Principal's Newsletter
December 2020
Dear Parents and Students,
First and foremost, I would like to say thank you to our students, parents, and community members for all of their support during these challenging times. We are so fortunate to live in a community that rallies together whenever there is a crisis. Currently, our scheduled return date is January 4th and we are certainly looking forward to the time when we are together again. However, as we move forward with virtual learning in December, 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 periodically check your child’s progress on Schoology and/or through Power School.
Meanwhile, we are making plans to welcome back small groups after the holiday season. We will be sending information regarding the details for these return groups during the second week of December. If you have not communicated your intentions for your child's return, we are asking all families to complete either the Opt-In for Semester One or the Opt-Out for Semester One forms. Simply visit our home page and click on the appropriate icon to complete this process. Again, we will revisit our return list in January, and, if health conditions allow, we will extend an invitation for in-person instruction for the spring semester at that time.
Despite the school closure, the month ahead continues to be busy. First, Teacher of the Year nominations will be accepted through December 4th. Please recognize their hard work by clicking on the nomination link on the home page of our school website. The School Counselors, in partnership with Wor-Wic Community College, will be sponsoring a Dual Enrollment 101 course on December 9th. This virtual information session will cover everything a student needs to know to enroll in college courses while still in high school. Our school counselors are also available to provide emotional support and academic advising should a student need their services. The contact information for our school counselors is located on a flyer at the bottom of this page. The National Honor Society continues its tradition of helping the community as members are currently sponsoring a food drive and a letter campaign for our nursing homes and hospitals. The After School Academy fall session ends during the first week in December; however, Homework Help on Tuesdays and Spanish Tutoring on Wednesdays will be available virtually until December 16th. Students are encouraged to take advantage of these tutorial programs. Registration is available on the school website on our Extended School page. Finally, as of right now, our winter sports season will begin on January 4th. Please be sure to check our Athletics Page on our school website for ongoing information.
For the members of the #SDHSClassof2021, we continue to work 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.
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 reiterate our gratitude for your continued support and wish you and your family good health and good spirits throughout the holiday season. 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,
First and foremost, I would like to say thank you to our students, parents, and community members for all of their support during these challenging times. We are so fortunate to live in a community that rallies together whenever there is a crisis. Currently, our scheduled return date is January 4th and we are certainly looking forward to the time when we are together again. However, as we move forward with virtual learning in December, 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 periodically check your child’s progress on Schoology and/or through Power School.
Meanwhile, we are making plans to welcome back small groups after the holiday season. We will be sending information regarding the details for these return groups during the second week of December. If you have not communicated your intentions for your child's return, we are asking all families to complete either the Opt-In for Semester One or the Opt-Out for Semester One forms. Simply visit our home page and click on the appropriate icon to complete this process. Again, we will revisit our return list in January, and, if health conditions allow, we will extend an invitation for in-person instruction for the spring semester at that time.
Despite the school closure, the month ahead continues to be busy. First, Teacher of the Year nominations will be accepted through December 4th. Please recognize their hard work by clicking on the nomination link on the home page of our school website. The School Counselors, in partnership with Wor-Wic Community College, will be sponsoring a Dual Enrollment 101 course on December 9th. This virtual information session will cover everything a student needs to know to enroll in college courses while still in high school. Our school counselors are also available to provide emotional support and academic advising should a student need their services. The contact information for our school counselors is located on a flyer at the bottom of this page. The National Honor Society continues its tradition of helping the community as members are currently sponsoring a food drive and a letter campaign for our nursing homes and hospitals. The After School Academy fall session ends during the first week in December; however, Homework Help on Tuesdays and Spanish Tutoring on Wednesdays will be available virtually until December 16th. Students are encouraged to take advantage of these tutorial programs. Registration is available on the school website on our Extended School page. Finally, as of right now, our winter sports season will begin on January 4th. Please be sure to check our Athletics Page on our school website for ongoing information.
For the members of the #SDHSClassof2021, we continue to work 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.
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 reiterate our gratitude for your continued support and wish you and your family good health and good spirits throughout the holiday season. 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. |
