Summit High School

Dear SHS Families,

Please ensure that your student has their school-issued ID with them each day.

As we begin the last full month of school, please continue to monitor your student's progress and attendance in their classes. Wednesday, May 7th is the halfway point of the 4th marking period. Please check Genesis to monitor your student's attendance and grades. Please reach out to the teacher if you have any questions regarding your student's grades.

I ask you to please remind your student that cell phones and earbuds are not allowed to be used in class unless the teacher requests the students to use them for a class activity. We have reminders outside of all classrooms, but it would be helpful if that message is reinforced at home.

Please review the information below about NJSLA Testing and the Final Exam Schedule.

It's a great day to be a Hilltopper!

Stacy Grimaldi

Principal

This week we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week!

Please take a minute to thank a teacher or school staff member who has had a positive impact on your student's education.

We will be administering AP exams during the weeks of May 5th and May 12th. Since we don't have the use of the library spaces for testing, we will be using the auxiliary gym for testing. Therefore, the auxiliary gym won't be available for student lunches from May 5th through May 16th. We are working with Pomptonian Food Services and the custodial staff to re-locate the food purchase locations and places for students to eat on these days.

Attendance letters were posted in Genesis for any student who has reached a threshold for class lateness or absences. Please log into Genesis to view your student's attendance totals and any posted attendance letter.

Please be reminded of the following:

It is imperative that students are in school each day and on time.

Every time a student is absent from school, it will fall into one of two categories: CUMULATIVE or NON-CUMULATIVE.

NON-CUMULATIVE absences will not count towards a student’s absence total. These absences are the only allowable absences per Statute (N.J.A.C. 6A:32-8.3) and the NJDOE Guidance for Reporting Student Absences and Calculating Chronic Absenteeism.

The five, non-cumulative absences are:

• Religious Observance

• College Visit (up to 3 days per year for students in grades 11-12)

• Take Our Children to Work Day

• Observance of Veteran’s Day

• The closure of a busing district that prevents a student from having transportation to school.

All other absences are CUMULATIVE absences, and will count towards a student’s absence total. Cumulative absences are divided into two sub-categories: VERIFIED or UNVERIFIED.

• A VERIFIED absence means that a student is not in school, and the school has been notified of the absence. This applies anytime a parent/guardian has notified the school of the absence, such as the student being home sick and/or missing school due to a doctor’s appointment. Verified absences may count towards loss of credit, or may result in the school district sending a letter to notify families of the number of absences accrued in a given year.

• An UNVERIFIED absence means that a student is not in school, and the school has not been notified of the absence. This will result in a phone call being made to parents/guardians in an attempt to verify the absence, and more importantly, to locate the student's whereabouts. In addition to counting towards credit loss (SHS only) and generating a phone call, unverified absences also count towards truancy and/or may result in student discipline (cutting class, for example).

The chart below was created to help as a visual representation of this policy. Please review the chart, and contact your grade level administrator if you have any questions.

The packet of information containing all the information about graduation and senior events was mailed to all 12th grade families last week. Please be on the lookout for this mailing. There are items in the mailing that need to be completed and are time sensitive.

If you did not get a mailing, please contact the main office of the high school. You can also find the information on the Graduation Tab of the Resources Page of the High School Website.

The State of New Jersey has implemented a new graduation requirement (P.L. 2023 c.295) for members of the Class of 2025. For students to fulfill this graduation requirement, they must complete one of the following:

• Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• Complete and submit the NJ Alternative Financial Aid Application (NJAFA)..
• Have a parent/guardian complete and submit a waiver form. The form is located in the Genesis Parent Portal under Forms, titled NJ Financial Aid Application Graduation Requirement Waiver Form.

The FAFSA gives students access to the largest source of financial aid to pay for college or vocational school. Completing the FAFSA allows students to be considered for federal financial aid, including Pell grants, work-study programs, and loans. In addition, many colleges and universities, as well as some private financial aid providers, use the FAFSA information to determine students’ eligibility for aid.

Students who are NJ residents but do not meet the requirements for FAFSA, may consider the NJAFAA as an option. The NJAFAA enables students to receive state financial assistance to support their post-secondary college and career goals.

If you choose to submit the FAFSA or the NJAFAA, no other action or notification is required on your part. If you submit the waiver, please note that this does not prohibit a student from submitting the FAFSA or NJAFAA in the future.

More information about this graduation requirement can be found on the Summit High School website under “New Graduation Requirements for Classes of 2025, 2026, and 2027” on the Resources tab. You can also contact your student’s school counselor with any questions.

The deadline for completing this requirement (the FAFSA, the NJAFAA, or the waiver) is Friday, May 16th. Thank you for your prompt attention to this new requirement.

Any student who wants to be reconsidered for an AP or Honors course for the 2025-2026 school year must please complete the following steps.

• The student must put their additional reconsideration request in writing and provide a hard copy to Elizabeth Aaron in the main office.

• The reconsideration request should include why they are continuing to appeal/their continued interest in taking the specific course(s), and any additional steps they are taking to improve/succeed.

• This request is due by the first day of Exams - June 9.

Spring allergy season has arrived; along with it comes itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, runny noses, sore throats, and congestion. You can help your student manage their seasonal allergies with these simple reminders.

• Track daily local pollen counts on sites like this one.
• Wash your hands/face and changing your clothes when coming inside from outdoor activities.
• Shower and wash/rinse your hair daily to remove pollen.
• Keep windows closed on high-pollen-count days.
• Wipe home surfaces and change sheets and pillowcases frequently.
• Use HEPA-based air filters or run your HVAC system on fan mode to circulate the air in your home. Make sure to change your filters frequently.
• Wash outerwear and sports clothing/equipment frequently.
• Consistently use over-the-counter oral, nasal, and eye drop medications as ordered by your doctor.
• Start medications at the start of the allergy season, don’t wait until your allergies are already severe.
• Wipe or brush off the fur of indoor or outdoor pets to reduce the pollen that gets brought into your home.
• Keep a wet wash cloth in the refrigerator to soothe irritated eyes.

If your student requires prescription or over-the-counter allergy medication, including oral medication, eye drops, nose sprays, or cough drops during school hours, a “School Medication Administration Authorization Form” must be on file and signed by both parent and physician. Forms are available on the Summit Public Schools website.

If your child needs to remain inside due to allergies, a doctor’s note is required. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions!

Kristen Akian and MaryBeth Driscoll, Summit HS Nurses

Due to budget constraints, Summit High School will not be offering a Summer Academy for students this year.

If your student did not pass a course required for graduation, there are two available options for credit recovery:

1. Complete the course through an approved external summer program or online provider*
   

2. Retake the course during the 2025–2026 school year

3. 
   

Students who wish to enroll in a course outside of Summit High School must adhere to the district’s Option 2 Policy (Policy 5460.2) and receive prior approval through an application submitted to Mrs. Grimaldi.

All Option 2 applications for summer coursework must be submitted by Friday, June 13, 2025.

• [Option 2 Application for In-Person Coursework]
  
  

• [Option 2 Application for Online Coursework]
  
  

If you have any questions, please reach out to your student’s school counselor.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

*Some summer credit recovery programs can be found at Livingston High School, Educere, and New Jersey Virtual School. While this is not an exhaustive list, these might be a good place to start looking if your student is in need of a credit recovery option.

Summit High School will be administering the NJSLA tests during the week of May 19th. The following students will take the corresponding NJSLA test.

• All 9th grade students will be taking the English Language Arts (ELA) test.
• All 9th grade students enrolled in an Algebra 1, Geometry, or Algebra 2 course will take the corresponding math test.
• Any student enrolled in Algebra 1 regardless of grade will take the Algebra 1 test.
• All 11th grade students will take the Science test.

The schedule for the week is as follows:

Monday, May 19th: Math Unit 1

Tuesday, May 20th: Math Unit 2

Wednesday, May 21st. ELA9 Unit 1, Science11 Units 1 & 2

Thursday, May 22ns: ELA9 Unit 2, Science11 Units 3 & 4

Testing will take place each morning from 7:45am to 9:45am. Any students who are not testing should arrive to school at 9:45am on any day in which they are not testing. Click here to view the bell schedule for the week.

Summit High School will be administering final exams on June 9th, 11th, 12th, and 13th. Final exams are required in all full-year and semester classes with the exception of physical education and study hall. Please ensure that your student is in attendance for all exams. We have scheduled two exams for each exam day. The exam schedule is below:

Monday, June 9, 2025

8:00am - 10:00am: Period 7

10:30am - 12:30pm: Period 8

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

No School - Primary Election

Wednesday, June 11, 2025

8:00am - 10:00am: Period 5

10:30am - 12:30pm: Period 6

Thursday, June 12, 2025

8:00am - 10:00am: Period 3

10:30am - 12:30pm: Period 4

Friday, June 13, 2025

8:00am - 10:00am: Period 1

10:30am - 12:30pm: Period 2

Monday, June 16, 2025

Last Day of School for Students

Single Session E Day

Make up Exams

Students are required to take their exams at the scheduled time. Any request to miss an exam must be submitted using this form and submitted to Mrs. Grimaldi by Monday, June 2, 2025. Approval for exam rescheduling requests will only be given for extenuating circumstances and not for reasons of convenience.

Illness on the day of an exam is addressed by the normal procedure for calling a student out sick through the attendance office.

Any student who misses an exam without prior approval will not be allowed to take the exam.

Students will be released at 12:30pm each exam day.

Food will be available for purchase in the cafeteria between 10:00am and 10:30am.

Please remind your student of the following information.

Please see Mrs. Soltis in the Main Office for:

A replacement ID: $5.00

A replacement lanyard: $1.00

A replacement plastic sleeve for your ID: $1.00

Questions? Please see Ms. Aaron or Mr. Kostibos in the Main Office!

Thank you for doing your part to keep SHS safe and healthy!

If your student is absent from school or will be late to school, please contact the attendance office by emailing shsattendance@summit.k12.nj.us or calling 908-273-1494, option 1. Please be sure to include the student's name, grade, and reason for absence or lateness. Please contact the attendance office before 10am on the day of the absence or tardy. If reporting a late to school, please also include the time the student will arrive at school.

If your student will need to leave school early please contact the attendance office by emailing shsattendance@summit.k12.nj.us or calling 908-273-1494, option 1. Please be sure to notify the attendance office by 8am for an early dismissal. This will allow us to get a pass to your student so they can leave class. Please be sure to include the student's name, grade, reason for dismissal, time of dismissal, and if the student will return to school.

Did you know that you can view your student's check-ins on Genesis? Students scan into the bathrooms, library, help centers, counseling office, and nurse's office when they visit these locations during the school day. You can view these check-ins in Genesis. Log into your Genesis account, and click check-ins on the left side of the screen. Please discuss with your student any excessive time out of class.

You can also view how many times your student did not have their ID badge with them in school. Please help ensure that your student has their ID badge with them each morning.

Appointments must be made in advance to see teachers, counselors, administrators, and other staff. Please be prepared to announce your name and purpose in order to be granted access into the building.

When a visitor arrives at the school, they will be asked to provide identification, such as a driver's license or state-issued ID card. If the visitor does not have any means of identification on them, they will be asked to input their first name, last name, and date of birth into our visitor management system. The identification is then scanned into the system, and the visitor's information is checked against a database to ensure they are not on any prohibited lists. Once the visitor's information has been verified, a temporary badge will be printed and provided to them by the school security officer or school secretary. This badge must be worn at all times while the visitor is on school grounds and will be collected upon their departure. All visitors to the building must be escorted by a staff member at all time.

In the event an emergency visit is necessary, please call the school’s main office ahead of your arrival so we are prepared to accommodate your needs.

Drop-off items (lunch, instrument, Chromebook, etc.) may be dropped off in the bin outside the main entrance vestibule. We will not inform students when items have been dropped off for them.

Monday, May 5th

D Day

AP Exams

8am: Biology and Latin

12pm: European History and Microeconomics

Senior Parent/Guardian Meeting, 7pm, Auditorium

Tuesday, May 6th

A Day

AP Exams

8am: Chemistry and Human Geography

12pm: US Government & Politics

Wednesday, May 7th

B Day

Halfway Point in the 4th Marking Period

AP Exams

8am: English Literature & Composition

12pm: Computer Science A

Thursday, May 8th

C Day

AP Exams

8am: Statstics

12pm: World History

Friday, May 9th

D Day

AP Exams

8am: US History

12pm: Chinese and Macroeconomics

AP Art Portfolios due by 8pm

Saturday, May 10th

Broadway & Bagels, 10am, Auditorium & Cafeteria

• May 19th through May 22nd - NJSLA Testing, Modified Schedule
• Monday, May 26th - No School, Memorial Day
• Tuesday, June 10th - No School, Primary Election Day
• Monday, June 16th - Last Day of School for Students