Golden Eagle Gazette
Parent Newsletter of Fleming Island High School
Preparing tomorrow’s leaders, today.
I
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Class News
page 1
Graduation & Senior Info
pages 2 - 4
Track & Field
page 5
Spanish Club News
page 5 - 6
Academiy News
pages 7—8
The Talon Yearbook
2015-16
Yearbooks are on sale for
$80 until April 29.
After that they will $85
Yearbooks should be here
mid-May. See Mrs. Poole
in room 258
SPRING
March
April
2016
FIHS Frequently Used Numbers:
Administration
Attendance
Guidance
Clinic
336-7500
336-7670
336-7661
336-7507
Fleming Island High School 1st Semester Exam Schedule
Early Dismissal for STUDENTS at 10:45 a.m. each day!
Monday
6/1
Tuesday
6/2
Wednesday
6/3
1st Exam
2nd Exam
4th Exam
9:06-10:45 3rd Exam
6th Exam
5th Exam
7:20-9:00
Golden Eagle Gazette
FRESHMAN NEWS
The Freshmen Class of FIHS would like your support at
their fundraiser at Moe’s Southwest Grill at 1544 CR 220
in Fleming Island FL. Thursday, April 14 th from 5-8pm.
Please come grab a good meal, and tell them you’re there
for the Freshmen Class!!!!
SOPHOMORE NEWS
The Sophomore Class is taking suggestions for a service
project for our school and/or community to complete this
Spring. If you have any ideas or suggestions Sophomores,
please stop by Mrs. Lowe’s room (222) before April 15 th!
Be on the lookout for information on Sophomore Class
Elections coming in May!
JUNIOR NEWS
Thanks to all who participated in the Volleyball fundraiser. It
was a great success!
Prom is April 23 and will be held in the Herbert University
Center at the University of North Florida. Tickets will be sold
on Monday (4/11), Tues (4/12) and Wed (4/13) during
lunches and will be $50.00 on THOSE DATES ONLY! The
following Monday (4/18) & Tuesday (4/19) tickets will GO UP
to $60.00 and will still be on sale during lunches.
There will be NO EXCEPTIONS regarding ticket guidelines.
SENIOR NEWS
The senior class will be attending Grad Bash at
Universal Studios on Friday, April 8. All pertinent
information will be gone over at the Grad Bash
participant meeting on April 5. The Senior vs.
Staff Basketball Game will be on Thursday, May
5 at 7:00pm in the gym. If seniors are interested
in playing, they need a recommendation form
filled out by each of your teachers. They may
pick the forms up in portable 95 starting on
Wednesday, March 30 and they are due by
Thursday, April 7, 2016 by the end of the day.
Senior Week is Monday, May 16 through May,
May 20
Baccalaureate will be held on Sunday, May 15
at Fleming Island Presbyterian at 2:00pm. Students are to wear their cap and gown and arrive at 1:30pm if they would like to attend.
Tuesday (5/17) is Senior Takeover Day
Wednesday (5/18) is College Shirt Day
Thursday (5/19) is Senior Pool Party at Eagle Harbor from 10am -2pm. Tickets will be sold the
week of May 9 in lunches for $10.
Spring 2016
Page 1
Media
Center
News
The Media Center has been busy this spring with
many classes coming in
for reference and research, check-out, testing and lessons. Flowers are blooming along
with the new books,
audio books and other
materials added to the
Media Center collection.
Some of our students have been a part of the “Eagle Readers” program where the students earn volunteer hours by
reading to children at Thunderbolt Elementary
School or our childcare center. This literacy outreach program is spreading the love of reading
within our community.
Everyone is invited to attend the final two
“Cover to Cover” Parent/Faculty/Community Book
Discussion group meetings this year. We are
reading Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
and will discuss it on Tuesday, April 12th from 2:00
-3:00 pm in the Media Center. This National Book
Award finalist deals with life in a post-apocalyptic
world after a flu pandemic. Our May meeting will
be held on May 10th to discuss Fates and Furies: A
Novel by Lauren Groff. We hope to see you
there.
We will be
having a “Book Swap”
at the end of May
where students can
bring in gently used
books that they have
read to swap for other
books from other students. More information will be on the
news show in May.
Golden Eagle Gazette
Spring 2016
Page 2
FIHS CLASS OF 2016
SENIOR & END OF YEAR ACTIVITIES
Grad Bash Participants Meeting – April 5th
 All seniors who have purchased tickets to attend Grad Bash must attend this meeting in the
café – girl participants at 7:30 am and boy participants at 8:45 am. Students will be summoned via intercom.
 Any student who must carry medication of any type should bring a note from parents including
medication name and dosage. This note is turned in to Mrs. Salvino as arrangements must be
made in advance with Universal.
A list of participants will be provided to faculty prior to meeting.
Graduation Cap & Gown and Announcement Distribution – March 29th & 30th, April 18th
(makeup day). All lunches in café.
If money is still due, seniors should be prepared to settle the bill at this time.
Honor Cords/Stoles/Collar will be available through academic advisors and are only to be worn
with cap and gowns.
Grad Bash at Universal Studios Orlando – April 8th
 List of acceptable/unacceptable attire (dress code was given to those attending at ticket purchase and is still available from Mrs. Salvino).
 All participants MUST beth in school for 1st thru 5th periods. Participants will be excused via
intercom at the end of 5 period to go home for lunch and change of clothing but MUST be in
gymnasium by 2:30p.m. Buses will leave promptly at 3:30p.m. Return home around 5 a.m.
Saturday.
 Bus assignments are based on the order tickets were purchased.
 Any student who must carry medication of any type must see Mrs. Salvino by April 1st.
Arrangements must be made in advance with Universal. A Doctor’s authorization on file
with our school nurse WILL NOT work for the Universal trip.
 Each student and their belongings will be searched prior to boarding the bus. Any nonauthorized item will be discarded. Any illegal substance and the person it is found with will
be referred to the School Resource Officer present and will not board the bus.
 No food or beverage will be permitted on the bus for the ride to Orlando. There will be a rest
stop between the school and arrival at the parks.
 Suggested items for trip and ride home: blanket/pillow (which must be left on the bus during
the event). Cell phones are encouraged. A complete list of approved/prohibited items including dress code will be provided to each attendee at the participants meeting.
Money for food, beverages, and souvenirs, if desired. Event Tickets will be given out as the
bus arrives in Orlando so they cannot be misplaced.
Junior/Senior Prom - Saturday, April 23rd . This year’s theme: Around the World
Tickets will be on sale April 11th, 12th, 13th. Tickets that week will only by $50.
The following week, tickets will be on sale Monday, April 18th, and Tuesday,
April 19th and will cost $60.00. TUESDAY, APRIL 19th WILL BE THE
LAST DAY TICKETS WILL BE SOLD. No tickets will be sold at the door.
Please plan ahead.
 Faculty Members will be informed of the chaperone schedule as it gets closer.
 Approval forms for non-FIHS dates must be turned in to the Attendance office for approval
prior to ticket purchase. These forms are available in Attendance or Main Office.
 A completed Off-Campus Activity Consent & Release form and Ticket Order form are required to purchase a ticket.
 Prom will be held at Herbert University Center @ UNF, Jacksonville, FL 8 p.m.–11 p.m.
There will be hors d’oeuvres and non-alcoholic beverages available.
Senior vs Staff Basketball Game – May 5th, 7:00pm, FIHS Gym
$5.00 tickets on sale May 2nd thru May 5th only during all lunches.
Golden Eagle Gazette
Spring 2016
Page 3
Special Needs/Handicap Seating at Graduation
Beginning May 2nd, please sign up for these spaces prior to Graduation
week in Mrs. Salvino’s Office. One family member may be seated
with the handicap guest in this section. All requests should be
received by May 20th Remaining family members must sit in the
regular reserved seating or open seating area outside the
Graduating Class on the field.
Senior Awards Night – May 12th
 7:00 p.m. Fleming Island High School Cafetorium.
 Recipients of awards will be notified. Invite guests to attend!
 Dress nicely. Please no jeans, T-shirts, or flip-flops.
Anyone receiving a scholarship/honor after the survey due date, should
notify Mrs. Burke, Assistant Principal, directly. Completion of this form
is the only way we will track scholarships and community awards.
Seniors Who Owe
Mrs. Salvino will continue to collect names of seniors/amounts/descriptions of anything due
FIHS. All debts must be settled to graduate.
Baccalaureate - School officials may not mandate or organize religious ceremonies. Due to
these constraints Senior
Class Officers are responsible for organizing and disseminating information in regards to
this event to all graduates and their families. This is a student directed, nondenominational ceremony. Graduates traditionally wear caps and gowns. This year the
students have indicated it will be held at Fleming Island Presbyterian Church, May
15th at 2:00.
Senior Week Activities – May 16th thru 20th
5/17
5/18
5/19
Senior Take-Over Day
Senior Spirit/College Shirt Day & distribution of Exemption/Clearance Sheets 1 st period and
Senior locker clean-out 4th period.
Senior Swim Party – 10am – Eagle Harbor Swim Club
Senior Exam Exemption/Clearance Sheets handed out during 1st period May 18th . How it
works….
May 18
1st period teachers give the form to each senior in your class.
May 18-25 Seniors gather signatures only when obligations are complete.
May 25
Senior Exam Exemption/Clearance Sheet must be turned in to Mrs. Salvino’s office by
each senior by end of school day, May 25th. Any outstanding debts to school (lost textbook, library
book, etc.) must also be paid by that time.
Senior Locker Clean-Out 4th period – May 18th
Senior Swim Party – May 19th
Eagle Harbor Swim Club - 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $10.00 and can be purchased during
all lunches May 11th thru 15th. Tickets include beverage and lunch. There must be 200 students
signed up or event will be cancelled.
Senior Final Exams – Monday, May 23 (5th & 6th),
Tuesday, May 24 (3rd & 4th) & Wednesday, May 25 (1st & 2nd)
Do not give exams early!
Golden Eagle Gazette
Spring 2016
Page 4
******* SENIOR GRADES MUST BE POSTED BY 10AM ON May 25th *******
MANDATORY Graduation Rehearsals – May 26th and 27th
If students do not attend… they do NOT walk!
 All seniors must be in the stadium prior to 8 am Thursday and
Friday. Underclass graduation marshals also attend. (You will get a
list)
 Seniors wait in the home stands until invited onto field by an administrator.
 Regarding tickets for ceremony issued at rehearsal May 27th - 4 tickets will be issued
per student for seating in reserved section (home stand).
 Also at May 27th practice, students see Mrs. Salvino to receive the special seating
tickets for handicapped family members which were previously requested.
Seating is available for additional guests in the Visitors Stand or by bringing a lawn chair to sit outside the Graduating Class seating area on the field. Lawn chairs may only be placed on the field
beginning at 2:30pm on graduation day.
Senior Breakfast – May 27th
 Approx. 9:30 a.m. Fleming Island Plantation Golf Club House.
 All graduating seniors are eligible to attend. (There is no fee involved.)
Dress nicely, but comfortably – please follow school dress code.
The Ceremony – May 27th – 8pm, promptly, at FIHS Stadium
 Students arrive no later than 6:30 p.m. and go to designated line in the cafetorium.
 Graduates will be checked by faculty for beach balls, silly string, etc…. which will be discarded.
Appropriate dress required for graduates:
Males – nice black pants, no jeans, no cargo pants, black dress shoes, dark socks, white shirt and must wear a tie.
Females – nice white dress or nice white skirt/slacks and white blouse, white dress shoes, absolutely no flip-flops.
 Students are not to bring anything with them to Graduation. (Cell phones, purses, etc. will be collected.)
 Recessional will proceed to courtyard for last class picture.
After the ceremony, graduates will meet back in the cafeteria and pick up diploma.
Back Up Plan for Ceremony due to a severe weather event –
Postponement to Saturday morning 9:00 a.m. or Monday at 8:00 p.m. only due to a significant weather event. Graduation
will not be postponed for a forecast of showers. Have guests, please bring an umbrella or wear appropriate attire.
HOME STANDS – ticketed seating (see diagram on next page)
Seating is available for additional guests in the Visitors Stand or by bringing a lawn chair to sit outside the Graduating
Class seating area on the field.
Lawn chairs may only be placed on the field beginning at 2pm on graduation day.
STADIUM set-up for Graduation
Stage
To parking lot
Area for
lawn
chairs
VISITORS
SENIORS
Area for
lawn
chairs
SENIORS
HOME STAND
Handicap
Seating
Handicap
Seating
Golden Eagle Gazette
Spring 2016
Page 5
Track & Field
The FIHS Track and Field team is nearing the end of the 2016 season with a bang! The Girls’ team has now taken the County Champ title 3 years in a row! Several girls and teams defended their county champion titles from 2014 and/or 2015 and
took them again this year. The Boys’ team also took the title this year and also had one young man and several teams defending their county champion titles which they also took again this year.
We had 10 individual County Champion titles and 4 Relay Champion titles! Please congratulate all the following athletes
who took 2016 Clay County Championship titles in their events and helped their teams take double county championship
titles:
Boys
4x800 Relay County Champions – Cameron Dill, Nick Turner, John Hashtak, Ben Soldo
4x400 Relay County Champions – Cameron Dill, Felipe Fernandez, Josh Beckles, Nick Turner
Andrew Miller County Champion 3200 m
Cameron Dill County Champion 800 m
Luc Larson County Champion 110 Hurdles and County Champion 300 m Hurdles
JT Broyles County Champion Shot Put
Girls
4x800 Relay County Champions – Audrey Millican, Grayson Iller, Halie Bourre, Julie Franzoni
4x400 Relay County Champions – Emily Surgeoner, Ashley Nelson, Aubrey Burke, Adriana Neilen
Julie Franzoni County Champion 3200 m
Grace Cuthbert County Champion 1600 m and 3 rd Place 3200 m
Devin Middle County Champion 300 m Hurdles
Spanish News
ESPAÑOL EN ACCION (Spanish in Action)
First and foremost, the Spanish teachers of the Foreign Language Department
would like to officially announce that starting the next school year, we will be
issuing a quarterly newsletter through FIH on-line Golden Eagle Gazette informing you of the “Spanish in Action” world.
We also want to thank you guys for your continuous hard work and dedication in the
classroom and your patience and understanding for your teachers; to all the parents
who on a daily basis help your children and us in our academic and school activities;
and, to the entire FIHS population for this school year’s support and constant positive
attitude in a fun yet challenging journey.
Let’s start by saying that our students are
using Spanish in the classes and beyond this
setting. They have become experts using
their digital book, doing presentations, writing conversations and short plays, learning the culture, participating in the homecoming parade, competing at the state level, and traveling to Spain. Further, every morning, our students recite the pledge in the Spanish
language. WOW!
The students also have been able to gain a different vision of the value of learning Spanish besides the grade and college requirement by listening to Mr. Greg Kynast, a former
FIH Spanish teacher, as a guest speaker. Mr. Kynast talked to the students about his
“cultural experience” in different countries in Central America and the importance of
speaking Spanish to understanding the culture.
Golden Eagle Gazette
Spring 2016
Page 6
The students’ positive outlook to studying Spanish has been amazing. They constantly demonstrate success in using vocabulary, building sentences in present, past, and
subjunctive, creating skits, reading poems, singing songs, writing recipes in the
Spanish language, and learning about the culture.
This year, Spanish 3 students celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month by researching a
famous Hispanic personage, writing, and presenting it in Spanish. Some of them
went the extra mile and acted like the personage and imitated their Spanish accent.
Such was the case of Desi Arnaz from the famous show “I Love Lucy”.
Yet, our students’ journey doesn’t stop in the classroom. It goes
on even after school hours through the Spanish Club, the Spanish
Honor Society, and the Florida State Spanish Conference
(FSSC).
Every Tuesday and Thursday, the Spanish Honor Society (SHS)
with Mrs. Brasfield tutor students who need help. Every other
Friday, FIH/SHS members go to Thunderbolt Elementary and
share the Spanish culture and language with young hearts in their Spanish Club. This coming April 18 th,
many great students will be inducted in the Spanish Honor Society. We also have students who together
with Ms. Brasfield and Ms. Berrios travelled to Spain and were immersed in the target language while
appreciating culture, art, architecture, food and more first hand..
In this year’s Homecoming parade, the Spanish Club
represented one of the most popular sports in Spanish speaking countries: SOCCER. They dressed up
as players, coaches, referees, and of course, fans. In
addition, they celebrated different cultural celebrations such as the Day of the Dead. This year again,
the club members organized a collection of blankets
to donate to the Clay Animal Control Center and took care of the animals for a while in the holiday
spirit.
On another note, the Florida State Spanish Competition FIHS team
had yet another rewarding year at the State level. They did a fine
job in their impromptu and some of them brought back individual
trophies. We had great poets who performed with style and confidence. For this year’s play, Mr. Michael Green, FIH Art teacher, together with his students, provided us with excellent props which were widely commended in Orlando by judges and audiences. Our play was again a script crafted by our own students from Spanish 3 and 4. Special mention goes to Mia Sanchez and Miah Peña Ramirez who wrote the funny commercials in Spanish for the play. What an awesome way to show the Spanish learning
gained in the classroom and extensively applied in this academic state competition.
Again this year, we had regular class (13) and AICE (3) students representing our school,
but this year we shared the bus with Oakleaf High School which for the first time joined
this experience. We are so proud of our kids and so grateful to the Lord for these opportunities.
This year is somewhat bittersweet for our academic team. This year is the last one where
we can count on the great contributions of our three seniors who graduate this year and
will not be with us the next one: Natalie Arands, Sammie Roberts, and Priscilla
Sauri. We wish you a successful college career and many blessings in your journeys. We are going to miss you. On the other hand, we are looking forward to new
delegates who may bring as valuable a contribution as that of those departing.
On a personal note, I also want to thank you parents for your strong and constant
support to all of us, to Mr. Green for his formidable props, to Ms. Johnson for her
incomparable candy selling abilities and together with Ms. Lapinski (a teacher and
collaborator) for their cooperation and hard work, and to the Foreign Language
Department, the Spanish Club members, Mr. Pittman and the FIH administration,
and the larger FIH family that helped us to carry on with this accomplishment.
Golden Eagle Gazette
Spring 2016
Page 7
The Vystar Academy recently held their annual Mock Interviews.
This experience is vital in preparing students, no matter their ultimate chosen career, in the art of interviewing and marketing themselves. Over 450 students had the opportunity to interview with one
of our 12 local business leaders to perfect their skills. Each student
was required to come prepared with a resume, references and a cover letter. They
were also required to research
the company and position for which they applied. Dressing for success and interviewing protocol were evaluated by the business community in order to give feedback to our students. Mrs. Kirkland organized and directed the 3 day event. Guidelines were given to each
student and a rubric was used by the interviewer in order to award
credit for this activity. The “Top Interview” awards and certificates will be presented at the end of the year
banquet on May 10.
Submitted by Michelle Harris
The Academy of Visual and Performing Arts had their Thematic Learning Activity (TLA) based on
their interdisciplinary unit on “interdependence.” The 9th grade teams continued building on their TLA
from last year revolving around Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Mrs. Conlon’s Theatre 1 class performed
an abridged version of the original play for all of the 9th and 10th grade academy students. Mrs. Soud’s
English class prepared artwork and visual projects based around the globe theatre, the characters in the
play, and other thematic material. Mrs. Conlon’s Biology classes prepared an array of posters on how science played a vital role in the plot of Romeo & Juliet. The art classes of Mrs. Taylor-Hicks, Mr. Green,
and Mr. Runyan made masks and props that were used in the show, and created advertisement style posters for Romeo & Juliet. Mrs. Speicher-Harris’s fashion design classes helped design and create some of
the costumes used in the show. The 10th grade teams focused on Dr. Suess as a vehicle for showing how
interdependence can affect identity, counter-culture, propaganda, and many other topics. Mr. Runyun’s
architecture classes made 3-dimensional models of unique, Suess-like buildings. Mrs. Taylor-Hick’s photography classes made posters on social issues as “propaganda.” Mr. Suter’s ceramics classes created 3dimensional sculptures of Suess characters based on studying Dr. Suess’s life and how his works of propaganda and art affected society.
Submitted by Amy Conlon
Golden Eagle Gazette
Spring 2016
Page 8
VyStar Academy of Business & Finance
The VyStar Business & Finance Academy students took learning away from the
classroom environment to see business in action with some of our first year students.
They enjoyed their annual field trips to the Federal Reserve Bank where they learned
about the history of our monetary system and how personal finances can be affected
by decisions throughout our society. They also toured the Sally Corporation learning
about animatronics and the areas of design, marketing, electronics and more. They
also found it interesting how a business can be sparked from a idea made from a
presentation in a college speech class and how it has became a thriving company with work around the
world.