North Collins Central School District

• Wednesday, August 27th is orientation for 7th grade. Students and parents will meet in the high school auditorium at 6PM to meet the teachers, listen to a brief presentation and take a tour of the school.

• Tuesday, September 2nd is the first day of school. Students will be permitted to enter the building starting at 7:30 AM. 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 off 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 should always use crosswalks when proceeding to the entry doors. Please drive slowly--this is a busy place with a lot of pedestrian traffic.

• 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 PM. 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 buses depart from the bus loop at 3:10 PM and 4:00 PM. These late buses are provided for school related purposes only.

• Tuesday, September 9th and 10th are picture days. Pictures will be taken during gym class. These are not senior portraits, but Seniors need to be present to update PowerSchool and their student ID’s which can sometimes be required for field trips, college visits, etc.

• 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. The main office contact is Dawn Frew - (716) 337-0101 or [email protected].

• Schedules: Schedules are being mailed as of the date of this letter and are also live in PowerSchool. Enclosed in the mailing, you will also find a yellow form which must be completed and returned to the main office before September 5th. Counselors will be available here at the school on Wednesday, August 27th and Thursday, August 28th. 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 and Advancement Opportunities: 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! We also offer acceleration in Math and Science beginning in 8th grade. Students are selected for these classes based on multiple measures of achievement, including state testing data.

• 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. 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”.

• Clubs and Extracurricular Activities: The Jr-Sr High school has close to 30 clubs for kids to join, please get involved!

• Updated Cell Phone Policy: Starting in the 2025–2026 school year, New York State Education Law 2803(2) requires all schools to prohibit student use of internet-enabled devices during the school day on school grounds. This law was designed to reduce distractions and support student learning and engagement. Details on the policy are available on the North Collins website or by clicking here, North Collins Cell Phone Information.

• Code of Conduct: It is the responsibility of parents and students to be knowledgeable and follow the policies and procedures of the North Collins Central School district, including the code of conduct and disciplinary consequences. Here is the link to the information formerly provided in the student agenda for you to review with your student. Code of Conduct info.

• FAFSA Requirement: New York State law mandates that high school seniors either complete the FAFSA, the New York State DREAM Act application (for eligible undocumented students) or sign a waiver indicating they understand the applications but choose not to complete them. This is part of New York State's FAFSA Completion Initiative to help students access financial aid for college. The waiver can be found here.

Looking forward to filling this place with smiles and laughter once again.

 Be well,

 Brandon Wojcik
Jr./Sr. High School Principal