Principal's Newsletter
October 2020
Dear Parents and Students,
It's hard to believe that we are already into the month of October! Though the weather might be turning a little colder, I truly hope that studies are heating up for our students. We cannot stress enough the importance of student engagement in both synchronous and asynchronous learning. Course content is progressing and it is imperative for students to keep up with their school work. Parents, please be sure to check your child’s progress on Schoology or through Power School.
Meanwhile, it has certainly been exciting to see students walk through our doorways and we look forward to seeing our next small group of return students on October 12th. Letters will be sent out to the second small group of return students on Tuesday, October 6th. If your child has been invited back to participate in in-person instruction, please be on the lookout for this important information.
Despite having a limited number of in-person students at this time, Stephen Decatur High School continues to be an extremely busy place. Our "Return to Play" sports program has already begun, starting with spring sports, and our After School Academy begins on October 5th. Students are encouraged to take advantage of our tutorial programs. Registration is available on the school website on our After School Academy page. Our first Parent-Teacher conferences will be conducted via Zoom on Wednesday, October 7th from 5 – 7pm. Your child’s teachers will communicate all of the necessary Zoom information to their students. Senior Portrait make-ups will be held on October 5th – 8th by appointment only. Information about the appointment process can be found on the Senior Portrait flyer on this page. We will also be offering an in-school administration of the CollegeBoard SAT to seniors on October 14th and registration has been extended. The registration link is available on our Testing Calendar page on the school website.
For the members of the #SDHSClassof2021, we are working on ways to make your school-year special. In anticipation of your graduation, Jostens has already sent out a flyer with information about cap & gown orders. You can access the Jostens portal here. Wor-Wic Community College will be sponsoring a virtual FAFSA information night on October 15th at 5:30pm. Zoom details will be provided close to the date. We are also looking to conduct elections for senior class officers. Information about that process is forthcoming!
As always, I encourage you to please continue to refer to the county website, our school website, www.stephen-decaturhs.com, and our social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, & Snapchat) for additional information. For your convenience, helpful links and resources are posted on this page as well.
In closing, I want to thank you for your continued support and wish you and your family good health and a wonderfully smooth start to the school-year. I feel confident that when we all return together, it will be with a greater sense of belonging and a renewed perspective on all of the values that make Stephen Decatur High School such a special place.
Sincerely,
Thomas Sites, Principal
Dear Parents and Students,
It's hard to believe that we are already into the month of October! Though the weather might be turning a little colder, I truly hope that studies are heating up for our students. We cannot stress enough the importance of student engagement in both synchronous and asynchronous learning. Course content is progressing and it is imperative for students to keep up with their school work. Parents, please be sure to check your child’s progress on Schoology or through Power School.
Meanwhile, it has certainly been exciting to see students walk through our doorways and we look forward to seeing our next small group of return students on October 12th. Letters will be sent out to the second small group of return students on Tuesday, October 6th. If your child has been invited back to participate in in-person instruction, please be on the lookout for this important information.
Despite having a limited number of in-person students at this time, Stephen Decatur High School continues to be an extremely busy place. Our "Return to Play" sports program has already begun, starting with spring sports, and our After School Academy begins on October 5th. Students are encouraged to take advantage of our tutorial programs. Registration is available on the school website on our After School Academy page. Our first Parent-Teacher conferences will be conducted via Zoom on Wednesday, October 7th from 5 – 7pm. Your child’s teachers will communicate all of the necessary Zoom information to their students. Senior Portrait make-ups will be held on October 5th – 8th by appointment only. Information about the appointment process can be found on the Senior Portrait flyer on this page. We will also be offering an in-school administration of the CollegeBoard SAT to seniors on October 14th and registration has been extended. The registration link is available on our Testing Calendar page on the school website.
For the members of the #SDHSClassof2021, we are working on ways to make your school-year special. In anticipation of your graduation, Jostens has already sent out a flyer with information about cap & gown orders. You can access the Jostens portal here. Wor-Wic Community College will be sponsoring a virtual FAFSA information night on October 15th at 5:30pm. Zoom details will be provided close to the date. We are also looking to conduct elections for senior class officers. Information about that process is forthcoming!
As always, I encourage you to please continue to refer to the county website, our school website, www.stephen-decaturhs.com, and our social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, & Snapchat) for additional information. For your convenience, helpful links and resources are posted on this page as well.
In closing, I want to thank you for your continued support and wish you and your family good health and a wonderfully smooth start to the school-year. I feel confident that when we all return together, it will be with a greater sense of belonging and a renewed perspective on all of the values that make Stephen Decatur High School such a special place.
Sincerely,
Thomas Sites, Principal
HELPFUL RESOURCES for VIRTUAL LEARNING
General: PLEASE USE THE WEB VERSION OF SCHOOLOGY, NOT THE APP ON THE IPAD!
- Provide a quiet, comfortable place for students to work.
- Post the Classes Schedule in a visible place for students.
- 1st class 1(A) 8:00 1st Block
- 2nd class 2(A) 9:30 2nd Block
- 3rd class 4(A) 11:00 4th Block (Lunch Block)
- 4th class 5(A) 1:10 5th Block
- Eventually, something with the technology will NOT work properly.
- Communicate device/connectivity issues early with teachers.
- Be patient w/ teacher technology problems and those working on solutions for you.
- Be a positive influence!
- The Schoology App works fine sometimes – Web Browser is highly recommended.
- Download ‘Get’ Google Chrome from the Leaf App (titled “Student”) to use Schoology on Chrome.
- Username & password were mailed with student’s schedule (same info as last year).
- Students will be expected to attend live (synchronous) class meetings throughout each week.
- Students will have assignments to complete every day in each class.
- Assignments will be due by the end of the day unless a specific due date was noted.
- The link to join each Zoom will be found on the teacher’s Schoology page.
- Audio and (possibly) video from students during discussions will be necessary.
- Make sure iPads and pens are charged and ready for each day of learning.
- General Video Resources: Click here or use this link - https://tinyurl.com/yxrsy4g4.
- Grades are not visible to parents/students until September 11th.
- Get the app and set up notifications as desired to track progress with grades.
- Click on the teacher's name to send them an e-mail.
- First, contact a student’s teacher for assistance.
- Second, Contact helpdesk@worcesterk12.org.
Other Helpful Resources for both Students & Parents:
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OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES and HINTS for DISTANCE LEARNING:
- Maintain a consistent school routine. Don't let your circadian rhythms get too far away from a normal school-week routine.
- Be sure to check in to Schoology and complete work for each class every day.
- Communicate issues with teachers, counselors, and/or administrators if you need clarification or have questions or concerns.
- Stay positive. We are all in this together and we will emerge from this stronger than before.
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SCHOOLOGYAll students can access their course content through Schoology. Daily and weekly assignments will be posted. In most cases, students will be given a range of time to complete assignments. Students should be checking Schoology daily. Students can access Schoology through this link or by visiting the "Digital Programs" page on our school website,
www.stephen-decaturhs.com. One helpful hint: Schoology works best with the Chrome web browser. |
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Important Social Media Accounts:
INSTAGRAM
Page of our School Counselors:
@sdhsschoolcounselors
An excellent resource for students, parents, and our community. Check out their Tips of the Day too!
Page of our School Counselors:
@sdhsschoolcounselors
An excellent resource for students, parents, and our community. Check out their Tips of the Day too!
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INSTAGRAM
Page for Senior Information: @seniorseahawks All of the important information seniors need from our guidance department. Application & scholarship help. |
INSTAGRAM & TWITTER
Information from our Testing Office:
@sdhstesting
An excellent resource for our students & parents about county and state assessments and Advanced Placement testing.
Information from our Testing Office:
@sdhstesting
An excellent resource for our students & parents about county and state assessments and Advanced Placement testing.
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FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, and SNAPCHAT
Official pages for school communication: @SDHSSeahawks For important information, announcements, and celebrations of our students and our school. |
