Hello North Collins families!
Hopefully this letter finds you all ready to enjoy the last couple weekends of summer. I also hope you all found time to go for walks, enjoy nature, play sports and spend time with family and friends. As opening day gets closer, I’d like to share a few reminders.
Tuesday, September 3rd is the first day of school. Students will be permitted to enter the building starting at 7:30 AM. We are anticipating the gym entrance remaining closed and under construction for the beginning of the year, so students will enter the building near the main office on School Street. Students will be able to proceed to the cafeteria for breakfast and then to their lockers and homeroom. The doors will be locked at 7:42 AM, students arriving after 7:42 will need to sign in at the main office entrance on School Street. Remember, you will only receive 1 warning per semester when you are late before being assigned lunch detention. Valid excuses for tardiness and absences can be found on the school website and in the welcome back packet.
Student Drop Off: Parent drop will still be done using the parking lot past the bus loop. Please do not use the bus loop or the entrance on school street even if it is not occupied by buses, they arrive sporadically and require clear access. There are arrows in and out of the parking lot for your convenience. Students will be directed to the front of the school building using the sidewalks. There will be staff members to guide students. Please drive slowly, this is a busy place with a lot of pedestrian traffic. As construction on the gym foyer progresses, I will send a detailed update on morning drop off as the first day of school gets closer.
Early Dismissal and Absences: Please phone or email the main office when your child will be absent or when they need to leave early. A note is also acceptable for early dismissal and will also be needed upon return from an absence along with the reason. Doctor and Dentist notes are always preferable for documentation purposes. Please see the student agenda for acceptable reasons for absence as well as the consequences for accumulating unexcused absences. Some absences can be excused in advance if a student fills out a pre-approved absence form which can be found in the office. Main office contacts are Dawn Frew [email protected] and Shelby Frew [email protected]
Schedules: Schedules are included in this packet and are also live in PowerSchool. Counselors will be available here at the school on Wednesday, August 28th and Thursday, August 29th. Please email them directly with any scheduling concerns or feel free to stop in those days. Remember that no student may take more than 2 study halls, there is a huge selection of electives available, many for college credit.
College Credit Opportunity: Once again we have a large selection of college credit bearing courses. We have 6 classes available through Hilbert College, 5 classes available through ECC and 1 through Canisius College. We also continue to allocate federal title grant money to pay for AP exams and SAT’s. Hilbert classes are offered free of charge for students who qualify for free and reduced lunches. All classes are offered at a significant discount to students. This can save families thousands of dollars, please take advantage of it!
Dismissal and Late Buses: The last period of the day ends at 2:24 PM but teachers are available in their classrooms for extra help from 2:27 until 2:59. Teachers will sometimes request students to stay for this “10th period” for extra help or if they have been absent. These requests will need to be honored within a reasonable amount of time before they are referred for disciplinary measures. The late bus departs from the bus loop at 4 PM and students can report for a supervised study hall from 3 PM until the bus arrives.
Lunches: Our district is committed to ensuring that each and every student has the meals they need to succeed in school. We are pleased to announce that all students enrolled at North Collins Central School District will continue to receive a FREE breakfast and lunch meal at school. This implementation is a result of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) expanding access to the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). CEP allows eligible schools participating in the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs to offer school meals at no charge to all students. No further action is required of you, however, students purchasing a 2nd meal or any extra items must have funds in their account. A parent/guardian may add funds online at My School Bucks.
If you have any questions, please contact us at 716-337-0101 x 1308.
Sports: Please make sure all sports and health related forms are filled out prior to the first day of practice to make sure you are eligible. Forms can be found on our website, in the main office and are emailed to you 30 days prior to each sports season. Click the link to find a communication from New York State Center for School Health regarding the “Dominic Murray Sudden Cardiac Arrest Prevention Act”.