Freedom High School
Community Brief
1
Monday, December 23, 2019

  
Thank you for your continuous support of Freedom High School where our focus is on literacy, rigor and relationships.  Our students and staff are working daily to have Patriot PRIDE on display:  Preparedness, Resilience, Integrity, Dedication, and Encouragement.
 
End of the 1st Semester
As we bring the first semester to close, please have productive and relevant discussions with your child regarding his or her academic progress. Also, please feel free to contact our student services office if you would like to set up a parent-teacher conference.

PRISM
I would like to commend our performing arts department for three incredible holiday PRISM performances. We truly have the absolute best performing arts department!

Happy Holidays
I would like to wish you and your loved ones a very restful, wonderful holiday season and a happy New Year. I look forward to seeing everyone as we embark on the second semester upon return. For our seniors, this will be your final semester in high school. Let's make it a great one!  
  
Ms. Cheryl Neely
Principal  
 
Upcoming Events 
Dec. 23 - Jan. 3 Winter Break
Jan. 6 Teacher Workday/Student Holiday
Jan. 7 Begin 3rd Marking Period/Second Semester
Jan. 7 Boys Basketball (vs Cypress Creek), 4:30 pm
Jan. 7 Girls Soccer (vs Ocoee),  6:00 pm
Jan. 9 Girls Basketball (vs Lyman), 6:00 pm
Jan. 11 Saturday School,9:00 am
Jan. 14  Girls Basketball (vs Evans), 6:00 pm
Jan. 15  Girls Soccer (vs East River), 6:00 pm
Jan. 16 Tri-M Induction (PAC), 6:30 pm
Jan. 17 Boys Soccer (vs Timber Creek), 6:00 pm
Jan. 17 Boys Basketball (vs Colonial), 6:00 pm
OCPS 2019-2020 Calendar


Featured Department
Mathematics 
 


Bottom left to right: Ms. Neely, Mr. Urena, Mr. Malzahn, Ms. Ronca, Ms. Kraemer (Dept. Chair), Ms. Shipman, Ms. Busch, Ms. Trejo, Mr. France (BLA).
Second row: Mr. Singer, Ms. Outlaw, Ms. Luzoro, Ms. Miscannon, Ms. Moody, Mr. Freese, Ms. Schatz, Ms. Schroeder, Ms. Febles-Miranda, Mr. Antoine, Mr. Jones.
Top row: Ms. Smith, Mr. Thompson, Ms. Stewart, Ms. Philor, Ms. Haba, Ms. Abicht, Ms. Bradley, Ms. Laristan, Ms. Mohadeo, Ms. DeJesus, Ms. Snyder.
Patriot Spotlight!
Sarantuya Bayarchuluun
QuestBridge Scholarship recipient
 

Pictured left to right: Ms. Neely, Sarantuya Bayarchuluun, Ms. Canar 
 
Congratulations to FHS senior, Sarantuya Bayarchyuluun, recipient of the 2019 QuestBridge Scholarship Award. QuestBridge is a national nonprofit that connects the nation's most exceptional, obstacle overcoming youth with leading colleges and opportunities. By working with these students, beginning in high school through college to their first job, QuestBridge aims to increase the percentage of talented students attending the nation's best colleges and to support them to achieve success in their careers and communities. Sarantuya, a member of NHS, Monticello, SGA, BETA, ASA, and Mu Alpha Theta, will travel to Iowa next fall to attend Grinnell College.

Paola Chacon Villa, Class of 2020
School Board Honoree


Senior, Paola Chacon, received a $625 scholarship at a recent school board meeting for showing amazing growth on the SAT. Paola first took the SAT last year as a junior then, in an effort to raise her score, was given access to KHAN Academy. Paola worked on KHAN Academy for over 200 hours thus increasing her overall score by 450 points. For her tremendous efforts, OCPS decided to honor Paola and several other OCPS students for their significant score gains on the SAT. 
Special Recognition
Alexia Rangel (Class of 2020)
Art Showcase Finalist
 

Alexia Rangel, senior at Freedom High, was selected to showcase her portfolio at the Florida State Fair for the category of Best and Brightest Senior Art.  We wish her the best as she continues as a finalist for a $3,000 Bright Futures Art Scholarship to be announced in January.

Ms. Julie Cordo
November Teacher of the Month


Left to right: Mr. Yepes, Ms. Cordo, Ms. Neely

Congratulations to FHS Instructor, Julie Cordo, for being selected the Horace Mann Teacher of the Month for November. Ms. Cordo, a teacher in our ESE department, received this honor for going above and beyond to provide our self-contained, special needs students multiple opportunities to build positive relationships with our staff and students.
Rigor in the Classroom
Latinos in Action

The FHS Latinos In Action class offers an asset-based approach to bridging the graduation and opportunity gap for our Latino students. Through culturally responsive social and emotional learning, college and career readiness, and interpersonal development, Latinos in Action empowers Latino and other youth who desire to expand their academic performance, leadership skills, and service opportunities, thereby strengthening their community. Recently, Freedom's Latinos in Action class used their talents to aid fellow FSH students with special needs. Even though some of the students are non-verbal, it's clear to see the connection the students have when the music begins playing. Watch the story to learn more.

Credit: Mr. Charles Youtz, Dean
Student Services
Counselor Assignments
School Counselor alphabet assignments have been updated. To view the Updated Counselor List click on the link.

Tutoring at FHS 
Click https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Grql-t6MinGi5OGpZcwtk4MMDniiiIa3dZZUhMQr9LA/edit?usp=sharing for tutoring opportunities available to our students.

General Information 
CollegeBoard Opportunity Scholarship Winners
* 5 students won between $500-$1000 during this month's drawing for the College Board Opportunity  
 
Scholarships
* Interested Junior and Seniors can sign up at https://opportunity.collegeboard.org/ 

College Acceptance Letters
* Don't forget to stop by Guidance to tell your counselor once those acceptance letters come in!

Course Requests
* Juniors (Rising 12th Grader) have completed their course requests for the 2020-21 school year. If your child has not selected classes for next year, then the student can see their counselor during their lunch to complete the form. 
 
* Counselors will visit middle schools in the beginning of January for 8th Grade (Rising 9th Grade) course selections.  
 
* 8th Grade Parent Night scheduled for Wednesday, January 15th at 6:00pm in the Freedom High School PAC. All parents and students of Rising 9th Graders are invited and encouraged to attend this meeting. 
 
* Sophomores (Rising 11th Graders) and freshmen (Rising 10th Graders) will also select their courses in January. 
 
* To View the courses available at Freedom: https://tinyurl.com/CourseDetailsFHS
* Look at the tabs the bottom
~ "Course Details" Tab: Describes all classes offered at Freedom High School
~ "Program" Tab: Lists all of the programs available, contact person, and interest link.
~ "Monticello Course Progression" Tab: Shows the courses that students should register for by grade level for the Monticello Program 
 
* To view more information about the Programs available at Freedom High School for the 2020-21 School Year: https://tinyurl.com/FHSPrograms2021 
Athletics
Visit the FHS Athletics Website at www.freedomhighathletics.com for up to date information including athletic physical forms.
Stay Connected!
FreedomHighAthletics.com is your window into the PATRIOT NATION. From schedules, to scores, news updates, and photo galleries of our phenomenal Student-Athletes in action - FreedomHighAthletics.com offers you everything you need to keep up with your favorite athletes, teams, and coaches at Freedom High School. As an added bonus for our fans, we are getting ready to launch Rapid Replay - featuring highlights of some of our favorite moments for you to enjoy and to share.

VNN Sports, our web provider, offers area businesses the opportunity to support Freedom Athletics by purchasing advertising on the site. FreedomHighAthletics.com averages nearly 12,000+ views a month, and will soon be one of the Top Ten High School Athletics websites in Florida. To learn more about our sponsorship opportunities, contact Athletic Director Robert Rego at Robert.Rego@ocps.net

Stay in the know on all things Freedom Athletics, and visit FreedomHighAthletics.com today!

#WeArePatriotNation

Football 
New Florida State University head coach, Mike Norvell, was on the FHS campus last week and it paid off. Congratulations to Demorie Tate (pictured center) as he will continue his education at the next level AND play football for the Seminoles on a full athletic scholarship.  
 
 
 
Wrestling 
FHS wrestling season got off to a great start and continued their dominance as both the girls and boys teams claimed 1st place at the Let Freedom Ring Duals this past weekend. The girls team defeated University (Orlando) 53-33 in the championship match and the boys defeated Boone High School 63-12 in the boys championship match. Next up, the girls will travel to Matanzas High School and the boys will be back in action 12/27-12/28 at Osceola High School.


   
 
Girls Basketball 
The Freedom Girls Basketball Program has been off to a solid .500 start this season, its best start in 7 years. The improvements to the program have taken time, but with a young core of players committing to working together - the program has been made strides to better their production both offensively and defensively. The team has improved their points per game scoring average from 38.4 per game last year to 44.1 per game this year, and have held teams this season to an average of 40 points per game compared to 47 per game last season. The team will look to continue the work they have started this season as at they compete in the Mount Dora Christian Academy Stutzman Invitational December 20-21st, and then they will travel to Bluffton, SC to compete in the B-Town Classic from January 2-4, 2020.
 
 
 
Winter Sports at FHS 
Below is a list of our winter sports at FHS along with their respective head coach. Feel free to contact the head coach for tryout dates and other pertinent information.

* Boys Basketball - Dustin Leonardo Dustin.Leonardo@ocps.net         
* Girls Basketball - Robert Caraballo Robert.Caraballo@ocps.net
* Comp Cheerleading - Chani Mills Chani.Mills@ocps.net
* Boys Soccer - Juan Baquero Juan.Baquero@ocps.net
* Girls Soccer - Keith Hageman Keith.Hageman@ocps.net
* Girls Weightlifting - Robert Mahoney Robert.Mahoney@ocps.net
* Boys Wrestling - David Bush David.Bush@ocps.net
* Girls Wrestling - Lynzie Doll Lynzie.Doll@ocps.net

Athletic Director - Bobby Rego Robert.Rego@ocps.net
Asst. Athletic Director - Maurice Allen Maurice.Allen@ocps.net
Asst. Athletic Director - Nathan Kallal Nathan.Kallal@ocps.net
Athletic Trainer - Joe Gonzalez Joseph.Gonzalez2@ocps.net
Athletic Trainer - Terri Charlock Terri.Charlock@ocps.net
Athletic Trainer - Peterson Francois Peterson.Francois@ocps.net  
Monday's Motivational Moment
APOLLO 8 CHRISTMAS EVE BROADCAST

Apollo 8, the first manned mission to the Moon, entered lunar orbit on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1968. That evening, the astronauts; Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell, and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders did a live television broadcast from lunar orbit, in which they showed pictures of the Earth and Moon seen from Apollo 8. Frank Borman added this to their message that evening:

"And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you - all of you on the good Earth."


Picture taken from aboard Apollo 8 looking towards Earth while in orbit around the Moon, December 24, 1968
 


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Copyright Notice 
Reproduction of this material, either written or electronically, including the general layout, graphics, analyses, and content topics without the express approval of Target Performance Systems, Inc., a Florida corporation, and OCPS - Freedom High School is forbidden without written consent.  Thank you for your support of OCPS - Freedom High School and the Orange County Public Schools. Please contact Charles Youtz at  charles.youtz@ocps.net with any questions or for further information.