Weekly Announcements

Principal's Weekly 01.14.2022

Happy Friday!

Next week is exam week! We have not had a “true” exam week in two years. So, Liz Murray, put together an exam FAQ for us. We hope this helps.

Julie Stevenson

Where can I find information about exams?

Go to: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vRWDsClM3uu_oppZl3rl99uo6L1oLYX6rg1DznGnK6nnwgAnHnPM644Zyh8m8lRgAzeu-0BcRh1YxVE/pubhtml

This has dates, times and locations for all exams

Do buses run during exams?

Yes! The normal bus schedule runs during exams

Can I come in late or leave early if I do not have an exam?

Yes! We encourage you, if at all possible, to only be in the building during your exams.

Where can I go if I do not have an exam?

The atrium, Caf, Library, Computer Lab are all options for where you can go when you do not have an exam. Some classrooms may be open, but please connect with your teacher before going to a classroom!

Are teachers available during exam week?

Many teachers have set up times for review and have time to meet. We encourage students to reach out via email to set up times to meet, rather than dropping in.

Are breakfast and lunch available at school?

Yes. Usually there is a limited menu during exams because of the number of students in the building.

Can I stay at school if I do not have a ride?

Absolutely! Please see above for locations of spaces available if you have free time.

What if I am absent on the day of an exam?

If you are absent, you should have your family call in as they normally would to report an absence. When you are able, email your teacher to arrange a time to make up a missed exam.

What if I do the HACTC program?

If you have an exam at HHS that conflicts with your time at Hartford, you are excused from HACTC for that time.

Are the rules about parking the same during exams?

Rules are the same for parking.

Mascot Committee Update

Shortly after the committee rebooted, we asked old and new members alike to brainstorm all of the options they could envision for how to proceed with determining a name and design for our new mascot. For over a month, we’ve been debating and voting on all of the options. This Thursday, we finished!

Here’s what we decided regarding all of the options.

Now, we’re drafting a proposal that describes the decided-upon process in great detail. After midterms, we’ll present the write-up to the full Council body. The Council may suggest changes to the plan. Ultimately, we’ll need the Council to approve the plan, and then we can begin implementing it!

As always, please reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns by emailing the committee.

Council Report

This Wednesday, Curriculum Committee chair Alex Rockmore (‘22) presented the results of the Honors Social Studies Survey to Council. From the TL;DR section of the presentation … This discussion comes within the context of some students wishing for greater rigor and community within their history classes. Students are broadly supportive of Honors Social Studies in some form. Many feel that the US History class already functions at an Honors level, and should be regarded as such. Making the Case Method Study (the current method for teaching USH, involving intensive reading and annotations) an Honors course could increase flexibility and engagement in the core US History course. Some students worry about the proliferation of stress with Honors SS classes.

Next, Council members nominated each other for the Strategic Planning Committee, which convenes every ten years to look at the profile of a HHS graduate in terms of academics, values, etc. There will be two representatives from Hanover High School (one Council member and one non-Council member), whose duties and responsibilities were outlined with the help of Dr. Linda Addante and Ms. Lisa Christie (about two meetings a month overall + homework in between). Next week, Council will elect one Council representative, after nominated students share why they are qualified and why they should be selected for the position. See the list of nominated students here.

The majority of the meeting was spent discussing the 3 Assessments on the Same Day Motion, which aimed to help students manage their workload and reduce anxiety when it comes to prioritizing and performing well on major assessments, while also providing clarity for both teachers and students by providing a clear protocol detailed in the Handbook. If a student has 3+ major assessments scheduled to be taken on the same school day, the student may arrange with their teachers in advance to move one of their assessments to a different day, by getting a Shamrock Sheet signed by each teacher giving assessments that day and turning this sheet into the teacher of the assessment being rescheduled. The student must take the rescheduled assessment within three school days (originally: 72 hours) of the original assessment due date. Some members were against the amendment changing 72 hours to three school days, as research has proven that pushing tests off does not necessarily reduce stress (and a weekend is a really good time to get prepared for a Monday exam). Some speakers agreed with the intent of the motion, but did not want the wording to be as strict. Ultimately, the motion (and amendment) passed (see voting records here).

Volunteer News

Student Tutoring Program - Is your child interested in tutoring fellow students at HHS or RMS? Would your child benefit from some peer tutoring? Please contact me if you would like more information.

Volunteer Sign Up - SAU 70 requires that ALL volunteers in the district complete the Volunteer Application Form. This link will direct you to the form, and details the Volunteer Background Check Process. Please reach out if you have any questions.

Thank you,

Emma Cottage

SAU 70 Volunteer Coordinator

The SAU 70 district needs substitutes -

We would love to have you help us occasionally in the school. If you are interested in being a substitute teacher, you can apply for the role on the SAU 70 Job Listings

Gap Year Fair ****Date Change****

Due to the rise in covid cases, the Gap Year Fair is now virtual. Please register here for the event, now Tuesday January 18 from 6:00 - 8:30. Stay tuned for a potential late spring in-person experience too.

Kickoff to College Night

Junior Families: Please join the Counseling team Thursday February 3 at 6:00 for Kickoff to College Night via zoom. Admissions officers from Dartmouth, UNH and Colby Sawyer will be part of a panel with HHS counselors and a student to introduce the college search and application process. Zoom link will be sent out the week before the event.

FINAL HACTC VIRTUAL OPEN HOUSE

The Hartford Area Career and Technical Center (HACTC) will be hosting a final virtual open house on Wednesday, January 19th at 7PM. To find out more about their programs, visit www.hactc.com/programs for program-specific videos, syllabi and programs of study.

Google Meeting ID: meet.google.com/zff-bdbe-nuv or Phone: (US) +1 260-305-0017 PIN: 949 168 201#

Interested in the New Information Technology Program? Join us for a virtual information session next Tuesday, January 18 at 7:00PM featuring our new Information Technology instructor, Jeremy Ouellette; meet.google.com/pnn-vwvs-irw

APPLYING TO THE HACTC

The application deadline is Friday, January 21st. Students and parents complete the brief application online, including a parent/guardian signature, on the HACTC website.

Youth-in-Action

It has been amazing to see so many people sign up to participate in the National Day of Service to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. We still have spots remaining to help with the Special Needs Support Center, ice skating at Marion Cross, help collect food for the Hanover Community Food Bank at the Co-op and more. Great student opportunities or family fun!. Sign up here.

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