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Reminder: No School on Tuesday, November 5th, 2024. Exercise your right at the polls!
All students received an Impact Aid Program Survey Form in their advisory last week. This form is a required component of OTHS application for federal funds under Public Law 81-874. Please complete the form and have your student return the form to advisory no later than Friday, November 1st. Impact Aid guidelines require that school districts collect an Impact Aid form for every student in the district annually.
ALL-WINTER SPORTS ATHLETES/PARENT MEETING at 7:00pm Monday, November 4th. We will introduce Coaches and Trainers. Mr. Howe and Mr. Patton will speak about a few items. The Guidance Department will also be there to discuss NCAA clearinghouse items. After that brief meeting, 30 minutes roughly, we will break out into each individual sport and coaches will then discuss items as needed for tryouts and season.
As a reminder, OTHS has an early dismissal Wednesday, October 30th. The Milburn Campus will dismiss at 11:30am and the Smiley campus will dismiss at 12:00pm. No lunches will be served.
In addition, the St. Clair County Mental Health Board is asking residents to complete a Mental Health Needs Assessment to better serve the community. Please see the attached handout if you are willing to complete the survey. St. Clair County Community Mental Health Needs Assessment
Dr. Terrance Duncan
Dr. Terrence Duncan is an accomplished assistant professor at Liberty University with expertise in Healthcare Economics; with over 15 years of experience spanning healthcare, HR, project management, risk management, strategic leadership, and organizational behavior, he has earned recognition for his multifaceted skill set.
He is a 3-time published author; Dr. Duncan’s work has been featured in both academic and international publications. His book, Four Fits of Holistic Growth, has been highly recommended across all platforms.
Beyond his professional endeavors, Dr. Duncan actively contributes to the nonprofit sector, serving on three nonprofit boards. He is also a member of the BEP Council, where he helps shape policies and opportunities for minority and women-owned businesses in the State of Illinois.
Dear OTHS Families,
At OTHS, student and staff safety is our top priority. We are committed to ensuring that our schools are safe places for students and staff. Over the past several weeks, schools have seen an increase in online threats locally, statewide, and nationally. These threats are referred to as “swatting”. Swatting is a harassment technique used to cause panic and disruption with no substantiated threat. Swatting posts are often shared or reposted, which results in fear and disruption in schools and communities.
Any threat of violence against our school community is taken seriously and thoroughly investigated to determine both credibility and the appropriate course of action. OTHS District 203 and the O’Fallon Police Department will not tolerate threats directed toward our students, staff, or campuses; appropriate legal and disciplinary action will be pursued in accordance with local/state/federal laws and OTHS District 203 Board policy.
Our greatest line of defense is our community; as such, in partnership with local and state law enforcement, we want to remind families to report anything they see or hear that could compromise the safety of someone in our school community. We understand that while it may seem helpful to share information online, reposting or spreading unverified claims often creates unnecessary panic. Even when threats are not credible, they can cause a great deal of stress for our students, families, and staff. Under the Illinois Complied Statutes, harassment through electronic communications can result in charges ranging from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class 4 Felony, depending on the severity of the transmission. We ask our families to monitor their children’s social media activity and speak with them about proper behavior online. Again, please communicate any concerns to OTHS or the O’Fallon Police Department.
OTHS utilizes multiple layers of safety and security protocols in our schools including, but not limited to: secured entrances, a full security staff, a requirement to wear visible IDs in our buildings, software to monitor online activity on school devices to detect suspicious or concerning content, visible emergency exit plans, regularly scheduled emergency drills, and a strong partnership with local and state law enforcement.
As always, thank you for your partnership as we work to ensure a safe, secure, and positive learning environment for our students.
OTHS Security Team
Happy School Custodian Appreciation Day to the ones who get it done in the halls of OTHS! We are thankful for the outstanding custodians who take care of our facilities each day. Our custodians are some of the most genuine and caring individuals in our school buildings. They do a fantastic job keeping up with the demands of thousands of people in our buildings every day.
We appreciate you and the work you do, today, and every day!
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we wanted to highlight our Hispanic Students Association Club here at OTHS. The HSA has over 40 students active in the club and has been highlighting the Hispanic and Latino cultures of our students here at OTHS for many years. They have some big events coming up so if you have any interest in joining or participating, please reach out the the club sponsor, Mrs. Magee for more information. Email: mageel@oths.us
π’Hey students,
Your attendance matters! πNot only do we love seeing you here everyday, and we value the contribution you make to our school, but students who are here consistently, perform better! Last year students with fewer than 9 absences earned an average GPA of 3.075. Those students who had greater than 18 absences earned an average GPA of 1.904. βοΈ
You matter. Your attendances matters. Being present matters.π
You got this!πͺ
#pantherproud #bepresent
This will be held in the IMC from 10 am- 1 pm during advisory periods. Jonathan will be on campus for his presentation on October 3, 2024. Students can sign up for this series with their advisory teacher.
Topic: Education Planning, Career Pathing, and Defining Your Financial Success
Bio: Jonathan serves as Senior Vice President, Senior Portfolio Manager for U.S. Bank Private Wealth Management. In his role, Jonathan delivers investment services to high-net-worth clients of U.S. Bank. Jonathan began his career in 2011 as an investment intern. Now established in his career, Jonathan serves as a mentor for current U.S. Bank interns and young professionals. He is often quoted in interviews with national media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, CNN, Fox Business, and AARP The Magazine.
Passionate about contributing to the St. Louis community, Jonathan previously served on the Board of Directors for Unleashing Potential (UP) – a non-profit organization dedicated to closing the opportunity gap by providing educational and empowering experiences for children. He was recognized as a 2024 Young Leader Awardee by The St. Louis American Foundation for career achievement and unselfish dedication to community service.
A.S., Southwestern Illinois College, May 2011
B.S., Business Economics & Finance, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, May 2013
Chartered Alternative Investment Analystβ (CAIA®)
CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®)
Any and all questions about this Speaker Series can be direct to Dr. Kim Coley (coleyk@oths.us)
OTHS Yearbook Needs Your Help!
We are asking students and parents to help us collect photos throughout the year to be placed in the yearbook. Any photos that you have taken that relate to OTHS sports or activities, please share with us through the following site:
https://photos.jostens.com/UCNUYF
Thank you so much!
OTHS is buzzing with energy and we've had a wonderful first few weeks of school. Shout out to our students, staff, and families for the great start to the year! Please see important information and updates below:
PARKING PASSES - SOPHOMORES:
OTHS has a limited number of parking spaces remaining that will be made available for purchase to sophomores. To be eligible for a parking pass, you must have all fees paid and hold a valid driver's license. If you are interested in purchasing one of the remaining passes, complete the inquiry form here: Parking Inquiry Form . Please note that completing the inquiry form does not guarantee the opportunity to purchase a parking pass due to the limited number of spaces available. Any junior or senior students wishing to purchase a pass should plan to do so as soon as possible as spaces will not be guaranteed once remaining spaces are offered to sophomores. Please send all questions to Mr. Cozad: cozadr@oths.us.
CALENDAR UPDATE - RELEASE TIMES FOR EARLY RELEASE DAYS:
Release times for the 2024-2025 early release days are listed below. Release times are also listed on the attached calendar.
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9/18/24: 11:30 Milburn, 12:00 Smiley
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10/18/24: approx. 12:30pm, all students released from Smiley campus (dismissal following Homecoming Pep Rally)
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10/30/24: 11:30 Milburn, 12:00 Smiley
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12/4/24: 11:30 Milburn, 12:00 Smiley
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1/22/25: 11:30 Milburn, 12:00 Smiley
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3/26/25: TBD (dismissal following testing)
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4/10/25: TBD (dismissal following testing)
UPCOMING CULTURE SHIFT STUDENT AND COMMUNITY PROGRAM - SEPTEMBER 10
We hope you will join us as we welcome nationally recognized motivational speaker Jared Scott to OTHS on September 10. All OTHS students will attend an assembly during the school day, and all are welcome to attend our community event on Tuesday, September 10th at 6:00pm at the Smiley campus. Jared will be speaking on the topics of leadership, purpose, bridging gaps between staff and students, respect, decision-making, and fear of failure. More information on Jared can be found in this brochure.
TECHNOLOGY - DEVICE CHECK OUT FORM
Parents, please complete and return the OTHS device checkout form for your student if you haven't already done so. Signing the form allows your student to check out temporary or permanent devices should they ever need one while at OTHS. The form is available on your Skyward account under “forms,” or you can print the form from oths.us through the technology assistance page. Once on the page, click on the “OTHS Device Check-Out Form” to access the form. Please contact the OTHS Computer Department (ComputerDepartment@oths.us) with any questions.
TESTING - MOVING FROM SAT TO ACT
Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, all Illinois schools will switch from the SAT to the ACT for state-mandated testing for high school students. 11th grade students will take the ACT with Writing, students in 10th grade will take the preACT, and 9th grade students will take the preACT 9. Juniors will no longer take a separate Illinois Science Assessment. All exams will once again be administered digitally. Testing at the Milburn Campus is scheduled for Wednesday, March 26, and at the Smiley and South Campus on Thursday, April 10. We are still waiting for further guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education, so dismissal times are not yet confirmed. We will keep you informed as more details become available.
ONLINE COURSE CONTENT - TRANSITION FROM BLACKBOARD TO CANVAS
Throughout the upcoming school year, OTHS will be moving toward a transition from Blackboard to Canvas for online course content delivery. By the start of the 2025-2026 school year, all online course content will be provided through Canvas. Some OTHS teachers have already begun the transition to Canvas. Students will continue to use their Office 365 account to access Blackboard as well as Canvas. Please contact the OTHS Computer Department ( ComputerDepartment@oths.us ) with any questions about how to access or use Canvas.
Have a great holiday weekend!
We hope you had a wonderful first week of school at OTHS! With fall athletic events beginning this week, we want to remind all students and guests of our event policy and spectator guidelines. This policy can also be found in the student handbook (available on the OTHS webpage). Please review the information below, and we hope to see you cheering on the Panthers at OTHS events this year!
General Rules
- Only students from OTHS and the opposing school are allowed to attend the games/events by themselves with a Student ID. Students are to watch the games/events from their respective school’s side or designated location.
- All attendees should be prepared to show IDs to school/security personnel.
- Students from non-participating schools will be admitted with a parent/guardian. They will not be admitted by themselves.
- Jr. High/Middle School/Elementary students will only be admitted with a parent/guardian, and must remain in the company of that parent/guardian throughout the event.
- Backpacks and bags are strictly prohibited. Any necessary bags are subject to search by school/security personnel.
Students
- Once in the stadium/gymnasium, students should find a seat.
- There is no re-entry for students who leave the game/event.
- Students should follow the directions of all staff and security at the game.
- Students must have timely transportation at the end of the games/events
Event Conduct
- The School District expects mutual respect, civility, and orderly conduct among all people on school property or at a school event.
- No person on school property or at a school event shall threaten, harass, intimidate, or use profane language toward an employee, student, Board Member, sports official, or any other person.
- Any person who engages in conduct prohibited by Board Policy 8:30 may be ejected from school property and may be denied future access to school buildings and/or events.
π Exciting news! OTHS has launched a new app, and it’s now available in the App Store and Google! π²
Stay connected, get instant updates, and access all your school information right from your phone. Download it today and join the community! Just search for our school (OTHS or O'Fallon Township High School) in the app store of your choosing. ππ« #pantherproud
OTHS Students and Families:
We hope you have enjoyed your summer and are excited to start the 2024-2025 school year at OTHS! Our faculty and staff have been hard at work preparing for the new year and are looking forward to welcoming students on August 13th for the first day of school.
Please review the following information to help your student have a successful start to the school year:
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Registration: If your student is not yet registered, please complete online registration immediately to avoid a delay to your student's start of school. Please visit the OTHS Registration Page for additional information.
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Daily Schedule: The schedule can be found on page 6 of the Student Handbook.
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School Lunches: Lunches are available to students for $3.25. Free/reduced lunches are available for those who qualify. Breakfast and lunch menus can be found here: https://oths.nutrislice.com/menus-eula
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Milburn Campus Pickup/Dropoff Instructions: Milburn Pickup/Dropoff
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Notice Regarding Student Records: Student Records Notice
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Online Resources (for technical assistance, please contact the technology department at computerdepartment@oths.us or 618-632-3507 x5390):
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Website: OTHS Website
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Facebook: OTHS - O'Fallon Township High School District 203
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Instagram: oths_district_203
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X (formerly known as Twitter): @OTHSDistrict203
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Student Information (schedule, grades, etc.): - Skyward Login
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Student Handbook: OTHS Student Handbook
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Bus Information: Bus Instructions and Bus Stop Locator
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Board Policies: OTHS District 203 Board Policies
- Board/Committee Meeting Agendas/Minutes: BoardDocs - O'Fallon Township High School District 203
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Resource Guide for Faith's Law: ISBE Resource Guide
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Information Regarding Title IX: page 16 of the OTHS Student Handbook
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Communication: Effective communication between school and home is essential. As such, please make sure your contact information is up to date throughout the school year. This information can be found in your student's Skyward profile. If you have a change of address, phone number, etc., please contact the attendance office to update your information.
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Therapy Dog: OTHS is considering the use of a therapy dog in the upcoming school year. If you have any questions, concerns, or allergies related to having a therapy dog at OTHS, please email muellerc@oths.us.
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Safety: The safety of our students and school community remains our top priority, and your partnership is vital to our efforts. If you see or hear something, say something. Please contact an administrator or any member of the OTHS security team if you learn of anything that could be a potential safety concern.
We look forward to partnering with you to ensure our students have every opportunity to reach their highest potential in academic achievement and their personal development. Together, we share the responsibility for their success. Your parental influence and involvement are of the utmost importance, and as such we ask for your continued involvement in your student’s education through encouraging your student:
- to attend school daily and arrive on time, ready for the day’s educational experiences
- to complete all homework and study assignments, and to participate in classroom discussions
- to get involved in extracurricular opportunities offered at OTHS
- to share school and life experiences with you
- to inform you, a teacher, or administrator if additional support is needed
- to inform an adult regarding any concerns regarding school safety
Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you August 13th!
FALL ATHLETES: If you are playing a Fall Sport at OTHS, there will be a mandatory meeting for athletes and parents on Sunday, August 11th, at 6:00pm in the Panther Dome at the OTHS Smiley Campus.π
β6:00-6:30 -- Fall All Sports Meeting with Athletes and Parents in Panther Dome
β6:30-7:00 -- Break to Individual Sports Meetings
Parking passes will be sold to SENIORS ONLY on July 31st and August 1st during the walk-through days.
School fees must be paid before anyone can purchase a parking pass.
Juniors and seniors can purchase parking passes on August 7th, August 8th, and August 9th during walk-through days.
Walk-Through hours are:
Wednesday, July 31-7:30-2:30
Thursday, August 1-12-7
Wednesday, August 7-7:30-2:30
Thursday, August 8-12-7
Friday, August 9-7:30-2:30
More detailed information can be found at www.oths.us/parking
It is a busy time of year here at OTHS as we open our doors to the 2024-2025 school year. Here are some important upcoming dates you may want to mark on your calendar.
Student Registration
July 30th, 2024: 7:30am- 2:30pm - In Person Registration
Online Registration is Open
Open Campus Walk-Throughs at Milburn and Smiley
July 31st, 2024 – 7:30am-2:30pm
August 1st, 2024 – 12pm-7pm
August 7th, 2024 - 7:30am-2:30pm – (Student Council Guided Campus Walk-Throughs)
August 8th, 2024 - 12pm-7pm
August 9th, 2024 – 7:30am- 2:30pm
First Day of School for Students
August 13th, 2024