The Titan View - Northview High School

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T H E T I T A N V I E W
From the Principal’s Desk:
G reetings Fellow Titans! Since the opening of Northview High School,
so much has been accomplished for which we all can be proud.
Please accept my congratulations for a great year and my appreciation for all
your support.
As the year draws to a close, please remember that these first seven years
are only the start of a journey to excellence. Complacency is not an option;
please be assured that every year will be better than those before. I had
the honor of being the founding principal of this school. Now, I pass the
torch to Ms. Spalla to continue a journey that has no end. I am fully confident
that she is the right person to lead our school to the next level of excellence!
Although I still cannot imagine not being an active participant in the life of
Northview, my heart tells me that it really is now time to focus on the more important role of being a
dad. I also look forward to devoting more time to my career as a musician. I hope to have many
employable years remaining to enjoy being the staff organist of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral and as
conductor of the Hellenic Community Orchestra. And if everything works out as anticipated, I really
will be a high school band director again!
As always, if I can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to ask. Together, we will continue Ever
Upward and Onward as we strive to be the flagship school for all of Georgia. Please have a safe
and restful summer!
Peter F. Zervakos— Mr. Z.
My child had a very demanding schedule this
year and although I am proud of his motivation
to excel, I worry that he was often overwhelmed
by the workload. What should students
do if, after getting extra help from
teachers, they still do not understand the subject
matter?
First and most important, do not give up. It is not
unusual for students to sometime feel there is no
hope, and then a few weeks later the situation is
much more optimistic. Sometimes, students will
come to me in mid-semester almost begging to
be taken out of a class because there is no hope
of passing. After explaining that a change can
not be made until the end of the semester, we
usually agree to “do the best he/she can and let’s
see how it plays out.” In most cases, the student
ends up staying in the class for the next semester
because the situation did improve.
If your child is experiencing academic challenges,
now is the time to be proactive. Our counselors
Musing with Mr. Z….
are sponsoring study skills seminars and all teachers
offer help sessions and individual instruction
as needed. Parents have email access to all staff
members and may register for ParentConnect
through our website, www.northviewhigh.com.
Peer tutors are also available; please go to our
website, select clubs, then select Tutors in Action
Network. Remember: Every child can realize success
if we all work together!
Finally, encourage the student to attempt every
assignment so that he/she will be eligible for recovery.
The recovery process does not guarantee
a passing grade, but can often make the difference
between passing and failing. If the student
is spending an inordinate amount of time on a particular
class because the work is too difficult, then
set a daily time limit. Decide upon a reasonable
amount of time your child can devote each day to
the class, and stick to it. This will enable your
child to budget his/her time so that other classes
do not suffer due to fatigue or burnout, and will
help develop time management skills.