This year, Sister Cities of Vandalia’s Youth Exchange Program (SCVYEP) will take place April 6-27. We have 4 boys traveling from Lichtenfels, Germany to Vandalia. All four boys are fluent in English and excited to visit Vandalia and Butler High School. SCVYEP is currently looking for sophomore, junior, and senior boys and their families to host these students for three weeks. Then this summer, the Butler students will have the opportunity to travel to Lichtenfels for 3 weeks. Sister Cities will provide financial assistance for the airline tickets for the Butler students. If you are interested, please contact Kelly Blakesly, Youth Exchange Coordinator of Sister Cities of Vandalia, at kelly.blakesly@gmail.com

No Late Start on March 12

Planning ahead, there will be no late start on Tuesday, Mar. 12 due to the ACT testing. All classes on that day will begin at 7:45 a.m.

Spring Pay-to-Participate Fees

The deadline for Spring Musical pay-to-participate fees is Friday, Mar. 8. The deadline for Spring sports pay-to-participate fees is Thursday, Mar. 14. Please use EZ-Pay or see Mrs. Kim Thaler to make in-person payment. You can also contact Mrs. Thaler with any questions.

Armed Forces Career Commitment Ceremony

Honor, tradition and service are the hallmarks by which members of the United States military live each day, and Ohioans have countless storied contributions to this rich history. Ohio continues this tradition as our state’s education community gathers to celebrate and honor high school students joining the military at the second annual all-Ohio United States Armed Forces Career Commitment Ceremony. Students in grades 11-12 who have committed to military service (active duty, Reserve or National Guard) are invited to participate in this Career Commitment Ceremony. The ceremony will be held at COSI in Columbus (Center of Science and Industry; 333 West Broad Street) on Wednesday, Mar. 13, from 10:30 a.m.-noon. The event is open to family members, school staff, recruiters and anyone who wishes to join and applaud these future service members. The Career Commitment Ceremony is hosted by the Ohio Department of Education, Ohio Department of Veterans Services, Ohio National Guard and the United Services Organization. Click here to RSVP. 

Operation Prom Dress

Operation Prom Dress will occur on Saturday, Mar. 16, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., hosted by Epiphany Lutheran Church, 6430 Far Hills Avenue in Centerville. Their goal is to decrease the financial burden of prom by offering new or gently-used donated dresses, shoes, and accessories to young women. The event also consists of professional hair and make-up, a professional mini photo shoot, door prizes, and lunch. Register online by March 13 under Events at www.epiphanydayton.org. For further information, contact Hailey Heimann at OPD@epiphanydayton.org

Parent Tips from KNOW!

Parents, Prevention Action Alliance wants you to be aware of two dangerous internet games. One is called the Blue Whale Challenge which involves acts of self-harm and ultimately, to win the game is to take one’s own life. (Click here for the full “KNOW! Tip on the Blue Whale Challenge”). Another similar game, called the Momo Challenge, is now trending throughout social media and is said to be impacting lives in multiple countries around the world. In this challenge, the leader’s name is Momo and her avatar is a scary-looking woman with dark, scraggly hair, bulging eyes and a giant, creepy smile. Momo is known to hack into users’ cell phones. Those who engage with her are then sent disturbing and graphic photos, and are made to perform acts of self-harm, including suicide, or face the consequences of having their secrets and private information shared online. To read more about “KNOW! Momo and Her Deadly Challenge to our Youth,” sign up to receive this one and other regular free KNOW! Parent email tips at https://preventionactionalliance.org/about/programs/know/

GUIDANCE NEWS

ACT and SAT

• The next ACT will be the Junior ACT on Tuesday, Mar. 12. The following one will occur on April 13 with a registration deadline of March 8.
• The next SAT will occur on Saturday, Mar. 9. Regular registration deadline has passed. The late registration deadlines are Tuesday, Feb. 19 for mailed registrations and Wednesday, Feb. 27 for registrations made online or by phone.

Sinclair Scholarship Information

Butler students who are planning to attend Sinclair next fall, please be aware you can apply for several scholarships that are currently available. There are 2 merit scholarships for students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. The deadline for those scholarships is Thursday, Feb. 28. Students with a GPA of 2.0 or higher are eligible for the Taylor Scholarship, which could be full tuition. That deadline is Monday, Apr. 1. If you have not applied yet to Sinclair but plan on attending, please see Mrs. Julie Pratt in the CCRC as soon as possible to get an application and information about the scholarships.

Meet with Local Professionals

There are several local professionals who will be speaking with Butler students about their career, what they studied to prepare for their career, and what they do on a day-to-day basis. They will be in room 227 (Mr. Greg Bergman’s classroom) during 7th period. All students are welcome to attend. You need to sign-up at least a day in advance with either Mrs. Julie Pratt in the CCRC or Mrs. Cindy Snyder in Guidance.

• Wednesday, Feb. 20 - New York Life Insurance
• Thursday, Feb. 21 - Crossroads Investment Planning
• Friday, Feb. 22 - Garber Connect (Telecommunications Contractor)
• Monday, Feb. 25 - Probation Officer
• Friday, Mar. 1 - UC student
• Wednesday, Mar. 6 - Proctor and Gamble
• Thursday, Mar. 7 - Vandalia Drummer (journalism)

CCRC News

Butler juniors will also be taking the ACT on March 12 at Butler. Students are encouraged to use their study hall to practice on a computer in the CCRC. The CCRC is open every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Remember, juniors, you can earn Math and English exam exemptions by achieving remediation-free scores on the March 12 ACT. Also, any junior who uses the CCRC to practice for the March ACT will receive a PBIS ticket for being resourceful and responsible. So, take advantage of additional practice opportunities in the CCRC. Seniors, use the CCRC to look for college scholarships. The application deadline for The Dayton Foundation Scholarships is March 8. Visit the CCRC for application and essay information.

Scholarships

Seniors, you should be looking for and filling out applications for every scholarship you can find! Take advantage of these following ones:

Local Scholarship Part I – only a few of our Seniors have applied for these scholarships. Click here for a description of Local Scholarships offered through the Dayton Foundation’s ScholarshipConnect (https://www.daytonfoundation.org/scholars.html). Remember, there are 21 scholarships on the ScholarshipConnect website just for Butler students. There are also many more scholarships on ScholarshipConnect that are offered to graduating seniors in Montgomery County. Deadline is March 8.

Dayton-Montgomery County Scholarship – remember that you must bring me the application, your SAR (from the FAFSA), and a copy of an acceptance letter.  Just submitting the application on-line is not enough!

Local Scholarship Part II – The second part of the Local Scholarship (the paper packet) along with the Shelter Insurance Foundation Scholarship is now available. Both scholarships can be found on the Guidance Scholarship website page or picked up in the Guidance Office, with the deadline for both being March 12.

If you have questions or need anything, please contact Mrs. Cindy Snyder in Guidance.

Guidance Bulletin

Click here to read the most recent Guidance Bulletin. Also, keep checking on the big scholarship search engines for scholarships. You can find the links to the search engines on the Guidance Page of the Butler website.

Award Letters

As you receive your scholarships/grants/honors for college/etc., even if you are not going to that college, please be sure to bring a copy of them to Mrs. Cindy Snyder. All of this information goes into the Commencement Program under your name!

Transcripts

Seniors, if you need a set of your transcripts sent for a scholarship or college application, please let your guidance counselor know at least 2-3 schools days before the deadline. Thank-you!

Naviance

Juniors, make sure you use ACT prep on Naviance to prepare for the March 12 ACT.

Practice Preparing for the ACT and SAT

• Kaplan is offering free online SAT and ACT prep events. Click here to access.
• The following ACT and SAT prep books are available in our media center: Amsco’s Preparing for the ACT Mathematics and Science Reasoning and Preparing for the New SAT Mathematics
• Click here for a publication from ACT. It contains full-length practice tests, including a writing test; information about the optional writing test; strategies to prepare for the tests; and what to expect on test day.
• Click here for sample questions from the CollegeBoard to help prepare for the SAT.
• Kaplan offers various ACT prep online courses through their ACT Kaplan Online Prep Live. 
• TorchPrep offers various ACT prep course options. For additional info and dates, visit www.torchprep.com or call 888-382-8174.

FAFSA

We encourage EVERY senior and her/his parents to complete the FAFSA form. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form families fill out as the first step in applying for most federal, state, and college-provided financial aid for students. Although it says “federal,” many states and colleges use your FAFSA data to determine your eligibility for state and school aid, and some private financial aid providers may use your FAFSA information to determine whether you qualify for their aid. Seniors and parents, as soon as possible, please complete and submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), at fafsa.gov, along with any other financial aid applications your chosen school(s) may require.

ADDITIONAL NEWS FOR SENIORS 

Butler Senior Exit Project (BSEP)

Click on the following links for further information: 2019 BSEP Overview, 2019 BSEP Deadlines, 2019 BSEP Participating Classes.

Senior Exam Exemption

Seniors have the opportunity to earn final exam exemptions if they meet certain criteria listed in our School Handbook. To review the criteria, you may click here.

Parents of Seniors

There is still time to purchase a senior recognition ad in the 2018-2019 Butler High School Airlog Yearbook for your son/daughter. However, space is limited. So, please reserve your ad as soon as possible. This is a wonderful way to highlight your child’s accomplishments throughout these past four years of high school and to wish them the very best. Recognition ads can be purchased in the following sizes: $55 for ? page (3” wide by 1” high), $95 for ¼ page (4” wide by 5” high), $175 for ½ page (8” wide by 5” high), and $325 for a full page (8” wide by 10” high). The deadline to purchase a senior ad is Sunday, Mar 31. Please contact Ms. Martha Thomas (martha.thomas@vbcsd.com) for more information.

Graduation Date

Reminder, Graduation for the Class of 2019 will be on Tuesday, May 28, 7 p.m. in the SAC.

IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENTS

• Mon, 2/18 – No school: Presidents’ Day
• Tues, 2/19 – 8:45 a.m. Late Start due to Teacher Team Time
• Tues, 2/19 – Alumni meeting, 6 p.m., media center
• Wed, 2/20 – Boys’ Bowling at Sectionals
• Thurs, 2/21 – Girls’ Bowling at Sectionals
• Fri, 2/22 – Wrestling at Sectionals
• Sat, 2/23 – Wrestling at Sectionals
• Sat, 2/23 – Boys’ Basketball at Sectionals
• Sun, 2/24 – Band MEPA event at Butler

ADDITIONAL CONTESTS, PROGRAMS, AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Build It Challenge

Build It Challenge is a free event for students ages 6-18 on Thursday, Apr. 4 at Fairfield Commons in Beavercreek. Need to register by March 29. The challenge is to build an original game, gadget, or work of art from everyday materials like cardboard, duct tape, and recyclables. Students can work individually or on teams up to 4 members. Click here for registration form and further info.

Ohio Oil & Gas Energy Education Program Scholarship

The Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program and their Scholarship Foundation have a scholarship program targeted for students pursuing careers in the crude oil and natural gas industry. Application deadline is Friday, Mar. 1. Click here for further information.

Summer Camp Counselors

Are you interested in being a camp counselor, participating in many fun activities with wonderful kids for the 2019 summer at the Vandalia Recreation Center? Find more details and apply online at www.vandaliareccenter.com. Deadline for applications: Friday, Mar. 8. Questions? Contact Aaron Messenger at amessenger@vandaliaohio.org

IMPORTANT DATES FOR SENIORS

• 2/24 – Band MEPA event at Butler
• 3/1 – BSEP: Research Questions, Preliminary Thesis Statement, & Annotated Bibliography due to Mrs. Paula Yablonski, room 152
• 3/1 – Senior Cedar Point Field Trip: Deadline for balance payment to Mrs. Kim Thaler
• 3/13 – BSEP: Final Thesis Submission is due to advisor
• 3/14 – Final day to submit a validation form for the OhioMeansJob Readiness Seal
• 3/15-16 – OMEA Large Group District Adjudicated Event
• 3/16 – Kickline SCAU State Contest
• 3/21-23 – Performances of Chicago, The Musical, 7 p.m., PAT
• 3/27 – BSEP: Submit topic outline with final thesis statement and works cited to advisor
• 3/28-31 – Symphonic Choir Field Trip to NYC
• 4/3 – BSEP: Presentation time sign-up, outside Mrs. Cindy Rinesmith’s room, 156
• 4/8-12 – BSEP: Make an appointment with advisor for your Presentation Content Conference
• 4/8 – Senior Mentor Recognition Night, 7 p.m., SAC
• 4/12 – Talent Show
• 4/23-26 – BSEP: Draft Presentation Conference
• 4/27 – Prom
• 4/29-5/3 – BSEP: Presentations, lecture room
• 5/3 – Spring Blood Drive
• 5/6-17 – AP Exams
• 5/6 – Spring Band Concert, 7 p.m., PAT
• 5/8 – Last day for Seniors on campus at MVCTC
• 5/13 – Spring Choir Concert, 7 p.m., PAT
• 5/14 – Senior Awards, 6:30 p.m., SAC
• 5/15 – Last day for Seniors at MVCTC
• 5/17 – MVCTC Senior Recognition Ceremony
• 5/20-21 – Senior Exams
• 5/22 – All Seniors to attend Senior Clap Out, Senior Appreciation Tour of other schools, Senior Picnic
• 5/23 – Senior Cedar Point Field Trip
• 5/24 – Memorial Program
• 5/28 – Graduation practice, 8 a.m., SAC
• 5/28 – Graduation, 7 p.m., SAC

REMINDERS OF ACTIVE ITEMS           

AAA Driver Education Classes

The next AAA Driver Education Class at Butler will occur April 2 thru May 16 (No classes during Spring break). More details and registration information will follow.

ACT for Juniors

All high schools are required by the State of Ohio to administer either the ACT or SAT for all Juniors in the Spring. At Butler, all of our Juniors will take the state-mandated ACT on March 12. The results of this ACT will be used by Juniors both for college admission purposes and as one of the ways by which each student in Ohio can show the level of standardized academic mastery necessary for graduation. The State of Ohio is paying for the March 12 ACT. Juniors, you have the following awesome opportunity! Juniors who earn at least a Math subscore of 22 on the March 12 ACT will be exempt from taking the final exam in May in their Math class.  Juniors who earn at least an English subscore of 18 and at least a Reading subscore of 22 on the March 12 ACT will be exempt from taking the final exam in May in their English class! So, practice and prepare! Take advantage of the online programs in the CCRC during your study halls on Mondays-Tuesdays-Wednesdays. Also, see the resources listed in the Guidance News section below.

OhioMeansJobs Readiness Seal

All Butler students, you have the wonderful opportunity to earn the Ohio Department of Education’s OhioMeansJobs Readiness Seal for your diploma and transcript. By showing you are prepared to contribute to the workplace and our community, you can earn the OhioMeansJobs Readiness Seal which is a formal designation indicating you have the personal strengths, strong work ethic and professional experience that businesses need.

To earn the seal, motivated high school students must demonstrate certain professional skills required for success in the workplace. Students work with at least three experienced and trusted mentors who validate the demonstration of these 15 skills in school, work or the community. Click here for further information found on the Ohio Department of Education’s website, and click here for a one-page overview sheet. Click here to read the OhioMeansJobs Readiness Seal rubric, and click here for the validation form. Aviators, after you complete at least part 1 (pages 1 and 2) of the validation form, turn it in to your guidance counselor. It must be submitted by the end of the 3rd Quarter (March 14).

One more benefit for obtaining the OhioMeansJobs Readiness Seal - it is one of the additional State of Ohio pathways for graduation which can be used by the classes of 2019 and 2020.

From the Main Office: Early Dismissals

Parents, when signing out your daughter/son for an early dismissal, please allow a few extra minutes to allow time for your daughter/son time to get necessary materials from her/his locker prior to leaving. Thank-you!

Calamity Day Parent Letter

Click here to read Superintendent Robert O’Leary’s Calamity Day Parent Letter for the 2018-2019 calendar year.

Butler Two-Hour Delays on Tuesdays

A reminder – if a 2-hour delay occurs on a Tuesday morning when we have an 8:45 a.m. late-start scheduled due to Teacher Team Time, then the Teacher Team Time is cancelled and classes at Butler begin at 9:45 a.m.

Winter Reminders for Butler Transportation to MVCTC

If Butler (VBCSD) and/or MVCTC are on a 2-hour delay, then the buses going to MVCTC will leave Butler at 9:15 a.m. to transport students. Furthermore, if MVCTC has school (regular or 2-hour delay) on a day when Butler (VBCSD) is closed due to calamity or weather-related reasons, then VBCSD will NOT transport students to or from MVCTC.

Reminder of District Study Table Policy

Students are reminded that according to Board policy, “In order to be eligible for any co-curricular, interscholastic and noninterscholastic extra-curricular activity, a student must have, for the preceding grade period, a 2.0 grade point average, and/or no more than one ‘F.’ Students who do not meet this standard but who wish to continue to participate in co-curricular activities must attend a mandatory ‘Study Table’ until the standard is met.”

Math Lab & Study Tables

Students who struggle are encouraged to seek extra academic help first from their teachers. Additionally, there are two extra structured ways of assistance available throughout the week when school is in session: Math Lab during 5th period in room 107 and Study Tables stationed by teachers in our media center from 3:05 to 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.

From Our School Nurse: FLU Season is Among Us

With the holidays coming up and extended family and friends sharing time and food together, these reminders are probably worth repeating in order to avoid the flu. Remember:

• Wash your hands when they are dirty and before eating.
• Do not cough or sneeze into your hands
• Above all, do not put fingers in your eyes, nose or mouth!

We also ask that if your student is sick and has a fever >100, to please keep her/him home from school until fever free for 24 hours, without fever reducing medication. 

STAY INFORMED

Twitter

@ButlerHSLuebbe, @VBaviatorAD, @Vandaliabutler, and numerous Butler staff and organization Twitters!

Instagram

ButlerHSLuebbe, vandaliabutler

Website

www.vbcsd.com

Facebook

www.facebook.com/vandaliabutlercsd

Guidance Department Text Reminders

All Aviators and parents are encouraged to sign up to receive text messages or emails distributed by our Butler Guidance Department specific to each graduation class. Go to http://www.vbcsd.com/1/Content2/390 and click on the appropriate link for your daughter/son’s graduating class for specific directions. If you have children in different graduating classes at Butler, you will need to sign up separately for each one. 

Weekly E-Newsletter

Parents, please keep your primary and secondary email contacts always up-to-date in PowerSchool. Thanks!

School Gmail Account for all Students

All students have School Gmail accounts available so they can receive important information, such as this e-Newsletter, directly from Butler High School and Vandalia-Butler City School District. Aviators, in the real world, many adults have separate professional and personal email accounts and use them accordingly. This school Gmail account is to be used only for school usage. It is NOT to be used for personal reasons. Aviators are to check their school Gmail regularly for important messages.

We ARE Aviators!

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION