Tiger Update

Greetings, Tiger Nation!

We are Sailing on!

September is here! I’m so thankful for how we finished out both Week 2 and the month of August.

Now we roll into Week 3, which is 'North' week! It’s time to 'Macte Virtute' and continue to 'Increase in Excellence' as we start this new month. In everything we do—from our classrooms to our hallways—let's be a little sharper, a little nicer, and add a little more detail. These small gains will pay big dividends.

We've done a great job focusing on cell phones and our hallways, and together, we will keep this ship steady. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of this learning community.

As we move into 'North' week, let's celebrate this in-town rivalry with our sister school, Pickerington North, by purchasing tickets and packing Panther stadium! I have a unique view of this matchup because I served as a PYAA coach for six years while my son (HS Senior) played for that wonderful association. He, along with many of the students, are still friends, neighbors, and even brothers today, and we must keep this thought at the forefront of this rivalry. Let's celebrate Pickerington's student athletes competing in this prestigious game, let's cheer as loud as we can and work as hard as we can to come away with the victory, but ultimately, let's enter and exit this week and this game with the class and culture that models sportsmanship, leadership, and community togetherness.

Enjoy your well-deserved long Labor Day weekend!

Let's continue to build on this fantastic start and encourage our students to Reach Your Full Potential (RYFP).

As Always,

Tigers T.I.E.

(Trust, Integrity, & Empathy)

Mr. Parker

September 1st: Labor Day - No School

September 4th: Lunch Pull-Up Challenge - For the Central/North Football game the Great American Rivalry company will be in the gym recording how many pull-ups our student body can do in competition with North! On Thursday, September 4th, come ready to Pull-Up to victory!! Let's get a high number from our collective student body!!

September 12: Senior Sunrise (New Tiger Stadium) - 6:30 a.m. - 7:30 a.m.

September 25th: Parent/Teacher Conference - 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.

September 26th: Homecoming Football Game vs. Lancaster

September 27th: Homecoming Dance - at PHSC from - 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.

September 30th: Parent/Teacher Conference - 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.

October 6th: Deadline to register for the PSAT

October 7th: Senior Cap and Gown Photo Day in the Main Gym

October 22nd: PSAT for Registered Students at Central. - 8:00 a.m.

Students need to enter through Door D/Athletics and wait in the Commons if arriving before 7:45. The front doors will be open around 7:45 a.m. for students to enter. Once entering, you need to wait in the commons until the 7:50 a.m. bell releases you.

Don't forget to dance to the jingles the admin and counseling team plays as you walk up!

School Pictures are Ready!

View and order at https://shop.jostenspix.com/login

• PICKERINGTON HIGH SCHOOL CENTRAL
• Event Code: FE99325
• Also Needed: Lunch ID

Dear Students and Parents,

As many of you know, vaping has become a significant concern for today's youth. These harmful chemicals are often advertised and sold to minors, despite the well-documented negative impact on their health. Vaping has also made its way into our schools, primarily in our restrooms, and students caught with these devices face school consequences for this behavior.

Parents, I urge you to be vigilant and partner with us in this effort. Please be mindful of these harmful objects and check your students' bags and belongings to ensure they are not brought to school or into your homes.

This issue is a shared challenge, but I am confident that by working together, we can protect our students and keep these objects out of our school. We have trained counselors and social workers that work with students if you feel this is a bigger problem. Please don't hesitate to let us know and we'll connect them with the help they need.

Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us maintain a safe and healthy learning environment.

As Always,

Tigers T.I.E.

(Trust, Integrity, & Empathy)

As your Principal, like many of you, I have been following the news and updates over the past several months regarding personal communication devices and their effect on student engagement and overall well-being. As you may know, Senate Bill 158 (SB 158) is currently being considered in Ohio, which proposes a near-complete ban on cell phone use in schools. However, House Bill 250 (HB 250) is the current law, under which we have operated this past year.

(Click the image to see the classroom phone caddies)

Our plan for cell phones last year was for students to power them down and put them away. When students were able to consistently adhere to this plan, our educators observed a profound increase in positive student engagement, academic performance, and improved behavior at school. Unfortunately, maintaining this consistency proved challenging. As long as the devices were on their person, students were tempted to interact with their phones. The incessant notifications students receive were too powerful of a pull to ignore. Shortly into the school year, this led to teachers constantly addressing the issue with students, administration confiscating phones, and, most detrimentally, students missing out on valuable instructional time and becoming agitated due to the overwhelming urge to interact with their devices. Our teachers who sustained student engagement and growth successfully moved to the approach of having students turn in their phones at the start of class, engaging in the lesson throughout class, and collecting their phone at the end of class.

After a year of trial and error, we have decided to move to a practice of students powering down and placing their personal communication devices (cell phones) in classroom-provided phone caddies during each class period. This includes classrooms, restrooms, and study halls. If your student brings their phone to school, procedurally, they will put their phone in the teacher's phone caddy upon entering the room. This shift will be an adjustment for our students as they are used to keeping their device on them in the classroom.

During transition times and during lunch, students will have the opportunity to earn the use of their phones; however, the classroom space will be a "no-phone-zone". The purpose of this approach is to enhance the academic and social experience for ALL of our students and staff. School districts and high schools that have moved to this approach have reported higher student engagement, improved academic performance, and an improved learning environment with fewer behavioral incidents.

Upon entering class, if students are found with their phone out and do not place their phone in the caddy, it will be confiscated immediately by an administrator (unless there are documented medical reasons on file with the school nurse or administration). Upon entering the classroom and throughout the class period, if student's phones are not out and not visible, they are in compliance. This practice will take effect at the start of the school year. On the first occasion students will be able to retrieve their phone at the end of the day. On the second offense a parent will need to pick up the phone. If there is a 3rd offense a meeting will be held with the family to discuss how we will move forward.

We know and understand that this will require a strong partnership with our families. We ask for your support in discussing this adjustment with your students before the school year begins, helping them understand the reasons behind this change and supporting the school in its implementation.

Thank you in advance for your support with this important initiative!

As Always,

TigersT.I.E.

(Trust, Integrity, & Empathy)

Maximizing Learning Time Together!

At PHSC, we're all about creating the best possible learning environment for our students. As educators, we know that the biggest key to success on Ohio state tests, AP exams, ACT, CCP, and even daily classroom assessments, is consistent, engaged time right here in the classroom.

Last year, we noticed that many students were spending significant time out of class on hall passes. To make sure every student can truly maximize their learning potential this year, we're putting a new hall pass policy in place.

We completely understand that students sometimes need a quick break or a restroom visit. To make this easier, our new schedule includes 5-minute transition times between classes. This gives students plenty of opportunity to take care of these needs before diving into their next lesson.

Introducing Our New Electronic Hall Pass System

To help us manage and monitor hallway activity during learning periods, we're transitioning to an Electronic Hall Pass system. This new system will let us track who's in the hallway and how often. While most students use passes responsibly, this will help us identify and address any patterns of overuse, ensuring our hallways remain clear for safety and focus.

Parents, you'll be able to see when your student is out on a pass directly through your Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Please make sure your portal access is up-to-date so you can easily track this with us!

Our main goal is to significantly limit non-essential time out of the classroom and truly protect this valuable instructional time. Of course, we'll always accommodate students with documented medical needs requiring more frequent access. Our overall approach will be to encourage students to "stay in class" as much as possible, focusing on their learning.

We truly believe that by reducing disruptions and keeping students focused in the classroom (especially with our new cell phone procedure!), we'll see increased engagement, better communication, and ultimately boosted student achievement for everyone.

Thank you so much for your partnership and support in this important effort!

As Always,

TigersT.I.E.

(Trust, Integrity, & Empathy)

The Senior Corner of the newsletter contains all of the important information for our students in the Class of 2026. Be sure to check it out every week to make sure you don't miss the fun.

Seniors! Let's kick off your final year of high school with a: Senior Sunrise!

Join us as we watch the sun rise on your senior year, symbolizing the start of this exciting new chapter. It's a great opportunity to connect with your classmates and make a lasting memory.

We'll be at the New Tiger Stadium on September 12th, from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.

If you have any questions, please see Ms. Korbar or Mrs. Peirano.

All of the links in the back to school document will be live starting August 4.

Please complete your annual update through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal

Students and families can pay outstanding school fees online using the links in Infinite Campus. It is important to stay ahead of this as students progress through high school as unpaid fees will affect students' graduation and transcripts their senior year. Please reach out to the school if you have questions or need financial assistance.

Food service will begin their pre-order sub service Tuesday, September 2nd. Students should join the Food Service google classroom using this code: lh6gl2a. From there they should use the the form found in the classroom and below to place their order by 9:45 a.m. the day they would like to use the service. Subs qualify under the free lunch program as well. Students pick up their sandwich meal from the Tiger's Den which will save them time from standing in the food prep line. Thank you to our wonderful food service folks for providing this service for our students and staff.

Pickerington Schools has launched a new, mobile-friendly system to help families manage school meals and submit the Education Benefit Form for fee waivers.

With the PLSD Meal Magic Family Portal, families can:

• Add money to student meal accounts

• Move funds between siblings

• Pay off past due balances

• Cover à la carte purchases

• Manage all students in one account!

Did You Know? For the 2025–2026 school year, all students will receive FREE breakfast and lunch through the Community Eligibility Program. This portal simply supports any extra meal options or needed financial assistance.

Visit https://PLSD.familyportal.cloud to get started. Questions? Call 614-833-3645 (Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m.)

Free and Reduced Lunch Application: Families MUST apply and qualify for reduced SCHOOL fees for 2025-26 school year. This process is done each year.

PHSC launched a student led tutoring program last year and will continue these program for the 25-26 school year! Students interested in becoming tutors on the Zap Team should click the Zap Team Volunteer Form and complete it. Zap Team tutors will push into study halls to provide support to their fellow Tigers. This is a great way to earn volunteer hours and to give back to Tiger Nation. Remember the quote, "a rising tide raises all boats." Our Zap Team will help raise everyone up at Central so that they experience success.

The Zap Team will work to get organized in August and will begin pushing into study halls in September. #TigersT.I.E.

We believe that regular attendance to school plays an important role in our students' academic success. Whenever possible, we ask that routine appointments and travel are scheduled outside of the school day.

In the event that a student will be absent from school, parents are asked to notify the school by 10:00 AM by calling the 24-hour Attendance Hotline, 614-548-1801. Additionally, please notify the school office in advance, either by phone or in writing, if your student will need to leave school early. Students must obtain a dismissal pass, and be signed out by the office before being permitted to leave the building. Please be prepared to show appropriate ID in order for the student to be released to you.

Also, please review the bell schedule for the starting times of the start of school along with each class period. It is imperative that students arrive on time for school and for their classes. Arriving on time gives students the maximum amount of instructional time in each class and correlates to success in the classroom. Please know that we extended our transition time by 1 minute to allow for a smoother transition. With this additional transition time, we expect all students to arrive at school and to each class on time. Let's make this a priority for our entire school community!!

For detailed information regarding PLSD's Attendance Policy, as well as The State of Ohio's Administrative Code, please refer to Board Policy 5200.

Administrators: Roshawn Parker, Principal

• HB410 / Attendance - Carly Wells, Lead Assistant Principal

• A-Gi - Michael Yinger, Assistant Principal

• Gl-Or - Lazaro Fuentes, Assistant Principal

• Os-Z - Joseph Cooper, Assistant Principal

PHSC School Counselor Weekly Update: 8/25/2025

How to see your School Counselor:

Please use your counselor's link below to request a meeting

Mrs. Dashner (A-Co)

Ms. Perez (Cr-Ho)

Miss Hoffman (Hu-Moon)

Mr. Peirano (Moore-Sh)

Mrs Mattox (Si-Z)

Schedule Change Requests are now closed:

We are past the 10-day window to make schedule change requests. As long as your request was submitted before the end of Friday, Aug. 29th, your request will still be considered by your assigned school counselor.

Senior Meetings

Seniors! The School Counseling team will be meeting with all seniors during the week of September 8th. These sessions will cover important topics to help you prepare for life after graduation, including:

-The college application process

-Searching for scholarships and grants

-Post-high school planning options

-How to use SchooLinks effectively

-And much more

We look forward to meeting with you and helping you take your next steps with confidence.

College Representative Visits:

Attention Juniors and Seniors!

Meet college admissions representatives at PHSC and learn about different college options.

To register: Login to SchooLinks->Go to Events->Register for a college visit.

September Rep Visits (already scheduled)

Bowling Green State University

Columbus State Community College

Marietta College

Miami University (Ohio)

University of Mt. Union

University of Toledo

Walsh University

Wittenberg University

October Rep Visits (already scheduled)

Malone University

Ohio Christian University

Ohio Northern University

Ohio Wesleyan University

Otterbein University

The Ohio State University

University of Akron

University of Cincinnati

University of Dayton

Wright State University

Check in SchooLinks regularly to see the updated list of college representative visits!

College Fair-Save the Date!

PHSC/PHSN along with the other Fairfield County High Schools will be hosting a college fair on September 24, 2025 at 6-8PM at Ohio Univeristy Lancaster campus.

More information coming soon on how to register and specific details regarding the college fair!

Career Center Students:

Mr. Peirano and Ms. Hoffman are the counselors who work with Eastland and Fairfield Career Centers, respectively. We will make in-person visits to each career center on a regular basis to keep you connected with Central events and happenings. We will also send weekly homeschool updates via your EFCTS email and Remind101 texts. Please use the information below to join our Remind texts as a parent or student:

Eastland: Text @phscecc to 81010

Fairfield: Text @phscfcc to 81010

Satellite: Text @phscsat to 81010

Please join the School Counselor’s Google Classrooms:

The Counseling office will be keeping you informed of important information regarding your future plans and events and deadlines that the School Counselors work with. If you have not already done so, please join our google classrooms to stay informed:

Class of 2026 rugnepm

Class of 2027 6plgntd

Class of 2028 437pgrk

Class of 2029 75rgh2hy

Students in AP Classes - this DOES NOT apply to Pre-AP courses

Please keep an eye out for updates from the AP Coordinator, Ms. Hoffman, coming soon. For now, make sure to join your AP Classroom for each AP course you are in and indicate whether you would like to order your exam by November 1st, 2025.

See Below:

Hey Seniors!

Our brand new tradition is off to a wonderful start! We will be allowing Seniors that met the deadline to Paint their Parking Spots through this weekend.

I will see you in the LT Lot!!

All students buy parking passes to park in the Hill Rd or Lockville Parking Lots. Please be certain not to park in the Police, Handicap, Nurse, Staff, or Visitor parking spots. This will be monitored and violations could lead to fees and school discipline.

Thank you

Please see the attached information. Sr. Elections Official with the Fairfield County Board of Elections will be available at upcoming lunch periods (on September 16th) to speak with eligible students.

Please join our PTSO!! See attached information on how to join.

Join our Team!

Unlock the power of positivity and become a source of inspiration for Pickerington Schools by joining the Parents on Positivity Patrol (PoPP)!

Are you passionate about creating a supportive and uplifting educational environment? Do you believe in the power of positive relationships to shape student success? As a PoPP volunteer, you’ll play a vital role in guiding our junior high and high school students toward better decisions while fostering a culture of encouragement and growth.

Your presence and support will help students build confidence, make positive choices, and navigate life’s challenges. By working together, we can spread positivity throughout Pickerington Schools, strengthening our community with kindness, resilience, and connection.

Athletics Corner

Athletic Department:

Lisa Morelli - Athletic Director (lisa_morelli@plsd.us)

Evan Doughty - Assistant Athletic Director (evan_doughty@plsd.us)

Angela Vann - Athletic Secretary (angela_vann@plsd.us)

Office Number - (614) 548-1825

Tigers in Action week of 8/25

2025 - 2026

Athletic Events 9/1-9/6

Tickets

Purchase individual event tickets or our 2025 - 2026 Yearly Athletic Passes through the link below:

https://www.plsd.us/students-families/community/event-ticketing

2025 - 2026 Tiger Club Pass (students) - $53.00

2025 - 2026 Central Club Pass (adults) - $103.00

Ticket Prices for Varsity Events - $10 Adults / $8 Students

Ticket Prices for Lower Level Events - $7 Adults / $5 Students

Students should have a student ID available to provide for entry

All students K-8 will need to be accompanied by an adult for entry

PHSC Athletic Website - All Teams, ALL Seasons

To get the latest Tiger Teams information, visit our website for schedules, information, directions, etc.

https://pickeringtoncentral.bigteams.com/

Final Forms for Parent/Athlete Registration

https://pickerington-oh.finalforms.com/students

NFHS Live Streaming Link for all Home Events

https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/

TIGER ATHLETICS

LISA MORELLI

PHSC ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

Tiger Nation,

Let's celebrate this in-town rivalry with our sister school, Pickerington North, by purchasing tickets and packing Panther stadium! I have a unique view of this matchup because I served as a PYAA coach for six years while my son played for that wonderful association. He, along with many of the students, are still friends, neighbors, and even brothers today, and we must keep this thought at the forefront of this rivalry. Let's celebrate Pickerington's athletes competing in this prestigious game, let's cheer as loud as we can and work as hard as we can to come away with the victory, but ultimately, let's enter and exit this week and this game with the class and culture that models sportsmanship, leadership, and community togetherness.

Mr. Parker

Here's a few pictures of some of our Tigers doing great things!

We encourage ALL of our students and staff to know the words to our Fight Song and be ready to sing it at games and special events. We even have a Fight Song challenge that we'll do in conjunction with Homecoming week. The tune is to 'On Wisconsin' so look it up on YouTube and get your vocals ready for this year's contest!!

Fight Song:

Purple White, Purple White

Wrap up that ole score.

We're the team with lots of pep

So let's pep it up some more.

Purple, White; Purple, White

Fight on to your fame.

Fight Tigers, Fight, Fight, Fight

To win this game!!

Pickerington High School Central

300 Opportunity Way

Pickerington, Ohio 43147

614-548-1800

https://www.pickerington.k12.oh.us/pickerington-central-high/