Parcellin's Parent Page
News and Notes for Parents at Plymouth North
Big Expectations for an Amazing Experience in 2021-2022!
After meeting our Freshmen yesterday at our Freshman Orientation, and seeing our Athletes out on the fields and the court these last few weeks, I'm inspired by the upbeat attitude and excitement our students are already showing towards achieving some lofty goals in the '21-'22 year.
Our faculty and staff are equally as dedicated on having a great year. More than any time in the recent past, large numbers of our staff have been in the building collaborating, planning and attending professional development in order to roll out a growth mindset. These plans that will not only help us maximize learning growth, but be intentional about making sure we're teaching the lessons that will make all our Eagles better people when they graduate and go out into the world beyond our campus.
Our focus this year is on Expectations and Experience. We are re-committing ourselves to setting high expectations for learning, attendance, behavior and achievement this year for all our staff and students. We want all our staff and students in school, on time, and ready to dedicate themselves to unprecedented learning growth.
In doing that, we are working hard to craft incredible, personalized learning experiences for students. We want increased engagement and the opportunity for students to have deeper learning in all their classes. We will work to develop mastery in complex concepts. We will work to provide students the opportunity to see themselves not just as students in a course, but identify with material as biologists, chemists, artists, musicians, historians, mathematicians, engineers, designers and more. Most importantly, we want our students to use their experiences to create incredible things that will undoubtedly amaze our teachers, our school and our community. The sky is truly the limit for our Eagles this year.
I speak for all of us here at PNHS when I say we are ready to put the strife of the past behind us, and focus on having a fun, enriching and inspiring year!
Get excited for something great!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EAGLES!
Pete Parcellin,
Principal
In this week's Parent Page...
- First Day of School Plans: Wednesday, September 1st
- COVID 19 Policies for 2021-2022
- Just the Headlines! Things to Know for the Start of School
- Key Upcoming Dates and Events
- PNHS Apparel
1. First Day of School Plans
All students will report to Temporary First Day Homerooms on just the first day of school.
The rooms are organized by grade and then alphabetically by last name. Freshmen and Sophomores are all on the 3rd Floor, Juniors and Seniors mostly on the 2nd or 1st.
I've attached the bell schedule and room listing below. Please note: your child's name may not be on the list, but it will fall within the range of names listed.
For reference, our first day of school will be an "A" day.
There, they will receive new paper copies of their schedules with any last minute updates, learn about any new policies this year, and be able to ask any questions to teachers they may have.
They will then have a longer, 10 minute passing time to be able to find their A1 classroom. There is no "K Block" (Advisory Period) on Wednesday, Sept. 1st only.
The bell schedule reverts back to our usual bell schedule below on Thursday, September 2nd.
There is NO SCHOOL on Friday, September 3rd or Monday, September 6th.
2. COVID-19 Policies for 2021-2022
- Staff, Students and Visitors will be required to wear masks over their nose and mouth while indoors and on busses except while eating and drinking or mask breaks at all times before, during and after school.
- Masks are not required outdoors.
- There are no COVID-19 based distancing or equipment requirements this year both indoors and outdoors. The policies of one-way hallways, restricted cafeteria seating, passing tiers, dismissal flights, shared equipment restrictions, and other similar COVID-based policies will not be in place this year.
- The Cafeteria will serve lunch at the regularly scheduled time for all students, and our dismissal time will return to the regular 2pm dismissal. Important note: School Breakfast and Lunch is free for all students again this school year!
Please know that you can contact our Nurses: Ms. Wilson and Ms. McCarthy to help walk you through any situation as it relates to COVID-19 and your child this year. Feel free to reach out to them with any questions, concerns or changes in your child's health status.
3. Just the headlines! Important School Start Information
- Bell Schedule: Included above is our regular daily bell schedule, which we will follow this year. Our "letter days" (A,B,C,D) rotate in order starting with the first day of school, which will be an "A" day. Communication Block is an extended passing time where students can check in with teachers, supports or just have a break between classes. K Block is a 25 minute period that alternates between a study period on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays and an Advisory Period for Grades 9-11 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
- Course Schedules: Student course schedules will be available over the weekend through the Aspen student and parent portals. Paper copies with any last minute changes will be available for students in their temporary homerooms on the first day of school. Please contact your child's guidance counselor with any questions or concerns.
- Lunches: Lunches will be served in the cafeteria at our regularly scheduled time. Lunch is free for all students this school year. Students are assigned to one of four lunch periods based on the department of the class they are in, and all lunch periods take place within third period each day.
- Paperwork: As you might expect, your child will receive paperwork to bring home on the first day of school. We ask that all parents keep an eye out for this paperwork and send it back with their child as soon as possible. Students can turn in their paperwork to their directed study teacher in K block. All freshmen, and any upperclassmen who opts to take one will receive an agenda and student handbook in early September.
- Freshman Lockers: As many students do not use their lockers, we have not automatically assigned lockers this year. We do, however, have more than enough for all our students and are more than willing to assign a locker to anyone who requests one. If so, please fill out the google form via the link I've provided below, and Ms. Flanagan, our Data Processing Secretary will assign your child one and contact them via email with the number and combination. We'll have their advisory teacher connect with them on any support to open and use the locker.
- Student Handbook: Our student handbook is online. We will review key points with students on the first day, but I encourage you to take a look yourself, and review with your child. I've included the link below.
- Daily Announcements: Our daily announcements are posted online every day in easy to read power point format by our incredible Main Office Secretary, Ms. Judy Kendall. Please check frequently to keep up to date on day to day happenings at PNHS. I've included the link below.
- ASPEN: ASPEN, our online student information system is updated regularly. This will help to keep you up to date on student progress, attendance and other information. We encourage you to check ASPEN frequently. Teachers work to keep grades updated as frequently and efficiently as effective student feedback allows. While we love the opportunity to keep you up to date through ASPEN grades, it's also important to know that teachers work hard and take time in thoroughly grading student work. This may mean that grades for turned in work isn't immediately reflected in their grade. The best bet to gauge student progress is to reach out directly to us about how your child is doing. We welcome hearing from you, and love the opportunity to connect with you! If you have any questions, please contact us.
- ASPEN Account Issues: Parent and Student ASPEN accounts were not disabled this summer, but schedules have not yet been uploaded. If you are unable to log into your account, please fill out the form below to receive assistance from PNHS staff to get back into your account.
- Guidance Counselors: Our Guidance staff is here already and working on any issues with student courses and schedules. Please don't hesitate to contact them with any concerns! I've included the link to our guidance webpage below.
- Summer Reading: Summer reading projects will be due in student's ELA classes. An overview of the program, book list and assignment packet is online, and I've provided the link below.
- Social Media: Our Facebook and Twitter pages are updated very frequently with information and the celebration of student successes! Our accounts are listed at the bottom of this newsletter. Please follow us today to stay up to date with events at North! Our brand new Instagram account is pnhseagles_ and is pnhsathletics to follow PNHS sports.
- School Council: Our School Council is made up of teachers, students and parents to help deliver feedback, and take part in framing our School Improvement Plan, budget, handbook and overall plan for PNHS. We would love your participation, and we only meet once per month between October and May, many of which will be conveniently by Zoom this year. Please contact me if you're interested!
- Additional Information: For your convenience, I've included the Plymouth Public Schools Academic Year Calendar, all PNHS bus routes, a link to the district's "Back to School" page, a link to the PNHS Sports Schedule via the MIAA, and a 2021-2022 Lunch Schedule below. If there's anything else we can help you with, absolutely reach out to us and let us know! We're here to help!
All the links and attachments are located below the apparel and upcoming dates below. Enjoy!
4. PNHS Apparel!
Take the opportunity to both help the Senior Class raise funds, and also get some great gear by ordering apparel online with the information below. I've included the link as well as a flyer for more information!
5. Key Upcoming Dates and Events
- SEPTEMBER
- Wednesday, September 1st: First Day of School, First Day Bell Schedule- "A" Day
- Thursday, September 2nd: "B" Day, first K Block directed study
- Friday, September 3rd: NO SCHOOL
- Monday, September 6th: NO SCHOOL, LABOR DAY HOLIDAY
- Wednesday, September 8th: Junior and Senior Assembly, Medal of Honor Recipients
- Wednesday, September 15th: Half Day Professional Day, 11:05 Dismissal
- Friday, September 17th: First Home Football Game!
OCTOBER - Friday, October 1st: Homecoming Dance
- Wednesday, October 6th: Half Day Professional Day, 11:05 Dismissal
- Monday, October 11th: NO SCHOOL, COLUMBUS DAY HOLIDAY
NOVEMBER - Friday, November 5th: Term 1 Grades Close
- Thursday, November 11th: NO SCHOOL, VETERANS DAY HOLIDAY
- Friday, November 12th: Term 1 Report Cards Distributed
Plymouth North High School
Email: pparcellin@plymouth.k12.ma.us
Website: https://www.plymouth.k12.ma.us/site/Default.aspx?PageID=9
Location: 41 Obery Street, Plymouth, MA, USA
Phone: 508-830-4400
Facebook: facebook.com/PNHSEagles/
Twitter: @PlymouthNorthHS