December 13, 2024

New Phone Policy Update - We will be making our school a phone-free space to improve teaching and learning using a program called Yondr. PSA’s  rollout of this program will commence on January 7, 2025, the first day back from winter break for students. A copy of the parent letter to students explaining the Yondr pouches is linked here.

Athletic Update - Congratulations to our JV and Varsity boys basketball teams for their wins on Thursday night over St. John's High School.  JV boys improve to 2-1 and Varsity boys 1-2.  Our JV girls are 1-1 going into our Holiday break.  

Thank you to ALL the volunteers that have helped with the start of our Basketball Season.  From the gate, concessions, clock, and books.  Please continue to support and use SignUpGenius to volunteer for the available positions/time slots.

Testing Updates - Makeup MAP tests will be completed next week for 6-8th grade students who were unable to complete testing this week.

Counselors Corner - Be sure to check the school counseling website regularly for important updates, upcoming events/opportunities,  and scholarship information.

Mark your calendars:  

December 17 - Monthly PSA Board Meeting

December 19 - Holiday Band Concert - remember to bring your Poinsettia!

December  23- January 6 - Winter Break for Students

January 6 - Teacher Workday and Seat Time Makeup Day

January 7 - Yondr pouch rollout day

February 15 - Intent to Return form Due date

PSA Parent/Student handbook. 

From the students, staff, and administration of PSA, “Thank you for all your support!”

Sincerely,

Dr. Kimberly Zerbst

Principal,

Palmetto Scholars Academy

 

December 6, 2024

Intent to Return - Intent to Return forms were sent this week and are due no later than February 15, 2025. This information is essential for us to understand how many seats we can offer to lottery applicants based on students not planning to return. If you have multiple students, you can list them all on a single form; there is no need to submit separate forms. 

Each time you click "Save" after entering a student's information, a new line will appear, allowing you to enter additional students. 

If you intend to return, completing this form is necessary to secure your child's seat. 

Please note that any current students who do not have a completed Intent to Return form by February 15, 2025, will be assumed not to be returning, and those seats may be offered to the next applicants on the waitlist.

If you have any questions, please contact Denora Brown, Registrar, at registration@psaschool.org

PSA Tours - We are excited to begin offering tours to prospective students and families in December and January. 

Tours will be 10-11am and dates include:

December 9, 10, 16, 17

January 9, 10 

If you know a fantastic student that should be here with us please encourage them to sign up for a tour at 24-25 PSA Tour Signup today! Seating is limited to the first 125 respondents for each tour.

Testing Updates - Winter NWEA testing for 6th - 8th grade students is scheduled for December 11-13. Your child will receive an email on December 10th with information on where/when they will test. Please have them open this email and read it. The email will be titled "REMINDER- NWEA Testing". Each student will be given an NWEA Goal Card that has a personalized goal for them to reach. Students who meet their personalized goal will be rewarded with a special treat! Ensure your child has enough rest and that they eat a nutritious meal prior to testing. Please email ivette.skonieczny@psaschool.org if you have any questions. 

Virtual SC Exams - Students testing on Monday, December 9th should have received an email this morning (12/6/24) with pertinent information regarding Virtual SC Exams. Those testing on December 10th will receive an email on 12/9/24. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Widener or Ms. Skonieczny.

Counselors Corner - Be sure to check the school counseling website regularly for important updates, upcoming events/opportunities,  and scholarship information.

Nurse’s Notes - Welcome Winter! With all this extra warmth both at home and school, we are more prone to getting dehydrated.  We can't really tell we are dehydrated, since we aren't sweating as much as during the summer. Not only the drying air but on the go holiday bustle and not drinking as much, are huge contributors to the dry lips, dry skin, chapped hands, headaches, dry eyes, general ill feeling and dark/foul smelling urine.  

Just by staying hydrated it really gives your body something to run off.  Fluids help carry things to and from the cells, delivering and hauling away.  Being hydrated helps keep joints and organs working properly. During a time of year when colds and flus are prone, staying hydrated helps regulate the body temperature also.

Everyone thinks of water when talking about hydration, but I hear EVERY day, "I don't like water."  So there are other options to just water. One is adding fruits/flavor to water.  Milk is a great alternative, because it also has calcium and other minerals.  Juice and smoothies offer electrolytes and sugar which we do need some to have our body run properly.  Coffee and tea both are hydrating.  

Let's think outside the drinks and think of hydrating foods too! Broth-based soups for this cold weather.  Whole fruits and vegetables like watermelon, oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes, celery, really any fruit and veggie are great.  I would suggest avoiding dried fruits since the word is right in the name "dried/dehydrated."  

Enjoy this time of year as we transition into the colder months and holiday season.  

Stay healthy!

Drop off clarification - The gymnasium exterior doors will close at 8:25 to ensure supervision and enable teachers time to get to their classes. Any student dropped off after 8:25am will need to enter PSA through the main entrance located at the front of the school. 

Mark your calendars:  

December 9-12 - Semester 1 Virtual SC Exams

December 11-13 - NWEA (MAP) testing for all 6-8th grade students

December 17 - Monthly PSA Board Meeting

December 19 - Holiday Band Concert

December  23- January 6 - Winter Break for Students

January 6 - Teacher Workday and Seat Time Makeup Day

February 15 - Intent to Return form Due date

 

PSA Parent/Student handbook. 

 

From the students, staff, and administration of PSA, “Thank you for all your support!”

Sincerely,

Dr. Kimberly Zerbst

Dr. Kimberly Zerbst

Principal, Palmetto Scholars Academy

 

Congratulations to PSA's Mission Design Teams for Winning 11 out of 15 Categories in Huntsville!

Events in December.

Remember, Monday House Points will be earned for the number of people dressing up.

Support Palmetto Scholars Academy by Donating Today!

Tour Palmetto Scholars Academy!

Save the Dates: Dec. 9, 10, 16, 17, 2024

January  9,10 2025

All tours will run promptly from 10 to 11 a.m.

Tours are by appointment only and have a maximum size of 125 attendees. 

Sign up HERE.

Click to link to the 2024-25 PSA Student/Parent Handbook.