Souderton Area High School PRINCIPAL's MESSAGE

Souderton Area High School August 2019 Newsletter SAHS

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE Inside this issue: 5th Block 4 Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s), Activity Fee 7

Athletic Department 7 Happy summer, still! I know that this message and newsletter always Back to School Night 3 arrives too soon for most of you. While I love the energy that our stu- Bus Passes 9 dents and teachers bring when they return for the next school year, I Calendar 2 do enjoy summer. Canine Searches 12 Cultural Awareness 8 Last year was amazing in many ways. Winning State Championships in Dress code 12 two 6A sports, girls soccer and baseball, is unthinkable. Our coaches, Finals Permission Form 9 student-athletes, athletic program, and Athletic Director, Dennis Stan- Food Service Prices 4 Freshman Orientation 3 ton, deserve loads of credit for cultivating an environment where Graduation 2020 8 those involved have positive and growth-oriented experiences, while Guidance Counselors 6 also winning! It is no coincidence that the winning is a result of a posi- Hands Across the District 11 tive culture. Homecoming 3 Home Access Center 5 My most challenging responsibility is to help guard against compla- Hot Spot 6 cency. Fortunately, we have amazing staff members and an incredible Keystone Exams 9 student body and community at Souderton who are precipitously col- Laptops 6 laboratively competing to generate the next innovative idea. A great Marking Periods Dates 2 Military Opt Out 11 example of this collaborative competition has been the development Naviance 8 in recent years of both Women’s and Men’s Leadership Symposiums, Non-Discrimination Statements 13 with the females spawning the idea first, and the guys saying, “What Pathway 360° 4 about us?” Parent Participation 11 Picture Day 3 I am looking forward to another great year at SAHS! Physical Education Lockers 7

PSAT 9 Sincerely, SAHS Goals 10 SASD NEXT 10 Scholar’s Banquet 8 Sam Varano Senor Privilege 2 Principal Student Handbook 2 Summer Reading 5

625 Lower Road, Souderton, PA 18964 http://sahs.soudertonsd.org

Senior Privilege (1st School Day) CALENDAR On the first day of school (August 27th), all students AUGUST with senior privilege must report to 5th Block for the AUG 23: Freshman Orientation- 7:40AM start of the school day. All senior privilege students AUG 23: Freshman Tailgate - 5:00PM will meet with Dr. Coddington at 8:30 AM in the Auxil- AUG 27: First Day of School AUG 28: College Admission Presentation - 5:30PM iary Gym. Period 4 senior privilege students will be AUG 28: Post-Secondary Options Panel- 6:00PM permitted to leave school after Period 3. AUG 28: Back to School Night - 6:30PM AUG 29: Welcome Back Dance - 7:00PM AUG 30: NO SCHOOL - Labor Day Holiday

SEPTEMBER SEPT 1: NO SCHOOL - Labor Day Holiday SEPT 11: Picture Day SEPT 12: College Fair - 7:40AM SEPT 18: College Financial Aid Night - 6:00PM SEPT 26: Parent Participation Meeting - 9:30AM SEPT 27: Homecoming Wing Bowl SEPT 27: Homecoming Football Game - 7:00PM Student Handbook SEPT 28: Homecoming Dance - 7:00PM The Student Handbook is available on-line only. You SEPT 28-29: SAT Bootcamp - 9:00AM may access the Student Handbook through the web- SEPT 30: NO SCHOOL - Rosh Hashanah site. Students and parents are responsible for being OCTOBER aware of the content. The handbook can be found OCT 2: College Admissions Presentation - 6:00PM at: OCT 5: SAT - 7:00AM http://sahs.soudertonsd.org/students/handbook OCT 9: NO SCHOOL - Yom Kippur OCT 16: PSAT - 7:40AM OCT 16: FAFSA Completion Night - 5:30PM OCT 22: Picture Retake Day 2019-2020 End of Marking OCT 23: NO SCHOOL - Act 80 Day Period Dates OCT 24: Parent Participation Meeting - 9:30AM OCT 25: FAFSA Completion Night - 5:30PM Parents/Guardians can continuously monitor stu- OCT 26: ACT - 8:00AM dent progress on Home Access Center (HAC)

NOVEMBER End of Report Cards NOV 4: End of Marking Period 1 Marking Period Available on HAC NOV 5: NO SCHOOL-Election Day NOV 7,8,9: Fall Play - 7:00PM MP1 11/4/19 11/13/19 NOV 13: Report Cards Available on HAC MP2 1/27/20 2/5/20 NOV 20: Parent Participation Meeting - 9:30AM MP3 4/2/20 4/13/20 MP4 6/10/20 6/17/20

2 Back to School The First Semester Back to School Night is scheduled for Freshman Orientation Wednesday, August 28th, from 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Parents We are excited to welcome the freshmen to Souderton Area High will follow their student’s First School! All freshmen should come to the high school on Friday, Au- Semester Schedule only. gust 23rd, for orientation. Please plan to arrive early The day will begin at 7:40 AM and end at 12:00 PM. The regular bus (pulling into the school by 5:45 run will pick students up at their designated bus stop and drop them PM is recommended), and use off there at the end of the day. both the Lower Road and

This will be a half-day of fun and an opportunity for freshmen to get Halteman Road Entrances. We to know the school and their classmates. This day is a student day! will begin promptly at 6:30 We hope to see all of our freshmen at orientation, for which the Link PM. We look forward to seeing Crew has been working diligently to prepare. you there! Please bring a copy of your student’s schedule.

Homecoming 2019 SAHS Homecoming begins with Spirit Week, September Picture Day! 23rd—27th,with daily themes to be announced. The week Pictures will be taken of all freshmen, sophomores and juniors on ends with a Pep Rally, Wing Bowl, and Homecoming foot- Tuesday, September 11th. An order form is part of the first day ball game against Central packet for students. Full-time North Montco students should report Bucks East at 7:00 PM. to the Auditorium upon arrival to Be sure not to miss the Home- school on September 11th, as we will coming Dance on Saturday, take their photos prior to them leav- September 28th, 7:00 PM— ing for North Montco. 10:00 PM at the high school. Tickets will be on sale during Spirit Week.

3 What is 5th Block? Food Services Prices

th 5 Block, which is scheduled Tuesday and Breakfast (All Schools) $1.65 Wednesday mornings, provides support and ex- High School Lunch $3.50 tension activities specific to each grade level. Milk - A La Carte $ .60 The freshmen and sophomores focus on their transitions to high school, relationship build- To get free or reduced price meal benefits for ing, and exploring their selected your children, you must complete an application career pathway through job and return it to school. Applications will be sent shadowing opportunities. The home the beginning of each school year. junior and senior 5th Block ad- Questions? dresses mentorships, college, http://www.soudertonsd.org/parents-students/food- career, and post-secondary edu- services/free-reduced-meals cation.

Pathway 360° The hallmark opportunity for students in Souderton’s Pathway 360° Program is the 20-hour unpaid mentorship. The Class of 2019 did a good job of taking advantage of these opportunities, with 364 seniors completing a mentorship. Souderton’s goal is to strive for every graduating senior to complete a 20-hour unpaid mentorship sometime between the summer after sophomore year and the beginning of senior year.

With the intent of catering to more students’ needs for mentorships, last year we established, in collaboration with Grandview Hospital, the Grandview Health Program, which provided mentorships to 20 Souderton students. Additionally, through the leadership of our police officers, Sergeant Gower and Officer Diehl, we re-established the mentorship program, Police Acade- my, of which several students took advantage. Our goal with in- house programs is to provide opportunities for students that are difficult to come by through the regular mentorship networking process.

The Class of 2020 is the first class that has college and career readiness requirements, which students fulfill by simply completing Souderton’s program, including the Reflections in Pathway Manager. However, our staff will be focused on ensuring that students are up to speed at the beginning of the 2019-20 school year in order to be on target to graduate.

4 Schedules and Report Cards on Home Access Center (HAC)

As a means to be more efficient and fiscally responsible, while also conserving paper, we will continue our protocols of not printing and mailing schedules prior to the school year and not mailing paper cop- ies of report cards. Transcripts and students’ course histories will also be available on HAC. If parents and students are having trouble accessing HAC, such as log-in problems, please contact Kelli Nonema- cher at [email protected] or at 215-723-2808, ext. 20021. Parents/guardians who do not have internet access at home should contact the Guidance Office at (267) 203-0117, or Dawn Kester at 215-723-2808, ext. 20115 or [email protected], to request that they still receive a hard copy of report cards.

Instructions: When you log into HAC there are tabs across the top that are self-explanatory (i.e., Re- port Card, Schedule, and Transcript). Simply click on that tab to see your student’s information.

2019-2020 Souderton Area High School Pre-Course Reading List

Students can expect an assessment on their summer reading early in the semester. This assessment will count as not more than 15% of the First Marking Period grade. In 9th grade, students will study Ameri- can Literature; in 10th grade, students will study British literature. As juniors and seniors, students will select from quarter courses based on their interests and will also have the option of Advanced Place- ment courses in language arts. Alternative book choices must fall within the literature focus of the student’s scheduled course. Prior approval must be obtained for an alternative book. Please use the Alter- native Book Approval Form found at:

http://sahs.soudertonsd.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_95868/File/ Students/Library/AlternativeBookApprovalForm.pdf

To request approval for an alternative text, please email the form to Dr. Aronow at [email protected].

Click here for the Summer Reading List for all students.

5 All Students Receiving Laptop Computers for 2019-2020 School Year

Expectations with Computers in School

• Students are expected to carry their computers to all classes.

• When moving about the building, students should carry their computers and power cords in their backpacks to avoid damage.

• The laptop is an educational tool and should be used only for school.

• Students are responsible for making sure the laptop is charged and ready for use every day.

• Students may only use software that is permitted and installed by the school district.

• Students cannot share/loan/borrow another student’s laptop.

• Students should never share user names or passwords.

• Students should never close the screen with any items on the keyboard (pens, paper, etc.).

Guidance Counselors 2019-2020

Grade 9 Counselor Contact Information Grade 10

A-E Alison Kircher [email protected] A-Fe F-K Nickole Trout [email protected] Fi-L L-Ri Kate Hardgrove [email protected] M-Ro Ro-Z Dan Glatts [email protected] Ru-Z Grade Counselor Grade 12 11 A-Ga Tom Overberger [email protected] A-E

Ge-L Dan Barber [email protected] F-La

M-R Laura Baranek [email protected] Le-Rh

S-Z Anne Grant [email protected] Ri-Z

Indian Valley Public Library now offers mobile internet hotspots for a 1-week loan.

Take the internet with you wherever you go! Follow this link to learn more!

6 Activity Fee

An activity fee of $175.00 will be paid by all middle and high school students if they choose to participate in any co-curricular activity, either athletic or non-athletic. The fee is paid one time per year even if a student participates in multiple activities.

The activity fee will be collected for participation in all co-curricular activities excluding, but not limited to, the following: service clubs, student empowerment groups (Student Government and Student Council), and accredited courses.

Provisions will be made for exemption from paying either a part or all of the fee by students whose economic situation would otherwise preclude their involvement. Students who would qualify for free or reduced price lunches under the guidelines established for the feder- ally funded lunch programs will not be required to pay the student activity fee. Athletic SAHS Baseball #1 in State! Department

For changes and cancella- tions, check the Souderton Area High School Athletics website https://soudertonathletics.org/ or call the hotline at (215) 723-7630 after 1:00 PM. It is recommended that you check the website be- fore calling. We are all looking forward to a great year

Physical Education Lockers

In the locker rooms, students will not have pre-assigned combination locks built into their lockers. Therefore, students will need to bring their own lock each day to lock their physical education locker.

Students will be assigned a locker for their class period. When class is over, students will need to take their personal items with them in that the next class will then be using the lockers. Combination locks will be available in the School Store.

7 Cultural Awareness Alliance

The Cultural Awareness Alliance is open to all SAHS students and offers them an opportunity for fellow- ship and to learn about different cultures. The goal of the club is to create unity and maintain a positive voice in the high school community. The club also serves as a forum for sharing and learning about student experiences in school from the perspective of students of color.

The club started during the 2018-19 school year in collaboration with North Penn High School’s African American Awareness Club. During the school year, SAHS club members collaborated with North Penn students and attended school climate forums in Norristown and Coatesville. The club also met periodically during 5th Block to discuss its goals and to help raise schoolwide awareness of the club and its mis- sion. During the 2019-2020 school year, students will continue the work on what they started last year and hope to create a partnership with a Philadelphia elementary school.

Scholars’ Banquet

Following are the qualification criteria for the Schol- ars’ Banquet 2020: Class of 2020

10th Grade Students = Distinguished Honor Graduation Roll (straight As) for each of the first three marking periods of the year

th th 11 and 12 Grade Students = Top 5% of The date of the Graduation their class Ceremony will be Reminder: Class rank is not publicly reported. announced after the Valedictorian and Salutatorian will be determined based upon applications from students in the top 5% inclement weather season. of their class.

Naviance

Seniors will be required to request transcripts through Naviance. Electronic submission of college materials (transcripts, secondary school reports, counselor and teacher recommendations, etc.) will occur through Naviance. Prior to Back to School Night on August 28th, at 5:30 PM in the Auditorium, parents of seniors will have the opportunity to attend a presentation on the college admission process that will address the electronic mailing of college materials. Unless specifically requested by a college for a specific reason, transcripts will not be mailed until the first week of school after students are in- formed of the process.

8 Bus Passes PSAT

If a student needs to take a PSATs will be administered to all 11th grade students free of charge th bus other than the one to on Wednesday, October 16, 2019. Any 10 grade student can also th which he/she is assigned, a take the PSAT on October 16th in school; however, 10 graders would note submitted to the Main need to pay a fee. Cost and online registration information will be available by mid-September. We are pleased that we are able to pro- Office or Attendance Office is vide 11th grade students with a free opportunity to learn more about required from a parent/ Advanced Placement and their college readiness, as well as potentially guardian. We do not accept becoming candidates for National Merit Scholarships. permission over the phone.

Final Exams

The Finals Permission Form may be found at:

http://sahs.soudertonsd.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_95868/File/About% 20SAHS/%20Academics/Final-Exams-Permission-Form.pdf

Keystone Exam Administration

Winter 2019-2020 Keystone Exam Administrations:

Literature Keystone: Taken by all students in English 10 during Semester 1 Taken by all 11th grade students who were previously not Proficient on the Literature Exam and who have an English class during Semester 1 Administration dates: December 10 & 11, 2019

Algebra I Keystone Taken by all students in Algebra I during Semester 1 Taken by 10th and 11th grade students who were previously not Proficient on the Algebra 1 Key- stone and are in Algebra II during Semester 1 Administration dates: January 8 & 9, 2020

Biology Keystone Taken by all students in Biology during Semester 1 Administration dates: January 13 & 14, 2020

For Keystone review resources to help your student on the exam, please visit: http://sahs.soudertonsd.org/students/academics/keystone-exam-resources

9 2019-2020 SAHS Goals

As a staff, we will be focused on two goals during the 2019-20 school year, which are:

1. Complete a study trial of the Lunch and Learn concept for the middle of the day. When two SAHS staff members attended a sched- uling conference last school year, they learned of this very successful program that the high schools in the Lower Merion School District, Harriton and Lower Merion High Schools, utilize. The Lunch and Learn concept involves having one hour for the entire school to eat lunch throughout the day with the following stipulations:

• All teachers will have an announced 30-minute office hour for stu-

dents. • Students can eat at any time in specified locations throughout the building during the hour. There will be many opportunities for students and staff to connect.

2. Continue to explore interdisciplinary curriculum opportunities in which students will learn subject matter in more real-life situations, rather than being isolated, as, for example, when history and science are taught alone. This year, we have our first interdisciplinary course in Interdisciplinary Honors Seminar (with the Academic Decathlon curriculum). We hope that through collaborative staff and student work will be the springboard for more opportunities.

In this fourth year, the five-year plan for improving instruction and learning in the SASD continues to manifest itself in the below five focus areas at Souderton Area High School: • SAHS classrooms are student-centered. • SAHS classrooms are differentiated. • SAHS classrooms promote ongoing feedback and reflection. • SAHS is a place where students are engaged with content, teachers, and classmates inside and outside the building. • SAHS has purposeful, effective use of technology to enhance collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking.

10 Parent Participation Meetings

Parent Participation Meetings are informal meetings with the principal during which parents are updated about high school initiatives and have an opportunity to ask questions and/or address concerns. Below is the meeting schedule for the 2019-2020 school year.

Thursday, September 26, 2019 Wednesday, January22, 2020 Thursday, October 24, 2019 Thursday, February 27, 2020 Wednesday, November 20, 2019 Thursday, March 26, 2020 Wednesday, April 22, 2020

All meetings are at 9:30 AM in Room A101

Hands Across The District The high school’s Hands Across the District co- ordinators for the 2019 – 2020 school year will be Judy Longo and Heather Wassel. Those in- terested in joining our Hands Across the District volunteers should complete the volunteer application found on the district website (www.soudertonsd.org) or contact the coordi- nators at http://sahs.soudertonsd.org/cms/one.aspx? portalId=95952&pageId=113095

Military Opt Out

The No Child Left Behind Act includes a provision mandating the release of student information (names, addresses, and telephone numbers) to military recruiters and institutions of higher learning, upon their request. Additionally, the district must also notify parents/guardians of their right and the right of their child to request that the district not release such information without prior written consent.

If you do not want the school to release the above information to military recruiters and/or institutions of higher learning, please download, complete and print the opt-out form using the link below and sub- mit it by September 30th, to Mrs. Robin Johnson in the Guidance Department via e-mail at [email protected] or by mail.

http://sahs.soudertonsd.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_95868/File/MilitaryOptOut-Policy250.pdf

11 Dress Code Reminders

As this summer draws to a close and you plan your back-to-school shopping, please be mindful of SAHS’s dress code, which has been established to encourage students to focus on the learning process without the distraction of unsuitable dress and grooming. The students at SAHS are expected to dress in a manner that is supportive of, and not disruptive to, the educational environment. Among the clothing guidelines are:  Shorts must be loose fitting and long enough to be appropriate school apparel.  Dresses/skirts must be at least mid-thigh length, with no plunging backs below the mid-back, not made from transparent material, nor have side or front cutouts.  Pants should not be worn below the waistline. All undergarments must be covered at all times.  Students must wear apparel that covers the midriff. Boys may not wear tank tops, sleeveless shirts, or muscle shirts. Clothing with profane or questionable language imprints is unacceptable school apparel.  Students must wear footwear at all times. Because of safety and sanitation in situations such as chemistry lab, teachers may require more substantial footwear.  Sunglasses are not to be worn in the school building.  Any form of head apparel that covers the head (hats, scarves, hoods, bandanas, etc.) is prohibited, except under the terms of specially designated days. Hoods are forbidden in all cases.  Outerwear (coats or jackets that zip or button the length of the garment) cannot be worn during the school day and must be stored in the students’ lockers.  Bracelets, collars, or other apparel that have spikes, studs, or other potentially dangerous components are prohibited. All forms of attire are subject to evaluation on an individual basis. Students not in compliance with the dress code will be required to obtain an immediate suitable change of clothing and will face disciplinary action ranging from warning to suspension. Any student wearing apparel to school deemed inappropriate will be referred to the administration.

Canine Searches

In an ongoing effort to ensure that our schools are safe and supportive for all students, the Souderton Area School District continues its Student Search Policy that includes the use of a canine search dog. The param- eters indicated by the Student Search Policy will be included in the Student Handbook.

This canine search process will be used to determine the presence of unlawful or illegal substances within and outside of the school. “Periodically, or as a specific situation warrants, the dog may be used to sniff the air around lockers, desks, bags, purses, book bags, and other items, or even vehicles that are on district property or at a district sponsored event.” The Souderton Area School District is committed to providing schools free of drugs, alcohol, and weapons, including explosive devices. Together, we strive to provide a safe and healthy learning environment for our students. This is an essential part of our duty as caring educators and responsible adults. We thank you for your support as we continue to work together to address issues that impact the lives of our students.

12 Non-Discrimination Statement

The Souderton Area School District is an equal opportunity education institution and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin, marital status, pregnancy or handicap/disability in its admissions procedures, educational programs, services, activities or employment practices as required by Title VI, Title IX and Section 504 and/or any applicable federal statute. For information regarding non-discrimination in school, classroom, and employment practices, contact the Dis- trict’s Compliance Officer.

Compliance Officer Dr. Christopher D. Hey, Assistant Superintendent/Director of Human Resources Souderton Area School District Administrative Offices 760 Lower Road Souderton, PA 18964 215-721-6061 [email protected]

The Souderton Area School District will assist students who have Limited English Proficiency to participate in all programs, services and activities.

Non-Discrimination of Qualified Students with Disabilities Annual Notice to Parents

In compliance with state and federal law, the Souderton Area School District will ensure that all district programs and practices are free from discrimination against all qualified students with disabilities. The District will provide to each qualified student with a disability without discrimination or costs to the student or family, those related aids, services or accommodations which are needed to provide equal opportunity to participate in and obtain the benefits of the school program and extracurricular activities to the maximum extent appropriate to the student’s abili- ties. A qualified student with a disability is a school-age child who has a physical or mental disability which substan- tially limits or prohibits participation in or access to an aspect of the district’s educational programs, nonacademic services or extracurricular activities.

These services and protections for“ qualified students with disabilities” are distinct from those applicable to all eli- gible or exceptional students enrolled (or seeking enrollment) in special education programs. For information regarding non-discrimination of qualified students with disabilities, as well as the evaluation procedures and provision of services to qualified students with disabilities, contact the District’s Section 504 Coordina- tor. Section 504 Coordinator Ms. Megan Zweiback, Director of Pupil Services Souderton Area School District Administrative Offices 760 Lower Road Souderton, PA 18964 215-721-6061 [email protected]