DHS Community Update
Week of 9/18/2020
The Principal's Perspective: Off to a Strong Start
Greetings DHS Community Members:
The first week of this very different school year is now complete. I am proud of the work of our educators as well as of our students. I know that both students and our teachers are adjusting to the rigorous expectations outlined in our District's Remote Learning Plan and the preference for in-person learning is not lost on any of us. In the meantime we will continue to do our very best to provide a quality, remote education for all students and would encourage all stakeholders to invest all of your time and energy in the same pursuit!
As we continue to navigate the 2020-2021 school journey together, please know that communication is critical. I would ask all members of our community to be mindful of the following:
- Google Classroom and Google Meet information should not be shared with anyone other than Dartmouth students who are enrolled in that particular course. I have heard whispers, that I hope are not true, that some have shared and/or posted Google Meet links to social media. Sharing this information with non-Dartmouth High School students places an increased burden on our teachers who are doing their very best to navigate this new digital reality that we all find ourselves in. Please act responsibly and do not share Google Meet or Classroom links.
- Attendance is being taken each period. If you receive an absent call and you believe it is an error please call the Main Office at DHS. Please note, that if a student is NOT logged in to their first period class by 7:30 a.m. they are marked absent. When and/if they log in the attendance record will be changed to reflect tardy--the same practice employed when we are physically present at school.
- Issues related to student chromebooks should be reported to the Dartmouth Technology Department by emailing chromesupport@dartmouthschools.org. If they are able to resolve the issue remotely they will. If they are unable to resolve it remotely they will place you in contact with Mrs. Donna Flor who will arrange for a time to retrieve a loaner while the chromebook is repaired.
In closing, please know that we fully understand this is a major adjustment for all of our stakeholders, students, parents, and educators and that we are all in this together. We look forward to continuing to build on our strong start to the school year.
Sincerely,
Ross A. Thibault
Principal
From the Desk of the Associate Principal
As the year gets underway, I just wanted to share some important information regarding upcoming standardized-testing.
- Dartmouth High School will be offering the PSAT/NMSQT in January of 2021 as opposed to the traditional October administration. Additional information about this important opportunity will be shared with students and families in the coming weeks.
- MCAS updates will be provided once the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education releases the testing dates for the 2020-2021 school year.
- Our Advanced Placement courses are underway, students should be enrolled in their AP Course Sections in the MyAP. A video has been embedded below.
Any questions regarding PSAT/NMSQT, MCAS or Advanced Placement courses should be directed to Associate Principal Rachel Chavier at rachelchavier@dartmouthschools.org.
Updates from the DHS Virtual Learning Academy
All students who indicated their preference for full remote learning for this school year have been enrolled in the appropriate coursework within Edgenuity. Please be aware that there is an important virtual information night on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 at 7 p.m. for parents of students enrolled in the DHS Virtual Learning Academy. The zoom link required to attend the information session has been shared with parents of students enrolled in the Virtual Learning Academy. If for any reason you did not receive link or if you have other questions regarding the Virtual Learning Academy please reach out to Assistant Principal Richard Gill at richardgill@dartmouthschools.org.
From the DHS Health Office
Attached below is a PDF bulletin from Dartmouth High School Nurse Marisha Wildrick. In the bulletin you can find information about:
- New Immunization Requirements
- Common COVID-19 Symptoms
- Face Mask Requirements
- Contact Information to Schedule Medication Drop-Offs
Remote Learning Reminders
Remote Learning Safety Nets
The faculty and staff at Dartmouth High School are aware students and families are anxious about remote learning, including how students will be graded. Please be aware that we have several safety nets in place.
One safety net is the design of the Grading Policy itself. Students were made aware during the opening advisory session and by teachers throughout the opening week, that formative assessments as well as summative assessments are able to be revisited, resubmitted or retaken by doing the following:
- Within 1 week of receiving the results of their formative/summative assessment, students should request the opportunity to revisit the assessment by speaking directly with their teacher either during a Google Meet or by sending an email.
- The teacher will consult with the student to make them aware of what they need to do in order to prepare for the 2nd attempt. In some cases this may include completing an assignment they had not yet turned in, in other cases it might simply be to correct mistakes made on the first attempt, or to verbally conference with the teacher to discuss the upcoming 2nd attempt.
- Schedule a mutually convenient time to sit for and complete the 2nd attempt.
Students and families should be aware that whatever score they receive on the 2nd attempt--better or worse--is the grade that will remain in calculating the student's term grade.
Students are also encouraged to take advantage of the availability of members of our Student Support Team. The breakdown, by alphabet is included below. Additionally, students are always able to reach out to their advisor should they have any questions.
Dartmouth High School
Email: rossthibault@dartmouthschools.org
Website: dartmouth.school/domain/8
Location: 555 Bakerville Road, Dartmouth, MA, USA
Phone: 508-961-2700
Twitter: @DartmouthHS