Raider Nation Newsletter

Week of December 6, 2021

This Week Is Inclusive Schools Week!

Dear Atholton Families,

Inclusive Schools Week celebrates the progress that schools have made in providing a supportive and quality education to an increasingly diverse student population, including students who are marginalized due to disability, gender, socio-economic status, cultural heritage, language preference, and other factors. From our Best Buddies Program, Raider Cafe to all of our inclusive clubs and activities, I am so proud of the efforts of our students and staff to make our school community an inclusive one.

Our winter athletics season begins this week. Additionally, last week was the Winter Band Concert and this week is the Winter Orchestra Concert. Please set aside some time to support our athletes and performing arts students.

There are a few community items to share with you:

The Board of Education members have discussed updates to Policy 8020 regarding midterms/finals. Those updates include lowering the grade percentage for each assessment to 5% of the total grade. Policy 8020 will be voted on during the Board of Education meeting on December 7.
HCPSS Black Student Achievement Program's first webinar of the BSAP College and Career Opportunities Webinar Series: Course Placement and JumpStart. The webinar will be held on December 7 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. Students and families can register here.
Parents/guardians who work on a federal property in Maryland and/or are a member of a uniformed service can qualify to receive additional federal funding by completing an Impact Aid form by Dec. 31. Impact Aid supplements the HCPSS operating budget to enhance the teaching and learning that takes place in Howard County classrooms.

I have received several phone calls regarding the morning traffic and student drop-off. In addition to adjusting your schedules to arrive a few minutes earlier (strongly recommended), I would also like to ask that both parents and students “be ready” for drop-off. I have witnessed students driving and then switching positions with parents (reserve this for afternoon pickup), students not prepared and gathering all items out of the car holding up the line. Traffic is NOT an excuse to be late and therefore students arriving late will be held accountable. Please do everything in your power to make our drop-off as smooth as possible. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Lastly, in light of the recent news reports on school violence, I want you to know that this week, we will review with students and staff our lock-down protocols, and safety measures. We want everyone to be clear about what actions to take during an emergency situation.

Thank you all for sending us your best and brightest everyday!

Have a wonderful week!

Warmest regards,

Robert A. Motley

Principal