From the

Principal

23 Calvin Murphy Dr., Norwalk, CT 06851

Phone: (203) 838-4481 Fax: (203) 899-2815

February 2019

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Happy February,

I would like to begin by

congratulating our

Girls Basketball team

and Coach Rick Fuller for defeating New

London and attaining the rank of #1 in the State

of Connecticut! What a shining example of our

students teamwork, school spirit and

unflappable drive to be the best! Way to go Lady

Bears you make us very proud!

With midterms recently completed, second

semester is in full swing. In a few short weeks,

underclassmen will begin selecting courses for next

school year, and in a few months, seniors will be

walking across the graduation stage!

Again this spring, 11th graders will sit for

the SAT, now the CT state test, on March

27th. Students in ELA, math, and Social Studies

classes have also completed NWEA (MAP)

assessments this year, for those who may not know,

the NWEA assessments are adaptive “tests” that

give students and teachers an indication of what

students know, what they’ve learned, and what

they’re ready to learn.

I would like to take a moment to remind

students and parents of our policy for tardiness - a

student that is less than ten minutes late to class

will be marked “tardy” and beholden to whatever

consequence the classroom teacher has deemed

appropriate. If a student is ten minutes late or more,

they will be marked “absent but present in the

building”. Please see the district guidelines for

denial of credit based on attendance for more

detailed information.

Please stay as involved as ever in the

ensuing months. Whether you attend a parent

group, watch your son/daughter on the track, court,

or field, or advocate through communication with

your child’s teachers and counselors, you help

make us successful.

We’re glad you’re here!

Reginald Roberts

Principal, Norwalk High School

(203) 838-4481

SUCCESS SEMINARS FOR

FRESHMEN PARENTS

SEMINARIOS DE ÉXITO PARA PADRES

DE ESTUDIANTES DE 9th GRADO

Presented by Sra. Claudia Cuevas de Taranto

Sra. Claudia Cuevas de Taranto (World Language Teacher) will present/moderate/coordinate the

seminars with input and collaboration with leaders & members of different programs & activities, department

chairs, administrators & colleagues.

PURPOSE: To provide impor tant information and guidance both in English and in Spanish to parents

of freshmen students in order to help their child have a successful beginning at Norwalk High School.

Building a strong foundation with parents during the first year at Norwalk High School will promote success

not only freshmen year, but throughout the students’ entire high school experience.

WHY: As a wor ld language teacher of freshman I have been in contact with many parents and I have

heard many times the question: How can I help my child be successful this year? Although there are many

publications & written communications sent home, many parents still seek clarification and guidance in order

to help their children have a successful first year at Norwalk High School.

WHEN: Seminars are held once a month for a 1 hour . The first seminar presented in English from

6:00pm to 7:00pm followed by the same seminar presented in Spanish from 7:05pm to 8:05pm.

WHERE: Norwalk High School Public Forum Room

No Seminar in June

PROPOSED SCHEDULE & TOPICS FOR

SUCCESS SEMINARS FOR FRESHMEN PARENTS

SEMINARIOS DE ÉXITO PARA PADRES DE

ESTUDIANTES DE 9th GRADO

Presented by Sra. Claudia Cuevas de Taranto

Date Topics

Thursday February 21st Guidance Counselors

Resources for success

Special Education

Resources for success

Art classes

Expectations & extra help

Music classes

Expectations & extra help

Thursday March 14th Graduation requirements

Choosing next year’s classes

What are electives?

Planning for the future

What do colleges look for besides academics?

Business Classes

Offerings & expectations

Thursday April 11th Getting involved in the community

Campus clean up

St. Baldrick’s Event

Final Exams

How are they different from other tests?

Grade impact

Schedule, attendance & make-ups

Loss of credit appeals process

Thursday May 9th Looking to next year

Summer work

Credit recovery

Summer School

Parent feedback

Senior class news

WOW - hard to believe Senior year is more than half over! The next 6 months are going to be a

whirlwind. We are working so hard to make sure they are your most memorable 6 months yet.

First, we are so excited to announce that this year’s Senior Prom will be at The Loading Dock in Stamford

on May 31, 2019 from 7pm-11pm. This state of the art venue will blow you away! Please note that Senior

Prom is on a Friday night this year.

We are also thrilled to announce that we will be taking a Senior trip to Lake Compounce. The trip is

tentatively scheduled for Monday, June 11, however, in the event of a snow day, this date will change. We

will depart from Norwalk High School immediately following graduation rehearsal. More information will

follow.

Lastly, we will be concluding our fundraising efforts with a raffle! The three prizes are as follows:

1st Prize: 13.3” Apple MacBook Air (Space Gray)

2nd Prize: 32” Samsung Smar t TV (HD)

3rd Prize: Apple AirPods.

Tickets are $10 each. Ticket sales will begin February 12 and the raffle drawing will take place during the

Dodgeball Tournament on Wednesday, March 13 at 8:00 pm. Winner need not be present.

We are no longer accepting class dues.

Students who have paid their dues will receive the following discounts: a free cap and gown, $ 10 rebate on

the yearbook, discount on prom ticket, discount on senior trip and free graduation t-shirt. (The yearbook

rebate will be $10 cash back when yearbooks are picked up. Unfortunately we were unable to do discounts at

time of order due to the fact that orders are placed online).

Thank you so much! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask!

Julie Robison and Angela Wax

Class of 2019 Advisors

Class dues need to be turned in by March 1st in order to receive a reduced rate for Junior

Prom. Dues are now $200 for four years or $50/year. Monies should be in for 9, 10, and 11 grades

for the reduced rate on prom. Payable: Norwalk High School Memo: student’s name – class of 2020

We will continue to sell our “Survival Kits” as they

proved very successful and in high demand. If your

student needs school supplies please come to room

105B or 107A ($1)

Follow us!

#nhsbears2020

Class Rings will be available for order on Jan 30 and 31 during lunch in the cafeteria- deposits are needed

Junior Class News

Prom Voting is currently underway!!

See posting on google classroom to vote your

choice of:

Masquerade or A Night on the Shore

Junior Prom is on Saturday May 18 at The

Stamford Marriott- Price TBD

Senior Breakfast parent volunteers needed in

June

Courses below available to schedule for senior English The Norwalk High School

English Department Screen, Stage and Page we create the culture

A modern Sci-

ence Fiction

journey through

space, time &

culture

Are you a fan of Rick and Morty? How about Guardians of the Galaxy? Em-bark on a journey through the multi-verse of modern Science Fiction! This semester long course will examine how the SciFi genre dares you to ex-plore the relationship between humans and tech-nology, discover how to use current reality to speculate possible futures and to take a planetary perspective on how morality can transcend hu-mankind. Popular, modern era stories from your favorite pop culture creators of page and screen. Themes of post-apocalypse, cyberpunk, super

This semester course will explore the ways in which music; fashion, poetry literature, and film helped to shape the Amer-ican artistic and cultural revolution of the 1960’s. We will witness how reactions to the Vietnam War, assassinations, the Civil Rights, and women’s movement are captured through a growing counter culture of rebellion. Twiggy, The Black Panthers and Hollywood mavericks understood that

imagery can power a revolution. From the British Invasion of the Beatles to Woodstock--social change had a literary soundtrack. Writers called The Merry Pranksters, Jack Kerouac and Ken Keasey ushered in an age of defiance as Kurt Vonnegut created new forms of social satire. The power of words, ideas, and visual imagery challenged the post World War II establishment and created a voice for a new generation. Interaction with compelling texts and multimedia sources will open the door to literary analysis and offer the inspiration for lively discussion and self-expression.

The Stories, Legends & Obsessions of

the Gothic Age

In this semester course we will investigate events

that may have inspired the hor-ror stories, detective murder mysteries and tales of ghosts, vampires and monsters from the Victorian time period. In both England and America writers such as Poe, Shelly and Washington Irving re-created folk tales about char-acters such as Frankenstein, Count Dracula and the Head-less Horseman. Was Edgar

Allen Poe inspired by the real life headlines of Lon-don’s Jack the Ripper, or did his poems and stories spring from his own feverish imagination? Join us for a chilling glimpse into the dark world of the mas-ters of the macabre. Sign up if you dare!

The Counter Culture

of the 1960’s

Ghosts, Monsters, Mysteries &

Madness:

Stories from the Great Beyond:

Rockers, Rebels and Revolutionaries:

ADVANCED PLACEMENT

The English Department offers two Advanced Placement courses. All Advanced

Placement courses include a required Summer Reading assignment. Advanced

Placement classes are rigorous, year long college courses culminating in the

AP Exam administered in the spring to earn college credit. All AP students are

expected to take the AP Exam!

AP Language & Composition AP Literature & Composition

Students will be engaged in becoming skilled readers of prose written in a variety of rhetorical styles and in becoming skilled writer who composes for a variety of pur-poses. Students will dive into a writers pur-pose, audience expectations, as well as the resources of language and how they con-tribute to the effectiveness of writing. NOTE: Any senior who has not already taken AP Language as a junior qualifies for senior-level AP Language.

In this course, students will analyze poetry, drama, prose, fiction and expository litera-ture, including as a minimum four core and four ancillary Grade 12 Titles. They will in-tensively study a representative sampling from various genres and periods. Students will defend their interpretations of literature and share ideas through class discussion, critical writing and oral presentations. All stu-dent writing assignments will be maintained in individual writing portfolios.

Modern Cultural Identity in the

21st Century:

An edible feast of multicultural per-

spectives in literature, poetry, art,

fashion, food and film.

The purpose of this class is for all of us to gain an understanding and appreciation of culture, cul-tural values, and perspectives (our own and those of others), though fiction, poetry, music, art and fashion. The works selected will reflect diverse authors of a variety of races, ethnicities, and

backgrounds. his class will provide opportunities for engaging discussion, development of analyti-cal skills, as well as a variety of creative activities designed to appreciate the diverse world in which we live. Therefore, this course will offer a variety of innovative performance tasks including the sampling of multicultural art, fashion, as well as the intriguing cuisine of a variety of world cul-

tures. So we are inviting all students to dive into this

unique global experience and enjoy the edible feast of

learning that will be offered to senior students.

A theatrical workshop on the

stage and behind the curtain.

Dramatic experience is designed to allow students the opportunity to experience dra-ma through reading, discussion and dra-matic presentation. Students will explore different acting techniques and styles with an emphasis developing voice, ensemble work, improvisation, monologue acting for camera and scene performance. Students will also explore the art of the oratory speech which includes crafting individual dramatic pieces.

The Dramatic Experience

News From The NHS Art Department

Congratulations to NHS Students For Winning Scholastic Art Awards!

The 28th annual Connecticut Regional Scholastic Art Awards is the largest juried student art exhibition in

the state. It is a high level exhibition. As an affiliate of the National Scholastic Art Awards and The Alliance

For Young Artists and Writers, the Connecticut region is proud to continue an annual tradition established in

1927. This national program was originated to honor the creative efforts of grade 7 to 12 students in public,

private and parochial schools. It is now the largest and most senior program of its type in the country. Fol-

lowing the close of the Connecticut Regional exhibit, the select Gold Key award winners from each national

region will have their art works reviewed by a blue ribbon panel of judges at the National level in March.

The National Jury will select "Gold Medal" National winners and call in their artwork to be exhibited in

New York City during June. The National student awards ceremony will be held at Carnegie Hall in mid-

June. Selected students will receive an invitation to this National event.

Art Teacher Ms. Delong’s 4 winning students are;

Hannah Coleman, Grade 12, Silver Key Award, Drawing and Illustration, “Fall From Grace”,

Felicity Lagomarsino, Grade 12, Honorable Mention, Drawing And Illustration, “Drowning in fear”.

Grace Long, Grade 12, Silver Key Award, Drawing and Illustration, “Farmhouse”

Jacob Timchak, Grade 12, Gold Key Award, Photography, “Elena”,

Mr. Franco’s student Natalie Hernandez, Grade 11, won an Honorable Mention award for her Photograph

titled “My School in Winter”.

Congratulations to our NHS Scholastic Art Award winners!

The Connecticut Regional Celebration Award Ceremony will be held Sunday January 27th from 2:00 to

3:30 p.m. at the University of Hartford, Lincoln Theater. The 2019 Scholastic Art Show opened January

13th at the Hartford Art School, Silpe Gallery, at the University of Hartford. The show closes Friday Febru-

ary 1st. We are proud of all our students who submitted entries into the 2019 Scholastic Art Awards juried

competition!

Also, the following students will submit artwork to the 5th “Teen Visions” 2019 Connecticut High School

Art Exhibit held at Sacred Heart University’s Gallery of Art and Design: Fernanda Partida, Aliyah Clarke,

Shelby Smith, Denali Baker, Eyesly Zuniga, Sarai Romero, Veronica More Urdaneta, Caylin Fran-

gione-Rivera, Leonardo Atemiz, Crystal DeJesus

Norwalk High School was invited to submit up to 10 art works to the competition. NHS art students in

grades 9-12 will compete with other Fairfield County High School art students for Awards and gift certifi-

cates donated by Jerry’s Artarama. Awards range from $200 “Best of Show” to 8 $100 “ 1st Place” and 8

$50 “2nd Place” awards. Every student receives a gift bag from Jerry’s Artarama and the pleasure of com-

peting!

The “Teen Visions” High School Art Show is open from Sunday January 27th through February 10th in the

Art and Design Gallery at Sacred Heart University.

The Opening Reception will take place Sunday, February 3rd from 2 to 4 p.m.

The awards ceremony will start at 3 p.m.

We wish our students loads of fun and good luck!

News From The NHS Art Department

Congratulations to NHS Students For Winning Scholastic Art Awards!

Art Teacher Ms. Delong’s 4 winning students are;

Hannah Coleman, Grade 12, Silver Key Award, Drawing and Illustration, “Fall From Grace”,

Felicity Lagomarsino, Grade 12, Honorable Mention, Drawing And Illustration, “Drowning in fear”.

Grace Long, Grade 12, Silver Key Award, Drawing and Illustration, “Farmhouse”

Jacob Timchak, Grade 12, Gold Key Award, Photography, “Elena”,

Mr. Franco’s student Natalie Hernandez, Grade 11, won an Honorable Mention award for her Photograph

titled “My School in Winter”.

Dated Material - Please open now.

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE

PAID NORWALK, CT PERMIT No. 12

Phone: 203-838-4481, Fax: 203-899-2815, norwalkps.org

Norwalk

High

School

Fact Finder Newsletter - February 2019

Norwalk High Schools' Newsletter for Parents 23 Calvin Murphy Drive, Norwalk, CT 06851

Phone: 203-838-4481, Fax: 203-899-2815

norwalkps.org

If you have news or would like to contribute

information for the next newsletter, please send an

email to the editor of the newsletter, Mr. Anthony

Rodriguez at nhsfactfinder@outlook.com.

If you want your name added to the email

reminder list, please send an email to

nhsfactfinder@outlook.com. Your comments and

contributions are appreciated.

Core Values and Beliefs

Norwalk High School, a community of stu-

dents, teachers, administrators and families, em-

braces its diversity and encourages intellectual cu-

riosity.

We value a safe, accepting culture rooted in a

rigorous, relevant curriculum rich with technology

and artistic expression.

We must challenge students to become

knowledgeable, ethical citizens capable of

making independent and

collaborative decisions

in real-world settings.

We must prepare

students for the social,

civic, and technological

demands of the 21st

century in order to

effectively participate in

an ever-changing global

society.

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