SHS Student Wildcat Roar

Hello, and welcome to a new school year!

If you don't know me, I'm your HS Principal. You're going to hear people call me J Clem - you can, too. :) You can learn a bit about me on the graphic above. I look forward to getting to know you and am looking forward to getting this school year started!

jc

Uhm…it’s a SUPER AWESOME newsletter that’s emailed to students and their adults weekly. (You're reading it now. like the PHENOMENAL human that you are!)

Seriously – I spend a lot of time each week typing out information that you need to know. It’s emailed to you – just open it, read it, and carry on.

(P.S. – If I write about it, it means that it’s a wide-spread issue and you should pay attention.)

Do you need Slater gear? Get it shipped straight to your house! Check it out HERE:

The store is also linked on our webpage, SlaterSchools.net - look on the right side of the home page for the button.

A: Missouri passed SB 68 this Summer, which states that personal communication devices are ‘not to be displayed or accessed during school hours’. This means:

• Phones are not to be seen or used during school hours, including during lunch.
• Watches: Smartwatches are watches. If a watch is being used to check messages, respond to messages, or function in a way other than telling time, it is a violation of SB 68 and is subject to the handbook consequences.
• Earbuds: HS students will be given a pair of wired earbuds on the first day of school when we issue Chromebooks. Students may use wired headphones/earbuds ONLY.
  
  

Bonus question: What happens if we’re on our Phone /Smart Watch /Airpods?

A: If a student is using a phone/watch/airpods when they aren’t supposed to, the HANDBOOK policy applies:

Electronic Devices (excluding calculators)

1. Device may be picked up by the student at the end of the day in the office.

2. Parents will be required to pick up the device.

3. Parents will be required to pick up the device and a 60 minute student detention will be assigned.

4. Parents will be required to pick up the device and a 3 hour detention will be assigned.

On the first day of school, all HS Students will report to the Gym.

We will introduce HS teachers, distribute copies of your schedule and lunch PINs , and start our day with a bit of fun. After Tuesday, report to your first hour class when you arrive.

The building will unlock at 7:30 am. The first bell rings at 7:54 am.

I’m glad you asked!

Parking is open this year - first come, first served.

Spots students CAN’T park:

- The Circle Drive

- Teacher Parking (off of Elm Street, in front of the Elementary Building)

- The Cafeteria Lot

- Reserved Staff Parking in Gravel/Bus lot (South end of lot)

- On grass

If you're parking in the South Gravel lot, enter from Parker Street. Exit via the Circle Drive, towards Elm Street (no left turn).

If you’re driving to school, you need an SHS parking pass. You can get one from Ms. Mindy in the HS Office. They are $5/school year.

The Student Handbook has more info about Driving, Parking, and consequences of violating the rules. Check it out at SlaterSchools.net!

Mrs. Crews takes care of schedules and schedule changes.

To change your schedule, you need to complete a SCHEDULE CHANGE request form. You can get one from the HS Office or outside of Mrs. Crews’s office (next door to my office).

Here are some other things to know about schedule changes:

- Don’t ask to talk to Mrs. Crews about a schedule change during class time. If you’ve turned in a request, she’ll contact you if she has a question.

- Don’t come get a schedule change form during class time. You have time to grab one between classes.

- Keep reporting to the class you want to change until Mrs. Crews tells you that your schedule has been changed.

- Schedule changes are allowed the first three days of each semester. Because our schedule is interrupted in the first days, the last time to request a schedule change is 3:10 pm on Friday, August 22. Parent signatures are required. If you don’t request it/get approved by then, you don’t get to change your schedule until second semester.

Yes.

Here’s the deal:
Your bottle must have a screw-top lid and must be kept in your locker, backpack, or the floor.

Teachers may ban drinks from their classrooms. They'll talk to you about it in the first days.

Failure to follow these rules can result in you being banned from bringing in your bottle.

Be smart, Wildcats.

Breakfast, yes.

Snacks and other meals, nope. (If you NEED a snack for medical reasons, we will make sure you get a snack.)

Here’s the deal: Food in the trash cans = bugs, mice, icky things. So…you are welcome to eat breakfast in your first hour classroom. Please throw your food/drink trash in the large rolling trash cans that will be in the hallways. This lets us keep the food out of the classrooms and in the dumpster.

You can pick up (FREE) breakfast each morning in the Cafeteria – or bring your own food in if you’re not into FREE FOOD. Just throw it away afterwards. (Don’t stash food in lockers. That’s gross.)

Speaking of FREE FOOD – every student in the HS is eligible for FREE breakfast and lunch. (It has to be a complete tray for it to be free.) If you want Grab & Go items, seconds, or a single item, you’ll be charged for it and must have money on your student account. You can load money onto your account online (use your student or parent portal) or bring money to Ms. Mindy in the HS Office.

1. Don’t get them.

2. The handbook says:

Tardies Grades 5-12

All students will be required to check in at the office upon arrival and obtain an admit slip prior to going to class. Tardies are cumulative for the semester and reports will be run on a bi-weekly basis.

4 tardies: 30-minute detention

5 tardies: 60-minute detention

6 tardies: 90-minute detention

7 tardies: 180-minute detention

8 tardies: 180-minute detention and closed lunch for one week

9 tardies: 180-minute detention and closed lunch for the rest of the semester

10 or more tardies: At administrator discretion, including but not limited to: Loss of good standing, assigned intervention, and possible OSS.

3. Keep in mind: Your tardies are CUMULATIVE FOR THE SEMESTER. This means that they keep building up, even after you’ve served the detention. They reset in August and January.

BONUS: Here's the bell schedule so you know when to arrive to avoid a tardy:

College Visit Days are days when Juniors and Seniors are excused from attending part or all of a school day to go visit a College campus or military office.

Mrs. Crews takes care of College Visit days. Email her (lcrews@slaterschools.net) to visit about it and get more information.

Juniors are allowed three College Visit Days and Seniors are allowed two College Visit Days.

You can also meet with college, military, and job representatives by attending sessions that they host right here (on site!) during school hours. Juniors and Seniors may sign up to meet with representatives they’d like to speak with. Watch Mrs. Crews's bulletin board in the HS Hallway, read your Counseling Update newsletters and check your @slaterschools.net email address for more information – and let Mrs. Crews know if there’s a specific rep/place you’d like to visit with!

Yes! Students with a signed Chromebook agreement and SHS Technology Contract will receive their Chromebook on THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL.

Students with a signed agreement & HS Tech Contract will be able to take their Chromebooks home. If Chromebook Agreement is violated, the privilege to take home and/or retain the machine after graduation (if in good standing), may be revoked.

· Name must be on a card (provided) and on Chromebook at all times

· Student may not use a machine that has not been issued to him/her

· Technology abuse referrals (using the machine when student should be doing another task, using someone else’s machine, accessing or attempting to access restricted sites, abuse of @slaterschools.net email) may result in revoked privileges or machine.

We’ll set up charging stations/carts around the HS building. So...

• Students should leave chargers at home
• Charging your machine is your responsibility. However, if you need to charge your machine throughout the day, you can do so at our stations.
  
  

If you forget your Chromebook at home, you're out of luck. Loaners won't be issued, and you'll still be responsible for the work assigned. Just bring your Chromebook.

Don’t drop it. Don’t have it out near food/drinks (Breakfast, Cafeteria). Don’t abuse or break it. These infractions (and others) violate the Agreement you signed at Registration and can result in you footing the repair or replacement ($260) cost.

Your username and password is the same for your Chromebook & your email:

Email Username = Grad year + first initial + last name @slaterschools.net (2000jclements@slaterschools.net)

Chromebook Username =Grad year + first initial + last name (2000jclements)

Password (both email & chromebook) = Wildcats + Lunch PIN (Wildcats5555)*

*New students will receive their Lunch PIN on the first day of school.

Our Student Handbook says this about Life Academy:

"Life Academy is a High School program designed to make students successful ensure student readiness & success in their next steps. Staff members serve as ambassadors to find experts to guide our students in various areas ranging from presentation skills to car care, legal issues, home loans, and everywhere in between. The goal of Life Academy is to expand our classroom curriculum with practical applications and chances to talk to professionals in a variety of fields.

Students must complete the following criteria to be Life Academy certified and wear Life Academy cords at Commencement:

Complete Life Academy lessons

Maintain an updated Resume and Cover Letter

Participate in a job interview (mock or real)

Finish a minimum of 12 hours of Job Shadowing (complying with SHS guidelines)

Take 'the Core Plus More' = Required Graduation credits plus two more credits in one or more core areas"

Mrs. Crews is leading Life Academy. She'll share more information about what it will look like this year later.

You should check your school email AT LEAST twice a day - once in the morning and once in the afternoon - though you can check it more than that if you'd like.

Your school email address is your graduation year, first initial, last name@slaterschools.net (Example: 1912jclements@slaterschools.net)

SCCC students will start at SCCC on Tuesday, August 19. I'll be emailing letters and information to those students and their adults this week. The SCCC students will take the bus to Marshall this year. It will leave at 7:25 am. Be here at or before 7:20.

The Circle Drive is accessible to BUSES ONLY for student drop off and pick up. This is for the safety of our students. HS students should plan on entering through the Morgan Street Breezeway door.

What staff member deserves a shout out?

Take a minute to let me know all about it by filling out THIS FORM.

Students, Parents, and Staff can give a shout out to any Slater Schools employee! We'll make sure they receive a copy of it and will look for ways to share them with you throughout the year as well.

Let's get to bragging about all the good people around here!

The 2025-26 HS School Supply list has been posted to the school's website - slaterschools.net.

You can access it by clicking HERE!

Not much to see here so far - stay tuned!

Email: jclements@slaterschools.net
Website: slaterschools.net
Location: 515 Elm Street, Slater, MO, United States
Phone: 660-631-5298
Twitter: @SlaterPrincipal