Students & Parents -
PSAT results were handed out last/this week.  Make sure you spend some time
reviewing the results.  PLAN (practice ACT) results will be distributed in late
January.

Juniors - you should have registered for an SAT and/or ACT!
SAT - www.collegeboard.com -
January 23 test date - deadline is December 15
March 13 test date - deadline is February 4

ACT - www.actstudent.org - (take the ACT PLUS Writing)
February 6 test date - deadline is January 5
April 10 test date - deadline is March 5

Mid terms are next week!  These exams count for 10% or 20% of the semester grade
(grade that colleges evaluate).

Wednesday - periods 3 and 4
Thursday - periods 2 and 5
Friday - periods 1 and 6
(No early release on these days - dismissal at 2:40)

Study hard this weekend.  You will have more than 2 weeks without worrying about
school and exams!

Mr. Mercer

Students & Parents -
A student on the GHS Mu Alpha Theta (math team) team wrote the following letter
to area businesses seeking sponsorship.  Since GHS is new to the world of math
team competitions, I wanted to spread the word about this new opportunity.  If
you would like more information on the team, please contact Mrs. Rapp at
rappma@....

Dear Sirs,

	 Mu Alpha Theta is an organization which allows middle and high school leveled
students to compete against each other from different regions across the nation
on many different levels of mathematics. Participants compete as individuals and
work on teams, in order to challenge themselves to their highest mathematical
potential. Each competitive team is responsible for taking the extra steps in
order to prepare for competitions, and for finding sponsorship for their team's
competition expenses.

	 Gainesville High School has never truly had an active Mu Alpha Theta Team, but
with your help that can change. Throughout this 2009-2010 season, we hope to
attend many competitions including the Mu Alpha Theta National Convention in
Washington, DC. Our entire Mu Alpha Theta team and club consists of particularly
hard-working students, and we want to put all of our hard work to good use by
participating in as many competitions as possible.

	 If you choose to become a sponsor of Gainesville High School's Mu Alpha Theta
team and club, you will impact our lives in a major way. We are all very
passionate about mathematics and we enjoy the challenges, which come along with
competitions. With your help Gainesville High School's Mu Alpha Theta team can
become number one! Our Mu Alpha Theta team and club needs to collect enough
sponsorship money by early January in order to ensure our participation in
competitions.

	 We hope that your company will consider sponsoring our team and club. It will
help our school gain respect in the community for our mathematical strives and
help us reach the goals, which we have been working so very intensely towards.
Should you have any questions or need further information, please contact Mrs.
Rapp or Mrs. Ellis at (352) 955-6707.
Please make check payable and mail to:
Gainesville High School
1900 NW 13th Street
Gainesville, FL 32609-3494

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,


Briana Freeman
Mu Alpha Theta Fundraising VP



Mrs. Rapp and Mrs.Ellis
Mu Alpha Theta Team and Club Sponsor
1900 NW 13th Street
Gainesville, FL 32609-3494
(352) 955-6707

Seniors,
The Florida State University Service Scholar Program is designed to recognize
students with an outstanding record of service and leadership and to promote
civic responsibility.  If you have demonstrated excellence in service and
leadership, please consider applying for this scholarship at FSU.  For more
information, visit http://thecenter.fsu.edu and click on the Service Scholars
heading.
Annual scholarship $2400
Deadline - January 15, 2010

Mr. Mercer

Students & Parents -
The Personal Fitness Competency Test will be given on Wednesday, December 9th at
9:30am in the Media Center Presentation Room.  This test is for students who
have completed 2 years of a JV or Varsity sport.  Passing this test with a 70%
or better exempts a student from the PE/HOPE graduation requirement.  Keep in
mind that full time Cambridge students (taken four or more Cambridge courses
each year) in grades 9,10,11 are exempt from this requirement.  Thus, partial
Cambridge students and seniors who need to meet the PE requirement through this
test should register in the Career Center immediately.  Deadline to register is
Friday, December 4th.

The final yearbook deadline is coming up!  All yearbooks must be purchased by
December 15th; we will not be selling any books after this date.  Your last
opportunity to purchase a yearbook at school is the week of November 16th. 
Yearbooks cost $70.00 and will be sold during lunch in G-2.  If you do not buy a
yearbook next week, your only other opporutnity to purchase a book is by
ordering it online through www.yearbookordercenter.com by December 15th.

Semester exams are approaching.  These exams count for 10-20% of the semester
grade.
December 16 - period 3 and period 4 exam
December 17 - period 2 and period 5 exam
December 18 - period 1 and period 6 exam

The PSAT scores will arrive during the second week of December.  We will deliver
the results after the Christmas holiday because we pass these out along with the
PLAN scores during our annual 10th grade guidance unit.  If you want your score
before the holiday, send me an email in early to mid-December
(mercerkd@...).

Juniors - please make sure you are registered to take the SAT and/or ACT.
SAT - www.collegeboard.com - (deadline is usually 6 weeks prior to test date)
Test Dates:
December 5 (deadline to register has passed)
January 23
March 13
May 1
June 5


ACT - www.actstudent.org
Test Dates:
December 12 (deadline to register has passed, may be able to pay a late fee)
February 6
April 10
June 12

Gainesville High School has a Mu Alpha Theta math competition team.  The next
competition is January 30 at Buchholz High School.  If you are interested in
joining the math team, please see Mr. Mercer, Mrs. Ellis (27-042), Mr. Kanipe
(C10) or Mrs. Rapp (C9).  The team really needs more players at the Pre
Calculus, Statistics and Calculus level.  Math team practices every Thursday
after school from 3-4.

Geometry - Ellis - 27-042
Algebra II - Rapp - C9
Pre Calculus/Calc - Kanipe - C10

Have a great week.
Mr. Mercer

December 2009

Wednesday, 12/16 - Period 3 and Period 4 Exam
Thursday, 12/17 - Period 2 and Period 5 Exam
Friday, 12/18 - Period 1 and Period 6 Exam

Please make sure that you are in attendance on these dates.  Semester exams
count for 10% or 20% of the semester grade.  If you have an unavoidable conflict
on one of these and must miss school, contact Dr. Dixon at dixonrw@....

Mr. Mercer

23-Oct Georgia Tech Nancy Estes 2:00 small room

23-Oct Boston University Sylvia Lee 12:15 Small room

27-Oct Flagler College Michelle Hourihan 1pm large room (5th pd)

27-Oct Agnes Scott College Alvanita Negron 1:30pm small room

28-Oct Rice University  Brandon Mack 12:00 small room

29-Oct Eckerd College Christina Rizler 11:15 small room

29-Oct Emory University Kelley Lips 12:45 Large room

16-Dec Full Sail University Tracy 11:15 small room

Sign up in the Career Center (across from attendance).
Mr. Mercer

Greetings!  The University of Florida College of Pharmacy Gainesville Campus is
hosting its Annual Open House/Information Session on Sunday, November 1st from
1:00pm-4:45pm at the Health Professions, Nursing and Pharmacy (HPNP) Complex. 
Directions are located at http://www.cop.ufl.edu/studaff/mapg.pdf.  Please find
attached a flyer pertaining to this event.  We would like to extend an
invitation to your students, student groups, faculty, staff and those involved
in the Academy of Health Professions.

The Open House will cover the following topics:  admission requirements,
application procedures, prepharmacy coursework, distance campus sites, financial
aid, student life, career opportunities and the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)
curriculum.


Southern Scholarship Foundation


Southern Scholarship Foundation is a non-profit organization which awards
qualifying students with housing scholarships on the following campuses:

FSU - UF - FAMU - FGCU

Interested applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA and a demonstrated financial
need. Scholarship recipients live cooperatively in a house with students
representing a variety of backgrounds and cultures. They do not pay rent, but
are responsible for their fair share of basic household expenses such as food
and utilities. The entire cost to the student averages $950 per semester.

Applications are available on our website,
www.southernscholarship.org

Included on the application is a detailed list of all necessary application
materials. There is not an application deadline, however, submission by November
1 for the spring semester and by March 1 for the fall semester is encouraged as
spots do fill quickly.


Sydney Smith
Director of Student Affairs, North FL
Southern Scholarship Foundation

322 Stadium Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32304
(850) 222.3833
(850) 222.6750 fax

Area high schools will be competing in the Rattle Battle Wing Bowl benefitting
the March of Dimes on Wednesday, October 14th at 6:30pm.  Michael Maguire, Tyler
Scarborough and Mr. Forgione will be eating for GHS, and they need your help. 
Each of them is seeking pledges for each wing they eat (or a flat donation). 
Last year, some contestants ate over 40 wings!  Supporting one of these
contestants will help GHS win the wing bowl, and more importantly, it will help
raise money to help prevent premature births.

Gator's Dockside will host the event.  Supporters are encouraged to attend.  You
can purchase a $10 ticket.  The ticket entitles you to 18 wings and a drink. 
Last year, the tickets sold out, so buy your ticket prior to the event, and make
sure to wear your purple.

If you are interested in making a pledge per wing eaten, a flat donation and/or
purchasing a ticket, email me at mercerkd@....  Bring sure to include
the name of the contestant you are supporting if you are making a pledge or
donation.

Mr. Mercer

The Rights and Dignity of Teens

Hi Everyone,

On August 31, 2009 one of our friends, Brendan Spelman, was taken against his
will to a behavior modification school in Utah.  Two men presenting themselves
as law enforcement officers approached Brendan and asked him to get in the car,
and he complied.  Little did he know, Brendan was being taken away from his
friends and loved ones, ripped out of the fabric of his life.  Brendan's parents
hired these men to take him away to a ten-month "life changing" program.

It all began four months ago, when Brendan decided to leave home because he had
a bad home life.  With his parent's knowledge, Brendan moved in with another
Trilogy family.  Brendan was struggling with depression and anxiety and began to
get help for those things.  During those four months, Brendan was the happiest
he had ever been.  In August, Brendan dual enrolled at Santa Fe College and
Trilogy School.  He had a part time job and was about to begin crew with the
association Gainesville Area Rowing (GAR).  Now, Brendan is surrounded by drug
addicts and alcoholics in a lock down facility, allowed no contact with the
outside world.  Brendan did not do drugs, did not drink, and all of his friends
were honor roll students.  He simply wanted to be part of a loving family who
understood him.

We started researching what rights Brendan has as a teenager.  We found out that
he doesn't have a legal voice.  Then we found out that there are all kinds of
situations where teenagers don't have a voice. So, we decided to have a rally to
raise awareness about the whole issue of teen rights.

You probably know that Trilogy is a small school.  We can't pull off this kind
of thing by ourselves, so we are reaching out to anyone who feels strongly about
these issues.  Maybe you know someone who was snet to a place like this, or
maybe you just want to know more about these issues.  Whatever the reason, we
need your help to raise awareness!  If you want to help with the rally, please
let Mr. Mercer know by contacting him at mercerkd@....  Also, check out
the facebook group at www.bringbrendanhome.com

Here are the details:


What:  Teens Unite:  A Rally for Rights!
Who:  Trilogy School
When:  Thursday, October 22, 2009  -  4pm - 7pm
Where:  Downtown Plaza
Why:  To raise awareness for teen rights

We will have speakers, live music, and food - please help - you can earn
community service hours and have a good time, too!

Thank you,

Noah Jones and Tori Turbyfill

Students & Parents -

Florida State and hundreds of other colleges will be participating in the online
CollegeWeekLive Counselor Day on Thursday, October 8, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
at http://www.collegeweeklive.com/. Just go to the top-right link to register. I
hope you'll pass this along to other members in guidance and other colleagues
who may be interested in participating. This is an opportunity to get your
questions answered from colleges and universities around the country.

We will also be participating in a virtual college fair geared towards your
students and their parents on November 4-7. Information about this fair is also
at the above website. We would appreciate if you would make this announcement to
your students...we will also be in contact with them as the date approaches.

Our first notification deadline is right around the corner...October 14. I have
received many emails from students, parents, and counselors who think this is an
early admission, early action deadline. It is not. It's just one of two
deadlines. We encourage students to try to be proactive and apply early. For the
last couple of years, admissions requirements increased for our second
notification, there was no scholarship money available for qualified students,
and on-campus housing was more limited.

Please remind your students to send us all test scores. We will not penalize
them for the number of times a test is taken, or for the actual scores
themselves. In our process where we have minimum subscore requirements and we
combine the highest subscores to form the ACT composite or SAT total, it can
only help them. In addition, if we have a score in place by our October 14
deadline, we will allow the October and November scores to roll in for our
December 9 notification as long as the student indicates Florida State as a
recipient of the score report.

The following are the minimum subscore requirements for admission consideration:

     writing:    500 on the SAT writing or 21 on the ACT English or 21 on the
Essay/Writing optional portion of the ACT
     math:        500 on the SAT math or 21 on the ACT math
     reading:    500 on the critical reading portion of the SAT or 22 on the
reading portion of the ACT

We are currently up in applications, so I expect the December 9 notification to
be larger than last year. Have a wonderful year, and please continue to be in
touch with your questions.


More colleges are coming to GHS -

October 13th at 1:00PM
University of Southern California-Media Center, Large room

October 14th at 9:30AM
University of West Florida-Media Center

October 15th at 11:15AM
Shorter College-Media Center, Small Room

October 19th at 11:25AM
University of South Florida-Auditorium

October 23rd at 12:15PM
Boston University-Media Center, Small Room

October 23rd at 2:00PM
Georgia Tech-Media Center, Small Room

October 27th at 1:00PM
Flagler College-Media Center, Large Room

October 27th at 1:30PM
Agnes Scott College-Media Center, Small Room

October 29th at 12:45PM
Emory University-Media Center, Large Room

Sign up in Guidance.
Mr. Mercer

Students,
After school tutoring begins this week in the media center.

Tuesdays 3-4pm - math, science, spanish
Wednesdays 3-4pm - algebra, language arts, french
Thursdays 3-4pm - math, science

I am looking for some students who are able and willing to provide math tutoring
after school Tuesdays, Wednesdays and/or Thursdays in the media center. 
Oftentimes, the teachers offering the after school tutoring in the media center
become overwhelmed with students.  Thus, I would like additional tutors on hand
to work individually with students.  Service hours would be granted.  If
interested, send me an email at mercerkd@... - let me know what day(s)
of the week you are available.

Progress reports go home today!
Mr. Mercer

Seniors,
As you know the FSU deadline is fast approaching.  All application materials
must be received by October 14th if you plan to meet FSU's first application
deadline.  I encourage all students who plan on applying to meet this deadline. 
The following materials must be received by FSU by October 14.

1.  Transcript (must order transcript by October 1st for us to guarantee on time
arrival at FSU - form available on Cambridge website -complete and turn into Ms.
Fugate in Guidance).
2.  SAT and/or ACT test scores - make sure you send your test scores directly to
FSU from the test agency - actstudent.org (ACT) or collegeboard.com (SAT). 
There is a fee to send these scores once the student has tested.  Don't wait on
sending the scores!
3.  Completed and submitted online application

The University of Florida Deadline is November 1st.  Read the following details
if you plan to apply.

1.  Transcript (transcript request form must be received in Guidance by October
20 for us to guarantee on time arrival at UF)
2.  SAT and/or ACT scores - see above
3.  Completed and submitted online application

Please note that letters of recommendation are not evaluated by either FSU or
UF.

Seniors, enjoy your weekend of writing your college essays and editing your
resume.  It is crunch time...

Mr. Mercer

Students and Teachers -
I have viewed a few of the videos in the website featured below.  This is a nice
resource for students/parents to use in order to obtain a general overview of a
college/university.

See below:

YOUniversityTV is the first of its kind, and only online video resource
community, where college bound teens (and their parents) can watch extremely
well produced (HD) video campus tours of 100's of the top colleges &
universities in the US, presented in a way never before made available. Viewers
get an "all-access" pass to venture into the dorms, classrooms, special project
areas - everywhere on campus, and see interviews with students, faculty members,
deans, admissions personnel, etc.

                        All areas of our website are acessible without any
charges or fees of any kind.

                       Our original, exclusive content provides the user with a
whole new experience previously unattainable - to areas previously accessible
only by way of an actual in-person visit to the campus and in many cases, you
will see content which even goes beyond a school's official walking tour !

                       This was made possible because each segment was created
with the full cooperation of every participating school - we are the only
outside organization to have been given unlimited access to each school's
facilities for such a purpose.


                       Most recently, we have added individual video segments for
the top 100 most desirable careers in the US, featuring interviews and advice
from those who are presently engaged in each of those careers; students can
learn about requirements, career earnings, what a typical day on the job
entails, etc.

                       YOUniversityTV content is safe, student-friendly site and
does not associate itself with any content or advertising related to alcohol,
tobacco, drugs, or sexually explicit material.

Mr. Mercer

Santa Fe College will hold College Night 2009 on Wednesday, September 23rd from
6pm-8pm in the gym on the Northwest Campus.  Representatives from the schools
listed below will be on hand to promote their institutions and the programs they
offer.  Keep in mind that many of the smaller schools track the contact they
have with students.  Schools like kids who show an interest in their school by
attending events such as these.

If a college below interests you, please try to attend.

Agnes Scott College
Barry University
Berry College
Bethune-Cookman University
City College
Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine
Eckerd College
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Florida A & M University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University,Wilkes Honors College
Florida Christian College
Florida Institute of Technology
Florida Memorial University
Florida State University
International University of Nursing
Jacksonville University
Johnson & Wales University
Juanita College
LaGrange College
Lake City Community College
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
New College of Florida
Nova Southeastern University
Palm Beach Atlantic University
Rasmussen College
Robert Ross International University of Nursing
Rollins College
Saint Leo University
Saint Leo University, Gainesville
Samford University
Santa Fe College
Savannah College of Art and Design

SFC AA Academic Advisement
SFC Admissions SFC Athletic Department
SFC Bio Technologies
SFC Business Programs
SFC Construction and Technical Programs
SFC Financial Aid SFC Fine Arts
SFC Health Sciences
SFC High School Dual Enrollment
SFC Institute of Public Safety
SFC ITE
SFC Recruitment
SFC Student Life
SFC Study Abroad
Southeastern University
Stetson University
Troy University
Tuskegee University
University of Alabama
University of Alabama, Huntsville
University of Central Florida
University of Florida
University of Miami
University of Mississippi
University of North Florida
University of Northwestern Ohio
Universtiy of South Florida
University of South Florida, Manatee
University of South Florida, St. Petersburg
University of West Florida
Warner University
Webber International University
Wesleyan College
Young Harris College

Mr. Mercer

Students & Parents -
Open house is Tuesday, September 15 at 7pm.  There will be a Cambridge (grades
10-12) parent meeting at 6pm; we will have you out by 6:50.

PSAT is Wednesday, October 14.  Collegeboard will pay for all 9th grade
Cambridge and honors English students; they will also pay for all 11th grade
Cambridge, AP and honors English students.  Thus, these students will
automatically test, and there is no need to register or pay.  Tenth grade
students have until September 25 to pay the $20 PSAT fee; make check payable to
GHS.  See Mr. Mercer's intern (Ms. Pereira) in Guidance to register.  If you are
in 9th or 11th grade and already paid for the PSAT, you will be receiving a
refund in the next two weeks.

Full length Practice SAT, sponsored by Princeton Review, is Saturday, September
26 (9am-1:30pm).  I recommend this test for 10th and 11th grade students who
want to experience a full SAT without the results being official.  Each tester
will receive a detailed score report from this test administration.  Sign up in
Guidance (see Ms. Pereira); cost is $15.  Free for students on free/reduced
lunch.  Please note that we are not able to provide accommodations for Practice
exams.

Full length Practice ACT, sponsored by Princeton Review, is Saturday, October 3
((9am-1:30pm).  I recommend this test for 10th and 11th grade students who want
to experience a full ACT without the results being official.  Each tester will
receive a detailed score report from this test administration.  Sign up in
Guidance (see Ms. Pereira); cost is $15.  Free for students on free/reduced
lunch.  Please note that we are not able to provide accommodations for Practice
exams.

Several colleges are coming in the next few weeks.  If you would like to meet
with the college represenatative from a school below, please sign up in the
college visit folder located in Guidance.

17-Sep Washington U in St. Louis 10:30AM Media Center-Large room

17-Sep Davidson College 11:15AM Media Center-Large room

21-Sep New College 9:00AM Media Center-small room

21-Sep University of Florida 11:15AM Auditorium

22-Sep Florida Atlantic University 11:15AM Media Center-Small room

22-Sep University of North Florida 11:30AM Media Center-Large room

23-Sep University of Central Florida 11:15AM Media Center-Large room

23-Sep College Night Ledvina, Stacey 6:00-8:00pm Santa Fe College Gym
stacey.ledvina@...

23-Sep University of Mississippi 1:00 Media Center-Small room

24-Sep Florida International University 11:30 Media Center -Small room

24-Sep Wilkes Honors College (FAU) 11:30 Media Center- Large room

25-Sep Florida State University 11:15 Auditorium

25-Sep  University of Alabama   11:15   Media Center - Small room

Mr. Mercer

I have four tickets to the Troy game that I need to unload.  They are in section
34 in the east stands (parent section for UF student-athletes).  They are on
about the 30-35 yard line.  I need $60/each to break even when you figure in the
booster fee.  Interested - email me at mercerkd@...

Students & Parents -
We have several colleges planning to visit GHS this fall.  I encourage students
to come meet the admission representative for each school that they are
interested in learning more about.  This is a great opportunity to ask specific
questions and make a good first impression on the person who will be reading
your application first!

A more detailed list of visits will be sent in 2 weeks.  However, a few schools
are coming very soon.  To sign up for a college visit, stop by Guidance to sign
the college visit book under each college's name.  We will send a pass for you
to attend the visit.

Date: September 3, 2009
Time: 7:30 pm
School: Duke, Georgetown, Harvard, Penn, Stanford
Location: Hilton Gainesville
Contact: exploringcollegeoptions.org

Date: September 9, 2009
Time: 11:15
School: Hollins University
Location: Media Center: Small Group Room
Contact: Katie Johnson   kjohnson2@...


Date: September 10, 2009
Time: 1:00
School: University of the South
Location: Media Center: Small Group Room
Contact: Michael Clayton   mcclayto@...

Date: September 10, 2009
Time: 9:30
School: Stetson University
Location: Media Center: Small Group Room
Contact: Jonath DeAngelo   jdeangel@...

More are coming!
Mr. Mercer

Cambridge Parent Meeting
September 15, 6:00 PM
GHS Auditorium

Cambridge parents are invited to attend the Cambridge meeting on September 15,
at 6:00PM, in the Gainesville High School auditorium. The meeting will precede
the regular school Open House and will end in time for you to travel to your
child's first period classroom at 7:00. Topics discussed will include the AICE
course curriculum, registration procedures for examinations, and the updated
Cambridge Policies.  The focus will be on tenth-through-twelfth grades, but
ninth grade parents, as well as any student coming to open house, are also
welcome to attend. Questions regarding the meeting may be addressed to Ms. James
at: jamescb@...

Students & Parents -
Sylvan Learning Center has partnered with GHS to provide schoolmathprep.com. 
The following subjects are featured on the website:
Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, SAT Math, ACT Math.

The website contains video instruction, practice problems with answers and
explanations and a self test for each lesson.  The website is free to students
(GHS will pay a monthly fee to access the website).  Of course, we'll make the
decision about funding this website once we evaluate how much our students use
the resource.

Go to www.schoolmathprep.com
Click Login
Username:  ghighschool
Password:  ghs32609

Mr. Mercer

Students & Parents -
The deadline to submit a schedule review form (for any possible schedule change)
is Friday (tomorrow), August 28 at 3:00pm.  If you have a schedule problem,
please complete this form by the deadline.

However, please understand that we cannot honor requests to change teachers in
Cambridge courses.  We now have several Cambridge classes taught by 2 teachers. 
Obviously, if we started to honor teacher change requests, we would lose control
of our class sizes in some of our Cambridge classes.  Keep in mind that Mr.
McElroy works very closely with all the Cambridge teachers, so please contact
him if there is a problem with a Cambridge teacher (mcelroywc@...).

Guidance counselors are back in the guidance department, so feel free to come
fill out a request to see counselor form if you need to speak with one of us.

Mr. Mercer

Students & Parents -
The PSAT is scheduled for Wednesday, October 14.  Ninth grade students will
automatically be regsitered for the PSAT without a charge.  Tenth and Eleventh
grade students need to register and pay ($15) if they wish to test.  The PSAT is
a shorter, easier version of the SAT; it serves as a preliminary test for kids
before they are ready for the SAT.  The PSAT is also the National Merit
Qualifying test for juniors.

The Practice SAT is a full length (unofficial) test.  The results are sent to
the student, and there is no record or consequence for poor scores.  Typically,
10th and 11th graders take this test in order to get a score on the full length
SAT (harder and longer than PSAT).

The Practice ACT is a full length (unofficial) test.  Ditto above.

Mr. Mercer

Hello Students & Parents -
Welcome back!

The Collegeboard will pay for all 9th grade Cambridge/Honors students to take
the PSAT on October 14.  Thus, 9th grade Cambridge students (and Honors English
I students) do not need to register for the PSAT.  They will automatically be
registered.  I will send checks back to the parents who already paid.

Tenth and Eleventh grade students must still pay for the PSAT.  Cost is $15 -
Register with Mr. Mercer or his intern in Guidance.  Keep in mind that the 11th
grade PSAT is the National Merit Qualifying Test.  All 9th, 10th and 11th grade
Cambridge students are strongly encouraged to take the PSAT.  The test is
offered during the school day, so students don't have to give up weekend time to
test.

The Guidance Department has scheduled an SAT Practice test and an ACT Practice
test this fall.

The Practice SAT will be given at 9am on Saturday, September 26 in the media
center.  Registration for the Practice SAT will begin on Monday.  See Mr. Mercer
or his intern in Guidance.  Cost is $15; test is free for students on
free/reduced lunch.  The Practice SAT is geared toward 10th and 11th grade four
year college/university bound students who want to see where they currently
stand on this college admissions exam.  The score is unofficial.  Princeton
Review is kind enough to administer and score the SAT; they will provide a
detailed report to each test taker.

The Practice ACT will be given at 9am on Saturday, October 3 in the media
center.  Registration for the Practice ACT will begin on Monday.  See Mr. Mercer
or his intern in Guidance.  Cost is $15; test is free for students on
free/reduced lunch.  The Practice ACT is geared toward 10th and 11th grade four
year college/university bound students who want to see where they currently
stand on this college admissions exam.  The score is unofficial.  Princeton
Review is kind enough to administer and score the ACT; they will provide a
detailed report to each test taker.

These practice exams provide the perfect opportunity to take both in order to
select the best test for the future.  All colleges and universities will accept
either SAT or ACT.  Many colleges take the best section scores from multiple SAT
administrations, and they take the best composite score from multiple ACT
administrations.

Confused?  Email me at mercerkd@...

Mr. Mercer

Gainesville High School will have exclusive privileges on SchoolMathPrep.com
from now until the first nine weeks of school (October 27th, 2009).  After the
first nine weeks, should Gainesville High School wish to continue this program,
it will be available to students.  Thus, feedback from users would be helpful in
making the decision regarding this website.

With SylvanMathPrep.com, you'll see short videos corresponding to the exact
pages and concepts in the textbook that explain the math lessons being studied.

SylvanMathPrep.com presents math problems in a new way, shows the work, and
provides practice problems (with the answers!), so students can master the
concepts in no time!

The username and passwords for students:
username:  ghighschool
password:  GHS32609


Sincerely,
Amber C.M. Howell


Sylvan Learning Center of Gainesville
352-371-6891

The annual GHS open house will be on Tuesday (not Monday), September 15
beginning at 7pm.  Sorry for the confusion.

The Hurricane Tracker (GHS Newsletter) should be in your mailbox this week. 
Since many of you may not read it before important dates pass, I have provided a
summary of upcoming events below.

Schedules will be ready for pick up on the following dates in the GHS Media
Center.

Seniors - August 11 - 8am - noon (may also purchase parking permit - must have
drivers license and car registration information along with application
available in front office)
Juniors - August 12 - 8am - noon
Sophomores - August 13 - 8am - noon
Freshmen - August 20 - During Hurricane Happening

If you cannot pick up your schedule at the designated time, please send a parent
if possible.  If you or your parent cannot pick up the schedule, please send me
an email during the week of August 17 (mercerkd@...).

New Student and Freshmen Orientation - Thursday, August 20 - 9am - noon - Main
Auditorium.  Incoming 9th grade Cambridge student orientation - 12:00pm - 1:30pm
(immediately following Hurricane Happening)

First Day of School Monday, August 24 - 8:25 am.

Open House - All Grades - Monday, September 15, 7:00-9:00pm.

Check the GHS Calendar often - bookmark - http://ghs.sbac.edu/index.html

Bookmark the GHS Cambridge website -
http://ghs.sbac.edu/academics/programs/cambridge/

PSAT - Wednesday, October 14 - Fee is $15 if you register by August 28.  Fee
increases to $20 if you register between 8/30 and 9/25.  After 9/25, students
can only register if there is space available.

SAT - October 10 - Register by September 9
     - November 7 - Register by October 1
Register online at www.collegeboard.com.  Cost is $45 or free for students on
free/reduced lunch.

ACT - September 12 - Register by August 7
     - October 24 - Register by September 18
Register online at www.actstudent.org.  Cost is $47 for the ACT Plus Writing or
free for students on free/reduced lunch.  All state of Florida schools require
the writing section.

UF Application Deadline - November 1
FSU Application Deadline (first deadline) - all materials received by October 14

AS and A level exam scores will be online.  Students should have an ID and
password to pull their scores.  Scores should post around August 12th.

GHS Volleyball begins in August.
August 27 - Preseason Classic @ GHS(GHS, Leon, Oak Hall) - 5:00 - 9:30pm
Sep 8 - At Middleburg
Sep 11/12 - Gatortown Classic Tournament Varsity only, Hosted by PK and BHS
Sep 15 - At Columbia
Sep 17 - Robert E. Lee @ GHS 5:30 - 9:00pm

GHS Football kicks off in August.
August 28 - @ Citizens Field - Cooper City
Sep 3 - @ Citizens Field - Trinity Catholic
Sep 11 - @ Columbia
Sep 18 - @ Santa Fe

Labor Day Holiday - No School, September 7

Enjoy your remaining summer days.
Mr. Mercer

Hello all -
Need service hours doing something truly meaningful?  I need a student volunteer
to help Joey.  Joey will start B'nai Israel Community Day School on Monday July
6th and this session lasts for three weeks.  The day lasts from 8am - 1pm. 
Joey's class is a developmentally normal group of kids and he will be the only
autistic child in the group.  There is a third session that starts on July 27th
and again lasts for three weeks. The same time as above.  I spoke to the
assistant director Carol and she was on board with the volunteer idea.  The
volunteer would have to pass a background check but other than that could be an
aide to Joey in the class.

Joey is a very sweet child that sometimes wanders off in the room because he is
interested in looking at something else.  His teacher says that he just needs to
be encouraged and brought back into the group setting so he can participate. She
also mentioned that it would be very easy to let him stand in the corner and
watch because he is so quiet and compliant so a volunteer could really help with
this. Joey is also very passive and is usually the child who gets a toy taken
away from him.  At school, they are working on teaching him to use his words and
not give up so easily.  Again an volunteer would be very helpful with this.

If you are available and interested, email me at mercerkd@....  I will
then send you Joey's mom contact information.

Mr. Mercer

Students & Parents -
Need something productive to do this summer?  Well, GHS students have the
opportunity to complete the Collegeboard Official SAT online course.  The course
normally costs about $100.  Students do not receive an official grade for the
course; it is used strictly as a preparation for the SAT.  Students entering
12th and 11th grade should consider completing the course if they plan to take
the SAT in 2009-2010.

To register, create an account at collegeboard.com.  Once you have successfully
created an account, go to collegeboard.com/satonlinecourseschool.  In the
Students box click Register Now.  Then enter your student access code.  You will
need to email me for the access code (mercerkd@...).  Once you have
entered the access code, click indpendent study and complete registration.  You
will then be able to access the course through the My organizer feature on your
account through collegeboard.com.

Mr. Mercer

Florida Works is now looking to hire young people ages 16-24 for 400
summer jobs in Alachua County. Those jobs are being funded through
federal stimulus dollars.

Florida Works will be at a job fair this Friday, May 29 from 11 a.m.
until 5 p.m. (they extended the hours so that high school students
could attend) to share information about these jobs. The fair will be
held at Grace United Methodist Church, 9325 West Newberry Road. The
contact is Julie Cole, and she can be reached at (352) 871-5354.

This is a great opportunity for students to find a job for the
summer.

Mr. Mercer

Students & Parents -
Exam Schedule for students in grades 9,10,11 is below:
6/3/09 - period 1 and 5 exam (early release 1:25pm)
6/4/09 - period 2 and 4 exam (early release 1:25pm)
6/5/09 - period 3 and 6 exam (early release 1:25pm)

Seniors have a different exam schedule.  See below:
5/27/09 - All other subjects
5/28/09 - English & Science
5/29/09 - Math & Social Studies
6/1/09 - Make up Exams

Course request cards were distributed to all students last week.  Please take a
minute to review the courses on the request card for accuracy.  If you have any
questions, contact me or your student's counselor - email me at
mercerkd@....


Course waivers are currently available in Guidance.  If you want to "waive" into
a higher course than recommended by your teacher, come to Guidance by Friday,
May 29 to complete the waiver form.  A student/parent/counselor signature is
required.

Make sure you have identified the summer reading requirements for English.  All
GHS students have a summer reading requirement.  If you need a copy of the list,
email me.

If you are a senior and would like to be removed from the group, send me an
email.

Service hours are due for seniors by 6/5/09.  We will be transmitting senior
transcripts to Bright Futures in mid June.  Bright Futures will contact students
in July to update them on their current reward status.  In mid August, we will
send the list of AICE Diploma Graduates to Bright Futures.  This may increase
the scholarship amount for some of the graduates.

Seniors need to complete a final transcript request during the first week of
June.  Final transcripts must be mailed to your chosen college/university. 
Final transcript request forms are in Guidance.

As always, please visit the GHS Cambridge website for updates and information:
http://ghs.sbac.edu/academics/programs/cambridge/index.html

Mr. Mercer

Students -

Gainesville Health & Fitness Centers is again offering its Free Summer Teen
Membership program from June 15 to August 15 for Alachua County 13- to
17-year-olds. More than 1,700 teens took part in the inaugural program last
year, which grants the teens free access to the Gainesville, Fla. gym's three
locations.

Originally intended to combat teen obesity and further the gym's mission of
"keeping Gainesville the healthiest community in America," the free teen gym
memberships also became a way to ensure that all teens in the area had access to
summer recreational activities in spite of the state of the economy, said Joe
Cirulli, the health club's owner.
"At Gainesville Health & Fitness Centers, we want to do our part to help
encourage teens to get and stay active," said Cirulli, a proponent of preventive
healthcare, also known as exercise and healthier eating. "One way we hope to
encourage our teens is to offer these free two-month memberships, so our future
generations will be well prepared to keep Gainesville the gold standard of
healthy communities."

Mr. Mercer