Do you have family or friends who cannot be at Graduation? Do you have that elderly grandmother who can't navigate Blankenship Field? Thank you to David Kolodney who is the master behind the camera providing a live stream for Graduation on Friday evening.

Most parents send their kids off to school each day and wait to hear about their day at dinner in the evening. A few Wildcat staff members have the blessing of sharing the hallways with their teens.

AP Testing continues at Roane State Community College’s Goff Building and runs through Friday, May 23rd.

Important testing information has been sent via Parent/Student Square.

Things to Know:

• The day(s) that you are scheduled to test is an excused absence and the office has been provided with a list of students and their testing dates.
• Students will enter RSCC from Laboratory Road and park in student parking lot C
• Students should arrive 15 minutes before their scheduled exam time
• Testing room locations will be posted as you enter the Goff building.
• Cell phones, smart watches, headphones, earbuds, and other electronic devices are not allowed in the testing room.
• Items to Bring:
• Fully charged device
• Make sure you restart your device the day before you arrive at RSCC so that it can perform any updates.
• Pencils
• Pens (blue or black ink only)
• College Board Approved Calculator (see attached list of approved calculators)
• Snack (optional)
• If you are absent the day of the exam, your parent/guardian must contact Ms. Milligan at jmmilligan2@ortn.edu to reschedule you for the make-up session.

Big week coming up for two teams with big dreams, and these fans are at home. What an advantage for us! ⚽⚾⚽⚾⚽⚾⚽⚾

STUDENTS: The first 30 students through the gate are free on Tuesday (soccer) and Wednesday (baseball)

In order to stay on track for graduation and fill in learning gaps, students will need to complete summer credit recovery for courses that they have not passed this year (fall and spring semesters). Students have four years plus a summer to graduate from high school so they must earn their credits each year to stay on track. We are excited to offer an expanded summer school this year to accommodate every student who may need to recover credit(s). Daily attendance is required for summer school. All students will be enrolled in the AM Session for their first course. They will be enrolled in the PM Session if they have an addtional course to complete. Students may stay for both sessions each day in order to complete their courses more quickly.

Click here to sign up: Summer School 2025 Sign Up

Summer Credit Recovery will be offered at NO COST this year, and we are excited to be able to offer transportation for our summer recovery students. If you sign up for the bus, please make sure to check the routes once they are posted. The summer school bus stop may differ from the student’s regular school year bus stop.

Dates: Monday through Friday, June 2 to June 27

Times: 7:45 to 10:45 (AM Session)

10:45 to 11:15 Lunch (Lunch is provided at NO COST to students)

11:15 to 2:00 (PM Session)

Students must attend summer school in person. There is no work from home option for summer credit recovery. Summer school is self-paced, so they may finish before the final day. We will offer online credit recovery for our courses. Students may sign up for two courses for summer recovery, but may seek admin approval to take a third course if necessary.

Students who are attending summer school will keep their laptops at the end of the school year.

Students must have earned a 50% or better in a course to be eligible for summer credit recovery. If a student has not earned a 50%, they must repeat the entire course the following school year.

If you have questions about your child’s eligibility for summer school, please reach out to his/her teachers, school counselors, or grade level administrators.

Students who need to take summer school courses for NEW credit Economics, Personal Finance, or Art History must submit an application to their school counselor AND once approved, please sign up for summer school using the link above. Students will be enrolled in Apex for these courses and will receive log in information and parameters from Mr. Stebbins on June 2nd. Students who are attempting new credit in summer school must complete work by June 27th. There will be no extensions.

The deadline to sign up for summer school is May 29th.

Congratulations to Trystan Heinz! Due to his perfect score of 1000 and time on a qualifying MOS exam, he was named Tennessee’s State Champion during the Spring Qualifier and selected to compete in Certiport’s 2025 Microsoft Office Specialist U.S. National Championship in Dallas, Texas.

The ORHS Pioneer Chapter of National Honor Society inducted the new members in April . Congratulations to these outstanding academic leaders for the ORHS Class of 2026.

In the picture is Mr. Hernandez with several of the orchestra's seniors. Thank you for sharing your amazing talent for the past four years!

Pictured are Sonja Peeples, Arlo Craven, Cooper Bell, Mr. Hernandez, Caden Greenhalgh, Brandon Bonamarte, Jacob Nutatro, and Andrew Coffee.

CONGRATULATIONS to these seniors who earned their Seal of Biliteracy!

We invite all parents to join PTSO to support our Wildcat family - both staff and students. Share the load through resources or time! Membership drive starts now!

The Cultured Pearls of the Secret City Foundation (CPSC) announces the biennial Debutante Presentation and Ball for school year 2025–2026 11th and 12th grade young ladies. CPSC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2018 with the mission of promoting education. Some of the focus areas of the Debutante Ball are promoting social grace, health awareness, self-awareness, and civic responsibility. CPSC is the affiliate foundation of the Oak Ridge Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. The CPSC Debutante Presentation and Ball will be held during the Spring of 2026. If interested in being a 2025–2026 Debutante, please contact Phyllis Philpot Young at cpscdebutante2026@gmail.com by May 31, 2025, for additional details.

Calling all students! Do you want to help plan prom? Applications for the prom board are now open to freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors! Come by Mrs. Royster's room anytime to pick up an application. Let's start planning next year's unforgettable prom together!

Last day to pick up is May 23rd. Anything left after that date will be discarded.

Per school board policy, parents are the only ones who can pick up the medications. NO medications can be sent home with students.

Students should begin returning all library books before the end of the year as soon as possible! Seniors owing books or fines must clear this in order to participate in graduation.

Any senior owing money to ORHS for technology repairs or losses, library, athletic equipment, cafeteria or any other debts are REQUIRED to be settled in order to participate in graduation and receive your diploma. If you have been ignoring those notices, it's time to settle the balance sheet. Mrs. Amos in bookkeeping has information regarding debts for all items except technology. Mrs. Julie Brockwell has IT debt information. Please come to the Main Office to see either of these ladies.

Seniors: please try on your cap & gown to be sure it fits appropriately. Students who are borrowing a cap & gown may purchase a ’25 tassel for $10 in CS347. Any senior who does not have the required cap & gown set and plans to walk at graduation should see Mr. Wise in Students Services or Mrs. Ledden in CS347 immediately.

The Driving Center in Oak Ridge has several open slots for summer driver education classes for the weeks of June 23-26 and July 7-10. The course is $450 which includes six driving sessions and 30 hours of classroom time required for car insurance discounts. To register for any of their classes or to ask about private driving lessons, visit www.thedrivingcenter.org or call or text Matt Reedy at 865-719-1816.

Many families are planning vacations as we move into Term 4. Please take note of important dates. Final Exams are AFTER Memorial Day and there is NO makeup day.

• May 16 - Graduation
• May 26 - Memorial Day - No School
• May 27/28 - Final Exams - There is NO makeup day for exams
• May 28 - Students last day - Dismissal following exams

FCCLA is collecting new or gently used books (for all ages) to donate to a Library in Cocke Co that lost everything during the floods from Hurricane Helene. You can drop books off in the following places: Library, Counseling Dept, Main Office, Dr. Sparks' room, Mrs. Wagner's room, and Coach Hodge's room.

• 
  

• What's happening- Calendar at a glance for this week

• Theater Class "Class Acts" Performance May 10th - THIS SATURDAY - $5 cash at the door.

• Masquers Banquet was GREAT - Awards listed

• MARQUEE Ticketing Information

• End-of-Year Events

• Become a Masquers Community Sponsor or Season Ticket Holder

• The Sponsor Form is in the newsletter

• Masquers Boosters Information

• Masquers Teams Information

• Masquers Important Dates

• 2024-25 Calendar

• Preview 2025-26 Calendar

• 
  

• 
  

ART CLUB - Tuesdays in VA 103 after school. You do not have to be in an art class to join.

DIVERSITY CLUB, GSTA – Mondays, after school in the Library

D&D Club, every Friday from 3:15 to 4:30 PM in the grand hall of imagination (AKA Dr. Denisar's room CS329)

FCA - Meets every Friday morning at 7:10 am at Providence House across the street from the high school. Doors open and refreshments begin at 7:00 with a message to start your day at 7:10. If you have questions, contact Coach McKeethan.

INTERACT CLUB - The end-of-the-year Interact picnic is taking place Today, April 28 at Melton Hill. Please make sure to RSPV in student square

MOTORCYCLE CLUB - Monday during Lunch in the Library Classroom; bring your lunch

SEWING & CROCHETING CLUB - Thursdays after school until 4 in CS328

SPANISH CLUB, Monday after school today in LC 304 in Señora Franco’s room immediately after school

YOUTH FOR CHRIST - Tuesdays at 3:15 - this is a change!

Parents, all clubs are required to send a permission slip for participation. Please watch for those to come home for each of the clubs your teen wishes to join.

Parents, every time a student is absent, please send a note the day they return. Failure to send a parent note/doctor's note/court note within three (3) days will result in the day being unexecused. Parents can write 7 parent notes per year. Notes can be dropped in the attendance office, or in the "mailbox" in the Visual Arts hallway. The State of Tennessee considers a student Chronically Absent when they reach 18 absences whether excused or unexcused.

If you think you are missing important communication from Oak Ridge Schools or the high school, it may be because Parent Square has not be downloaded to your phone. This is our primary form of communication. Download Parent Square today and be informed! This can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play for free.

It’s time for the 2024-2025 Schools Buck Challenge! You must register your card again this year! You must register online using your Valucard number & choosing Oak Ridge High School-CDC! Food City took away the option to register your card in person, so please take time to choose our class with your online account! Registration began on September 1st and points started accumulating on September 4th! The program runs from September 4th through May 6, 2025. Go to foodcity.com/schoolbucks to complete your registration and help our CDC class purchase items needed in the classroom.

Parents, before scheduling vacations, please consult the school calendar. Be advised, at the high school, final exams counting 15% of the final grade are given the last two days of the semester. Please consult the calendar prior to planning vacations.

Students getting a learner's permit are required to obtain an SF-1010 form from the school. Please fill out the form below and students will be called to the office when the form is ready.

The Free and Reduced meal applications are now available online in the Skyward Family Portal and can only be filled out by Family 1. Because of this, email notifications only to Family 1 via Skyward, rather than ParentSquare. Paper copies are in the Main Office.

Your student’s Free & Reduced Lunch status will be carried over from 2023-24 school year for the first 30 days of school until a new application is submitted and processed.

Parents, students are NOT allowed to carry medications on their person at school. All medications must be registered with our nurse, Lori Gupton. Registration requirements are in the form below. This includes over the counter medications such as Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Benadryl or any type of allergy medications, etc.

1. We are OAK RIDGE CITY SCHOOLS - NOT Anderson County

2. Decisions are made by 5:15 am when possible.

3. Delay schedules can include - 1 hour delay (breakfast is served); 2 hour delay (no breakfast); or Full day cancellation.

4. Notification for families:

a. Please note that this year, all communications with parents and families regarding campus closures will be sent via Parent Square through our Communications Department.

b. The ortn.edu website will be updated

c. Media outlets will be notified - WFIV; WYSH; WRJZ; TYLV; B97.5 = Radio

Channel 12, WBIR-TV (www.wbir.com/weather; WVLT-TV (www.local8now.com),

WATE-TV (wate.com,

d. Look for Twitter announcement from @ORSchools

Any student driving to school are required to register their vehicle and leave the parking tag visibly hanging on their review mirror. Vehicles must be registered every year. The form below must be completed and returned to Student Services to Mrs. Viruet. Parking tags are FREE, but required.

Students must register for transportation services via Skyward. The form is located in the Skyward FAMILY ACCESS ACCOUNT not the student access account. Families were sent instructions to email accounts on file throughout the summer. Paper forms will no longer be accepted.

Questions?? Click below to access the Oak Ridge Schools Transportation Website

Parents of the Class of 2028, Mrs. Thompson encourages you to join the Facebook page. The page is used to celebrate the Class of 2028 and provide pertinent reminders impacting this class. Due to security measures, membership is subject to approval. Please answer the questions to join the page. Answers are verified through our student information system before granting access.

Ms. Estep encourages the parents of Juniors to join the Facebook page. Due to security measures protecting the privacy of our families, membership is subject to approval. Please answer the questions to join the page. All answers are verified through Skyward before granting access. Click the link below to access the FB page.

Did you know your teen will have their driver's license suspended due to poor grades and/or poor attendance?

Parents should review this information with their teen drivers!!

Executive Principal - Drayton Hawkins dshawkins@ortn.edu

Seniors - Russ Wise rewise@ortn.edu

Juniors - Beth Estep kestep@ortn.edu

Sophomores - David Foust djfoust@ortn.edu

Freshman - Stephanie Thompson sathompson@ortn.edu

Curriculum Principal - Jennifer Milligan jmmilligan2@ortn.edu

Counselors:

Seniors - Class of 2025 Ashley Bennewitz abennewitz@ortn.edu

Juniors - Class of 2026 Paige Taylor - hptaylor@ortn.edu

Sophomores - Class of 2027 Brianna Ottinger - bottinger@ortn.edu

Freshman - Class of 2028 Heidi Foster - hafoster@ortn.edu

Social Worker: Alison King aking@ortn.edu

Registrar: Rhonda Garrison rsgarrison@ortn.edu

Counseling Administrative Assistant: Amy O'Rourke akorourke@ortn.edu

Link to Website: https://www.ortn.edu/highschool/academics/school-counseling/

Follow our team on Instagram:

Watch for announcements on Twitter: @ORHSCounseling

It is our desire to keep our families informed of all of the activity and awesome news coming from Oak Ridge High School. We have multiple platforms for connection. We encourage you to explore the many ways and provide feedback!

Website - http://www.ortn.edu/highschool/

Daily Bulletin - http://www.ortn.edu/highschool/daily-bulletin/

Channel 1082 at 7:50 AM - Watch the announcements each morning by our Crew! YouTube Streaming: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL9N_azmWeQByrIW6pWLBlQ

INews - http://www.ortn.edu/highschool/news-events/news-links/

PTSO Newsletter - Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1843791015931073/

Website: http://www.ortn.edu/highschool/
Location: 1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
Phone: 865-425-9600