November 24 2015 - Piedmont Public Schools

PHS Wildcats
Page 1
Volume 1, Issue 10
November 24, 2015
Amanda Harden Named
2015-16PHS Teacher of the
Year
Amanda Harden has been
named the Piedmont High
School Teacher of the Year
for the 2015-16 school year.
Mrs. Harden currently teaches Biology I and Pre-AP Biology at PHS.
Mrs. Harden was announced
at a recent faculty meeting
after the nomination and
voting process. Mrs. Harden
was nominated and voted by
her peers.
Mrs. Harden is currently in
her 4th year at Piedmont and
her 5th year overall in education. She also serves as the
Science Department Chair for
the High School as well as a
member of the Principal’s
Building Leadership Team.
In addition to educating the
students of PHS, Mrs.
Harden is currently working on her Master’s of Education Degree through East
Central University in Ada,
Oklahoma.
Mrs. Harden has been instrumental in helping
Piedmont obtain some of
the highest Biology I End
of Instruction scores
among its peer schools.
She has also helped grow
our Science Club to record
numbers over the last few
years.
A current student in Mrs.
Harden’s Biology class had
this to say about her teacher: “Mrs. Harden is always
in the center of the learning. She facilitates us to
Inside this issue:
PHS Student Spotlight
2
PHS Sports & Activities
3
Local Florist Do- 3
nates
PHS Happenings 3
Amanda Harden
want to learn and is
constantly guiding us
to find the answer. In
labs, homework, and
tests, she can always
be counted on to provide the guidance we
need.”
Mrs. Harden is married to her husband
Brandon and they
have a 2 year old
daughter, Haley.
PHS in Pictures
4-5
PHS Students of
Month & Olympia Prep ACT
6
PHS Teachers of
the Month
7
Important 2nd Qtr
Dates:
 November 25-29 Thanksgiving
Break, No School
 December 5 - Winter
Formal
 December 12 - National ACT Test
Day
 December 18 - Last
Day of School
Photo’s courtesy of Lifetouch & Shawn Blankenship
Page 2
PHS Wildcats
PHS Student Spotlight - Tess Von
Hemel
Being the daughter of an extremely
successful horse trainer, Tess Von
Hemel knows her way around horses. Tess is a very involved junior at
Piedmont High School and also has
as much going outside of school as
she does at school. Tess rides
equestrian as a hobby and competes in contests all over the region.
Tess comes by this passion naturally, her father Donnie is one of the
most successful trainers in thoroughbred horse racing. His horses
have won over 2,000 races and millions of dollars in prize money as
well many victories at Remington
Park, Oaklawn Park, and other
tracks throughout the country. He
has trained horses that have won
the Breeders’ Cup and other high
pro-
Tess Von
Hemel on
competing on her
horse
“Undenia
ble”
file thoroughbred horse races.
(barn name of Teddy) and 2 year old
Tailored Man (barn name Manny).
That influence, coupled with the
She has numerous accomplishments
support of her mother Robin, has
in these competitions highlighted by
led to a hobby that has taught Tess
winning the Oklahoma Hunter
some valuable life lessons.
Jumper Association Fall Finale, the
Zone 7 Handy Hunter challenge with
Tess currently competes in a style of
a high score of 98, and placing 6th in
equestrian called hunters. The comthe Midwest Equitation Finals.
petitions are judged on a horse’s
performance in jumping obstacles
Tess is also as successful in the classthat simulate a hunting field.
room as she is on the equestrian
Tess has been riding competitively
since 2008 and competes approximately once a month. She has competed in Tyler, Texas, Oklahoma
City, Tulsa, and Arkansas. She competes in the 15-17 year old
“Children’s” division, which jumps
fences of 3 feet in height. She currently has 2 horses, Undeniable
field. She carries a 4.25 GPA and
balances a schedule filled with 4 AP
classes and Yearbook. Tess credits
her parents with the ability to balance such a busy life with her school
responsibilities.
Tess would like to continue equestrian into college with the possibility of
attending Oklahoma State University
and competing collegiately.
PHS Wildcats
Page 3
PHS Sports and Activities

Girls Cross Country team finished 10th overall in the 5A
State meet held at Edmond Santa Fe.

Boys Cross Country team finished 7th in the 5A State
meet held at Edmond Santa Fe, highlighted by John Anderson placing 4th.

PHS Wildcats football team concluded its season with a
record of 3-7, winning 3 of the last 4 games. They improved each week and played probably their best game
in a week 10 loss to 5A semi-final bound Bishop McGuinness.

Kassidy Scott was named to the Oklahoma Fastpitch
Coaches Association All State Team.

PHS Student Council participated in the 3 day STUCO
State Convention at Yukon.
Happenings at PHS

December 1 - Vocal Christmas Concert

December 2 - PAWS #5

December 5 - Olympia Test Prep
Practice ACT Test

December 5 - Winter Formal

December 7 - Wind Ensemble Concert

December 7 & 9 - Olympia Test Prep
Academini

December 9 - Froshmore Academic Team @
Crossings

December 10 - HS Band Concert

December 12 - ACT National Test Date

December 12 - Pom State

December 18 - Last Day of School

KJ Neal was chosen to the OMEA All-State
Choir. He will participate January 20-23 in
Tulsa at the OMEA All-State Choir followed
by a performance at the Tulsa Performing
Arts Center.

Piedmont Public Schools were announced
as winners of the Oklahoma Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee
Banned Books Week Contest.

PHS Homecoming court was Butch Hampton, King Heath Beeby, Cody Winkle,
Audree Paxton, Queen Emily Knight, Tori
Harrison, Dylan Meador, Sylvia Dawkins,
Bryson Ensminger, Peyton Thomas, Jacob
Kyle, & Mallary Hayes.

We had 5 student-athletes sign college
scholarships this fall. Butch Hampton Western Michigan Football, Jourdan Edwards - USAO Softball, Cassidy Ray - NOCEnid Softball, Kassidy Scott - Texas Tech
Softball, and Logan Simunek - Oklahoma
State Softball
Piedmont Florist Donates
to PHS
Local florist Melissa Woolf made a contribution to the Piedmont High School Junior
Prom. Coordinating with a set of junior parents, Melissa worked to donate proceeds
from the sales of Homecoming Mums to assist with the annual spring formal.
Shell Meador, parent of PHS junior Dylan
Meador, worked in conjunction with Melissa
to make the Homecoming festivities more
memorable and to help contribute to help
offset the cost of the Junior-Senior Prom.
Thank you to all those who assisted in this
endeavor to make our prom even more special.
This years prom will be held April 9, in the
Boathouse District just south of downtown
Oklahoma City.
PHS Wildcats
Page 4
PHS in Pictures
PHS Basketball Tip-Off Breakfast
OLA IFC Banned Book Week Winner
New Charging Station in the Library
Football Senior Night vs. McGuinness
Drew Gossen Congratulated for the November
Teacher Feature
Softball Banquet and Coronation
Military History Diorama’s
from Mr. Bilyeu’s Classes
PHS Students helping unload
Primary
Kids and
Elementary
Images courtesy of Piedmont Surrey-Gazette, Blake Coltston, and
Layne Jones.
Setting up for the Daddy Daughter Dance
Homecoming Night vs. Guymon
Homecoming
Pep
Assembly
Page 5
PHS Wildcats
PHS in Pictures
PHS Football Coach Drew Gossen
Cassidy Ray Signing with NOC-Enid
Jourdan Edwards Signing
Kassidy Scott Signing with Texas Tech
Butch Hampton Signing
Logan Simunek Signing with Oklahoma State
Girls &
Boys at
5A State
Cross
Country
Meet at
Edmond
Santa Fe
High
School
on October 31,
2015
PHS Homecoming Pep
Assembly &
Bon Fire
sponsored
by PHS
Student
Council
Images courtesy of Alissa Antwine
& Layne Jones.
PHS Wildcats
Page 6
PHS Subway and Great Plains National Bank Students of the Month
9th Grade - Ashlee Milenski & Reese Farris
Subway Students of the Month
10th Grade - McKenlee Foote & Chase
Ricketts, Subway Students of the
Month
11th Grade - Trisha McVicker &
Mason Beard, Subway Students of
the Month
12th Grade - Jaritza Escobar &
Hunter Wilson Subway Students
of the Month
Olympia Prep Classes Being Offered
for December 12 National ACT Test
Date
Great Plains National Bank Students
of the Month - Raily Vanderburg &
Blake Burgess
The December ACT National Test date is right around
the corner. Piedmont graduate Karl Francel has packaged some ACT Preparation
events tailored exclusively
for our students in preparation for the December test
date. Listed are a brief description for each of the
events. If you would like to
get your child signed up for
any of these, or all, please
visit the Olympia Prep website at
www.olympiaprep.com
personalized tutoring, spaces are limited.
work with you to make sure
he can help your child. His
goal is to see Piedmont students make tremendous
The ACADEMINI is the
course offered for 2 evenings gains in ACT scores. Particithe week prior to the testing pants in his past sessions
have shown documented
date. The dates for this
progress on this test. In
event are Monday, December 7 & Wednesday, Decem- turn, for many students,
these improvements transber 9.
late to more college opportunities and more scholarship
The FREE ACT PRACopportunities.
TICE TEST is exactly what
it says. It is an opportunity
for students to come in and For additional information
take a free practice test. The please email him at
ask@olympiaprep.com. Or
test is graded on site and
The offerings from Karl and
you can call the school at 405
students are given instant
Olympia Prep are the most
feedback. This is on Satur- -373-5011, your child’s counextensive they have put
selor will be able to provide
day, December 5.
together for our students to
clarification about general
date.
ACT questions.
Online registration is preferred so they can prepare
The FULL ACADEMY is
for the appropriate number
the in depth, individualized
of participants. If you have
program that examines the
some financial constraints
rigorous test at its fullfor either the full academy
est. This one provides a
or the Academini, please
small group setting and
contact Karl and he will
Page 6
1055 Edmond Rd. NW
Piedmont, OK 73078
Phone: 405-373-5011
Fax: 405-373-5014
The mission of Piedmont High School is to
empower all students to succeed in an ever
changing world. With a strong curriculum
and almost half our student body active in
some type of extra-curricular activity, our
students leave high school prepared for the
world ahead of them.
Quick Facts:
Twitter
@PHS_Wildcats
- Superintendent - Dr. James White
- Principal - Layne Jones
- Asst. Principal 11th&12th - Clay McDonald
- Asst. Principal 9th&10th - Brent Antwine
- Counselor for A-L - Marcy Eldridge
- Counselor for M-Z - Cathy Earnest

HS Enrollment - 936

OKSDE A-F Grade for 2014-15 - “A-”

2015 Avg. ACT Score - 21.7
PHS Teachers of the Month
This months Subway & Great Plains
National Bank Teachers of the Month
are: Jon Bakewell, Alissa Antwine,
and, Amanda Harden.
Mr. Bakewell teaches Geometry and
Algebra II for PHS and also coaches
football and track. He has been with
PHS for 17 years.
Mrs. Antwine teaches Algebra III/
Trig., Pre-Calculus, and Student
Council for PHS. She has been at PHS
since 2002.
Alissa Antwine
Jon Bakewell
Amanda Harden
Mrs. Harden teaches Biology and PreAP Biology for PHS and is in her 4th
year at PHS.
Thanks to our school business partners, Subway and Great Plains National Bank for their support.