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SCHOOL NEWS FOR
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2002
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Elementary School News |
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Summer Vacation! |
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Middle School News |
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Summer Vacation! |
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Notes From the High School |
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By MHS Principal Terry Howell |
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The 2002-03 school year will begin on Monday, August 12
with a half-day scheduled for this day. Students will
report to the back of the school and go to the gym for a
brief introduction by Student Council president Ryan
Lacey and Principal Terry Howell. The back hallways and
lobbies will have homeroom classes posted so that
students can report immediately to homeroom after the
general assembly. Homerooms will meet for one hour with
students receiving information and completing packets of
information for the administration of the school.
Students will then attend each of their four classes for
a general orientation of the class with teachers issuing
class rules, expectations, and textbooks if time allows.
School will dismiss at 11:05 on Monday with classes
running full-time on Tuesday. Please remember that
students brought to school should be dropped off in the
back of the building where we have early morning duty
teachers. Pick-up in the afternoon is in the front of
the building to avoid congestion for our buses as they
leave campus.
Last Thursday night we had our annual Freshman
Orientation. We were very pleased with the turnout.
Approximately 55 freshmen with their parents attended
this meeting to help acquaint them with school rules,
procedures, and policies. Students and parents also met
with homeroom teachers who toured them through the
building. The change from one building to another is
often stressful for students, and this orientation was
intended to make that first day a better transition to
high school. One big idea that we addressed at Freshman
Orientation is the importance of involvement. Students
involved in some type of school activity such as band,
athletics, drama, clubs and organization, community
services, etc. not only feel good about themselves but
also perform better academically at school. Involvement
in these activities also prevents having idle time which
is often unproductive and often a formula for trouble.
The other big point made was that parents need to stay
involved in their child's education. With high school
students, parents frequently assume that they are mature
enough to make good decisions and to act responsibly on
their own. While high school students certainly need
independence and the freedom to make decisions, they
also need parental advice, help, and intervention. I
encourage parents to partner with our school, to get to
know all of their child's teachers, to attend
Parent-Teacher Conferences, and to serve our school as
volunteers. If a parent wants to assist our school,
please call me and I will try to match your expertise
with a need we have at school. Because students enter
high school does not absolve parents of the
responsibility of still setting limits and parameters on
study time, curfew, and outside activities. Most classes
at our school will have some homework. It is important
that students begin the year with a disciplined approach
to learning.
On Monday students will receive their Student Handbooks.
These handbooks are a valuable reference for parents and
students about school rules, policies, and procedures. I
ask that you pay close attention to the section on Dress
Code on pages 15 and 16. Our Dress Code is intended to
allow students to express themselves individually
without being a distraction to other students or to
promote violence, discrimination, sex, or Satanism.
On Monday, students in the freshman class will receive
Zero Tolerance Forms to sign, Acceptable Use Policy
Forms for our computers, medical information sheets,
school day insurance forms, free and reduced lunch
forms, fee waiver forms, Tobacco Policy forms, and
several other housekeeping packets to help inform
parents and students and to insure that we can provide a
safe school environment that functions smoothly.
This summer I read an interesting book entitled The
Wounded Spirit by Frank Peretti. In the book, Peretti
chronicles his experience in school in being bullied and
taunted in middle school and high school. Like Mr.
Peretti, I do not accept that these types of activities
are rites of passage that all students must pass
through. Our staff has never been tolerant of the
mind-set that bullying is acceptable. Unfortunately, we
do have students, as all schools do, that feel so bad
about themselves that they try to mend their wounded
spirit by tormenting others. Mr. Peretti makes an
interesting point by stating that he as a victim had to
ask for help. I ask that parents talk to their children
about not being afraid to inform me or some other person
in a position of authority when they are being
mistreated by schoolmates. This cycle is vicious and
becomes institutional in the mores of the organization
unless we all have the courage to stop bullying and to
help those being victimized by those who have such low
self-esteem that they fell compelled to hurt others. On
Monday, I plan to address the student body on this topic
and to let faculty members know that we have a mission
to help all of our students grow in a safe and
non-threatening environment.
Again, we at McKenzie High School welcome all of our
students back on August 12. We look to have a productive
year filled with academic challenge and the prospect of
personal growth. Please feel free to call or come by
your school at any time. |
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Phone (731) 352-3323 or
Fax (731) 352-3322
washburn@mckenziebanner.com
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