Bellringer Newsletter
January 17, 2023
Principal's Message
Good morning. Mid-Year Exams will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. Third quarter and Second Semester begin on Thursday, January 19. Students should look at PowerSchool for any new classes as we will not be printing schedules. Please continue to check the Important Dates and Reminders section of the Bellringer Newsletter for a schedule of upcoming events. If you have any questions or concerns do not hesitate to contact me directly at everner@easthamptonct.org.
Important Dates and Reminders
- January 17 and January 18--Mid-Year Exams
- Janaury 19--3rd Quarter/2nd Semester begin
- January 24--Junior Parent Night--6:30
- January 27--Early Release--Professional Development
- February 15--EHHS Band and Choir Concert--6:30
- February 17--No School EHHS--Professional Development
- February 20-21--February Recess--No School EHHS
- March 10--Professional Development--No School EHHS
- March 20--23--Senior Class Trip to Washington D.C.
- March 24--Early Dismissal--Professional Development
- March 29 + 30---EHHS Parent-Teacher Conferences
- March 31--April 2--Spring Musical--"The Adams Family"
- April 5--EHHS Music Department Cabaret
- April 7--Good Friday--No School---EHHS
- April 10---April 14---April Vacation
- April 20--Senior Capstone Expo
- April 26--NHS Induction Ceremony
- May 25--EHHS Academic Awards Ceremony (6:30)
- May 26--Senior Class Picnic---Lake Compounce
- May 29--Memorial Day--No School EHHS
- June 2---EHHS Junior-Senior Prom
Athletic Department Updates
All athletic schedules and results may be found at CIACSPORTS.com.
EHHS Cheer Exhibition and Senior Night
DAR--Good Citizen Award
Congratulations to Noelle Lavender for being selected as this year's recipient of the Connecticut Daughters of the American Revolution Good Citizen Award! This honor is awarded to an individual who embodies dependability, service to others, leadership, and patriotism. Teachers speak of Noelle as a hardworking student who stands out as a leader among her peers through discussion and learning in the classroom. Her dedication to her academics has been recognized through receipt of both Art and Business Awards. Outside of the classroom, Noelle's commitment to Interact Club, Drama Club, and Yearbook has positively impacted the entire school community. She has a passion for learning and community service, and is someone who can always be counted on to be an advocate for herself or others. Noelle has had many personal and academic accomplishments throughout her four years, and the DAR award is another wonderful achievement she can add to her impressive list.
Voice of Democracy Awards
January Employee of the Month
Congratulations to Monica Smith, Spanish Teacher at the High School, our January Employee of the Month, who was nominated by her colleagues due to her outstanding teaching, care for students, and supportive attitude.
Sandy Hook--SAVE Promise Club
"The Sandy Hook SAVE Promise Club started exam week off with something sweet: Free Hot Chocolate! We firmly believe that taking care of ourselves is so important.
Thank you to all who participated!"
LMC News
‘Tis the season for research! Mrs. Tietjen, the library media specialist, is currently collaborating with classroom teachers on three different research projects. In Mrs. Tortora’s Early College Experience (ECE) lifespan development course, students are composing research papers using APA formatting; they delved into the UConn databases, learned APA citation rules, workshopped thesis statements, and drafted essays. Senior English students are composing annotated bibliographies as a component of their capstone projects. Students in Introduction to Psychology used Gale databases to learn and create projects about various psychology-related topics. Research skills–including the ability to locate, evaluate, and synthesize information–are consistently reinforced across disciplines here at the high school!
School Counseling News
Add/Drop for Semester 2 Classes:
Semester 2 starts on Thursday, January 19th. Students who are interested in changing a semester 2 class must contact their counselor by Wednesday, January 25th at 8am. All Schedule changes must be completed before the end of the school day on January 25th. Students can contact their counselor by sending them an email or stopping by the school counseling office and filling out a "green form." Changes for full year classes will not be permitted at this time.
Seniors Needing Transcripts for College Applications...
This is a reminder for seniors still in the process of applying to college. Transcripts are required as part of the application. To request your transcripts please log into your Naviance account, click "Colleges," then "Colleges I'm Applying To." Once on this page you will see a link that reads "+ Request Transcripts." Once your request is completed, Naviance sends your school counselor a message and counselors are then able to send transcripts. If you have questions or need help please reach out to your school counselor.
Junior Families Save the Date!
The School Counseling team is gearing up for their annual Junior Parent Night. At this event counselors will talk about post-secondary options such as military, 2-year colleges, 4-year colleges, trade schools and the work force. Although the presentation has a heavy emphasis on the 4-year college application process due to the complexities involved, it is a good opportunity to hear about the various options as students and families make future decisions. Junior Parent Night is scheduled for Tuesday, January 24th at 6:30pm in the high school auditorium.
Pledge to Advance CT
Pledge to Advance CT is a program for seniors interested in a degree or certification program at any of Connecticut's community colleges. This program is free, but does have a few requirements. Please visit the PACT website for more information.
Scholarship Opportunities!
As the winter months approach scholarships are rolling in! Please log into your Naviance account, click "Colleges," then "Scholarship Search." There are currently 6 scholarships being advertised through Naviance. You can click the name of the scholarship to learn more about it. If you're interested in applying you can do so online, if the scholarship allows it, or you can download the application and bring it to Mrs. Bullett in the School Counseling Office and request a transcript. Please see Mrs. Bullett or your school counselor if you have questions.
Early College Advanced Manufacturing Pathway (ECAMP) Info Session
Monday, January 23, 2023 4:30-6:30pm!
The Early College Advanced Manufacturing Pathway (ECAMP) at Goodwin University is a Half-Day Magnet School program serving 12th grade students. Interact with teachers, administrators and scholars (students) to learn why the Goodwin University Magnet School System is the right fit for you. Students in this program receive free transportation to the Goodwin University Campus where they engage in an afternoon program, taking college-level manufacturing courses and learning from industry partners across the state of Connecticut. ECAMP is part of the Regional School Choice program (ROSCO), which means admittance is based on a blind lottery system.
To register for the information session please visit the following website.
SBHC----School Based Health Care at EHHS
Coming Soon…. School-Based Health Care at EHHS
The East Hampton Public Schools is proud to introduce School Based Health Centers in each of our schools. Soon, enrolled students will be able to receive behavioral health services during the school day. The School-Based Health Care (SBHC) staff are licensed health care providers, who are able to deliver behavioral health services to students during the school day. They work in conjunction with the student’s primary care providers to support their social, emotional, and behavioral health care needs. SBHC is proud to serve over 17,000 students throughout Connecticut.
EHHS Project Graduation News
We are looking for parents to help support our programming.
Next Meeting--February 1--6:30 in the EHHS LMC
Please e-mail our group if you ar einterested in the following:
- Secretary – take notes at meetings. Send them out. Attend every meeting
- Treasurer – count. Mange spreadsheet of finances
- Social Media/website - promote group/events on Facebook and website
- Find corporate donations (work) -matching donations (United way)
EHHS Project Graduation Zoom Meetings
Please join the google meet to learn about Project Graduation. We are asking for 30 minutes of your time to show you what we do for our graduating seniors.
email questions to: ehhsctprojgrad@gmail.com
PG info session for grade 9
Tuesday, January 10 · 6:30 – 7:00pm
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/xrc-ndmk-oio
PG Info session for Grade 10
Thursday, January 12 · 6:30 – 7:00pm
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/jdy-sjbw-xbp
Sophomore families, please join the google meet to learn about Project Graduation. We are asking for 30 minutes of your time to show you what we do for our graduating seniors.
email questions to: ehhsctprojgrad@gmail.com
PG Info Session for Grade 11
Tuesday, January 17 · 6:30 – 7:00pm
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/wfo-cams-oom
Junior families, please join the google meet to learn about Project Graduation. We are asking for 30 minutes of your time to show you what we do for our graduating seniors.
email questions to: ehhsctprojgrad@gmail.com
PG Info Session for Grade 12
Thursday, January 19 · 6:30 – 7:00pm
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/uff-myuo-bkm
Senior families, please join the google meet to learn about Project Graduation. We are asking for 30 minutes of your time to show you what we do for our graduating seniors.
email questions to: ehhsctprojgrad@gmail.com
EHHS Project Graduation
Senior Capstone Grants......
The East Hampton Arts & Culture Commission is accepting applications from East Hampton High School Juniors and Seniors for $200 grants to support an annual East Hampton High School Capstone Project. The grant will help support two student's proposed Capstone Project, a multifaceted assignment that serves as a culminating academic and intellectual experience for students. Capstone projects may take a wide variety of forms including a long-term investigative project that culminates in a final product, presentation, or performance.
Applicants for the EHACC Capstone Grant will be invited to present his/her Capstone Project idea to commission members during an agreed upon commission meeting. Deadline to apply is Feb. 1.
Applications are available at www.artsforeasthamptonct.org and can be submitted to arts@easthamtponct.org or can be mailed/dropped off at the town manager's office at the East Hampton Town Hall, 1 Community Drive, East Hampton, CT 06424.
Student Drop-Off and Pick-Up
Attendance Updates
Please review the EHHS Attendance Policy and Student Handbook as they contain important information.
Per the East Hampton Board of Education’s Attendance Policy and Connecticut statute, parents and guardians may only approve the first 9 absences of the school year with a parent note. Absences 10 and above can only be excused with further documentation and under specific circumstances.
In addition, if a student has four unexcused absences in one month or 10 unexcused absences in a year they are classified as truant. If a child misses 18 or more days in a school year – excused or unexcused absences – the student is classified as chronically absent.
Access to the East Hampton attendance policy is available HERE
It is also necessary for a student to be present at least half of the school day for the student to be recorded as present. When a student arrives after the mid-day point or leaves before it, the day cannot be counted for that student. Building principals will share the specific times in their communications with families.
A student is considered to be “in attendance” if present at his/her assigned school, or an activity.
sponsored by the school (e.g., field trip), for at least half of the regular school day.
At East Hampton High School, half of the regular school day arrives at 10:55 a.m. This means that if a student arrives after 10:55, even with a note, the student will be marked Tardy Absent. If a student dismisses prior to 10:55 and does not return to school, the student will be marked Early Dismissal Absent. Please contact the school with any questions regarding our attendance policies.
To increase the ease of reporting an absence and documenting parent approval of the absence for a student’s first 9 absences, the East Hampton Public Schools has created email addresses that parents can use to contact their student’s school and report an absence. Effectively immediately, the following email addresses can be used by parents to report and document their approval of an absence:
EHHS_Attendance@easthamptonct.org
If you have successfully emailed the school, you will receive an autoreply that notifies you that the absence communication has been received and recorded. This process is effective for your student’s first 9 absences. After your student has more than 9 absences, additional documentation or communication will be required to excuse the absence. Please use the email to continue to notify the school that your child will not attend. You may call your child’s school at any time to report an absence, as well.
TIP LINE
EHHS Bellringer Spirit Wear
We are excited to launch our new Bellringer Sideline Store! The store is available 24/7 and ships directly to you!!!
Please see the link below to grab your Bellringer gear
https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/connecticut/easthampton/east-hampton-high-school
Student Attendance and Dismissal Reminders
Students who are being dismissed due to illness, MUST FIRST see the School Nurse. Additionally, we ask that parents familiarize themselves with our attendance policy which is in the EHHS Student Handbook. Some of the main policies/procedures that we are mut be followed are listed below:
- EARLY DISMISSALS: A written request (no phone calls) from a parent or guardian must be presented to the main office before school begins so student may obtain an early dismissal slip. Students will wait in the main office for their parent/guardian to call the office and we will send your child out to meet you after they sign-out.
- NURSE DISMISSALS: In case of illness during school, dismissal will be arranged through the school nurse, or in her absence, through the office. Students feeling ill should report directly to the nurse's office. Students should not be texting or calling home when not feeling well.
Please note that having a parent’s written request before the start of the day allows the students name to appear on the Daily Attendance sheet so their teachers will be aware that they may not be in class on that day. This also eliminates the office staff from calling in and disrupting a classroom to dismiss the student. We do realize that there may be occasions when you may need to unexpectedly pick your child up early. In those cases we will call the student down when the parent/guardian arrives to the school.
Students that are dismissed from school will not be allowed to return without appropriate documentation from their visit/provider. In the event that doucmentation is not available, a parent will be required to sign their student into the main office upon return.
Safety and Security Enhancements
- Dropping off on items--the table to drop off items for students has been moved inside the first set of doors. Parents will be able to drop items of for students, but will no longer be admitted to the main lobby.
- Appointments--for security reasons, parents and visitors who are requesting to meet with a teacher or administration should call in advance to ensure that the requested party is available to meet rather than show up unannounced.
- Effective immediately, there is an anonymous tip line to enhance a safe environment in our schools. Students, parents, and community members have access to the front page of the website to report self-concerns, mental health concerns of a friend, or concerns of violence. https://www.easthamptonps.org/
COVID Guidance
Masks
Positive Test
Day 1 is the first day that symptoms appear--and if testing positive, students can return on day 6. If students are asymptomatic, day 1 is the day the test was taken.
Students who test positive for COVID will be able to access schoolwork to be completed at home.
If students are not feeling well..........
In addition, students with a persistent and serious cough should stay home until tested.
Test kits are available at EHHS and at the Central Office at Town Hall.
Board of Education Statement on School Safety
The East Hampton Board of Education is committed to a safe and secure learning environment that honors and celebrates the diversity of our students, our community, and our nation. The Board of Education in partnership with the school community will not tolerate any threat of violence in the schools or any hate speech that targets any race, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. Each student is held to the highest standards of responsible decision making within a culture that is expected to foster compassion, caring, and empathy.
Reminder of policy regarding the use of Police Dogs
As a reminder to members of our school community, Board Policy #5145.122 allows the schools to work with the East Hampton Police Department to protect the health and safety of students and staff by conducting sweeps of school property by trained sniffing dogs. Please review the policy and procedures below. Our goal is to ensure that the East Hampton Schools are free of illegal substances. Annually, we provide notice of this policy to our school community. Should a sweep be conducted, parents and the Board of Education will be notified upon completion.
Use of Dogs to Sweep School Property
The Board permits the administration to invite law enforcement agencies to sweep school property with dogs trained for the purpose of detecting the presence of illegal substances, when necessary to protect the health and safety of students, employees or property or to detect the presence of illegal substances or contraband, including alcohol and/or drugs. The use of trained canine sniffing dogs and their associated law enforcement personnel is for the purpose of “alerting” on property only, and is subject to the following:
1. Parents and students shall be notified of this policy through its inclusion in the student/ parent handbook and the Superintendent and Principal or their designees, shall explain the policies and procedures followed in sweeps and searches to students and staff on an annual basis. Once notification has been given to parents and students through the handbook and assembly respectively, the school district will have met its obligation to advertise the sweep and search policy and associated procedure. Additional notices need not be given and actual times or dates of planned sweeps need not be released in advance.
2. The Superintendent or designee shall authorize the sweep. Immediately prior to the sweep, an announcement will be made for students and staff to ‘stay put’ in their classrooms while the sweep is taking place. Representatives from school administration shall accompany dogs and handlers while on school premises.
3. The Board shall be informed by the Superintendent of Schools that a sweep has taken place.
4. Parents shall be informed through the school’s mass communication system by the Superintendent of Schools that a sweep has taken place.
5. All school property which students have access to during the day, such as lockers, classrooms, parking areas and storage areas may be swept.
6. Individuals shall not be subjected to a search by dogs.
a. Dogs shall not be used in rooms occupied by persons except for demonstration purposes. The handler and representative from school administration will always be present with the dogs
b. When used for demonstration purposes, the dog may not sniff any student and/or staff.
7. Only the dog’s official handler will determine what constitutes an alert by the dog. If the dog alerts on a particular item or place, that locker or vehicle will be identified for later search. Upon completion of the sweep, the school administration will then search the identified property in the presence of a witness.
8. Searches that disclose evidence of misconduct shall result in disciplinary consequences in accordance with Board policy and may also result in referral to law enforcement agencies.
Legal Reference: Connecticut General Statutes
Policy adopted: March 15, 2016
New Jersey v T.L.O., 53 U.S.L.W. 4083 (1985)
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement of the East Hampton Public Schools
The school community of East Hampton is committed to the mission of honoring and celebrating the diversity of our students, our community, and our nation. We strive to guide our students to conscious, deliberate, individual and collective actions that cultivate the respect of all races, religions, and social backgrounds. Our school community endeavors to produce graduates who are equipped with a greater understanding of the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Nondiscrimination Statement of the East Hampton Public Schools
The East Hampton Board of Education, in compliance with federal and state law, affirms its policy of equal educational opportunity for all students and equal employment opportunity for all persons. It is the policy of the District to promote nondiscrimination and an environment free of harassment regardless of an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, ancestry, disability (including but not limited to, intellectual disability, past or present history of mental disorder, physical disability, or learning disability), genetic information, marital status, or age or because of the race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetic information, marital status, or age of any persons with whom the individual associates. The District shall provide to all students without discrimination, course offerings, counseling, assistance, employment, athletics, and extracurricular activities. The District shall provide equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The District shall make reasonable accommodations for identified physical and mental impairments that constitute disabilities, consistent with federal and state statutes and regulations.
East Hampton High School
Email: everner@easthamptonct.org
Website: www.easthamptonps.org
Location: 15 North Maple Street, East Hampton, CT, USA
Phone: 860-365-4030
Twitter: @EH_CTPrincipal
