August 22, 2023
Dear Parents and Students,
I hope that you all had a relaxing summer break and are excited to return to school. I was able to spend some quality time with my family this summer and get outdoors a whole lot, even with all the rain we had. I am feeling refreshed and ready to see our halls full of students again soon.
It has been an extremely busy summer at the school with summer school and a major construction project all going on simultaneously. I am happy to share that much of the project will be finished as we welcome our students back to school. There will still be construction going on during the fall, particularly in the auditorium space, but most of our classrooms and common spaces will be ready for use. The main entrance to the high school will be open and used by both high school and middle school students to start the year, as construction on the middle school entrance is ongoing.
We are going to do everything we can to make sure each day is intellectually stimulating for every one of our students. One of our major areas of focus this year will be on increasing our students’ academic achievement. We want to make sure that each student challenges themselves every day, efficiently using their time at school learning and engaging with their teachers and classmates.
Back to school information:
- First day of classes Thursday, September 7th
- First period begins at 8:02 am this year and the school day ends at 2:44 pm
- The schedule for this year includes a 30 minute lunch period for all students
- Between the hours of 11:15-1:15 students will follow either an even schedule sequence or an odd schedule sequence based on their lunch period. Do not be alarmed when you look at your schedule if there appear to be missing periods, as long as you have classes scheduled for all time slots you should be good to go
- Chromebooks will be issued the first week of school (freshman will get them at orientation on 9/5)
- Schedules will be available through the ESD portal on August 31
- School supplies vary by teacher/subject and will be communicated on the first day of class
- Class assemblies will be held the first week of school to review school policies and procedures
- All 9th grade students have been issued a locker to use for the year. Any other students that would like a locker should contact Mrs. Cole in the main office to be issued one
- All students will receive a copy of the student handbook on the first day of classes
- Attendance is an extremely important part of success, be at school on time each day
- Our freshman/new student orientation will be on Tuesday, September 5 starting at 2:30 pm in the cafeteria. We are holding it a little later than normal to accommodate the ongoing construction
- We will once again be able to supply all of our student’s meals at no cost through a grant. To help us remain eligible for this program in the future, families should fill out the Free And Reduced Price Meal Application
Back to school shopping can be exciting and families are reminded to keep school dress code in mind as they prepare for the upcoming school year. Our dress code helps maintain a safe and respectful learning environment for all. Dress code reminders: No hoods, bandanas, tube tops, clothing promoting alcohol, drugs, or violence, and undergarments and midriffs must be fully covered at all times. Based on student feedback we will be allowing students to wear baseball style hats this year, not winter hats or anything that can cover students’ ears. The full dress code can be found in the student handbook on the high school website.
One of the largest challenges we continue to face is the appropriate use of technology, specifically cell phones and social media. Students are reminded that cell phones and earbuds are not to be used in classes and photographing/videoing anyone is strictly prohibited. Parents please do your part by monitoring your child's social media and phone usage.
Major Changes
The school has been undergoing a significant amount of construction over the summer. The construction team has been working on new science classrooms, music rooms, family and consumer science rooms, as well as several new student bathrooms. Most of these projects as well as the main lobby should be completed before the first day of school, but the timeline is very tight. There will be construction work going on in the gymnasium over the first two weeks of school and the auditorium will continue to be worked on for several months. Below are some of the major items and adjustments that we will encounter:
- The high school parking lot will remain closed to start the year, as this is as an active construction site
- Staff will be parking on the streets around campus. Students that drive to school should expect to be parking further away and plan appropriately
- The main entrance to the High School is scheduled to open on 9/25. Until then we will be using the Middle School entrance for all students
- The auditorium will remain inaccessible throughout the fall
- Access to the HS gym for fall sporting events will be through the high school main entrance
- Some finish work may still need to be completed in various classrooms and that work will occur when school is not in session
While the inconveniences that we have navigated over the last year plus are substantial, the end product will be well worth it. This is an exciting time for our school and community as we continue to look towards the future.
The entire staff is excited for the school year to begin. We look forward to working with you on making this a positive and productive year. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to contact the high school office for assistance.
Sincerely,
Eric Schenone
High School Principal