Hello Schalmont High 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, included below are some helpful pieces of information.

Arrival & Dismissal

For morning arrival, all buses will 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, students are asked to report to the cafeteria and remain there until they begin moving to their 1st period class.

First period begins at 7:40 a.m., with the homeroom period attached to first period at 8:22 a.m. with the Pledge of Allegiance and morning announcements. The warning bell will signal at 7:38 a.m., alerting students they should begin moving to their 1st period class.

Student drop-off by families will be in the rear loop by the Sabre Field (athletic stadium) and the Gym 1 entrance. Students will enter Door 13 and should report to the cafeteria until the warning bell sounds at 7:38 a.m. Door 13 will be open for family drop-off at 7:20 a.m.

Student drivers will continue to park in their assigned parking spots in the designated student lot. Students will be asked to enter through the main entrance, which opens at 7:25 a.m. Seniors have received their parking permits while juniors who wish to drive will receive information to register over the course of the 1st quarter.

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. First period and classroom instruction begin promptly at 7:40 a.m. each day.

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 rear loop by the Sabre Field (athletic stadium).

Student Schedules & Lockers

Student class schedules are accessible on the eSchool Parent Portal and on Schoology as well. If there are questions or concerns regarding schedules, please contact our School Counselors. Every effort was made to schedule students into the courses they requested, however, sometimes scheduling conflicts do arise.

Printed schedules and locker assignments will be provided to students on the first day of school during 1st period/homeroom.

Students should be aware of their 1st period/homeroom location and report to that location at 7:38 a.m.

Student Orientation Programs

All students in grades 9-12 will participate in Student Orientation programs on the 1st day of school. Students will be released from their 1st period class to a grade level specific location. Students will travel as a grade level to four different locations to participate in four different orientation activities. This will take place over the course of periods 1 through 4. The normal schedule will resume during 5th period.

Course Drop/Add Procedures

The official add/drop period is five weeks after the start of the semester. Students are encouraged to remain in their classes until the 5 week period to determine if the course work, workload of the class and the course design are achievable with their individual needs and academic goals. Teacher requests, early dismissal or late arrival are not valid reasons for a schedule change or to drop a class and requests made for these reasons cannot be accommodated.

A schedule change due to academic difficulty may be considered prior to the drop period deadlines provided:

• A request from a parent or guardian is made.
• A student is carrying the required number of courses.
• A student has made a sincere effort to succeed.
• The student, parent, teacher and school counselor are in agreement
• Class balance is not disrupted by the change.

Student Parking & CTE

On campus parking for students is reserved for seniors first. If you were unable to come in last week you will be able to receive your parking permit on the first few days of school. Please submit your request through the form provided through Schoology and provide the required information (driver’s license, vehicle registration and insurance).

Junior students will be given the opportunity to apply for a parking permit, depending on space in the student lot after eligible seniors have received their parking permit.

Students attending BOCES CTE programs are required to ride district provided transportation. Transportation is provided to and from both the Schoharie and Albany CTE campuses. If you have questions or concerns regarding this change, please feel free to contact me.

Early Release & Late Arrival

Senior students can apply for early release or late arrival through the Counseling Center. Schedules permitting, this senior privilege must receive approval prior to students arriving late or leaving early. Class schedules cannot be adjusted to accommodate requests for late arrival or early release.

Interim Reports, Report Cards & 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 be mailing 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. Specifically, below you will find more detailed information regarding our school wide expectations. 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 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.

Student Handbook

The 2024-25 Schalmont High School Student Handbook is available here. Included in the handbook is relevant information to the daily operations of our school as well as building procedures, expectations and important contact information.

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