Sammers Driving School offers online classes and classes in-person. After completing the online portion of the class and receiving a certificate, a 6-hour driving portion is required. The cost for the 6 hours of driving is $350.

Sammers also offers classes at the Crawfordsville Public Library and their new semester begins in January.

Please call Sammers Driving School for more information: 1-812-238-1415.

- Get ready for the PSAT- All Sophomores at NPHS are required to take the PSAT. This test is FREE and is to your benefit because it prepares you for taking the SAT in the future. You will take this test in October of your Sophomore year. If you want to take it again as a junior, it will cost you around $15, so take advantage of the free opportunity now!

- Take the right courses- Don’t take classes just because your friends are in them! Take classes because they interest you and they help you learn about what you may want to do in the future. If you want to be a nurse, take all the math and science that you can. If you are interested in computers, take the technology classes that we offer. Also, don’t forget about Area 30! You may attend Area 30 as a Junior and can take an in-depth visit at the end of your Sophomore year.

- Remember what colleges are looking for- Colleges are interested in GPA (grade point average), the classes you take each year, and the activities you are involved in. Be sure to work in each of these areas to have a great overall image for colleges. If you have a 4.0 GPA but did no community service or club activities, that is a problem. Likewise, if you have a 1.0 GPA and were involved in every club that was offered, that doesn’t work either. Sophomore year is about balancing these three areas.

- Continue to research colleges- Starting next year, you can take college visits. Really think about the schools and majors that you are interested in. Come to the college resource room in the Guidance Office and browse through our college brochures. Take as many as you like! Also, you may use the computer in our resource room to look at different college websites. Continue the search to find what is right for you!

- Get ready to make your four year plan! Mrs. Alspaugh will meet with you individually to plan out your four years of high school, including your diploma track, classes you will take each year, and what you want to do after high school. It is important to choose your classes according to your future. Don’t take classes just because your friends are in them! Take what interests you so that you will be better prepared for college, the military, or the workforce.

- Get help when you need it! Don’t be afraid to ask for a tutor to meet with you during SRT. The sooner you ask for a tutor, the sooner you can get help and improve your grades. Don’t let yourself fall behind. When you feel like you are overwhelmed, ask your teacher for help, or ask Mrs. Alspaugh to set you up with a student tutor.

- Get involved! Freshman year is full of many exciting opportunities–don’t let them pass you by! Check out the clubs and activities page on this website to see what you can become involved in. Mrs. Alspaugh is the Freshman class sponsor and also the sponsor of the SADD club. She will need your help during fall and spring homecoming for painting freshman banners. Just remember to jump in and have fun!

For the majority of our students it takes more than a high school education for Indiana students to be successful and realize their career dreams. Whether that dream requires a certificate, associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree or an advanced degree, DriveOfYourLife.org and TripToCollege.org are the places to start when planning for that journey.

Another great free resource is is NextStepU.com – Tools like College Match will help students find the right school and the e-Mag will deliver helpful resources right to you. Students can join the vibrant community of teens to learn from college students firsthand and share ideas. Plus, don’t miss chances to win free tuition and scholarships.

Other Quality Resources:

http://www.advisorteam.com/user/ktsintro.asp (Kiersey Temperament Sorter)

http://www.ajb.dni.us (America’s Job Bank)

http://bls.gov/oco (Occupational Outlook Handbook)

http://www.campuscareercenter.com

http://www.hollandcodes.com

http://www.monster.com

http://www.kuder.com

http://www.learnmoreindiana.org

http://www.myfuture.com/

http://www.princetonreview.com/default.aspx?uidbadge=%07

SADD stands for Students Against Destructive Decisions. This is a club for students who will stand up against destructive decisions and make good choices. SADD members meet monthly for meetings in which guest speakers visit and talk about drugs, alcohol, safe dating, college, etc. The SADD club sponsors Red Ribbon Week each October and also helps out at the safe trick or treat. SADD will be starting up again in September and Mrs. Alspaugh is the sponsor. Please see her for more information!

Wanting to join a club but don’t know what we have to offer or how to get involved? You’ve come to the right place!

Here is a list of clubs we offer. At the beginning of each year, clubs will announce their meetings on daily announcements or on the intercom on Friday mornings. Listen to those announcements for call-outs and come and see what the clubs are  about! If you need help, come see a counselor for more information.

Swimming

Basketball

Baseball

Softball

Volleyball

Football

Cheerleading

Wrestling

Golf

Soccer

Track

Cross Country

Special Olympic Sports

Concert Band

Marching Band

Guard

Choir (all female – beginning)

Choir (males and females- mixed)

Show Choir- See Mrs Kelly for more information

FCCLA (Family and Consumer Science Club)

FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes): Run by Mrs. Anderson. They meet monthly, do service activities, and help with the senior Baccalaureate service each year.

SADD (Students against Destructive Decisions):  This is a group that meets once a month to discuss a variety of issues such as drug and alcohol abuse and self destruction (i.e. cutting and burning). These students help plan a safe alternative for Halloween. They also help run the Red Ribbon Week. Please see Mrs. Alspaugh for additional information and how to sign up.

Bullying/Suicide Team:  This group meets once a month to discuss bullying/suicide issues in the school and community. We discuss in details the signs/symptoms of a suicidal individual; how to respond if someone is suicidal; and ways to improve self-esteem.  This is often where we gather information from the students of ways we can improve as a school.

National Honors Society: Sophomores through Seniors are invited to be a member of this club. See Mrs. Alspaugh or Mr. VanHaaften for information.

PEERS:  Peers group meets on a regular basis. In the past this group has discussed ways to make a difference in our school and community. They have worked on a variety of issues such as: bullying, teen pregnancy, staying sexually pure, drugs and alcohol.

Spell Bowl: This group typically meets in the morning with Mr. Hiland for practice and donuts.  They have a competition that they compete at each year. This group is for freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors. If you are interested please see Mr. Hiland for more information.

Teen Speak: Meet twice a month to discuss vital teen issues such as Teen Suicide, Depression, and Unhealthy Relationships. This program is similar to a group counseling session for students to open up and discuss personal problems and issues.

Teen Court:  This program is part of the Putnam County Youth Development Commission and the Juvenile Probation Department. The primary focus of Teen Court is a juvenile offender’s choice to come before adolescent peers in a courtroom manned by juvenile “attornies, clerks, bailiffs and jury”. Student volunteers are periodically recruited from North Putnam H.S. Please see Mr. Egli for an application and more information.

Philanthropy:  Is a part of the Putnam County Youth Foundation.  Juniors and Seniors meet in Greencastle on a regular basis to help raise money for scholarship and to discuss important concerns in the community.

PIE Breakfast: Prevention Intervention and Education. Is opened to Freshmen- Seniors who meet once a month in Greencastle at the Double Decker restaurant. They have guess speakers come in to discuss important topics such as drug abuse, drug education, etc. Students must provide their own transportation to and from the Double Decker.

Thespians: Ms. Gjesvold runs this drama club including the fall play and spring musical. Come out for auditions or to help with lighting, sound, sets, etc.

Peer Tutoring Team: This is an actually class where students will receive a grade. This opportunity is for Juniors and Seniors only. These students are placed in the elementary, middle, and high school classrooms to help other students who may need assistance. Mrs Lynn Scott does a quality job of placing these students with other students who need additional help.

Guidance/Office/Classroom Assistance:  This opportunity is only offered to Seniors. This is when students have the chance to help a North Putnam teacher or staff member. They are often running passes, making copies, answering phones, and various other tasks.

Yearbook: Help Mrs. Fields highlight all the memories from your school years.

Newspaper: This is a class in which students write articles and take pictures for the school’s newspaper.

TV Media: Join this class to help Mr. Basan create our morning TV announcements in our actual TV studio!

FFA: You must be enrolled in at least one agriculture class to be a part of FFA with Mrs. Skirvin.

C-Kom:  Peer mentoring for the upcoming freshmen. This is an opportunity for Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors to help introduce the High School to the freshmen. This takes place prior to the start of school. Students will do games and welcoming activities with the freshmen.  Sign-ups can be found in the guidance office at the end of each school year.

Key Club:  This group is for Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior, and Seniors. This is a program where they learn about how to volunteer in a variety of ways. Ms. Thomas runs and operates this group. They typically volunteer at the Special Olympics each year. Please see Ms. Thomas for more information and how to sign up.

Leadership Team:  This is for Sophomore and Junior students. Every year we go to a high ropes course in Indianapolis where they experience exciting  team challenges. We also attend the Youth for Youth seminar in the winter where they have the opportunity to hear professional speakers talk about leadership and making positive choices.  These events do cost money to attend and students are responsible for making payments. Please see Mr. Egli for more information.

We encourage our students to take the ACT or SAT at least once as a Junior and at least once as a Senior (depending on how well they score). The SAT is offered seven times a year and the ACT is offered six times a year. Almost ALL colleges/universities require students to take the ACT/SAT to be accepted. It is the parents and students responsibility to make sure the student has signed up for the SAT/ACT.

ACT and SAT Dates

NEVER PAY FOR SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION!  All scholarship information is available free to you.  Beginning in January of your senior year, you will complete the FAFSA (Free Application For Student Aid).  This form, which is much like a tax return, is due to be received by March 10 and should be submitted no later than March 1.  It goes to the federal government, the state government, then on to the college or colleges to which you have been accepted.  This one application results in an SAR (Student Aid Report) which is a letter you receive telling you what grants, loans or scholarships will be offered to you from all levels.  Companies who send you an offer to search for scholarships for a fee are scams!

We will have a guest speaker Kim Donut head of admissions from Indiana State University come and speak to our parents and students about how to complete the FAFSA. We encourage all Senior students and parents to attend on January 10th at 6:00pm in the media center.

Parents wishing to enroll new students in North Putnam High School must call the main office at 765-522-6282 and request an enrollment meeting with Principal, Alan Zerkel, or with Assistant Principal, Jason Chew.  Parents should bring a birth certificate, immunization record, and proof of residence.

After being admitted by an administrator, students will then go through the course selection and enrollment process with the guidance department.  Please call Lauren Alspaugh (9th & 10th Grade Counselor) or Tyler Egli (11 &12th Grade Counselor) with any course selection or enrollment questions.

The 2011-12 school year began August 16, 2011.

Semester one will end December 22, 2011.

Semester two begins January 3, 2011 and ends May 24, 2011.  (Extra days may be added for weather related make-up.)

TSLA is a service provided by the West Central Indiana Educational Service Center located in Miller Education Center, Greencastle, Indiana.  The Academy is managed by Tammy Brothers, Safe and Drug Free School Coordinator for WCIESC.  Mrs. Brothers can be reached at 653-2727.

Students can apply to be a member of TSLA as a Sophmore or Junior. Students may apply for TSLA during the months of April and May. 

Please see Mr. Egli for a list of the TSLA events.