Dear Mountie Students and Families,

We have officially finished the first 17 days of the 2022-2023 school year and it’s been a great start! I have enjoyed meeting many of your students and the energy in the building is high! September is a very busy month, so the newsletter is jam packed with important information! On behalf of the faculty and staff at Southmont, we are truly looking forward to a great year.

As we continue in the 1st grading period, classes have been able to get a great feel for the expectations and procedures. Continue to keep up with Powerschool so that if there is a need to reach out to a teacher, we can do so early in the grading period. If a parent or student needs assistance in navigating Powerschool Family Access, please contact SHS for assistance.

Southmont High School will host Parent Teacher Conferences on Friday, September 30th. We will be sending more information about P/T conferences in the near future, but please mark your calendar!

Again, I am thrilled to be your principal for the 2022-2023 school year and be part of the Mountie family! Should you ever have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me!

Yours in education,

Mrs. Hammond

Principal

ashley.hammond@southmont.k12.in.us

765-866-0350

Twitter - @SouthmontSrHigh

Facebook - @southmontsrhigh

Attendance and participation in class are essential if students are to gain maximum benefit of the educational program. Punctuality, dependability and reliability are each personal characteristic that are necessary and respected in our society. Therefore, as part of the educational process, they are expected, encouraged, and, as necessary, enforced. Should your student be absent from school, please make sure to contact the main office at 765- 866-0350.

Regular school attendance is the responsibility and a legal requirement of the student and the parent or guardian. Indiana attendance law states: “A student is bound by the requirements of this chapter from the earlier of the date on which the student officially enrolls in a school, the beginning of the fall school term for the school year in which the student becomes seven (7) years of age until the students (1) graduates; (2) becomes eighteen (18) years of age; or (3) becomes sixteen (16) years of age but is less than eighteen (18) years of age and the requirements under section 9 of this chapter concerning an exit interview are met enabling the student to withdraw from school before graduation; whichever comes first. (this includes students in kindergarten and first grade who are not seven years of age if they are enrolled in school) [IC 20.33.2.6]. Therefore, any student enrolled in Southmont Schools, and their parents, are affected by Indiana Code. Additionally, Code states: “If a parent of a student does not send the student to school because of the student’s illness or mental or physical incapacity, it is unlawful for the parent to fail or refuse to produce a certificate of the illness or incapacity for an attendance officer not later than six (6) days after the certificate is demanded” [IC 20-33-2-18] The law further states that it is “unlawful for a parent to fail to ensure that the parent’s child attends school” [IC 20-33-2-7], except in the circumstances outlined below.

• Excused/Documented: These absences are considered appropriate and excusable by the district. While students’ records will still reflect their absence from school, they will not result in disciplinary action by administration:

• Legal, medical and dental appointments – must be verified by doctor’s note no later than 48 hours after the appointment and indicate that the child was seen and/or treated at the office on the specified date; administration reserves the right to deny written notes that are questionable in nature; only ½ day appointments will be considered excused unless otherwise approved by the school prior to the appointment

• Death and/or funeral of members of the household and/or immediate family – up to five (5) days will be allowed for any student for absence due to the death father, mother, guardian, brother, sister, grandparent, spouse or child; one (1) day will be allowed due to the death of any other blood relative such as first cousin, aunt, uncle, nephew or brother-in-law or sister-in-law

• Religious instruction/holiday – must be verified in advance and a note from the parent and religious leader must accompany the child upon his/her return

• Personal illness requiring a physician’s care/Extended absences – absences due to a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life functions will be considered individually; a hearing officer may be requested to determine if an alternative learning plan (ALP) or Individualized Education Program (IEP) is warranted, or in the case where an absence is four (4) weeks or longer, if homebound instruction is warranted

• College orientations or visits – must be approved in advance and verified by the college or university upon the student’s return; limited to juniors (1 day during a student’s junior year) and seniors (2 days during a student’s senior year)

• In school suspension

• Out of school suspension

• Other special circumstances approved by the administration

Work that is missed during an excused/documented absence must be made up within the allotted time frame – one day for each day of absence. It is the responsibility of the student and/or parent to ask his/her teacher(s) for missed assignments; it is the responsibility of the teacher to check the work and give appropriate credit for the make-up work.

• Excused/Undocumented: These absences are understandable but not necessarily condoned by administration. Students’ records will reflect these absences and disciplinary action will be taken by the administration according to Section II below. These types of absences include (but may not be limited to):

• Absences verified only by a parent phone call – parents must contact the school office before 9:00 a.m.; parent phone calls beyond ten (10) in one (1) school year will be counted as unexcused unless documented by a physician’s note

• Recurring cases of head lice.

• Family medical emergency – when arrangements could not be made by the family

Work that is missed during an excused/undocumented absence must be made up within the allotted timeframe – one day for each day of absence. It is the responsibility of the student and/or parent to ask his/her teacher(s) for missed assignments; it is the responsibility of the teacher to check the work and give appropriate credit for the make-up work.

• Unexcused Absences: These absences are not excused by the district in any way. They will be reflected on students’ records and will subject students to disciplinary action according to Section II below. These types of absences include (but may not be limited to):

• Truancy (as defined, a students’ absence from school without the permission of a parent/guardian); “habitual truancy” is defined as a student who is chronically absent, by having unexcused absences from school for more than ten (10) days of school in one (1) school year); students who leave school grounds without permission will be considered truant

• Absences where the parent has not called the school before 9:00 a.m.

• Family or personal reasons (i.e. – car trouble, missing the bus, etc.)

• No excusable reason

• Family vacations – if the time missed from school is arranged with the classroom teacher and building principal beforehand, work will be given to the student (as is allowed by circumstances) to complete for credit while gone; all work is due upon returning to school. A Permission to be Absent form must be obtained, completed and returned to the High School office five (5) days before a family vacation. The request may be denied by the administration.

Work that is missed beyond five (5) unexcused absences may be made up at the discretion of the classroom teacher and building principal.

NOTE: Students enrolled at Southmont High School who accumulate more than five (5) days of countable absences per trimester (Excused/Undocumented or Unexcused) may be subject to disciplinary action (including expulsion or transfer to the alternative school) and loss of credit.

• September 6th - 7th - Homecoming Powder Puff/Volleyball shirts sold during lunch - $15
• September 7th - Guidance Counselors visiting Government/Econ Classrooms
• September 7th - After Prom Meeting (Junior Parents) - High School LGI Room @ 7 pm
• September 8th - Guidance Counselors visiting 12th grade English classes
• September 8th - Butler University Representative visit during Homeroom
• September 9th - Clubs During Homeroom - Student Leadership Athletic Team, Spanish Club, Art Club, French Club, Gaming Club, Literature and Media Club
• September 11th - Distinguished Young Women of Montgomery County Scholarships Meeting @ Crawfordsville Library
• September 13th - Lincoln Tech College Representative visit during Homeroom
• September 15th - Band Pictures
• September 15th - Senior Parent/Guardian Night, 6:30 pm
• September 16th - Clubs During Homeroom - Student Council, FCA, Interact Club, Key Club, BPA
• September 17th - Constitution Day!
• September 19th - 23rd - Homecoming Week!
• September 19th - Ball State University Representative Visit during Homeroom
• September 20th - Wabash College Representative Visit during Homeroom
• September 21st - Homecoming Game Night!
• September 23rd - Clubs During Homeroom - NHS, FCCLA, Robotics Club, Project 7, Literature and Media Club, Royal Ambassadors
• September 23rd - Homecoming Pep Session (bell schedule coming soon)
• September 23rd - End of 1st Grading Period
• September 26th - Manchester College Representative Visit during Homeroom
• September 27th - Valparaiso University Representative Visit during Homeroom
• September 28th - St. Francis University Representative Visit during Homeroom
• September 30th - No School - Parent Teacher Conferences (details coming soon)
• October 3rd - Depauw University Representative Visit during Homeroom
• October 7th - Clubs During Homeroom - Student Leadership Athletic Team, Spanish Club, Art Club, French Club, FCCLA, Gaming Club
• October 7th - Marion University Representative Visit during Homeroom
• October 11th - Picture Retake Day!
• October 11th - FFA Blood Drive
• October 12th - 10th Grade PSAT Exam (plus interested Juniors)
• October 12th - Hanover College Representative Visit during Homeroom
• October 14th - Clubs During Homeroom - Student Council, FCA, FFA, Interact Club, Key Club, BPA
• October 14th - Montgomery County Community Scholarship Application Opens
• October 17th - 21st - Fall Break!
• October 27th - Southmont High School Career Fair (1-3 pm)
• October 27th - High School Choir Concert @ 7 pm
• October 28th - Clubs During Homeroom - NHS, FCCLA, Robotics Club, Project 7, Royal Ambassadors
• October 28th - ASVAB Assessment (11th grade)
• November 2nd - Fall SAG Conference Sports Banquet - Lebanon High School @ 7 pm
• November 4th - Clubs During Homeroom - Student Leadership Athletic Team, Spanish Club, Art Club, French Club, Gaming Club, Literature and Media Club
• November 11th - End of 1st Trimester
• November 17th - Financial Aid Night for Seniors
• November 23rd - 25th - Thanksgiving Break!