Spring Lake Park High School

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We had an excellent turn out at last night’s open house event! It was great to see and connect with so many students and families. The energy and excitement for the coming school year was palpable. Teachers have been here all week enthusiastically collaborating and preparing to launch the school year with our learners next week. I hope you were able to meet your student’s teachers last night.

Here are a couple of quick reminders about the start of the school year:

• Tuesday, September 3 is an orientation day for all 9th grade students and all new students.
• Wednesday, September 4 will be the first day of school for all students.
• Our school day begins at 8:10 a.m. and concludes at 2:55 p.m.

Counselors are available to help with questions about schedules and programming. Feel free to reach out to the main office or counseling office with questions.

Mark your calendar now for our Curriculum Night on Tuesday, September 10, 5-7 p.m. This is another opportunity to peek inside the classroom and curriculum. You’ll be able to connect with your student’s teachers and learn about the outcomes and some of the learning experiences and assessments planned for their courses.

Finally, last week we shared our approach to cell phones, ear buds and other personal electronics for this year. As a reminder, students may engage with their cell phones and ear buds during passing time and lunch time. The use of personal electronics during instructional time and instructional spaces is not allowed. We anticipate positive outcomes from reducing persistent cell phone use and social media consumption. Please take a minute to review this with your student.

I hope each of you has time over the Labor Day weekend to recharge before school starts. We look forward to seeing our incoming 9th graders and other new students at 8:10 a.m. next Tuesday. And, starting the new year with ALL students next Wednesday. Thank you in advance for your ongoing partnership and support this coming school year.

Matthew Boucher

Principal

Find our Spring Lake Park Schools School Handbook for 2024-2025 at SpringLakeParkSchools.org/schoolhandbook. The handbook is a guide for families and students on the practical aspects of school – start and end times, procedures for absences, transportation, meals, policies and more. Please review the information and refer to it, as needed, throughout the year and contact your school as you have questions.

• Breakfast and lunch meals: Each student will continue to get one breakfast and one lunch free of charge each day at school.
• Purchase of additional food items: During lunch, students have the option to purchase additional food items (second milk, extra entree, bottled water, etc.) if they have funds in their account. You can add funds to a meal account through Campus Parent Portal, or by sending cash or check with your child or directly to your school. If you do not want your student to purchase additional items, please complete this form and email it to foodservice@district16.org.
• Educational Benefits Application: Although no application is required to receive meals at no cost this school year, filling out the application for Educational Benefits is still important and it is critical families who may be eligible complete an application each year. By completing the application, students may receive free or reduced fees for a number of school programs. Applications have recently arrived in family mailboxes. We did a district-wide communication to families earlier this week encouraging families to complete an application. Please note, if your family already received an approval letter for the 2024-2025 school year, you do not need to re-apply for educational benefits.

Learn more about school meals on the Nutrition Services webpage.

• Bus Tracking (MyStop app): We use MyStop, which is web-based application available to parents and students that allows them access to live bus GPS information. Using a smartphone, tablet or desktop computer, parents and students can view the current location of buses on routes and the estimated time of arrival at their neighborhood bus stops. Learn more about MyStop.
• Bus Safety: It is very important all students and families understand our bus safety rules:

• Stay out of the “Danger Zone” around the bus
• Follow the driver’s instructions
• Be on time for the bus – five minutes early
• Always sit down and face forward
• Be courteous. No pushing, tripping, swearing or yelling.
• No eating or drinking
• Keep your bus clean. Do not damage the bus.
• Keep your head and arms inside the bus window
• Never throw objects inside or out of the bus
• No animals on the bus

• Plan to ride the bus: For students who ride the bus, please plan for your student to ride the bus on the first day of school to help us work out all our routines and eliminate as much confusion as possible. The transportation department appreciates your patience as we navigate the beginning of a new school year.
• Transportation webpage and contact information: Find all transportation information on the transportation webpage. For any questions regarding transportation, please contact the transportation department at

At the beginning of each year, we provide families with important notifications. Many of these notifications align to our school district policies and practices. Please take a few minutes to review the information and take any actions that align with your family’s preferences.

These notices cover:

• Media permission and directory information
• Technology responsible use policy
• Student Behavior and Attendance Expectations
• Data privacy
• Supplemental student accident insurance

Review these notifications on the back-to-school hub under Annual Required Notifications. Please direct any questions to the main office of your student's school.

Last week, we communicated some updates to personal cell phone and earbud use during the school day. Students who choose to bring a personal electronic devices to school are not to use the device during instructional time throughout the day. Students may use their personal devices - cell phones, earbuds, etc. - during passing time and lunch.

The school is not responsible for lost, damaged, or stolen devices. If a student has a personal device at school and is found using the device during instructional time, there is a progressive response that can be found in the school handbook. Thank you for your help and support of students’ digital well-being, engagement in learning and success in school.

• Tuesday, September 3 - First Day of School: for grades K-8 and Lighthouse students, orientation for grade 9 students and grades 10-12 students new to the high school
• Wednesday, September 4 - First Day of School: for returning grades 10-12 students who are not new to the high school
• Tuesday, September 10 - Curriculum night, 5-7 p.m.
• Wednesday, September 11 - First Senior meeting, 9 a.m., Fine Arts Center
• Thursday, September 12 - 2nd Chance Picture day - SLPHS
• Saturday, September 14 - "Start your Engines" Community Event, Spring Lake Park High School, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
• Monday, September 16 - Grupo de Padres Hispanohablantes de SLP reunion, 5 p.m., Woodcrest Spanish Immersion School
• September 23-27 - Homecoming Week

• September 21 – Homecoming Dance
• September 23 – Homecoming Coronation
• September 25 – Powderpuff Game
• September 27 – Homecoming Game, Panther Stadium, 7 p.m.

• Wednesday, October 2 - Live on 65: After Hours Big Band – Buy tickets

We are sending a congratulatory shout-out to these Spring Lake Park High School students for their National Recognition Awards by College Board!

These students qualified for the award by:

• Taking the Fall 2023 PSAT/NMSQT (10th or 11th) or Spring PSAT 10 (10th) and scored in the top 10% of test takers from their award program in their state. Or, earning a 3+ on 2 or more distinct AP exams in the 9th and/or 10th grade.
• Earning a cumulative GPA of B+ or higher (at least 3.3 or 87-89%) by the time of submission.
• Identify as first-generation, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Indigenous or Native and/or attend school in a rural area or small town.

Now through September 6, save 20% of Panther Gear at the store and online with code 24Kickoff. The store, located at Spring Lake Park High School, will be open Wednesday, August 28 and Thursday, August 29 from 1-3 p.m. and Thursday, September 5 from 4-8 p.m.

• Back to School hub
• Get Ready to "Start Your Engines"
• Fall programs available for all!

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