The Raider Nation Newsletter

Dear Raider Nation,

The school year has officially begun! We kicked off the day (and the year) with our annual Senior Sunrise breakfast. Students were excited to get breakfast and see their friends and we were excited that they were not just on time for school, but early. Now there's no excuse for the rest of the year for why they are late. They can get here on time if they want to!

All of our buses were on time and drop off went very smoothly. Thanks for following the directions with signage (and the staff directing traffic out front). Please see below for some gentle reminders about student drop-off areas.

The day was also great due to the low number of cell phone reminders we had to make and the excellent navigation skills of our new students. People are finding their way around the school and quickly learning the shortcuts to get from point A to point B. That's awesome since we will start with the tardy sweeps and increased accountability for being on time next week!

We hope that your child had a great first day and that, if you/they have any questions, some of the info you are looking for can be found below. If not, feel free to follow up with a specific teacher, counselor, or administrator. Thanks.

Sincerely,

Nick Novak

Principal

Just a reminder that we have two drop-off areas. If your student is entering the front lobby area, you should use the drop off area along the fence. If your student is entering the auditorium lobby, you should use the drop off area closest to Grassroots. Please do not drop off on the corner near the handicapped spaces. This clogs up the traffic flow in the parking lot. Thanks.

Our media specialists are focusing only on getting devices to students new to HCPSS devices these first few days. Then they will move on to broken/missing devices...and finally, the dissemination of new 9th grade devices once the county sends us a spreadsheet of eligible students (based on year of issue). Students should go to the media center before school, after school, during lunch, or between classes.

Schedule changes will occur in phases starting the first day of school. Students can pick up schedule change request forms in student services. Please note, schedule changes for elective courses may not be granted. All students have had the opportunity to review course selections with their counselors on several occasions since January. The Master schedule was built based on these choices.

Phase 1 - August 25th - August 29th

• Holes in schedule

• Missing a graduation requirement

• Dropping your ARL classes

• Error in schedule (already taken class, wrong placement)

• Aiding and release time (Aiding can only occur during the same period as the dropped course.) - Aiding is for seniors only.

• 
  

Phase 2 - September 2nd - September 12th

• All Phase 1 reasons

• Elective Changes - May only occur if the new desired course falls in the same period as the dropped course.

• Student and teacher driven Level changes (Paper forms are available in Student Services)

• 
  

Phase 3 - September 15th - September 19th

• There will be no more elective changes.

• Student and teacher driven Level changes (Paper forms are available in Student Services) What process do we want to use? Paper form, fillable form, Google form?)

• Aiding and release time (Aiding can only occur during the same period as the dropped course.) - Aiding is for seniors only.

The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all students. Preventing bullying is an important part of this goal. HCPSS Policy 9460 states that bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, and intimidation are prohibited in HCPSS. Our administration and staff have been trained and made aware of this policy as well as preventative and responsive measures.

We know how important your role is in not only supporting your children, but also reporting possible incidents as you become aware of them. The Bullying, Cyberbullying, Harassment and Intimidation (BCHI Reporting Form should be used to report all alleged incidents of bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, and intimidation that occur at school or have a connection back to the school setting that create a risk of harm to other students while they are at school, or interfere with the educational environment. An online version is available and can easily and confidentially be used by students, staff, and family members. Hard copies of this form are available in the main office, staff workroom, school counseling office, media center, and health services office. If you believe your child has been bullied, please complete and submit this form as soon as possible and/or assist your child in doing so.

Once the form is submitted, school administrators will ensure the parent/guardian of both the alleged target and alleged offender are aware of the report and will begin an investigation within two school days of receiving the report. Parents/guardians can expect a school administrator to reach out to them during the investigation. Once the investigation is completed, parents/guardians will be provided written notice of the outcome of the investigation within fifteen days of receiving the compaint, excluding extenuating circumstances.

There are times when incidents of peer conflict or code of conduct offenses may occur that may not be bullying, but may need follow up action. If you become aware of something that falls under conflict and/or a code of conduct offense, please notify a school administrator via email or phone call so that they can become aware and follow up as needed.

Lastly, I want to take a moment to specifically lift up cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is bullying using electronic media like computers, cell phones, and game systems. Our digital interconnectedness makes bullying different and more damaging than it’s ever been before. It allows hatred and publicly humiliating gossip or photos to be instantly far-reaching and inescapable as electronic media is everywhere. It can NOT simply be ignored. In October 2013, the State of Maryland enacted Grace’s Law, making misuse of interactive computer services a criminal offense. Its purpose is to prohibit anyone from using electronic media (computers, tablets, phones, etc.) to maliciously engage in conduct that inflicts serious emotional distress on a minor and/or places that minor in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury. A person who is found guilty of violating this law is subject to imprisonment and/or fines.

While all of this information will be reviewed with students at school, we are asking you to do the same at home. Thank you for your partnership in ensuring all of our students feel a sense of safety and belonging in their school communities! More information can be found on the HCPSS Stop Bullying website. If you have any questions regarding this policy or its implementation, please contact a school administrator.

Here are some key points of information regarding bus transportation, walking, and drop off/pick up procedures for Atholton HS:

• If your child will be walking or riding their bike to school, take time now to familiarize your child with their route to and from school. If appropriate, map out and walk the route between your home and school to ensure all roads, sidewalks and pathways are familiar for your child. If you encounter any issues regarding safety as you walk these routes with your student, please contact the HCPSS Office of Student Transportation

• Student drivers MUST have a valid parking permit for the 2025-2026 school year. The school website includes information about obtaining a parking permit. Students should park in white spaces. Yellow spaces are reserved for staff. Please follow BOTH links below to obtain a parking permit (one is the application and the other is for payment):

1. Parking Permit Application

2. OSP Online Payment System

• Drop off and pick up procedures are posted on our website. Please review and follow these directions to ensure a safe and efficient process.

8/26- Fall Sports Parent Meeting

8/27- Underclassmen Pictures (10th & 11th grade through English class; 9th grade make-up at lunch)

8/27- Evacuation Drill during Raidertime

8/28- Underclassmen Pictures (10th & 11th grade through English class; 9th grade make-up at lunch)

8/29- Administration Assembly during 3rd period (Rules Overview)

9/1- Schools & Offices Closed for Labor Day

9/9- Back to Music Night

9/10- Senior College Information Night

If you missed new student orientation and/or Back to School Night, here are the presentations shared at those events:

• New Student Orientation
• Back to School Night

Atholton PTSA

Atholton PBSA

Atholton Boosters

Atholton Drama Boosters

Atholton JROTC Boosters

Atholton Music Boosters

Atholton Robotics Boosters