We are thrilled to share the fantastic results of our recent FAFSA Night! 🎉👏

A total of 51 families joined us for an evening of collaboration, support, and knowledge-sharing. Together, we navigated the FAFSA process, providing assistance and answering questions that arose along the way.

The spirit of community was alive as we worked hand in hand, ensuring that every family felt empowered and well-equipped to complete their students' applications. It's heartwarming to witness our collective efforts making a tangible impact on the educational journeys of our students.

These events are not just about compliance; they are about building a stronger, more supportive community. By coming together, we are not only helping our students with the FAFSA process but also fostering an environment where our students can thrive.

A massive shoutout to everyone who participated, asked questions, and offered a helping hand. Your commitment to our students' success is truly inspiring.

Let's continue this positive momentum, supporting one another and paving the way for our students to reach new heights! 🚀💙

We are excited to invite students to apply to PCOM Georgia’s Opportunities Academy 2024! Opportunities Academy is an enrichment program for local high school students that encourages them to pursue a career in the healthcare profession.

Opportunities Academy is hosted by PCOM Georgia students who are studying to become physicians, pharmacists, physical therapists, physician assistants, and other healthcare professionals. Selected high school students will enjoy an action-packed, one-week, interactive program at NO cost to them at PCOM Georgia's Suwanee campus.

Opportunities Academy will include hands-on activities, touring of the campus, and more. On-campus policies will be communicated to students selected for the academy at a later date. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

The Opportunities Academy leadership team will review applications and send an invitation to students who are accepted into the Academy on Friday, February 23, 2024, by 11:59 PM.

Thank you, and please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

OPPORTUNITIES ACADEMY 2024 DATES/HOURS

Monday June, 24th - Friday June, 28th 2024

9:00 am to 3:00 pm

APPLICATION CRITERIA

For rising high school Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors from underrepresented communities who attend high school in Gwinnett County, Georgia.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Friday, February 2nd, 2024, at 11:59pm

APPLICANT SELECTION DATE: Friday, February 23rd, 2024 by 11:59 pm

LINK TO OPPORTUNITIES ACADEMY APPLICATION: OA Application Link

It’s easy to feel bombarded by the latest healthy eating trend or buzzworthy ingredient. But good nutrition is really about consistently choosing healthy foods and beverages. With healthy eating patterns, it’s possible to enjoy food and beverages that reflect your preferences, cultural traditions, and budgetary considerations.

Healthy eating emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, and protein. Dairy recommendations include low-fat or fat-free milk, lactose-free milk, and fortified soy beverages. Other plant-based beverages do not have the same nutritional properties as animal’s milk and soy beverages. Protein recommendations include seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans, peas, and lentils), soy products, nuts, and seeds.

Most people in the United States need to adjust their eating patterns to increase their intake of dietary fiber, calcium, vitamin D, and potassium, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020–2025[PDF-30.6MB]. At the same time, we need to consume less added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium. Here are some ways to get started.

Fiber helps maintain digestive health and helps us feel fuller longer. Fiber also helps control blood sugar and lowers cholesterol levels. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds are good sources of fiber.

To bump up fiber, try this:

• Slice up raw vegetables to use as quick snacks. Storing celery and carrots in water in the refrigerator will keep them crisp longer.
• Start your day off with a whole grain cereal like oatmeal or food made with bulgur or teff. For even more fiber, top your cereal with berries, pumpkin seeds, or almonds.
• Add half a cup of beans or lentils to your salad to add fiber, texture, and flavor.
• Enjoy whole fruit—maybe a pear, apple, melon slice or passion fruit—with a meal or as dessert.

Calcium and vitamin D work together to promote optimal bone health. Our bodies can make vitamin D from sunshine, but some individuals may have difficulty producing enough vitamin D, and too much sun exposure can increase the risk of skin cancer. While very few foods naturally contain vitamin D, several foods and beverages are fortified with this essential nutrient. See food sources of calcium and vitamin D.

To increase calcium and vitamin D intake, try this:

• Drink a fortified dairy beverage with your meals.
• When you pack your lunch, include a packet of salmon or can of sardines once a week. Salmon and sardines with bones has more calcium than salmon and sardines without bones.
• Include spinach, collard greens, bok choy, mushrooms, and taro root in your vegetable dishes.
• Look for foods that are fortified with calcium and vitamin D. Soy beverages, soy yogurt, orange juice, and some whole-grain cereals may have these added nutrients. Just be sure they do not include added sugars!

Potassium helps the kidneys, heart, muscles and, nerves function properly. Not getting enough potassium can increase blood pressure, deplete calcium in bones, and increase the risk of kidney stones.

People with chronic kidney disease and people taking certain medications may have too much potassium in their blood. But most people in the United States need more potassium in their eating patterns. See food sources of potassium.

To add more potassium, try this:

• Try new recipes that use beet greens, lima beans, or Swiss chard.
• Put some variety in your beverages with one cup of 100% prune juice or 100% pomegranate juice.
• Have a banana as a snack.
• Enjoy 100% orange juice or a recommended dairy product with your meals.

The Office of Family Engagement in the Department of Federal Programs invites all families to join the Family-School Partnership Advisory Council (PAC) Meeting on January 23, 2024, from 5:30 until 6:30 PM and the Elementary AKS Spotlight Family Night on January 25, 2024, from 6:00 until 7:30 PM via Zoom.

During the Family-School Partnership Advisory Council, GCPS families will receive information about the GCPS Family and Community Engagement Plan and will have the opportunity to provide input on the plan.

Scan the QR codes below or click the links to stay connected to MHSHS and stay up to date on important information.

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Thank you for supporting us through our Foundation! Please ensure that you are choosing McClure Health Science High School when donating. See the picture below for details!

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is the gateway to getting federal student loans, scholarships, grants, and work-study for school, but there can be so much confusion around it.

The FAFSA® used to be a super long application that took a lot of time and effort—that’s now a thing of the past. The FAFSA® for the 2024-2025 academic year is the new and improved version. Check out the link below to see all the changes!

Tips on how to avoid these common FAFSA® mistakes

Every year, families postpone filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). Some skip it entirely because they think it’s a waste of time, the application is too long, or it's only a fast track to federal student loans. However, the FAFSA® package can also include college scholarships, work-study, and grants. Not filling it out—the most costly FAFSA® mistake—can result in losing money that could have helped you pay for college. Don’t be that student, and make sure you avoid these common FAFSA® mistakes by checking out the article link below!

GCPS has transitioned from SchoolMessenger to ParentSquare for two-way communication between schools and families, and we encourage all families to download the app and create an account. With its user-friendly interface, ParentSquare offers seamless two-way communication through text, newsletters, posts, emergency alerts, and direct messaging. One of our favorite features is the integrated translation feature, which enables automatic translations for multilingual families.

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McClure Health Science High School

3921 Club Drive, Duluth, GA

770-806-7900

MHSHS Website