Dear Ware Learning Community:
It is hard to believe, but after April vacation, the end of the school year will be right around the corner! The coming weeks will include various rites of passage including prom, senior activities, and transition-related exercises for junior high school students, but I would be remiss if I did not mention the following, in the meantime:
Assessments – The month of May involves many (16 days) assessments, including PARCC, MCAS, and AP exams. Parents/guardians of students in grades 7-10 should have received a letter regarding PARCC and MCAS. Click on the news article to the left to see the full testing calendar. It is imperative that students approach this testing window with the necessary effort and concentration.
Attendance – Instruction in all classes will continue until final exams, so it is imperative that students continue to attend school every day. It is also important that students not arrive tardy or be dismissed early, as both of these actions will result in missed instructional time. In addition, the accumulation of tardies and absences, in accordance with the policies outlined in the Ware Public Schools Student Handbook, will result in consequences. In the case of absences, high school students are especially at-risk of losing credit for coursework when they exceed the ten unexcused absences limit. Given that final exams are cumulative, it is crucial that students attend school every day.
Dress Code – With the transition from early spring to more summer-like temperatures, please be mindful of the Ware Public Schools Dress Code. The following is an excerpt from page 36 of the Ware Public Schools Student Handbook that describes the overarching purpose of the dress code:
“Ware School District encourages the use of education to help students form their own identity, express themselves, and show their individuality. No uniforms are required in the Ware School District. Therefore, students currently enrolled at Ware are required to follow a dress code. This code will ensure safety and decency alike. An outfit should not cause a disturbance within the classroom and should never cause damage or harm to the building or another student…”
I encourage you to review the provisions set forth in the dress code for more specifics on pages 36 and 37. Here is the link: http://wareps.org/UserFiles/Servers/Server_1119747/File/handbook/WPS_Student_Handbook.pdf
As fourth quarter progresses, I want to encourage all students to be mindful of our learning community’s academic, civic, and social expectations, so that we can all enjoy a successful conclusion to the 2015-2016 school year. Attend every day, dress appropriately, study hard, and finish strong!
Sincerely,
Mr. Elwell