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 sixth edition of the FHS HOOF PRINTS. In this edition, you will find information about athletic events, academics at FHS, and other topics of interest. We will post this bi-weekly newsletter on Facebook, our high school website, and there is an option for you to subscribe to it through email. We hope you find the communication informative and interesting.

During the second semester of the 2020-2021 school year, we remain focused on providing each student with the greatest educational experience we can in both the remote and in-person formats. However, the school and home partnership remains critical. Please continue to reinforce to your students the importance of academic work and continue to partner with your child’s teachers to remind them about maintaining a priority on academics.

Additionally, please remember that students in the remote learning environment must complete posted work for each class every day to be counted as present for attendance. In some cases, electronic communication between an enrolled student and their teacher can serve that purpose as well. Even in this unprecedented time, attendance accounting is critical for students in both learning formats offered at FHS. Failure to attend can result in loss of credit for courses, threaten graduation, truancy cases, and the loss of valuable educational instruction. Our teachers and staff are more than willing to help, but the commitment to communication and academic success must be universal with the goal of creating student success and continuing the “Stampede Toward Excellence!”

We remain excited about the deployment of our new technology assets in Florence ISD and the new opportunities for academic work those devices present. Indeed, I have witnessed our teachers and students gaining higher and higher levels of expertise and am excited to see additional growth as the year progresses.

Enjoy this FHS HOOF PRINTS and continue to look for them every other week!

Regards,

Steve Elder

FHS Principal

New Year's Day is my favorite holiday. I love the idea of a fresh start...a blank slate. Who doesn't love the opportunity to begin again and be better than before. A new semester gives all of our students, staff and faculty members a brand new opportunity to have a better semester than they did in the Fall. I have always been an advocate for second chances and I want to encourage everyone to take advantage of the opportunities that we are all provided.

A positive attitude goes a long way towards creating good outcomes in relationships, academics and extracurricular activities. Please help us teach our students how to look on the positive side of situations so that we can remain focused on reaching our goals. It is extremely helpful for students to see the adults in their lives setting the example of making positive statements and supporting positive decisions. Let’s all strive to be a positive force for our children.

A positive effort is also critical to the success of any goal. We should all remember that anything worth doing is worth the extra effort it takes to do it well. Many different opportunities are going to be available for our students this semester, and they will have to put in more effort than normal to remain successful in all areas. Please encourage your students to maintain a vision of the goals they want to achieve and help them to develop a strong work ethic. This skill will carry them through many situations in their adult lives.

I love being part of a community and school district that work cohesively to foster well rounded children. To quote the famous author, J.K. Rowling …” We are only as strong as we are united.” I love the thought that together we can build a stronger environment for our students.

Florence High School will be offering the PSAT on Tuesday, January 26th starting at 8 am. It will conclude by 11:45.

All Sophomores and AP/Dual Credit Juniors will be taking the exam.

If you are unsure if your name is on the list, please contact the Counselor, Mr. Tinsley. His email address is jtinsley@florenceisd.net His office number is 254-793-2495 ext. 5308.

Special education teachers are really angels disguised as extraordinary humans.

- Joe Martin

The Special Education teachers and paraprofessionals at Florence ISD are definitely extraordinary humans. Our amazing Special Education teaching staff consists of Janet Leigh, Beth Moore, Carol Grady and Robert Headrick. Our paraprofessional support team includes Rita Garcia, Ana Quintanilla, Brandi Spivey, Kristina Randall and Nora Whitson (pictured below). Most of these outstanding educators support students in most academic classrooms and help them master grade level skills.

Janet Leigh leads an exceptional education program for our students with the most profound needs. She is instrumental in teaching these students valuable life skills and self care so that they can lead productive lives after graduation. Beth Moore provides support for students in Math and Science classrooms as well as teaching Math in a Resource classroom. Carol Grady provides support for students in English and History classrooms as well as teaching English in a Resource classroom. Robert Headrick has created a dynamic program from the ground up for 18+ students. These students have finished their academic based education and focus on vocational skills for future employment opportunities. Unfortunately, in this world of COVID restrictions, this program is put on hold for this school year. Our paraprofessional staff members are multifaceted and provide support across the curriculum.

When these educators are asked, “What do you do?”, their answer is always, “Whatever it takes!”

The district’s dress code is established to teach grooming and hygiene, prevent disruption, and minimize safety hazards. 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, Florence Independent School District Student Handbook Page 52 of 100

• Short shorts or wind shorts with biker pants,

• Sleepwear/loungewear (or any facsimile thereof),

• 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, • Tube tops, body suits, halter tops, racer backs, and strapless tops,

• 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, • Opaque or designer contact lenses or sunglasses,

• Distracting hair or hair color (such as but not limited to designs shaved into hair, Mohawks),

• 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 for girls (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, or

• Ear discs.

Not Permissible for Girls

• 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,

• Visible facial or body piercing jewelry, except for earrings,

• Makeup in grades prekindergarten through 5,

• Exposed cleavage, or

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

Not Permissible for Boys

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

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

• Earrings, facial jewelry, or visible body piercing jewelry,

• Nail polish or makeup,

• Hair longer than the bottom of a T-shirt collar,

• Hair falling over the eyebrows,

• Hair hiding the ears,

• Hair pinned up, pulled behind the ears, or tied in a ponytail, or

• Sleeveless shirts that expose the underarms.

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. If not corrected, the student may be assigned to in-school suspension for the remainder of the day, until the problem Florence Independent School District Student Handbook Page 53 of 100 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.

The vast majority of our students with excessive absences fail to pass their classes. Students need to be engaged in class or online in Canvas 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 Thomas Pena tpena@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