Onteora High School
Clubs and Activities
All students are encouraged to participate in activities, join a group (or a few), become involved, develop a passion. This is a list of some of the opportunities at the Onteora High School. Parent volunteers are sometimes needed for fundraising, planning and lending a hand.
Contact info: Email addresses for many of the advisors are provided below; however, you may also call the school (657-2373) and leave a message in the office for the advisor you wish to contact.
Please note that meeting dates and times are subject to change. For additional information, please contact the appropriate advisor(s).
Art Club High School
Advisor: Shelly Hamilton contact: shamilton@onteora.k12.ny.us
Meets after school every Wednesday from 2:45 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
French Club 9th – 12th Graders
Advisor: Christi Nelsen-Epstein Contact: cnelsen@onteora.k12.ny.us
This club is available to students taking French as a second language. Students attend meetings and participate in travel, field trips, and activities.
German American Partnership Program – GAPP 10th – 12th Graders
Advisor: TBD
This program is available to students enrolled in German and in 10th-12th grade. These students experience German culture first hand by hosting a student for three weeks, then traveling to Germany for three weeks during the summer vacation. Students attend school and participate in travel, field trips and activities in each country.
German Club 8th-12th Graders
Advisor: TBD
This club meets once a month in the high school kitchen to cook/eat German food and to listen to German music.
Spanish Club
Advisor: Elena Garcia Contact: egarcia@onteora.k12.ny.us
Meets after school from 2:45 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. on these dates: 9/29/10, 10/14/10, 10/28/10, 11/18/10 and 12/09/10.
Math Club/Math Olympiad 9th – 12th Graders
Advisor: Edward Whitlow Contact: ewhitlow@onteora.k12.ny.us
The Math Club competes monthly against other Ulster County schools with the possibility of qualifying for sectional and/or state competition. Its members meet every Wednesday, after school.
Science Olympiad High School
Advisor: Bryan Keenan Contact: bkeenan@onteora.k12.ny.us
Advisor: Carolyn Thompson Contact: cthompson@onteora.k12.ny.us
Students in this activity prepare for the competition in the spring (usually mid-February). The activity is based upon student interest.
Diversity Club/Amnesty International 9th – 12th Graders
Advisor: TBD
Students volunteer to attend periodic meetings all year to discuss projects that encourage Onteora students, staff and community to celebrate our diversities.
GSA: Gay-Straight Alliance Club
Advisor: Lynn Battista Contact: lbattista@onteora.k12.ny.us
Students celebrate each other’s diversity, while helping to create a school environment where all students’ voices are heard and all students feel safe. This club meets each Wednesday after school (2:45-4:00 p.m.).
Harvard Model Congress 9th – 12th Graders
Advisor: Alicia Curlew Contact: mailto:acurlew@onteora.k12.ny.us
A government simulation in which students are assigned the roles of members of congress, cabinet secretaries, federal judges, lobbyists and national journalists. They interact in an effort to create public policy in the form of bills, executive actions and court decisions. The delegates compete in Boston-Cambridge yearly during the last week in February. Participation fees may be required.
Distributive Education Clubs of America – DECA 10th – 12th Graders
Advisor: Jean Douglas Contact: jdouglas@onteora.k12.ny.us
This club is for high school business students and focuses on community service and business/marketing competitions. DECA students man the bookstore blood drives, Coats for Kids, Toys for Tots, football and basketball concessions. Trips include a fall conference, regional and state competitive events and National Senior Citizen Day. The club meets every Wednesday from 2:30 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
Students Against Violent Initiatives 9th - 12th Graders
Advisor: TBD
Gifted and Talented
Advisor: Carolyn Thompson Contact: cthompson@onteora.k12.ny.us
Gifted/Talented Community Mentor Program 9th - 12th Graders
The Community Mentor Program is a challenging learning experience for students in 9th through 12th.Therict Gifted and Talented Services. The program provides a unique opportunity for students to engage in an in-depth exploration of an area of interests. Students are paired with community members who have expertise in that area. With the program coordinator facilitating, they create an individualized education plan, culminating in a final project.
Teaming Up for Success (TUFS) 9th – 12th Graders
Advisor: Robin Perls Contact: rperls@onteora.k12.ny.us
Advisor: Janet Krieger Contact: jkrieger@onteora.k12.ny.us
TUFS is a pilot mentor program that is just getting underway.
Theatre Club - Onteora
Advisor: Chris Grady Contact: jgrady@onteora.k12.ny.us
This club meets Tuesdays after school and is led by Mr. Grady. Students have fun acting in scenes and doing improvisations that help them to feel more relaxed and comfortable in front of others. This helps them become better actors and even more happy individuals, because they learn the importance of deeply connecting with others and themselves.
High School Newspaper 9th – 12th Graders
Advisor: TBD
“The Bull” is Onteora’s student newspaper. Four issues per year are published (one per quarter). Anyone in the school can submit articles for publication, which may or may not be published.
Yearbook 9th – 12th Graders
Advisor: Brian Connolly Contact: bconnolly@onteora.k12.ny.us
Students participating in this activity publish a yearly book featuring all the events of the year.
Student Affairs Council – SAC 9th - 12th Graders
Advisor: Scott Via Contact: mvia@onteora.k12.ny.us
Elected student representatives participate in regular meetings of the student government. We have brief meetings 4th period on Wednesdays or Thursdays, whichever is a B Day, and we have 1-2 formal meetings a month after school on Wednesdays. The number of meetings is determined by the amount of information we need to discuss.
Students Against Destructive Decisions
Advisor: Peggy Haug Contact: phaug@onteora.k12.ny.us
This activity supports school and community programs that encourage constructive decisions. They also work on a variety of fundraising activities for the Belleayre Bash.
High School Musical 9th – 12th Graders
Advisor: TBD
Students participate in the creation of a fully staged musical featuring singing, dancing, lighting and costumes. The performance takes place every other year with auditions in early January and the performances in April (Bye Bye Birdie, 2008). Rehearsals are two to three days per week after school.
Chamber Ensemble 9th – 12th Graders
Advisor: TBD
This is an audition group that rehearses once a week after school and performs a variety of chamber music for assemblies and community service. Auditions take place in September. Participation is open to orchestra students.
Sounds of Jazz 9th – 12th Graders
Advisor: TBD
This auditioned group of jazz vocalists is involved in many school and community performances throughout the school year. The ensemble has participated in many music festivals, from New York City to Washington, DC, to Toronto. Rehearsals take place on Thursdays after school.
Jazz Ensemble
Advisor: Steven Murphy Contact: smurphy@onteora.k12.ny.us
This select group performs jazz music a number of times throughout the year. The ensemble rehearses weekly after school. Auditions take place in September.
Marching Band 7th – 12th Graders
Advisor: Steven Murphy Contact: smurphy@onteora.k12.ny.us
This group of band members is active during the fall and spring. The marching band participates at various competitions at the local and non-local areas. The band may also march in the Kingston and New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parades and perform at community Memorial Day parades.
Marching Band Color Guard
Advisor: Cassandra Sauer
National Honor Society 12th Graders
Advisor: Jean Douglas Contact: jdouglas@onteora.k12.ny.us
Advisor: Jeanne Blank Contact: jblank@onteora.k12.ny.us
Selection to National Honor Society is a privilege, not a right. Students do not apply for membership to the NHS; instead, they provide information to be used by the selection committee to support their candidacy for membership. Students, who have a grade point average of 85 or better based on five semesters of high school work, are invited to apply. Membership is granted only to those students selected by the Faculty Council. This is not an election, nor is membership automatically conveyed simply because a student has achieved a specified academic performance. NHS is more than just an honor roll. Academic achievement, as well as leadership, service and character are considered in the selection process. Character will include the qualities of respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, fairness, caring and citizenship to include cooperation with school regulations, such as attendance and punctuality. We meet every first Monday of the month and on every other Thursday (in school during 7th period lunch). This year's NHS is putting together an Onteora High School Literary Journal. The Literary Journal meets once a week on Tuesdays (in school during 7th period lunch). Meeting times are always subject to change.
