Communications between Oak Ridge Schools and families will shift from the Skyward Alert System to Parent Square. Parents should download ParentSquare from your specific App Store (ie Apple Store or Google Play Store). This new tool provides flexibility how families want to receive important information from the district and individual schools. The iNews will be sent via ParentSquare.

Monday, July 22 - Students will report directly to your first period class on Early dismissal – 1:50. Check your schedule on Skyward before coming to school. Find your teacher name and room number prior to Monday morning so you will know where you’re going.

Official schedules will be released on July 18th. In the event of a scheduling error such as repeated course, courses scheduled out of order, a course for which prerequisites have not been met, or a missing graduation requirement, students will have an opportunity to request a schedule change during the first week of school. Schedule change requests will only be accepted from Monday, July 22, 2023 at 7:50 a.m. until Friday, July 26 at 3:30 p.m. Students will receive instructions on how to request a schedule change via their grade level Canvas pages. Schedule Change Requests must be submitted via electronic form. Schedule change requests sent via email will not be processed.

Senior pictures will be on Wednesday and Thursday, July 17 and 18 in the Wildcat Arena from 9-1:30. Seniors should have received a packet of information in June from McEacheren's Photography.

Questions - Contact - McEachern Studios - 1-800-255-1649

Makeup pictures will be on October 16.

Underclassmen pictures will be taken Friday, July 26 during school

Make-up date – Senior & Underclassmen - Wednesday, October 16

Questions - Contact - McEachern Studios - 1-800-255-1649

Parents, please submit changes needed for contacts, addresses and phone numbers on Skyward to Rhonda Garrison, with appropriate documentation. Phone numbers and email changes can be sent to your student's administrator, or call Amy O'Rourke at 425-9607, in the Counseling Office.

Parents, students are NOT allowed to carry medications on their person at school. All medications must be registered with our nurse, Lori Gupton. Registration requirements are in the form below. This includes over the counter medications such as Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Benadryl or any type of allergy medications, etc.

Attention Parents/Guardians of Wellness A students

During the course of Wellness A, students will participate in a Family Life Education programming called “The Sex Talk” which is presented by the non-profit, “Let’s Talk 101”. This programming follows the State of Tennessee Lifetime Wellness Standards and School Board Policy 4.2.13. Per that policy, the parent/guardian has the right to opt their child out of participating in the program. If you would like to opt your child out, please complete the following form using the QR code or link below.

Parents of the Class of 2028, Mrs. Thompson encourages you to join the Facebook page. The page is used to celebrate the Class of 2028 and provide pertinent reminders impacting this class. Due to security measures, membership is subject to approval. Please answer the questions to join the page. Answers are verified through our student information system before granting access.

Parents, every time a student is absent, please send a note the day they return. Failure to send a parent note/doctor's note/court note within three (3) days will result in the day being unexecused. Parents can write 7 parent notes per year. Notes can be dropped in the attendance office, or in the "mailbox" in the Visual Arts hallway. The State of Tennessee considers a student Chronically Absent when they reach 18 absences whether excused or unexcused.

Student laptops will be distributed on Monday, July 22nd, the first day of school. New students may experience a delay, but I know our IT Department is doing everything they can to have devices ready to roll for everyone. PLEASE read the expectations below regarding laptop care.

There have been multiple changes and additions to the Oak Ridge Discipline handbook. Parents will receive a copy; however, the link below will take you to the new policies. We encourage parents to review the handbook with your teens. Students will be given highlights on Monday in their first block classes as well as in grade level meetings on Tuesday.

Students must register for transportation services via Skyward. The form is located in the Skyward FAMILY ACCESS ACCOUNT not the student access account. Families were sent instructions to email accounts on file throughout the summer. Paper forms will no longer be accepted.

Questions?? Click below to access the Oak Ridge Schools Transportation Website

Students will use the school-issued protective covering at all times. Damage to the device that occurs because the device case is not in use will be considered malicious damage and will incur additional penalties.

Also please note that the penalty matrix has been updated (located on the last page) to include the prorate scale for the bag. Malicious damage (ie. Broken screen without device being in case) is the cost of the repair, not to exceed $615. The student becomes a Restricted User until the fee is paid (other stipulations do apply as listed in the AUP).

Students have or will be issued an ID badge. This badge is a keycard to the building. Badges also provide access to the library, OR printers, lunch accounts, etc. Students have access to the building beginning at 7:00 am. Badges are turned off at 7:50 when the tardy bell rings.

Students are not allowed in the building before 7:00 am when staff is available for supervision. Students are expected to vacate the premises by 3:20 daily if not under the direct supervision of a teacher or coach. Students will NOT be allowed to remain in the Food Court to wait on a parent or a ride home. No supervision is provided after this time.

Any student driving to school are required to register their vehicle and leave the parking tag visibly hanging on their review mirror. Vehicles must be registered every year. The form below must be completed and returned to Student Services to Mrs. Viruet. Parking tags are FREE, but required.

In order for a student to take their permit test, a form is required from the school. Mrs. Thacker, our attendance secretary, prepares these forms. Requests are accepted through the link below. When school is in session, a completed form may be picked up in the Attendance Office. However, if school is NOT in session, the form will be mailed home by USPS.

The Driving Center of Oak Ridge has openings for summer driver education classes. Register at Students who participate in the classes receive six driving sessions and will be given the opportunity to take the driving test with the instructors. Upon completion of the program, many families save up to $300 per year on car insurance so the class practically pays for itself in only one year. Call Matt Reedy at 865-719-1816 if you have questions.

Need new Wildcat swag? Check out the official Wildcat products at the link below!

COMEDY WORKSHOP - JULY 19TH, 1-4PM

Are you interested in comedy? To get ready for Masquer's fall play, Puffs, we are having a Comedy workshop THIS Friday, July 19th at 1pm! Join our director, Amy Uptgraft, as she walks you through the important strategies involved in being funny!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR THE MASQUERS INTEREST MEETING JULY 25TH 3:30-4:30 & AUDITION WORKSHOP 4:30-6pm for students and the PARENT MEETING on July 26th at 6pm for parents of students involved in Masquers! Have you ever wondered how you can get involved in Masquers? Make plans to come to the Masquers beginning of the year interest meeting to find out about our shows and all the ways you can get involved in Masquers. If you are interested in auditioning for Puffs, our fall play, plan to stay for the audition workshop! Parents are invited to the parent meeting on July 26th at 6pm to find out how they can help Masquers have the best year ever!

AUDITIONS FOR PUFFS July 29-30! Masquers will be hosting auditions for Puffs on Monday, July 29th with callbacks on July 30th. Join us on GroupMe for more details! Use this link to join: https://groupme.com/join_group/94107482/GBLNWclq

Executive Principal - Drayton Hawkins dshawkins@ortn.edu

Seniors - Russ Wise rewise@ortn.edu

Juniors - Beth Estep kestep@ortn.edu

Sophomores - David Foust djfoust@ortn.edu

Freshman - Stephanie Thompson sathompson@ortn.edu

Curriculum Principal - Jennifer Milligan jmmilligan2@ortn.edu

Counselors:

Seniors - Class of 2025 Ashley Bennewitz abennewitz@ortn.edu

Juniors - Class of 2026 Paige Taylor - hptaylor@ortn.edu

Sophomores - Class of 2027 Brianna Ottinger - bottinger@ortn.edu

Freshman - Class of 2028 Heidi Foster - hafoster@ortn.edu

Social Worker: Alison King aking@ortn.edu

Registrar: Rhonda Garrison rsgarrison@ortn.edu

Counseling Administrative Assistant: Amy O'Rourke akorourke@ortn.edu

Link to Website: https://www.ortn.edu/highschool/academics/school-counseling/

Follow our team on Instagram:

Watch for announcements on Twitter: @ORHSCounseling

As a reminder, this year our administration and Counseling Department moved to grade level teams to serve students for their scholastic careers at ORHS. In order to provide families with the swiftest and most accurate information, we encourage reaching out directly to the grade level administrator and/or counselor team when questions arise with students.

9th Grade team: Stephanie Thompson sathompson@ortn.edu and Heidi Foster hafoster@ortn.edu

10th Grade team: David Foust djfoust@ortn.edu and Brianna Ottinger bottinger@ortn.edu

11th Grade team: Beth Estep kestep@ortn.edu and Paige Taylor hptaylor@ortn.edu

12th Grade team: Russ Wise rewise@ortn.edu and Ashley Bennewitz abennewitz@ortn.edu

Did you know your teen will have their driver's license suspended due to poor grades and/or poor attendance?

Parents should review this information with their teen drivers!!

It is our desire to keep our families informed of all of the activity and awesome news coming from Oak Ridge High School. We have multiple platforms for connection. We encourage you to explore the many ways and provide feedback!

Website - http://www.ortn.edu/highschool/

Daily Bulletin - http://www.ortn.edu/highschool/daily-bulletin/

Channel 1082 at 7:50 AM - Watch the announcements each morning by our Crew! YouTube Streaming: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCL9N_azmWeQByrIW6pWLBlQ

INews - http://www.ortn.edu/highschool/news-events/news-links/

PTSO Newsletter - PTSO distributes a VERY detailed quarterly newsletter to inform parents of upcoming events and LOTS of counseling information! This comes to your email! They also have a presence on the website: http://www.orhs-ptso.org/news-information with tons of information! PTSO also has a Facebook presence, and we encourage you to "LIKE" their page! https://www.facebook.com/ORHSPTSO/

Website: http://www.ortn.edu/highschool/
Location: 1450 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
Phone: 865-425-9600