Quarter 2 Begins on November 6th
October 29, 2023
Hello,
What a great mix of weather to complete this last weekend of October. I hope that you enjoyed yesterday’s warmth as today and the week ahead looks more seasonable and it will most likely not be back until Spring.
We enter the final week of our 1st Academic Quarter with grades closing this Friday, November 3. Students should have been checking PowerSchool to assess academic progress, speaking with their teachers for support to address any course and / or academic concerns and utilizing FLEX block opportunities the past few weeks. Though quarter grades should be no surprise. Students should give a final review of their courses on PowerSchool, check in with their teachers for any grade discrepancies and utilize this final week of FLEX block opportunities for a successful completion of Quarter One.
With the end of the quarter we begin to close out the Fall and enter the Winter season. This week will bring MIAA announcements for Fall Sports Tournament placement of our qualifying Fall Athletic Teams. November will not only be the start of the Second Academic Quarter but will also include the production of our annual school Lip Dub, rehearsals and preparation for the Fall Drama production in early December and will conclude with the first days of practice for Winter Sports and parent / caregiver - teacher conferences. As usual much is going in the SHS community.
Here’s to our students, parents / caregivers, teachers and faculty and to all to contribute to our learning community.
Have a good week!…Go Spartans!
Best,
Mr. Lombardi
Communication
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Daily Bulletin Student Handbook Program of Studies ● 2023 -2024 Program of Studies Daily Schedule ● Daily Schedule with Lunch Assignments HERE SHS Calendar ● SHS School Year Calendar HERE District Calendar ● SPS 2023 - 2024 Calendar HERE Parking and Traffic Route Map ● Driving routes / parking Map HERE Social Media Links ● Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shs.principal.184 ● Instagram: ○ Principal: bluespartanshs ○ SHS Studio Art: shsstudioart# 2023 - 2024 SHS Club and Student Organizations ● TBD |
Mark Your Calendar
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● November 3: End of 1st Quarter ● November 6: Start of 2nd Quarter ● November 10: No School / Veterans Day ● November 21: Picture Retake Day ● November 22: District Half Day / Start of Thanksgiving Break ● November 29: Half Day of School & Parent / Teacher Conferences |
New to SHS: Spartan News
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The Spartan TV Crew has recorded their first two broadcast’s. More to come!! |
SHS Student Food Drive / Local Food Pantry / Thanksgiving Food Baskets
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Stoneham High School students are collecting non-perishable food items for the local food pantry's Thanksgiving food baskets. ● All items are due by Nov. 8th. Suggested foods include: ● Flour Sugar (white/brown/confectioners) ● Vanilla Salt ● Baking powder/soda Condiments ● Vegetable Oil Gravy ● Spices Evaporated or condensed milk ● Jams/jellies Cocoa Mix ● Salad Dressings |
Seniors / Class of 2024 / Scholarship Opportunity
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Great scholarship opportunity! ● Last year 5 students applied and took the test ● Two received scholarships ○ One for $8,000 ○ One for $1,000 66th Annual Massachusetts AFL-CIO Scholarship Awards Program. ● All graduating seniors in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts who are seeking a college degree or job training are eligible to compete. ● Scholarship awards this year total over half a million dollars. ● To qualify, students must be a senior in high school, fill out the online application and then take our exam. ● Applicants must register in advance at www.massaflcio.org/scholarships. ● We will be accepting applications through Friday, December 22, 2023. ● The deadline is firm, and no late registrations will be accepted. ● The exam consists of 30 multiple choice questions and one written essay. ● All questions will be selected from the information in the study guide, found in the registration link. ● The exams will be administered online at SHS on Monday, February 5, 2024. |
Spartan Enrichment Organization / Class of 2024 Fundraising
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Calling all senior parents/caregiver, We are looking to have a committee of parents/caregivers to help with fundraising for the senior class. These funds would be used during senior week in May 2024. We need your help. We would like to meet on Wednesday November 1, 2023 @ 8:00pm via zoom to discuss. If you have question before the meeting, you can email spartanenrichmentorg@gmail.com Thank you, Carmelina Buonpane and Annette Iebba (SEO) |
Seniors / Parents / Guardians of the Class of 2024 / Yearbook Updates
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The Stoneham High School Yearbook Staff would like to alert you about important dates and explain the process of submitting candid photos. ● Please note that the Yearbook Staff has to meet deadlines to create and submit pages. ● We ask that parents, guardians and students help us meet these deadlines by promptly addressing the following requests: ○ Candids. Parents may submit as many candid photos as they like. The Yearbook Staff will select which photos to include into the yearbook (submitting a photo does not guarantee inclusion). ■ Please submit candid pictures for: baby pictures (12-24 months old), elementary school, middle school, high school, semi-formal, junior prom etc. ■ JPG ONLY - no png. ■ Use the Jostens photo link to upload pictures by 11/30/23. ■ Please add a label in the description box to help the staff sort the pictures into the correct folders. ○ Senior Portraits. Legacy Studios will be at SHS on October 19th and 20th for the FINAL round of senior portraits. ■ Use this Legacy Studios link HERE to sign up. ■ ONLY SENIOR PORTRAITS FROM LEGACY STUDIOS WILL BE ALLOWED IN THE YEARBOOK. ○ Yearbook Sales. Jostens Yearbooks will be sold from January 1st - February 15th. ■ The cost will be $100 per book. ■ Students w/ free or reduced lunch will have a price of $50. ■ Any other student with financial hardship should email Mr. v to discuss a reduced price. ■ We will send out an email/flier with ordering information on January 1st. ● Any family willing to donate a book would be greatly appreciated. ○ Parent Recognition Ads. Will be sold from January 1st - February 15th. ■ ADS ARE LIMITED. ■ We will send out an email/flier with ordering information on January 1st. Please email Mr v. at kvonsneidern@stonehamschools.org with any questions or concerns. The Yearbook Staff will communicate these deadlines with all seniors as well. |
Girls STEM Summit
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Jr.Tech will host the The Massachusetts premier Girls STEM Summit–Statewide on Sunday, April 7, 2024, at UMass Lowell, in Lowell, MA! The summits serve students in grades 8-12 who are interested in careers in the STEM fields. See HERE for more information and registration details. |
Attention Juniors; 2024 College Fair
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Juniors, mark your calendar for the annual Cooperative College Fair at Reading Memorial High School. It’s a great way to explore opportunities and possibilities for post secondary planning. ● March 13, 2024 6:30-8:30 Cooperative College Fair @ Reading Memorial High School |
Advanced Placement Tests / Students and Parents
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Attention all students who are enrolled in an Advanced Placement (AP) level course this 2023 - 2024 school year. The May AP Tests for all AP courses are required for those students enrolled in an AP course. Please see below for important information and dates regarding AP exams including decision dates, registration details and fees. Also included is a FAQ for parents / caregivers. ● AP Test Info HERE ● Parent / Caregiver FAQs HERE |
2023 - 2024 MCAS Testing Dates Information
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MCAS Retests ● Grade 11 / 12 students who require a retest for a Biology, ELA and / or Math MCAS will have opportunities on the following dates: ○ November ■ ELA: 11/08 & 11/09 ■ Math: 11/14 & 11/15 ○ February ■ Biology: 2/6 & 2/7 ○ March ■ ELA: 3/4 & 3/6 ■ Math: 3/7 & 3/8 ○ June ■ Biology: 6/4 & 6/5 MCAS ● Grade 10 students will take the Biology, ELA and Math MCAS on the following dates: ○ Testing schedule ■ ELA: March 26 & 27 ■ Math: May 21 & 22 ■ Biology: June 4 & 5 |
SHS Athletics Ticket Purchase Process / Digital
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Hey Spartan Fans! A reminder that the Stoneham Athletic Department will be using GoFan for digital ticketing for ALL Football, Hockey and Basketball Games. ● This ticketing policy allows Stoneham Athletic Department to operate a more efficient and professional ticket gate while elevating the fan experience. ● Buying tickets online allows fans to access and share tickets easily by email or text without standing in line. ● Buying In person at Event: ○ Signage will be visible at the venue to help fans navigate an online purchase on the GoFan page. Fans can purchase tickets online through the Stoneham High School GoFan page or by presenting a card or mobile payment option at the ticket gate. ● All major credit cards are accepted, along with Apple Pay and Google Pay. ● To purchase event tickets, please visit our GoFan page. |
Stoneham High Publicity Permission form
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At times Stoneham High School and Stoneham Public Schools will share photographs through various forms of school communication and social media of school sponsored activities and events. These photographs containing images of students will include learning opportunities within classrooms or field trips, extra curricular and athletic events, activities and / or competitions and general images representing school culture, climate and student work. If you do not want your SHS / SPS to post / distribute a picture which contains an image of your student/s please complete the following form and submit it to the High School Main Office. |
SHS Driving and Student Parking
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Here is a MAP of our Parking Lot and Traffic Routes as well as the posted signs you will see. Key points of the Map and parking and traffic plan. ● Drop off and Pick up traffic travels the perimeter of the middle parking spaces to the designated lower lot Drop Off / Pick Up Areas. ○ Three walkways connect the Drop Off / Pick Up Area to the High School ● No Drop Off / Pick Up is permitted in the Upper Lot unless due to physical need ● Middle traffic aisle is for middle row parking only ○ Drop Off / Pick Up Traffic should not drive up the middle parking aisle In addition to these posted travel routes and signage, the primary message for all student drivers and parent / caregiver drivers is to be aware, cautious and patient when driving on school grounds and to follow the posted signs for travel, parking and student pick / up drop off. Travel speed should be no more than 10 miles per hour. If you find yourself cutting across the parking lot, driving over 1o MPH or not following the posted routes then YOU, are “THAT PERSON,” who is being selfish and inconsiderate to the safety of others. Safety, whether school based or in the parking lot, requires all of us; how we drive on campus, in a tight and congested space, is part of establishing a safe environment. Please do your part! We thank you for your support and attention to this matter. We have distributed all parking passes for those students who completed the 1st round of Parking Application process. Parking Applications for the 2nd Round started on Tuesday, September, 5 and will remain open until remaining parking spaces are assigned. |
Stoneham Public School Lunch Program
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Just a few reminders from Lunch Program: ● All students will be getting FREE Breakfast & Lunch again this year (and hopefully forever). ○ Breakfast can be served in the morning, as a snack (if a student forgets one), or take home to eat the next morning. ○ We would love to see more students participating in Breakfast ● Any free/reduced family must fill out a NEW application every year ○ This will need to be done by October 16th ■ Or they will revert back to paid ● Although everyone is free, a new application is needed to receive other state benefits. ■ How to apply HERE ■ Applications HERE |
Stoneham Public Schools Yearly Chromebook User Agreement and Protection Plan Information
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Dear Parents/Guardians, We hope this email finds you well. As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we want to ensure that all students have access to the necessary tools for a successful learning experience. In light of this, we are excited to provide Chromebooks to our students to facilitate their education both in the classroom and at home. To ensure the responsible and effective use of these devices, we have developed a Chromebook User Agreement and optional Protection Plan. This agreement outlines the guidelines for using the Chromebooks and the steps we are taking to protect these devices. We kindly ask that you review and complete this agreement and discuss its contents with your student: ● **Chromebook User Agreement Highlights** ○ Responsible and ethical use of the device for educational purposes. ○ Handling and care guidelines to maintain the functionality and appearance of the Chromebook. ○ Adherence to the school's responsible use policy and digital citizenship guidelines. ○ Awareness of online safety, cybersecurity, and protecting personal information. ● **Protection Plan Benefits** ○ We understand that accidents can happen, and that's why we are offering an optional Protection Plan for the Chromebooks. ○ If the yearly Chromebook protection plan is purchased, the student is covered for damages to their Chromebook and charger. ● **Next Steps** ○ Review and complete the required 23-24 SPS Chromebook Agreement. The form can be accessed HERE ○ Discuss the agreement with your student to ensure a clear understanding of the responsibilities and expectations. ○ Consider enrolling in the optional Protection Plan to safeguard your student's device throughout the school year. ■ Enrolling in the Protection Plan is easy. ● Simply visit UniPay and follow the instructions to sign up. ○ The plan costs $20 per year per student and provides valuable peace of mind. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to a successful and productive school year together. |
Class of 2024: New Graduation Date
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The date for the Class of 2024 Graduation Commencement has been moved back from Friday, June 7 to Friday, May 31. This change in date reflects a review of the School Calendar and the realization that the late Graduation date of June 7 resulted in end of school year, 6/12, conflicts with a variety of Grade 9 - 11 educational activities from Biology MCAS and Final Exams to Award Nights and 8th Grade Step Up Day. The current calendar also had Seniors in school more school days than required. The new dates remove any conflicts and have an end of school date with required school days as previous graduating classes. New Senior Dates: ● Seniors last day of classes: Monday, 5/20 ● Senior Final Exams: Tuesday, 5/21 - Friday, 5/24 ● Senior Prom: Tuesday, 5/28 ● Senior Family Picnic: Thursday, 5/30 ● Graduation: Friday, 5/31 Academic Awards and Scholarships: TBD |