North Notes

Dear Ranger Families,

Welcome to the 2026-27 school year. The campus has been buzzing with activity the last few weeks, and we look forward to having all students back in the building this coming Thursday.

It's a simple formula here at North High School. Come to school (on time), get to class, do your best, and be nice. If every student commits to this, we will have a fantastic year. Thank you for your partnership. It takes all of us to prepare students to be "Future Ready".

Please take the time to review this Newsletter, as it contains important information for the coming year. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. We are here to serve you and your children. It's an honor to be your Principal.

Just a reminder that the school day is as follows:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 7:40 am - 2:25 pm

Wednesday Delayed Start: 8:30 am - 2:25 pm

The counseling department newsletter can be found HERE.

Finally, please see the attached Welcome Back Letter from Dr. Ward.

Sincerely,

Victor Puskas

North HS Principal

victor.puskas@weschools.org

August 20 - Student’s First Day of School

August 26 - First Delayed Start Wednesday

September 2 - Open House 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

September 3 - North Athletics Hall of Fame Induction 6:00 PM (Regovich Catering)

September 7 - Labor Day – NO SCHOOL

September 10 - Picture Day

Link to document of all Important Dates can be found HERE.

The bell schedule has changed slightly this year, with ten minutes being added to the student day. On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, the student school day will be from 7:40 am to 2:25pm. We will continue this year with our delayed start Wednesdays. During Delayed Start, teachers meet in small groups called Professional Learning Communities, aka PLC’s. During this time, teachers examine assessment data and plan ways to reach every student. School hours for students on Wednesdays will be 8:30 am to 2:25pm.

Bell Schedules

Introducing SafeArrival: A Faster, Easier Way to Report Absences

We’re excited to launch a new, more convenient way for families to report student absences: SafeArrival!

Starting now, all absences, whether your child is staying home sick, arriving late, or leaving early now can be reported quickly and easily.

2 Simple Ways to Report an Absence:

1. Use the MyPowerHub Parent Portal

2. Call Toll-Free – 855-612-7207 and follow the prompts (new number)

Absences You Can Report: Full-day absences, Late arrivals, Early pick-ups

You can even upload doctor’s notes directly through the app!

Why Families Love SafeArrival:

• Available 24/7 — report absences in advance or on the same day

• Instant confirmation once your report is submitted

• Information goes directly into PowerSchool — no need to call the office

• Still using the old attendance line? It now forwards to SafeArrival automatically

Doctor’s Notes

If your child is absent due to illness or needs to leave due to a dental, medical or counseling appointment, they may turn in the provider's excuse to the attendance desk for an excused medical absence. These documents will prevent your child from being penalized for hours missed, as Ohio House Bill 410 requires us to track attendance hours. Should your child exceed the limit for hours, you will receive a letter, and we can no longer excuse your students' absence unless proper documentation is provided. Please Note - Drivers Education is not an excused absence.

The message below was sent out by Mr. Pennington, Assistant Superintendent:

To improve efficiency and provide consistent service for the more than 4,000 students who ride a bus

every day, our district has streamlined school start and end times and implemented a new transportation routing system.

Tuesday, August 11th, bus information will be available in PowerSchools parent portal, MyPowerHub. On Thursday, August 13th, you will see our bus fleet out in the community completing their annual Simulation Day. Our drivers will perform their morning and afternoon routes before providing feedback that will help us make any final adjustments. Please be patient, as they provide support for over 60 bus routes and 5,000 bus stops.

● Bus route information will continue to be accessible through the PowerSchool Parent Portal. You

can also download the BusZone Tracker App. BusZone allows you to track your child’s bus in real

time.

● Our Transportation Webpage is the best place to start if you have questions concerning

transportation. There, you'll find an FAQ guide, resources, and contact information. If you have a

question concerning bus information, please reach out to our transportation department at

440-975-3736. You can also ask questions or leave a comment using our Transportation

Feedback Form.

● Families of students who receive specialized transportation as part of their IEP will receive

transportation information based on the type of vehicle assigned. If your child is transported by

school bus, route information will be available through the PowerSchool Parent Portal, as

described above. If your child is transported by van, the transportation company will contact you

directly with your child's pickup and drop-off times.

This year's cell phone policy is the same as last year. The policy is in alignment with state law and board policy. The purpose of the policy is to maintain a productive learning environment by eliminating distractions and enhancing student engagement with the lesson and fellow classmates.

Mrs. Gallucci will be transitioning into a new role for the upcoming school year. She will now be the Workforce Guidance Counselor, working with both North and South HS on workforce initiatives. This means she will no longer have a student caseload at North. Students will now be split amongst three counselors by last name, according to the categories below:

Mrs. Vaughan: Last Names A - Ha (kirsten.vaughan@weschools.org)

Mr. Zenz: Last Names He - Ph (jack.zenz@weschools.org)

Mrs. Phillips: Last Names Pi - Z (lindsay.phillips@weschools.org)

Eventlink is the new software program the athletic department is using as a scheduling platform. Eventlink offers an app in the Apple or Google Play Store for parents and community members, if you are interested. They also power our new athletic website, see link below:

https://northrangersathletics.com/

The National Honor Society Schoology page is up and running! Current members should be checking the page frequently for important information. The first meeting will be Monday, September 21 after school and is mandatory. Hours can be turned into 211 or Mrs. Fleming's mailbox. The Induction Ceremony is Wednesday, October 28 at 7:00 PM in the PAC and all members are required to attend.

Current juniors and seniors interested in joining the National Honor Society, who have at least a 3.5 GPA, will be able to pick up an application from Mrs. Fleming in 211 starting on Monday, August 31. Completed applications will be due Friday, September 18 by 2:30 PM to Mrs. Fleming. If anyone would like to view the application ahead of time, it is available to view on North's website.

If there are any questions regarding the National Honor Society, please email Mrs. Fleming at jessica.fleming@weschools.org. Thank you!

Come join the After Prom 2028 Committee for it's monthly meetings. This is a wonderful opportunity to provide a positive ending to the high school experience! These meetings will be held the 2nd Wednesday of every month.

First meeting info:

Date: Wednesday, September 9

Time: 6:30pm-7:30pm

Where: TBA (check your email and the FB group)

Who: All current Junior students and parents are invited and encouraged to attend. Be a voice and a helping hand!

Please review the following "Quick Reference for Sick Students" document.

Medications

Any medications (including over the counter medications, prescription medications, inhalers and epi-pens) to be consumed during the school day require a completed medication form. These forms can be found on our website HERE. Along with the completed form, a supply of the medication should be delivered to the clinic.

Clinic Visits

Our clinic utilizes software to document student visits. If your child visits the clinic with a minor issue, you will be notified via email of the visit. For major issues (fever, substantial injury, vomiting, etc.) you will receive a phone call from clinic staff. These protocols are in place to keep you informed of your child’s status during the day!

Contact Us

Please reach out if we can assist you in any way! The clinic phone number is: 440-975-3683.

Mrs. Jennifer Lu BSN, RN, LSN - Monday, Wednesday, Thursday.

Mrs. Jennifer Healan (health aide) - Tuesdays and Fridays

Communication is critical at any school, but with over 1,300 students, 100 staff members, and dozens of sports, clubs, and activities it is especially important at North! Each week there are so many events going on, that keeping up with them all can be challenging.