EAST LONGMEADOW HIGH SCHOOL
EAST LONGMEADOW, MASSACHUSESTTS 01028-2788
August 2005
Dear Parent / Guardian:
On behalf of the East Longmeadow High School staff, we hope everyone is ready to begin a successful 2005 – 2006 school year. With a professional staff, a comprehensive curriculum, and a safe, well maintained building, the High School offers your daughter/son an effective educational experience. We need your support as part of the cooperative effort which emphasizes that your teenager takes advantage of all East Longmeadow High School offers – both in academics and co-curricular activities.
As part of this cooperative effort, it is important to inform you on a number of items so that all are prepared for the upcoming school year. They are as follows:
· “First Day” – Tuesday, September 6
· Preliminary Student Schedules
· User fees – for athletics and clubs
· Vehicle Transportation
· Personnel
· Freshman Orientation
· Student Information Sheet (SIS)
· Parents Organization
· Dates of Importance / School Website
· School Calendar / Guidance Calendar
School will start on Tuesday, September 6 and one of the most important activities is the distribution/review of the Student Handbook and K-12 Code of Conduct. Each student will receive his/her own copy of the two publications; moreover, the high school administration will review each document’s key features with the students. It is vital that you and your daughter/son read (and study) both publications as they contain the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of East Longmeadow High School and the school district. The next page lists the publication with the pages of the key features. Please use this as a guide in reviewing both documents with your teenager.
Please note the following:
P3 Principal’s Message
P4 Count Me In
- list of values and activities
P9 Mission Statement and Expectations
- essence of what East Longmeadow High School is seeking to achieve
- fundamental goals
P10 Academic Expectations Rubric
- listing of each expectation with rating and explanation
P20 Graduation Requirements
- list of course requirements, community service, credits, and promotion
P24-25 Attendance
- policy on loss of credit due to absences
P26 Dismissals
- only parental/guardian notes accepted
- only in an emergency will a parent/guardian phone call be accepted
P26 Make-up Work
- responsibility/requirements for missed school work
P32 East Longmeadow High School Computer Lab Use Policy
- policy on student use of computer labs
P35-36 Tobacco Free Policy
- review regulations for tobacco free campus
P36 Alcohol Tester
- use of passive, non-invasive test for social functions
P18-29 High School Discipline Procedures
- review procedures and regulations
P45 Searches of Students
- review student’s rights
P49 Student Records
- review access rights and confidentiality
P37-39 Sexual Harassment Policy
- review sexual harassment rules and procedures
P52-56 East Longmeadow Public Schools Memorandum of Understanding
- review school and police agreement
P57-58 Dress Code
- review appropriate dress
P71 Acceptable Internet Use Policy
- policy on student use for Internet only to conduct educational research/endeavor
P74 Media Policy
- review approval through Code of Conduct signature
P79 Cell Phone Policy
- possession, not use during school day
With staff reductions in five areas (Business and Instructional Technology, Chorus, Foreign Language, Reading and Virtual High School) please carefully review your daughter/son’s preliminary class assignments for the 2005 – 2006 school year because these reductions caused major changes to our master schedule. Also, school policy prohibits teacher request. Finally, student schedule issues may be discussed by calling the high school guidance office at 413-525-5462 beginning August 24 – August 30, 2005.
At this time, the user fees for athletics and clubs are still in process and await School Committee approval (August School Committee meeting). Because the user fees for clubs and athletics will be increased, a Connect Ed phone call will be placed in mid-August to alert all high school homes.
Vehicles arriving or departing during the normal school hours must do so by using the parking lot entrance by St. Michael’s Church. Vehicles cannot enter the front horseshoe from 6:55 – 7:25 a.m. and 1:45 – 2:15 p.m. because of busing.
In personnel, because of varied reasons (retirements, relocation, leave of absences, etc.) we have two staff changes. They are as follows:
Guidance: Mr. John Martin (Mr. Handzel relocated)
Health: Ms. Patricia Hafey (replacing Mr. Martin)
The Freshman Orientation is scheduled at the high school on Monday, August 29 at 10:00 a.m. for all incoming ninth graders and any student new to the school. The high school administration, guidance counselors, and student council will provide an orientation which will prepare the incoming students for their high school experience. The program will conclude at 11:30 a.m.
All families are required to complete a SIS for each student. Tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade families received a SIS in our June mailing and we ask you to forward any updates (if you have not) to us as soon as possible. Ninth grade families are receiving the SIS in this mailing and are asked to forward the completed sheet by the first day of school
Finally, if you need another SIS, students can receive one the first day of school.
The first PARENTS’ ORGANIZATION MEETING is Thursday, September 15, at 7:00 p.m., in the high school conference room. Please make every effort to attend this and other scheduled meetings as the knowledge and information can only help in dealing with your teenager. Thursday, September 22, at 7:00 p.m., we will hold OPEN HOUSE.
Attached is the school calendar and guidance department calendar with key dates for September and October listed below. Moreover, one can stay current by accessing our website at www.eastlongmeadow.org, then click on the East Longmeadow High School link.
10:00 a.m. – high school
Tuesday, September 6 Opening Day – 7:25 a.m. start
Thursday, September 15 Parents’ Organization meeting
7:00 p.m. – high school conference room
Friday, September 16 Yearbook pictures
Sunday, September 18 Senior Picnic – Pine Knoll – 1:00 p.m.
Thursday, September 22 Open House 7:00 p.m.
Monday, October 11 Columbus Day – no school
Saturday, October 15 PSAT – East Longmeadow High School
Tuesday, October 18 Term 1 ends
Wednesday, October 26 Professional Development Day
No school for students
In closing, as I mentioned before about cooperative effort in ensuring your teenager’s success at ELHS, please make sure they are prepared in the following ways:
ü They have completed summer reading (www.eastlongmeadow.org, click on ELHS link)
ü They are dressed properly (see Code of Conduct pages 57-58)
ü They understand the cell phone policy which means they may carry a cell phone but it is not to be used at all during the high school day, 7:25 a.m. – 1:45 p.m. (Code of Conduct page 79)
ü And most essential, they are on time and attend school every day.
Always,
Richard L. Freccero
Principal