NRW HS September 2017 Newsletter
We're looking forward to 2017-2018!
Welcome Back!
To the NRWHS Community:
As we approach the end of summer, we eagerly await the arrival of our students and look forward to ushering in the 2017-2018 school year! To the families of our freshmen and our new students – welcome to our school community! We offer our students many opportunities to learn and grow, both in the academic and extracurricular arenas, and we invite you to join us in celebrating our Cougar Pride.
In the coming year, we look forward to continuing to maintain high academic expectations for our students; at NRWHS, passing isn’t good enough. Our students must achieve at high levels to be prepared for their futures. The New York State Education Department has asserted that scores of 80 or higher are consistent with College and Career Readiness, so we expect our students to achieve at that level because we know that striving toward ambitious goals fosters perseverance and other important skills. In addition, while we maintain high academic expectations, we will also continue to champion our school values of respect, responsibility, kindness, and safety.
This newsletter contains information that will help your child get off to a strong start. We have included information about our new schedule as well as logistics such as breakfast and bus times, scheduling processes, handbook updates, and other important information. Please keep in mind that we are here to provide for your child’s educational needs, and we encourage you to contact us with questions or concerns. Thank you for your support as we help our students set and achieve aspirational goals.
Yours in education,
Brian Read
Principal
How Can I Get Extra Help?
- 2:25 – 2:55 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays – Teachers are available after school 3 times per week to provide students with academic support.
- 3:00 – 5:00 pm – Daily – Mrs. McNabb will be providing academic support in Room 311 each day from 3-5.
- 3:00 – 5:00 pm – As scheduled – Be on the lookout for other 3-5 pm support opportunities offered by various teachers throughout the year.
- Period 3 – Our daily intervention period from 8:45 to 9:20 during which students can receive targeted support in a particular content area (scheduled into students’ schedules).
- Content Labs – We offer math and ELA content labs throughout the day (scheduled into students’ schedules).
- Study Hall – Some students have assigned study halls which are a great opportunity to seek additional support from a teacher.
- Interim Assessments – Students will take cumulative assessments at the 10, 20, and 30 week marks so that they and their teachers can receive information about what content needs to be revisited.
Times of Note...
- 7:05: Students can enter the building (must enter through the main doors)
- 7:05 - 7:14: Breakfast in the large cafeteria
- 7:10: Hallway doors open/Warning bell
- 7:14: Breakfast serving stops
- 7:15: 1st period begins
- 2:21: 7th period ends
- 2:25: 1st bus run leaves
- 2:25 - 2:55: Activity Period: Stay with a teacher for extra support
- 3:05: 2nd bus run leaves
Visit Our Website!
Our website offers much more information including:
- The entire Student Handbook
- Teacher/Staff Contact Information and Websites
- District Code of Conduct
- Extracurricular Information
- Athletic Information
- Previous Newsletters
- Much More!!!
Welcome, Mr. Wendel!
Dear North Rose-Wolcott Community,
My name is Matt Wendel and I am the new assistant principal of the high school. I am deeply honored to have been given the chance to help lead your school as we continue to provide an education that will serve as a foundation to this community for years to come.
I am very excited to begin this school year. I’m coming to you from a position I held for two years as the building principal of a K-12 district in Schenevus, NY. I oversaw the educational and emotional growth of students aged 4 to 18 and beyond. Through that experience I gained a tremendous appreciation for the importance of the high school years. It is during this time that students are learning the kind of person they want to be and it is in these formable years that dedication to the betterment of one’s community and oneself are brought to fruition.
Before my role as an administrator I taught grades 3-6 in both an elementary and middle school setting. It was through those experiences that I have learned to foster the traits that enable a student to successfully transition from elementary to middle and then on to high school.
What attracted me to this district was the dedication you have shown to your school. This is a forward thinking district that is working hard to make sure each child leaves twelfth grade with the necessary tools and communication skills he/she needs to successfully enter college or the work force.
As this process has unfolded your school community has accepted me with open arms. Through my role as assistant principal, I will return that neighborly feeling by assuring you that my door is always open. I will never be too busy to listen and work together to craft solutions to problems. We are your school and as such your opinion matters.
I will work hard to continue the legacy of success established in North Rose-Wolcott by building strong relationships with parents, students, staff, and community partners. We all share a common goal and that is the successful education of our students in a safe and caring environment. With that end in mind there is nothing we can’t accomplish together.
In Partnership,
Matt Wendel
Agenda Book -- Great Resource!
- School Calendars
- Areas to Keep Track of Assignments
- Goal-Setting Information
- Hallway Passes
- MORE!
News From the Counseling Office
Fall Schedules
All students will receive updated fall semester schedules on the first day of school. This schedule will include study halls and a lunch period. Students should see their school counselor if there is an error with their schedule in the first few days of school. Students must wait to Monday, September 11th to request a course change. The drop/add period for full year and fall semester courses will end September 22nd. After this date, there will be no more course changes.
College
Below are the upcoming dates for SATs and ACTs along with registration deadlines. The fall is a good time for seniors to retake tests in preparation for college applications. Students can register for the SAT at http://www.collegeboard.org and the ACT at http://www.actstudent.org. Fee waivers are available in the Counseling Office for eligible families. In addition, NRW High School will be giving the PSAT to all juniors free of charge on Wednesday, October 11th.
SAT
Test Date: October 7 (Register by September 8)
Test Date: November 4 (Register by October 5)
Test Date: December 2 (Register by November 2)
ACT
Test Date: October 28 (Register by September 22)
Test Date: December 9 (Register by November 3)
Student Handbook Items of Note
- Students must enter the building through the main entrance (not through the Fitness Center doors).
- “For safety reasons, students will only be permitted to sign out and leave the building if an adult who appears on their contact list in the student management system physically presents himself/herself in the high school main office and provides appropriate identification. The departure must be confirmed by the student’s parent/guardian either via a signed note, email, or a phone conversation with main office staff.”
- Appropriate electronic device use is allowed between periods and during lunch. In classroom settings, teachers will communicate to students their expectations for electronic device use.
- There is a new dress code. Please see below for more details.
- “All medications (prescriptions or over-the-counter) that are to be taken by a student at school must be checked in with the school nurse and administered in her presence. The nurse must receive a doctor’s order and written parent permission. The medication must be provided to the nurse in the original labeled container.”
- “Students who are not in class must have a pass to be in an alternate location. Students have 4 options for passes: a completed pass signed by the student’s teacher located in the back of their agenda; a completed green pass signed by the student’s teacher; a completed printing pass (permanent teacher pass) – to be returned to the teacher; or, an Honors Pass.”
- “Students will not be allowed to carry backpacks or bags throughout the building. If a student comes to school with a backpack, she/he must put it in his/her locker before first period. Students are expected to use their physical education lockers as well. Students should visit their lockers between classes to make sure they are prepared for class.”
- “Students wishing to drive to school must sign a parking regulation form and complete a parking permit application which requires the vehicle’s registration, insurance card and student’s valid driver’s license.” These documents must be turned into the main office by 9/11/17. If, after this date, a student drives to school without having turned in these documents, s/he risks losing driving privileges.
Thank you for supporting us as we establish and maintain safe and efficient school environment!
District Dress Code
A student’s attire, grooming and appearance, including jewelry, make-up and nails, shall:
- Be safe, appropriate for school and neither distracting from nor disruptive of the educational process
- Not include garments that are unduly revealing, such as tube tops, net tops, halter tops, attire that does not cover the midriff or that has a plunging necklines (front and/or back) see-through garments or lewd clothing.
- Completely cover the student’s underwear regardless of the student’s posture or position.
- Always include footwear that does not pose a safety hazard
- Not include hats or sunglasses while in the classroom, unless required for a verified medical or religious reason. Exceptions by administrators may be made from time-to-time
- Not include any items that is vulgar, obscene, libelous, or denigrate others on account of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, or disability (criteria covered under DASA)
- Not promote and/or endorse the use of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs and/or encourage other illegal or violent activities
- Shorts and skirts must be at pass below the length of the middle finger when arms are extended at the sides, even if stocking or leggings are also worn. Appropriate length is defined as mid-thigh. Leggings, spandex garments, jeggings, yoga pants and/or tight exercise pants may not be worn if they are deemed revealing by the building administrator.
- Not include jewelry that is disruptive to the educational process (e.g., spiked jewelry, chains hanging from clothing, etc.)
- Not include garments (e.g., pants, shorts, skirts) that have holes or tears that are placed above the length stated in # 8, above
- All physical education clothing MUST fulfill the dress code requirements.
Students who violate the student dress code shall be required to modify their appearance by covering or removing the offending item, and if necessary or practical, replacing it with an acceptable item. Any student who refuses to do so shall be subject to discipline.
Tips for Helping the High School Student Achieve
- “Communicate your expectations for the student often. You don't have to be overbearing, but let students know you expect them to do their best.
- Almost all schools now have parent portals, where parents and families can check a student's overall grade or a grade in a particular assignment. You should check that at least once a week. [Note: NRW’s Parent Portal can be accessed from the district website at http://www.nrwcs.org, then navigating to “Parent Portal” under the “for Parents and Students” tab.]
- Discuss learning strategies with the student: using flashcards, making revisions to writing drafts, how to proofread (my favorite method is reading aloud to catch mistakes), studying with a family member, reviewing notes, etc.
- Research has shown that youth are incredibly influenced by the discussion of aspirations and goals. Foster career aspirations with the student. Those aspirations may change frequently over the student's four years in high school, but it is important to talk about setting goals and discussing pathways to achieving those goals.”
Source: Barile, Nancy (2015). Parent and family engagement: 15 tips to help high school students achieve. Center for Teaching Quality. Accessed at https://www.teachingquality.org/
News From the Athletic Department
Welcome back to 2017-2018 School Year. We hope you had a refreshing summer. The fall athletic program is well underway and we have already hosted 3 athletic home contests. To keep informed about athletic events, game changes, coach names and emails, the athlete handbook & code of conduct or any athletic related news, please use the district website, www.nrwcs.org, and click on the athletic tab. The athletic schedule tab will lead you to this web link address below that will provide you with any specific team schedule or all athletic activities for a day or week. www.waynefingerlakesleague.org
Please come out and support our NRW Cougars!!!
You can also call the NRW Athletic Sportsline at 315-594-8051 ext. 3 for daily updates.
Our pool is still under construction as of August 30th, 2017. We will update the NRW website as soon as all elements of the project are complete with information on when aquatic programming at NRW will resume. We appreciate your patience with this process.
The Booster Club is looking for volunteers to assist with the concession stand at soccer games. Please reach out to Deb McIntyre, the Booster Club President, if you’re interested. All proceeds benefit NRW students. Deb can be reached at debbie.mc37@yahoo.com.
Transportation News
Letter Regarding Safety
Dear Parents/Guardians:
This letter is to inform you that the North Rose-Wolcott Central School District has steps in place to address student and staff safety issues through the adoption of an emergency response plan. The plan would be implemented in the event of a local disaster or a school emergency. The emergency response plan is a preparatory measure. Statistics show that schools are still among the safest places to be on a day-to-day basis, due to the strong commitment of educators, parents, and community members to their children.
Nevertheless, emergency situations can happen and because of that we have adopted a plan, so please do not be alarmed by this precautionary action. In the event of a true emergency, one of the most critical aspects is to let the first responders and emergency personnel respond to the incident. You “must not” report to the scene of the incident. It will interfere with emergency operations or cause further confusion or distraction. This letter will further address the protocols that will be followed to keep you informed of a true emergency and the process for student reunification.
Emergency Practice Drills
Although it is unlikely that the emergency response plan will need to be fully activated, the possibility still exists. Therefore, to prepare all members of the school community, including your child, to act on a moment’s notice, we will continue to conduct yearly emergency practice drills at each school in the district. These drills occur on a periodic basis throughout the year and will cover a variety of circumstances. In addition to practicing the drills, we will also be discussing with the students the appropriate actions to take during a number of emergencies. These drills and accompanying discussions are designed to prepare your child to act quickly and to minimize your child’s fear should an emergency occur.
Student Release
In the unlikely event that a school incident requires release of students, every possible effort will be made to contact parents and/or guardians as soon as possible. Parents will first be notified by the district’s mass communication system. The North Rose-Wolcott Emergency Response Plan identifies at least three sites within the community for parent-child reunification in the unlikely event that an emergency situation requires students and staff to evacuate the school campus. Due to the unpredictable nature of any emergency, we will only be able to tell you where the parent-child reunion center is located at the time of the emergency. We would be transported to any off campus alternative locations by school bus. Whenever possible, we would evacuate to another district facility that is not involved in the incident. Should it be necessary to activate a parent-child reunion site, you will be notified of the location via the district’s mass communication system.
Reuniting With Your Child
In order to ensure your child’s safety, it is necessary for us to establish some protocols related to picking up your child. Therefore, please be advised of the following three guidelines when picking up your child from a parent-child reunion center:
· No student will be released unless you or an individual designated on the student’s emergency information form arrives to pick up that student. It is critical that the information on your child’s emergency form is current. We will be using this information to contact you through the district’s mass communication system with the evacuation process and location for picking up your child.
· You will be required to present valid identification. This step is required to protect your child from any unauthorized individuals attempting to pick up your child. The school may be receiving assistance from other school personnel, therefore, they may not know you.
· You will be required to sign for the release of your child. This is extremely important as it is our only means of ensuring that all students are accounted for at all times. Please do not take your child from the center without signing for their release. We recognize that you may be worried and want to be reunited with your child as quickly as possible. However, this system has been established to ensure your child’s safety.
Keeping informed during an emergency
During a real emergency, you probably will not be able to reach the school by phone, as staff will be busy responding to the emergency and the needs of the students. We will, however, make every effort to contact parents, either directly, or through the district’s mass communication system. Additionally, we may utilize local radio and television station broadcasts to relay information. Please do not call the school and do not call your child’s cell phone during an emergency. Phone lines need to be kept accessible at all times, and overloading the phone system may mean that the school will not be able to communicate with first responders. The district may also keep parents informed by posting information and updates regarding the emergency on the district’s website (http://www.nrwcs.org).
Finally, we want you to know that your cooperation in preparing your child for the event of an emergency and helping us to ensure their safety is greatly appreciated. As always, should you have any questions or concerns regarding anything stated in this letter, please feel free to contact a school administrator during regular work hours.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter.
Sincerely,
Robyn Roberts-Grant
Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics/Asst. Principal/District Safety Committee Co-Coordinator
Dan Friday
Director of Facilities/District Safety Committee Co-Coordinator
GET INVOLVED!!
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @NRWHS!!!
Clubs and Activities
Art Club
AV Club
Class of 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Cougar Cupboard Club
Future Business Leaders of America
Interact
Masterminds
National Honor Society
Outdoors Club
Peer Mentoring
Science Club
Ski Club
Student Council
Speak Out
Varsity Club
Video Production Club
Athletics
Cross Country
Soccer
Swimming/Diving
Tennis
Volleyball
Basketball
Bowling
Cheerleading
Indoor Track & Field
Wrestling
Baseball
Golf
Outdoor Track & Field
Softball
Questions? Concerns?
(315) 594-3100
We can't wait for the year to begin!