Hello Schalmont Middle School Students and Families,

It is hard to believe the start of a new school year is here. I truly hope you had an enjoyable and restful summer. Over the past few months, we have been working hard at the High School preparing for the return of our students and to welcome all of our new students and the incoming freshman class. Our school looks amazing with a tremendous amount of work having been done over the summer. We are so fortunate to have such a wonderful campus and school to come to every day.

As you prepare for the first day of school on Thursday, September 5, below are some helpful pieces of information.

Arrival & Dismissal

For morning arrival, all buses unload in the front loop of the Middle and High School. Buses begin unloading at 7:25 a.m. This allows for students to enter the building and have breakfast if they wish to do so.

Upon entering the building, 5th grade students are asked to report to the cafeteria and 6th grade students are asked to report to the LGI. Students are asked to remain in those locations and report to their homeroom at 7:40 a.m. Breakfast is available for all students during this time.

Homeroom will begin promptly at 7:40 a.m., with the Pledge of Allegiance and morning announcements.

Student drop-off by families will be in the Middle School Parking lot. Students will enter the door by the LGI with the door opening at 7:20 a.m.

Once buses leave at 7:25 a.m., families can drop off their students in the front loop anytime after 7:30 a.m.

Please be mindful that arriving on time to school each day is very important to maximize instructional and teacher contact time. Research, and our experience working with young adults, has proven that good attendance and learning go hand-in-hand.

Dismissal procedures will remain in place from last year. Buses will load in the front loop and family pick-up will take place in the Middle School parking lot.

Student Schedules and Lockers

Student class schedules are accessible on the eSchool Parent Portal and on Schoology as well. If you have questions or concerns regarding schedules, please contact our School Counselors.

Printed schedules and locker assignments will be provided to students on the first day of school during homeroom.

Students should be aware of their homeroom location and report to that location by 7:40 a.m.

Student Orientation Programs

All students in grades 5-8 will participate in Student Orientation programs  on the second day of school. Below is the schedule for the grade level orientation programs.

• Grade 5 – Recess – LGI
  • Students will be directed to the LGI from their class or lunch period.
• Grade 6 – Period 1 – LGI
  • Students should report to period 1, to be released to the LGI with their class.
• Grades 7 & 8 – Period 9 – HS Auditorium
  • Students should report to their 9th period class, with their belongings.
  • Students will be released to the HS Auditorium and dismissed from school from that location.

Interim Reports, Report Cards and eSchool Parent Portal

Monitoring student academic progress and growth is extremely important at the Middle School level. Over the course of the year, all 5-week Quarterly Interim Reports and Report Cards will be available on the eSchool Parent Portal. If you need access to your Portal Account and need to create an account, please visit our website or contact our eSchool Data Coordinator Deb Falcone at dfalcone@schalmont.net.

We will also mail home all Interim Reports and Reports Cards each quarter to ensure all students and families have access to these grade reports.

School-Wide Expectations

With the start of the school year, it is important that our students are reminded of the basic expectations we have for all of our students. Students are expected to be respectful, safe and ready to learn every day. More detailed information about our school-wide expectations are available here.

These procedures and expectations will be reviewed with our students during the back-to-school orientations and by classroom teachers.

Attendance & Engagement

Regular school attendance is the key to maintaining success in school regardless of the grade level. Research shows that absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half of the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school over the entire school year. If students are experiencing attendance and engagement concerns, please contact us. We are here to help. Remember, every day matters.

I look forward to seeing all of our students back in our building on the first day of school. I know that this year is going to be a great year filled with many great opportunities and experiences.

Thank you,

Matthew Heckman
Executive Principal
Schalmont Middle and High School
mheckman@schalmont.net
518-355-6110