Elective Class Selection for 2nd Semester (11th & 12th grades)
*Selections due by Thur., Jan. 25

The 2nd semester elective class selection forms are available on Jupiter for 11th and 12th grade students to complete. These selections are due by Thursday, January 25. Classes will be automatically assigned to any students who have not made a selection by the due date. Please feel free to contact Registrar, Anya Schnell, with any questions or for assistance.

11TH GRADE ELECTIVES

2nd Period
*All students will attend a Grand Tour class 1 day per week for 9 weeks taught by Mr. Matt Dykstra 

• Grammar School Teacher's Aide (1/2 credit) - teacher assignment will be given at the start of the semester
• Latin Independent Study (1/2 credit) - working with Mr. Eric Indgjerd and/or Mr. Ross Tasche
• Study Hall (no credit)

6th Period

• Intro. to Computer Science (1/2 credit) - taught by Mr. Bob Bailey
• Creative Writing (1/2 credit) - taught by Mrs. Larai Breithaupt
• Latin Independent Study (1/2 credit) - working with Mr. Eric Indgjerd and/or Mr. Ross Tasche
  

12TH GRADE ELECTIVES

6th Period

• Creative Writing (1/2 credit) - taught by Mrs. Larai Breithaupt
• Latin Independent Study (1/2 credit) - working with Mr. Eric Indgjerd and/or Mr. Ross Tasche
• Grammar School Teacher's Aide (1/2 credit) - teacher assignment will be given at the start of the semester
• Study Hall (no credit)

Protocol Event: Rhetoric School Winter Ball - Sat., Jan., 27

WHEN: Saturday, January 27, 2024 from 5–9pm
* Gentlemen please arrive at 4:45pm to escort ladies
* Ladies arrive at 5pm

WHERE: The Oaks' Great Hall

WHAT: A Rhetoric School protocol event, highlighting truth, goodness, and beauty. The evening will include a social time with tray-passed hors d'oeuvres, a full-course formal dinner, elegant ballroom dancing, and live music.

ATTIRE: Formal attire (also known as black tie) is more formal than business attire and slightly less formal than white tie. It is the most common formal dress code for events such as weddings, balls, formal dinners, and theatre.

When choosing your attire for this event, please be mindful of modesty and show preference to others. This event is designed to be a blessing for all in attendance. Thinking of others when making your clothing selections helps to ensure a beautiful evening.

• Ladies - formal, floor length evening gown or ball gown skirt (full coverage, closed back, preferably with sleeves-if wide strapped must be covered with a wrap; nothing revealing, strapless, or with high slits); simple, non-dangly jewelry; dress shoes; dress wrap or jacket - Ladies' Protocol Attire Ideas
• Gentlemen - suit in a dark color, white shirt, and traditional bow tie or tuxedo (dark vest with suit jacket, pocket squares, cufflinks, and shirt studs are all acceptable); dark dress socks and dress shoes (no tennis shoes); no gloves, hats, or sunglasses. - Gentlemen's Protocol Attire Ideas

PREPARATION: Waltz practices will continue during the scheduled activity times. Parents and grandparents are welcome to attend any or all of the dance lessons as well. These times are posted under the Upcoming Activity Schedule Days section below.

Etiquette review and training with Mr. & Mrs. Trotter will take place on Friday, January 19 and Friday, January 26 during 6th period [1:10–1:55pm] for all 10th through 12th grade students. Parents are welcome to attend as well.

PHOTOGRAPHY: A professional photographer has been hired to photograph this event. Photos will be made available afterwards. Parents, please plan to take any photos of your child prior to arriving at the venue. Only those who are participating in the event will be entering the venue. Students, please plan to arrive promptly as class photos will be taken beginning at 5:15pm with the 10th grade, immediately followed by the 11th and 12th grades. 

DROP-OFF/PICK-UP & PARKING: When arriving for the evening, all students will enter through The Oaks' building via the main/front entrance. Students driving themselves should park in the main parking lot off of 24th Ave, west of the new school building. Students being driven by parents should be dropped off and picked up along 24th and walk up the main walkway. Gentlemen will be escorting the ladies at both arrival and departure. Only those participating in the event will be entering the school building.

*Students, please plan to arrive promptly as class pictures will be at the beginning of the evening and will need to be taken whether or not all students have arrived.

Winter Ball Gown Closet

The Protocol team is hosting a winter ball gown exchange that offers FREE BALL GOWNS AND WRAPS to Rhetoric School ladies looking for a lovely dress for the upcoming Winter Ball. Families who would like to donate a modest formal gown (floor length only for the winter ball) or dress wrap/jacket may do so by bringing it to the clothing rack inside the girls locker room next to the showers. The gown or wrap you donate is freely offered to any young lady in grades 10–12. If the gown fits, it's hers to keep (or donate back)! We hope this is a blessing to the giver and receiver alike. Please contact Mrs. Teri Woodroof if you have any questions.

Rhetoric School Semester Testing - Wed.–Fri., Jan. 31–Feb.2
Early Dismissal Permission Forms due by Mon., Jan. 29 [3:30pm]

Once again this year Rhetoric students (grades 10–12) will have an altered schedule to accommodate semester tests during the last three days of the term (Wed.–Fri., Jan. 31–Feb 2). On these days, Rhetoric students may arrive at school when their assessments begin and may leave once their commitments are completed, provided that their parents have completed the Early Dismissal Permission form. While on campus, students are expected to be in uniform and in their assigned rooms for testing or study hall. The permission form is available in Jupiter and must be completed by Monday, January 29, at 3:30pm. Students will not be allowed to receive permission after this time, so please plan ahead. Please note, that all students will have a regular school day on Monday and Tuesday, January 29 and 30, and will be dismissed early on Friday, February 2 at 12:45pm, following Cantabile.

Rhetoric School - Semester 1 Test Schedule
Logic School - Semester 1 Test Schedule
*Logic School students will have regularly scheduled classes at their regular times & locations, unless denoted otherwise on this schedule.

Study Center - Tues., Jan. 30 [5–9pm]

On Tuesday evening, January 30 from 5:00 to 9:00pm, the kind and generous Rhetoric School teachers are offering a Semester Testing Study Center for Rhetoric students to prepare for the upcoming semester exams. Light refreshments will be available for students.

Junior High Basketball Registration Now Open
*Due Wed., Jan. 31 (payment due March 1)

If your child is planning to participate in basketball (7–8th grades), be sure to register today. Log in to your Jupiter parent portal and select the basketball registration form under Forms. Registrations are due by Wednesday, January 31 with payment due by March 1.

National ACCS Honor Choir
*February 1 audition deadline

National ACCS Honor Choir website

It's not too late to audition for the ACCS National Honor Choir in Atlanta, Georgia on June 17–21! The auditions are straightforward – students can learn their parts via online part recordings and them submit recordings of themselves singing with a background track. The February 1 deadline is just two weeks away, however, so if your child is interested, please see Mrs. Amy Kim promptly. New Saint Andrews College is offering a $500 scholarship to students selected for the 2024 ACCS National Honor Choir! This is a wonderful opportunity for those students who are considering attending NSA in the future.

SAT Test - Thurs., Mar. 21 [9am–12pm] *UPDATED REGISTRATION DUE DATE!
*During parent/teacher conferences
*Registration due by Thurs., Feb. 8

Oaks students will have the opportunity to take the SAT at The Oaks on Thursday, March 21 from 9:00am to 12:00pm. This is an optional test available to all 9–12th grade Oaks students. To register please complete the "SAT Registration 2024" form in Jupiter no later than Thursday, February 8. For further details, see the SAT flyer.

This year the College Board is transitioning to a digital format in which students will take the test on their laptop computer or tablet. Each student is responsible for bringing a device and power cord with the Bluebook app already installed. For those who took the PSAT last October this app is already downloaded on your device. For questions, please contact Mrs. Lynn Gibson.

ACCS Blakey Prize in Fine Arts Competition
*Entry deadlines: Mar. 8 & Apr. 5

High school students (grades 9–12) from ACCS member schools are invited to compete with their peers from other ACCS member schools in a national visual arts competition. This competition has four categories, drawing, painting, apparel, and stationery, in which students may enter. For details please visit the ACCS Blakey Prize in Fine Arts Competition website and contact Mr. Trotter if you are interested in submitting an entry.

Poetry Out Loud Winner & Regional Competition

Congratulations to 11th grader, Grace Kaiserman for winning this year's poetry competition! Grace now has the opportunity to represent The Oaks at the regional competition Thursday, February 1 at 7:00pm at the Downtown Library. All are welcome to come cheer Grace on! See Miss Emily Woodroof for more information.

The Oaks 2023-24 Poetry Out Loud Champions

Winner: Grace Kaiserman
2nd Place: Beatrice Wiens
3rd Place: Rebekah Bursese
4th Place: Sophia Funchess

Congratulations to all 13 of the poetry finalists on a job well done! 

From the College & Career Counseling Office
Seniors: Looking for Scholarships?

Going Merry is a website that gathers many scholarships from various providers. To get started go to Going Merry's website, create an account, and start applying.

Seniors: Are you interested in studying engineering at the University of Idaho?

The College of Engineering is offering a free webinar for high school seniors interested in undergraduate engineering and computer science degrees at U of I. This Zoom chat is on Tuesday, January 30, 4:30–5:30pm with current University of Idaho College of Engineering students and recent graduates. Students can discover its hands-on, technical degrees and nationally recognized programs. Register here.

Parents of Juniors: Understand 7 ways to help your child with the college application process next year.

Ethan Sawyer, also known as The College Essay Guy, is hosting a free webinar on Tuesday, January 23, from 4–5pm. By registering, you will also receive a recorded version of the webinar to watch on your own time if you can't make the livestream. Register here.

Juniors: Are you interested in the Naval Academy?

This June, the United States Naval Academy is offering Naval Academy Summer Seminar, a residential camp at the Academy for rising seniors. Applications will close April 15. This programs is a great opportunity for students to learn about the Naval Academy.

• Naval Academy Summer Seminar
• June 15–20
• Program Fee: $550

Visit USNA's website for more information.

Upcoming Activity Schedule Days

The Logic & Rhetoric Schools will be following an activity schedule (see the posted schedules) on the following dates. Students will follow the modified schedule throughout these days with the activity being denoted in the list below.

Fri., Jan. 26 – PM Activity Schedule
Protocol Waltz Lessons
Etiquette Training during 6th period for 10–12th grades

Mon., Feb. 12 – AM Activity Schedule
All School Photo

Helpful Links:

College & Career Counselor Appointment Scheduling
Lands' End School Starboard Scholarship (due 1/19/24)