News On The Calendar

I realize this is just the Friday before the start of the school year, but I wanted to give you information about the next big Holiday vacation. We have an unusual calendar this school year. Students are scheduled to be IN SCHOOL on Monday and Tuesday, December 22-23.

During most years, those would be days of vacation to lengthen the Holiday break. However, in order to meet the state mandate of 1,098 hours of instruction and still end the school year during the second week of June, those two days of instruction are necessary.

I am providing early notice to seek your cooperation regarding the attendance of your sons and daughters. We must have 75% attendance on any scheduled school day in order for it to "count" toward the state audit. If we were to fall short of the mandated hours, the only recourse is to reduce other scheduled vacations or remain in school longer into the month of June. I don't believe either case is desirable for students.

Now that we are into the Labor Day weekend, the start of the school year is imminent. We are more than ready for the staff to arrive on Tuesday and students on Wednesday. We look forward to another great year with our students at South.

Minor Changes for 2008-09

I can tell the school year is about ready to start because I see more students and adults every day. The building looks great already, with a significant amount of fresh wax creating a real shine on the floors.

I want to give you just a couple of updates. During the school day, we lock nearly all of the exit doors after the day has begun. We use the cutoff time of 8:15 to give students a chance to enter prior to being locked out. After that time, there are only two doors open to the main building.

The entrances available to the public or late arriving students are entrances E and A. Entrance E is accessed from the S-lot near the old greenhouse. This is the entrance best used by the public because there is a greater chance for parking in the S-lot. Entrance A (under the bridge connecting the main building to the IA building) is best accessed from the Fisher lot, but there is no parking available for the public.

A second change is with ID badges and lanyards. As with any new program, we experienced some growing pains last year, but all in all, it was a very successful implementation. This year we are planning the following:
- Students must wear their ID with a lanyard at all times during the school day, including lunch.
- The ID is to be worn with a lanyard, not clipped to clothing. Students do not have to purchase a school lanyard.
- If a student does not have their ID or lanyard, they are to purchase a new one in the amount of $1 each/$2 total. Students will not be allowed to "charge" the cost of a new ID/lanyard.
- If a student does not have the money, they will be sent to In-School Suspension for the remainder of the day or until a proper ID is secured. They may make a phone call home to have either the money or ID/lanyard brought to school and once received, they will be returned to class.
- If the ID/lanyard is in the locker, the student is to get the ID/lanyard and then proceed to class. I suggest to parents and students that a spare be purchased and kept in the school locker in case the first one turns up missing.
- Disciplinary consequences will be issued for students wearing the ID of another student.

The two changes above have improved our building security significantly. Reducing access to just two entrances and requiring students and staff to wear ID badges have restricted the number of unwanted visitors to our building. Of course, parents are always welcome, but we do want you to enter through the proper entrances.

With the start of school just two weeks away, we are anxious to get started and look forward to what our students will accomplish in '08-09.

Only With A Great Deal Of Help

Just about any day now, each of the homes affiliated with the South community will receive their Fall Registration Packet in preparation for the opening of school. Ironically, this mailing is often referred to as the "Principal's Mailing". In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.

Back on July 22, the registration packets were put together here at school. Using one of the classrooms in the new science addition, there were approximately 50 volunteers weaving among the tables picking up flyers that were earmarked for each of the packets. The work began at shortly after 8:00 and ended just before noon. Needless to say, it is a huge undertaking to stuff almost 2,000 packets with all of the requisite information that is sent to the homes.

I have to thank many members of the Mother's Club, and especially the new president, Jane Bashara, for putting together such a strong group of volunteers. In addition, there were several fathers and students involved with this year's mailing.

Please take the time to go through the packet carefully. Each of the flyers has a specific purpose, and we are often asked at a later date about information that was provided in the registration packet.

We are looking forward to another successful year with our South students and parents.