November 2024

Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students,

Welcome to the November edition of our newsletter! It’s hard to believe the first quarter has already come to a close. Report cards will soon be available on your child’s PowerSchool portal, providing a glimpse into their hard work and progress.

Our RHHS students have been equally dedicated outside the classroom, engaging in various activities that enrich their educational experience. There’s always something exciting happening at Rocky Hill High School! In this edition, we’ll celebrate our school-wide achievements and individual successes, including the fantastic energy of last week's Spirit Week and the Homecoming dance.

Enjoy reading, and let’s continue to take pride in being Terriers!

Mr. John Fote, Principal

November School Schedules

Please see the following important dates for the month of November.

Art: Ioannis Oikonomou

Business: Kevin Whelan

English: Jake Sadownick

Family & Consumer Science: Jayzair Hall

Math: Griffin Myers

Music: Anaya Waghmare

P.E./ Health: Isabella Payne

Science: Dakota Brayden

Social Studies: Cole Garrant

Technology Education: Osahan Amayo

World Languages: Emily Forcier

R.O.C.K: Donte Hue

In Spanish 2, Students explored the contributions of Spanish-speaking countries in this field. For example, we learned that Duolingo is from Guatemala, along with many other innovations that are quite similar to those we have in the United States. Through comparisons, we understood the usefulness of these technologies in the context of the target language.

In Spanish 3, students worked on recognizing the characteristics and activities of the presidents of Hispanic countries, focusing on their descriptions.

In Spanish 4, students presented on the economic growth in various sectors of the Hispanic community and their contributions not only culturally but also economically in the United States.

Additionally, students were sent greetings and cultural messages from connections around the United States, which were shown daily at the beginning of classes.

On October 10th, our freshman students volunteered throughout the community, visiting a variety of locations from YMCA camps to nursing homes around the area. This meaningful event highlights our commitment to community support and gives students a valuable opportunity to give back!

As part of Connecticut Grown for Connecticut Kids Week, the RHHS Farm to School Team and our cafeteria are celebrating with a pickle-making activity in our classes. The dill and cucumbers are sourced from Cold Springs Farm in Colchester, and some of the dill is grown in the RHHS greenhouses. These homemade pickles were served during school lunch, with free taste-test samples available for everyone to try. Be sure to catch our cafeteria manager, Lianne, making pickles on Fox 61!

*CT Grown for CT kids is a statewide grant program to help establish and further Farm to School programs through CT schools. (Passed in the 2021 legislative session.)

https://www.fox61.com/video/life/food/in-the-kitchen/520-3d6b2ff1-4575-4786-9054-4d998ea0b047

The RHHS Math Team is off to a very strong start this season in the Capital Area Math League. Our team earned an almost perfect score, 104 out of 108! Stay tuned for future updates as the next meet is on November 13th at Newington High School.

The Royal Blues Marching Band performed at the Connecticut State Championships in New Britain on October 26th. The band had a fantastic performance and had their highest score in Open Class since 2019! We will perform at the USBands National Championships at MetLife Stadium on November 2nd to finish our season.

The Unified and Adaptive Gym class went on a community outing to Old Wethersfield in October. The group walked through Main Street to visit the scarecrows and had lunch at Village Pizza Restaurant. This trip gave the students a chance to interact with the community with friends, something that is hard to replicate in a classroom. While exploring they completed a scavenger hunt created by the Unified gym students to add to the experience.

Rocky Hill High School's branch of Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union had its grand-reopening on October 21st. This semester, 14 students are working in the bank, throughout the school day opening new accounts and answering questions. Students who open new accounts will receive a $100 incentive and staff will receive a $50 incentive. What a great way for students to begin their financial journey.

On Friday, October 18th, the Art Department took 45 students from various classes to the Yale University Art Gallery to experience historic art In Real Time (IRL). The students were curious and joyful as they walked first via self-tour, and then under the direction of a trained docent who engaged students in critical and analytical discussions about art, history and culture. As they walked through the different collections, they were exposed to art from ancient Babylonia through contemporary works being produced today. Our students impressed the guards with their maturity and good behavior so much so that they commented on our group. All walked away with an appreciation of museums.

The French Club held its first meeting on October 17th. Our officers opened the year with a lively baguette fencing tournament in the softball field. Baguette fencing gained popularity in the streets of Paris this summer as the Olympics approached. While this was a belated celebration of the Paris Games, students still enjoyed the competition and the autumn weather. Over 20 students participated, with just as many attending to watch it.

Emergency Medications- Please make sure all emergency medications and emergency health care plans are up to date in the Health Office. If you have not picked up your plan, please stop by the Health Office. If you carry medication, it must be approved by the school nurse. This needs to be done annually.

MEDICATIONS SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN IN THE CLASSROOM UNLESS APPROVED BY THE SCHOOL NURSE. THIS INCLUDES OVER THE COUNTER MEDICATIONS SUCH AS TYLENOL OR ADVIL. If your student needs to take medication during school, please contact the Health Office for the correct process and forms.

In School Illness-If a student becomes ill during the school day, they should report to the Health Office and be evaluated by a nurse. The nurse will then contact parents/guardians for proper dismissal from school.

Mandatory Physicals -10th graders, please be on the lookout for a notification from the nurse regarding your mandatory school physical. Students must submit a health assessment in either 9th or 10th grade per state requirements. If you are in need of one, a letter will be mailed home. Please submit it ASAP if you were notified.

Sports Physicals - Athletes, please make sure your sports physicals are up to date with the school nurse. The State of Connecticut Health Assessment Health Assessment Record record is used for the form. You are not eligible for participation if your physical has expired. Physicals can be submitted by email to garrahyr@rockyhillps.com or staggersa@rockyhillps.com or faxed to 860-258-7646. Also, please make sure you are registered for the sport well in advance of the season starting.

If you have any questions, please contact the nurse Renee Garrahy, RN or Aimee Staggers, RN at 860-258-7620.

If your child will be absent from school, please use the following Google Form to submit the absence to the school office. No follow up note is needed if this form is submitted for your child's first 9 absences of the school year. Please use the password that was sent to you from the principal's office in August in order to access the Google Form. Keep in mind credit loss is determined by the attendance committee.

Absence Form: https://forms.gle/uDtwLJqKoev2QGYJA

Attendance regulations for full and half year classes and credit information.

We recommend you getting to know your school counselor as they are important to your academic journey at RHHS. The counselors names and assignments are as follows. Any question please contact the school counseling department at 860-258-7724.

Students with the last names ending:

Class of 2025 - 2027, Mrs. Notarangelo A - D

Class of 2025 - 2027, Mrs. Carbutti E - K

Class of 2025 - 2027, Mrs. Bikowski L - Rf

Class of 2025 - 2027, Mrs. Russell Rg - Z

Class of 2028, Mrs. Notarangelo A - F

Class of 2028, Mrs. Carbutti G - L

Class of 2028, Mrs. Bikowski M - Per

Class of 2028, Mrs. Russell Pet - Z

School Counseling Instagram: rhhs_schoolcounseling

Graduation takes place every year for all students that are able to satisfy all RHBOE requirements over the duration of their high school career. In order to meet graduation requirements, students will need 25 course credits and 50 hours of community service by the end of their senior year.

• College Application Packet

• Financial Aid Presentation

• Transcript Request Form for Initial Transcript

• Transcript Request for Quarter 1 Grades

Please see attached for more information. The deadline to apply is November 7, 2024.

Juniors and seniors with at least a 2.5 or higher GPA have the opportunity to apply to take one or two classes per semester at CT State Community College for the Spring 2025 session (tuition free, but students pay for textbooks). These courses do not go on the RHHS transcript and they do not count toward GPA or class rank. Please let your counselor know if you are interested, and then you will receive a link to watch a PowerPoint presentation before proceeding to the next step. Deadline to apply for the Spring 2025 session is December 16, 2024. Classes start on January 24, 2025. Please see the RHHS School Counseling website for more information.

Please see attached flyer for workshops on supporting your child's health and well-being during the school year including topis on child and family wellness, preparing for the cold and flu season, and a community approach to suicide prevention.

For interested juniors and seniors: The ASVAB test is free of charge and is offered to high school and post-secondary students as a part of the ASVAB Career Exploration Program. The test measures your skills and interests in a number of different areas to predict success in specific careers and will provide students with the tools to learn more about potential careers and career planning, in both the civilian and military worlds of work. The test will be held on Tuesday, November 19th in the Multipurpose Room at 7:30am and will take no longer than 3 hours. If you are interested in taking the test, please let your school counselor know so that we can register you. **Your scores will not be shared with military recruiters, but if you wish, you may share these scores on your own.**

The Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Seminar is a unique opportunity for sophomores interested in building their leadership skills and making a positive impact within their community. See the website, handout, and sample schedule for more information. This three day leadership seminar will be held at Southern Connecticut State University from May 30 - June 1, 2025. If you would like to be considered for this opportunity, please complete the following steps:

1. Complete an application

2. Submit a resume- please make sure to include any school and community involvement.

3. Write a short essay on the following topic:

• In 500 words or less, please describe the most rewarding and challenging aspect of being a leader in your school and community.

4. Participate in a brief interview.

Please submit a completed application (with a resume) to the School Counseling Office by Monday, November 18, 2024.

Please refer to the RHHS Academic and Mental Health Supports handout for resources for students.

Students will receive an email from the College Board with information on how to access their PSAT results. Students will either create an account or log into an existing account to access their scores. As a reminder, School Counselors do not have access to student College Board accounts, so please make sure to keep track of your username and password. It is suggested that students use a personal email address when creating an account because RHHS Gmail accounts are deactivated after graduation.

Unified: The unified sports team is off to a great start! We have been practicing our soccer skills for the past month and we are excited to host for the second time the Youth Leadership Summit at the high school on November 14th. We are currently expecting over 400 people to attend the summit from across the state! We have been hard at work preparing for that event by making signs to display during the break out sessions planned. Our next scheduled event is a bowling tournament at the end of the month.

Football: Rocky Hill football drew over 50 players for the sixth straight year and more freshmen contributed at the varsity level than in any season in recent memory. The team is set up for future success as younger players continue to develop.

Cheerleading: This season has had a great start. The team has performed numerous times and continues to work on skills and technique. The team performed at a pep rally to boost school spirit and get the football team ready for their game. We hosted the youth program on 10/25 and had them cheer with the team. Can’t wait to see how much we achieve moving forward.

Boys Soccer: Unfortunately, our Tier 1 schedule and inexperience caught up to us as we fell short of making the CIAC tournament this year, by one game. The team greatly improved in the second half of the season and finished tied for 3rd in our division at 2-2-2.

Golf: The Golf team had a strong season by improving their number of wins from the previous year. A big part of the improvement was adding a Junior Varsity team this year. Tyson Asadourian brought home the Division 2 State Championship. Next year's team will have the potential to be more competitive.

Girls Soccer: This season was a challenging season but we overcame and made it into the state tournament. Overall, We are happy about the season. We are playing “State finalist” Brookfield in the first round game on Friday, November 1st. We would love to upset them and come home with a victory.

Boys Cross Country: The Boys Cross Country team won the Class M State Championship, defending their title from last year. In addition we had 3 All-State athletes and 6 all-conference athletes.

Girls Cross Country: The Girls Cross Country improved upon last year's season finishing the regular season with an 8-4 record. The girls will return the entire varsity lineup next year and look forward to continued success.

Girls Swimming: Girls Swim had another strong season. First year coach Jonathan Tefoe was assisted by Cristina Giancola and Bob Clark. They had a few nice wins including an exciting 1 point victory on their Senior Day meet. They look forward to ending the season strong.

Volleyball: This year volleyball has continued to work hard and only fell 1 game short of making the state tournament. They look forward to next season to continue to improve.

-Joe Horvath, Athletic Director

The RHHS Boys team won the CIAC Class M Cross Country State Championship - going back to back after winning the Class SS Championship last year. The boys who competed are Brian Smith, Daniel DiTunno, Ayden Collura, Corey Christensen, Logan Simons, Alex Gau, and Anaia Abraham. Also, Brian was the overall Class M individual winner.

Tyson Asadourian from Rocky Hill scored a 2-under-par 69 to win the Divison 2 Individual Golf State Championship.

RHHS Athletics has a strong history and tradition. Moreover, we know the value athletics has one one's high school experience and we encourage students to participate every season. The first step in being eligible to play includes meeting academic requirements, follow the student code of conduct and be willing to put the time and effort in to be a Terrier athlete.

Registration information is below:

Here are important reminders that must be completed to participate in any sport:

1. All sports tryouts will be published before each season on the Athletics Page of Rocky Hill High School Website. Individual sport practice times and locations will be determined and communicated by our head coaches.

2. All student-athletes must have a current valid physical and it must be on file with the health office prior to the first tryout date. Physicals are valid for 13 months after the examination date.

3. All players may be required to complete neurocognitive concussion testing, which will be coordinated with each head coach by our Athletic Trainer.

4. Athletic registration can be found on our Rocky Hill High School website. You may register for all three seasons at once. To register, find the link entitled “Athletic Registration” which is located halfway down the RHHS website https://rhhs.rockyhillps.com

5. There will be further meetings with our coaches, who will be able to give a more in-depth overview of their programs and answer any questions that may arise. Contact information for fall head coaches can be found below on this page. It is the responsibility of the parents and student-athletes to check the school website and their personal school email throughout the summer for information in regards to their sport.

RHHS is proud of the selection of clubs and extracurricular activities it has to offer students. With over 30+ clubs and activities opportunities students are able to be part of the RHHS school community through their interests, hobbies and activities. Student participation is strongly encouraged as RHHS clubs and activities remain a vital part of RHHS overall experience and meeting new friends. Students who have a strong desire to start up a new club or activity are encouraged to do as long as they complete an application and have a staff member who is willing to supervise the club or activity.

Click HERE to see a list of clubs offered at the high school.

Please pay attention to the following information about class dues. All students owe $160 for class dues, which are used to help defray activity expenses, such as Class Night and Senior Picnic. Since dues are applied to Senior activities, all students, regardless of when they enter RHHS, are required to pay the full amount. All students are afforded the opportunity to fundraise to reduce these dues to avoid any financial burdens that may occur. All money is placed in the Student Activity Fund, and receipts are issued upon payment of dues. Receipts are required as proof of payment. Information regarding the collection of dues and each year’s activities will be sent home by the class advisors during the first quarter.

Students will not be able to attend events such as Class Night and Senior Picnic if their dues are not paid for by the end of Quarter 3 in their senior year. While class dues total $160 for senior year activities, a payment plan of $40 per year is required. Students who are not up to date on their due payments can not participate in certain class events, such as running for a class office. Please note that dues will not be applied towards proms, and there will be additional ticket costs to cover prom expenses.

• Class dues are a total of $160. To make dues more affordable, we ask that you pay $40 each year and not wait until your Senior year to pay your dues in full. However, you are more than welcome to pay them in full at any time. Cash or checks can be given to your homeroom teachers or directly to one of your advisors. Please make checks payable to RHHS SAF (your student's graduation year). You may also pay online via My Payment Plus.

• Remember, to help offset class expenses, you may choose to participate in one or more of the two school-wide fundraisers held each year. The more we sell as a whole school, the more individual profit you make.

More information on fundraisers will be coming out soon.

Class Google Classroom Codes:

Seniors: 5kqlhdj

Juniors:5hlyeee

Sophomores: cgyzyj7

Freshman: jf3ez3j

RHHS Writing Center

Rocky Hill High School's peer-led Writing Center is now open! The Writing Center is staffed by 37 Writing Collaborators. The Writing Center is located in the library mezzanine and is open every day, periods 2-9. Students can access the Writing Center Appointment Request Form via their English Google Classrooms to book appointments.

RHHS Peer Tutoring Lab

Rocky Hill High School's Peer Tutoring Lab is now open! The Peer Tutoring Lab is staffed by 48 National Honor Society members. The Peer Tutoring Lab is located in the library mezzanine and is open every day, periods 2-9. Students can access the Peer Tutoring Lab Appointment Request Form via their Google Classrooms to book appointments.

The first meeting of the Parent Advisory Council is back in action! Meetings are scheduled for the second Monday of each month virtually. Parents will be able to sign up for virtual meetings by emailing Mr. Fote. The purpose of the RHHS PAC is to create and maintain a strong school to family/community partnership. Please email any questions regarding PAC to fotej@rockyhillps.com.

Google meet information. All virtual meetings start at 6:00PM.
Link: meet.google.com/kaf-ovhb-xzu

Meeting Dates:
November 11
December 9
January 13
February 10
March 10
April 14
May 12

This school year Sodexo is working to partner with local farms to bring in local products to the school menu. Please reach out to Lianne Xenophontos if you have any questions regarding the School Lunch Program.

Email: Xenophontosl@rockyhillps.com

Rocky Hill High School's promise is to deliver the very best education that prepares students to achieve their own individual excellence. Within an emotionally safe environment, educators will foster students' academic, social and personal growth. We believe Rocky Hill graduates are:

• Leaders

• Life Long Learners

• Communicators

• Civic minded citizens

• Thinkers

During the school year, teachers will be incorporating the Vison of the Graduate attributes in the courses they teach.

PowerSchool is an important mode of communication at RHHS and it allows parents/guardians access to real time information regarding their child. For first-time users, you will need to create an account. For returning users, school administration recommends viewing and updating household information, contact information and cellphone/text options. Detailed instructions can be accessed on the district website, Powerschool Information.