Summit High School
Message From Mrs. Grimaldi
Dear SHS Families,
The construction on the library is progressing and on time. Now that the sidewalk along Weaver Street is open, the Kent Place Blvd. door will be open beginning at 7:30am.
Please be sure that your contact information is correct in Genesis so you can be notified in the event that our schedule needs to be changed due to inclement weather.
This upcoming week the Student Council is hosting a Spirit Week. Please encourage your student to participate.
Monday: Festive PJs
Tuesday: Holiday Hats/Headgear
Wednesday: Holiday Movie Favorite Character
Thursday: Bundle Up (Scarves/Hats/Mittens)
Friday: Ugly Sweater
It's a great day to be a Hilltopper!
Stacy Grimaldi
Principal
Doorway Decorating
Last week the Student Council hosted a doorway decorating contest. Many advisory groups took the opportunity to decorate their doorways on Tuesday. Please see some of the amazing decorated doorways below.
Governor's Schools Applications - Opportunity for 11th Graders
Below please find information about The Governor’s School in New Jersey in the Sciences and Engineering and Technology. Summit High School can nominate one junior in each of the categories.
The Governor’s School:
A tuition-free program for high school juniors across the state to take advantage of rigorous and demanding STEM-related summer residential academic programs. This year, the Governor’s School is offering two programs.
Programs:
- The Sciences: July 7 – 27, 2024 at Drew University
- Engineering and Technology: July 1-25, 2024 at Rutgers University
Additional Information:
- Governor’s School in The Sciences Website and Program Description
- Governor’s School in Engineering & Technology Website and Program Description
Eligibility:
- The student must be a New Jersey resident and be a high school junior during the 2023-2024 school year.
- The student must have a very strong interest in the area (sciences or engineering and technology) and be committed to the acquisition of knowledge and the pursuit of opportunities in that field.
- The student must be able to fully commit to the demanding schedule of the program.
- The student must be one of the top students in their school. The student should have primarily “A” grades in honors math and science classes and outstanding scores on standardized achievement tests. Students who have demonstrated very strong abilities outside the classroom can also be strong candidates in spite of weaker standardized test scores.
- Competitive candidates rank in the top 5% of their class and score above the 90th percentile on standardized tests.
Students interested in being considered as Summit High School’s nominee in either of these programs, must complete the appropriate application below in its entirety and submit it to Mrs. Kaplan via email or in the School Counseling office by Monday, December 18, 2023. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.
Applications:
Note: Those students selected as Summit High School’s nominees will be notified prior to winter break. They will be required to complete the Governor’s School application, essays, and supplemental materials by Friday, January 5, 2024.
Please contact Mrs. Kaplan (lkaplan@summit.k12.nj.us) with any questions.
Parent Wellness Newsletter
Winter break is fast approaching! With a full week of down time, here are some things we can do in our community to encourage positive mental health habits while keeping our teens engaged!
Go for mindfulness walks. Mindfulness walks can be used as a way to help your students stay grounded through the holiday break. It can also be used as a good time to spend some time with your students.
Practice gratitude. Gratitude is something that can help increase moods. We often forget to think of the things we are grateful for. This can be a perfect time for reflection.
Get creative. Getting creative isn’t just a way for us to pass time. It can also help our students engage their brain and get out of their thoughts. The downtime can sometimes be a lot for some students to handle, so this may be a helpful way to keep them engaged.
Hug those you live with. Hugging releases oxytocin which can help our brain’s stress and reward system function. It is also directly responsible for helping us interact socially. Getting those hugs in can not only increase your mood, but it can help you if you have increased social interactions over the winter break.
Try some meditation. With high stress situations that can occur during the holiday, practicing meditation can help decrease stress levels. Consider using an app like Calm or Headspace or even looking up different guided meditations on YouTube.
Dance it out. This is a great way to release energy in times of bad weather, freezing temperatures, or limitations to getting exercise in!
Carve time for the outdoors and open sky. Getting outside provides many positive benefits. Try playing in the yard, go to the park, or go for a hike if the weather allows to take advantage of these benefits.
Message from the Health Office
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Please take the time to review the following illness guidelines below. Most importantly, if your child is not feeling well in the morning, please do not send them to school with the thought that they may come home if they do not “feel better.” An ill child is unable to learn and negatively impacts the health of other children in the classroom.
Fever: Students should remain home with a fever of 100.4F or higher. All students are required to be fever-free for 24 hours , without the use of fever-reducing medications such as Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen, before returning to school.
Cold symptoms: Fever is not the only indication of illness! Coughing, sneezing, a runny nose, and fatigue are also signs of illness and all warrant a day off to prevent further spread of germs.
COVID: If your child tests positive for COVID-19, please contact your school nurse and use our district’s reporting form at: covid reporting data sheet for return to school dates. All COVID positive students (regardless of vaccination status) must complete a full 5 day isolation period (with day 0) being either the date of the positive test (if no symptoms), or the date of first symptoms, in order to return to school.
Antibiotics: If your child is prescribed an antibiotic, a full 24 hours of medication is required prior to returning to school.
Vomiting or diarrhea: Students must be free from vomiting and diarrhea for a full 24 hours prior to returning to school.
Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye): Students may return to school after receiving eye drops for a full 24 hours AND the eye is free of discharge.
Good handwashing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of germs both at school and at home. Always cover your mouth with a tissue when you cough and sneeze, and if you don’t have a tissue handy, use your upper arm, not your hands to cover your mouth. If you plan to get an annual Flu or COVID vaccine now is the best time to schedule them.
Kind regards,
Kristen Akian, Summit High School Nurse
Did You Know?
Did you know that you can view your student's check-ins on Genesis? Students scan into the bathrooms, library, help centers, counseling office, and nurse's office when they visit these locations during the school day. You can view these check-ins in Genesis. Log into your Genesis account, and click check-ins on the left side of the screen. Please discuss with your student any excessive time out of class.
You can also view how many times your student did not have their ID badge with them in school. Please help ensure that your student has their ID badge with them each morning.
Attendance Reporting
Reporting an Absence from or Tardy to School
If your student is absent from school or will be late to school, please contact the attendance office by emailing shsattendance@summit.k12.nj.us or calling 908-273-1494, option 1. Please be sure to include the student's name, grade, and reason for absence or lateness. Please contact the attendance office before 10am on the day of the absence or tardy. If reporting a late to school, please also include the time the student will arrive at school.
Reporting an Early Dismissal
Electronic Ticketing for SHS Athletic Events
Like the NJSIAA and many other schools in New Jersey, Summit High School will now use Hometown Ticketing for ticket sales at athletic events. Beginning this Saturday, 9/30 at our Varsity Football Game vs Scotch Plains-Fanwood at Tatlock Park at 1pm, tickets can be purchased in advance and scanned at the gate upon arrival. Cash will no longer be accepted. Please use this link for tickets. The link is also available on the Summit Athletics homepage.
Summit Public Schools has not changed its ticket prices in decades, and they will remain unchanged (see below). However, please be advised there will be a small fee associated with each ticket purchased.
Adults $4
Students $2
Senior Citizens and Preschool Aged Children - Free
Please contact Athletic Director Dan Healy with questions.
Morning Drop Off & Entrances Into The Building
When dropping off your student in the morning along the driveway, please pull up all the way before stopping to let your student out of the vehicle. Please do not cross the double line along Weaver Street if you are trying to bypass the traffic line for drop off. If you drop your student off on Kent Place Blvd., please drop off only on the school side of the street. For the safety of all students and drivers, please do not make K-turns or turn around in driveways along Kent Place Blvd.
Visitors to Summit High School
Appointments must be made in advance to see teachers, counselors, administrators, and other staff. Please be prepared to announce your name and purpose in order to be granted access into the building. In the event an emergency visit is necessary, please call the school’s main office ahead of your arrival so we are prepared to accommodate your needs. Drop-off items (lunch, instrument, Chromebook, etc.) may be dropped off in the bin outside the main entrance vestibule.
Academic Help Centers
Our academic help centers are up and running during each period. Please encourage your student to visit the academic help centers during their study hall period.
Yearbook Information
Attention Seniors Parents/Guardians
If you would like to purchase a yearbook recognition ad to be included in the yearbook, please click the link below. The deadline for submission of the recognition ads is December 3rd.
Yearbook Purchase Information
Construction Update
This week the contractors will continue to saw the concrete floor to in preparation for the construction of the piers. While there is not much to show for the progress, I have included a rendition of what the outside of the library will look like when complete
Weekly Calendar
Monday, December 18th
C Day
Spirit Week: Festive PJs
Tuesday, December 19th
D Day
Spirit Week: Holiday Hats/Headgear
Wednesday, December 20th
A Day
Spirit Week: Holiday Movie Favorite Character
Thursday, December 21st
B Day
Spirit Week: Bundle Up (Scarves/Mittens/Hats)
Friday, December 22nd
Single Session C Day
Spirit Week: Ugly Sweater
Period 3: 7:45am - 8:26am
Period 4: 8:30am - 9:10am
Period 1: 9:14am - 9:54am
Period 8: 9:58am - 10:38am
Period 5: 10:42am - 11:22am
Period 6: 11:26am - 12:06pm
Looking Ahead
- Friday, December 22nd: Single Session
- Sunday, December 24th: Christmas Eve
- Monday, December 25th: Christmas Day
- Monday, December 25th - Monday, January 1st: No School
- Tuesday, December 26th - Monday, January 1st: Kwanzaa
- Tuesday, January 2nd: Full Day of School (D Day)