Talawanda High School E-News - March 5, 2020

Dear Parents, please be aware of this growing problem of Child Identity Theft. The following information is from Ohio’s Attorney General Dave Yost:

This week is National Consumer Protection Week (“NCPW”). Many times, NCPW focuses on those engaged in consumer transactions, which don’t ordinarily include kids. However, this year we are making a dedicated effort to help protect a vulnerable population when it comes to identity theft – kids!

Child identity theft occurs when someone fraudulently uses a child’s identity to fraudulently open accounts or receive benefits. The imposter may be a family member, friend or a stranger and may use the child’s name and Social Security number to open new accounts for cell phones, utilities, credit cards and even mortgages.

Imposters may get away with using a child's identity for years because children typically do not try to check or access credit. As a result, child identity theft usually is not discovered until the child applies for college financial aid, a car loan or employment.

To help combat this problem, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has launched a video aimed at parents to understand what a child security freeze is and how to place a freeze. The video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y10sEjOhj8w&feature=youtu.be.

Important Information and Reminders:

• Remote students… Your school pictures are here! Stop by the main vestibule during school hours to pick them up.

• Mask Up Talawanda!!! Remember, our ability to stay in school depends on everyone wearing their masks correctly! Over the nose and under the chin keeps everyone safe!

• School fees can be paid by cash, check, or online with a credit card at: https://www.spsezpay.com/Talawanda/login.aspx Please remember that seniors must pay ALL their fees before graduation.

• Love Burritos? Want to help kids impacted by a parent or caregiver with cancer? Check out this Chipotle fundraiser for Camp Kesem. Mention this fundraiser when ordering between 5pm-9pm on March 9th  and 33% of the proceeds will be donated to Camp Kesem.

• Best Buddies will have our March virtual meeting on Wednesday, March 10 at 2pm. All students are welcome to join us for games and friendship. Please email Mrs. Sammons at sammonsa@talawanda.org for the Zoom link! 

• Help Fight Childhood Cancer!  The Talawanda Key Club is partnering with The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Hero Squad Program.  The goals of the LLS are to cure Leukemia, Lymphoma, Hodgkin’s Disease, and Myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.  The LLS does this by funding research into lifesaving treatments, providing support and education to patients and families, and advocating for policies that protect access to lifesaving treatments.

The Talawanda Key Club will be sponsoring some activities during the week of March 8th - 12th.  One of these activities will be called Chuck the Change and will have students collecting change from parents & guardians as they drop off students before school.  Other activities will offer students a chance to donate $1 in the memory of people they know who have been impacted by cancer and another is a general school-wide fundraiser to help fund the LLS. Please consider a donation to help this worthy cause.  

• Tired of arguing with your child? Check out this free program The Parent Project! Reduce arguments, prevent or intervene in alcohol or drug use, improve school attendance and performance!

• This year Talawanda FFA is not able to have our annual Seed & Feed Auction in person, but we are hosting one currently online in partnership with our FFA alumni. We have 29 lots that range from Seed Corn, Soybeans, Livestock Feed, Water Tank to Gift Certificates. Check it out and please share with your friends and family that might be interested! The auction ends Monday, March 8th at 5:00 p.m. Additional information is included on this flyer.

The proceeds from this online auction will be used to support our local chapter needs as well as our alumni so that they can grant scholarships this year since the consignment auction was not possible.

• 2nd quarter honor roll certificates for our remote learners are available for pick up in the vestibule by the main office. 3rd quarter grade cards will be going out to students the week of March 15th.   

• This past weekend the swim and dive teams competed at the Ohio state championships.  Maren Patterson finished in a tie for 21st in her 100 Freestyle and 23rd in her 100 Backstroke.  Sam Hool finished in 14th in the 1 Meter Diving Event and the boys' relay team of Alex Carlson, Blake Madden, Ben Crowder, and Maxx Gregg finished in 22nd place in the 200 Medley.  That same foursome also placed 23rd in the 200 Freestyle Relay.  The boys finished the meet in 45th place out of the 127 schools in Division 1.  This officially concludes the swim and dive season.  Congratulations to all members of the teams for another outstanding season.

• The THS Media Center has double the number of overdue books due to the remote learning and school closings.  We did not have a chance to collect most of the books that were due from the 2019-2020 school year and most of the books that were checked out during the brief face-to-face weeks in late October and early November 2020.  If possible, especially those who are currently attending in person, please return or renew any book you currently have checked out that is overdue.  

• TourchPrep knows that your students are starting to look ahead to the Spring and beyond when it comes to the ACT. We have a virtual course perfect for students who are taking the April 17th test! We also have courses available for all summer test dates (live, in-person & live, virtual). Of course, a seat in our course comes with a digital on-demand version to meet everyone's flexibility. Follow this link to see what courses are available for your students: https://www.torchprep.com/cincinnati-act-test-locations or check out this flier!

• Parents, we need you.  Our juniors in Career/College Readiness class benefit from an opportunity for a mock interview.  The interviews will happen virtually the week of 4/26.  If you have as little as 1 hour, you can help all of the students in this course have this valuable experience.  If you can help, please contact Teresa Peter at 513-476-7829 or petert@talawanda.org.

• Looking for a summer job??? Check out all the opportunities with Oxford Parks and Rec!

• Parents and guardians interested in attending a virtual course on youth mental health can find more info here! It will be held Thursday, March 25th.

• Food distribution happens on Mondays from 2:15-2:45 at all 3 elementary schools. In addition, TMS and THS Students who will not be face to face on Wednesdays can pick up a breakfast and lunch at TMS or THS between 10 am and noon. More information here!

• Many important COVID related links and documents are available on our district website: https://www.talawanda.org/resources/covid-19-information-45/

• Find out what’s going on in the community here!

• Check out our breakfast and lunch menus here!

THS Calendar of Events- 3/7/21 to 3/13/21

Sunday, March 7th

6 – 8 pm Fermata Nowhere Rehearsal, 608 and outside

Monday, March 8th 

2:15 – 2:45 pm Weekly Food Distribution, Main Entrance

3 – 4:30 pm Fermata Nowhere Rehearsal, 608 and outside

3:30 – 4:15 pm Setting Stone Meeting, Virtual

5 – 7 pm Mock Trial, Virtual

Tuesday, March 9th 

3 – 4 pm FFA, Roberts, PAC

3:30 – 5:00 pm Academic Challenge Practice, 420

4:30 – 5:15 pm Talawanda Tribune, Virtual

Wednesday, March 10th 

10 – 11am FFA meeting, Virtual

11 am – 12 pm Talawanda Hope Club, Virtual

11 am – 12 pm Y.I.T., Virtual

1 – 2 pm Diversity Club, Virtual

2 – 3 pm Project Green, Virtual

4:30 – 6:30 pm Mock Trial, Virtual

7 – 8:30 pm Band Boosters, Virtual

Thursday, March 11th

Mock Trial States - ALL DAY

3:30 – 5:00 pm Academic Challenge Practice, Schmid, 420

Friday, March 12th 

End of 3rd Quarter

Mock Trial States - ALL DAY

3 – 4:30 pm Fermata Nowhere Rehearsal, 608 and outside

Saturday, March 13th 

No events scheduled.