Nonnewaug High School Parent News
January 20th to January 24th, 2025
Hello Families,
We hope that you are having a great weekend and enjoying the snow! This is just a friendly reminder that semester 1 ends on Friday, January 24 and the second semester begins on Monday, January 27. Grades have to be in by February 6, and report cards will be sent out that weekend. There will also be no true mid-term exams this year, but this week there will be mid year check-ins, and end of semester exams for classes that are semester long. Please reach out to your child's teacher if you have any questions.
Please check your emails from Friday as well. We sent out information detailing changes to the graduation requirements for NHS students. Please note there were no changes to the class of 2025 or 2026.
Also, please note that with the start of semester 2, there will be some other changes at NHS. Registration for 2025-2026 will take place from February 6 to February 24. We would also like to thank everyone for supporting our new cell phone policy. Starting semester 2, class attendance will be taken by student cell phones in the phone holders. This is a common practice in many classes, but will now be formalized and will be required in all classes. Please reach out to your counselor or NHS administration with any questions.
We hope that you have a great week!
Please see our scheduling calendar so that you can track our weekly bell schedule. Our bell schedules can be found here.
Sincerely,
Mykal Kuslis - Principal
Declan Curtin - Assistant Principal
Suzi Greene- Interim Assistant Principal
Andrew Tammero- Dean/Athletic Director
Below you will find key information to ensure a continued positive start.
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@nonnewauggradnite
@NHSFineArts
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Save the Date!
Upcoming Events in Our School Community
Wednesday 1/22- 6:00 pm- LMC- Jazz to Rock Concert
Friday 1/24- End of Semester 1
Monday 1/27- Start of Semester 2
Tuesday 1/28 - Thursday 1/30- Winter administration of NWEA
Thursday 2/6- Monday 2/24- Student Course Registration for 2025-2026
Friday 2/7- Redout Night at NHS
Monday 2/17 and Tuesday 2/18- No School - Presidents Day Weekend
GradNite Updates:
GradNite 2025 - Attention all Senior parents ! We have begun fundraising and planning for the seniors celebration. Parents and students can earn raffle tickets toward the big ticket items given out at GradNite to the seniors.
Follow us on Instagram @NonnewaugGradNite and Facebook @NHSGradNite for more information. You can contact us at NonnewaugGradNite@gmail.com
Cash for Charities at Labonne's donates back a percentage to GradNite for your receipts. Please send them into the main office or bring them to a meeting.
Important Information:
Agriscience Adult Education Courses- We are excited to offer a wide variety of classes through our adult education program this spring. Please see a complete course list here. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Jennifer Plasky at JPlasky@ctreg14.org.
Yearbook Information- Our 2025 Yearbooks are now available for pre-order! Don’t miss out on securing your copy of this unforgettable keepsake. We need to know how many yearbooks to order, so please place your order as soon as possible. The more accurate our order count, the better we can ensure everyone gets a copy. CLICK HERE to order your yearbook. Yearbooks are currently priced at $100.
NHS Chief Advocate: Here's the latest Chief Advocate Newsletter: https://nhschiefadvocate.org/?na=view&id=11
Attendance - Regular attendance at school is required by state law, and is an important component of student success. Please use this link as a general attendance overview. Class time is an invaluable opportunity for students and teachers to interact and exchange ideas. In order to receive maximum opportunities for learning, students need to be present in every class. Attendance is so important that it is one of the criteria for granting course credit. (Course credit is granted on the basis of two criteria: passing grade and attendance in that specific class within the requirements of the school policy.) We appreciate your support in ensuring your child is in attendance daily.
Parking on Campus- With winter sports approaching and other events at Nonnewaug, the Woodbury Fire Marshall would like to remind parents and spectators to only park in designated parking spaces. We have been informed that deputies of the fire department will be present at Nonnewaug events and will be ticketing individuals who are not in designated parking spots.
GOFAN- This year, we will be moving to GOFAN as our system of payment for events at NHS. To purchase tickets ahead of time, please use this link .The goal is to have GOFAN fully implemented for the winter season! During the fall season, we will be using GOFAN, or accepting cash for tickets to our football games.
Athletics/Clubs
Athletic Updates- Please mark February 7th on your calendar. Nonnewaug is a special place on the night of our Red Out games. The gym is always packed as we take on our rivals from Shepaug. Most importantly, the game raises funds for the Leukemia and Cancer Society. We hope to have a massive crowd and show our community what being a Chief is all about.
Home Games
Tuesday, 1/21/25: Girls Basketball vs. Terryville NHS Gymnasium 5:30PM
Wednesday, 1/22/25: Wrestling vs. St. Paul Catholic NHS Gymnasium 6:00PM
Friday, 1/24/25: Boys Basketball vs. Thomaston NHS Gymnasium 6:00PM
Friday, 1/24/25: Swim vs. Housatonic Regional H.S. @ John F Kennedy H.S 7:00PM
Monday, 1/27/25: Boys Hockey vs. Brien McMahon/Norwalk/Staples @ The Frederick Gun School 8:00PM
Tuesday, 2/4/25: Unified Basketball vs. Watertown NHS Gymnasium 3:30PM
Clubs- Each year, Nonnewaug High School offers an array of clubs and activities. We hope to involve as many students as possible in clubs and extracurricular activities, providing them with opportunities to make social connections, broaden their interests, and, in many cases, grow in a leadership capacity. Click here for a list of our club offerings
What's Going on in the Arts?
The Artistic Pulse: Region 14’s Fine Arts Newsletter created by Mrs. Odell
Please see the awesome work created by our students in the arts department for our Senior Citizen Luncheon. Please click here to view the art pieces.
Check out our December 4th Winter Concert here. Great job by all musicians!
Congratulations to NHS’ 2025 Scholastic Art Award Winners (located under “Woodbury”)!
School Counseling/CCRC
Seniors are invited to Scholarship Help Sessions in the LMC during Tribe on 1/21 & 1/24. Get your scholarship applications begun while having your questions answered!
On 1/22 at 9 am the CCRC will host a career conversation with a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer. Students in all grade levels are invited to attend and learn about this career path.
We will offer the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) to all 10th–12th grade students interested in taking it on 2/11 at 7:30 in the LMC. This aptitude test provides insight into potential career interests and is required for those pursuing a career in the military. However, any student who takes the test is not obligated to pursue the military. It’s a terrific aptitude test, especially for students who don’t know what they want to pursue after high school! Students can email me or see me in the CCRC to sign up.
CT State will make another visit to the CCRC on 2/12 at 9:00 am. Any student who is considering community college or who has already applied is encouraged to attend.
Senior families, remember to complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA online if your child is heading to college or trade school. Go to https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch to get started. Seniors can find a tip sheet and video in their grade level Google Classroom.
Seniors, check out the Scholarship Page on the CCRC site. In the drop down menu, in the upper left hand corner, you will find the scholarship tab. This page provides information on local scholarship opportunities (these will roll out late January) regional and national scholarships and search engines to find even more opportunities.
Updated Cell Phone Policy
Cell Phone Policy Changes
Each classroom is equipped with phone holders, placed in a secure location.
Upon entering the classroom, students are required to place their cell phones in the designated phone holder ONLY, and they should be set to silent. Students will be required to use the holder. The phone is to remain in the holder if the student is leaving the room (i.e. going to the bathroom) and returning. Attendance will be taken for each class by teachers checking phones in the phone holder. If a student does not put their phone in the phone holder, they will be marked absent.
In the case of an emergency, students can request permission from the teacher to access their phones discreetly.
Special accommodations, as determined through the PPT or 504 process, can be made for students with documented medical or accessibility needs. These cases should be discussed with the school administration.
Students are not allowed to use cell phones or any recording devices to take pictures of students and staff members without their knowledge and/or consent. Students are also prohibited from posting pictures or video of students and staff members on the Internet.
At the beginning of, and periodically throughout the academic year, the cell phone policy to include phone holder usage will be communicated to all students and parents/guardians.
Students are responsible for their own cell phones and should not handle other students’ devices.
Nonnewaug High School will take reasonable measures to ensure the security of the phone holders.
Any listening device including but not limited to air pods, earbuds, and headphones are a distraction to the educational process as well as a safety concern. These devices should not be used during any academic classroom time. During passing time and other non instructional periods (study hall, lunch), only 1 air pod can be in at a time.
Region 14 Vision of a Learner/Region 14 Goals
Region 14 students:
THINK CRITICALLY AND CREATIVELY – They evaluate an issue or problem and develop a solution or opinion using multi-disciplinary thinking, originality and imagination.
COLLABORATE AND COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY – They find effective ways to work together and express, listen to, and exchange ideas and information in many forms.
DEMONSTRATE EMPATHY – They understand and respect the ideas, beliefs, and values of others to foster an inclusive environment.
TAKE INITIATIVE – They take ownership of learning by inquiring, setting goals, taking action, and consistently reflecting.
PERSEVERE – They persist through challenges to achieve goals and build resilience.
ADAPT AND ADJUST – They remain flexible and open to new ideas, and they adjust to new situations.
Region 14 Goals:
Academic Performance - The district will strive to improve academic performance for all students on multiple assessment indicators and the staff will be committed to continuous improvement
Communication - Region 14 will develop partnerships with all stakeholders in the school community to highlight the exemplary programs the district offers
Safety - Region 14 will provide safe and secure facilities equipped with technology, enabling a 21st century learning environment that supports the values of the district
Budget - Region 14 will prepare a budget that meets the needs of every student and communicates the needs and priorities of Region 14 in a clear and concise manner.