Welcome to Ponaganset High School for the 2022-2023 school year! I am very excited to begin the school year and partner with parents and students! I would like to extend a special welcome to all of our new students and families. In addition, I would like to introduce our new staff:

English: Madison Webb

Social Worker: Melinda Paiva

Physical Education and Health: Tyler Calabro

Secretary to the Associate Principal: Lillian Travis

Secretary to the Principal: Michelle Safford (change in role from the AP secretary to the principal's secretary)

High School Administration Team:

Principal: Amanda Grundel

Associate Principal: Karlene Murray

Dean of Students: Michael Calenda

Please know that the staff and I have been diligently preparing to make the 2022-2023 school year a successful one for all of our students. Communication to parents is key and this monthly newsletter is one method that I will us to keep parents informed. You can also visit our website at: https://fosterponaganseths.ss11.sharpschool.com/for school-related information.

Here at PHS, we will strive to provide students with a top-notch education. We look forward to working with each of our scholars to help them reach their fullest potential. Your parental support, along with our best professional efforts, will help support this goal.

Sincerely,

Amanda Grundel, M. Ed. M. S.

Ponaganset High School

Principal

* An email went out from Ponoganset Technology today at 12:00 PM. This email contains ASPEN log-in information.

* Please have your child log into ASPEN for his/her schedule.

* Please be sure to read the message in ASPEN regarding schedule changes.

*Students will report to Homebase first on Wednesday. Homebase room numbers can be found on student schedules and they will also be posted in the North and South buildings.

* Students should not be dropped off at the high school before 7:30 AM.

* The first period begins at 7:48 AM.

* Dismissal is at 2:15 PM.

* Please understand that your child is required to be in school. In the event that your child is ill, you must notify the school (see student handbook which is attached in Welcome Back letter for Attendance and Truancy Court information). If you have any questions concerning attendance, please contact Ms. Karlene Murray, Associate Principal. kmurray@fgschools.com

Please be advised that the use of cell phones by students during class time is not permitted. As such, if you need to get a message to your child during the school day, it is important to contact the main office.

PLEASE NOTE, Lunch/Breakfast will not be free to all students and snacks will not be provided as they were during the past two years. All students are welcome to buy a lunch/breakfast each day.

The Free or Reduced Price Lunch Program is available as it was prior to the pandemic. The program requires families to reapply each year. The Free or Reduced Price Lunch Program Application is available on the website https://www.fg.k12.ri.us/for_parents/food_services or you may visit/call the school for the application.

All students who buy lunch and/or any food items in the cafeteria must provide their student identification number as each student has an “account” with Sodexo Food Service. You may access this through MySchoolBucks where you can deposit money and prepay for lunches as well as keep track of what your child is purchasing for lunch, low balance alerts, recurring payment options, and review your child’s purchase history. You can find the link under Food Services on the district website, which is listed above.

September 5 - Holiday/Labor Day, no school

September 13 - Primary Day, no school

September 14 - Back to School Night 6:00-8:00

September 19 - Early Release Day

Future planning: Please check the district calendar for all of this year's early release days.

Click the link below for the district calendar:

https://cdn5-ss11.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_87879/Image/Foster-Glocester/District/Calendar/2022_2023_Regional_Calendar.pdf

Due to the increased traffic volume in the morning and afternoon, and to ensure the safety of our students, we will follow a drop off/pick up route for parents. Parents who are dropping off or picking up their students must do so at the north building entrance only. This is the side of the building near the fieldhouse.

We will be utilizing a staggered dismissal strategy this year. Students who ride a Foster or Glocester bus as well as students who drive or get picked up will exit the building first.

All students who ride a Statewide bus or Glocester Depo bus 5 and 6 will exit the building second and should wait in the front vestibule/cafeteria until their bus pulls into the circle.

The following safety measures must be followed in the parking lot by all:

• Student drivers must have their parking passes displayed on their vehicles when in the school parking lot.

• Students cannot cross between the buses.

• Students must wait until the buses leave to cross over to their rides.

• Parent and student drivers cannot drive past a bus that has a stop sign up nor should they weave between buses.

This parent letter was sent out last week and contains some further details that are important:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/19O7rrlu42YsH1lM1NJkdzgTXskAnPqRs/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=111207454639410919568&rtpof=true&sd=true

Laptops will be distributed to students on the first day of school in Homebase. Log in information will be provided at that time as well.

The Ponaganset Athletic Department has an Online Registration for all high school and middle school athletes. ALL students interested in playing a sport must submit each form prior to participating.

If you have any questions, please contact the Director of Athletics, Mr. Jacob Keeling at jkeeling@fgschools.com.