PHS Parent Newsletter

Email: sandersj@purcellps.org

Website: https://www.purcellps.org/o/phs
Location: 2020 North Green Avenue, Purcell, OK, USA
Phone: 405-442-0099
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/purcellhs
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purcellhighschool/?hl=en

PHS Parents & Guardians:

I want to send a quick but important message to all our PHS parents.

Thank you so much for your support as we've implemented our new policy regarding Wi-Fi-connected devices. We've already seen incredibly positive results. Students are more engaged in their classes and, just as importantly, with each other. It's been great to see them talking more, reading books, and playing games during their free time.

This policy isn't about punishment; it's about creating the best possible learning environment for our students. By removing a major distraction, we are helping them focus more fully on their education and their overall well-being.

We couldn't do this without your trust and cooperation. Thank you for being our partners in this important step. We're confident that these changes will lead to a better, more successful school year for everyone.

As always, my personal cell phone number is available to you. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need help.

Go Dragons!

Jason

Principal,

Purcell High School

cell: 918-873-0354

Dear Purcell Dragons Parents,

I'm writing to provide you with a brief but important update on school safety. Our primary goal is to maintain a safe and secure environment for everyone on campus.

Visitor Check-In Policy

To ensure we know who is in the building at all times, we have a strict visitor policy. Anyone visiting the school, including parents, must first check in at the front office. If you plan to enter the main part of the school, you are required to obtain and wear a visitor's pass. This is a crucial step for our collective safety, and we appreciate your cooperation.

Anti-Bullying Training

This week in advisory, students will receive important anti-bullying training. The main focus will be on our Stop-it anonymous reporting system and providing students with tips on how to handle situations where they witness or experience bullying. Please be aware that we have a zero-tolerance policy for any form of bullying or harassment.

Safety Drills

This week, we successfully conducted two important safety drills. Our "lock-in" drill simulated a generalized threat in the area, and staff and students practiced quickly securing the building and moving to protected areas. We also completed a successful fire drill. I was very pleased with how quickly everyone was able to evacuate the building and return to class once the drill was over. These regular drills are vital to ensuring we are prepared for any emergency.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping our school a safe place for everyone.

Hello PHS Parents,

I wanted to share a few important updates from the counseling office. We have finalized all student schedules and appreciate your patience as we make sure every student's needs are met. A student may not change their schedule from this point forward unless it's an extraordinary circumstance that would require principal approval.

Counselor's Corner

Please be sure to check our Counselor's Corner link. It's an excellent resource for all things counseling-related, including information on graduation requirements, FAFSA, scholarships, ACT details, and much more.

ACT Registration

A quick heads-up on upcoming ACT dates:

• The late registration deadline for the September 6th ACT has passed.

• The next national test date is October 18th, with a registration deadline of September 12th.

Have a great school year! Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need anything.

Sincerely,

Melissa Feroli

PHS Counselor

I want to make sure you’re aware of significant ACT test format changes rolling out out this fall. These adjustments could have a significant impact on how your students perform on upcoming exams this fall.

Here’s a quick summary of what’s different:

• English has 25 fewer questions
• Math has 15 fewer questions
• Reading gives students more time per passage
• Science is now optional (depending on college requirements)

Why does this matter?

Students who test this fall may see notable score increases, even if they’ve taken the ACT before. In fact, students who tested in the spring and are preparing with test preps for September tests are already showing 2–3 point gains.

These changes will be in effect for the upcoming September tests (see 25-26 testing schedule below). These changes will also be in effect for the school administered test in the spring for juniors.

Dear Freshman and Sophomore Parents,

I'm writing to update you on our fall MAP assessments in reading, math, and science. These assessments are an important way for us to measure your student's academic growth.

The results from these tests help us identify students who may need additional support or more accelerated learning opportunities. They also help us predict if students are on track for college and career readiness, which is measured by the ACT exam in their junior year.

We encourage your students to do their very best on these assessments. I will be sharing individual reports for each student and family after our testing window is completed next week. For more specific information, please feel free to reach out to your student's English, math, or science teacher.

Thank you for your continued support!

I'm so impressed with how our students have adjusted (as they always do) to the new law banning cell phones in schools. It's been incredible to see them engaging more with one another—I've seen students talking more, reading books more, playing games, and even passing notes in class !

This change is a huge step in the right direction for our school community and will have huge positive impacts on student mental health. Thank you to our parents for your support as we take on this new challenge. We are off to an amazing start!

PLEASE CONTACT KELLY (SEE BELOW) IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HOSTING A FOREIGN EXCHANGE STUDENT

If you currently accept exchange students, we thank you and your school for helping shape the future of our global community. We believe diversity of cultures is to be experienced and cherished. Providing someone with the opportunity to live and learn in another culture is very special.

Thank you for your help!

Sincerely,

Kelley Ridling

Council for Educational Travel USA

CETUSA Oklahoma Regional Director

Phone: 580-530-0094

Email: kelley.ridling@cetusa.org

CETUSA.org

Say “hello” to two-way messaging and classroom announcements in the Purcell app! With the addition of Rooms, our district app keeps getting better. Parents/guardians check your email and text messages tomorrow (9/3) with instructions to sign up and access new features.

To make sure you are ready to use Rooms, download the Purcell app today!

Download for Android https://aptg.co/Bp9PVp

Download for iPhone https://aptg.co/H7tnMs

Quick Access to Recent Updates

Families can view all recent messages and announcements for all children, across all teachers, in dedicated spotlight sections in new footer buttons.

• One Pager: Shares a summary of key updates (English)

• Help Articles: Provides more guidance to navigating the app

• Family Survey: Empowers families to share their feedback with Apptegy.
  

• VIDEO:

  English: https://youtu.be/zW9d0VzqDFI

  Spanish: https://youtu.be/W8Cnu-tgK9M
  

• Rooms Support

Students can access Varsity Tutors platform on their school-issued Chromebooks through their Clever account. Students & Parents can also access Clever account @ purcellps.org by selecting the Student Learning Page from the menu.

You can learn more about the tools available to your student here.

Please contact the high school if you are unable to access Parent Portal. This allows students and parents to access real-time grades 24/7, attendance information and update personal information. I include a parent/portal link for all parents/guardians on every Parent Newsletter. This link is located immediately below this message. It's very important all parents have access to parent portal.

Please complete this form linked here if you are need of a Parent Portal Account:

https://forms.gle/kcw4yFh9UghpFKW76

If you have any problems accessing Parent Portal please contact the school directly: (405) 442-0099