Pirate Parent Newsletter
April 28, 2024
Graduation Information
Graduation is fastly approaching. Please see the FAQs below about graduation. Also see the following:
- Graduation is May 14 at 2:00 pm.
- Students will receive 12 tickets. All guests will need a ticket. Guest can enter at 1:00 pm.
- You may only bring clear bags to the ceremony.
- Seniors need to ride the busses that will leave from the school. Students need to be at Stone Mountain High School no later than 10:00 am. The bus will leave at 11:00 to get to the ceremony.
- Please return the Transportation and Media Release From. We need one from all seniors.
- Call the school if you have questions 678-676-6303.
Prom Ticket Sales and Early Release
Please remind your Juniors and Seniors that prom ticket sales end on April 30. Please also remind your students to be on their best behavior as they travel to and from the prom. We want all of our students to have a safe and good time. Additionally, to assist with any early release on May 3, parents you can proactively allow your students to be dismissed by completing the QR code below. This will speed up any early releases on May 3.
PAC Meeting and Title I Input Meeting
Our next Principal Advisory Council Meetings will be April 29 and 30th. Our focus will be looking at the Continuous School Improvement Plan for next year. We need parent input to assist us on how to improve our school culture and climate. Without your input, we do not know how to best serve you and your students. The meeting will be virtual. Please use the link below to attend at 5:30 on each date.
Summer School
If your students need to makeup credits, summer school may be for them. Please complete the link below to register your student for summer school. Students with high attendance and behavior issues will not be admitted to summer school. The deadline to register is May 1. If you have questions about your students credits, please contact our Counseling Department.
2024 Summer Opportunities
Please click the link here to get more information on 2024 Summer Programs provided through our school district.
Spring MAP Assessments
Students in 9th and 10th grade will take the Spring MAP assessments in Reading, Math, and Language Usage starting April 29. These assessments assist us in measuring your student's growth throughout the school year, identify your student's strengths and areas for growth, and allows us to schedule your students in classes that support if they need additional remediation or acceleration. If you have questions about MAP assessments, please contact Tarnisha Dent at 678-676-6303.
Parent Volunteers Needed!!!
We are in need or parents to volunteer as officers for the Principal Advisory Council and the Parent Teacher Association. We need volunteers to get both afloat. Please complete the form below if interested so we can contact you. This is your school. Without you we cannot do the things that your students deserve.
Transportation App
As you are aware, we have had struggles with having enough bus drivers in our district. I wanted to make you aware, if you are not, that we have an app that assists with bus times and route information. Please see the QR code below or enter the download information. There are also step-by-step instructions on how to set the app up attached below.
Thought Exchange- Portrait of a Graduate
Please participate in the Thought Exchange Survey below by clicking the link here. Our district would like to know your thoughts on a what should be the portrait of a DCSD graduate.
April Good News
We have several items of good news to share:
- Congratulations to Matthew and Sojat Kedir for being named the Stone Mountain High School Valedictorian and Salutatorian!
- Our NJROTC received Unit Achievement Honors once again!
- One of our students, Eric Naindouba, has created an advocacy group called the American and African Advocacy Gathering. He is inviting students to attend his meeting and learn how they can be a part of the Artificial Intelligence Committee as he is working on ways to educate the public how AI can support students. Please see the flyer below.
Our Drive to 95- April Attendance Updates
Our average daily attendance for April is now 84.17%. This represents a decrease by 2% from March. This is impacting student learning and outcomes. As we try to finish the year strong, your students success or failure can often be attributed to simply coming to school every day on time. We have to do better as a community with attendance. Here are a few facts concerning attendance:
- Research states that if students have two absences in August, they will become chronically absent. Students labeled chronically absent have an increased rate of dropping out. As you see, just two absences can start a trend.
- Students who miss 9 consecutive days will be withdrawn and require readmission through Student Relations.
- If your student arrives at 8:30 instead of 8:00 am daily, they miss over 100 minutes of school each week.
Please see our attendance protocols below:
- Any student arriving after 8:30 requires a parent to sign them in at the attendance office.
- Students with 6 absences will receive a social worker referral and attend a parent conference to discuss your child's attendance.
- Students with 3 tardies will receive lunch detail detention.
- Any student with over 8 unexcused absences will not be allowed to attend the prom.
- Please contact us when your student is not here so we can excuse the absence.
It is extremely important that we get attendance right. As we drive for 95, we will need all hands on deck to turn this around. Our students deserve it. We can do this!
Annual Verification for 2024-2025
April Parent Tech Cafe
Please see the information below concerning the Tech Cafe which will assist with Annual Verification. A reminder that Annual Verification is a requirement.
Evolv Express Detectors
B- Binders
L- Laptops
U- Umbrellas
E- Eyeglass cases and larger electronics.
Students will hand these items to a staff member and then enter through the system. Once, they enter the system, they will receive their items back.
Pirate Parent Newsletter
Email: michael_costa@dekalbschoolsga.org
Website: http://www.stonemountainhs.dekalb.k12.ga.us/
Location: 4555 Central Drive, Stone Mountain, GA, USA
Phone: 678.676.6303
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070311425418
Twitter: @principal_costa