, so will our ability to provide

Please say “YES!” to the future of our hometown

by sending in your contribution today!

No contribution is too small! You may donate by

check or make credit card donation online at:

With your permission,

would like to include your name on our donor list of

community supporters as we

The Montville Education Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit corporation

established for the purpose promoting excellence in education

within the Montville community by providing financial support

educational opportunities and programs for residents of all

Save the Date for MHS’s first annual

College Knowledge Night

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2015

5:30pm-7:30pm

Students from all grade levels are invited to

join us for MHS’s first annual College

Knowledge Night.

The evening will be divided in to two parts:

a traditional college fair followed by

breakout workshops on specific college

related topics.

COLLEGE INFORMATION FAIR

5:30pm-6:30pm

Student’s will have the opportunity to meet

with representatives from the CT state

universities, private colleges, trade schools, and

military as well as gain valuable information

on NCAA requirements, financial aid &

scholarships, SAT/ACT prep, and much more!

BREAKOUT WORKSHOPS

6:15pm-7:.30pm

Following the information fair students and

parents/guardians will participate in two

breakout workshops of their choosing.

Topics Include:

Scholarships

Understanding Financial Aid

The College Essay College Application Timeline

MHS Seniors-Student Perspective

To attend please RSVP by March 27, 2015 to

Kristen Raulerson, Counselor

School Counseling Department

Email: kraulerson@montvilleschools.org

Phone: (860)848-1285 ext. 2

Don’t worry about missing dinner! **Pizza will be provided for all attendees during the

information fair**

MHS NEWS Page 3

Students will be able to register online from

February 26, 2015 to March 2, 2015

Discuss your course selections with your parents,

complete the course selection sheet and then:

1. Log into Aspen

https://ct-montville.myfollett.com/aspen/logon.do

2. Top tab – My Info

3. Side tab – Requests

Each subject area will come up (e.g. Art, Music)

4. Click on SELECT BOX next to the subject area

all the courses available under that subject will

come up

5. Check the box next to the class you want to take and

then check OK

If you check the wrong box go back and uncheck it

7. After you have chosen your classes you must check

POST

8. Both students and parents must sign the course

registration form and return it to the School

Counseling Office by March 3, 2015.

NOTE new courses:

Certified Nursing Assistant Program - 849

Engineering Disasters/Science - 538A &

Technology - 957 You must sign up for both the science & technology courses.

Guitar - 0841

Men’s Choir - 095

Women’s Choir – 097

Graphic Design 3 – 932

21st Century Manufacturing 1 & 2 – 942/943

If you have any questions, concerns or do not have access

to a computer see your counselor.

Please remember that you must go online and sign up for

classes for next year, before March 2, 2015.

If you have questions about teacher recommendations, see

the teacher.

Educational Program Book

The Educational Program Book and the Course

Registration form can be found on the MHS website,

under News and Announcements select

On-Line Registrations.

Now is the time to talk with parents/guardians, teacher and

counselors about courses your will take next year.

All students in grades 9-11 received a copy of the 2015-16

Education Program booklet in Advisory on February 18, 2015.

This should be read carefully, with special attention to the

course/credit requirements on page 4 and the four-year

planner on pages 45-46. A sample of the course selection

form is on the last page of the booklet.

The Advisory period on February 18, 2015 was used to review

the Education program booklet and complete the sample Four

Year Planner (page 47)

Aspen On-Line Registration https://ct-montville.myfollett.com/aspen/logon.do

On Thursday, February 26, 2015 you will be able to go online

to register for your elective courses. Note, your teacher’s

recommendations will already be in Aspen; you will be able to

see them, but you will not be able to change them. If you

have a question about teacher recommendations, see the

teacher. If further assistance is needed see your counselor.

You will receive a course registration form to take home and

complete once you have selected your courses online. You

are to fill out the form with your selections and have it signed

by your parents and return to the School Counseling office by

March 3, 2015.

You are able to choose alternate electives in case you are not

able to get your first choice.

It is important that you and/or your parents contact the school

counselor with any questions you may have.

A-F Mrs. Delaney ardelaney@montvilleschools.org

G-Ma Mrs. Macri cmacri@montvilleschools.org

Mc-S Mrs. Raulerson kraulerson@montvilleschools.org

T-Z Mrs. Bedard sbedard@montvilleschools.org

Website: http://www.montvilleschools.org/page.cfm?p=798

Tyl Registration

NOTE: 8th grade students met with middle and high school

counselors on February 26th and completed their course

selection sheets. Copies were sent home with students.

Instructions for students currently in grades 9-11

MHS NEWS Page 4

Understanding the

Student Aid Report (SAR) &

Expected Family Contribution (EFC) http://www.finaid.org/fafsa/efc.phtml

About four to six weeks after you submit the FAFSA (2-3

weeks for FAFSA on the Web), you will receive your Student

Aid Report (SAR). The SAR summarizes the information you

provided on the FAFSA, and indicates the Expected Family

Contribution (EFC).

The EFC is the amount of money your family will be expected

to contribute to your education. The EFC is subtracted from the

school's Cost of Attendance (COA), also known as the "student

budget", to arrive at your financial need:

Financial Need = COA - EFC.

The student budget includes tuition, fees, room and board,

books and supplies, travel, and personal and incidental

expenses.

The lower your EFC, the more financial aid you will get. The

school will try to meet this need through a financial aid

"package" that combines aid from federal, state, school, and

private sources with loans and student employment.

You may find your EFC figure to be painfully high. This often

occurs because the need analysis formulas are heavily weighted

toward current income. In addition, the formulas consider your

income and assets without taking many common forms of

consumer debt into account, such as credit card balances and

auto loans. Finally, student income and assets can add

significantly to the EFC figure.

Carefully review all of the information on the SAR to make

sure it is correct. If there are any errors, call the school's

financial aid administrator to ask how you should make

corrections. The item numbers printed on the SAR correspond

with the question numbers on the FAFSA form.

The federal processor will send a copy of your SAR to each of

the schools you listed on the FAFSA. If you need additional

copies of the SAR, log into your FAFSA account and print out

a copy. Keep your copy of the SAR in the same folder that

contains your copy of the FAFSA and the records you used to

complete the FAFSA.

FinAid provides a few tips on legal ways you can reduce your

EFC and thereby maximize your eligibility for financial aid.

Free FAFSA resource from Edvisors:

Filing the FAFSA Visit the link below to download this free

resource:

https://www.edvisors.com/fafsa/book/direct/

How to Evaluate Financial Aid Award Letters By Mark Kantrowitz

Financial aid award letters, also known as financial aid

notifications, summarize the types and sources of student

financial aid available to help the student finance the cost of his

or her education.

The goal of this guide is to help students and their families

understand how to evaluate financial aid award letters and

determine the true cost of college, so that they can make a more

informed decision about the tradeoffs between college

affordability and college quality, between financial fit and

academic fit. This guide also discusses how to compare real

college costs on an apples-to-apples basis.

Visit: www.edvisors.com/fafsa/after -submitting/award-letter/

SCHOLARSHIPS www.montvilleschools.org/page.cfm?p=800

TYPES OF SCHOLARSHIPS

Merit-Based: Based on a student's skill or ability.

Example: A merit-based scholarship might be awarded based

on a student's high grades.

Need-Based: Based on a student's financial need.

Example: A need-based grant might be awarded based on a

student's low income.

Local / Private: Based on criteria set up by local

organizations.

Example: need based, specific area of study, volunteer and

community service, participation in sports, etc.

Military Families

http://studentaid.ed.gov/types/grants-scholarships/military

Scholarships for children of current or former military

personnel.

WHERE DO I FIND THEM?

NAVIANCE https://connection.naviance.com/family-connection/auth/login/?

hsid=montvillehs

All scholarships that are received are logged into Naviance.

There are over 350 scholarship opportunities to apply for.

Log into Naviance, select the “college” tab then “scholarship

list” . I tell students to use the “ browse by category” option

and start with “local scholarships” first.

College Scholarship Information

Deborah Ingoglia, Career Resource Center dingoglia@montvilleschools.org

UPCOMING EVENTS

March 4th MHS Music Concert 7 PM

MHS Auditorium Free Admission This is a combined choir and band concert, which will

close with a combined number with both the choir and the

band!

COURSE REGISTRATION

MHS MUSIC has a large number of offerings for our students.

Everyone from the ancient Greeks to Einstein knew that music

is a crucial part of a complete education. Be sure to include one

these courses in your schedule next year!

Men’s Choir Women’s Choir

Concert Choir Guitar Class

Concert Band Beginning Band

Rock Performance Percussion Class

Independent Study

EAST LYME EXCHANGE

The Montville Music Department has been very busy this

winter. The Montville Choirs performed at the East Lyme

exchange concert. Mr. Cushing conducted the combined East

Lyme/Montville choirs for the closing number, which you can

see at our upcoming concert March 4th!

JUNIOR STEEL

The Junior Steel Band began this Tuesday with our high school

steel band mentors and our instructors.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Friday, February 27, the concert and jazz band will be taking a

field trip to the Sayles School in Baltic, CT to perform a

concert and present the music program offerings to the students

of the Sayles School.

Monday, February 23, the music department and a few

ensembles traveled to Tyl Middle School to give a presentation

to all 8th grade students about the opportunities available in the

high school music department.

MUSIC BOOSTERS

Looking for a way to support the great things happening in

MHS MUSIC? The Music Boosters meet in the cafeteria at

7pm on the first Monday of every month.

As always, if you would like to get involved with MHS MUSIC

as a student or parent, you can email the directors at

Josh Cushing jcushing@montvilleschools.org or

Jeffrey Ventures jventres@montvilleschools.org

MUSIC PARENTS STAY UP-TO-DATE

Follow MHS MUSIC on Facebook and Twitter! These accounts

are school friendly and an easy way to find out about upcoming

performances!

Band Facebook: MHS Bands

Choir Facebook: Montville Choirs

Choir Twitter: @montvillechoirs

From the Desks of:

Mr. Cushing & Mr. Ventres

MHS NEWS Page 5

Flower Power Fundraiser Feb. 25 - March 30, 2015

When you make a purchase: Academic Decathlon will receive 50% of all product sales You will receive top-quality bulbs Your order ships directly to your doorstep You get 100% money-back guarantee To order online, visit: http://www.flowerpowerfundraising.com/campaign?campaign_id=20781 Questions: Email Mr. Hayes or see any Academic Decathlon member. (bhayes@montvilleschools.org)

With the conclusion of midterm exams in the middle of January, students were ready to let

off some steam. This year Student Government sponsored a Black Light Dance, in lieu of

last year’s Winter Ball. As a casual event, this was new for the Student Government and for

the school, but it was met with enthusiasm. Unfortunately, snow days affected overall ticket

sales and attendance, but for those who did come, students were pleasantly surprised. Face

painting and glow sticks were available and the black lights lit up attending student’s outfits, creating a unique experience. The

dance was intimate and fun for all. The dance, as a whole, provided a great outlet for students who might have been suffering from

a mild case of cabin fever. After the dance had ended, attendees were already looking forward to next year.

Looking ahead, we are currently planning the annual blood drive! The scheduled date is Friday, February 27 th. Donating blood is

already an important and fulfilling deed, but it is even more crucial during this time of year. Due to the recent snow storms, blood

drives across the region have had to be cancelled, making each drive that remains open all the more necessary. At Montville High

School, the Student Government is looking to help save lives while making the donation experience easy and stress-free. With his

or her donation, a donor can save up to three lives. Blood donations are used for many different purposes, ranging from giving

transfusions to victims of accidents, to burn victims, to cancer patients, and even to prematurely born babies. Our objective is to

find life long donors for the Red Cross by creating a relaxing experience for our students.

The Montville High School social studies department has had a busy 2014-2015

school year thus far.

For the first time a full year Advanced Placement Psychology course is being offered

at MHS. This course was introduced to accommodate the growing number of

students who have expressed an interest in a psychology major in college. This

course allows students the opportunity to receive college credit.

There are currently ninety juniors and seniors in social studies courses that offer college credit to our students here at MHS. This

number has increased each of the past three years. When current underclassmen are registering for courses for the 2015-2016

school year, they should consider the Advanced Placement and Early College Experience social studies courses offered.

For the 2015-2016 school year the social studies department will be making a couple of changes to our program. The junior year

ECE course (formerly called American Studies I) will now be known as ECE American Experience. The senior year continuation

of this course (formerly known as American Studies II) will now be called ECE American Studies. This course will also run as a

social studies only class. There will not be an English component. The rationale for these name changes is simply to avoid

confusion with the University of Connecticut courses that both fulfill. Both social studies courses will continue to offer three college

credits each.

Another change is with the ECE Maritime Studies course offered to seniors. This class remains paired with the English department.

However, students will now be able to gain a total of seven college credits for the two courses. This year’s students receive only

three credits for the social studies portion. In 2015-2016 students can receive the three social studies credits and four English

credits.

The State Department of Education has recently approved brand new Social Studies standards. Department members will be

revising curriculum and teaching practices to reflect these changes. MHS students can expect to see a focus on what is referred to

as the C3. The focus on all units will center on developing skills that will directly relate to a student’s civic responsibility, preparing

for college and readying them for a career. The new standards also include renewed attention to economics and geography along

with the traditional civics and history. By the start of the next school year, each social studies course offered at MHS will have its

curriculum updated to reflect these changes.

A quick reminder that we will be having our annual voter registration drive at MHS in May. Students who are seventeen or

eighteen years of age can become registered voters simply by visiting with the Town of Montville’s Registrar in Senior Court.

Proper identification is required.

Any social studies questions or concerns can be forwarded to me at porbe@montvilleschools.org

MHS NEWS Page 6

Mr. Phil Orbe, Department Chair

Student Government

Mr. Joel Finnegan, Advisor

MHS Hall of Fame

By Isabel Orbe

Montville’s athletic programs are a major source of

pride for Montville students, and now star athletes and coaches

can be nominated and inducted into MHS’s Athletic Hall of

Fame. The Hall of Fame allows athletes and coaches to be

honored and remembered for their accomplishments and

contributions to MHS’s athletics. Administrators also hope the

Hall of Fame will provide a better sense of community and pride

in Montville.

Anyone can nominate an ex player, coach, or

supporter/contributor of Montville’s athletics via the Montville

Schools’ website. In order to be eligible, the nominee must have

graduated MHS 10 years prior to the nomination or a coach

must have coached for at least 10 years. The deadline for

applications is March 6 and the first class of inductees will be

announced on March 29. An area adjacent to the MHS

gymnasium will be dedicated to recognizing these Hall of Fame

inductees. The decision of who will be inducted falls to a special

committee consisting of at least 5 people, 1 chairman, and must

be approved by the MHS principal.

Some prominent athletes have already been honored for

their achievements in MHS sports. Mr. Delaney, the MHS Boys’

Soccer head coach, framed and retired 2 jerseys at the end of

this year’s season. These newly retired jerseys, Anthony

Occhialini’s number 1 and Tyler Leeman’s number 7, symbolize

Occhialini’s and Leeman’s hard work and dedication to the

soccer program.

With more ways to recognize star athletes like the Hall

of Fame, hopefully MHS can build its spirit and pride in order to

remain a tight community.

Getting Through the Winter Doldrums

By Meagan McAdams

The winter season is usually welcomed with all the

busyness of the holidays, and a new year. However, when there

are no more holiday parties, or gifts to buy, many people fall

into a boredom, feeling like the season offers nothing to do. The

idea that there is nothing going on in the winter months is a

common misconception. MHS still provides multiple ways for

students to beat the winter doldrums.

There is currently a wide array of clubs and sports that

students can join. For example, Anime Club, Ski Club, Art

Club, Chieftain Club, Indoor track, Academic Decathlon, and

Student Government is just a small list of what the school offers.

All of these clubs are accepting new members at any point

throughout the year. Not only are new members welcome, but a

majority of clubs are in need of them. “We are looking for a

bunch of underclassmen, because it [student government] is

mostly comprised of seniors,” says Caitlin Turney, vice

president of the Student Government. Students can easily join

multiple clubs in the winter. Most clubs meet only one day a

week, or month after school. Clubs like Student Government

and Student Council plan other events and fundraisers for

outside of school. Students can also engage in activities not

related to MHS. The Montville Leo’s Club, for example, is a

club for students ranging from grades 6-12. The Leo’s Club does

community service, and plan events in Montville to raise money

for different charities.

Getting involved in different clubs, sports, and

activities is not only a way to enjoy the long winter, but it is

essential for students who plan on attending a college.

Participating outside of the classroom looks good on college

applications because it shows diverse interests and potential to

be an active student on a college campus. What colleges are also

looking for is a student who can manage their time well when

balancing school and clubs.

Crafting Up Character By Ashley Weekly

The potter’s wheels are spinning and the air smells like

clay in Mrs. Giroux’s room during Ceramics class. The students

work with clay most of the time, and complete several elaborate

projects. Some of the projects from first semester have already

been put in the art case by the offices.

The projects in Ceramics include pinch pots, piggy

banks, mugs, leaf plates, vases, and triangular vase. The vases

are made using the potter’s wheel, which usually fascinates the

students. Jack He, a junior, said, “My favorite project was the

mug project, because it can be really creative, and you can put

designs on it.” He made the orange dragon cup that is featured in

the art case.

Ceramics is a class that relies on creativity. He said,

“My favorite part is that our teacher gives us a topic, and then

we can be creative with it.” Although there is a specific

assignment, the students have to make it their own. The class

also includes a lot of cooperation, especially with clay. Mrs.

Giroux commented by saying, “I find that the students really

respond to clay, it is a material that lends itself to many different

creative endeavors.”

For many students, the motivation behind taking

ceramics is more than just working with clay for a semester. “I

took Ceramics because it looked like a fun class,” He said, “but

I also wanted to take sculpturing this year.”

Sculpture class is a very messy class that works with

clay on the potter’s wheel. They make more advanced projects

than in Ceramics. Sculpturing is supposed to express the artist’s

inner emotions through the artwork, while ceramics concentrates

more on creativity.

Ceramics is a very popular class at MHS, and the

students seem to like it. Although the clay can get very messy,

Mrs. Giroux says she still enjoys seeing what the students create

with it.

MHS NEWS Page 7

Mrs. Laurencot | English Dept. | Chieftain

MONTVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

800 Old Colchester Rd . Oakdale . CT 06370

www.montvilleschools.org

Mr. Jeffrey S. Theodoss, Principal

Main Office

P: 860-848-9208 F: 860-848-3872

School Counseling

P: 860-848-1285 F: 860-848-8067

Did you know

MHS has a

Lost & Found? Missing

Keys?

Glasses?

Sneakers, coat, gloves/hat?

favorite water bottle.

Stop by the Main Office during school hours.

You never know what you will find.