The Raider Nation Newsletter
News from Principal Novak: January 9, 2025
Winter Break-Part 2
Dear Atholton Community,
Welcome back from our second little Winter Break. With the early dismissal on Friday, the weekend, and three days off, it was a nice 5 1/2 day respite...for the students at least. If you had to work, I hope your travels were safe out there on the roads. The ice was definitely treacherous at times.
It seems like we could have more winter weather in the forecast, but, as it stands now, the last day of school has been extended to June 16th. How many more snow days will we use? Who knows? Here's what I can tell you though:
- We have already begun rescheduling canceled events and they have been entered on our school calendar (Scheduling Night, basketball games, etc). Check to see when the make-ups will be. We're still working on a date for folks who had senior pictures scheduled this past Tuesday. We'll communicate that info soon.
- With HCPSS already using three of the inclement weather days in June, this is a good reminder to avoid scheduling summer vacations until after June 20th, if possible. We have final exams the last few days of school (similar to our midterm exam schedule) and students who miss exams have to reschedule them for over the summer. Since teachers aren't around to grade exams, students who take exams over the summer don't get final grades until school resumes in August.
- If we close school for more days than we have built into our calendar, we have to request that MSDE excuse some of those days. They often want to know how we are trying to reschedule those days, so days like President's Day sometimes becomes a normal school day. I'm not saying that will happen...the Board of Ed/Superintendent has to decide...but it's looking like this could be one of those years we're in that predicament.
Let it snow?!? Go Raiders!
Sincerely,
Nick Novak
Principal
PS- Congrats to folks who knew that 1907 was the first year the "ball dropped" in Times Square. Thanks to everyone who responded and especially to people who taught me a thing or two with trivia and shared that the original ball was made out of wood and iron.
