Raider Nation Staff Newsletter
Week of February 17, 2020
Black History Month Program This Week
Hello Raider Nation,
I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend. Our colleagues in Baltimore County were not so fortunate and had to make up for the special election day by having school today.
This week, our Black Student Union will present their Black History Month Assembly to the school and community. The evening program, which will take place this Thursday, February 20 at 6:30pm will feature remarks from Kweisi Mfume.The school-wide assembly will take place this Friday, February 21 during 5th and 6th periods. On this day we will run a double 6th period given we missed 6th period for the winter pep rally. There will be NO 5th period this Friday. Therefore, after 4th period, students will report to their 6th period class. There will be TWO assemblies and Sam Richman will send out a seating chart which will assign you to one of the assemblies. If you are the first assembly, you will escort your students down to the auditorium and remain with them. After the assembly, you will have your 6th period class and our second assembly will be called down. This second group will be coming from their 6th period class to the second assembly. Once again, teachers will escort their students down and remain with them. Students will be dismissed from the assembly so they may bring their belongings. Our BSU students have been working hard to prepare for this program. Please be sure to congratulate them afterwards.
I am thrilled to report that the National Merit Scholarship Program has now determined which of the 16,000 Semifinalists named in September have advanced to Finalist standing in the competition. Atholton High School has NINE National Merit Finalists! Congratulations to:
Elizabeth Ake
Ethan Fan
Benjamin Guo
Daniel Osheroff
Benjamin Recht
Annabel Smoot
Bill Tong
Rohan Uttamsingh
Jessica Wu
Please congratulate them and wish them the best as they continue in the National Merit Scholarship process.
I mentioned in our staff meeting the budget situation and the possible implications on our staffing for next year. I am at a princpal’s meeting tomorrow where we will be debriefed on the impact of recent Board of Ed decisions on staffing and preliminary staffing numbers are released. Adrienne will be sending out a Google Form that will ask for your teaching preferences for next year. We will schedule meetings with ITLs to discuss plans and keep you in the loop of as things develop.
I am at a principal meeting tomorrow so I will see you Wednesday!
Robert
Important Information
Denial of Credit Information
As we enter the third quarter, the discussion of denial of credit may begin to surface. I want to share the Denial of Credit process that the school system has put in place. This process is intended to afford multiple opportunities for intervention for student attendance in order to avoid any student being in the position of being denied credit for a course. Teachers, counselors, and administrators are asked to take specific steps to document student and parent notification and engagement prior to requesting denial of credit from the principal. The steps in the process are:
- Student/Teacher Conference (one each quarter)
- Parent Notification (one each quarter)
- Denial of Credit Warning Letter sent by teacher (before end of Quarter 3)
- Conference held with student, parent, counselor/administrator documented in the form of a contract
- Denial of Credit Recommendation Form submitted to principal (3 weeks prior to last student day)
Student Support Team Information
If you have concerns about a student, please reach out to the various supports we have in place to assist. See below how to access information to support students in need of assistance:
Link for Tier 1 Interventions Document.
This can be found on the Atholton High School Canvas Page. Click on 'Student Support'. Link located under 'Student Support Team'
THIS WEEK
Meetings
Mark Your Calendar
February 21 -- Black History Month Program (Double 6th period)
February 28 -- Honor Roll Ice Cream Celebration (during lunch shifts)
Atholton High School
Email: rmotley@hcpss.org
Website: ahs.hcpss.org
Location: 6520 Freetown Road, Columbia, MD, USA
Phone: 4103137065