April 1 , 2015
Gopher Senior Newsletter
Graduation Message
Graduation is a fun time for parents, families, and seniors. The excitement, joy, and pride that
everyone feels at this event is electric and I look forward to it each year. Graduation is on
June 13 at the Memorial Coliseum (more details are in this newsletter) and I look forward to
seeing the thousands of family members that will be present.
A Century of Excellence
Unfortunately, we are nearing that time when “senioritis” can set in. After Spring Break
each year seniors begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel and sometimes focus less on
school than they should. This is the worst time to lose focus. Seniors are advised to make every
effort to finish strong for many reasons. Graduation is at stake. Each year several students relax too
much and fail a required class. These students do not appear on the graduation stage. It is that
simple.



Many college admissions are contingent upon 8th semester transcripts
Many scholarships are still available and it is important that students be able to show that
they are still challenging themselves.
A high school diploma is your ticket to choices that make your adult life better. Do not
allow your life to be limited because you slacked in the spring of your senior year.
While it can be inviting to let down and relax, it is generally not in a senior student’s best interest
to do so. More than ever parents should monitor and encourage their senior student to do his/her
very best right up until the end of the semester!
Congratulations to everyone for making it this far. Parents, staff, and students have worked
very hard to get us to this point and we all deserve a share of the credit for each student’s
success.
Sincerely,
John Koch, Principal
Inside:
GHS Guiding Principles:
REAL:
An International Baccalaureate
World School
Our Mission:
Every student prepared
for a lifetime of learning,
career opportunities, and
productive contributions
to the community.
Respect
Excellence
Accountability
Leadership
makes you a success now
and in the future.
 Senior Calendar of Events
 Grades and Grad
Requirements
 Parents Monitoring Grades
 Senior Check Out
Procedures
 Senior Class Meeting
 Student and Guest
Behavior at
Commencement
 Recognition
 Senior All Night Party etc.
 Grad Trips and Photos
GHS: Preparing every student for success.
Page 1
Gresham-Barlow School District recognizes the diversity and worth of all individuals and groups.
It is the policy of this district and the board of education that there will be no discrimination or harassment of individuals or groups in any educational programs,
activities or employment.
Gresham-Barlow provides equal access to individuals with disabilities.
Gopher Senior Newsletter
April 1 , 2015
April 22-23
April 24
April 24
May 4-22
May 5
Every 15 Minutes Program; Assembly after lunch on Thursday, April 23, Gym
Jr./Sr. PROM, Providence Park from 8-11 pm. Photos at GHS 4:00 – 6:30 pm
No School, End of 12-week Grading Period; Progress reports will be mailed during week of May 3
IB Exams, Contact IB Coordinator, Ms. Kathy Childress for more information
Required Senior Class Meeting & Photo, 9:45 AM, Main Gym (CAL and ACE students will be
released to attend)
May 14-15 Jostens Cap and Gown Distribution at lunchtime in the Main Gym; if you haven’t ordered your cap and
gown yet, call Jostens Representative, Brian Coushay (503-255-7120)
May 14
Pass/No Pass Deadline; 3:00pm
May 21
AVID Grade 12 Celebration
May 25
Memorial Day, (No School)
May 26
Senior Check-out forms distributed and must be returned to bookkeeper by June 3.
May 26
Senior Banquet, 6:30 PM, GHS cafeteria
May 27
Senior Recognition/Scholarship Night, 6:30 PM, Cafeteria, (generally for seniors who have received
scholarships and/or awards and their parents/guardians)
June 3
Seniors’ Last Day! All class work must be completed and turned in by 3:00 pm. Senior Check-out
procedures must be completed and forms turned in to the bookkeeper for final checkout. All fees
must be paid by this date. Commencement tickets (10) will be distributed. Extra tickets, up to five
(5) and by request only, are available after check out is completed.
June 13
Graduation Practice, Memorial Coliseum, 7:30 am – 9:00 am; All seniors are REQUIRED to attend and
must provide their own transportation to and from practice. There are additional events at the
MODA Center that day so parking is at a premium.
June 13
Commencement Ceremony, Memorial Coliseum, 3:30 PM; All seniors must arrive by 2:45 pm.
June 13
Senior All-Night Party, buses will depart from Gresham High School at approximately 9:00 pm. (The
Senior All-Night Party is not a school-sponsored function; it is planned and chaperoned by senior
parents.)
Page 2
Gresham-Barlow School District recognizes the diversity and worth of all individuals and groups.
It is the policy of this district and the board of education that there will be no discrimination or harassment of individuals or groups in any educational programs,
activities or employment.
Gresham-Barlow provides equal access to individuals with disabilities.
Gopher Senior Newsletter
April 1 , 2015
Grades and Graduation Requirements
All seniors must meet Gresham Barlow School District graduation requirements in order to participate in
commencement. If you have any indication that your student’s academic performance and grades may
be placing him/her in jeopardy of not graduating, contact his/her counselor and teachers immediately.
You may call and/or email your student’s counselor (503-674-5508) and teachers (503-674-5500).
Email addresses are available on the GHS website.
If your student attends the Center for Advanced Learning or the
Academy for Architecture, Construction and Engineering, I
encourage you to contact teachers at those schools and CAL
Director, Carol Egan, at 503-667-4978 or ACE Director, Mark
Clifford, at 503-546-9928. Twelve-week progress reports will
be mailed home the week of April 27, 2015. For some students,
meeting graduation requirements is one of the first times in
their lives that they have had to comply with an absolute
requirement.
A few seniors continue to believe that somehow an exception
will be made for them at the last minute. I assure you, there
are no exceptions made for students that do not meet state and District graduation requirements.
One of the most difficult tasks that GHS counselors and administrators face is telling parents that their
son/daughter will not participate in graduation. Please stay apprised of your student’s progress toward
graduation (see article entitled Parents Should Monitor Grades in this newsletter)—we don’t want there
to be any surprises during the last week of May. Remember--- ONLY students who have completed ALL
requirements for graduation (including credit requirements, career-related learning standards, careerrelated learning experiences and an academic portfolio containing all work samples) are allowed to
receive a diploma and participate in commencement exercises. No exceptions will be made.
Essential Skill Requirement and Graduation
The graduating Class of 2015 is required to meet the essential skill requirements in reading, writing and
math in order to graduate. Most Seniors will have met this requirement by passing the Oregon
Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (OAKS), however those that did not, need to meet through Gresham
High Schools Local Performance Assessments (LPA).
Opportunities exist across the curriculum, in multiple classes for a student to take an LPA. As we enter
our last 10 weeks of school, it will be imperative that your student to check their graduation status with
their counselor and through Student and ParentVue (see next article). Questions can also be directed to
our testing coordinator Barbara Cooke. Ms. Cooke can be reached via phone at (503) 674 – 5500 or
email: cooke2@gresham.k12.or.us
Page 3
Gresham-Barlow School District recognizes the diversity and worth of all individuals and groups.
It is the policy of this district and the board of education that there will be no discrimination or harassment of individuals or groups in any educational programs,
activities or employment.
Gresham-Barlow provides equal access to individuals with disabilities.
Gopher Senior Newsletter
April 1 , 2015
Over the next several weeks the auto dialer will be calling all students missing graduation requirements.
Many students still have not completed portfolio pieces, career related learning activities (2 required), or
have not met the essential skills of reading or writing. If you have a question about these requirement
please email or call your student’s counselor, assistant principal, or Barb Cooke.
Parents Should Monitor Grades
The second semester is here and there are less than 80 school days left until graduation. It is critical that
all seniors track whether they have met the essential skills of writing, reading and math as well as
personalized learning requirements. Parents and students can check the status of graduation
requirements simply by following the steps below.
1. Log in to Student or ParentVue.
2. Click the “course history” button on the right side of the page
3. Look for the link entitled “graduation status” in the top right corner of the screen.
This screen will have information about credits earned and needed, state tests, and personalized learning
requirements. A list of personalized learning requirements can be found in the student handbook but
includes a career plan, an extended essay, and two, career related learning experiences (CRLE). Seniors
that had health first semester should have this assignment completed.
Those that have health in the second semester will complete this
assignment this spring. CRLE’s are sometimes completed in class but many
times are worked on independently. Inevitably, each year, students wait
until the last minute to complete these assignments and jeopardize their
participation in the graduation ceremony. Parents and guardians should
pay close attention to these details.
Notice: As the spring season begins to unfold, we will begin auto-dialer calls
to the parents or guardians of students that are missing requirements.
Senior Check Out Procedures
Senior check out forms will be distributed on May 26th. Forms are
available for pick up in the bookkeeper’s offices. These must be
completed, signed and returned to the bookkeeper by June 3, 2015.
There is a tendency for students to wait until the last minute to locate lost
books and pay fees. Parents are encouraged to remind their senior now to get
ready for clearance by turning in books, cleaning out lockers and paying fees
during the check-out period. With increasing costs, the school must make
every effort to recover all books. All outstanding fees must be paid prior to
graduation. Call our bookkeeper at 503-674-5518 to receive an update regarding fees that your student
owes
Page 4
Gresham-Barlow School District recognizes the diversity and worth of all individuals and groups.
It is the policy of this district and the board of education that there will be no discrimination or harassment of individuals or groups in any educational programs,
activities or employment.
Gresham-Barlow provides equal access to individuals with disabilities.
Gopher Senior Newsletter
April 1 , 2015
Senior Class Meeting
All seniors (including those who attend CAL and ACE) are required to attend a
class meeting on May 5 at 9:45 AM in our main gym. Students will be given
important information about expectations for the remaining weeks of school
and graduation, timelines and deadlines for various events related to
graduation such as distribution of commencement tickets, procedures for requesting additional tickets,
cap and gown pickup, etc. Senior All-Night Party information will also be available. A senior class photo
for the yearbook will be taken at the end of the meeting. Students will be reminded that violations of
school and district policies regarding the use alcohol, drugs or other disciplinary/behavior issues may
result in not being able to participate in graduation activities, including commencement exercises. GHS
does not sanction a “senior skip day.” Seniors who skip classes on a designated “skip day” and/or a
“senior prank” will receive consequences consistent with school and district policy.
Student and Guest Behavior at Commencement Exercises
Gresham Barlow School District policy requires that administrators take steps to help ensure that
appropriate decorum and safety are maintained during the commencement ceremony. Appropriate
guidelines regarding “appropriate decorum and safety” at graduation are:
 Students are expected to wear appropriate attire. For men that means long pants (not jeans), a
shirt with a collar, and lace-up or slip-on dress shoes. Women should wear a dress, skirt/blouse,
or dress slacks and appropriate dress shoes or sandals).
 Students are allowed to wear school-sanctioned honor cords, sashes or medals that they have
earned. Other decorative adornments to the graduation cap or gown (flower leis, taped messages,
ribbons, medals) are not allowed.
 Students and members of the audience are asked to be respectful of those who are speaking and
performing during the ceremony. Applause is appropriate; catcalls and booing are not. Items that
will distract from the ceremony such as air horns, beach balls, etc. are not
allowed and will not be tolerated.
School administrators are responsible to carry out all School Board
policies. Students and guests are expected to comply with this policy.
Action will be taken should this policy be violated during our graduation
ceremony.
Be Recognized!
All seniors who are recipients of college scholarships, are asked to notify Kendra Maddox in the College &
Career Center. This is important for commencement and Senior Recognition/Scholarship Night - we
want to make sure you are recognized for your achievements!
Senior All-Night Party, Dinner, and Auction
The Senior All-Night Party is a drug/alcohol-free, parent-sponsored event where seniors can be together
after graduation for a night of celebration with their friends. The $50.00 cost per student includes
Page 5
Gresham-Barlow School District recognizes the diversity and worth of all individuals and groups.
It is the policy of this district and the board of education that there will be no discrimination or harassment of individuals or groups in any educational programs,
activities or employment.
Gresham-Barlow provides equal access to individuals with disabilities.
Gopher Senior Newsletter
April 1 , 2015
transportation to the party location, great food, games, activities and prizes for
seniors to enjoy. Graduates will be transported back to GHS at approximately
6:00 AM on June 14.
Tickets sales and other information can be found on the Gopher Spirit Club
website at gopherspiritclub.com. Tickets can also be purchased every Thursday
outside of the Athletics/Activities Office. Parents can also send checks to GHS
ATTN: SANP. Checks should be made out to SANP and have the student’s name
written in the memo line. If you would like to make a donation for this event or
have further questions please contact Sharon Schwartz at Schwartz4716@yahoo.com. If you require
financial assistance to purchase a ticket contact a GHS counselor. (The Senior All-Night Party is not a
school-sponsored function; it is planned and chaperoned by senior parents)
DINNER AND AUCTION:
Join parents and friends of the class of 2015 for an evening of great
food, entertainment and fun! The dinner and auction is an annual event that benefits the senior all-night
party. This year the event will occur on Saturday, April 11, at the Columbia Christian School Ballroom at
413 NE 91st Avenue Portland, OR 97220. Doors will open at 6:00 pm for the silent auction. Dinner will be
served at 7:30 pm followed by the live auction. Remember, your generosity supports fundraising efforts
and helps to create a drug/alcohol-free party for the CLASS OF 2015! Donations for the auction are still
being accepted. (The Senior All-Night Party is not a school-sponsored function; it is planned and
chaperoned by senior parent)
GRADUATION TRIPS
We are approaching the time of year when seniors are actively planning for graduation events. One of
the most common proposals is the alleged “annual graduation trip” to Mexico or other locations that
“everyone else” gets to go on. Please be very thorough in researching any package graduation trips
before agreeing to let your son/daughter go. In no way does Gresham High School, nor the Gresham
Barlow School District, endorse or sponsor ANY kind of graduation trip. We do not allow announcements
or posters to be posted, nor do we allow recruitment meetings to take place on our campus. Typically a
company will promise a “free” trip to a senior as long as they can sign up ten of their friends (who pay) to
go along. I advise checking out these companies very carefully before allowing your son/daughter to go.
Experience tells us that there is too often a lack of the promised supervision on these kinds of trips.
Inadequate supervision can lead to easy access to alcohol and drugs, inappropriate sexual activity and the
potential for serious problems to develop miles away from parental support. If you decide to allow your
student to attend a senior trip, whether it be local, national or international, I encourage you to know
everything you can about where your student is going, who they are going with and what is going to
happen once they arrive at their destination.
Page 6
Gresham-Barlow School District recognizes the diversity and worth of all individuals and groups.
It is the policy of this district and the board of education that there will be no discrimination or harassment of individuals or groups in any educational programs,
activities or employment.
Gresham-Barlow provides equal access to individuals with disabilities.