Back-to-School Newsletter

We are excited to welcome you to the 2024-25 school year! Teachers have already been in the building for our San Juan Institute this week, and next week we have a few more days preparing to welcome our amazing Wolverine students back to our halls on Thursday, August 29th. We are elated to offer our community a top-notch education, ranked #30 in Washington by USNews & World Report, and we are in the top 10% in both the state and the nation! The ranking isn’t the only indicator of the experience your students have – we are a very welcoming and experienced staff who challenges kids academically and supports them to be their best selves, in the classroom and in the community. I am so proud of our students, our school, and our community, and we cannot wait to start the new year!

Every year you must complete several annual student forms for each of your children attending school (note: if your child is brand new to the district this year, you will have already completed these forms). Some of these forms are very important and not filling them out could impact your student. Watch your email for a link from the district office! Please know that we often use text to communicate important time-sensitive messages with families, so accurate cell numbers are essential.

All incoming 9th-grade students and our newly enrolled 10th- through 12th-grade students are invited to school on Wednesday, 8/28. From 10:30 – 12:00, these students will be able to pick up their Chromebooks. 9th-grade students who were in SJISD last year need to bring their Chromebook and charger to exchange for the new ones. From 12:00-1:00, there will be a New Student Orientation that will include a welcome from our student leadership, a school tour, and the chance to meet your teachers and see your classrooms.

Teachers

• Cady Wilson is returning to teach in our Social Studies department. We are elated to have her return to us in this role to teach US History, AP US History, and Classical and Modern World History.
• Lindsey Saarie is our drama coach but now will also be an English teacher, teaching English 9, Creative Writing, and Senior Analytical.

Support Staff

• Waverley Paitson has been at the elementary school the last few years, but is excited to return to the high school, where she has worked in other districts many years.

Daily bell schedules are attached. School starts at 8:15am and ends at 2:55pm. Students with 0 Period Jazz Band will be responsible for finding their own transportation to school for a 7:15am start, beginning on Tuesday, September 3rd. We will continue to have early dismissal Wednesdays at 1:40, and our library will be open during that time if your student wants to stay at school for extra support or sports that start at 3:00. Please note the calendar that shows when we have early dismissals, school events, athletic events, conferences, half days, and breaks, etc.

These are available to view in Skyward/Family Access. There will be continual adjustments made between now and the start of school, so be sure to check on the first day of school. Schedule changes can be requested by emailing our counselor, Hailey Henderson-Paul haileyhendersonpaul@sjisd.org. Please note that our students are registered based on WA State Graduation Requirements and very few schedule changes will be made, unless students are misplaced.

The FHHS calendar is up-to-date and maintained regularly. Here are a few important dates.

• Chromebook Pick-Up (new to SJISD) and 9th-Gr Exchange: Wednesday, August 8th, 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
• New Student Orientation: Wednesday, August 28th, 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
• First Day of School: Thursday, August 29th, 8:15 a.m. – 2:55 p.m.
• Picture Day: Monday, September 9th
• Back-to-School Night: Monday, September 9th, 6:00 p.m.
• Senior Parent College Night: September 19th
• Futures Fair: October 8th
• Homecoming Week: October 7th-11th
• Homecoming Parade, Pep Rally, Game, & Dance: October 11th
• Fall Student-Led Conferences: October 16th-18th
• PSAT Day: October 23rd
• Winter Band Concert: December 10th
• Winter Break: Thursday, December 20th – Sunday, January 5th
• HS Musical Performances: January 16th-19th
• First Semester Finals: January 22nd-24th
• Last Day of First Semester: January 24th
• February Break: February 17th-21st
• Celebration of Academics: March 7th
• Spring Student-Led Conferences: March 12th-14th
• Spring Band Concert: April 1st
• Spring Break: April 7th-11th
• Prom: April 26th
• State Testing Week: May 19th-23rd (tentative)
• Senior Exhibitions: May 29th
• Graduation: June 7th
• Last Day of School: June 13th

District bus routes have not changed. You can find the routes on this page of the district website. Visit www.sjisd.wednet.edu --> Families --> Transportation for this and more transportation information.

Student attendance is closely monitored. Students are expected to be in their classrooms ready to learn when the bell rings. Students who accumulate 3+ tardies will be assigned after-school detention on Mondays, and will miss their associated school activities to do so. Students who accumulate absences (either by period or by full days) will be expected to participate in school-based attendance conferences so we can provide wraparound supports to get students ready to learn every day. School attendance is required by law, for good reason!

· Students who attend school regularly tend to also pass their classes.

· Students who are chronically absent (defined as 10% of the time or more, or one day every 2 weeks, on average) are 50% more likely to not graduate on time!

· Students who earn a high-school diploma will earn an average of $1 million more in their lifetimes than students who don’t. (See research supporting this, and other amazing attendance statistics at www.attedanceworks.org).

Of course, if you’re absent for illness or for school-sponsored events, we have several supports and interventions in place to help students maintain their academics. If you plan to take your student away on a vacation that will result in 5+ consecutive days absent, you will need to meet with the principal prior to your departure. Here is the pre-arranged absence form, which you need for any planned absence of 3+ days. Please contact the main office or the counselor if you would like to talk about attendance support strategies. Attendance calls go out every afternoon. Please call the Attendance Office (360-370-7110) as soon as you can to excuse your student’s absences.

Each teacher may have a small amount of supplies they request of their students. They will share those in the first few days of school. Students who need financial assistance can let a school office staff member know, and we will help you with their procurement. Students need to come to school daily with their charged Chromebook, school books and materials, and water bottles.

We will issue parking permits for our student drivers again this year. For safety reasons, we will only be issuing parking passes to juniors and seniors. There is no charge, but students register their vehicles with us for emergency purposes. In addition, student drivers will be expected to abide by our parking lot expectations. Passes will be issued starting Tuesday 9/3. Student drivers will have until 9/13 to get their vehicles registered. Students are not allowed to access their vehicles during the school day, except for during lunch, without written permission from a staff member. Please review the expectations in the attached form.

Breakfast and lunch are served every school day from our amazing kitchen and Food for Thought program. Information about the menus, meal prices, meal payment, and the free/reduced forms can all be found on the district’s Food Service webpage. We need a new free and reduced-price meals application submitted annually, but only one form is needed per family. Completing the form can help our school and our students in many ways: some academic and participation fees are waived or reduced, college application fees may be waived, our school qualifies for more resources based on our F/R rate, etc. By completing the form, you are helping everyone in our district! Please ensure your student(s) can access these benefits by submitting the appropriate, confidential form. You can drop them in the Main Office here or email them to dianafearn@sjisd.org.

Every day after school until 4:30, including Wednesdays, students can come to the library for academic support. The library is closed after school on half days. Students who fall behind academically may be required to stay for support. National Honors Society tutors will be available to help, as well as school support staff.

All athletes will automatically be charged a $30 ASB fee. The ASB fee allows students to attend all home games free as well as many other functions (ex: dances) at a reduced price. All fines and fees will be posted to Skyward/Family Access. We can accept payment in the form of cash or check in the Main Office during office hours; credit cards are accepted online 24/7.

These will be held in-person this year as scheduled (October and March). Students sign up for their times in their Advisory classes approximately two weeks prior. These are half days with conferences in the PM.

FHHS students will be able to request a locker this year with a school-provided lock and combination. Students will request a locker via GoogleForm, provided in Advisory. No lockers will be issued prior to the 3rd.

Our Main Office is open every day from 7:30am to 3:30pm. We are happy to process any payments or help you in any way now, or once school is underway. Our office phone is 360-378-5215, and our Office Manager/Registrar, Katie Aiello, can be reached at 360-370-7102.

• FHHS Facebook: www.facebook.com/FridayHarborHighSchool/
• Yearbook purchases: online at jostens.com/yearbooks, and navigate to Friday Harbor HS
• Spirit Wear purchases: online at fhwolverines.com, and navigate to SHOP
• PTSA: www.facebook.com/FHHSPTA or email at fhhsptsa@gmail.com // in need of officers, volunteers, and just paid members. Choose your level of involvement!
• Band Families & Friends: contact sjisdbff@gmail.com for info or visit www.facebook.com/groups/FHHSbff
• Purple & Gold Athletics Boosters: find them at www.facebook.com/groups/146471095511556/
• SJISD Food Service: https://www.sjisd.wednet.edu/Page/2247
• HS Instagram: www.instagram.com/fridayharborhighschool/

I look forward to connecting with all our students and families again soon! Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have concerns; I am committed to teaming with students and families to have a rigorous, exciting, inclusive educational experience here at FHHS. We are all looking forward to a successful year for our students.

Go Wolverines!