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August 24, 2009
Dear Yarmouth High School Students and Parents,
Welcome and welcome back to the school year 2009-20010. I hope you have had an enjoyable summer and are ready to return to school next week. The first day of school is Monday, August 31st. We will begin classes that day with the expectation that all students will be ready for schoolwork and prepared for class. I am hopeful that you (students) have already completed summer reading and assignments. Just in case you havenít quite finished, please be sure to get the work done this week so that you are prepared for the first day of school. All summer reading assignments are found listed on the school website (http://hs.yarmouth.k12.me.us/Pages/index). Our school day will begin with advisor group at our usual time (7:40 AM) and finish at 2:25 PM. As has been the practice in the past, on Wednesday mornings students have a late start (8:40 AM) so that teachers can meet for professional development and planning. We will have a late start on Wednesday, September 2nd.
While the students were away, there was plenty of work going on at Yarmouth High School. There have been a number of summer curriculum projects completed by teachers. The custodial and maintenance staffs have been working to make sure that all parts of the school are ìdeep cleanedî and serviced so that we are ready for another year. Our Student Senate met recently to plan for the coming year and ran an orientation for new students.
We are very pleased to welcome the following new staff members:
- Stephen Fox will join us as a Spanish teacher
- Xiao Chunzi will join us from China as our new Chinese language teacher
- Shenaugh Tripp will join us as a social worker
- Andrea Carr, Jordi St. John, Erik Ryder, and Kate Mather will join us as Educational Technicians working with special education students.
You will find links to additional information about the opening of school, including our "Dates to Date," a copy of the school calendar, information about our pest management policies, and information about the school nutrition program at the bottom of this page. Please consult our website throughout the year for information such as period schedules, school calendar, sports schedules, and updated information about activities at the school. However, I want to highlight a few items for you:
- School will begin on Monday, August 31st as a BLUE day. This will be a full school day, with advisor/advisee period starting promptly at 7:40 AM. We will have advisor group lists and locations posted in the main hallway for any student who is not sure where to go.
- Open House will be held on Wednesday, September 23rd at 6:30 PM. This is an opportunity for parents to come in to meet with your son or daughterís advisor and learn about the classes by going through an abbreviated student schedule. We always have a good turnout that night and look forward to seeing parents.
- This year, we are continuing the laptop computer program for all students in grades 9-12. Students will be issued a ìMacBookî computer during the first few days of school to use for the year. Students will receive permission slips on the first day of school and we ask that these be returned to the advisors along with a $25 check for insurance prior to the distribution of computers. We ask parents to spend some time with your sons and daughters reviewing the expectations of this program for the school and students. The continuation of this program will continue to help our students to be able to use technology in many aspects of their school experience.
- This year, we are again part of the Virtual High School program. This will allow our students to take classes for credit online. This program has a wonderful reputation for offering high quality classes online. Any students who are interested in taking a class that we do not currently offer at Yarmouth High School are encouraged to see their guidance counselor in the opening days of school to see if this program is appropriate. For information about available courses, visit the Virtual High School website at http://www.govhs.org/.
- Each year, we supply our volunteer coordinators with the names and phone numbers of parents. If you do NOT want your information shared, be sure to call the main office to let us know so that we can take your name off the list.
I am looking forward to seeing each of you in the coming weeks. Please know that I would love to hear from you if you have questions, comments, or concerns. Feel free to call the school or send me an email at ted_hall@yarmouth.k12.me.us.
I am hopeful that students are excited about the coming school year. A new school year gives us all an opportunity to try new courses, activities and habits of working. The rhythm of the school year gives each of us a chance to begin again every fall.
Sincerely,
Ted Hall
Principal
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