Dear Grizzly Families,

Happy New Year! I hope this message finds you rested, recharged, and ready for an exciting start to 2025. As we close out Semester 1, I want to acknowledge the hard work of our students, parents, and staff in meeting the challenges of the past months. Your efforts, whether through rigorous academic pursuits, extracurricular engagement, or fostering a positive school community, have truly made a difference.

For our students and teachers, the final weeks of Semester 1 will be a time to focus on wrapping up coursework and preparing for exams. Parents, your support during this period is invaluable—whether it’s providing encouragement, helping students stay organized, or simply reminding them to take breaks and prioritize their well-being.

Thank you for your continued partnership in making Grassfield High School a place of excellence. Let’s make this semester one to remember!

Please also follow our social media pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for any last-minute updates. If you have any questions, please contact us at 757-558-4749.

Sincerely,

Mr. Brian Haughinberry, Principal

Safety and Security is our priority. In order to reinforce this expectation and maximize safety, high school students will see additional security measures in place including the randomized use of a weapons detection system. This system is used at random times and locations throughout the school week. The system is a discreet, efficient way to detect potential threats, allowing us to keep our schools safe while minimizing disruptions to the school day.

Please refer to our Student Handbook for more information and detailed safety policies.

Friday, January 24th, 2025 marks the end of our fourth and final marking period. Please make sure that your students are communicating with their teachers to complete their missing assignments.

Please reach out to your students' teachers with any questions.

Students may qualify for an opportunity to gain lost instructional time due to absences through the flexible instruction opportunity. We're excited to provide this opportunity to support student learning and mitigate learning loss. Specifics on the program are highlighted below.

• Session Duration - Three hours will count as one instructional school day. Students can attend as many sessions as desired but may not exceed 15 days recovered. Sessions will begin promptly at 4:00 pm unless otherwise stated. The student is responsible for their own transportation and ensuring they are signed in with the teacher.

• Eligibility - Students with 7 or more absences are eligible to attend Flexible Instruction sessions.

• Registration - Students can register via the google form: Click Here. Once students are registered, they will be assigned a teacher and room for the entirety of that session. This does not serve as an application for an attendance waiver.

Please reach out to Mrs. Ramos-Acosta (naomi.ramos-acosta@cpschools.com) or your student's school counselor for more information.

A parent or guardian may request a waiver of the attendance regulation (seat-time requirement) for transfer students and students with documented family or medical extenuating circumstances that resulted in an excessive number of absences in credit-bearing courses.

Students who do not submit the attendance waiver and are at 9+ or are denied for the waiver will not receive credit for the course.

Please keep in mind, an approved waiver allows the student to receive the grade earned regardless of attendance, but the waiver does not change the student’s attendance record. The attendance waiver is not submitted for future absences but absences that have accumulated throughout the first semester. The attendance waiver does not provide an exemption for the final culminating assessments on January 23rd, January 24th, and January 25th (attendance is required).

Please contact Mrs. Ott with questions or concerns (Heather.Ott@cpschools.com).

The attendance waiver will begin accepting submissions on January 13th.

To submit an Attendance Waiver Request: Click Here.

Fall Non-Writing SOL:

The Fall Non-Writing SOLs will take place in December and January.

• January 10-Science
• January 15-Math

Your student's teacher will communicate the schedule with them. Please have your student reach out to their teacher regarding testing location.

Culminating Assessments will be administered January 23-January 25. The schedule is below. Students are required to complete a final culminating assessment with each course. Seniors are exempt from the 5th portion (commonly referred to as exam) if they have an A/A- in the course.

If your student is absent, they will need to schedule a make-up exam with their teacher for January 28th.

Parents and Guardians are to use ParentVUE to report all tardies, absences, and dismissals. To report prior day absences, you will type, "This submission is in regards to (Insert date)" You can upload a doctor note to the submission as well.

Reporting Departures:

On the main navigation page, you will see a blue "Report Absence" button. When reporting departures via ParentVue, parents do not need to come into the building to sign out their students. Students will sign out at the attendance office and meet you in the car! Directions below!

Click Report Absence à Select Date à Select the reason (Absence or Tardy/Depart) à Scroll to "Notes" portion of report à Type the reason and time for dismissal à Click Save

The Attendance office will notify your student with permission to depart one of two ways:

1. Email Teacher AND Cc Student

• It is important that students that know their parent is submitting a dismissal via ParentVUE to check their email. Cc'ing the student is an effective way for the student to obtain a paperless “permission to leave” pass. If the teacher does not dismiss on time, the student is to refer to their email from the Attendance office.

2. Call to the classroom for dismissal.

• Students with submissions for departures with a quick turnaround time will receive a call to their classroom.
• If Parents submit a departure submission requesting a time within the hour, the attendance office will do their best to call out your student on time.

Attendance Features Video:

https://youtu.be/lSg7J0yy1uI

Tardy Check in and Dismissal Kiosks:

Students are to have their StudentID cards or StudentVUE QR Code ready to scan for check in and dismissal. When students scan their StudentID or QR Code, they are able to quickly and efficiently enter and exit the building.

Accessing StudentVUE ID QR Code:

Students will open the StudentVUE app à Click Menu option in the bottom left corner (three lines on iPhone. + on Android) à Click "ID Card"

We recommend screenshotting StudentID QR codes so students can quickly access their QR code for checking in and signing out for dismissal.

Parents can also access their student's ID QR code in their ParentVUE app. ID QR codes are not available on the web version of StudentVUE or ParentVUE.

Reminder:

Students over 18 years old cannot depart and sign themselves out of school without written permission from Parent or a ParentVUE departure submission.

Please use ParentVUE moving forward as we are not accepting email notices for tardies, absences, and dismissals.

Contact the Attendance Secretary with any questions:

Morgan.Wilkins@cpschools.com

Seniors who paid to paint a space must park in their painted space. Seniors who did not pay to paint but have a valid senior parking permit must park in the senior lot in a non-painted space.

Juniors with a valid junior permit must park in the junior lot.

Sophomores and Freshmen are not permitted to drive to school.

We are accepting names for Juniors and Seniors for a parking pass waitlist.

Please email Ms. Ott with any question (heather.ott@cpschools.com)

Class of 2026, your Junior Class Ring Ceremony will take place on Wednesday evening January 22nd at 6:30 PM. The ceremony will take place in the Grassfield High School auditorium and you will need to check-in at 6:00 PM. Dress to impress!

Jostens will be there to provide you with your class ring. If you purchased your own ring, you are still invited to the ceremony. Please bring your ring in a secure box to drop off at check-in.

If you plan to attend, you MUST RSVP through the Google form linked in your class Canvas page, Instagram, and the GFHS website by January 21st. Friends and family are encouraged to attend.

🚨Attention Junior class! 🚨

Junior ring dance "A Starry Night in Paris" will be held on Saturday, January 25th from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM at Grassfield High School.

• Tickets are $40 for Grassfield students and $50 for non-Grassfield students.
• Tickets will be sold on GoFan to Juniors from Friday January 10th at 9:00 AM to Friday January 24th at midnight. Your student ID number is your GoFan access code.
• Juniors may purchase an additional ticket on GoFan if you plan to bring another Grassfield High School student but tickets for non-Grassfield students must be purchased in person with $50 cash or check and a signed permission slip from Mrs. Jones in room C108.
• You can pick up a permission slip in C108 and purchase non-Grassfield tickets in the morning or during your lunch in C108 with $50 cash or check.
• Check-in for ring dance is from 7:00-9:00 PM and there is NO ADMISSION after 9 PM. You must have your GoFan ticket and a picture ID to enter.
• Be sure to review the guidelines for student behavior posted on GoFan and remember all school policies are still in effect.

See Ms. Snyder in C110 or Mrs. Jones in C108 with any questions.

Senior Ads: Celebrate your senior by purchasing a recognition ad to appear in The Pawprint yearbook by visiting www.jostens.com. The deadline is February 13.

Yearbook: Don’t miss out on the limited edition collection of memories from this school year! Purchase a copy of The Pawprint yearbook at www.jostens.com. The cost starts at $95.

Club pictures: Candid Color will take club photos in the gym on Monday, February 3. See your club sponser for the schedule.

Students should have an ehall pass from their teacher or an appointment entered in ehall pass by their counselor before visiting their counselor's office. Please contact the school counseling department at 558-4509 for additional help.

School counselors are certified/licensed educators who improve student success for ALL students by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. School Counselors can help students by providing:

• individual student academic planning and goal setting
• school counseling classroom lessons based on student success standards
• short-term counseling to students
• referrals for long-term support
• collaboration with families/teachers/ administrators/ community for student success
• advocacy for students at individual education plan meetings and other student-focused meetings
• data analysis to identify student issues, needs and challenges

School Counselor Alpha-List:

• Ms. Lenhart: A-Be
• Ms. Butler: Bf-C
• Ms. Lewis: D-Gn
• Ms. Bowers: Go-J
• Ms. Creamer: K-Me
• Ms. Kates: Mf-Ra
• Ms. Davis: Rb-St
• Ms. Morris: Su-Z

MP 4 ends January 24th and Report Cards will be viewable on February 5th. Counselors will adjust schedules, as needed, if students do not pass a course (example, failed Spanish 2, so cannot take Spanish 3) on the teacher work days on January 27 and January 28. All other requests for schedule changes will be accepted through the Google form located on the GFH site, until 3 PM on February 4th for spring semester classes. Requests will be considered on a space available basis.

The GFH Elective Fair for all rising GFH students is scheduled for January 21st, 5-6, followed by an informational session for rising freshmen parents in the auditorium at 6PM . Please stop by to learn about different electives available at GFH. Representatives from CVA and College & Career Readiness Office will also be available to answer questions. CCC Open House is scheduled for January 16th, 5-7, and the application for CCC courses will open later that evening.

Scheduling information for the 25-26 school year will be posted mid January. Please review new course offerings and applications for specific courses. Counselors will meet with each student in February to review graduation requirements. Scheduling appointments will be emailed to students. Please encourage your student to be prepared for the meeting and bring any questions. Parents/Guardians will be able to view course requests March 6th and will have until March 10th to request changes.

Transcripts include students' final grades, class rank, GPA, SAT/ACT scores, Industry Credentials, and courses in progress for the year. Transcripts may be ordered, processed, and delivered using Parchment. Most students have created a Parchment account. If your student has not created a Parchment account, directions will be emailed to them around October 15th explaining how to create the account.

Dear Grizzlies,

I wanted to provide you with an update on the number of FAFSA filed by Grassfield High School Seniors. As of December 26, 2024, we have received 108 completed FAFSA applications for Grassfield High School. This is a great start, and I encourage all seniors who haven't filed yet to take advantage of the support available to you.

Our Access Advisor, Mr. Kelly, is here to assist you and your parents in filling out the FAFSA. Whether you haven't started the application or have questions about what you have already submitted, Mr. Kelly is available to help. To schedule a consultation, please fill out the Consultation Form and access Mr. Kelly's Virtual Office and book your appointment.

Remember, completing the FAFSA is an important step in securing financial aid for college. Don't miss out on this opportunity to receive the support you need. Take advantage of Mr. Kelly's expertise and schedule your appointment today.

Best regards,

Arthur Kelly

Useful Tools:

Senior Prep Handbook

Junior Prep Handbook

Important Dates:

Access College Commitment Day is set for April 29, 2025. To participate, seniors must be accepted into at least one college, have submitted their FAFSA, and provide a signed permission slip. Check out the class of 2024 Commitment Day HERE

The following individuals will be serving a two year term as officers of our PTSA for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years. Thank you very much for volunteering your time to serve our school community.

✨President- Chessa Foster

✨1st Vice President (Legislation)-Amy Fannon

✨2nd Vice President (Craft Show)- Meghan McDermott

✨Treasurer- Pattie Oliver

✨Secretary- Sandy Huneycutt

Please check out our Facebook for meeting details or for link to Join. New Members are always welcome!

It's that time of the year that we invite all parents and students to join our PTSA. Our faculty and staff last year had 100% membership and we would like to do the same with our parents and students. The cost is $7.00 and you may join at the link below. Any senior student wishing to apply for a $1000 scholarship(possibly 3), needs to be a member to win. We hope to have many members as we all work together to make this a fabulous school year for all!

Givebacks (memberhub.com).

Jan meeting reminder: Jan 13, 2025 at 4:30 pm HS Main Office Conference Room.

The Senior Scholarship application is now available on Scholarship Vue or through their Counselors.

Details for the Scholarship can be found via the following link: Click Here.

PCD's

The School Board adopted Policy 9-20.1 during the 2023-2024 school year to create a distraction-free learning environment in alignment with Governor Youngkin's Executive Order 33. The policy requires personal communication devices (PCDs) to be turned off and stored away throughout the school day, with usage permitted only under administrative approval for special events.

Key Points:

• PCDs Defined: Includes cell phones, tablets, e-readers, non-school laptops, handheld gaming devices, smartwatches, and Bluetooth accessories.
• Rationale: Research indicates that PCDs hinder intellectual, social, and emotional development, reduce classroom engagement, and limit peer and teacher interaction.
• Parent Communication: For emergencies, parents should contact the school’s main office.
• Consequences: Violations may result in verbal warnings, confiscation requiring parent retrieval, and escalating disciplinary actions for repeated infractions. The school is not responsible for damaged, lost, or stolen devices.

The policy is intended to foster a positive, focused educational environment for all students.

Tardies

Students are required to attend their classes as scheduled. Students are considered tardy after the bell has rang. Please see the bell schedule for class start times. Students will be issued discipline consequences for tardies exceeding 4. On the 4th tardy, teachers will email home a tardy warning. Subsequent tardies will result in a referral to the grade-level administrator.

Cash is NO LONGER accepted at Chesapeake Public Schools athletic events. All tickets must be purchased via Gofan.co (not .com) prior to the game.

Adults - $7 Student - $5

Parents are highly encouraged to purchase a “Parent Pass” at Gofan.co. Parent passes are ONLY $60 and allow you entry into any high school or middle school regular season sports event in the city of Chesapeake. This pass is good for the entire 2024-2025 school year!! (Does not include playoffs events)

“Student passes” are available at Gofan.co as well. Student passes are ONLY $30 and are good for the entire school year to any sports events at the high school or middle school levels.

(Does not include playoffs)

Purchase the 2024-2025 athletic pass using the QR Code.

Acceptable passes for entry into Athletic Events:

· VHSL Pass

· VHSCA (Coaches Pass)

· Media Credentials

· Gold Card/CPS Senior Citizen Pass (regular season ONLY)

· Faculty passes of those schools participating in the competition and CPS badges

Sports physicals are offered twice a year at Grassfield High School and are done by CHKD physicians. The physicals are $25 each and are offered in the months of February and May. Exact dates are contingent upon physician availability and are advertised at least two weeks in advance. Physicals begin at 4 p.m. and end at 6 p.m. promptly. VHSL physical forms can be downloaded from the school athletic website. Physicals are not valid if dated prior to May 1 of the previous school year. Parents are highly encouraged to maintain a copy of their athlete’s physical for summer camps, transfers, etc.

For up to date information about Grassfield Athletics follow @grassfieldathletics on instagram.