Smithsburg High Smore

Thanksgiving Break is almost here! November offers the gentle reminder to reflect and focus on the “good” things in life. While we continue to face challenging times together, we do have so many things to be grateful for. I, in particular, have so much to say thank you for.

First, I am grateful for our amazing students. They are our source of inspiration and they embody the dreams we have for the future of our country. Through our students we experience joy, hope, and the promise of tomorrow. Our students would not be the incredible people they are without the nurturing support of their parents and guardians. The families we comprise make up our incredible community. A community that promotes education and extracurricular opportunities for our students. A community that is engaged, active, and supportive. Finally, I am thankful for the Smithsburg High staff. Every member of our team is pivotal to our daily success and to our ability to educate students. The SHS staff gives endlessly of their heart and time to elevate our students, school, and community.

Chris Cline

Principal

Cap and gown orders are due to December 15th. The order website is www.highschool.herffjones.com, or paper orders are available in the Guidance office. If you have any questions about cap and gown orders or need assistance with your order, please contact Ms. Jones in the Guidance office.

We are in the throes of college applications and other post-graduation plans. Students are all at different stages in this process, but one thing is important, everyone has a plan! Do you know where your child is? Do you know what their plan is? Please continue the conversations. Ready or not, senior year will be over in 6 short months!

FAFSA - have you sat down with your child to complete the FAFSA? Community college, 4-year schools and trade schools want you to do this before they decide on a financial aid package. Please sit down together and submit sooner rather than later! https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

Students who have submitted applications should be moving onto their scholarship search! A reminder that scholarships should not cost money to apply. Students should be sure sites are reputable before submitting information.

Students are making holiday lanterns for only $15. Students are also making Adirondack chairs, nativity houses and coming soon are reindeer!

Cutting boards are also for sale with a number of different sizes and designs from $10-$30. All items sold benefit the Carpentry program to purchase more supplies. If you would like to place an order or have any questions contact Brian Getz, getzbri@wcps.k12.md.us.

All students are expected to be in their first class when the 8:42 a.m. tardy bell rings. If a student arrives after 8:42, she/he will be marked tardy. Students who have more than one unexcused tardy will not be in Good Standing.

As with absences from school, when a student is tardy more than six times during a semester (excused or unexcused), he/she will be required to bring a doctor or court note for any further tardies in order to be coded as excused. Parent notes (or no note) for tardies over six will be coded as unexcused and consequences may be assigned. The following actions will be taken by administration for the following number of tardies accumulated in a marking period.

• 1st offense: Verbal Warning
• 2nd offense: Parent notification, possible loss of Good Standing if both occurrences happen within the same month
• 3rd offense: Lunch Detention
• 4th offense: Two Lunch Detentions
• 5th offense: Conduct Ineligible for Marking Period (he/she cannot participate in extracurricular activities including: Clubs, Athletics, including attending athletic events or concerts, Homecoming dance, Prom and Graduation)

Any unexcused tardy after the 5th offense will result in lunch detention.

This new policy will begin on November 29th.

Congratulations to Ms. Staub for being named our October Staff Member of the Month. Thank you to everyone who took the time to nominate staff members. We are grateful for our community support and will share information soon for nominating our November Staff Member of the Month.

The Class of 2025 is selling t-shirts designed by Smithsburg High School students! The designs are pictured below. Various t-shirt and sweatshirt colors will be available to purchase by Friday, November 19th at the link provided here:

www.anythingprinted.biz/SHSClassof2025 . Go Leopards!

If you enjoy volunteering in the school and community, you are invited to join the Leopard Ruri-Teen Club. Join the Google Classroom for more information.

https://classroom.google.com/c/MzQ1NTgyNDgxOTA4?cjc=q3vmtzo

Smithsburg High is proud to have a Student Assistance Program to provide early intervention and referrals for at-risk students involved with alcohol, tobacco and drug use. Staff members, students and community members can make a referral simply by completing a SAP form found at school or using the QR code. View the brochure to learn more about helping others in this area!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QC-OteDFJpYwxYbdmfZh8PqFpRye1FjP/view?usp=sharing

If you are interesting in joining our Robotics team, please see or contact Mr. Fetchen for more details.

fetchjoh@wcps.k12.md.us

We have been asked about student work when a student is either out with Covid or deemed a close contact; once we receive the proper notification for attendance coding, teachers will have a Google Meet available in their Google Classroom for students to be able to hear and see what is being taught. Students can access Google Meet in each of their Google Classrooms; the link is on the left hand side of the Google Classroom and students can click join. Google Meet has replaced Zoom this year as our virtual video tool.

Teachers are able to utilize this for students that are in quarantine only.

WCPS has worked to provide students that are in quarantine access to their education. Students are also able to work with staff after school; it is dependent upon the student to ask and schedule a time to work with staff on missing assignments.

Reminder that these are considered excused absences and the student will have as many days as they are out of school to make-up work. For example, if a student has to miss 5 days due to Covid or being a close contact, they will have 5 days upon their return to make-up or turn in work.

Please click on the WCPS FAQ's link below for more information on Covid protocols.

Did you know that eligible students get more than free or reduced meals? If you are eligible, it also can help with athletic fees, SAT/ACT fees and more? Apply today!

Email: treveman@wcps.k12.md.us
Website: http://wcpsmd.com/schools/high-schools/smithsburg-high
Location: 66 North Main Street, Smithsburg, MD, USA
Phone: 301-766-8337
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smithsburghighschool
Twitter: @SmithsburgHigh