Park Center Pirate Newsletter

February 2025

There is no school February 3rd. Staff will be engaging in professional learning this day.

There is no school February 17th for President's Day. The district is also closed this day.

• PCSH’s Ben Marshall has participated in tennis, robotics and orchestra, including as an all-conference cellist his senior year. He has also manages the girls tennis team and participates in visual arts endeavors such as photography.
  
• PCSH’s Abigail Safack has participated in soccer, basketball and track and field, and she has received several awards for academic honors and her participation in visual arts endeavors such as painting, drawing and jewelry-making. She received Northwest Suburban Conference All-Conference Honorable Mention awards during three years of high school and will continue playing soccer at the collegiate level this fall.

PCSH Outdoor Adventures students embarked on a winter expedition to Bearskin Lake, braving the cold and disconnecting from their digital lives. Their journey included treks across frozen lakes, hikes to stunning overlooks, and bonding over card games, puzzles, and laughter. They learned about sled dogs, indulged in hearty meals, and even took on the ultimate challenge of plunging into icy waters after a sauna. As the trip neared its end, some Pirates embraced the test of sleeping outside in a snowstorm, proving their resilience. Exhausted but fulfilled, they returned home with unforgettable memories, newfound camaraderie, and a deeper appreciation for nature.

Join Family and Community Engagement (FACE) for their Black History Month celebration! There will be music, showcases, free food, and BIPOC owned businesses.

When: Saturday, February 1, 2025 from 1:30 to 4:30pm
Where: Park Center Senior High, 7300 Brooklyn Blvd

Scan the QR code to join! Email GillV@district279.org with any questions.

We only have 5 weeks left in trimester 2! Now is a great time to make sure your student is on-track to pass their classes.

• Review your student's current grades with them. Celebrate their hard work so far this year! For any grades they want to improve, look at what assignments, tests, or projects they are missing.
• Help them come up with a plan to complete missing work and prepare for upcoming tests and projects.
• Reach out to your student's teachers (or have them reach out to their teachers!) with any questions.
• Have your student attend Homework Center Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday from 2:00-4:30
• Attendance is huge factor in school success! Here are some strategies for helping your student have good school attendance (available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese).

• Spring Activities Registration will open on February 3rd
• Spring PAC (Parent/Caregiver, Athlete, Coach) Meeting will be held on February 24th at 6:30 PM at Park Center
• Check out our updated PCSH Activities website for more information! It's also a great place to follow our activities schedules so you can come support PCSH events.

The CRC will be offering ACT Test Prep Sessions for all Juniors taking the online ACT exam on Tue, Apr 22. There are multiple ACT Test Prep Sessions for students between Feb 29-Mar 17. All in-person sessions will be held after school in the Media Center. There are two virtual sessions offered by Revolution Prep; ACT 101 on Feb 29 and a practice test on Mar 16. Students MUST sign up to attend. In addition to the ACT Prep Sessions, there are a ton of great FREE online resources on the PC CRC website to help students prepare for the ACT.

Thinking about a career in the military? For many service members, the military serves as a foundation of skills and experience that translate into civilian careers. Much like the wide range of jobs found in the civilian working world, the Military offers hundreds of opportunities across many different career fields. Today’s Military (www.todaysmilitary.com) is a site produced by the US Department of Defense that can help you research potential options. The site provides tons of information about all military branches (Air Force, Air National Guard, Army, Army National Guard, Coast Guard, Marines, Navy and Space Force) including eligibility requirements, taking the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), what boot camp is like and questions to ask a recruiter. Recruiters visit regularly during lunches. Recruiter contact info on the CRC website.

Park Center partners with both Anoka Ramsey and North Hennepin to provide Upward Bound support to our students.

Upward Bound Anoka Ramsey How do I get to college? Should I even go to college? Upward Bound is a FREE college preparation program that helps high schoolers get to college. We provide college campus visits, after-school study sessions, community building sessions (such as bowling, and ice skating), and so much more! We also PAY you to attend and participate so that you get spending money! If you want to learn more about the program or join, please stop by room 132 after school to introduce yourself and talk to the Anoka Ramsey Upward Bound advisors, Nou Chee Yang or Nicole Carlson. We’re excited to meet you.

Upward Bound North Hennepin NHCC Upward Bound is a college-readiness program that supports 9th-12th grade students to reach their college dreams. Students participate in weekly tutoring sessions, monthly Saturday Academies, and 2 six-week long summer programs. Upward Bound is free and provides services including: academic support & tutoring, college & career exploration, scholarship & financial aid assistance, volunteer opportunities, ACT preparation, 1:1 advising & mentorship, college & cultural field trips – including a yearly out-of-state trip, and social & emotional learning + leadership. At Park Center, Upward Bound meets after-school on Tuesdays & Thursdays. We help students get to any college of their choice, but we host many weekend events at NHCC where our main office is located. We are no longer accepting applications for the current school year – thanks to all the students who have applied. If you are interested in joining our Upward Bound program for fall 2024, please email the Upward Bound director, Bethany, at bethany.sekora@nhcc.edu.

QuestBridge partners with top colleges to offer select College Prep Scholars the opportunity to take college-level courses at a top-tier university and learn more about the college experience. These scholarships offer high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds a special chance to experience life beyond high school and to learn more about the experience of attending a selective college. Quest for Excellence Awards, such as $1,000 for a new laptop or other resources to help the student enhance their college

The CRC offers monthly Career Panels for students to learn about a wide variety of positions in a given career field. Upcoming Career Panels include:

• February 11 - Construction and Automotive
• March 18 - Technology
• April 8 - Education
• Students must sign up in advance to attend at https://forms.gle/R35jmyfTYZTta5J58

All upcoming events, including college visits, are posted on the CRC website > Sessions. Please check often and sign up for those that interest you!

The child development lab class at Park Center Senior High School is looking for preschool-aged children ages 3, 4, and 5 who are toilet trained to attend Park Center Playschool about 2-4 hours per week for about 6 weeks beginning April 8 or 10 and concluding on May 20 or 22, 2025.

You will choose to have your child attend a Tuesday 8:45-10:55 a.m. or Thursday 7:35-9:45 a.m. class time or both. This is a free opportunity! There will be limited openings available so let us know your interest early!

Contact Joanne Bauerly, Instructor, with questions or to RSVP email bauerlyj@district279.org or call Park Center at 763-569-7600 to leave a message.

At Park Center we expect every student to demonstrate P.R.I.D.E.

• Participate in your education
• Respect yourself and others
• Inspire others
• Do the right thing
• Excel in all you do

For all Park Center rules and expectations, refer to our Student and Family Handbook