SPECIAL Blue Devil Bulletin

Dear South Families,

Welcome back from winter break and Happy New Year! My hope is that each of you had special moments filled with joy throughout the holiday season. While this email is lengthy, it contains information I would like to share with you about me, the interim assistant principal position, and general information including attendance, tardies, and semester 1 exams.

As we enter the second half of the 2024-2025 school year, I am honored to serve as the principal of South High School. This is a school defined by its rich traditions, commitment to excellence, and supportive environment that fosters academic achievement, personal growth, and a sense of belonging.

I am excited to embrace this new role and to continue building on the exceptional foundation that makes South High School a truly special place. Together with our dedicated staff and supportive families, the administrative team is committed to preserving the values and practices that define our school community.

While many of you know me, you may not know about my background and the journey that brought me to South High School. I wanted to take an opportunity to share this information with you.

I am a proud Michigan native (go Lions!), having lived in St. Clair Shores, Woodhaven, and Redford. I graduated from O.A. Carlson High School and pursued higher education at several institutions: I earned an Associate of Arts in Computer Science from Henry Ford Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Education from Eastern Michigan University, a Master’s in Sport Administration from the University of Northern Colorado, and a Master’s in Administrative Leadership from the University of Phoenix.

Prior to coming to South, I was fortunate to gain valuable experience in two different districts, Globe Unified School District in Globe, Arizona and Combs High School, located in San Tan Valley, Arizona.

My journey in educational leadership began in 2003 as a middle school dean of students and 7-12 athletic director in the Globe Unified School District in Globe, Arizona. Over the eight years in Globe, I had the privilege of serving as a middle school assistant principal, high school assistant principal, and high school principal. Globe High School opened its doors in 1914 and is the oldest operating school building in the state of Arizona. Globe, much like South, had a history of rich traditions.

In 2011, after eight years in Globe, I moved to San Tan Valley, Arizona, where I served as an assistant principal at Combs High School. This was an exciting opportunity to help build a new school community, as Combs High School had opened its doors just two years earlier in 2009. During my tenure, I had the opportunity to help build the systems, structures, and traditions that continue today.

After making the decision to return to Michigan in 2016, to be closer to my family, I was honored to join the South High School team as an interim assistant principal. In the fall of 2017, I was hired by the district as an assistant principal. It has been a pleasure to work alongside Mr. Hamka for the past eight years as we collaborated with staff, students, and families to support a thriving rich school community.

I remain committed to working with parents and students to ensure South remains a special place with its rich history and tradition while focusing on academic excellence and personal growth. My door is always open should you have any questions or concerns.

On January 6, the district will post an opening district wide for an internal candidate to fill the interim assistant principal position. Once we have an interim in place, we will send out an introductory letter and specific job responsibilities. We hope to have this position filled for the start of the second semester.

As we look to finish out the first semester, here is some important information:

• Final exams are scheduled for the week of January 13. A detailed schedule will be sent this week.

• Per Board Policy, a final assessment shall be administered at the end of the semester in all classes. Teachers shall convene all classes for full, scheduled periods during mid-term exams. Students are not expected to attend their tutorial.

• On the rare occasion that a student cannot take the assessment at the assigned time, a written request by the parent identifying the specific situation which includes: dates, specific events, and students’ responsibilities at the events should be sent to the principal. In conjunction with the teachers involved, the principal will determine whether a final assessment can be administered at an alternate time.

• Second semester begins January 21, 2025. Per the attendance policy, absence and tardy counts reset on January 21, 2025. Please see the Electronic Student Handbook (pages 12-18) for specific information concerning the attendance and tardy policies.

• At the beginning of the year, we asked for your assistance with first hour tardies. We continue to see an increase in the number of students being late to first hour. Let’s make every effort to ensure students are in class, on time, and ready for learning every day. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your continued commitment to South High School. I look forward to working with you to support the success of your children. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Warm Regards,

Cindy Parravano

South Student Handbook