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June, 2016

CAPITAL HIGH

SCHOOL NEWSLETTER

Calendar of Events June

2—Graduation Practice/Picnic 4—Graduation—2:00

6-8—Semester Tests—Grades 9-11

BRUIN BEGINNINGS Freshmen/New Student Orientation

Tuesday, August 30th

Where: CHS Gym

When: 8:20—3:15 for Freshmen

12:30—1:30 for NEW STUDENTS Grades 10-12

August 31st - All students report to regular classes. Each teacher

will inform students of the supplies needed for that specific class.

SEMESTER TEST SCHEDULE SENIORS (tests will be taken during the regularly scheduled class time): May 31—Semester Tests—Periods 2, 3, and 4 June 1—Semester Tests—Periods 5, 6, and 7 June 2—Semester Tests—Periods 0 and 1 Graduation practice following 1st period test (9:30) at the Carroll PE Center Senior picnic to follow practice June 6—Graduation—2:00 JUNIORS, SOPHOMORES AND FRESHMEN: Monday, June 6 Tuesday, June 7 Wednesday, June 8 8:20 – 9:40—Period 0 8:20 – 9:40—Period 3 8:20 – 9:40—Period 6 9:55 –11:15—Period 1 9:55 –11:15—Period 4 9:55 – 11:15—Period 7 11:15 –11:50—Lunch 11:15 –11:50—Lunch 11:15 – 11:50—Lunch 11:50 – 1:10—Period 2 11:50 – 1:10—Period 5 11:50 – 2:45—Make-up Tests 1:24 – 2:45—Make-up Tests 1:24 – 2:45—Make-up Tests

Congratulations to this Year’s Retirees!

The following Capital High staff is retiring this year. Please join us in wishing them well: Kathy Boutilier, Dennis Brown, Mark Gray, Steve Gross, Patrick Hurley, Thomas Pedersen and Debra Stiles.

2016 Class Schedule & Textbook Pickup:

Monday August 22 Seniors Noon-3pm

Tuesday August 23 Juniors Noon-3pm

Wednesday August 24 Sophomores Noon-3pm

Thursday August 25 Freshmen Noon-3pm

**Please allow extra time as you will need to pick up your textbooks at the

Textbook Center when you receive your class schedule.

YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE YOUR CLASS SCHEDULE OR

TEXTBOOKS UNTIL ALL FINES ARE PAID!!

During the summer, fines may be paid at the May Butler Center.

Fines may be paid at CHS starting August 16th.

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State Music Festival Awards State Music Festival was held in Helena on May 6 and 7. Congratulations to the following students. Six singers performed their vocal solos and received the following scores: McKenna Hanson - Superior, Marie Curtis - Superior, Nathan George - Excellent, Katie Perrigo - Superior, Jared

Selva - Superior and Anastasia Hartley - Superior. The following students received superior ratings at the State Solo and Ensemble Festival in band: Jaskrit Singh, Eston Falley, Jake Michaletz, Bobbie Zapata and Anna Scanlon.

David Strong Memorial Scholarship Winner Announced Congratulations to Cailey DenBoer, who was selected as the recipient of the David Strong Memorial Scholarship for the 2015-2016 school year. The $500 scholarship is awarded annually to one senior at Capital High School who is pursuing a degree in Career and Technical Education at a Montana post-secondary in-stitution. This scholarship is in memory of David Strong, who was a tremendous advocate for students and served as the Career and Technical Education director for Helena School District at the time of his death in 2011. Cailey has completed a number of CTE courses and is a member of Business Professionals of Amer-ica (among other activities and achievements) at Capital High School. She plans to pursue a degree in engineering at Montana Tech. Congratulations Cailey!

FOR ALL ATTENDANCE ISSUES, CALL

324-2499 24 Hours a Day/7 Days a Week

CHS Students Compete at Business Professionals of America National Leadership Conference

Four students represented Capital High School at the National Business Pro-fessionals of America Leadership Conference in Boston, MA, May 5-9. This year marked BPA’s 50

th year with a conference theme of “This Is Our Time”.

Capital High School received the Quality Chapter Distinction Award and Terri Norman (advisor) was recognized as a 2016 National Honor Advisor. Students competed in the following events: Fundamental Accounting—Cailey DenBoer, JAVA Programming—Connor Morrison, Computer Network Security—Colin Gillespie and Web Site Design Team—Colin Gillespie, Connor Morrison andMathias Sletten. Congratulations CHS Business Professionals of America!

Montana Money Magic Sixteen to 18 year olds, if you are earning money over the summer you can get $3 for each dollar you save in this program. The money is to be used for higher education costs. You will also learn valuable financial literacy skills. To find out if you qualify, go to smartaboutcol-lege.org or call Marti Johnson at 447-6950.

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From the Desk of the School Nurse: Concussions The term concussion might make you think of someone knocked unconscious while playing sports. But concussions — temporary disruptions of brain function — can happen with any head injury, often without a loss of consciousness. And while we often hear about head injuries in athletes, most concussions happen off the playing field — in car and bicycle accidents, in fights, and even minor falls. About Concussions A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury. The brain is made of soft tissue and is cushioned by spinal fluid. It is encased in the hard, pro-tective skull. The brain can move around inside the skull and even bang against it. If the brain bangs against the skull — for example, due to a fall on a playground or a whiplash-type of injury — blood vessels can be torn and the nerves inside the brain can be injured. These injuries can cause a concussion. Anyone who has a head injury should be watched closely for signs of a concussion, even if the person feels OK. An undiagnosed concussion can put someone at risk for brain damage and even disability. So anyone who has any symptom of a concussion should be examined right away by a doctor. Sports-related concussions are receiving increased attention. Doctors now recommend these steps after a suspected concussion:

The player should immediately stop playing or practicing. The player should get checked out by a doctor before returning to practice or play.

Kids who get concussions usually recover within a week or two without lasting health problems by following certain precautions and taking a break from sports and other activities that make symptoms worse. Signs and Symptoms Someone with a concussion may be knocked unconscious, but this doesn't happen in every case. In fact, a brief loss of consciousness or "blacking out" doesn't mean a concussion is any more or less serious than one where a person didn't black out. If your child might have had a concussion, go to the emergency room if he or she has any of these symptoms: loss of consciousness; severe head-ache, including a headache that gets worse; blurred vision; trouble walking; confusion and saying things that don't make sense; slurred speech and/or unresponsiveness (you're unable to wake your child) Call your doctor right away to report other problems, such as vomiting, dizziness, headache, or trouble concentrating. Then you can get advice on what to do next. For milder symptoms, the doctor may recommend rest and ask you to watch your child closely for changes, such as a head-ache that gets worse. Symptoms of a concussion don't always show up right away, and can develop within 24 to 72 hours after an injury. Young children usually have the same physical symptoms as older kids and adults, but cognitive and emotional symptoms (such as irritability and frustration) can appear later, be harder to notice, and last longer. Sleep-related issues are more common in teens. Though most kids recover quickly from concussions, some symptoms — including memory loss, headaches, and problems with concentra-tion— may linger for several weeks or months. It's important to watch for these symptoms and contact your doctor if they last. Often, in these cases, children need further evaluation and treatment. Diagnosis To diagnose a concussion, the doctor will ask about how and when the head injury happened, and about your child's symptoms. The doctor also may ask basic questions to test your child's consciousness, memory, and concentration ("Who are you?"/"Where are you?"/"What day is it?"). The doctor also will do a physical exam and focus on the nervous system by testing balance, coordination, nerve function, and reflexes. Some-times a computed tomography (CAT scan or CT scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scan will be done to rule out internal bleeding or other problems from the injury. Some kids who have head injuries from playing organized sports are examined by a coach or athletic trainer immediately after they're injured. This is known as sideline concussion testing because it might happen on the sidelines during a game. Sideline testing is common in schools and sports leagues. By watching a player's behavior and doing a few simple tests, a trained person can see if immediate medical care is needed. Lots of schools or sports leagues use computerized programs that test players at the start of a sports season to measure their normal brain func-tion and ability to process information. These tests are called baseline concussion tests. After a possible injury, sideline test results are compared with baseline test results to help doctors determine if there's been a change in brain function and to help make a diagnosis. Treatment Because each concussion is unique, symptoms can differ in severity. For this reason, treatment depends on a child's particular condition and situation. If a concussion is not serious enough to require hospitalization, a doctor will give instructions on home care. This includes watching the child closely for the first 24 to 72 hours after the injury. It is not necessary to wake the child up while he or she is sleeping to check for symptoms. If a child has a headache that gets worse quickly, becomes increasingly confused, or has other symptoms (such as continued vomiting), it may mean there is a more serious problem. Call the doctor if your child has any of these symptoms. Otherwise, home care for a concussion may include:

Physical rest. This means not doing things like sports and physical activities until the concussion is completely healed. While they still have symptoms, kids should do only the basic activities of day-to-day living. This reduces stress on the brain and decreases the chances of re-injuring the head in a fall or other accident. When all symptoms are gone, kids should return to physical activities slowly, working their way back to pre-concussion levels.

Mental rest. This means avoiding any cognitive (thinking) activity that could make symptoms worse, such as using a computer, cellphone, or other device; doing schoolwork; reading; and watching TV or playing video games. If these "brain" activities do not make symptoms worse, kids can start them again gradually, but should stop immediately if symptoms return.

Eating well and drinking plenty of non-caffeinated beverages. (continued on next page)

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HELENA SCHOOL DISTRICT #1 NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL U.S. POSTAGE PAID 55 S. RODNEY HELENA, MT 59601 HELENA, MT 59604 PERMIT NO. 94

CAPITAL HIGH SCHOOL

JUNE NEWSLETTER

Kids with concussions also should avoid bright lights and loud noises, which can make symptoms worse. While they have symptoms, teens should take time off from work and not drive, operate heavy machinery, or do any other activities that require quick decisions and reactions. Healthy kids usually can return to their normal activities within a few weeks, but each situation is different. The doctor will monitor your child closely to make sure that recovery is going well, and might recommend acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or other aspirin-free medicines for head-aches. Pain medicines can hide symptoms, though, so kids should not return to normal activities until they no longer need to take them. Returning to Normal Activities Be sure to get the OK from the doctor before your child returns to sports or other physical activities. Sometimes kids feel better even though their thinking, behavior, and/or balance have not yet returned to normal. Even if your child pleads that he or she feels fine or a competitive coach or school official urges you to go against medical instructions, it's es-sential to wait until the doctor has said it's safe to return to normal activities. To protect kids and remove coaches from the decision-making pro-cess, almost every state has rules about when kids with concussions can start playing sports again. It's very important for anyone with a concussion to heal completely before doing anything that could lead to another concussion. Hurrying back to sports and other physical activities increases the risk of a condition called second-impact syndrome, which can happen as a result of a second head injury. Although very rare, second impact syndrome can cause lasting brain damage and even death. Preventing Concussions All kids should wear properly fitting, appropriate headgear and safety equipment when playing contact sports or biking, rollerblading, skate-boarding, snowboarding, or skiing. Nothing can prevent every concussion, but safety gear has been shown to help protect against severe head trauma. Childproofing your home will go a long way toward keeping an infant or toddler safe from concussions and other injuries. Babies reach, grasp, roll, sit, crawl, pull up, "cruise" along furniture, and walk. Toddlers may pull themselves up using table legs; they'll use bureaus and dressers as jungle gyms; they'll reach for whatever they can see. All of these activities can result in a head injury that leads to a concussion. Be sure your child has a safe place to play and explore, and never leave a baby or toddler unattended. Proper child car seats, booster seats, and seatbelts can help prevent head injuries in the event of a car accident and should be used every time kids are in a car. People are much more likely to sustain a concussion if they've had one before, so prevention is even more important following a head injury. Evidence shows that repeated concussions can result in lasting brain damage, even when the injuries happen months or years apart. Concussions are serious injuries that can become even more serious if kids don't get the time and rest needed to heal them completely. Safety precautions can help prevent concussions, and following a doctor's advice can minimize their effects if they do happen. Reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD and Todd A. Maugans, MD Date reviewed: March 2015