Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians,
We have had a wonderful beginning to the school year, and it is fabulous to have all of the students back in the building!
September is always a busy month as we establish routines and kick off the year. Please read on for information about upcoming activities and reminders about procedures.
Warmly,
Amy Bongard, Assistant Principal
Pooled testing ➯ For all staff and students, even those who are vaccinated, pooled testing is an incredibly effective way for us to be aware of the level of Covid at school. It allows us not to wait for someone to become symptomatic before Covid is reported to us, limiting the spread and impact of any given positive case. Participation in pooled testing is particularly important for students who are not vaccinated; if they are a close contact of a positive Covid case but stay asymptomatic, they will not have to quarantine from school or sports/clubs.
We will pilot the pooled testing program with a small number of advisories this Monday, 9/13. We hope to start the program on a school-wide basis on Monday, 9/20.
Currently we are at 36% participation among students.
We are offering 5 hours of community service to every student who participates, since the choice to do so helps our whole community (and beyond!) stay safe.
In order for a student to participate in pooled testing, a parent or guardian must give permission via a short process found at this link.
Thank you for considering!
Main Entrance ➯ A quick reminder that the West Elm entrance is closed to all non-staff traffic from 8:00 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. each school day. If you need to drop something off at school, swing around the building to our beautiful new main entrance on the Portland Street/athletic field side.
Flex Time ➯ In response to feedback from students, staff, and parents about the need for dedicated time to support students during the school day in a variety of areas, this year we have changed our schedule. Period 3 White is called Flex Time, and we will use it in three important ways:
Academic Focus: Engage in activities that support the management of your academic progress and resources.
Wellness Focus: Engage in activities that promote a sense of physical and mental well-being.
Community Focus: Engage in activities that build connections with others to benefit our school community and beyond.
In terms of attendance, Flex Time is considered to be an instructional period. We look forward to designing and launching some great activities this year, all in the name of support for students!
Community Service ➯ There are many community service opportunities available in the coming weeks. If you know that your student needs hours for graduation or open campus purposes OR enjoys volunteering and would like to try some new projects, please have them check YHSStudent for listings. These are also available on PowerSchool, both for parents and students.
Dismissal Procedures ➯ Just a quick reminder about parent and student procedures for dismissal from school:
A parent/guardian must contact the office (by note, phone or email) before a student can be dismissed.
Parents/guardians do not need to come into the school once they have contacted the school.
Students must check out at the main office before leaving the building.
If a student is ill during the school day, they must check out with the nurse prior to dismissal.
Volunteer Information ➯ Each year, we supply our volunteer coordinators with the names, phone numbers and email addresses of parents. If you do NOT want your information shared, please call the Main Office.
Upcoming Dates:
Tuesday, 9/14: School Pictures
Online orders: www.geskusprint.com Use code: PNA24J9F
Wednesday, 9/29: Open House
Virtual this year -- more info to come!
Thursday, 9/30: Flu Clinic
Look for details on how to sign your child up in a future Parent Note.
Wednesday, 10/6: Progress Reports