Robin Weiss, PTSA President – duPont Manual PTSA

Celebrate Public Schools Week March 25-29

March 20, 2019March 20, 2019 by Robin Weiss, PTSA President

Celebrate our nation’s public schools during “Public Schools Week” March 25 through 29, 2019. Public education is the foundation of a 21st-century democracy and 90 percent of American children attend public schools. Public education is the major vehicle for preserving the basic values of a democratic system of government and must be supported and strengthened. … Read moreCelebrate Public Schools Week March 25-29

Exam Week Care Packages due 12/10

November 27, 2018November 29, 2018 by Robin Weiss, PTSA President

Manual parents as you know, exam week(s) can be stressful times for students. In order to help alleviate some of that stress, the RAMdom Acts of Kindness Club offers the opportunity to purchase care packages for students. Please mail the order form along with payment to Manual or drop them off in the main office … Read moreExam Week Care Packages due 12/10

Proposed Graduation Requirements

November 15, 2018November 16, 2018 by Robin Weiss, PTSA President

The Kentucky Board of Education recently acted on a proposal to revise graduation requirements in ways that could deny a diploma to students who do not pass certain tests in high school. These requirements aren’t set in stone yet. A public hearing on the new requirements is set for November 29 at 10 a.m. at … Read moreProposed Graduation Requirements

Leadership Change at duPont Manual

July 20, 2018July 20, 2018 by Robin Weiss, PTSA President

duPont Manual’s Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) is a neutral body which serves to support our students and parents with relevant information as they navigate through high school. We are releasing what we know regarding the reassignment of Manual’s Principal Gerald Mayes.

Based on the results of the investigation conducted by an outside investigator, Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio has decided to reassign Jerry Mayes to a non-instructional position within the district, effectively immediately.

Assistant Principal Greg Kuhn will work with Dr. Glenn Baete, Superintendent of High Schools, during the transition to oversee the daily operations of the school. The search for a new leader will begin right away, with Dr. Baete working collaboratively with the School-Based Decision Making (SBDM) Council to choose a new principal.

Manual KYA Titled Outstanding Delegation

June 29, 2018December 3, 2017 by Robin Weiss, PTSA President

The Kentucky Youth Assembly, better know as KYA, is the fall conference for the Manual Y Club. After months of writing, research, and debate, the club took over 100 students to attend this mock state legislature held at both the Kentucky State Capitol and the Crowne Plaza hotel on November 9-11th.

Each of the students assumes the role of a senator or representative, with a few students taking specialized roles, such as lobbyists, media, candidates, or as a part of the judicial portion.

The seven bills that we took to KYA did exceptionally well. Legislation is the primary focus of the conference, and our success in this area is one of the main reasons that we won the title of “Outstanding Delegation.”

The following bill sponsors deserve many accolades:

Tips for Manual Registration

June 26, 2018July 17, 2017 by Robin Weiss, PTSA President

Registration for high school is a yearly event. Even though I’ve done it numerous times, there is always a way to make it go more smoothly for my family. I talked to some other families to ask what advice they would give to someone attending registration for the first time. So take what you need and leave the rest!

Before You Go

Know what date and time your child needs to be there. Your schedule will only be available during your registration time.
Register and pay for your PTSA membership. It’s easier to do in advance online but can be done during registration.
Print and fill out your registration information before you arrive (check Manual website for documents required)
Have your freshman or new student be prepared to take a photo for their ID.
Seniors only – for a parking pass, driver’s license, and know your license plate number! If you are awarded a pass, you will be given instructions on when and where to pick it up.

What to Bring

Bring a pen or two.
Bring your checkbook, you will need multiple checks. (More on this later.)
Bring address labels, if you have them.
Bring your pre-filled registration information. (This is not yet available, watch in the Facebook group and via email for more information.)

#ThankATeacher Win For Manual

May 22, 2017May 21, 2017 by Robin Weiss, PTSA President

Thanks to a submission by Min Jiang, Manual was selected as a 1st place winner in the National PTA #ThankATeacher Contest sponsored by Google Express. We received credits worth up to $2,500 to order goodies to stock our teacher lounges. Among the things we were able to add to both the Manual and YPAS lounges:

Keurig coffee maker, storage drawers, and large supply of K-cups
Toaster oven
Sandwich grill
Electric kettle
Handheld vacuum
Charging station
Boxes and boxes of snacks, some of which are pictured below

The PTSA is separately working on getting the carpet replaced in the main teacher’s lounge as it is aged and needs replacing.

2017 PTSA Scholarship Award Winners

September 1, 2018May 8, 2017 by Robin Weiss, PTSA President

In 2015, the PTSA established a program to offer scholarships to graduating seniors; this year the amount was $600 each. There is an application process and a review panel that evaluates the applications. The students who apply are judged on their service to the PTSA and involvement in the Manual community, along with academics and teacher references.

The PTSA also awards a scholarship to a GAP or ECE student. To be considered, the student must be a graduating senior and member in good standing of the duPont Manual PTSA. There are no requirements (grade point average, etc.) other than having overcome significant obstacles on the path to graduation!

The awards are given annually at the Senior Scholarship Night. This year the recipients of the scholarships were: Sydney Blocker, Caroline Hawk, Richard Wilson, Austin Kline, and Savannah Brooks (not pictured).

EOC Exam Snacks Needed

April 17, 2017 by Robin Weiss, PTSA President

We would like to support the students by helping to provide snacks to be given to those taking end of course (EOC) exams. You simply buy from the Amazon list and it gets shipped straight to Manual!

From Ms. Lete: “Students will take End of Course Assessments in Algebra II, Biology, English 10, and U.S. History. Snacks are requested to ensure all students have eaten and are hydrated before tackling exams. The score each student receives is calculated into student’s final grade and overall scores are part of the Kentucky State Accountability System for Manual.”

Bill Jackson Named to Advisor Hall of Fame

April 8, 2017April 8, 2017 by Robin Weiss, PTSA President

Coach Jackson Advisor Hall of Fame

This year Coach Bill Jackson was inducted into the Kentucky YMCA’s Advisor Hall of Fame. To even be qualified to be nominated you have to have been an advisor for more than ten years and nominated by a Y-staff member, current student, teacher or alum of the program. Coach Jackson has spent more than ten years working with Manual students for both three-day conferences: the Kentucky Youth Assembly (KYA), a mock state government conference; and the Kentucky United Nations Assembly (KUNA), a mock United Nations.

The conferences are held in local hotels and include hours and hours of debate and meetings each day, with students running in many directions. This includes the formation of a Global Village for KUNA, and a trip to Frankfort, KY to debate in the actual House and Senate Chambers, not to mention simply moving one hundred fifty students around swiftly and easily.

One of the neatest things was that this award is a surprise. The lead up to the award ceremony was a hilarious list of missteps. Coach Jackson’s wife and family had been invited to surprise him and he still didn’t catch on because of some quick thinking on the part of his wife. Once it came time to announce the Advisor Hall of Fame winner, Coach Jackson, slipped out to grab something and we had to bring him back in.