Principal's Holiday Message

Due to the winter recess, there are only a few updates since the mid-month memo:

• A HUGE thank you to the Parent Council for running another successful Holiday Fair. The proceeds support the pre-graduation event for the class of 2026.
• Congratulations to the SHS students who were selected for All State Band:
• Senior All State Band
• Audrey Slaughter-Biello
• Junior All State Band
• Victor Slaughter-Biello
• Naveed Tariq
• Junior All State Orchestra
• Arlo Tibbetts
• Our fall athlete post-season awards are listed below in the Athletic Director's update
• Graduation date and location has been set!
• Saturday, June 13, 2026
• Deerfield Park
• 11:00
• Rain date: Sunday, June 14, 2026

✨✨🎅🏼✨✨

2025 Fall Post-season awards LINK HERE

In October, RIDE announced a new partnership to expand access to virtual mental health services for students across the state through Hazel Health. This partnership allows all K–12 students to receive high-quality online medical care and counseling at no cost to families.

Recent research conducted by Clemson University highlights the positive impact of Hazel Health’s counseling services. The study reviewed data from more than 3,500 middle and high school students in 11 states and found that 75% of participating students experienced noticeable improvements in emotional well-being, including reduced feelings of stress and worry. The results also showed positive outcomes for students of all backgrounds, with consistent improvements across race and gender.

If you feel your student may benefit from additional support, Hazel Health will be available throughout the holiday break. These free, online services are easy to access, and families can find more information here

Winter Break 12/22/2025-1/2/2026

Classes resume 1/5/2026

No School 1/19/2026 (MLK Day)

2nd Quarter ends 1/22/2026

Winter Ball 1/30/2026

As we begin 2026, improving student attendance is one of our school goals. Currently, 12% of our students (81 students) are considered chronically absent, meaning they have missed more than 10% of the school year. In addition, students arriving late and leaving early are also disruptive to the school community.

Being at school every day, on time and for the whole academic day help students build strong habits that support success in school and beyond. Attendance also plays an important role in our school’s star rating, making it a shared priority for our entire community.

How families can help:

• Schedule appointments outside school hours when possible.

• Take trips during the vacation time on the school calendar.

• Encourage your student to come to school, even on tough days.

• Expect your student to be in class at 7:30 and here until 1:45.

• Reach out to the school if your student needs support.

By working together, we can make 2026 our best year of attendance yet!

Warmly,

Ms. Ward