Senior Activities/Graduation

Dear Seniors and Families,

Please read the important updates we have below for the Class of 2021!

Update on Caps and Gowns, etc.:

Please order all caps and gowns, announcements, and Senior Swag by December 18th to get the group discount!  Items ordered after this date may be more expensive and stock will be more limited.  You can order at www.jostens.com, and contact our rep., Mike Annis, with questions.

Upcoming Dates

Trimester One ends tomorrow, December 3rd, and there is no school for students on Friday.  The new trimester begins on Monday, December 7th.  If students have questions about how to access their new classes, please call the Main Office at (425) 204-4200.

We will have a materials distribution event on December 10th from 3-7pm.  Teachers will inform students if they have materials to pick up.

Senior Photo submissions end on January 31st, and images can be uploaded at at this Senior Photo Link.

If you have missed any of our emails and want more information, go to this Senior Page.

Follow us on Instagram and Twitter @TheRealHazenHS!

Have a safe and warm December. Please reach out to me with any questions or concerns. 

Tyrell Hardtke
Assistant Principal
Assessment Coordinator
(425) 204-4211

Dear Families of the Class of 2021,

Please read the many updates we have below!

Senior Class Meeting for Students and Families:

Join us on Tuesday, October 27th at 6 or 7pm for a virtual meeting! We will present information and take questions in two identical sessions.  Topics include:

Financial Aid, Scholarships and College Applications
High School and Beyond Plans and Community Service
Yearbooks, Senior Photos, and Ordering Grad Items
How to get involved with the Class of 2021 Parent Group
Graduation Requirements
 
Senior Photos and Ads for the Yearbook

Senior photos can be uploaded to https://images.jostens.com/415467176 and are due January 31.

Senior Photo requirements:  

Photo MUST BE VERTICAL and from the waist up. Horizontal photos will not work with yearbook formatting.  
Photos must be higher resolution (of between 250 and 300 ppi/ dpi) so it prints clearly. If you are not sure, just submit and we will let you know. 
Photos can be taken indoor or out- background must be simple and scenery should not block the student.
Arms/hands should not be above the waist or knees blocking the body.
Clothing and jewelry must be in accordance with school dress code guidelines.  
Photos must be in color, with no texture, name stamping, embossing, logo, or date stamp.  
 
Senior Ad Information:  

The link for purchasing senior ads is: https://www.jostens.com/apps/jcom/router.mvc?affiliateId=1118591 

Senior ads are available for purchase.  These ads are in color and orders are due January 31.
A really neat feature of the senior ads this year is that parents get to design them right from home and upload them directly to Jostens.com!  
The costs for the ads are as follows: 
 Full page $260.00 
 ½ page    $130.00 
 ¼ page    $75.00 
 1/8 page    $45.00 
Questions? Contact our Yearbook Adviser at amy.charles@rentonschools.us.

Hazen Financial Aid Presentation and Work Session: MONEY GRAB! (events for students)

Join your Hazen School Counselors and Staff for a presentation about the Financial Aid Process, Q & A about applying for Financial Aid, Hazen Staff and Financial Aid Experts available for one-on-one assistance, and RAFFLE PRIZES for participants!

Friday, October 30

11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

ZOOM Link:  October 30 Money Grab

ZOOM Link:  November 5 Money Grab

Support from our College and Career Center:

Career Center Canvas Page (will include more information and registration link for the following events)
College/Financial Aid application support for seniors and their families
Every Tuesday and Friday (October – January) from 3:30PM – 7:00PM.
Financial Aid Fridays – support in filling out the financial aid applications
Every Friday from 11:30AM – 1:30PM (November – December)
Nov. 13th, Nov. 20th, Dec. 11th, Dec. 18th

Financial Aid Event – (Evening) support in filling out the financial aid applications
Thursday, November 19th, 3:00PM – 6:00PM
 
Ordering Caps, Gowns and Announcements:

Packets to order items from Jostens were mailed home last week.  Jostens will visit Hazen on Friday, October 30th from 3-5pm in the front parking lot for a drive-through ordering event, and you can also order items at www.jostens.com.  Questions? Email mike.annis@jostens.com.

FYI graduation is scheduled for 6/21/21, although we do not yet know how COVID will impact the format.

News from Hazen Boosters:

PLEASE RENEW YOUR BOOSTER MEMBERSHIP BEFORE OCTOBER 21st PRIZE DRAWINGS!  

Hazen Booster Club is a volunteer organization devoted to ensuring that extra-curricular activities, sports programs and grad-night and related activities at Hazen High School stay competitive, compelling and enriching!  Remember, you can select up to 3 classes, clubs or sports that your membership fee will be directed toward.  

Sign up or renew your Boosters membership now to be eligible for our first 2020-2021 BOOSTER MEMBERS PRIZE DRAWINGS  during our General Membership Meeting on Wednesday, October 21, 2020!  All Booster members with currently active memberships are eligible for three prize drawings per school year.  Each prize more than pays for your current level membership!   

Basic Membership Drawing:   $50 Gift Card

Silver Membership Drawing:  $75 Gift Card

Gold Membership Drawing:   $150 Gift Card

We also offer Corporate Sponsor Memberships to advertise your business to hundreds of Boosters members.  Not sure whether your membership has expired?  Log onto hazenboosters.org and check your membership status.  Still unsure? Contact your club/team parent, or VP's of Membership Aditya Mohan or Christina Mason. 

Class of 2021 Parent Message:

Please help us congratulate Michelle Fjetland, who purchased items and won a free poinsettia!  

ANNOUNCING OUR SECOND FREE POINSETTIA SALE BONUS!  Purchase items by October 31st to be entered in our second FREE POINSETTIA drawing! 
 
Please help us spread the word by sharing this post in your social media, email and text to local friends, family and neighbors about our Hazen Senior Class Fundraiser—featuring gorgeous poinsettias and wreaths from local Squak Mountain Nursery!   Preorder Online now through November 1st.    Orders can be picked up at Hazen High School Friday, November 20th between 3-6 pm (the Friday before Thanksgiving) so you can enjoy them all season long!   We will also have a latte stand at Hazen on Nov 20th for more holiday and gift ideas to warm you up.   This is a fantastic way to support the Hazen Seniors in a year when so many normal things are missing!  

Please share this link! https://www.hazenboosters.org/page/show/3952202-poinsettia-and-wreath-sale-benefiting-senior-class

Dear Senior Families,
Welcome to October, and congratulations to your students for persevering through their first month of online school!  Here are some updates that you may find useful:

Process for Ordering Grad Announcements and Caps/Gowns from Jostens

Jostens will be mailing home ordering packets the week of 10/12-10/16, as well as emailing other pertinent information.  Please check that your address and email in Skyward are accurate and reply to this email with updates, if needed.

We are tentatively planning a drive-thru event on October 30th from 3-5pm, where students can drop off order packets, pick up some items that have already arrived, and get questions answered.  Our Jostens representative is Mike Annis, and he can be contacted at mike.annis@jostens.com if you need further information after receiving your packet.

Access to Counselors

Counselors have a new and efficient system for scheduling meetings! Check out https://hazen.rentonschools.us/counseling to make an appointment.

Financial Aid, Scholarships, and More

The FAFSA and WAFSA applications opened yesterday, October 1st at www.wsac.wa.gov/apply

Also, if you have not visited our Career Center site at

https://hazen.rentonschools.us/career-center/welcome, please do so! It is fully loaded with financial aid and scholarship information for your family.

Conferences

As explained in Ms. O’Brien’s email last Friday, Parent-Teacher Conferences will have a new format this year- Student Led Conferences.  Please go to your student’s Homeroom teacher’s Canvas page to sign up for a time, or see the email that each Homeroom teacher will be sending.  Conferences will occur on October 15th and 16th.  Part-Time Running Start students will be contacted by an administrator about their conferences.

Senior Photos

Our Yearbook staff is hard at work on this year’s book already, and will be releasing information on how to submit Senior Photos this month.  Stay tuned.

Stay Informed of Senior Events! Message from our Parent Chair, Christina Mason:

You are warmly invited to attend the Class of 2021 Parent Meeting on Zoom this Wednesday evening at 7pm.  Please add this monthly meeting to your calendar!   

Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.

Monthly: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/tZUufu6rrjwiHNEF3ARxpcZUZTI6Hv5vmrP3/ics?icsToken=98tyKuGprTItGdSSuB-CRpwcA4r4KOnziGZHgo14ukzEMThDYTnDDNZrZJppRc7d

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81397307865?pwd=cVQ0OCtJdVY0QWFESk5TblRacVF1QT09

Meeting ID: 813 9730 7865

Passcode: 735196

Hello Hazen 12th graders and families!

Here are some helpful updates for you.  Also, please follow us on Instagram @TheRealHazenHS.

PSAT/SAT Updates:
We have received further guidance and clarification from Renton School District regarding upcoming PSAT and SAT testing.  Students are automatically enrolled to take the exams on the schedule below, free of charge at Hazen High School (COVID permitting!):

January 26, 2021: 10th and 11th grade PSAT

March, 2021: 11th grade SAT

March, 2021: Possible SAT for Seniors*

*This test is being negotiated with the College Board, because the Class of 2021 will most likely not need the SAT to apply to colleges.  Seniors who want to take the SAT may seek out other testing sites, but we cannot cover the fee.  Please visit FairTest.org to see which college and universities are making SAT scores optional for admission.  My previous email indicated that Seniors could test through HHS in January, but that test is no longer being offered to Seniors by RSD.

Running Start and Homeroom:
A few students are asking ‘why is Homeroom required for Running Start students?’ Over the last few years, we have seen a growing communication gap between Hazen and our Running Start students, leading to students missing important events, resources, and deadlines.  To alleviate this issue and to help Running Start students remain connected to Hazen, we are now requiring Homeroom attendance.   Students need to attend their Monday Homeroom period, plus the small group they are assigned to later in the week.  If this conflicts with college classes, please contact your Homeroom teacher to work out a plan.   

ASB Events:
Here is a special message from Rusty!:

COVID has taken many things from us and our students, but one thing it can’t take is our Highlander spirit! The Welcome Back Assembly is something that many of our staff and students look forward to in order to help us kick off the year. With this said, it is my pleasure to announced that our pandemically influenced Welcome Back Assembly will premiere on YouTube on this coming Friday, September 18 at 11:30 am.  You can view the assembly at: https://youtu.be/faROqnc977c. 

Materials Distribution:
We have moved our final materials distribution to Tuesday, September 22nd from 3:30-7pm.  Please come to the front lot to pick up and return textbooks and get other learning materials.

Senior Photos:
Yes, we will be asking for Senior photos for the 2020-21 Yearbook!  Please look for more information in October from Mrs. Charles and the Yearbook team.

News from Jostens:
We have not yet scheduled time for Jostens to come to Hazen to take student orders for caps, gowns, announcements, and other items for graduation due to COVID.  However, ordering is available at www.jostens.com.  Orders are taken through the Spring of 2021, so no need to worry!

FREE College Coaching:
If you have a 2.5 or above and are looking for guidance on college applications please access our incredible College Possible Coordinators, Anna (11th grade) and German (12th grade!).  They offer 1:1 coaching sessions on college readiness skills, test prep, college applications, financial aid, scholarships and more, even extending throughout the college experience!  Space is limited. To apply, students can fill out a short application here: https://collegepossible.org/programs/student-resources/join/.

Thank you all, and please reach out with any questions!

Sincerely,
Tyrell Hardtke

Dear Seniors and Families of the Class of 2021,
We are excited to welcome you back to the 2020 school year!  I am your designated administrator for the Senior Class, and will send periodic email updates on upcoming events and deadlines.  I also oversee all assessment-related programs, such as SAT, PSAT, state testing, and AP.  We are currently getting questions about learning materials, the SAT, and Community Service, so here is the latest information for you:

Materials Distribution:
Please join us on Friday from 10am-12:30pm & 1pm-3pm to pick up textbooks and other learning materials you may need for this Trimester.  This is the designated 11 and 12th time, but if you have a sibling in a different grade level or can’t make the assigned times, please call the main office at 425-204-4200 and we will assist you with scheduling.  Not all students will have materials to pick up- teachers are to inform students of what, if anything, they need to pick up for class.  You can also pick up Yearbooks that were purchased last year, get tech help, and clear fines. 

SAT/PSAT:
The date of the October SAT and PSAT been pushed back until January 26, 2021.  Due to COVID, we cannot open the school building to host the SAT, and there is no online option.  The January administration will have the same benefits as the October PSAT/NMSQT, including eligibility for programs administered by National Merit Scholarship Corporation. We recommend checking with the colleges your student is interested to see if they are requiring SAT scores for admission, and/or looking outside of King County for testing options if time is an issue. Visit https://www.collegeboard.org/ for more information on how to sign up.

Community Service:
Community Service hours (20) continue to be a graduation requirement for the Class of 2021.  For more information, visit: https://hazen.rentonschools.us/counseling/httpshazenrentonschoolsusclass-of-2020.  On this site you will find the community service log, which can be emailed to Courtney.swearingen@rentonschools.us when complete.  We hope students will think creatively about community service this year- are they babysitting for free? Helping a sibling with homework? It counts!

Upcoming Senior Events:
We have not begun hosting any official Class of 2021 events, and we recommend students follow @hazenco21 and @hazenhighlanders on Instagram for updates on Senior Class activities!  Our new ASB Director is Ashley Gambrill- please email her with any questions at ashley.gambrill@rentonschools.us.

Please reach out to me with any questions you have, and stay safe!

Tyrell Hardtke
Assistant Principal