The Raider Nation Newsletter

Dear Atholton Community,

On Friday the 15th, I had the pleasure of distributing ice cream for our 1st marking period Honor Roll Ice Cream celebration. It is fantastic that 1052 of our Raiders (a little more than 2/3 of the entire school) earned a 3.0 or higher for the first marking period. Of these 1052 students, 354 earned straight A's. That's right, 1/3 of our Honor Roll recipients achieved Principal's Honor Roll status. Truly amazing!

Now, if you're like me, you quickly ascertained that, although it's great that 2/3 of our student body earned a 3.0 or higher, 1/3 of our students did not make that achievement. If your student is in that group, I invite you to reflect on these questions to identify areas for improvement for MP 2 and beyond:

1) Does your student come to school regularly (less than 5% absence rate for the year)?

2) Does your student come to school on time regularly (fewer than 5 tardies for the year)?

3) Did your student complete and submit all their assignments for 1st marking period?

4) Does your student spend at least an hour on homework each night?

5) Does your student start studying for tests and quizzes in advance rather than cramming the night before?

6) Does your student have an organizational system that works?

7) Has your student gone to a teacher for help before school, after school, or during Raidertime?

8) Has your student adhered to the cell phone policy and avoided engaging in classroom behavior that distracts your student from learning?

9) Do you check in with your student about their progress in school?

10) Have you had a parent-teacher conference or signed up for one next week?

If you answered NO to any of these questions, that could be a good place to start. Need help? Talk to your child's teacher(s), counselor, and/or administrator to develop a plan to get back on track.

Sincerely,

Nick Novak

Principal

HCPSS has announced the window for the Class of 2025 high school graduations as Monday, May 19-Friday, May 30, 2025. No graduations will be held on weekends or on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26.

HCPSS makes the early announcement of the graduation window to accommodate planning by parents, students, schools and community members. Specific information regarding the dates and times of each graduation ceremony will be finalized in collaboration with Merriweather Post Pavilion and provided by mid-April.

Ceremonies will be held in person at Merriweather Post Pavilion, except for Cedar Lane School, which will hold its graduation ceremony at the school.

ATTENTION, PARENTS AND STUDENTS!

This is a reminder that Mr. Brenfleck and EF Tours (not an HCPSS trip) are sponsoring an opportunity of a lifetime, the chance to travel to Italy during Spring Break 2025 with your classmates! Having students travel outside of the country is one of the best, life-changing experiences they can have as young adults. Students will have the opportunity to experience the many amazing sights and culture of Bel’ Italia!!

What’s in store:

• Rome & Vatican: Colosseum, Roman Forum, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica.
• Pompeii’s Ruins: Step into ancient Roman life in this perfectly preserved city.
• Florence Icons: Piazza della Signoria, Ponte Vecchio, plus a visit to Pisa.
• Venice Magic: St. Mark’s Square, gondola rides, and the colorful island of Burano.

And more!

Dates: April 11-21, 2025 Open to: All students!

The before mentioned PARENT INFORMATIONAL MEETING will be on Thursday, November 21st, at 6:00 PM in room the Media Center. Please RSVP at rsvp.eftours.com/e54thdk or contact Mr. Brenfleck at sbrenfleck@yahoo.com with any questions. This is more than just a trip – it’s a hands-on lesson and experience that students will remember for a lifetime!

As we begin our first full week of the 2nd marking period, here are a few reminders from the attendance office to help you navigate absences and tardies. You can consult the HCPSS Attendance Policy for more info:

• The school must receive notification from the parent or physician explaining the absence/tardiness of a student within five (5) school days of the student’s return or the absence/tardiness will be unlawful/unexcused.
  
• Absences for Discretionary Days: A written request for such absences to be lawful/excused should be submitted at least one week in advance to the principal. Such absences may not occur during exam or state-mandated testing periods unless authorized by the principal/designee. For absences of up to three (3) days per year, the principal will determine whether the absences will be lawful/excused or unlawful/unexcused. For absences in excess of three (3) days under this provision, the principal in consultation with the Community Superintendent or designee will determine if the absences will be lawful/excused or unlawful/unexcused.
• Teachers may assist students with make-up work when a student has an unlawful absence, however, students will not receive credit for such assignments.
• Students presently enrolled in public schools are considered lawfully absent from school, including absence for any portion of the day, and may receive make-up work under the following conditions: Bereavement, Illness of the student, Health-related exclusion, Pregnancy and parenting needs, Court summons , Hazardous weather conditions, Observance of a religious holiday, State emergency, Suspension, or Lack of authorized transportation.

There will be four performances of the Fall play on November 21st, 22nd, and 23rd. Get your tickets now by purchasing on Booktix. Thanks for supporting Atholton Theatre!

The Columbia Association, Downtown Columbia Partnership, Merriweather District and Grassroots are offering several upcoming community activities in November/December in which they are seeking volunteers to support the event. Events include the ColorBurst Park Tree Lighting Ceremony, Family Festive Friday, Holiday Mart Days, and Grassroots Breakfast with Santa.

These events are great opportunities for students to engage in our community, meet students from other schools, gain leadership experience, and have fun! All events provide documentation of volunteer hours served.

Senior Families! We don't have a graduation date yet or a window of time, but we know that graduation will be happening for the class of 2025 this Spring. We do know though that it is time to begin ordering your graduation regalia from our official provider--Josten's! Information regarding packages, pricing, and ordering can be found in the link below.

Josten's Atholton HS Graduation Ordering Link

Demand for the Atholton HS food pantry is growing and we need to make sure our inventory can keep up with the demand. Please consider purchasing items from our wish list below to help out. The food gets delivered directly to AHS, so you don't have to drop it off yourself. Here's the link to purchase through Amazon:

Food Pantry Wish List

11/18-11/22 American Education Week

11/18 PTSA Meeting

11/20 Raidertime-HCPSS Video

11/21 The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza-7pm

11/22 Atholton Football at Oakland Mills HS-6:30pm

11/22 The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza-7pm

11/23 The Greek Mythology Olympiaganza-2pm & 7pm

11/25 11:35am Dismissal-Evening Conferences

11/26 11:35am Dismissal- Afternoon/Evening Conferences

11/27 No School for Students- Conferences

11/28-29 Schools and Offices Closed for Thanksgiving

Atholton PTSA

Atholton PBSA

Atholton Boosters

Atholton Drama Boosters

Atholton JROTC Boosters

Atholton Music Boosters

Atholton Robotics Boosters