FHS HOOF PRINTS

Email: selder@florenceisd.net
Website: https://www.florenceisd.net/83427_2
Location: 401 FM 970, Florence, TX, USA
Phone: 254-793-2495
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Florence-ISD-276348685879446

Welcome to our first edition of the FHS Hoof PRINTS For the 2021-2022 school year!

We are pleased to present the first of our bi-weekly newsletters of the year highlighting school activities and associated information for the Florence High School community. We want this to be an informative and interesting document that highlights the exceptional work of our students, staff, and teachers as we progress through the 2021-2022 school year. We are extremely happy to be able to open school with a semblance of normalcy.

As a school community, we have managed to get the school year off to a strong start. Please keep in mind, however, that we will continue to communicate any changes or adjustments to processes in our school as necessary. That being the case, we ask all of our stakeholders to remain engaged with the school so that we can all stay focused on presenting our students with the best educational opportunities possible.

Some of the bi-weekly content in our newsletter will include valuable process information for our parents and other interested stakeholders, pictures and information about school activities, departmental highlights, and any updates that may occur moving forward. We hope you will enjoy this newsletter format and that it will serve to further improve our communication about our "Stampede Toward Excellence!"

Best Regards,

Steve Elder

FHS Principal

“May our school be so welcoming, so inviting, and so comfortable that every person who walks through our doors believes they are about to have an amazing experience.”

As another school year begins, I’m filled with excitement and optimism for all the great things that this year will bring. I am so thrilled to see our halls and classrooms filled with all of our students. I hope that everyone is equally excited about being back in a more normal routine.

Mr. Elder and I have started the year with a very proactive approach of providing as much information as we can to set the expectations from the beginning of the year. We can’t hold students accountable for things we haven’t told them we expect. We have made a point to set the tone of the school year as positive, productive, and supportive for everyone. Please, as parents and/or guardians, help us support our students as they strive towards academic and personal excellence.

We have provided a copy of the dress code to all students, as well as informing them about the current cell phone policy. You will find those documents in this newsletter as you scroll through the rest of the information. I want to encourage open communication between our families, school staff and community members. I hope you always feel comfortable sharing concerns and positive thoughts with us as we go through this school year. We are all here for the same purpose - Our Students.

Ready for a great year!

Rosi Tuck

Assistant Principal

The district’s dress code is established to teach grooming and hygiene, prevent disruption, and minimize safety hazards and maintains a positive learning climate Certain elective courses or extracurricular activities may require more stringent dress or appearance standards than for the general student body. Students and parents may determine a student’s personal dress and grooming standards, provided that they comply with the Florence ISD Student Dress Code as follows:

• All students are to wear clean and appropriate clothing to school and to school sponsored events.

• Clothing must be modest, worn with proper undergarments.

• Students shall not wear any item that is distracting, disruptive, gang-related, drug related (includes alcohol and tobacco products), or suggestive (wording, and/or symbols, implied or otherwise).

The following are not permissible:

• Visible undergarments or lingerie (or swim suit tops visible as lingerie);

• See-through or revealing clothes of any type;

• Short shorts or wind shorts with biker pants;

• Sleepwear/loungewear (or any facsimile thereof), except for designated days established by the campus principal;

• Excessively revealing tight fitting garments (leggings, “jeggings,” yoga pants may be worn under shorts, a skirt, a dress, or tunic no shorter than one inch below the student’s fingertips);

• Oversized garments that sag below the waistline or reveal undergarments, even if the shirt is not tucked in;

• Straps hanging down when designed to be over-the-shoulder;

• Hats, caps, or other headgear including hoods (worn in building);

• Dog collars, wallet chains, or any style of chain hooked to garments;

• “Spiked” accessories;

• Body art/tattoos, unless discreet/not offensive or covered;

• Coloration on hands, face, and feet without a reason, such as theater production;

• Trench coats, overcoats, or dusters (worn in building);

• Flip-flops on Elementary Campus (unless secondary footwear is brought for physical education (PE) and recess activities);

• Ornamented body piercings (including clear), except earrings.

(Covering the ornamented piercings with band aides does not make them acceptable.);

• Pants having holes three inches or more above the mid-point of the knee unless leggings are worn underneath the pants;

• Ear discs;

• Shorts, skirts, slits in skirts and dresses shorter than one inch below the student’s fingertips, regardless of whether leggings, “jeggings” or spandex are worn;

• Makeup in grades prekindergarten through 5;

• Exposed cleavage;

• Shoulder straps less than one-inch wide (such as spaghetti straps);

• Strapless tops, spaghetti strap tops, backless tops, halter tops, tube tops, tops with large armholes body suits or off the shoulder tops are prohibited unless worn over a t-shirt with sleeves;

• Footwear not applicable for daily activity such as running/jumping (or bare feet);

• Facial hair and sideburns longer than the bottom of the earlobe.

If the principal determines that a student’s grooming or clothing violates the school’s dress code, the student will be given an opportunity to correct the problem at school and return to the classroom. If not corrected, the student may be assigned to in-school suspension for the remainder of the day, until the problem is corrected, or until a parent or designee brings an acceptable change of clothing to the school. Repeated offenses may result in more serious disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct.

Students shall not possess or use:

• Fireworks of any kind, smoke or stink bombs, or any other pyrotechnic device;

• A razor, box cutter, chain, or any other object used in a way that threatens or inflicts bodily injury to another person;

• A “look-alike” weapon that is intended to be used as a weapon or could reasonably be perceived as a weapon;

• An air gun or BB gun;

• Ammunition;

• A hand instrument designed to cut or stab another by being thrown;

• *A location-restricted knife;

• *A club;

• *A firearm;

• A stun gun;

• A pocket knife or any other small knife;

• Mace or pepper spray;

• Pornographic material;

• Tobacco products; cigarettes; e-cigarettes; and any component, part, or accessory for an e-cigarette device;

• Matches or a lighter;

• A laser pointer for other than an approved use; or

• Any articles not generally considered to be weapons, including school supplies, when the principal or designee determines that a danger exists.

The vast majority of our students with excessive absences fail to pass their classes. Students need to be engaged in class every day.

Our state funding is based on the percentage of students at school at 9:30 a.m. every day. Higher attendance rate = more money for resources for your student.

When a student ages 6–18 incurs unexcused absences for three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period, the law requires the school to send notice to the parent.

The notice will:

• Remind the parent of his or her duty to monitor the student’s attendance and require the student to attend school;

• Request a conference between school administrators and the parent; and

• Inform the parent that the district will initiate truancy prevention measures, including a behavior improvement plan, school-based community service, referrals to counseling or other social services, or other appropriate measures.

The truancy prevention facilitators for the district are the campus principals. If you have questions about your student and the effect of his or her absences from school, please contact the campus principal.

A court of law may impose penalties against the parent if a school-aged student is deliberately not attending school. A complaint against the parent may be filed in court if the student is absent without excuse from school on ten or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year.

If a student ages 12–18 incurs unexcused absences on ten or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year, the district, in most circumstances, will refer the student to truancy court.

Thanks for your support!

Florence High School utilizes Ascender Parent Portal as a way to keep you up to date with your child’s most current grades and attendance. This system also allows you to access progress reports and report cards as well as see your child’s schedule and immunization record. You can create an Ascender Parent Portal account by clicking the following link. https://ascportal.esc13.net/ParentPortal/login?distid=246902

If you are new to Ascender Parent Portal here are a few helpful hints:

1. The email address that you set your account up with must match the email address we have on file for you.

2. You will need to obtain a Portal ID# in order to link your child(s) grade to your account. You can obtain this Portal ID# from our Registrar by emailing a request to rlewis@florenceisd.net

3. Your User Name and Password CANNOT be retrieved by FISD.

Attendance – including absences, doctor’s notes, students needing to leave school early: Our Piems Clerk Rebecca Lewis, rlewis@florenceisd.net 254/793-2495, ext. 5336

General School Information – Our Secretary Lori Crow lcrow@florenceisd.net 254/793-2495, ext. 5380

Immunizations, illnesses, medications – Emma Gonzalez egonzalez@florenceisd.net 254/793-2495, ext, 5339

Registration, Transcripts – Our Registrar Rebecca Lewis, rlewis@florenceisd.net 254/793-2495, ext. 5336

Student Emotional Support, College Readiness, Student Schedules – Our Counselor John Tinsley jtinsley@florenceisd.net 254/793-2495, ext. 5308

Athletic Program – Our Athletic Director Drew Bridges dbridges@florenceisd.net 254/293-2495, ext. 5304

Band Program – Our Band Director Peter Acosta pacosta@florenceisd.net 254/793-2495, ext. 5361

Ideas for School Improvement, Student Discipline – Our Principal Steve Elder selder@florenceisd.net 254/793-2495, ext. 5302 or Our Assistant Principal Rosi Tuck rtuck@florenceisd.net 254/793-2495, ext, 5342