Principal Barrera's Notes

This week offered us our first opportunity to navigate wet conditions during the school day. Thankfully, we avoided any heavy downpours, and Mother Nature cooperated just enough to allow students and staff to reach their destinations without getting soaked!

As we move into the fall months, I encourage all students to keep a small, packable umbrella in their backpacks so they are prepared for unexpected rain.

During lunch, we have tables and benches available in our outdoor areas when the weather permits. On rainy days, we also have enough seating inside the cafeteria portables to ensure that all students have a dry and comfortable place to enjoy their meal.

Thank you for helping our students come prepared for whatever weather Mother Nature sends our way!

We appreciate your continued support and cooperation with the state cell phone law. We understand that the requirements may occasionally create an inconvenience for families, and we appreciate your patience as we work together to remain in compliance.

As a reminder, if a student's cell phone or personal communication device is confiscated, it may only be released to a legal guardian listed on the student's school account. Students are not permitted to retrieve confiscated devices themselves.

Please emphasize with your student the importance of keeping all cell phones and personal communication devices stored in their backpacks for the entire school day. Headphones, earbuds, and AirPods must also remain stored away throughout the school day. Keeping these items put away will help students avoid having their devices confiscated and minimize disruptions to instructional time.

Thank you for partnering with us and reinforcing these expectations with your student.

We are also continuing to enforce our campus dress code and would like to remind families of two areas of particular concern: unofficial theme days and appropriate footwear.

Only school-sanctioned theme days are permitted. Students and families will receive advance notification of any approved theme days or special dress opportunities. Student-created or unofficial theme days are not permitted during the school day.

Additionally, with the amount of construction currently taking place on our campus, it is especially important that students wear appropriate footwear each day. House slippers and other soft-soled footwear are not appropriate for the school environment and may present a safety concern as students travel throughout campus.

Thank you for helping us reinforce these expectations and ensuring that students arrive at school dressed appropriately and safely for the day.

Please click on the PSAT button for important information regarding test registration.

While the PSAT is not a required exam, we strongly encourage all 10th- and 11th-grade students to take advantage of this opportunity. All Holmes and NSITE students are eligible to take the PSAT free of charge when registered by the deadline.

Please note that beginning September 24, a $5 late registration fee will apply. We encourage families to complete registration by September 23 to avoid the additional fee.

The PSAT is a valuable opportunity for students to gain experience with college-readiness assessments and become familiar with the testing format they may encounter in the future.

Next week the nurse will start state mandated vision, hearing and scoliosis screens for students new to the district or who have no screen documented on file. They are no cost and relatively quick. Please contact the clinic if you have any questions. We will also continue reaching out to families in need of updated immunizations. Click on the link below for clinic information and immunization appointments.