Click on the flyer below to read more about this great opportunity!

ACT Prep

Ms. Adams’ special students class along with the R-PHS varsity hockey team traveled to Lakeshore sports arena to enjoy some time together on ice skates.  The hockey players took the time to assist Ms. Adams’ kids with lacing their skates and then helped them improve their skating skills on the ice.

It was truly heart-warming to see all the students interact with one another throughout their time on the ice together (click on the photo to enlarge).

If you would like to see more photos, click on the link below:

Special Skaters!

An exhibition of our students work will be available for community view from December 1st through January 14th at the Nuveen Center for the Arts in downtown Montague.  The program listing our students can be accessed from the link below:

Nuveen Presents Ecosystem 2011

Some of the artwork is presented in picture form below so you may see the talents of our art students.

All four R-PHS Choirs: Madrigals, Vocal Fusion, R-P Chorale and Chorus, will have the opportunity to perform two selections each, and then have a clinic work session with Dr. Adams.  “This is such a fantastic opportunity for our high school singers to work with such a highly esteemed Choral Professional.  I can’t wait to see what insights Dr. Adams will bring to our choirs,” says Schlaff, R-PHS Choir Teacher.

The Performance Clinic will start at 7 p.m., and is open to the public free of charge. 

Dr. KIMBERLY DUNN ADAMS is the Director of Choral Activities and Assistant Professor of Music at Western Michigan University, where she conducts the University Chorale, Collegiate Singers, and Grand Chorus.  She holds a doctorate in choral conducting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, an M.M. in choral conducting from Yale University, a B.M. in Voice Performance from Oberlin Conservatory, and a B.A. in Religion from Oberlin College. 

Mrs. Adams has earned numerous accolades throughout her career, having been selected to participate in prestigious master-classes and festivals.  She has also received various academic awards, including the Lorna Wendt Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship at the University of Wisconsin, and the Hugh Giles and Hugh Porter Prizes from Yale.

From 2006-2011, Dr. Adams was on the faculty at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and directed the school’s three choral ensembles.  While at the University of Wisconsin, she served as the Director of the Women’s Chorus & Masters Singers as well as Assistant Conductor of the Concert Choir.  At Yale, Dr. Adams was Director of the Yale Divinity School Chapel Choir, Co-Conductor of the Yale Recital Chorus, and Assistant Conductor of the Yale Camerata.   As an undergraduate, she founded the Oberlin Women’s Choir.  She also maintains an active performing life as both soprano and mezzo-soprano soloist with various ensembles. 

Dr. Adams is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, the National Collegiate Choral Organization, the Conductors Guild, and Michigan School Vocal Music Association. 

R-PHS Positive Focus Films will shine a spotlight on co-curricular and extra-curricular activities over the course of the school year informing our school community of the benefits of connecting with a group, organization, club, sport or ensemble to broaden their experiences with our high school. 

Mr. Paul Schlaff, counselor at the high school, has taken a leadership role in developing the short video vignettes that promote student membership in the offerings we currently provide to our students with respect to co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.

Our first video is linked below for your viewing pleasure!  We hope you enjoy it! 

What is YOUR Extra?

For parents, the stress of simply getting through the daily grind of conflict with their student about getting their homework done can be overbearing.  With this in mind, I want to share four tips that might establish a more workable setting with your Rocket student when it comes to homework.

Tip #1:  Understand and make peace with the fact that your student may hate doing homework.  As much as we would want them to love homework like they do their facebook time, it simply isn’t a reality.  Accepting how they feel about their homework is not the same as agreeing with them.  It’s about empathy, recognizing their emotion while still setting rules, boundaries and reasonable expectations.

Tip#2:  Try to facilitate rather than intimidate.  You can beg, plead, bribe and threaten, but the outcome will be a short-lived acquiescence, eventually losing effectiveness leaving you no choice but up the ante, or threat!  Stay positive even when you don’t want or desire to be positive.  Praise them, let them know that you’re on their side (or team if you like the athletic vernacular).  Humor can be a good tool too.  There are lots of funny quotes on homework online.  Try a google search and you’ll see what I mean. 

Tip #3: Shift the responsibility from you to your student.  For many, this is the most challenging of the four tips.  Creating the environment for focused study is crucial.  Today’s student is used to multi-tasking, IPOD in one ear, TV on ESPN and 10 person chats on facebook is their norm.  Consider providing them with music and leaving facebook and TV as their new “bowl of ice cream” for a job well done (homework completed).  High school students need (and want) structure.  Take on the challenge!

Tip #4: Allow your child to experience the authentic pride in a job well done.  Too much help can result in a sense of helplessness.  Even high school students can become overly reliant on adult support.  Students grow into more capable and confident adults when they are allowed to succeed (and fail) on their own terms.  Monitoring their progress and providing them positive verbal cues will build their perseverance and confidence in meeting the demands of the assigned work.

Homework is an integral part of high school life.  Understanding that homework provides the repetition needed to deepen student learning, it’s imperative that parents take an active role in providing guidance and support early and often.  The results will bring many more gratifying evenings home with your student!

Rowdy Rocket was first trademarked in the mid-90′s as part of our school store initiave started by instructor, Ms. Roxanne Deibel with the hopes of diversifying school spirit apparel that were being sold in our school store. 

With the funding support from our senior parents, Rowdy Rocket, who will wear #11 (representing the class of 2011), could soon be striding the sidelines leading the cheers at various competitions!

If you would like to make a donation to help support Rowdy Rocket, please contact my office at 231-719-3107.

A photo gallery of the art exhibit is linked below.  

Art Exhibit

Lynn Moore, writer for the Muskegon Chronicle came on campus earlier this week to see first hand how  Ms. Hanson uses her technology to assist the learning process for her students.  The article can be accessed by the link provided below:

Video Lessons

Ms. Hanson’s webpage has all kinds of supports for her students and is fast becoming a favorite “hit” for her students.  To view her webpage, click on the link below:

Ms. Hanson\’s Webpage

I’m proud of the work that Ms. Hanson has put in on behalf of her students.  With technological advances, more and more students will be accessing information and supports for their learning by way of the internet.  R-PHS staff are working hard to make their blogs and webpages not only student friendly, but supportive of their learning.

Alex and Courtney were very professional in their presentation on the potential benefits of forming another club at the high school.  I’ve attached their presentation for you to read for yourself about TARS coming to R-PHS. 

I’m proud of these two young ladies for providing yet another opporunity to get involved with an organization at R-PHS!

Republican Club