The Principal’s Corner May, 2013 Mary Beth Blankenship

I am always so amazed at how fast time flies. We are in the 4th quarter and the final minutes of the 2012-2013 school year. Final exams and graduation commencement will be here before you know it.

There are so many great things happening with our students and staff, too many to list. We have celebrated many accomplishments for our students and staff. JCIB had a wonderful Honors and Awards Day ceremony. Shades Valley celebrated its’ senior awards day recently. SVHS also be recognized the top 20 students in each grade. I am a firm believer in recognition of students and staff. My goal for the 2013-2014 year is to have an awards day for each grade level, continue to reward our A and AB Honor Roll students, students who conquer the grad exam and any other thing I can find to celebrate. Students and staff need to be recognized for their accomplishments.

The week of May 6 – 10 is faculty and staff appreciation week. I would like to encourage you and your student to write a teacher or staff member, could be the custodian, office lady, lunchroom lady, bus driver, aide, or teacher, a note to tell them how much you appreciate what they do each day!

I have encouraged students and I hope you will do the same, to check on their grades, know where they stand, and do not wait until the last minute to finish work or depend on credit recovery/student support options to pass. They may finish on the wrong end and come up short. This is critical for all students, but especially if your child is a senior.

As exams, graduation, and the end of school approach, I feel it is essential to keep you informed of dates and times of the various things happening.

Senior exams given Tuesday and Wednesday will be given during the regularly scheduled time. No exams for grades 9 – 11 should be given early.

Tuesday, May 14…………………………………………………………………………………………Seniors 1st block exam and 5th block exam

Wednesday, May 15……………………………………………………………………………………Seniors 2nd block exam and 6th block exam

Friday, May 17 ……………………………………………………………………………………………All Students 4th block exam and 8th block exam 

[Schedule for the day 4, 8, 6, 8]

Monday, May 20 …………………………………………………………………………………............Senior Make-Up Exams & Credit Recovery;

9th – 11th - 2nd block Exams  and 6th block Exams 

[Schedule for the day 2, 6, 6, 8]

Tuesday, May 21………………………………………………………………………………............…Senior Make-Up Exams & Credit Recovery

9th – 11th 1st block exams and 5th block exams

[Schedule for the day 1, 5, 5, 7]

Tuesday, May 21…………………………………………………………………………………………..…………IB Graduation practice @ 8:30

(Students must ride the buses to and from graduation practice)

Wednesday, May 22 …………………………………………………………………………..….….9th – 11th Make-Up and Credit Recovery

(Students must ride the bus to and from graduation practice 7:30 Senior Breakfast

9:00 Leave for Graduation Practice

Thursday, May 23 ……………………………………………………………………………………..9th – 11th Make-Up and Credit Recovery

IB Graduation @ 3:00 P.M.

SV Graduation@6:00 P.M.

9th – 11th Grade Verifications due by 3:00 P.M.

Each day is a regular school day. Attendance will be taken. However, if you allow your child to check out, you and your child must provide a check out note containing the following information printed clearly:

The student name, date, parent name, parent telephone number, and check out time. No students are to be dismissed before the end of class. Phone calls, faxes, text, emails, etc… will not be taken, nor will phone calls be made for students to check out. If your child checks out, they need to leave campus immediately and not return. They will not be allowed to ride the bus home.

JEFCOED provides students the opportunity to exempt exams. Any student who takes an IB or AP exam will be exempted from their exam. 9th and 10th grade students can be exempt from one exam provided the meet the required criteria. 11th grade students can be exempt from two exams provided they meet the required criteria. Seniors may exempt all exams provided they meet the required criteria.

Students will be given an exam exemption form on Wednesday and Thursday, May 8th & 9th. The student, parent, and teacher must sign the form. It must be turned into the guidance office prior to the beginning of exams. Lost forms will not be replaced.

Our PTSO sponsors a senior breakfast the day of graduation practice, May 22rd. If you would like to provide food or assist with breakfast, please contact Cheryl Jenkins @cherylljenkins@bellsouth.net. Breakfast begins around 7:15 – 8:30.

Graduation Practice Schedule:

JCIB: May 21 @ 8:30 AM SVHS: May 22 @ 9:00 AM

Graduation Commencement: The Church of the Highlands.

JCIB: 3:00 P.M. – Doors open at 2:15 SVHS: 6:00 P.M. – Doors open at 5:15 – you must have a ticket to enter

Each SVHS student will receive eight tickets for graduation. Once the graduates are seated, if there is additional space, we will let those without tickets enter.

You should have received a letter in the mail from me regarding graduation and the protocol for this great event. If you did not, please check the website.

Excellent behavior and attitude are always expected. However, there are times when seniors make foolish decisions to do something to leave their mark at school. I have met with seniors twice and announced daily about their behavior. If anything occurs to disrupt the educational environment, learning process, or causes more work for custodians, teachers, and/or administration or if a student receives a Class III for a discipline, they will forfeit their privilege of participating in graduation exercises. Please make sure your student understands this.

Please remember that graduation is a joyous, yet serious occasion. Please be considerate of others while students are being announced. Those who disrupt the ceremony or behave inappropriately will be escorted out.

Our staff has worked very hard this year to help each student be a success. Encourage your student to give his/her best each day. When this happens, not only is your student successful, but our school is successful as well. It is a win – win for all.

Thank you for all you do as a parent. You are needed and appreciated. If we can ever be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call.

Go, Mounties