I hope that you have all had a fantastic summer! As usual, it has been a busy summer at Plymouth South. We are excited to welcome your children back to school for the 2024-2025 school year. While the summer has been longer than usual, things do not stop at PSHS. We have had a summer of hiring new staff and getting ready for the year ahead.

Over the past few years, we have worked diligently to create a “Vision of a Plymouth South Graduate,” which identifies key characteristics that we hope all graduates embody during their high school years. We are excited to share that Plymouth South will be participating in our “Collaborative Conference” in October 2024 to review the work on this front with the accreditation team from The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). This group focuses on five key areas of the school community:

• Learning Culture
• Student Learning
• Professional Practices
• Learning Supports
• Learning Resources

A team of educators will visit PSHS to review the developments in these areas. We are looking forward to highlighting the many developments and positive changes over the past ten years since their last visit to Plymouth South.

This year, we will continue with our student phone plan in regards to cell phone use. This will be our third year of these efforts and each year we have improved. In fact, a number of students have shared that it does help them focus better while in school. As with the past few years, we are not banning phones, rather, during classroom instruction phones will be away. Due to these efforts, challenges faced by the incredible disruption of their devices were significantly reduced. Teachers will have the autonomy to allow phone use for content-based assignments. Otherwise, the phone will be away with the exception of passing time, K-block, and lunch. There will be a location in each classroom for phones to be stored. Students will receive an initial reminder, but we will be in touch with parents if the student continues to disregard the teacher’s wishes. It is my hope that parents appreciate this approach and attention to this important matter. Many schools across the Commonwealth are focused on these efforts. We are all dependent on our devices; however, the distractions that students currently face need to be reduced during the school day in order for them to maximize their education.

“Artificial Intelligence” is also an ongoing challenge for students and educators. Our staff is committed to working with students to learn how to navigate these technological advances as a support to our education, yet also ensure that students know that their OWN voice matters in their written and verbal communication.

Students return to school on Wednesday, August 28th. Students should report to the homeroom listed mailed home to families as well as posted below. They will receive schedules and other pertinent information during the brief homeroom and then head to their A1 class. Please take a minute to review the information below for other informational items. Guidance counselors are back in the office beginning August 20th if you have any specific questions or concerns about the upcoming school year.

• ·E-Hall Pass - We will be continuing with the e- hall pass system this year. Students will use their school-issued Chromebooks to participate in this hall pass system.

• Buses - As a reminder, students must purchase a bus pass in order to ride a school bus to school. Applications and payments must be submitted to the school prior to the first day. Bus stops will not be created for students who have not been paid prior to the start of school. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. The link for online payment is below. The bus listing is usually out the week before school - please continue to check the PPS website.
  
  
• All students who drive to school must have a valid parking permit. Parking permits are now available for sale in the Plymouth South main office between 8am and 12pm. The cost is $100, and applications are available on the PSHS web page under “Announcements” or in the main office. Student parking behind the school is reserved for seniors on a first come, first serve basis; there are only 87 spaces available, so student arrival time determines availability. All other parking is at the stadium lot and requires a permit. Staff parking is assigned in numbered spaces up at the school - these spaces are not for student use.

• Chromebooks - Students in grades 10-12 are expected to return to school with their devices from last year. Grade nine students will receive their Chromebooks at freshman orientation. Teachers will be requiring students to have their Chromebooks daily during the 2024-2025 school year.

In closing, we look forward to welcoming your children back to school. As always, safety will continue to be our number one priority and we will always work to enhance our safe and supportive learning environment and ensure that diversity, equity, and inclusion are paramount. Please do not hesitate to reach out at any time with any questions or concerns that arise. The Plymouth South community will continue to prioritize your children and their needs at all times. TOGETHER we will continue to chart the course.

Sincerely,

Patricia C. Fry

Principal

• Grade 9 Orientation - August 22nd - 5:00pm
• 1st Day of School - August 28th
• No School - August 30th - September 3rd
• Homecoming Dance - September 21st
• Open House - September 26th - 6:30pm
• NEASC Collaborative Conference - October 7th & 8th
• Senior Oktoberfest - October 11th
• School Day PSAT's for Juniors - October 17th

• Boys Soccer - Monday 8/19 - 6:00pm Stadium -Coach Chris Giustina
• Girls Soccer - Monday 8/19 - 7:30am - Field C (softball field) - Coach Pedro
• Varsity/JV Football - Friday 8/16 - 3:00pm - Stadium - Coach Fruzzetti
• Freshman Football - Monday, 8/19 - 3:00pm - Stadium- Coach Medeiros
• Field Hockey - Monday 8/19 - 8:00am - Field B (baseball field) - Coach S.Finn
• Cross Country - Monday 8/19 - 8:00am - Stadium - Coach Melisse
• Dance - Monday 8/19 - 10am - Halftime Facility - Coach Smith
• Cheer - Monday 8/19 - 3:00pm - PSHS - Coach K. Smith (Gellar)
• Golf - Tuesday, 8/20 - 3:30pm - Pinehills - Coach Hicks
• Volleyball - Monday 8/19 - 8 am Gymnasium - Coach Zazzarino

All Plymouth South athletic information can be found on our South Athletics Webpage.

Do not forget to register for Fall Sports 2024 through this link.

We look forward to seeing everyone on the fields this fall. Go SOUTH!

C. Scott Fry

Athletic Director